Pregaming Is The Key To Beating Your Holiday Hangover

The holidays will soon be upon us, bringing weeks of parties, dinners, and gatherings. Starting from Thanksgiving and lasting all the way through New Year’s Day, they'll be an overabundance of toasting and cheer. But once the eggnog starts flowing the holiday hangover isn’t far behind. Not even Santa has a sure cure for an adult beverage induced pounding headache and queasy stomach. What’s the life of the party to do? Well, you can stay sober and gift your friends a safe ride home as the DD (designated driver). You can also make like the Grinch and avoid all festivities. Or, you can drink up but strategize to minimize the morning after damage. If you want to play, you don't necessarily have to pay. Follow these tips to avoid the dreaded holiday hangover. Cheers!

Drink Water

Dehydration is a big reason you hurt so much when over-served. Don't belly up to the bar already depleted. Daytime situations like drinking coffee, exercising and stress all cause dehydration. Before heading out, make sure you're well hydrated. Once your out, follow the universally agreed upon plan and drink a glass of water in between every alcoholic beverage. Drink another bottle of water, preferably one enhanced with electrolytes, when you get home. Or try coconut water; a sports drink like Gatorade, your baby's Pedialyte or 2 ounces of pickle juice to balance depleted water and sodium levels.

Choose Your Booze Wisely

You know the old saying, “Liquor before beer you’re in the clear; Beer before liquor never been sicker." A night out on the town mixing up all different kinds of alcoholic beverages will ultimately end with you praying to the porcelain god. Stick to the drink you start with. Beer or clear liquors like Vodka have been known to cause less pain than brown liquors and tequila. Avoid sugary mixers, too much orange juice and go top shelf when you can.

Take Your Vitamins

According to Livestrong.com, taking vitamins may help alleviate hangovers. “A supplement containing vitamins B-1 and B-6 was shown to help reduce hangover symptoms. Work published in Advances in Preventive Medicine in 2012 sent subjects a supplement and encouraged them to take the supplement before and after drinking alcohol. Of the subjects who completed the study, 88 percent reported a reduction in hangover symptoms.” We’ll take those odds.

Eat

It’s the holidays. Everyone’s pants are tight. Eat before you drink. It’s basic boozing knowledge that you should have something in your stomach to soak up the alcohol. But when it comes to keeping the holiday hangover at bay, you should throw down a meal chock full of Vitamin B-12, Potassium, Protein and carbs. It’s all about slowing down the alcohol that’s being absorbed into your bloodstream and replacing the minerals depleted by the hootch.

Medicate

Taking Advil before going to bed may give your body a head start on the recovering from a night out. However, taking anything containing acetaminophen is no bueño and may cause kidney and liver damage.

Drink responsibly!