Hangover symptoms will disappear with passage of time

Question: I had the worst hangover last weekend after partying too much for homecoming. I swore I would never drink again, but I know my friends already have big plans for this weekend. What's the best way for me to avoid a hangover?

Answer: The only real cure for a hangover is time. No matter what you do to decrease the symptoms -- headache, nausea, sluggishness -- you'll still just have to wait for your body to finish processing and getting rid of the excess alcohol you've consumed. The most effective way to deal with hangovers is to manage your drinking as you go along, so that your body has a chance to balance things out as you drink.

The chances of experiencing a hangover significantly increase with five or more drinks, especially when consumed in a short period of time. Research supports the concept that the major cause of a hangover is simply drinking too much; drinking a large quantity of liquor quickly, as in drinking games, tends to increase the incidence of hangovers, not to mention other negative effects, like alcohol poisoning. So, pacing yourself and limiting yourself to one drink an hour will help. Try these techniques:

-- drinking slowly

-- sipping rather than gulping

-- diluting drinks

-- avoiding shots

-- alternating alcoholic with non-alcoholic beverages

-- eating a substantial meal before drinking

Question: I'm worried that I'm drinking too much coffee. How much is too much?

Answer: The current recommendations regarding caffeine are three cups of coffee or tea per day or less. If you drink more than three cups per day you should gradually reduce the amount of coffee or tea you drink to three cups. Switching immediately to decaffeinated coffee or tea will produce symptoms of caffeine withdrawal (irritability, headache and inability to work effectively, nervousness, restlessness and tiredness). To reduce the symptoms of caffeine withdrawal, drink one less cup of coffee or tea per day every three or four days until you are down to three cups per day. You can also cut down by replacing one cup of coffee with caffeine with one cup of decaffeinated coffee. If you are like many people and have a hard time keeping track of how much coffee you drink every day, limit yourself to one cup of coffee with caffeine per meal. Also, try to avoid drinking all three caffeinated cups at the same time.