Archives for May 2014

The Best Hangover Cure Pills

Trust me!  I’m a doctor!  No, I’m not. Not even a chiropractor.  But I do know that when one over-indulges in the demon drink, there is generally a price to pay and you’ll be looking for the best hangover cure pills out there.  That errrrrrghhhhhh feeling in the morning.  Perhaps preceded by a bit of a Technicolor Yodel around midnight.  A bit of hugging the porcelain followed by intense dehydration.

Is it worth it?

Hell yeah!  If you like tailgating.

Help is at hand, of course.  There are thousands of hangover cures, and most of them relate to replacing electrolytes, fluids and salts as quickly as you can and ingesting vitamin B.

Here are the 5 best hangover cure pills that (anecdotally) my friends and I have found fast and effective and not too expensive.  My disclaimer is that I haven’t done any double blinds on these or scientific testing.  It’s just that these seem to tick all the boxes of helping the human body manage alcohol and don’t have any toxic effects on their own.  Read all labels and make sure that you are not taking something that clashes with your own medication. Oh, that’s probably alcohol ….  But seriously, folks, if you are on ANY medication, consult your doctor, take these pills, label and pack with you and make sure that you do not risk any side effects and bad interaction between the ingredients of your RX and your supplement.

FYI, a lot of these supplements contain ‘prickly pear’ extract.  Prickly pear is actually Nopales, as eaten in most homes in Mexico. If you over indulge in the green de-thorned cactus paddles either as a salad or cooked, I guarantee you will be on the toilet for many a session. Eating too much gives you the squits.  OK, there.  I’ve said it.  That could be a good thing – expel all the alcohol vertically rather than crouched over the bowl offering prayers to the porcelain god.

Most have been Tailgate Party/Vegas-tested and that is as scientific as it gets.

1. PreToxx for Hangovers & Liver Support (45 Vegetarian Capsules with Prickly Pear, Milk Thistle, Cysteine, and Electrolyte Blend)

PreToxx for Hangovers & Liver Support

PreToxx for Hangovers & Liver Support

Prevention being better than cure, I introduce to you a liver health supplement that claims to ease you through the drinking by making your liver stronger and more able to filter out the toxins.  This seems like a good idea.  Kind of like having your liver do pushups before the tailgate party. All of the above pointers apply.  It supports liver function using prickly pear and milk thistle extracts mixed with electrolytes.  Not a drug.  PreToxx cannot claim to prevent or affect alcohol intoxication and the usual ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ warnings must be read and internalized along with a tequila shot.  Hey, we all know someone who can take turns at being the designated driver!  Not for pregnant women but I’m guessing alcohol isn’t either.

The ingredients are: Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Thiamine HCl (Vitamin B-1), N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine, Opuntia Ficus-Indica (Prickly Pear Extract), Milk Thistle Extract, Pyridoxine HCl (Vitamin B-6), Methylcobalamin (Vitamin B-12), Calcium (Amino Acid Chelate), Magnesium (Amino Acid Chelate), Chloride (Sodium Chloride), Sodium (Sodium Chloride), Potassium (Amino Acide Chelate), Manganese (Amino Acide Chelate).   You take 3 of these and a large glass of water before the booze-up and 3 more before collapsing into your coma after the tailgate party.  If you take one a day, it is supposed to support a healthy liver.  It prevents dehydration.  You can read the full explanation of how each of the ingredients works on the brochure.  Many users have claimed that this is an excellent hangover preventative as long as you keep taking the pills.  Ceasing the pill-popping may cause the hangover to creep up on you!  Also, be sure to swig an occasional glass of water during the night.  You will avoid the body aches and post-drinking anxiety by keeping hydrated.

Note: the pills have a really strong vitamin odor probably from the huge quantity of vitamin B in the mix.  Flatulent users, beware.  You will never get away with blaming the dog while on these pills.

2. Pregame Hangover Pill – 60 Capsules, 100% Natural Ingredients

Pregame Hangover Pill

Pregame Hangover Pill

Pregame hangover pills prevent hangover symptoms including headaches, nausea, and dizziness. This product works as a hangover cure by restoring essential vitamins and minerals that are depleted while drinking alcohol. Pregame is manufactured in the U.S. in a FDA-inspected GMP compliant facility.

