The top things you can do the next time you’re drinking to help prevent a possible, and ease the pain of, dreaded hangovers.

One of the best features of F-Factor is that it allows for you to drink from day one. But what kind of company would we be if we didn’t follow that up with some guidance on what to do if you have one too many? There is nothing worse than waking up with a dry mouth and painful migraine, after all. The good news is there are a few things one can do to help curb the miserable aftereffects of a night-of-too-many-drinks and ease the pain the next day. Here’s the F-Factor Fool-Proof Hangover Plan:

BEFORE YOU DRINK:

EAT. Eating before, and even during, drinking can slow down the rate of inebriation, thus decreasing the potential of feeling hungover, the severity of the hangover, or most importantly, any chance of getting sick  that night. Food binds with certain impurities in alcohol, called congeners, and keeps them from being absorbed by your body. 

Complex carbohydrates, especially those that are high in fiber like whole grain bread, crackers or brown rice are a good bet; they’re released slowly into the bloodstream and will help delay the absorption of alcohol. 

Recent research suggests eating asparagus before drinking can help fend off a hangover, too. A 2009 study published in the Journal of Food Science found that a product in the shoots and leaves of asparagus boosted levels of the enzymes alcohol dehydrogenase and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, which help digest alcohol. These compounds help break down the alcohol, therefore enabling the toxins to exit from your system more quickly. 

WHILE YOU’RE DRINKING:

Drink a lot (of water).  Alcohol dehydrates you and less water in your body means less water in your brain.  As your brain shrinks from dehydration, it pulls on the membranes surrounding it causing pain.  Enter the headache. To avoid this, aim to match every sip of alcohol with one of water. Alternating between glass of water and alcoholic beverage will help prevent you from getting too drunk too fast, and from feeling the aftermath the next day.

Avoid certain mixers. Carbonated mixers, like soda, and higher temperature (warm drinks) speed up alcohol absorption. Stay clear of these to slow down absorption so you do not get too drunk, too quickly.

Lastly—and this is especially true for the ladies—remember drinking isn’t a race or a competition. There’s no glory in attempting (or being able) to keep up with the boys. Men and women absorb and metabolize alcohol differently. Men have more body water than women, so going one-for-one, even if the same body weight, will result in a higher blood alcohol concentration (BAC) for women, than men.

BEFORE BED:

Pop a OTC painkiller. Especially if you didn’t drink enough water while drinking, opt for a painkiller right before you go to sleep. Choose ibuprofen instead of acetaminophen, which can interfere with alcohol metabolism and possibly damage your liver.

Drink more (water). Just in case you didn’t hydrate enough while you were out, drink another glass of water before bed, it will make a difference the next morning. While you’re at it, put a bottle next to your bed in case you wake up in the middle of the night (and on the off chance you are reading this while inebriated and following the tips here, take your makeup off, brush your teeth, and don’t text again — you’ll thank us later/ you wont regret it). 

WHEN YOU WAKE UP:

Replenish nutrients and keep hydrating with the right foods and drinks. Nothing depletes your body of vital nutrients more quickly than a night of drinking… which is precisely why you feel so horrible the morning after.

Tomato juice can help for a quick reboot because it helps your body process alcohol more efficiently. A 2016 study, published in Nutrition and Metabolism, found that showed that lycopene, an antioxidant in tomatoes, has anti-inflammatory effects, making it helpful in easing that “sick” feeling that accompanies a hangover. Thanks to their naturally occurring chlorine and sulfur content, tomatoes help the liver and kidneys perform their detoxification function better, speeding up alcohol digestion in the body. Sorry, Bloody Marys don’t count here (unless, of course, they’re virgin).

Alcohol depletes your body of essential electrolytes, which may explain that shaky feeling you get from drinking too much. If you wake up the next morning with sore or twitching muscles, this is a clear sign your body is craving potassium. Opt for coconut water over sports drinks, which are often high in sugar. Coconut water is naturally rich in electrolytes—one serving offers 569mg of potassium—so it’s incredibly hydrating, and it has more flavor than regular H20, so it can be easier to stomach. If you’re ready for food, bananas are full of potassium and relatively bland making them a go-to morning-after cure. To really reboot and refuel, our Ultimate Hangover Smoothie is loaded with the antioxidants and nutrients you need to bring you back to homeostasis. 

When you can stomach it, head out to the diner and order up some eggs. Eggs are a common favorite hangover food cure and it’s not the grease you think you are craving that’s working magic like you may think. Eggs are rich in the amino acid cysteine that helps break down acetaldehyde, the toxin responsible for those awful hangovers. So whether you choose scrambled, fried, or a hearty omelet, a hefty serving should get you on your way to recovery. Want to make eggs at home but not feeling well enough to turn on the stove? This can help.