Five Golden Rules for Boozing

Hot days are here, we are all excited for picnics, celebrations and fireworks. Most of us are also stocking up on cold beer, margarita ingredients, sangria mixes or some good wine. 

Alcohol is part of many cultures, especially when it comes to festive occasions and holidays. Nothing wrong celebrating with some booze, as long as we are doing it in a responsible way. Remember, especially when the kids are around, they see you, so here is an extra incentive to model good behavior around alcohol. 

Here are my 5 golden rules:

1. Set your limit for the day, you do not need someone to tell you one more time that alcohol is a toxin and takes a toll on your liver, contributes to health problems, including an increased risk for cancer. The CDC recommends not to exceed 1 drink per day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men. Women have less metabolic power to process alcohol. Too bad for us!!!
2. Go for alcohol that has less carbs, swap the moscato for a sauvignon blanc, or the port for a merlot. When it comes to hard liquor, clear is better than dark: e.g. vodka or gin, instead of whiskey or spiced rum.  Malt beverages are on the bottom of the list, as they they contain more sugar and many have gluten. Wine does have some benefits, in particular the red kind because it has resveratrol, which acts as an antioxidant.
3. Drink plenty of water to minimize the damage. Pace yourself. Get up, mingle with other people, move around. This also gives you a sense of how much control you have on your actions.
4. When is the best time to drink, does it have to be 5 o’clock or after? Well, it depends, generally it is better to drink after a meal. Anytime you consume some booze, your body will focus on metabolizing the alcohol first. By drinking after your meal, your digestive system will make protein, slow-low carbs, and healthy fats first priority, rather than alcohol. 
5. What if I want to steer away from alcohol? You can work on the booze habit by replacing the beverage. Let’s say you like wine, you can have a glass of diluted cranberry juice (be careful on the amount of sugar added), or a glass of sparkling water with lemon. If you prefer beer, then maybe replace it with a refreshing glass of kombucha. Think of it as a treat, take time to savor it. 

If you need some help changing the boozing habit, do not hesitate to contact me, there are other tips we can use!