National Hangover Day is observed annually on January 1st.  The day follows New Years Eve, a day that traditionally is spent celebrating to bring in the New Year.

How to Prevent that Hangover

• Eat – A fat and protein loaded meal before or during the first round of drinks will slow the absorption of alcohol into the blood stream. No, the food doesn’t act a sponge, soaking up the alcohol, but it does slow down the digestive process. Fats and especially proteins, take longer to digest and the alcohol will be released more slowly into the bloodstream.
• Drink water – Keep hydrated between beers or shots by drinking a glass of water in between.  This will dilute the alcohol, give the liver time to keep up and replace the fluids lost.
• Avoid diet cocktails – According to WebMD studies show cocktails mixed with fruits, fruit juices or other sugar containing beverages lessen the intensity of a hangover.
• Pace yourself – The saying, “Beer then liquor, never been sicker. Liquor then beer, have no fear” has more to do with the amount of alcohol consumed than the type. Beer tends to be consumed more quickly than hard liquor and as the night goes on, each successive drink tends to go down easier. Starting with liquor and then switching to beer half way through, one might drink more beer, but less total alcohol than if the process is reversed.