There are a number of ways to avoid a hangover and safe yourself from the terrible effects it creates to your head and stomach the next morning. Avoiding hangover has to do with a number of techniques you can follow before and during the period of alcohol consumption.

What is actually a hangover?

Although there is no clear definition, the hangover is the unpleasant feeling that follows a night of excessive alcohol consumption and includes at least two of the following symptoms: headache, nausea, diarrhoea, gastrointestinal disorders, fatigue.

The mechanism that is causing a hangover is not entirely known, but is considered multi-factor and is not only related to the quantity of alcohol consumed.

Key causes of a hangover are the reduction of glucose in the blood and dehydration, which is a result of the diuretic action of alcohol. For this reason the hangover is combined with dry mouth and an unpleasant taste in the mouth.

Another important role in the whole process is the consumption of alcohol with an empty stomach, insomnia and performing physical activity during the drunkenness.

Some studies argue that children with alcoholic parents are faced with worse hangover symptoms than children of non-alcoholic parents.

Women must know that they are biologically more vulnerable to the effects of alcohol than men. Therefore, need not be competing in their drinking.

The alcohol is metabolised by the liver. A bottle of beer or a glass of wine need about an hour. So we can influence the pace at which the levels of alcohol are increasing in the blood.

25 Ways to avoid Hangover

1. Before going out make sure that you eat well so your stomach will have a valuable assistant in the absorption of alcohol. If again you are not at home arrange to eat something before drinking, preferably pizza or pasta.

2. Prior going out you should starting drinking… and when we say drink, we mean anything else than alcohol. The best choices are lots of water, juices and milk in order to avoid the dehydration caused by alcohol.

3. Accompany your drinks during the night with food rich in antioxidants. Perfect examples are fruits, vegetables and salads. Avoid ready-made food or fatty food.

4. Do not mix different drinks together. Experienced drinkers swear to this. Stick to one type of drink throughout the night.

5. Make sure that you know what you drink. Always choose «reliable» bars and take care of the barman not to make any unpleasant mixing. Better select bottled drinks and try to avoid colourful shots and cocktails.

6. Drink slowly and not abruptly. If you drink a lot, within 1-2 hours most probably you will end up in trouble.

7. It is preferable to combine a drink with some fruits or vegetables (cucumber – carrot) and not dried nuts. Dried nuts in large quantities may affect your stomach while fruits and vegetables are much more secured and full of antioxidants.

8. Avoid making demonstrations on the amount of alcohol you can drink. Nobody can withstand the alcohol more than others. Some people just have an advantage because of their body weight due to dilution.

9. Our body in order to function properly it needs oxygen. That is why we choose places outdoors and at least places with good ventilation. If we feel that we are starting not feeling well, it’s better to go outside to get some fresh air.

10. Soup. Soup is warm and gentle on the stomach. Before going to bed it is a good practice to eat a plate of warm soup with small pieces of meat if available.

11. When you wake up the next morning and feel the terrible headache the first thing to do is eat a good breakfast preferably butter and honey although any breakfast is good.

12. Open the windows to freshen the room and get some fresh air. This will oxygenize your body and help your organism and mind to function better.

13. Take a shower. A good shower, although it does not treat the symptoms of the hangover helps in revitalizing your body. Try to use cool water and not hot. Do not attempt to take a shower if you cannot stand in your feet or if you are still feeling dizzy.

14. Avoid at all costs drinking coffee. Coffee will not only exacerbate the headache and stimulate the nervous system but also results in diuresis. This is bad because alcohol already forced your body in a state of dehydration.

15. There is a rumour that the best way to be okay the next morning is to drink the same drink as you did the previous evening . This is only a rumour and it is not based on real evidence. Basically what is suggested is to drink an alcohol drink (only ONE) when you wake up in the morning. This is because alcohol raises blood pressure and it will help you feel better. If you are going to attempt this method avoid carbonated drinks such as champagne and prefer something milder.

16. If your headache is very intensive you can take an aspirin. For sure do not take an aspirin with alcohol and preferably do not take the aspirin as soon as you wake up.

17. Vitamin B6 helps in the treatment of a hangover. It is not scientifically proven but vitamins are always good for our body. Foods rich in vitamin B6 are bananas, peas, chicken, fish and liver

18. Eat a good lunch even if you are not hungry. As we have said before, food helps the stomach as it absorbs alcohol and will certainly make you feel much better. Do not eat large quantities of food and try to avoid food with fat.

19. During the night and on the next day avoid fizzy drinks and refreshments. The carbonate is not good for the stomach and certainly our body and stomach will not appreciate it.

20. Avoid taking pills or medicines that are supposed to help you get rid of a hangover. These kinds of pills are not yet proven scientifically and so it is better to avoid them.

21. Rest. The stress of the body in the effort to remove toxins is so great that beyond good food our body also needs a good rest.

22. Avoid being in place with a lot of noise or loud music. Give your head and mind a chance to relax and recover.

23. There are no magic recipes for the cure of hangover. Prevent mixing herbs or other substances that someone may suggest to you. The only herb that can help you is green tea because of the antioxidants it contains.

24. The best advice to avoid the hangover is not to drink or not to drink more than you can handle. Surely with a little alcohol you will have a better mood but the risks of loosing control and ending up with all those terrible hangover symptoms are increased. Drink responsibly and in moderation.

25. Finally you must never forget: Drink and Drive do not go together. Even if you drink with caution, even if you have followed all the instructions to avoid drunkenness, still you should not drive for the sake of your safety and the safety of other’s around you.