Are Cucumbers Really a Hangover Helper?

A new article claims eating something you would never expect can help ward off a hangover: cucumbers.

If you're a weekend warrior looking for something to help at the end of a night after you've had one too many to drink, YouBeauty is reporting that a few cucumbers before bed might be the magic trick.

Says the site: "Snack on a few cucumbers before bed to help your body deal with alcohol. The detoxifying effect of the cukes will help your body process alcohol and balance your electrolytes."

I'm just not sure that eating a few cucumbers raw right before bed - and after a few drinks - is the most appetizing thing on the planet. Just the thought of some cucumber cruising through your nose should you overdo it on the alcohol intake could prove to be quite painful.

While my wife still believes the old sayings "beer before liquor, never sicker" and "whisky before beer, never fear," I'm a firm believer that all that talk of mixing what you drink is just a bunch of BS.

My strong feeling is if you drink too much (of anything!), you should be prepared for a hangover the next day; mixing doesn't matter.

This said, I do agree that some preventative measures can and should be taken. Plenty of water in between drinks or at the end of the night, a bit of B12 before you have the first sip, maybe the old tradition of a shot of bitters to cleanse the liver (which is evil and must be punished anyway) all make perfect sense in my book.

Perhaps I could compromise. I love pickles, which are really just cucumbers in a more tasty setting, right? And the salt should work to help the body balance out electrolytes, I think. After all, a pickle makes a nice compliment to a Bloody Mary. Perhaps we just start on the Bloody Mary's before bed.