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How do I stop a hangover?

Hangovers are certainly no fun. With a question like this you are either trying to fight an existing hangover, or prevent a hangover from even happening! Unfortunately, there is no one size fits all remedy for curing or preventing a hangover. Some techniques might work for some while not doing much for others. You need to find what works best for you, and there are a variety of things you can try for either one of these situations.

Let's start with some tips for preventing a hangover from occurring.

It seems fairly obvious that the best way to avoid a hangover is to not drink at all! But for those situations where drinking is "unavoidable", here are a few steps to help limit those nasty symptoms that follow:

Drink in moderation! If you do not drink to the point of being intoxicated, the chances of getting a hangover is almost none. For most people, only excessive drinking will result in experiencing a hangover.

Because dehydration is a main factor for causing hangovers, you want to drink lots of water as well. Drink water before, during and after any situation involving drinking!

Don't drink on an empty stomach! Any food you eat prior to drinking will help absorb alcohol being introduced into your body. Fatty or greasy foods are even better because they will help coat the lining of your stomach and further slow the absorption of the alcohol.

Try to drink alcoholic beverages that contain fewer congeners. Congeners are used in some liquors to contribute to the taste, smell and appearance of the beverage. They are known to be another main factor in causing hangovers. Clear liquors such as white rum, vodka, gin and white wine have fewer congeners and therefore cause less severe hangovers. Drinks like whiskey, brandy and red wine contain more congeners.

Let's take a look at the other scenario: you had a great night and are paying dearly for it the next morning!

Hangovers are the result of your body losing essential nutrients like blood sugar, water, minerals and vitamins due to excessive drinking. Some of the more common effects include headaches, nausea, fatigue, diarrhea and extreme thirst. Here are some tips for helping alleviate those hangover symptoms:

Rehydrating your body is key. You want to drink lots of liquids! Simply drinking a lot of water will help tremendously. You could also drink orange juice for Vitamin C, or a sports drink like Gatorade to help replenish lost carbohydrates and electrolytes.

Drinking any liquid that is high in sugar content can provide temporary deferment of hangover symptoms. Soda works well for some, or even Slushies and Smoothies can help get you feeling better.

Try eating mineral rich food like pickles or canned fish. For folks in Poland, simply drinking pickle juice is a common remedy for curing hangovers!

There are several different foods that will help you out. It is different for everyone, but you want to try eating foods high in fat, sugar, carbs, salt, or protein. Mix and match with what foods work the best for you. Fruits such as bananas and apples help some people feel better while others find that greasy fast food will do the trick!

Some people believe that drinking more alcohol is a hangover remedy! The key to this one is that you only drink a little more alcohol the next day. This can get you feeling a bit better during the hangover battle, but it is important to replenish and rehydrate your body with the above mentioned steps.

Lastly, sleep is one of the best ways for recovering from a hangover. If your hangover is quite severe, it is best to stay in bed and get some extra rest!