Everyone has a horror stories about their worst hangover. Most of them go something like this: Drink an obnoxious amount, usually bouncing back and forth between different types of alcohol, forget some of what happened, vomit, vomit, vomit, pass out, vomit, pass out, vomit, pass out, wake up (the next morning), vomit some more, sit in a dark room and wonder why you drank so much the night before.

The Global Hangover Guide suggests drinking two spoonfuls of olive oil before drinking. This is supposed to work by preventing alcohol from entering your bloodstream. But that leaves all the alcohol you drank for naught (if getting drunk is, in fact, your objective.)

If you skip the oil and drink to get drunk, keep in mind the popular "liquor then beer and you're in the clear, beer then liquor and you'll get sicker" mantra. The carbonation in beer speeds the body's absorption of alcohol, so drinking beer then liquor would cause the latter to be absorbed at a faster rate than it would normally, leaving you sicker. Plus, we drink liquor faster than we do beer, which is more filling. So, switching from beer to liquor is likely to speed up your rate of liquor consumption after you're already halfway towards being in the bag.

One of the best ways to minimize the symptoms of a hangover -- headaches, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, dehydration, and body aches -- is to practice some prevention before, and during, your drinking episodes. Here are some popular tips on how to do just that:

	Vitamins.  Taking a gram or more of vitamin C for the few days leading up to that evening may help your body clear the alcohol more quickly than it normally would.
	Chow down. Eat a substantial meal before you go out to a party or bar. Bread products and foods high in protein, like milk and cheese, slow the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream by coating your stomach and small intestine. Nibbling on finger foods throughout the night can also slow the intoxication process.
	Drink for the right reasons. Social occasions and celebrations are pretty good reasons for having a drink. Reducing stress, releasing anger, or trying to prove something to someone are unhealthy motivations for alcohol consumption and may actually quicken the intoxication process and increase nasty side effects.
	Hold that line. You're probably familiar with your tolerance of alcoholic beverages (the point when the alcohol you've consumed begins to cause noticeable physical and psychological changes). Crossing your line can easily send you into hangover land the next morning. Challenge yourself to hold that line -- set and state a drink max before you go out -- your body and friends will thank you tomorrow.
	Consider the congeners. Congeners are natural by-products of alcohol fermentation. The higher the congener content, the greater the hangover. As you can see in the picture on the right, Vodka has the fewest congeners, while bourbon claim the most.  Yet, I'm sure most of us have still had quite the hangover on screwdrivers when we were younger.  Limiting your congeners will greatly reduce the hangover you will feel.
	Pace yourself. Hangover helpers and healthy drinkers recommend one drink per hour as a guide. This rate gives your body a chance to process the alcohol without sending it special delivery to your head.
	Mix, not! Avoid alternating the types of alcohol you consume. If you begin with beer, stick with beer to the end. Starting with Scotch? Stay with Scotch, and so on. For many, downing different kinds of drinks leads to hellatious headaches and sick stomachs. It's challenging enough for your body to react to one type of foreign substance, so why give it a harder time with two, three, or four?
	Alternate. Start your partying with some food, then have a beer, then down some water or juice, then have another beer (remember to pace yourself along the way). Don't switch off with carbonated drinks -- they can speed up intoxication and heighten hangovers.
	Sip or sink. Drink each alcoholic beverage slowly. Remember, your liver can only handle about one ounce of alcohol an hour. Rapid consumption of alcohol via shots, funnels, and drinking games are sure to win you a big hangover.
	Have another drink... of water. Alcohol is a diuretic. Drink plenty of water during and after alcohol use to ward off dehydration, headaches, and achiness.