If you are under a physician’s care or taking medication, consult your healthcare professional.
The ingredients in the Pregame Hangover pill are Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Magnesium, Potassium, Milk Thistle, L-Cysteine, and Prickly Pear Extract.

This one doesn’t require you to take umpteen pills.  You just take one capsule of Pregame with at least 8oz of water before your first drink. After your first few drinks take another capsule with 8oz of water. For maximum effectiveness take an additional capsule with 8oz of water after your last drink. They don’t have the stench either.  Many users swear by these as they prevent the headaches usually the killer after a long tailgate party with a few rounds of flip cup. If you are nervous about this, I would say have a weekend experiment when you do not have to get up next day.  Drink like crazy, take the pills and see how you feel.  Well, that is very scientific.

3. Drinkwel – The Multivitamin for People Who Drink (With Kudzu Flower, Milk Thistle, N-acetyl Cysteine)

Drinkwel - The Multivitamin for People Who Drink

Drinkwel – The Multivitamin for People Who Drink

90 pills to a bottle is 30 servings so you need 3 to get you through a drinking session.  This has similar ingredients but there is also artichoke leaf and kudzu flower as well as a range of botanicals,  Amino acids such as N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) to help process alcohol induced toxins and a heap of superfruit extracts including Acerola, Schisandra, Goji, and Açai berry.  Vitamins B & C to top it off.  It is a soy base.  Not for pregnant women.  Doesn’t prevent irrational behavior while drunk so use with caution.  Check with your doc if you are nervous.

The ingredients include Vitamin C (as Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin E (as d-Alpha Tocopherol Succinate), Thiamine (Vitamin B1) (as Thiamine HCL), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Niacin (Vitamin B3) (from Inositol Hexanicotinate), Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine HCL), Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 (as Methylcobalamin), Biotin, Pantothenic Acid (as d-Calcium Pantothenate), Magnesium (as Magnesium Oxide), Zinc (as Zinc Gluconate), Selenium (as methylselenocysteine), Copper (as Copper Amino Acid Chelate), Manganese (as Manganese Ascorbate), Chromium (as Chromium Polynicotinate), NAC (N-Acetyl-Cysteine), Taurine, L-Theanine, Kudzu Flower powder, Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) extract 5:1 (seed), Rhodiola Rosea extract (root), Artichoke Leaf powder, Green Tea extract (leaf), Acerola Berry extract 4:1, Bupleurum powder (root), Schisandra extract (fruit), Acai Berry (Euterpe oleracea) extract 4:1, Goji Berry (Lycium chinense) powder (root bark), Betain HCL – quite a mouthful!

The whole idea is to take one of these every day and your liver will withstand the effects of alcohol and 3 before and after you have been on the booze.  People like this one as it is not made by Big Pharma.  and it works even at high altitudes.  No headaches!  A side effect can be a feeling of high temperature so stay cool when you go to bed, ditch the blankets and turn on the air con.

Cost effective.  Follow the instructions carefully.  Of all the many reviews and critiques and anecdotal tales about this Drinkwel pill, most have been positive and this pill comes up better than most.  Drinking lots of water, even having water by the bedside is recommended.  Made in USA.

4. Dihydromyricetin (Hovenia Dulcis Extract) Scientifically Proven to Prevent Hangovers

Dihydromyricetin (Hovenia Dulcis Extract) Scientifically Proven to Prevent Hangovers

Dihydromyricetin

This is American made as well.  Tested carefully for purity.  It works by reducing the affect alcohol has on the brain’s GABA receptors and damge to the liver caused by over-indulgence at places like tailgate parties. The GABA receptors are a class of receptors that respond to the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the chief inhibitory neurotransmitter in the vertebrate central nervous system.  But you knew that, didn’t you?

The ingredient listed is 300mg of pure Dihydromyricetin (DHM) per capsule.  This is a flavonoid component of herbal medicines extracted from oriental raisin Tree.

