Preventing and treating hangovers

You're all dressed up and ready for a party. But if you overindulge, the next morning you'll be spending time with your porcelain pal and wishing your cat had a softer step. Welcome to your hangover.

Of course, you can avoid a hangover altogether by not drinking excessively, but if it's too late, you can lessen the morning-after pain. Recovery from the effects of alcoholic drinks doesn't have to be so bad -- really.

Eat before heading out
Have a big meal. Foods high in protein and fat will slow the absorption rate of alcohol into your bloodstream. Accompany it with water to counter the diuretic effects of alcohol. A hangover begins with dehydration, so the more water in your system, the better.

Your liver breaks down liquor and escorts toxins out of your body to keep your blood-alcohol concentration down, so treat it right. "Try popping a B complex vitamin," says Jennifer Glazer, a Toronto-based naturopathic physician at the Naturopathic Clinic in Toronto. "It will help your liver deal with the excess work it has to do."

Screen drinks throughout the night
The type of alcohol consumed will affect your hangover's intensity. Congeners are naturally occurring impurities that darken and add fragrance to liquor, so it could be better to choose clear, colourless drinks. "Dehydration, electrolyte depletion, vitamin and mineral depletion, it's the congeners that are doing all this," says Rollin Riggs, publisher of The Hangover Handbook: 101 Cures for Humanity's Oldest Malady (Ingram, 1997), by Nic Van Oudshoorn. "You're still going to get a hangover, but it will be less bad with gin or vodka than with bourbon."

Be kind to your liver by having no more than one alcoholic drink per hour and the same type throughout the night. Pace yourself by alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, preferably water, or by hitting the dance floor or playing pool -- keep active to steer away from more drinking.

Rehydrate back at home
You had fun and you're ready for bed. Not so fast. Grab another big glass of water or a sports drink, like Gatorade, to replenish electrolytes. And don't pop any pills with it. Several studies have shown that acetaminophen and ibuprofen can irritate your spent liver.

Treat symptoms the morning after

"The hangover is a result of a temporary drug addiction," explains Riggs. "Many hangover cures include additional alcohol, to keep you from that cold-turkey feeling."

Hair of the dog may be appealing, but water and electrolyte-replenishing drinks are better, and less abusive. You'll also want to avoid coffee, another diuretic. If you have a headache, you can take some pain relievers now or place a cold, wet towel on your forehead to constrict throbbing blood vessels. Another option is a homeopathic remedy called Nux Vomica 30c, which also helps with nausea, says Glazer.

Finally, have something to eat. "Some people swear by a big greasy cheeseburger, because the fat lines your stomach," says Riggs. Burnt toast also seems to work, likely because the carbon filters impurities.

"Try some liver-loving foods such as carrots, beets, dandelions or artichokes," suggests Glazer. "Add some milk thistle seeds to your salads to help your liver recover from the abuse." Or chomp on a tomato, great for replenishing lost nutrients, especially if you've been throwing up.

If you vomit repeatedly or pass out, get to the hospital. If you're lucky, you're just dehydrated. Otherwise, you may have alcohol poisoning which can lead to brain damage and death.

Heather Camlot is a Toronto-based freelance writer who enjoys writing about health, entertainment, travel, fashion and home decor. Her articles have appeared in such publications as The New York Times, Parents, TV Guide Canada and Ladies' Home Journal, to name a few.