Prescription: Drinkin' Mate
Active ingredients: The guava leaf extract in this herbal remedy is supposed to work as an antioxidant in order to "modify free radicals" in your body—whatever that means. The tablets also include sodium bicarbonate (commonly found in Alka-Seltzer). When dropped in water, the tablets create a bubbling, purple, foamy concoction.
Deductible: $9.99 on drugstore.com
Symptoms: Intentionally violating the drinker's code of "beer before liquor, never sicker," my evening with friends began with malt beverages and ended with Jager bombs as well as six homemade maraschino cherries that had marinated in grain alcohol for two months. After that, I was overcome with a feeling of general malaise, headache and an overwhelming desire to go to bed and sleep for seven days. I dreaded getting up the next day.
Diagnosis: You can take Drinkin' Mate before, during or after drinking. I chose before. If you can get passed the remedy's appearance and weird taste (kind of like unsweetened, watered-down grape Kool-Aid), this remedy appeared to work. I woke up feeling fine and reported to work promptly at 9 a.m.—Lisa Wiseman
