Nip your hangover in the bud!

Posted in: Celebration / Holidays,Entertainment,FYI Articles,Health & Fitness | December 27th, 2009

Nip your hangover in the bud!
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?

Here’s some quit tips to help you celebrate without the worries of that awful “next morning” feeling:

Know your limits. 75% of people who drink to intoxication will have a hangover the next day. The number of drinks it takes to reach a state of intoxication varies from person to person. Don’t have more than 3 drinks in 1-2 hours, and no more than 5 drinks 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.
Eat before drinking so alcohol isn’t absorbed as quickly.

Drink a glass of milk before alcohol. It coats the lining of your stomach and slows the absorption of alcohol.
Choose light liquors (vodka, gin) over dark liquors (brandy, whiskey). They have fewer congeners, which contribute to hangovers. Overall, drinks 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.
Stick with noncarbonated mixers. Carbonated drink mixers accelerate alcohol absorption.
Choose less concentrated drinks. Beer is better than shots of whiskey, for example.
Stick with one type of alcohol. Variety is not the spice of life in terms of a hangover.
Stay hydrated. Alcohol makes you urinate more, which can lead to dehydration. Drink water or sports drinks before, during, and after drinking 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 drinks are a good idea. Don’t drink caffeinated beverages – those make you urinate more, too. Have one glass of water after each drink. It keeps you hydrated and can also slow your alcohol consumption.
Be happy. Research suggests that guilt about drinking, a neurotic personality, becoming angry or depressed while drinking, and having suffered “negative life events” in the past 12 months are better predictors of symptoms of hangover than how much or what you drink!