How to drink without getting a hangover

Take precautions to prevent a hangover.

Wine, beer or liquor taste great during the party, but can come back to haunt you in the form of a hangover the next morning. Drinking too much alcohol dehydrates you, which casuses the headache, dry mouth and queasy stomach that plague you the morning after. Avoiding a hangover starts before you take your first sip and ends right before you go to bed.

Things You'll Need

• Milk thistle
• water
• common sense

Instructions

1. Eat a hearty meal before you start drinking to coat the stomach and slow the absorption of alcohol. The best foods for you to eat before drinking have been shown to be fatty proteins, this means chicken, fish or meat.

2. Take two milk thistle tablets a couple of hours before you go out. Milk thistle is a natural remedy helps the liver process alcohol faster.

3. Alternate a serving of liquor with a glass of water to stay hydrated and reduce the amount of alcohol you drink during the event.

4. Choose light-colored alcohol, such as vodka or gin, which have been distilled. Take it easy on champagne, which tends to pack a bigger hangover punch.

5. While getting ready for bed, drink a pint of water and have light snack to replenish liquids and sugar in your system. The snack will also help to soak up some of the alcohol.

Tips & Warnings

• If you still wake up with a hangover, drink plenty of water and have breakfast with carbohydrates and protein. Take a pain reliever for the headache, but avoid caffeine, as the medicine and caffeine can overtax the liver. If you feel up to it, do some light exercise to help your body process the alcohol sugars faster.

References

• Netdoctor: 12 Ways to Stop a Hangover
• BBC Health: Hangovers