How to Avoid a Hangover

Who hasn’t gone out and had a little too much liquid cheer? We are all familiar with what happens when you are out drinking and having fun all night and end up with agony the next morning. Experts say that preventing a hangover is better than trying to find a cure for it, thus we share some ways you can prevent a hangover — before and during your party and if you haven’t followed any of these, then we share ways to cure a hangover. Before the party There are some things you can do to help lessen the effects of getting a hangover. Eat a hearty meal before you go out drinking. Fatty foods: “Before you go out drinking, it is always safe to consume greasy foods with lots of cheese and butter which acts like an inner lining and helps absorb alcohol,” says physician Dr Vijay Punjabi.  The oils will coat your stomach lining and will slow down the absorption of alcohol. This can help prevent the severity of a hangover. Burnt toast: Having a partially burnt toast before drinking can help you avert a hangover. Carbon acts like a filter in the body which in turn helps absorb alcohol. Drink milk: Having a glass of milk before you start drinking lines your stomach and slows the amount of alcohol absorbed. This will help your digestive system to cope with alcohol. Acetaldehyde is a toxic chemical that alcohol is converted to in the body and is one of the prime causes of a hangover. Vitamins and anti-oxidants: A couple of multi-vitamins and anti-oxidants before drinking can help prevent a hangover. During the party   Everyone loves to enjoy their drink without worrying about the next day hangover. If you haven’t followed the before-a-party trick, need not panic. You can still prevent a hangover while you are drinking. Drink slowly: Go slow with your drinks. Try and consume no more than one drink per hour to prevent a hangover the following day. Stay hydrated: Drinking a glass of juice or water in between your drinks for every glass of alcohol consumed will cut down the risk of having a severe hangover. Dr Mukesh Budhwani, says, “Note that hangovers usually occur when your body gets dehydrated. Thus, keep alternating a glass of water between your drinks.” Keep it light: Having a hangover hugely depends on the type of alcohol you are consuming. Dark-coloured drinks like dark rum, red wine and bourbon are the worst options since they contain congeners that contribute to hangovers as compared to light-coloured drinks like vodka, white wine and gin. Avoid caffeine mixtured cocktails: Avoid having cocktails which are mixed with caffeine. It dehydrates your system and adds to the feelings of nausea and woolly head all of which will make your hangover seem worse. After the party   If you are amongst those who have missed out on before-a-party and during-a-party prevention, we suggest all you can do to cure your hangover. Sleep:  An easy way to cure a hangover is to sleep. Drink a glass of juice, put a cold washcloth on your forehead, eliminate noises such as T.V., music player, keep the room dark and just sleep.  If you wake up in between, take a vitamin pill and go back to sleep again. Keep drinking liquids: Every time you wake up, keep drinking water to keep your body hydrated, since hydration is one of the main causes of a hangover.   Dr Punjabi, adds, “The best way to cure a hangover is to be on a liquid diet the next day. Keep sipping on coconut water, fresh lime water or normal water throughout the day.” Replace lost salts: Rehydration sachets which are used to treat diarrhoea speeds recovery from a hangover. It is because the salt sachets contain small amounts of body salts that replace lost fluids from your body much quicker than water. Mix one sachet before going to bed and do the same after you wake up the next morning. Drink coffee:  Coffee relieves the feeling of fatigue associated with a hangover and helps alleviate the headache symptoms. Painkillers: Aspirin or ibuprofen reduces hangover headache and muscle pain. Be careful when you are taking these pills cause they tend to dehydrate your body and does not help in the long run. Take either of them in the morning. Eggs:  Dr Budhwani,  says, “Egg helps get rid of hangover the next morning.” Have an omelette or boiled egg the next morning. Eggs contain cysteine which helps break down the acetaldehyde (alcohol) content in the body after a binge drinking session. Have potassium rich fruits: Alcohol depletes the body of potassium. Eating fruits which are rich in potassium like bananas can replenish the potassium and lost salts from your body. Sport drinks are good sources of potassium too. “Include fruits which are rich in vitamin C like oranges since they contain anti-oxidants and they help when you are suffering a hangover,” adds Dr Budhwani. How hungover are you on a scale of 1 - 5? 1. You wake up with no headache or a feeling of nausea. But, you definitely miss out on energy. Be glad you can function relatively well. 2. The next morning you wake up feeling dizzy. You are okay but definitely need that strong cuppa coffee to relieve you of the nausea. 3. You wake up in the morning with a crappy stomach. You feel dehydrated and have a slight headache. All you need now is a tuna sub and chocolate donuts to feel better. 4. Frustrated and irritated. Your head is throbbing with pain and you’re left with no capacity to talk to anyone. You are reeking of booze but still crave for more. 5. Headache, nausea, throbbing pain, body ache — name all the problems associated with drinking and hangover. You've crossed the frustration limit and nothing seems to be working in your favour!