by Danelle Karth

Created on: February 12, 2009   Last Updated: February 13, 2009

Limiting the effects of a hangover is your best bet when you drink. There is no cure to a hangover and living with it can make for a rough day. With a little bit of planning ahead and some care you can limit the effects of a hangover and often avoid getting one all together. Which will do you and your head some good.

Eat before you begin. Drinking on an empty stomach is horrible. It can cause problems to the lining of your stomach, increases absorption, and makes it hard to avoid a hangover even when drinking in moderation. What you eat can also effect whether or not you get a hangover. Choosing high fat foods and deep fried goodies can cause digestion to be slow and make a hangover worse.

On the other hand, choosing starchy foods such as pasta, potatoes, and bread can help with absorption, aid in digesting alcohol, and make for a more pleasant experience. A glass of milk before you begin can also help by coating the lining of the stomach.

Stick to your limits. It is always best to have an idea how much is too much and to avoid crossing the line. Often this is hard to do and the more you drink the more you are sure you can handle till it is very obvious before you. However, trying to stick to your limits can help a great deal.

Choose your drinks carefully. As a general rule the darker an alcohol is the more likely it will cause a hangover. Sticking with lighter colored drinks is always a good idea (mixers don't count). You should also stick to one or two types of alcohol instead of getting a new type each time.

Drink water or juice between each drink. It may look sissy, but this is going to help keep your body hydrated and help you avoid tomorrows headache.

Juice will also help your blood sugar levels stay normal which helps you avoid some of those other great side effects of drinking too much. Few people also realize that these drinks will increase their buzz as well because of the hydration and the aiding of alcohol metabolism. If you don't want others to think you are a sissy, let them think you are having a mixed drink and order your juice to come with garnishes. Your friends aren't going to notice that your drink is orange juice and not a screw driver or cranberry juice and not a cosmo.

Go slow. You don't have to be a marathon drinker in order to have a good time. Nurse your drinks and keep in the back of your head how fast your body will metabolize them. It takes your body about an hour to get rid of 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1/2 ounce of liquor.

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