I got drunk and tried four viral hangover hacks – the ‘banana bag’ was tough to swallow but a pen trick helped the most
SOMETIMES, a malady is perfectly bearable compared to the cure – an axiom that’s especially true for hangovers.
Jackie Sandstedt, one of the bravest video editors at The U.S. Sun, tried four of the most popular (and least-appealing) hangover cures.
The viral methods Jackie attempted were the “banana bag” vitamin cocktail, a freezing facial bath, a (nonalcoholic) mixed drink, and a DIY reflexology session.
To preserve her journalistic integrity, Jackie made sure she was well-prepared to test the hangover cures.
The night before filming, she invited guests over to share homemade jalapeno cucumber margaritas.
“I have company, so this is not all mine,” she insisted, brandishing the bottle of tequila.
Jackie poured her first drink on-camera and held it up to the lens in a toast.
“I have a feeling this is going to be a bit of a long night for me,” she said.
It sure was.
Shuffling on camera in a hoodie the morning after, Jackie didn’t seem ready to face the day.
But she was definitely eager to try whatever hangover cures were on-hand.
She grabbed her basket of supplies and got to work guzzling the first homemade “cure” of the day.
THE BANANA BAG
The banana bag technique asks sufferers to consume folic acid, B complex, and magnesium vitamins.
When the combination of vitamins is administered in a medical setting via IV, the liquid in the bag is yellow – hence the name.
Based on Jackie’s experience, an actual IV might have been easier.
“The banana bag technique was, in fact, a tough pill(s) to swallow,” she said.
As she pointed out, the last thing most people want to do when hungover is eat anything.
“There was a bit of fear lingering about whether or not each supplement would stay down for the duration of the video and the rest of the day,” she admitted.
Jackie said she also had d measuring the effects the vitamins had on her “wellbeing.”
They definitely weren’t an instant fix, and their actual impact was inconclusive.
“One would hope they would work in my benefit, but I cannot accurately measure whether or not they did anything,” she said.
THE ICE BATH
A tried-and-true (and very affordable) trick was next.
Jackie brought out the leftover ice from her night of hosting cocktail hour and assembled a massive ice bath.
Without hesitation, she dunked her head in, face-first.
“In retrospect, I’ve used the ice bowl trend while not hungover, which was terrific,” she said.
But doing it after a night out? That’s a different story.
“Sure, it was refreshing, but I lost momentum with wanting to see the benefits after being left uncomfortable,” she explained.
Jackie was so worn out from the previous day that she couldn’t even enjoy the rejuvenating, beautifying effects of the hack.
It was also painful: she described the sensation as “brain freeze in my face.”
Worst of all, the arctic plunge didn’t make her feel any less sick.
“To top it off, I felt very little of its supposed ‘healing’ nausea claim at the time,” she said.
THE MIRACLE BEVERAGE
Even after a long night of bartending, Jackie had to mix up yet another drink.
“The next remedy I tried was the four-ingredient beverage with lime, coconut water, sparkling water, and pink salt,” Jackie said.
On an ordinary day, she said, those ingredients together would be an “absolute delight.”
But if anything, they made her hangover worse.
“Although it is packed with electrolytes, I felt more sick drinking it than if I had just grabbed a glass of water,” Jackie said.
She might even dare to say the drink has “too much going on” for a fragile, hungover stomach.
Her fourth and final method didn’t require any more eating or drinking – just some prodding and poking.
THE REFLEXOLOGY METHOD
Oddly enough, Jackie reported to her desk for the final item in her bag of tricks.
She was ready to try a facial massage and work some reflexology magic.
A capped ballpoint pen was the perfect tool for a safe, precise massage practice.
“Massaging various reflex points is supposed to help ease the hangover by suppressing the effects of the alcohol,” she explained.
Jackie was surprised to find the unassuming trick proved to be the most effective hack.
“Previously, this was the most ‘hoax-ish’ cure, in my mind,” she revealed.
Jackie said she felt drastic changes in her nausea symptoms “in real time” as she applied pressure to the points of her face.
“I can attest that the science behind facial reflexology, in my scenario, was effective,” she said.
In the spirit of fairness, Jackie did say that she wasn’t certain all the relief she felt was from the pen trick
“It could’ve also been attributed to the three other cures from beforehand,” she disclosed.
But the weird trick still has a special place in her heart. “If not for treating my nausea, it was quite relaxing,” Jackie said.