Since it is Holiday time and, let's be honest, many of us will consume alcoholic beverages sometime over the next two to three weeks, I thought it would be good to discuss alcohol. While the reality is that alcohol messes with insulin and hormone levels in any amount, there are some ways to mitigate the worst of alcohol's effects. (In case you didn't know, the calories in alcohol are empty and don't do much of anything for the body):
If you drink beer, I recommend Guinness. It is surprisingly low calorie and some studies have suggested it has some passable antioxidant properties. That being said, if you are a vegetarian or vegan, you may be interested to know that Guinness is made with insinglass or fish air bladders so you might want to avoid it. If you are going to drink beer, then I recommend drinking 8 oz of water after every beer or ever other beer. If you are going to drink copious amounts of beer, then I would recommend taking a whole food B vitamin supplement before going to bed. I am speaking from experience as a former US Army Captain who drank his and five other people's fair share of beer. The whole food B Vitamin supplement works wonders. If you are lucky enough to have a doctor in the family, then getting an IV either that night or the morning after works awesome also (again speaking from experience, my Army roommate was a Physicians Assistant...).
Avoid the colored spirits. If you are a whiskey, scotch, cognac drinker try switching to vodka. Many of the commercially available colored spirits have actually had artificial flavorings or carmel color added to them. I recommend mixing vodka with coconut milk or cream. The brand, So Delicious, has a great vegan, organic egg nog available during the holiday season (click here to get more info). This one is a little high in sugar. If you really want to go all out, get the unsweetened, organic coconut cream and add nutmeg, cinnamon, and stevia to it (and of course vodka). Bloody Marys and some Martinis are also good choices. These are naturally lower in calories and they may contain some antioxidants depending on what you make them with. Avoid adding fruit juices or store purchased drink mixes to alcohol (Margaritas are one of the highest in sugar and calories in this group). These contain copious amounts of sugars, artificial ingredients, and syrups. Again, I would recommend drinking water in between drinks or adding water to your mixed drink. Also, a good raw, organic multivitamin with B complex in it will also help with avoiding a hangover if you drink one too many.
I drink alcohol only on rare occasions now. However, I do believe that alcohol can be enjoyed with a bit of conscious choice and forethought. Most of the times alcohol has gotten me in trouble were when I was not conscious of what or how much I was drinking. I believe if you set the intention of having an enjoyable time with family and friends then have a drink or two. Most importantly, don't place judgement on yourself (or anyone else) for drinking or not drinking. You are great either way.
I hope you and your loved ones have a blessed Holiday season and best wishes for a great New Year!
