How to avoid a hangover

The decorations are up, the music is loud, the lights are dim and that mailroom guy is looking cuter by the second. There are many holiday party hazards but waking up with a hangover shouldn’t be one of them. Samara Felesky-Hunt, a registered dietitian in Calgary, Alberta gives us some tips on avoiding a hangover during party season.

Pre-party

• Do not go to the party on an empty stomach

• Eating a carb-heavy meal before the shindig will help slow down the effects of alcohol

• Drink water throughout the day so your system is properly hydrated

During the party

• Start the evening by drinking a non-alcoholic drink

• Eat every three hours

• Avoid salty or sugary foods since they will further dehydrate you

• Light drinks like white wine, vodka and gin put less stress on the liver than beer, red wine, and sugary beverages

• Double fist throughout the night: One glass of water for every alcoholic drink

• Eating protein and carb-rich foods before going to bed will help flush out the liver (try a turkey sandwich or peanut butter on toast)

• Avoid salty and fat-rich foods (like that late-night cheeseburger) because it will put stress on your digestive track

• You lose vitamin B and C when you drink alcohol, so try to eat foods like bananas, whole grains, oranges or even take a multi-vitamin

• The best hangover snack: A piece of whole grain toast topped with peanut butter and banana slices. Down it with a big glass of water

Post-party

• If you wake up with a hangover, don’t skip breakfast

• Choose foods that will help your body flush the alcohol from your system such as eggs, fruit, lemon and honey

• Although coffee will not “sober you up” it will help with that hangover headache