How do I prevent or get rid of a hangover?

Holidays and celebrations are fun.

These occasions may involve alcohol and hangovers if there is too much consumption.

Here are some tips from the National Institutes of Health (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/) on how to reduce your chance of developing a hangover, and how to treat a hangover if you wake up with one.

Hangover Prevention Tips:

• Take your time drinking, and pace yourself if the party is long.
• Make sure you drink on a full stomach. Eating a full meal before drinking will help to prevent the hangover.
• Smaller people experience effects of alcohol consumption greater than larger people, so pace yourself if you're smaller.
• Between drinks containing alcohol, drink a glass of water. Alcohol is a diuretic, which increases urination and dehydration. Drinking water will help you drink less alcohol and decrease dehydration associated with alcohol consumption.
• Drink in moderation. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism recommends that women have no more than 1 drink per day and men no more than 2 drinks per day. One drink is defined as a 12-ounce bottle of beer, a 4-ounce glass of wine, or a 1 1/2-ounce shot of liquor.

Hangover Management Tips:

• Get plenty of rest and sleep. Most hangovers subside within a day.
• Keep in mind that in the morning, even if you feel fine after heavy drinking, the residual effects of alcohol will diminish your ability to perform at your best. Eating well will help with your hangover.
• Eating soup is good for replacing salt and potassium depleted by drinking alcohol.
• Drink fruit juice or eat foods with honey, which contain fructose. There is some evidence that fructose will help your body get rid of the alcohol faster.
• Avoid taking any medications for your hangover that can damage the liver, such as drugs containing acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol). Medications with acetaminophen may cause liver damage when combined with alcohol.

Hangovers in the news:

Hangover Helper: What Works, What Doesn't ABC News - If you drink alcohol, you've probably had a hangover at least once in your life -- the pounding headache, nausea, cotton mouth, exhaustion. ...

A Brief History Of: Hangover Cures TIME - If so, don't worry; you wouldn't be the first person to endure a hangover, and although it may feel like it, you won't be the last. ...