During the holidays, it’s easy to drink too much. And as people age, their metabolisms typically slow down, so they often feel worse after drinking less. Next time consider these hangover helpers. 

 

Eat something spicy. "The sudden introduction of spicy foods basically distracts your body from focusing on your hangover," says Manuela Neuman, Ph.D., an assistant professor of pharmacology at the University of Toronto.

 

Try dry toast and a sports drink. Bread is easy to digest, even on an upset stomach, and fluids with electrolytes will get you hydrated.

 

Pick prickly pear. Unlike most pay-for-it fixes, there’s some science here. A study found that the extract of this fruit (sold in health-food stores) reduced nausea.