Howdy gang!

I thought it was about time I did a new blog and whilst pondering about what to write about about, I decided it would be good to put some of my vast knowledge about my favourite subject to use!

I always like to post something that will benefit people in some way and that they will be able to refer to again and again if they need to. So, with that in mind, i'm going to reveal all my top tips for enjoying a good night out and not suffering the next day! Yes..... it's my official guide to not getting a hangover! (Cue: trumpets and fanfare!!)

The Night Before

For me, a good night out starts with the ritual of filling my belly! This is a proven way of keeping the dreaded hangover at bay. It's something to do with the fat content in the food, the fat is digested slowly, which then protects the stomach from the irritating effects of alcohol. A glass of full-fat milk can also be off benefit as it slows down the absorption of the alcohol.

You might learn something here, so pay attention! Whilst drinking, avoid darker coloured drinks like Brandy, Red Wine and Port, because these contain more toxic chemicals formed during fermentation called "congeners". These tend to cause that headache-y feeling the morning after, so it's worth bearing in mind that the lighter your drink is, the less of a hangover you'll have.

• Vodka has less congeners than Gin.
• Most Scotch Whiskey has about four-times more congeners than Gin.
• Brandy, Rum and single-malt Scotch have about six times more than Gin.
• Bourbon drinkers ingest eight-times the amount of congeners as Gin drinkers, and 30 times as much as Vodka drinkers.
• Red wine has more congeners than white wine does.

Another thing you could do to reduce your hangover is drink plenty of soft drinks in-between each alcoholic one, not only will you consume less booze, but you'll have a less of a hangover. A down side to the fizzy drinks method is that they actually speed up the amount of alcohol that goes into the bloodstream, so maybe a glass of water or a still soft drink would be better?

If it's safe to do so, walking home is a great way of getting some fresh-air and sobering yourself up, this can only make you feel better in the morning and it'll save you a fortune on the taxi fare!!

If you haven't already scoffed a dodgy kebab, once you get home, eat something! A lack of sugar is responsible for that trembly wobbly feeling that you get, so eating will not only settle your stomach, but will also raise your blood sugar level. A sports drink of some description also contains all the vital ingredients you need.

Dehydrated is the cause of a hangover, right? Water combats dehydration, right? So, Before you crash out on the settee (or park bench!) with half a pizza stuck to your face drink a pint of water, this will ensure that you don't feel rubbish in the morning. Alternatively, before you go to sleep, remember to drink some orange juice, because the vitamin C speeds up the metabolism of the alcohol by the liver.

The Morning After

If you still manage to wake up with a hangover then you were obviously far to drunk to remember the above tips!? There are still a number of things you can do to make yourself feel a bit better.

First off, if you've woke up and your head starts banging, go back to sleep! Your body is working extra hard to rectify the punishment you've given your internal organs the night before, so sleeping means that your body doesn't have as much work to do.

Your digestive system is under a lot of strain, so eating bacon, sausages and the works may cause you a bit of indigestion, on the other hand, fat contains loads of calories, so you'll get a bit of an energy boost, something that wouldn't go a miss! Another plus side is the fact that the eggs and the meat are full of amino acid, cysteine, which is believed to be good at clearing out your toxins.

If your anything like me, the moment you awake and realise the way you feel you'll be reaching into the medicine cabinet for a couple of paracetamols, well to be honest you're better off avoiding painkillers altogether. Aspirin and Ibuprofen can actually irritate the stomach and Paracetamols just give your liver more work to do, this isn't good if you've already spent the night giving your liver a good workout! If you desperately need to take a painkiller, take in moderation.

I know people who swear by caffeine, but a can of coke, a cup of tea or a black coffee will only give you a quick hit, and you'll end up feeling just as rough after you've come down. In actual fact, caffeine will only cause more dehydration and make your hangover worse.

The best thing for a hangover is to drink water, and plenty of it! You're hungover because you're dehydrated and water combats dehydration, simple! So, if you didn't drink water before crashing out, then drink a pint of water every hour of the day. Again, freshly squeezed juice is goood too because it replaces lost vitamins and the fruit sugar boosts your energy levels and may help your body get rid of toxins.

The last thing you could try drinking is good old hair old the dog! This method does work, but only in the short term! Basically, while your body is busy dealing with your new intake of alcohol, it suspends it's torture until you've finished, then it's back to hangover mode! So, basically all your doing is avoiding the inevitable, so I wouldn't bother!

Obviously prevention is better than cure, so if you can't do the time, don't do the crime!

Hope that helped, and don't forget, drink responsibly!

Mike.

Links:

• Drink Aware website.
• NHS Direct hangover article.
• Alcoholics Anonymous UK website.