The method of using is to take 1-2 capsules before consuming alcohol, and 1-2 capsules each three drinks thereafter, to reduce feelings of intoxication and/or to support healthy liver function. A couple more pills immediately before falling asleep.  Drink water with each pill.

Again, this is highly reviewed and praised for its effectiveness and people claim it counteracts the effects of tailgating. Students love this one as it sounds very scientific.  You need to do your own experiment with this before going crazy with booze.  Set your safe level and know just how it affects your body.  You still won’t be able to drink and drive as your BAC will be unchanged by this medicine or any of the others listed here.  You will just feel not as drunk and your hangover will not be as severe.  Drink lots of water.

Worth checking out!

5. Zaca Recovery Patch, 6 Pack (With Milk Thistle, Prickly Pear, Vitamin B’s, N-acetyl Cysteine, Vitamin C and More)

Zaca Recovery Patch

Zaca Recovery Patch

People who cannot take pills seem to like these.  The ingredients are similar to the tablets but in the form of a patch.

With all the hangover cures available on the market these days, I did not think the ones using a patch would be in the least effective.  How on earth, I wondered, could the extracts seep through my skin fast enough to counteract a high speed game of dizzy bat?

Ingredients are Prickly Pear, Milk Thistle, B1, Lipoic Acid, B5, B3, Taurine, Lycopene, NAC, Magnesium, Vitamin C, very similar to all the above pills in fact I can’t see much difference.  Except that you don’t have to take up valuable stomach space that could be used for beer and bacon by eating a handful of pills.

Oddly enough, it works.  It is a lot less stress than downing the pills before and after the drinking.  Just slap on the tiny Zaca patch which is only 1” square!  Leave the patch on for 24 hours for maximum effectiveness. Remember to have an occasional glass of water in between all the fun stuff and you will be fine in the morning. Good for prevention of altitude sickness.

It’s guaranteed but there has been no testing in clinics and all reviews and data are anecdotal.  It is actually very, very hard to test hangover cures.  I have offered my services but nobody has taken me up on that yet.

Happy tailgating!

The Best Canopy Chairs For The Tailgate Party

OK – so we all know that the weather is bananas these days. Most parking lots either have freezing weather or the sun is pelting down so hard that you almost could forget the grill and BBQ on the hood of the car. You need shade, shelter and comfort. I have been looking at canopy chairs lately and thought I would pass on to you my findings.  There’s lots of information here as well as the all important list of the best canopy chairs for the Tailgate Party.

My first finding is that they are generally well made and a little more expensive but that you should have them for a while. When making your selection, check how long the warranty lasts. Some are thirty days, others are a year. Some fold really small and others not so much. So I have chosen a small but nice selection of good chairs. There is only one better than this lot and that is reflected in its price. My take on that is that when tailgating, you need something that if it gets hit by a slumping drunk and snaps in two, you won’t have sent so much money on it that you are devastated. Pick the road well-travelled with chairs.

In general, these are a folding chair with the added bonus of a folding canopy that slips into either a separate bag or the canopy itself. You can forget the umbrellas and still have some shade. And really, they are not much more expensive that chairs sans roofs! These are all mid-range cost-wise so it’s really not a great concern if they degrade after a couple of years of beer-soaking, drunken slouching and collapsing. Heck, it’s a small price to pay for fun. The five I have chosen each have specific advantages, such as color range, compactness, large size, price, but all are worth buying. Check them out and ultimately, choose the one that suits your tailgate party style.

The Best Canopy Chairs For The Tailgate Party

Bravo Sports Quik Shade Chair

Quik Shade Fully Adjustable Folding Chair with Carrying Bag

Quik Shade Fully Adjustable Folding Canopy Chair

As well as having the benefits of a shady canopy, this chair has a wide, oversize seat. It hasn’t escaped me that there is more demand for chairs for people who, shall we say, represent the Hippoglottamus genus, being somewhat Rubenesque. Size ‘Big’n’tall’. Hefty. This chair is perfect and has a high capacity and will support more than 200 pounds.

It folds very easily into a compact bag which is the canopy (with a shoulder strap for comfy carrying) and features a patented design which allows the sun shade to be raised, lowered and tilted either side in the flick of a wrist. It is designed to block the sun from any angle and once clicked into position it is held taut. If you don’t need to use the canopy, just push it to the rear of the seat.

