‘Tis the season where you're going to be invited out for pints and drinks to catch up on a school night, or simply overdo it and end up with a bit of a sore head the next day, so we have a few tricks up our sleeve that may help you survive to the end of the day when you can go back to bed.

Hanogvers are unpleasant, and while most of us treat them with a healthy dose of fast food and fizzy drinks, there are better ways to get your fix of what your body is craving.

Let's talk science stuff for a second. The technical term for a hangover is veisalgia, which comes from the Norwegian for “uneasiness following debauchery" (kveis) and the Greek word for "pain" (algia). That sums up exactly what you may be feeling nicely, and we all know the symptoms: dehydration, sore head, nausea... all the unpleasant characters of the after-effects family.

Things to avoid:

Stay clear of dairy, it’s not going to settle your queasy stomach, and make sure to avoid the fast food joint and the breakfast roll. Chips might seem like what you want, but the greasy fast food will more than likely make your stomach worse and even more unsettled. Besides, a moment on the lips, etc. and you’re already doing a serious amount of damage with the Christmas eating. Think about all the work you’ll have to do to just to burn that back off once you can stand up and go back to the gym.

Coffee is also a no-no. While you might be absolutely shattered and unable to talk, let alone stay awake, coffee will only further dehydrate you and when you crash (you will crash, particularly if you take it with sugar) it will be disastrous, and you won’t be able to function at all.

The best cure? Prevention, so just drink sensibly and you’ll be fine, get plenty of water and go at your own pace instead of getting involved in rounds. However, if you have overdone it, or you jut happen to be feeling a bit rough even if you only had a few, then try one of our patented smoothies that's guaranteed* to bust you out of your funk and have you back at your best in no time. 

*Not a guarantee

Blueberry Brain Fog Buster

30g Oats
1 small carton Vita Coco Natural Coconut water
1 Banana
1 tbsp Peanut butter
50g Blueberries

Oats contain cysteine, which takes the strain off your liver by breaking down excess hangover-causing toxins in your system, namely acetaldehyde, while the peanuts in the peanut butter contain niacin, which is used to metabolise alcohol, something that you really need to do. The banana gives you some much needed potassium, while the blueberries are bursting with antioxidants.

One of the main problems you have to deal with when hungover is a terrible thirst. You’re dehydrated from all the booze and your mouth tastes like crap when you wake up too, so you need rehydration ASAP. Coconut water is pretty darn great at getting you the fluids you need, and has been know to be used in medical emergencies. Your hangover might not technically qualify as one, but it could come close enough. Remember to drink it slowly, because this is a good way of making sure that you can handle food at all.

Blitzen's Vitamin C Blitzer

1 small carton of Vita Coco Natural
1 orange (or 1/2 cup orange juice)
2 carrots
1cm cube of fresh ginger
1 grapefruit

You've put your body through the ringer, and you probably feel a bit weak all over. What you need to get in to your system is plenty of vitamins, and some vitamin C will help give your immune system a helping hand. Besides, it's cold out there and it can't hurt to do your best to combat getting a dose of the man flu. This citrus juice is great for any time in that respect, but will work wonders on your sore head. Vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant, and the ginger is great for settling the stomach.

The coconut water is not only great because it rehydrates you, but it’s also a good source of potassium, which your body is craving. We've named it after Blitzen because of the carrots, reindeer love the stuff, but your hangover won't, as they are chock-a-block with powerful antioxidants that can help to cleanse your system.

Avocado citrus smoothie

1/2 a ripe avocado
juice of 1/2 a lime (or lemon)
100ml apple juice (or two apples juiced)
2cm cube of fresh ginger
1 tbsp honey
a few ice cubes

This is a recipe from the lads at The Happy Pear, who are almost so healthy we're suspicious of them. Anyway, they've got a recipe for a smoothie with a sharp citrus tang that will hit your body where it doesn't hurt and kick you back in to action. Avocados are loaded with potassium and a great source of healthy fats, while the ginger can help to ease any unpleasantness you might be feeling from your stomach, and has been a proven hangover cure for generations.

The apple juice is another good way to get potassium back in to your system, and will give this a nice sweet taste. You will need that sugar and fructose, since after you've been drinking, your blood sugar levels drop. If they stay low your body just doesn't function properly, something which manifests itself in having a foggy head. Some honey will help to address that balance, plus it will make sure that the citrus and ginger aren't too overpowering. 

If those recipes don't have you right as rain in no time, then the only thing to do is rein in the celebrations a little bit and drink a bit more responsibly on the next night out.