Three ways to avoid a hangover

1. Eat before the party: There is still no miracle cure for hangovers (c'mon, science!), but a good meal delays the rate at which alcohol is absorbed. That means ample protein, healthy fats and fibre. A winning pre-party choice? A winter salad with quinoa (protein), roasted veggies (fibre) and a drizzle of olive oil (healthy fat).

2. Switch glasses: Make your lager last twice as long by pouring it into a square glass. Researchers in the U.K. discovered drinkers tossed back beer twice as fast when it was in a curved glass. (It's harder to pace yourself when you can't judge the halfway point.)

3. Choose wisely: The darker the drink, the stronger the hangover. Also, avoid drinks in colours that don't normally appear in nature (Blue Hawaiian, Sour Appletini, we're looking at you!), since they're harder for your body to process. Enjoy a cocktail without ill effects by ordering a "long drink," says Lauren Mote, a mixologist in Vancouver. "When a drink is ordered in a tall glass over ice with just an ounce of alcohol, it still tastes great but helps you pace yourself."

And if you go overboard, here's an Anti-Hangover Electrolyte Elixir from Toronto-based alternative health expert Bryce Wylde:

Before bed, simply squeeze a lemon into a 12-oz glass of water and mix in 1 tsp blackstrap molasses, 1 tbsp maple syrup, a crushed 99-mg potassium supplement and 1/4 tsp salt. The morning after will be a whole lot merrier!