The canvas-like fabric is tough and moisture resistant and comfier than vinyl or polyester.
Has dual built in cup holders – one for you, one for a friend. Naaah, one for you, one for you after that.. In the tailgate party, sometimes, you just have to think of yourself.

Available Colors: Blue and Green.

Sport-Brella Recliner Chair

Sport-Brella Recliner Chair

Sport-Brella Recliner Canopy Chair

The Sport Brella has a 3 position recline design with a 3 position swiveling umbrella. You can stash up to 4 drinks in its built-in insulated pocket and there’s also a 12oz snug-fitting cup holder and a zipper pocket for the bottle opener, your hone or headphones (there’s a slit to thread it through). Metallic liner gives UPF 50+ protection. The articulating arm moves the canopy into many different positions to adjust shade and you can move it to the other side of the chair and on the umbrella ends, there are tiny safety tips to protect you from poking yourself in the eye.

It has a built-in footrest. Very simple to flip open or shut and replace in its own bag. You’ll appreciate its reinforcing bands of webbing and the fact that it is a tougher grade of plastic and metal at the heart of its construction. It will last for years. All this toughness does take a bit more space in the car/truck but it’s certainly a comfy chair and after the tailgate party, it doubles as a beach chair.

Rated 250 lbs maximum capacity but there are users who say chunkier sitters are OK as long as they are gentle. Comatose, maybe.

Colors? Orange with smart, grey trim, Midnight Blue and Red.

Brylanehome Camp Chair With Canopy

Brylanehome Camp Chair With Canopy

Brylanehome Camp Chair With Canopy

Continuing our search for a tailgate party chair tailored for the more muscular people in your life, we found this portable, tough-construction canopy chair that caters for people up to 350 pounds (stationary weight – not leaping around). Tailgating can proceed without restraint! It’s sturdy as anything on the market and creates a nice patch of shade.

Made of polyester canvas with a seat width of 22 inches. The metal frame is powder coated. The pull down canopy has zip openers to make two little windows.

Dimensions: 61″Hx34¾”Wx37″D.

The cup holder is awaiting your beverage and you can stash things in the storage pouch that is built into the seat.

Colors: Red and blue.

Kelsyus Premium Canopy Chair

Kelsyus Premium Canopy Chair

Kelsyus Premium Canopy Chair

Kelsys is a good name to watch for in chairs. The Premium is an upgrade from an earlier model and has a terrific canopy that locks at almost endless angles to prevent the sun from blighting your tailgate party.

For your personal tailgate party style, this one ticks a lot of boxes: again, an oversized seat, this one supporting up to 250 pounds, not quite as large as the previous chair but smartly designed. The manufacturers claim that this one is ergonomic design – there’s a rounded front to make it less angular and therefore, should be more comfortable. Parking lots are not known for their tailgate party comfort apart from what you bring with you and this is a good choice. This canopy is large and you can lock it in place either for sun or shade. Cup holder of course! The fabric is 50+ UPF. The canopy slips over the chair to make a bag for ease of packing away after you have finished partying. Again, a shoulder strap makes it simple to carry back to the car. The frame is powder-coated for extra protection. As well, the well-stitched fabric is stylish and has a mesh panel on the back and seat to keep you cool in the heat. Super easy to clean too. (ie. beer washes off easily …).

It’s a fine, stylish looking chair, one of the best aspects is its color range: there are Lime, Navy and Red versions all with cutting edge trendy grey bases made of its cool, comfortable, easily cleaned fabric.

Bravo Sports Shade Chair With Canopy & Carry Case

Bravo Sports Four Seasons Courtyard Shade Chair with Canopy and Carry Case

Bravo Sports Four Seasons Courtyard Shade Chair with Canopy and Carry Case

The Bravo has been ergonomically designed and suits short or tall people equally. It folds up neatly into a small package into its separate carry bag. There’s a shoulder strap. It only takes seconds to erect and you can slip it into your tailgate party kit without it taking up a lot of room. Note that the fabric is sun repellant, 50+ UPF and the canopy can be angled to many angles to create shade where you want it. There’s the normal cup holder (not two on this one).

