The clock strikes midnight, you toast to new beginnings, but by sunrise, it's all headaches, nausea, and a foggy memory. Looking to prevent the dreaded New Year's hangover? There's only one way, said Dr. Kim Nixon, a professor of pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Texas at Austin: To skip the hangover, skip the booze - or at least drink in moderation.

According to Nixon, binge drinking - defined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism as consuming four or more drinks in two hours for women, and five or more for men - "would be enough to bring your blood alcohol level up above that .08 legal driving limit."

While everyone's body responds differently, the more you drink, the more likely it is that you'll feel the effects the following morning. And don't think pregaming with a big meal will solve the problem. While food can slow alcohol absorption, Nixon said it's not a miracle fix.

"If you have a full stomach, it will take the alcohol a little longer to get into your system ... but it's still a dose-response," she said. "The more you drink, the worse the consequences are going to be."

What you can do is space out the booze and sprinkle in some NA cocktails or sparkling waters - fuzz without the buzz. "If you're a host, have those great mocktails for your friends who don't drink," she said. "That also helps encourage people to drink in moderation."

And if you did party too hard? Just drink water and wait it out.

"There is no cure," Nixon said. "Some water to help with the dehydration might help your headache a little bit, but ... it really doesn't have an effect [on hangover symptoms]."

Thinking of popping Tylenol? Bad idea. "There is an interaction between alcohol and Tylenol, and it is toxic to your liver, so you would want to avoid that." What about another drink - the old "hair of the dog" strategy? "It just prolongs the pain," she said.

So as you head out this holiday, keep prevention front of mind. Drink responsibly, stay hydrated, and make a plan - whether it's having a designated driver, using a rideshare service, or sticking to NA bevs - to make sure you ring in 2025 with more good memories than regrets.