The holidays are upon us, and that means lots of work parties and family get-togethers. And where there's a good party, then there's good booze. It's not unusual to overdo it around the holidays or any other time of the year, for that matter. Who hasn't been in a situation where they had a few too many drinks at a work event, when grabbing cocktails with the girls or simply with your family? Hangovers aren't fun, but they're also a fact of life. Luckily for you, there are 9 surefire ways to prevent that horrible hangover the next day.
More from MamásLatinas: Hangover help: 7 Latino remedies that will make you feel better in no time
According to Cosmopolitan, any expert will tell you that the only real way to prevent a hangover is to not drink. But that's not necessarily a realistic option for those who love the occasional margarita or coquito. And if you overdo it? Okay, NOT fun, but there are some ways that you can avoid maximum pain.
Thankfully, we have 9 expert-tested tips who know better about drinking and how to fend off the nausea, headache, dizziness and general misery that comes with an intense (and sometimes unplanned) night of drinking. You might be surprised to hear that drinking a glass of water in between drinks won't do the trick that you think it will and that having some "hair of the dog" the next morning isn't great either. However, there's plenty of other things that you CAN do to help. Take a look at what you can do before, during and after a night out to prevent that hangover.
1. Drink pomegranate juice before you go out.
"A big misconception is that hangovers are entirely about dehydration. But the main issues are inflammation and oxidative stress. And it's much easier to prevent a hangover than it is to deal with it the next morning," Dr. Jason Burke told Cosmpolitan.
Antioxidants are a great cure, so try popping an extra multivitamin in the morning or simply drink some pomegranate juice before going out.
2. Have a burrito with extra guac instead of a salad.
When you're watching your weight around the holidays, you may be tempted to order a salad instead of the burrito or burger you're eyeing, but that is a BIG mistake. Elizabeth Kovacs, PhD, director of the alcohol research program at Loyola University, told Cosmopolitan that your best bet is to eat a meal that has plenty of carbs, protein and fat before your night out on the town. This is because the severity of a hangover is related to how you metabolize the alcohol, and that depends on what you eat. So go for the meal you really want!
3. Switch to coconut water in between drinks.
The general advice is that you should be drinking water in between your cocktails, but that may not be the best way to fend off dehydration (and the headache you'll get in the morning.) Instead, go for Gatorade or coconut water because they replace your fluids AND your electrolytes (the nutrients that you lose when drinking), Kovacs told Cosmopolitan.
4. Mix your liquor with juice instead of soda.
Having a vodka soda might be your go-to, but going for a fruit or vegetable juice (which contain extra vitamins) is going to be better for you. Although "OJ won't help you avoid a hangover", Kovacs told Cosmopolitan, it's still a better choice than any kind of soda. Sorry, cuba libre lovers.
5. Go ahead and buy the fancy stuff.
Not only is a clear liquor (like vodka or gin) a better idea than dark liquors like rum and tequila, but it's also best to buy the fancy stuff.
"I only drink high-end gin and vodka," Dr. Burke told Cosmopolitan.
The reason why this is a good strategy for preventing a hangover is because the high-brow stuff, while more expensive, is filtered better and therefore doesn't have the impurities and toxins of other liquors, which can help to make your hangover less severe. And because it's more expensive, you might even end up drinking less in the long run.
6. Make sure you're doing PLENTY of dancing.
Make sure you have plenty of fun at that party, and do that not just by socializing with your friends and family but also by engaging in plenty of activities that take your mind and your hands off of alcohol. Basically, if you get out on the dance floor to show your cousins your latest bachata moves or you take advantage of the nearby ping-pong table, then you won't really have much room to also hold your drink. So have fun, because it might keep you from overdoing it!
7. Take an ibuprofen before going to bed.
"If I really overdid it, I take an Advil before I go to sleep and possibly one more multivitamin," Dr. Burke told Cosmopolitan.
Medicine that contains anti-inflammatory properties (like ibuprofen) is great because it directly attacks the inflammation that alcohol causes. However, make sure you read your labels because painkillers with acetaminophen can actually damage your liver and kidneys if you take them with alcohol.
8. Have a breakfast featuring eggs the next morning.
You might be going out to brunch with the girls after a night out, and ordering eggs is certainly what should be on the menu. This is because eggs are a great source of cysteine, which breaks down a headache-causing toxin that is produced in your body after a night of drinking alcohol. Greasy bacon or a heavy breakfast meal might upset your stomach, so instead go with poached eggs or a dry omelet to help your hangover.
9. Order a Sprite or seltzer water at brunch.
According to Cosmopolitan, researchers at Sun Yat-Sen University in Guangzhou, China, analyzed 57 different drinks and their effects on alcohol metabolism. It turns out that tea makes things worse but Sprite and regular soda water actually help the body to metabilize alcohol the next day. So drink up!
