How to Prevent a Hangover - Save Yourself from the Pain

I have written a (well-researched) article on banishing the dreaded hangover, but it is even better if you manage to prevent the pain before it even starts. Here are a few tips.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Understanding WHERE the pain going to come from will help us remember WHAT steps to take to battle the coming pain before it arrives.

2. The obvious cause of the hangover is alcohol. Common advice is 'don't drink, and you won't get a hangover'. If you did that, you're not reading this! So Consider WHAT you drink. Different drinks contain additional substances that intensify the hangover, and that's exactly the stuff we want to avoid! Rule of thumb with liquor - the darker it is, the more congeners (additional impurities in the booze that your body must break down). Vodka, for instance is generally most 'pure' - fewer congeners, bourbon being the worst.

3. Additionally, younger wines have a harsher makeup than older wines - more by-products of the fermentation are present, such as fusel alcohol, which your liver must combat along with the ethanol, intensifying your hangover.

4. Mixers with caffeine (rum & coke, anyone?) may further the dehydration that occurs as your body breaks down the alcohol, a major cause of hangover symptoms. Caffeine may also lead to more restless sleep, making things even worse. Try mixers without too much artificially colors and added sugar - natural juices not only taste great, but the additional vitamin C will help prevent the oxidative effects of the gallons of booze you've been guzzling. Think pomegranite juice, cranberry juice, fresh squeezed OJ... hmmm... sounds good - pour me one too.

5. Before the big crash: Drink a couple extra glasses of water. Your liver now needs a lot of H2O to break down all the poison you've added to your body - make sure it has enough. You may want to take a B- vitamin as well, to support the liver in it's battle. A time-release C vitamin is also a great idea; alcohol is a free-radical, and you'll help protect your body with a long dose of antioxidants.

6. Eat something! Although the superstitions about food 'coating the stomach' or such are not scientifically based, food and non-alcoholic drinks dilute the alcohol, lightening the load on the body. Traditional hangover preventing foods across the world usually include soups and milk products - which supply the minerals and nutrients that are depleted by alcohol consumption.

Tips & Warnings

• See my other articles for the morning-after treatments. Some great tips from the around the world may be just the thing to save your day!
• DO NOT take Tylenol (Paracetemol) with ALCOHOL! I cannot stress this enough. This combination is a liver KILLER. In fact, alcohol will remain in your body the next morning, so don't take any Tylenol for 24 hours to be safe. You don't want liver damage.
• Be cautious, as well, about driving the 'morning after' - you may still be over the legal limit which not only endangers your driving privileges, but your life and that of others.