When you know you're going to drink

[Jenise]

I remember Bucko long ago espousing the idea of swallowing a tblsp of olive oil to protect his stomach before imbibing--IIRC he learned this from a French winemaker. I also remember reading Jancis Robinson saying she took a milk thistle capsule before events--she wasn't sure how effective this would be, "but it couldn't hurt!" And just last night a friend at a NY Eve gathering mentioned that she'd "heard" that celery is good for your liver--I say "heard" because she's a bit gullible and picks up random tips from unscientific sources like Dr. Oz and Parade Magazine, not exactly a big thinker--so she and her husband ate peanut butter stuffed celery before they came to the party. Me, I just make a point of hydration--as close to 1:1 as possible.

What precautions to you take, if any?

Interesting ideas there. I tend to be skeptical of 'miracle cures' and such. But who knows. I guess 'it can't hurt' is also a fine mantra!

I don't do anything too special. Definitely try to keep drinking water. For me, the biggest hangover reduction technique in recent years has come from stopping to drink earlier in the evening. I used to save some of the wine for after dinner, to see how it evolved, and then maybe also have some nightcap spirits. But I cut all of that out, and if I don't have any more alcohol after dinner, there is more time for it to be processed and I feel much better the next day.

Last night I made a slight exception given the circumstances, and dropped some Chambord in the post-dinner egg nog. But, we were still in bed before midnight!

[David M. Bueker]

Water is the answer!