1 Slurp some soup
Before you hit the booze, have a bowl of vegetable soup and a multivitamin. The soup is substantial enough to line your stomach and provide you with the antioxidants needed to protect your cells, while the multivitamin prepares the body for the depletion of nutrients caused by frequent urination. You could try dunking the vitamin in the soup instead of bread, but we don’t recommend it.
2 Don’t be cheap
According to Australia's National Drug Research Institute, cheap booze (particularly whisky and champagne) will increase the brutality of a hangover. This is because it contains more congeners, which are the agents in alcohol that give you a hangover. It will also seriously reduce your chances of impressing the girl you’re with.
3 Avoid fizz
Steer clear of diet carbonated drinks and use water or fruit juice as a mixer. Australian researchers found that fizzy mixers, especially the diet variety, increase the amount of alcohol getting into the bloodstream. You should also avoid ice, because the coldness opens a valve at the top of your stomach, encouraging you to gulp rather than sip.
4 Go tall and skinny
We’re not talking women but glasses. US researchers found that using tall and skinny glasses rather than short, wide ones reduces the amount of alcohol you pour into them, even if they hold the same volume of liquid.
5 Chug the white stuff
You may not fancy it, but a glass of milk before bed will pay off in the morning. Researchers at King’s College London say that milk will help hydrate the body without making you pee throughout the night. Milk also contains tryptophan, which crosses into the brain and turns into serotonin, helping you get a good night’s sleep.
6 You can’t beat eggs
Forget hair of the dog and try ova of the chicken. A study published by the Journal Of Inflammation Research found that cysteine, an amino acid found in eggs, breaks down the hangover-causing toxins that pummel your liver. It’s best to have them boiled or poached rather than fried in fat.
7 Avoid dubious snacks
It may look tempting, but a Mars bar the morning after will send your blood sugar levels through the roof and make you feel worse. Choose snacks that will replace the vital nutrients you lost when weeing out all that liquid: bananas for potassium, fruit juice for fructose and vitamins, and a sports drink for rehydrating electrolytes, salts and sugars.
8 Like your bike
Hiding under the duvet won’t help – get some fresh air. Taking light exercise will increase blood flow and improve your metabolism, flushing the toxins out of your system quicker. Cycling is better than running because it involves minimal movement of your sore head and zero impact for your fragile gut.
9 Spread bet
Spread some Marmite on wholemeal bread to replenish B vitamins and give you an energy boost. If you're one of the people who hates it, make ginger tea instead by steeping chopped ginger in boiling water for a natural remedy for nausea and bellyache.
10 Pip stop
Try rubbing your armpits with lemon – Puerto Ricans apparently swear by this holistic cure. The lemon juice supposedly stops you sweating, so you avoid the dehydration that contributes to headaches.
Want to beat a cold too? Then check out these tips.
