Rule no. 1

There's no need to get drunk silly to have a good time. You know that, but it's easier said than done. So one way you can control the amount you drink is to go slow. Sips, don't gulp. Limit yourself to one drink an hour. If you are a daily drinker, do not have more than one drink a day, more than four days per week.

Don't mix your drinks

If you're having vodka, stick to it for the remainder of the night. Though a vodka cocktail followed by a tequila shot shouldn't get you into trouble, red wine followed by vodka can lead to disastrous results.

Stay away from coffee

Alcohol is a diuretic, which means is makes you urinate more and flushes fluids out of your body. Coffee is a diuretic too, so stay away from it when you're drinking alcohol.

Know how much alcohol you're drinking

One 12-ounce bottle of beer, one 5-ounce glass of wine and one 1.5 ounce shot of liquor all contain about the same amount of alcohol, so choose your drinks accordingly.

The safest? Quit!

Get involved in activities that don't include alcohol. Modulate your lifestyle. Avoid clubbing so often. Go for a movie, dinner, take up gardening, sign up for a painting class - there's a whole new world out there!

Fattening

Can't quit? Think about how fattening getting drunk and preventing the hangover is. Four alcohol drinks, chocolate pastries and 4 sugar-based drinks - a whopping 2100 calories. Will your social life improve by becoming a fat, drunk woman? Contemplate that when you reach for your next vodka.

CURE: You're already hungover, now what?

Water

Continue with your rehydrating process and drink as much as you can. Your body needs to replace electrolytes as well, so something like ORS (Oral Rehydration Salts) is an even better choice than water.

Fruits

Alcohol dehydrates you and flushes out the vitamins and minerals in the body, so the first thing you should do is try and replace the lost nutrients and water. Drink as much water as possible, and then eat something that's easy to digest. Your stomach's already been abused - give it a break. Fruits are the best bet.

Antacid

Your stomach's just been through the wringer. Help it on the road to recovery and gulp down a glass of Eno.

To Tomato!

Tomato juice actually works wonders, which is why veterans have the mandatory Bloody Mary glass to ease morning after pangs. Drinking a small amount of alcohol the morning after does ease the crash into reality, but it also takes you that much closer to alcoholism and is not recommended.

Pour some sugar on me

Alcohol breaks down the sugar reserves in the liver so its best to substitute it with fructose (fruit sugar).

Remember this moment

Swear to yourself yet again that you'll never, ever drink again and understand what a loser you are when you're back moaning and groaning the next weekend. Repent at leisure.