To avoid the wrath of grapes, don't mix your drinks. The clearer the alcohol (ie vodka and gin) the less likelihood of a hangover. Sweet alcohols . . . fortified wines, liqueurs etc, are generally recognised as contributing to the worst heads the next day. Of course, tricks like alternating an alcoholic drink with a glass of water and not drinking to excess will reduce your chances of getting a hangover at all, but you knew that already.

Before addressing cures, think about preventative measures. The herb milk thistle is said to help liver function. Lifelife Hangover Defence, which contains activated carbon, vitamin B and vitamin C (available in chemists, 13.99) also purports to minimise some of the nasty side-effects of drinking.

But if you haven't had the foresight and are now in a world of pain, there are still some things you can do to minimise the agony. The traditional cure is a fry-up but as your liver is still struggling to process the alcohol from the previous night, the last thing it needs is blast of saturated fat. Stay away from tea and coffee too, which are diuretics and will make you more dehydrated. Drink some fruit juice or eat a banana, which is loaded with potassium.

Soup is another soothing option for delicate tums. There's also the hair-of-the-dog option . . . a Bloody Mary ideally . . . but really, all you're doing is prolonging the misery.