You’re at a wedding, a bar mitzvah, or a backyard barbeque. It’s a hot summer afternoon, and the drinks are flowing. You’re in a festive mood. The cocktails are going down like water. Woo hoo!

The next day, you pay the consequences. Yes, it’s true: hangovers know no season. They’re as “un-fun” on the 7th of August as they are the day after New Year’s. And actually, the heat and humidity of the summer months can make matters worse: our bodies may already be dehydrated before we sip that first margarita.

I speak from recent experience, unfortunately. During my morning-after misery, I decided to research what, if anything, is new in the science of hangover relief.

The Three Rs

While alcoholic beverages have become increasingly exotic over the years, (hard lemonade, flavored vodkas, lime-infused beer), it seems the best road back from Hangover Land remains the traditional one: Rehydration, Rest, and Reintroduction of vitamins and minerals.

Alcohol is a diuretic; it makes the body expel more water in urination than it absorbs—about four times more, according to studies. During increased urination, salts and potassium are also flushed out, which is why experts suggest rehydrating not just with water but also with liquids (such as energy drinks) containing minerals and electrolytes.

Consuming alcohol also depletes your body of B-complex vitamins and Vitamin C. Dr. Andrew Weil, a pioneer in the field of integrative medicine, recommends taking a B-complex vitamin plus an extra 100 mgs of thiamine to bounce back from a hangover.

Nancy Grayson, a Registered Dietician at the Boulder Medical Center, emphasizes the importance of B vitamins to mental and emotional well being. She points out that deficiencies in many of the B vitamins can cause depression, which often leads problem drinkers right back to the bottle. It’s no wonder we feel bad about ourselves when we overdo it (and are tempted to resort to “the hair of the dog.”)

To replenish Vitamin C levels while being kind to your irritated digestive tract, try using Vitamin C powder instead of tablets, and mixing the powder with baking soda. The concoction will fizz like Alka-Seltzer as the ascorbic acid is converted to its ascorbate form. This makes the Vitamin C more alkaline and more easily absorbed into your queasy system.

Other Remedies, Old and New

Experts agree it’s important to eat some kind of protein (if you can keep anything down) to help restore a healthy blood sugar level. Eggs are a good choice. Their yolks contain large amounts of cysteine, which breaks down acetaldehyde, one of the toxic leftovers of alcohol metabolism. But did you know that asparagus might also be beneficial? According to a recent study conducted at the Institute of Medical Science and Jeju National University in South Korea, amino acids and trace minerals in asparagus extract were linked with reduced hangover symptoms. Asparagus omelet, anyone?

One of the most intriguing products I came across in my research was a topical patch for hangover prevention. I don’t know if it really works, but a key ingredient is prickly pear cactus, which has been found to reduce inflammation and relieve dry mouth and nausea.

Of course, the “anti-hangover patch” has to be applied before you start drinking, so it’s not much help if that ship has already sailed. But there’s always next time.

By Paula Detwiller, All Vitamins Plus Contributor