With hard partying comes hard hangovers and the holiday season is probably the most problematic time of the year, with celebrations in full swing for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe and every other religious-linked occasion, plus of course New Year, all within a teeny-tiny five-week window.
Medically speaking, a hangover refers to a set of symptoms that occur as a consequence of drinking too much. Typical symptoms include fatigue, weakness, thirst, headache, muscle aches, nausea, stomach pain, vertigo, sensitivity to light and sound, anxiety, irritability, sweating, and increased blood pressure.
A hangover can vary from person to person and it’s largely dictated by what you chose to consume the previous night. And how much of course.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism, a number of factors can contribute to hangovers, including poor sleep, gastrointestinal irritation, inflammation, acetaldehyde exposure and dehydration. However, for some the right cure can be equally psychological in addition to physiological and with the exception of a trained medical technician, the only other person who is qualified to hand out guidance on hangover cures, is a professional bartender. They are afterall, omnipotent.
So, the Daily Press went out in search of the best advice possible, in preparation for the hard partying ahead.
“Chicken broth with jalapenos, it has to be spicy, it's going to make you sweat everything out,” said Alfonso from Tu Madre.
“It’s got to be a full English breakfast, so, big order of hash brown, two bangers, I go light on the Irish bacon, then three eggs, over-easy, beans, toast and lashings of brown sauce,” said Max from the Britannia Pub.
“Black coffee and then maybe French toast with a berry combo on top, bacon, sausage and then, honestly, a shot of mezcal and maybe an orange juice,” said Sonny, from the Misfit Bar & Restaurant.
“If you're drinking anything that’s like dark liquor, it’s going to be bitters and soda water and then some junk food, like maybe a cheese burger or pizza and I’d DoorDash it so I don’t have to go out. Or, a ton of salt water. Our bodies are made up of salt water so you need to replenish that, just like when you go to hospitals, you get saline solution, so it’s a similar principle,” said Brianna from Barney’s Beanery, before disclosing that she was studying at nursing school, so she in fact sometimes sets up her own IV drip at home. “You can do a mix of B12 and saline together, that works too,” she added.
“A spicy Bloody Maria, so instead of vodka, it’s made with tequila, but it has to be spicy,” said Lisa from Cabo Cantina.
“A spicy enchilada,” said José at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel.
“I haven’t had a drink in 16 years, so it doesn’t bother me,” laughed Raul from The King’s Head, adding, “But back in the day, I’d have a shot of Jameson and then start all over again. So you can see, it’s probably better for everyone that I stopped.”
“Soda water, bitters and a shot, but it depends on the type of hangover,” said Paulina at The Georgian Hotel, adding, “If it’s a tequila hangover, you do a shot, then soda water and bitters.”
“A Michelada and a shot of tequila. Works every time,” said Amber at The Whaler.
“When people come up and ask for a drink that will help with a hangover, I usually give them something with bitters, club soda, lime juice and just a little bit of Tabasco and maybe some ginger too, that helps a lot,” said Raúl from The Shore Hotel.
“Hair of the dog, just get back on it,” said Stuart from Chez Jay, adding, “That’s the only way. A full English breakfast is only a temporary hangover cure, because it feels good at the time, but you’re still wrecked for the rest of the day.”
“It depends on the kind of hangover you have, but Pepto-Bismol, ibuprofen and Pedialyte,” said Steven at the Regent Hotel, adding, “You’ll feel like a champ in an hour.”
“A shot of Jameson and a beer, any beer and that would be my hangover cure, maybe with some fried food too,” said Ruth at the Viceroy.
Finally, if you really want to shift that feeling of fragility after having gone out and gotten absolutely wrecked the night before, then you could consider the med-spa Dripology at 1411 7th Street. Open Monday–Friday 10am–3pm, Saturday–Sunday 12–5 pm, this clinic offers an personal intravenous drip experience, a service that became popular about 10 years after a series of pop-up clinics appeared in hedonistic locations like Las Vegas, before becoming more mainstream not long after.
Dripology Chief of Operations Amin Afshari said, “We don't just focus on hangover cures, but the Detox package is the one you’d want. It offers half a liter mixture of vitamin C, magnesium, vitamin B12, niacinamide, vitamin B complex, Toradol, Zofrab and Pepcid as needed. It's going to have a blend of every single vitamin you’d need in a very moderate amount,” he said.
“The truth is though, every IV will detox you a little bit because they're diluting your system and rehydrating you and it does flush the system. Even our basic product is going to help you when you're in a pickle, when you don't feel your best,” Afshari said.
More information about the full range of drips on offer at Dripology can be found at dripology.co.
scott.snowden@smdp.com
