Prevent a Hangover

Prevention is better than cure, they say. It's all well and good curing a hangover, but wouldn't it be better not to have it in the first place?

Steps

 * 1) [[Image:PA300108 8391.jpg|thumb|Lots and lots of beer...it can be a bad idea.]]Know your limits. 75% of people who imbibe alcohol to intoxication will have a hangover the next day. The number of alcoholic beverages it takes to reach a state of intoxication varies from person to person. Don't have more than 3 beverages in 1-2 hours, and no more than 5 beverages in one night. Women and people of Asian descent might want to consider having a little less because they are more susceptible to hangovers. Women tend to have a lower metabolic rate due to a higher ratio of body fat and Asians tend to have lower levels of alcohol dehydrogenase, an enzyme that breaks down alcohol.
 * 2) Eat before going out so alcohol isn't absorbed as quickly.
 * 3) Have a glass of milk before alcohol. It coats the lining of your stomach and slows the absorption of alcohol.
 * 4) Choose light liquors (vodka, gin) over dark liquors (brandy, whiskey). They have fewer congeners, which contribute to hangovers. Overall, alcoholic beverages with more chemicals produce worse hangovers. Red wine is one of the worst culprits. A study found that hangover symptoms varied by the type of alcohol consumed: (in order of decreasing severity) brandy, red wine, rum, whisky, white wine, gin, vodka, and pure ethanol.
 * 5) Stick with noncarbonated mixers. Carbonated mixers accelerate alcohol absorption.
 * 6) Choose less concentrated alcoholic beverages. Beer is better than shots of whiskey, for example.
 * 7) Stick with one type of alcohol. Variety is not the spice of life in terms of a hangover.
 * 8) Stay hydrated. Alcohol makes you urinate more, which can lead to dehydration. Have a glass of water before, during, and after consuming alcohol. The processes that break down alcohol also produce lactic acid and other chemicals that interfere with the production of glucose (sugar) and electrolytes; that's why sports beverages are a good idea. Avoid caffeinated beverages - those make you urinate more, too. Have one glass of water after each alcoholic beverage. It keeps you hydrated and can also slow your alcohol consumption.
 * 9) Be happy. Research suggests that guilt about alcohol consumption, a neurotic personality, becoming angry or depressed while consuming alcohol, and having suffered "negative life events" in the past 12 months are better predictors of symptoms of hangovers than how much or what alcohol you consume during the night!

Tips

 * In terms of amount of alcohol consumed, 12 oz of beer = 5 oz of wine = 1.5 oz of spirits. Don't think you're imbibing less because you're having white wine instead of Jack Daniels and Coke.
 * Keep a large bottle of water by the bed you're crashing/sleeping on. When you'll wake up during the night or in the morning, you will be craving for water, but the headaches or someone throwing up in the bathroom will keep you from getting up or walking to get your water. Water by the bed is comfortable and makes the morning a lot more pleasant.
 * Cheese and nuts are good foods to eat because the high fat content slows the absorption of alcohol. Bar snacks can be your friends.
 * Avoid smoking. Smoking constricts your lungs and decreases the oxygen flow to your blood stream. Less oxygen means a stronger hangover.
 * Rehydrate with plenty of water, it helps keep you hydrated and flush some of the alcohol out of your system, the less drunk you are when you fall asleep the less hungover you will be (generally)
 * Take two aspirin BEFORE going to bed/sleep.
 * Have some aspirin nearby in the morning. Alcohol effects prostaglandin, which regulates pain. The aspirin will help reduce inflammation, swollen blood vessels and other unpleasant effects of alcohol and speed up your recovery.

Warnings

 * Just because you've taken preventative steps, that doesn't mean you won't get drunk. Always drink responsibly.
 * Always read the label on vitamins or any other drugs, especially the health warnings, to ensure that there will be no adverse side effects when mixed with alcohol.
 * Be careful when consuming alcohol and caffeine. Too much caffeine mixed with too much alcohol can lead to a severe, and possibly fatal, increase in heartbeat.
 * Using "Chaser" or any other congener-blocking drug does not prevent individuals from getting drunk. They only prevent or lessen the effects of a hangover.
 * While consuming fatty foods and fat may help to prevent a hangover, alcohol consumption combined with fat consumption will lead to increased weight gain/fat mass and perhaps a fatty liver. A fatty liver may be much less able to metabolize alcohol. When alcohol is metabolized it is readily converted into body fat, and is very high in calories. Your liver will metabolize alcohol before it utilizes dietary fat. The dietary fat will be stored as fat tissue instead of being burned as energy, and the high-calorie alcohol will most likely also add to this fat. And since heavier people can consume more before getting intoxicated, the weight gain may be compounded over time.

Related Tips and Steps
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 * How to Avoid Alcohol While at College
 * How to Politely Turn Down a Drink From Your Host
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 * How to Brew Your Own Beer
 * How to Make a Michilada