I remember thinking when I was younger that it was silly how everyone was always worried about how they'd feel the day after drinking since I had yet to experience a hangover myself.
Of course, that didn't last long. That youthful confidence definitely goes down a notch after just one morning of waking up feeling like your brain would rather exist outside of your skull. If there's nausea on top, you better hope you have the time to hunker down under your covers until you eventually feel well again.
For those days when you still need to get stuff done, though, you might be looking for a quick fix like many folks have tried through the years. Obviously, the most effective remedy is to get plenty of rest, drink water and electrolytes, or avoid drinking altogether! But when you're in the throes of a hangover, you just might try anything to feel better.
That said, I think most of the options listed below would only make me feel worse. But hey, who knows; maybe you'll find your favorite new cure.
Take a look and let us know if we missed any unique treatments or "cures" from the past that you've heard about for hangovers.
And don't forget to SHARE with your friends!
Thumbnail sources: Pixabay, Wikimedia Commons
1. Chimney Soot
Professional chimney sweeps in 1800s England worked with what they had when the pesky pangs came along after a night out at the pub.
They would take about teaspoon of the fine soot and add it to a warm glass of milk, repeating the process again if they weren't feeling better after 30 minutes.
2. Pluto Water
Marketed as a cure for pretty much any ailment a person might be feeling in 1903, the super-strong laxative drink was particularly encouraged for anyone feeling nauseous after throwing back a few too many.
3. Sweat Licking
According to some legends, Native Americans would work up a sweat the morning after indulging in order to rid themselves of the toxins.
But that's not all. They would also allegedly lick the sweat off themselves, swish it in their mouths, and spit it out to make sure it was good and gone.
4. Buffalo Milk
Nope, not actual buffalo milk but rather clotted milk from any old cow combined with dark rum, spiced rum, cream liquor, and more cream.
Just reading that made me feel a little tipsy, which I guess could make it pretty effective.
5. Vinegar Shocking
I'm a big a fan of apple cider vinegar when I'm feeling under the weather, but this 1800s remedy instructed the ailing person to drink as much straight vinegar they could and then rub their temples with the liquid.
If that didn't work, they would be stripped naked and doused in ice cold water. How refreshing!
6. Prairie Oysters
Parisians introduced this gut-churning concoction back at the 1878 World's Fair and it traveled all the way to the Old West to become one of the most popular cowboy remedies.
Combine raw egg yolk with hot sauce, Worcestershire, and vinegar in a shot glass, and hope you can keep it down.
7. Cola And Milk
In the hustle and bustle of 1930's New York nightlife, a bartender at the Ritz-Carlton invented an unexpectedly popular combination after a particularly bawdy party thrown by socialite Brenda Frazier.
He would shake the bottle of soda up and then allow it to spray into a chilled glass of milk, claiming the drink plus a nice nap was all one needed to feel as fresh as a daisy again.
8. Beer Bewitching
Ancient Egyptians attempted to cut off their ale's ability to cause them pain before even taking a sip by saying the following spell:
"Hail to you Lady of Hetepet (Hathor, goddess of drunkenness)! There is no restraining Seth when he has set his heart on conquering a heart in that name of his of 'Beer,' to confuse a heart, to conquer the heart of an enemy, a fiend, a male ghost, a female ghost, etc. This spell is said during the drinking of beer; to be spat up. Truly effective, (proved) millions of times!"
9. Licorice, Beans, And Oleander
Mesopotamians must have been less susceptible to the poison found in oleander flowers, as they were advised to mix these ingredients with oil and wine, and drink it before sunset, then wake before sunrise and drink it again.
It was also important to make sure no one kissed you while you waited for the cure to take effect.
10. Raw Eel And Bitter Almonds
Folks from the Middle Ages believed that by consuming the eel raw and garnished with the almonds, rather than the more savory sushi option shown above, the slithery sea creature would soak up all the alcohol inside them, that was causing such a pain.
Luckily, the protein, calcium, and other vitamins found in eels actually did help those who managed to keep this remedy down.
11. Testicular Washing
If someone in Medieval England wasn't keen on chowing down on the eel, they would be instructed to give their testicles a good splash of salt and vinegar, or their breasts if they were women.
They would then follow that by snacking on leafy greens or sugary cabbage.
Did we miss any unusual hangover remedies you've heard over the years? Let us know below and be sure to SHARE with your friends!
