Just as almost everyone has their favorite alcoholic drink, many people also have their favorite hangover cure. Here are some easy remedies that you can try to before or after drinking to prevent a hangover.

One idea is to eat a medium bag or two small bags of potato chips before going out drinking. Another option is to make a sandwich out of salami and butter on a baguette or ciabatta bread. The idea is that the fat and carbohydrates will help to absorb some of the alcohol.

Other people swear by not mixing drinks. If you start with beer, finish with beer. Do not mix different liquors. Mixing different alcohols can cause you to feel the effects sooner, increase your likelihood of a hangover, and, if you throw up, even decrease the effectiveness of your oral contraceptives.

The Native Americans ate raw almonds before drinking to reduce hangovers. Other people swear by a few spoonfuls of peanut butter. Again, the fat content may help prevent some of the alcohol from getting absorbed.

Drinking sports drinks can help hydrate you and replenish lost vitamins and minerals. If you drank so much that you are throwing up, this can be especially helpful. There is some thought that the taurine found in energy drinks can also help with hangovers and liver damage.

Going to bed dehydrated is a surefire recipe for a hangover the next day. Drink a couple of glasses of water before going to bed to help hydrate you and dilute the alcohol. This can help lessen the severity of the hangover in the morning.

Be wary of using any painkillers while there is still alcohol in your system. Some can cause kidney or liver problems when mixed with alcohol, and others can irritate your already tormented stomach further.

For the morning after, try pouring the juice of one lemon into a cup of black coffee. Drink straight up, without sugar or cream.

Chicken soup is thought to work on hangovers as well as it does on colds, so a bowl or two may help get you going in the morning.

Some people swear by honey. Take two tablespoons every half hour until you feel better.

Fruit is also popular. An apple a day may keep the hangover away, as well as the doctor. Or, try blending together three bananas with some milk and honey until smooth. It should settle your stomach and help you replenish nutrients.

All in all, the best home remedy for a hangover is don't drink. But, if you must, drink responsibly, and avoid drinking to excess. Try to time your drinks so that you are not having more than one alcoholic drink per hour. And remember when it is time to call it a night - sometimes, the decisions you make when drunk are harder to live with the next morning than the hangover itself.