How to Avoid a Hangover from Wine.
There are 2 rules of thumb to avoiding a hangover which are very simple:

Rule #1 Don't over-drink.
What exactly does drinking too much mean? Well, too much depends on many aspects, your level of tolerance, what you've eaten and what you are drinking. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans defines moderation as no more than one drink a day for women and 2 drinks a day for men. The Wine Institute suggests these rules for wine consumption:

• Wine should be consumed only in moderation and preferably with a meal.
• Wine consumption should be part of social, family, celebratory or other occasions, but not as their central focus.
• Excessive consumption should be discouraged, and the choice of abstinence for religious, health or personal reasons must be respected.

Rule #2 Alternate water with each glass of wine.
Because alcohol is a diuretic, cells become thirsty from drinking wine. Thus, alternating water after each glass of wine serves as a means of keeping your body hydrated. The after affects of drinking too much wine are felt throughout the entire body. Your mouth becomes dry. Your muscles feel weak, your stomach is irritated and your head throbs.

In addition, too much wine leaves toxins in the brain which upset the balance of the brain's chemistry, thus leaving you unable to think and you may feel depressed and anxious. In general, your entire next day is wasted on healing your body. Avoid this scenario all together by drinking moderately and having a glass of water after each glass of wine.

Rule #3 Take B1 or a B complex vitamin supplement.
Alcohol depletes the body of vitamin B1 (Thiamin Mononitrate), thus one way to avoid a hangover is to take vitamin B1. Actually, alcohol is dependent upon a deficiency of B1 to create it's effects. By taking B1 before you drink alcohol, you are replacing the B1 in your body that the alcohol burns. It will reduce the instance of a hangover and the foggy feeling you frequently feel the next day after an overindulgence of wine or any other type of alcohol. You will also feel more alert while you are drinking. However, do not confuse this alertness with not having alcohol in your system. The law does not take into account how alert you feel when testing for blood alcohol content. Beware....you will just be an alert drunk. Remember, nothing, not coffee nor vitamins can influence the rate at which your body processes alcohol. Time is the only way to detoxify your system and have your blood alcohol count lower. Vitamin B1 or B-100 (a vitamin B complex) is available at your local grocery store or drug store. Try taking a tablet with a minimum of 100 mg of B-1 (dosage should be according to the B vitamin package instructions) with something to eat before you begin drinking.

By Bev Brock-Alexander

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