Ok, the festive season is now in full swing, you just about survived your end of year work function but the chances are you've got a few more parties ahead of you. You maybe saying to yourself that you're going to be sensible during this time and drink in moderation but just in case you do slip up and find yourself with the hangover from hell here are a few tips to get you back on your feet.

• Line your stomach - the more food you have in your stomach the slower the alcohol that you consume will be absorbed into your blood stream. Fatty foods are the best; consider a glass of full fat milk as a quick and easy option.
  
  
• Avoid dark coloured drinks - these include red wine, brandy and port and contain impurities called congeners, these are particularly toxic for your body.
  
  
• Have a soft drink or a glass of water between each alcoholic beverage - dehydration is one of the main causes of hangovers, it will also slow down your alcohol in take.
  
  
• Don't drink! Ok, maybe that's pushing it but you could at least try to moderate your intake.
  
  

1. Dehydration; alcohol is a very effective diuretic so ironically the more of it you drink the more water you'll end up losing.
   
   
2. Replace lost vitamins and minerals; as your body works to break down the alcohol in your body it uses up huge amounts of vitamins and minerals.
   
   
3. Balance your blood sugar levels; alcohol inhibits gluconeogenesis, the process of converting proteins into blood sugar, and can cause your blood sugar levels to crash.
   
   
4. Get rid of the poisons; when your body metabolises alcohol a poisonous chemical called acetaldehyde is produced, this is responsible for some of the more unpleasant symptoms of your hangover.

• Bananas - these curvy yellow saviours contain natural sugars and are also high in potassium and vitamin C (something you lose lots of when you drink), magnesium (which relaxes the blood vessels leading to easing headache), and is a natural antacid so will help to calm a nauseous stomach.
  
  
• Banana, peanut butter & honey sandwich - if you found the last remedy worked for you then go a step further and whip up this hangover blitzing sandwich, or better still try and convince someone to do it for you. The extra peanut butter will give you another shot of potassium and the honey is another great source of natural sugar that your body can easily and quickly absorb.
  
  
• Whip up a Prairie Oyster cocktail (olive oil, tomato ketchup, vinegar and raw egg yolk, mmm... lovely!) - the olive oil in this rather exciting drink acts as an excellent cleanser for the gall bladder and liver. The tomato ketchup is high in bioflavanoids and vitamin P, both are excellent antioxidants and so will help boost your immune system and clear out the harmful toxins that have flooded your body. The raw egg contains an amino acid that is one of the building blocks of a natural compound called glutathione, this is excellent for cleaning out toxins from the body. The vinegar may not taste great but it is particularly useful for cleaning out the toxins and is known to relieve headaches.
  
  
• Vitamin pills - seems obvious enough, quickly and easily replace what you lost. Just pop a couple of pills before going out and then (if you remember) when you get home. Particularly important are vitamin B and C.
  
  
• Coke - sometimes drinking plain water can be a struggle and your stomach might complain. Drinking a can of coke will give your blood sugar levels a quick boost, so stay clear of the Light stuff, and the bubbles will help to calm your stomach. The caffeine might even give enough strength to fix up one of the more involved cures just mentioned, just remember that coke is also a diuretic so you're still going to get some other liquid in you as well.
  
  
• Fruit juice - will help to give your body a dose of well needed vitamins as well as helping it to hydrate, it also contains high levels of fructose.
  
  
• Green Tea or Jasmine - these drinks are renowned for their healing properties and ability to cleanse your body of toxins, they will of course aid in hydration and if you add a teaspoon of honey will help to balance your blood sugar.