Drinking This Holiday Season? Prepare a Hangover Remedy.

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If just the thought of spending Christmas with Aunt Gladys makes you want to imbibe a straight quart of Everclear, it may be prudent to prep yourself for the morning after. Luckily, Jen Christensen over at CNN has a piece up today with advice for nursing your future headache. She mentions that not drinking is actually the most effective way to keep hangovers under control, but since most of you aren’t going to take that advice here’s an alternative:

“Drinking water as you consume alcohol can help with the dehydration issue… Eating a little something can help your stomach. But eating greasy food to soak up the alcohol better, as some people will tell you, is a myth. In fact, that greasy stuff may irritate your stomach more. Instead, [eat] some healthy protein and carbohydrates. But other than avoiding alcohol altogether, the only other way to ease your symptoms is simple.”

Rest. Sleeping off a hangover is the best of the semi-proven solutions. What’s really interesting about Christensen’s piece is that the doctor she interviews makes mention that the medical community really doesn’t have much of a pulse on the science behind hangovers:

“[Alcohol] makes you want to run to the bathroom more and that can lead to dehydration. That process is what causes the thirst, dizziness and the light-headedness you feel. It can also trigger an inflammatory response from your immune system… Drinking alcohol in excess can cause your blood sugar to fall… Alcohol can cause your blood vessels to expand, which can cause headaches. It can irritate the lining of your stomach, making you nauseous.”

So the big takeaway here is that drinking heavily will put you through the ringer. That’s not necessarily “thinking big,” but maximizing your hydration while eating well will at least help you ward off the hazy hangover symptoms. Try snacking on fruit or nuts before and during your drinking. Make sure you alternate between alcohol and water throughout the night.

Most of all: whatever you do, don’t get behind the wheel. Be sure to play it safe this holiday season and make certain to prepare yourself for the morning after. If you have any favorite remedies, please share them in the comments below.