Note to anyone over 250 pounds: If you are gentle, you can sit in this but don’t slump into it. If you a ‘Big and Tall’ then choose one of the higher rated chairs.

It’s OK but perhaps a little flimsy and that is reflected in its price.

Colors that I could find included red, blue and black.

Yes, there are some more expensive chairs. But, given the rough treatment that most tailgate party folk will give their furniture, I would go for mid-range and replace it a little more often. The key to this is that at the end of the tailgate party, some people (you know who you are) just don’t seem capable of folding and stashing a chair carefully enough to prolong its life. The Kelsys chair is actually a licensed brand of the famed top of the range Renetto Original Canopy chair which is more expensive but comes in a ton of colors.

The five I have chosen are way more affordable versions and I would say are a better deal for tailgating due to the fact that you will be treating them comparatively roughly. (Or is that just me?)

FOOTNOTE: The weight capacity on these chairs is typically around the 200 pounds rate but do I think you could push that higher. Anecdotally, people of 275+ seem to do OK. No reports of any collapses or injuries.

Great Tailgate Party Ideas: The Top 5 Tailgating Trends Survey

Arguably (and hey, I am not going to contend this), Weber is the über-alles of the grill. And when they start looking into what the latest tailgating trends are then we can all benefit! Looking at the results from the 24th annual Weber GrillWatch™ survey it looks like a great source for the latest and greatest Tailgate Party ideas and accessories! So check out the survey for some interesting observations and admissions from human grillers! Mental note: this is a committee I should be on.

Weber Jumbo Joe Gold Charcoal Grill

Weber Jumbo Joe Gold Charcoal Grill

The Top 5 Essential Items For The Tailgate Party

The top essential items among grill owners for a proper tailgating party are:

  1. A grill (…Duh…) (82 %)
  2. Food (80 %
  3. A cooler (80 %).
  4. Chairs (76 %)
  5. Alcoholic beverages (66 %)

And here’s the stinger:  Only 50% of grill owners believe tickets to the game are must-have items.

65% of respondents opted for a portable BBQ and 29% decide to bring their full-size grill to their tailgating events.

22% of people rank Tailgate Parties as most popular location to grill away from home  (4th most popular grill location) but predictably, Camping gets top spot (44 %), followed by the park (37 %) and the beach (23 %).

Nearly one-half (48 %) of grill owners report they stand their grill on the ground when tailgating or grilling away from home. Nearly one-third (32 %) of respondents bring a table to use as a grill stand, and 17 % use their truck beds.  Note: Health requirements demand minimum 6” above the ground for food, so bear that in mind and invest in an appropriate stand.

According to the survey, tailgating is up this year from 14% of grill owners to 20% and 67% of those party animals say that grilling is always a party activity.

Want to know the top grill food?

  1. Hamburgers = 71%
  2. Hot Dogs = 47%
  3. Brats = 40%
  4. Chicken  = 29%
  5. Steak = 25%.

Tofu ….. errrrrrr.  I couldn’t find the stats on that.

The average budget is $122 for the food and booze at a tailgate party.

Attending the game is secondary to many tailgaters, with 57 % admitting they have attended a tailgate in the past 12 months without going into the game. This number jumped 13 percent from last year. Well heck, given that games involving red cups and beer don’t happen in the bleachers, this is no surprise.

Of course, the survey was conducted by Toluna for Weber – makers of a new range of portable grills and all the accessories to go with them. including the Portable Charcoal Table and the Compact RapidFire® Chimney Starter. Check out these awesome must-have grilling accessories for the Tailgate Party.

Portable Charcoal Table

Weber Portable Charcoal Table

Weber Portable Charcoal Table

Compact RapidFire® Chimney Starter

Weber Compact Rapidfire Chimney Starter

Weber Compact Rapidfire Chimney Starter

Source:
For the full survey on the latest tailgating trends with more results and a list of great ideas for the tailgate party, checkout the original survey!

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/weber-grillwatch-survey-reveals-latest-tailgating-trends-220668461.html