BOTTOMS UP!

So you're ready to welcome in the new millennium-- for real this time. You've bought the party favors, sent out the invites, picked out the choicest assort-ment of booze and you're all set for a once-in-a-thousand-years party -- or are you?

Even though you want to bid goodbye to this year in a state of unabashed drunkenness, that doesn't mean that you want to greet the new year with a dry throat and throbbing headache. So, while you're picking up the liquor and party favors, grab some sport drinks, pain killer, bottled water and follow my tips to keep the hangover demon from visiting your house this New Year's Day.

Being the brave soul I am, I took it upon myself to try out a number of well-known hangover cures to find out which ones were the best. Though I had one crazy week, hopefully my findings will help everyone survive the painful aftermath of their holiday parties. Read on to find out which of these cures was the most effective and which left me vowing that I will never get drunk again.

SPORT DRINKS

I am the first to admit the taste of sport drinks is enough to make me sick on a normal day. Everything changes though when my body craves the electrolytes and vitamins in those drinks. Suddenly, I can't get enough.

After getting wasted off of Vanilla Stoli and Coke, I woke up in the middle of the night feeling nauseous and craving fluids. I grabbed the sports bottle on my nightstand and chugged the lime drink. It tasted great, surprisingly, and I instantly felt relieved. I finished up the drink that night and woke up with only a mildly dizzy feeling in the morning. After drinking a morning glass of water, I was right as rain.

I definitely recommend this hangover cure. Not only is it effective, it's also both cheap and easy. You really can't go wrong. I am going to keep a ready supply for any unexpected drunken evenings from now on. A

EXERCISE

Alright, the day after beer binging isn't exactly the perfect time for an aerobic workout, but just hear me out. Active exercise is the fastest way to make it back to feeling good.

When I woke up with the room spinning, I stumbled over to my running pants and shoes and clumsily fumbled with them until I was dressed and ready to try a morning run. Hangover runs can be a little fun if you still have a bit of your buzz. I found myself trying to concentrate on placing each foot in front of me in time to stop my body from falling face-first to the ground. After the first excruciating 10 minutes, I felt invigorated and picked up my pace. I did a nice 30 minutes and came home feeling great. I downed about three glasses of water and I was ready for the day.

This cure has awesome effects. It is a pain in the ass though to try to get up and motivate yourself when you feel like laying in bed, retching and moaning. If you can force yourself to do it, it's well worth the trouble. Give it a shot. B

HANGOVER BREAKFAST

This is my own combination of a number of foods that help eliminate hangovers. The recipe is as follows: one egg, fresh fruit, water and green tea with honey. Put together, this meal will help you in various ways.

With a head that feels like it had been run over by a dump truck and a throat that is dryer than the Sahara, I sit down to this breakfast. For some reason, the greasy egg tastes great. Eggs have protein and a special enzyme that helps relieve some of the after effects of booze, so I am automatically feeling a bit better. The fresh fruit and honey contain lots of fructose which helps metabolize the alcohol still in your system. They also just taste really great so you can't go wrong. The green tea neutralizes the free radicals that attack your immune system. The tea will also help to settle your stomach. I prefer the green tea that is Earl Grey flavored. Finally, water, which is essential to hydrate your body and flush out all the bad toxins from alcohol. After this breakfast I am feeling much better, but still a little groggy.

You've got to eat something after you wake up, so I highly recommend this breakfast. Though it won't get you back to 100 percent it will make you feel a lot better. C

SALINE OR WATER

Most experts agree that hydration is the best way to eliminate those hangover blues. The doctors do it with an IV drip of Saline solution, but you can medicate yourself with lots of water. It's up to you. ... but I'd go with the water. A