5 Ways To Prevent A Nasty Hangover Before It Even STARTS

You can't wait to kick 2015's ass out the door, and plan to do so with a drink in each hand. Isn't that what New Year's Eve is all about: celebrating with a grown-up beverage?

If only partying didn't come at a price. No one enjoys having a hangover the next day after indulging in a little too many cocktails or too much wine. Symptoms of a hangover include headaches, trembling, nausea, tiredness, sensitivity to light, body aches, and that's just the physical symptoms. You can also feel depressed, angry, anxious, and full of regret.

But luckily, an article on Medical Daily has a few suggestions for stopping hangovers before they start. Yes, the holidays really are full of magic.

1. Drink water, water, and more water.

You may notice that when you're drinking you need to go to the bathroom more often. That's because alcohol consumption causes dehydration. When you wake up hungover, it's a good idea to replenish your body with water, but did you know that it's a good idea to drink water not only before you start imbibing but during as well?

If you drink a few glasses of water during the day and glasses of water between drinks, you'll probably spend even more time going to the bathroom, but your body will stay hydrated longer. Plus, if you're breaking up the drinks with a little H2O, you'll probably drink less, too.

Don't forget to drink a glass of water before bed and have a spare on your bedside table for when you first wake up or if you need some in the middle of the night. Bonus: by drinking all that water, your skin is going to look fantastic in the morning.

2. Abstain from sugary substances.

"I will avoid sugar and desserts as much as possible because sugar taxes the adrenal glands and the immune system," Dr. Carolyn Dean, medical advisory board member for the Nutritional Magnesium Association told Medical Daily. "When adrenal function is impaired or weak, a person may suffer from low blood sugar, low blood pressure, low body temperature, and a fatigue/exhaustion." Sounds like some typical hangover symptoms to me.

3. Eat the fried fatty foods you usually avoid.

The worst thing you can do is drink on an empty stomach, so have a meal before you start celebrating. By eating a burger or some other fatty food, you can help to insulate your stomach, preventing alcohol from being absorbed into the stomach lining and blood stream. 

4. Don't forget to take your vitamins.

Drinking diminishes the nutrients in your body including B12, amino acids, fatty acids, enzymes, proteins, minerals and especially magnesium.

5. Pick your poison carefully.

Remember the old saying, "Never mix, never worry"? Well, it's partially true. Never mix or you'll get a horrible hangover, but you still have plenty to worry about. Choose one kind of drink and stick with it. And when you're doing the choosing, don't pick champagne because the bubbles will only hasten the absorption of alcohol, or red wine since it has too much sugar in it.

Pick a light-colored liquor like vodka, as the darker ones have a larger amount of congeners (a substance other than alcohol produced during fermentation). Congeners will affect the flavor of the alcohol and how immense your hangover will be.

If you follow these tips, you may actually be able to have a happy New Year's Day not just a happy New Year's Eve.