There's no quick fix for a hangover, but these are the foods that could help you bounce back faster

• There are no quick fixes for a hangover. 
• More alcohol and greasy food tend to make you feel even worse.
• Rehydration is one of the first things to address.

Your head feels like it’s about to explode, your mouth is as dry as the Sahara, and your stomach is threatening to erupt. 

It's the mother of all hangovers.

Throughout the years, many hangover remedies have done the rounds, but most are either completely useless or make things even worse – very few have been proven to be effective.

Drinking more alcohol or eating a greasy meal isn't going to help and there's a good chance it might further irritate your queasy stomach.

Having a general understanding of what's happening in your body is helpful when you're nursing a "babelas".

Alcohol is a drug, and by overindulging, you've essentially upset your entire system. Your body's trying to fight off the toxic byproducts of alcohol and it needs every bit of help it can get.   

Doctoring the drought

Alcohol is a diuretic, which causes your body to lose a lot of water and vital electrolytes as a result of excessive urination.

Rehydration is one of the most important things to do to remedy a nasty hangover. Water is always the best go-to for rehydration.

Another good way to rehydrate is coconut water. It naturally contains electrolytes and has less sugar than regular fruit juices, but many doctors and healthcare professionals still recommend lots of good old H2O.

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Here are some other drinks hangover sufferers like to consume: 

Advised:

• Sports drinks (think many ending in "ade")
• Frozen water or ice pops
• Over-the-counter rehydration solutions 

Avoid:

• Coffee
• Tea
• Cold drinks
• Energy drinks, especially the ones containing caffeine
• Acidic juices

You need to avoid caffeine because, like alcohol, it is a diuretic. Also, stay away from "fizzy" drinks as carbon dioxide increases alcohol absorption in the stomach.

Gentle grub for your gut

Your stomach lining is irritated, and if you put something in there it doesn't like, it's going to protest. Keep it simple and stick to essential, plain foods to restore a sense of calm.

Julia Zumpano, a registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic, says the B.R.A.T method of eating is the way to go if you’ve irritated your gut by overdoing the alcohol. B.R.A.T. stands for banana, rice, applesauce and toast.

“Applesauce” is apples softened in a saucepan with some water, brown sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon, and then blitzed or mashed.

Another good food item to add to your arsenal is ginger. The root is said to help with a queasy, unsettled stomach, and is particularly good at curbing nausea.

The road to recovery is rough, but your B-vitamins are something else to consider. Low levels of some of the B-vitamins may increase the severity of a hangover.

Fatty fish, like salmon, is a food item with high B-vitamin levels. It is also high in protein, which helps the liver detox. It also helps decrease inflammation. 

Fortified cereal is another way to increase your B-vitamin levels, but again, simplicity is important. A bowl of oats porridge or wholegrain wheat biscuits will also do the trick. 

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Here are some more food options:  

Advised:

• Fish, chicken and eggs – These are excellent sources of protein to help the liver detox.
• Chicken noodle soup (and other broth-like soups) – This doesn’t only work for a cold or the flu. A broth helps with rehydration, and the chicken and vegetables contain a lot of nutrients. 
• Pizza – Yes, pizza, but don't pig out on extravagant toppings. Be strategic about building your pizza to avoid further gut irritation. The carb base will help with blood-sugar regulation, cheese is high in calcium and protein, and you can choose healthy toppings like lean meat, healthy fats and other nutrient-dense options. Avoid anything that's processed. 

Avoid: 

• Greasy meals – As appealing as it may be, a full English breakfast, an enormous, greasy breakfast sandwich, or a "Full-House Masala Steak Gatsby" is not recommended. Aim for simple meals.

Be careful:

• Too much protein may not work in your favour, but that’s if you’re only consuming protein. As your blood sugar may be low, you need to add micronutrients, along with carbs and healthy fats.
• Specific medication may have a harmful effect when mixed with alcohol. When taken in large quantities (over 4 000mg), Acetaminophen or Paracetamol can cause liver damage. You might not be able to get anything down for some time, but at least try to hydrate and maybe have a slice of toast to get the recovery process rolling. Vowing "never to drink again" might be unrealistic, so just work on drinking (a lot) less.