It’s happened to everyone. You open your eyes in the morning (is it even morning?) and your head is pounding. Have the lights in your room gotten brighter? Why does it sound like someone is doing yard work right outside your window? And more importantly, why did you pick up a shift at work this afternoon? You need a quick fix, and all of a sudden, your roommates have a degree in hangover cures. One swears by a trick that has been in their family since the Civil War, one begins putting all the contents of your fridge into a blender and the nursing major offers to give you an IV. Who do you trust? According to a study published by the British Medical Journal in 2005, there is no cure-all method to get rid of a hangover, but we refuse to stand idly by and wait for our splitting headaches to pass. Your friends at Garnet & Black have put together a fool-proof chart rating each myth (with an ideal score of 5 drinks) to take the guesswork out of recuperation. It’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it.
The Myth: Prarie Oyster Cocktail
How it Works: According to Travel & Leisure magazine, this concoction of a whole, raw egg yolk, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco and salt and pepper kicks your metabolism into high gear so it can break down all the toxins produced by your epic beer-pong run. Apparently, it only works if you drink it in one gulp without breaking the yolk.
The Truth: Although the Prairie Oyster Cocktail may sound disgusting… Okay, it really is as unappetizing as it sounds. And it’s no miracle cure, either. The egg may give you some protein to wake you up and get your day started but you might as well just put the ingredients in an omelet and actually enjoy it. No hangover is worth this torture on your taste buds.
The Myth: Coconut Water
How it Works: Drink it before bed or when you wake up to replenish the liquids and nutrients that last margarita sucked up. You can buy it at any grocery store (especially the really trendy, expensive ones like Whole Foods). It also comes in different flavors like pineapple or berry.
The Truth: Not everyone is crazy about the taste of coconut, but it is lower in sugar and higher in potassium than most sports drinks. This option is great for those trying to lose weight, or fit in with the health freaks in your yoga class. Coconut water will definitely help you stay hydrated, but is not necessarily better than good old water.
The Myth: Vitamin-B Complex
How it Works: Not what your mother had in mind when she told you to take your Flintstones Vitamins every morning… This over-the-counter supplement supposedly replaces the nutrients you’ve lost after a night in Five Points.
The Truth: Easy to carry on the go, quick and a lot better tasting than the “Prairie Oyster Cocktail”, this method is definitely convenient, but is also lacking when it comes to results. Hey, it’s never gonna hurt to take your vitamins, but it won’t make you feel ready to take on the world, either.
The Myth: Grilled Cheese & Orange Juice
How it Works: Who knows where this random combination got started, but the myth of this magical paring has been floating around college campuses for years. The greasy sandwich is said to soak up the alcohol in your stomach while the orange juice wakes you up.
The Truth: As long as you can get someone to drive you to Sonic (and you’re not too nauseous to get in a moving vehicle), this technique is not a bad idea. It’s always important to eat solid food and, even if it might not clear your head very well, who doesn’t love a good grilled cheese?
The Myth: Keep On Drinkin’
How it Works: We all have that one friend who refuses to return to the real world on Sunday morning, and just picks up his half-empty beer can from the night before. Others go for a more refined approach by drinking a Bloody Mary at 11a.m. Either way, the idea is that a little “hair of the dog” will cure any of your hangover woes.
The Truth: On TV, it looks super glamorous when characters wake up in a haze after a night of drinking, pour themselves a shot of whiskey and are out the door ready to take on the world. Unfortunately, the reality is not so pretty. Sure, if you keep it up you’ll postpone the hangover, but eventually it will find you.
