Blame it on the Alcohol?

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Jamie Foxx’s song “Blame it” encourages blaming alcohol for all ruined relationships, unsafe situations, and perceived enhancement of other’s attractiveness. Outside of the many issues and poor decisions can that can result from a night of boozing, including a high credit card bill, higher risk for accidents, and even a 2am Taco Bell run…there are more. During Covid-19, some are hitting the wine and beer harder.

Let’s review the basics: alcohol interferes with communication between nerve cells and all other cells in the body. Moderation (the amount considered to not contribute to any major health concerns) for the average woman is defined by the CDC as not more than one drink per day and for the average man as not having more than two.

A study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics asserts, “there has been an increase in the proportion of US adults who drink on any given day and an increase in calories consumed from alcoholic beverages when drinking occurs.”

What effect is this having on us from a weight loss perspective? Or a liver-health one?

Now we appreciate the humor some of you bring to our appointments:

“I think I’m drinking enough water. There’s water in beer, right?”

“I’m not too concerned. It’s called a liver, not a die-er”

“Wine-o? Maybe; I prefer ‘wine-yes'”

With alcoholic beverages being among the top five contributors to total caloric intake among US adults, this is something we need to talk about. But beyond calories, here are more reasons to explore your relationship with alcohol:

Nutrigenomics – Science on your Side!

For most of our existence on this earth, humans have viewed food primarily as fuel. Over the past century, particularly after Upton’s Sinclair’s expose The Jungle was published, people have demanded that food be health-promoting and safe. Now we expect more from our food – to help us keep our cholesterol down, improve bone health, and even prevent certain diseases such as diabetes and cancer.

Nutrigenomics is short for “nutritional genomics” and is a discipline that studies the interaction between our diet, genetics, and lifestyle choices

A discipline borne out of the Human Genome Project, nutrigenomics asserts:

• A junk-filled, nutrient-less diet can be a factor for disease since dietary components can influence gene expression and structure
• The degree to which diet can influence a person’s health and disease depends on their genetic make-up (some people who follow a ‘heart-healthy’ diet can reduce their cholesterol while others can eat fried and fatty foods and have normal cholesterol levels)
• Genes can play a role in the onset, progression and severity of certain diseases but dietary recommendations can help prevent, mitigate, and potentially reverse disease

This is BIG NEWS, people! The field of nutrigenomics is still relatively new and while most healthcare professionals are teaching a model of health (usually with the food pyramid), there’s waaaay more to the equation of living balanced and healthy.

Ever wonder why some people with high-blood pressure respond well to a low-sodium diet while others don’t? Why some people develop macular degeneration, acne, depression, or diabetes even when living similar lifestyles to others? Why are some people able to drink coffee all day and sleep whereas others are so sensitive that a morning cup o’ joe can lead to insomnia? The answer may well be linked to one’s genes. 

If you experience or have a family history of skin issues (including acne and rashes), autism, ADHD, migraine, depression, anxiety and other psychological disturbances, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory bowel disease (including Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis), virtually all autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s and rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, macular degeneration, diabetic complication, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimers, definitely consider how knowing your genetics could help prevent, ameliorate, or even reverse a health condition. A single defect in the enzyme methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, or MTHFR, can increase one’s risk of cardiovascular disease, impaired detoxification, decreased energy, and DNA repair. Wouldn’t it be great to have some personalized dietary & lifestyle recommendations from a qualified expert who can help you abate or prevent those conditions? 

We here at One Bite believe that nutrigenomics is a game changer. With this emergent technology, we can not only educate our clients on the components of building a healthier diet and lifestyle – it can be even more intricately tailored to each individual’s needs. 

We not only bring our stomachs to the dinner table, we bring our genes. Let’s learn how to feed ourselves properly.

Hungry to learn more? Come to our Nutrigenomics class this Thursday evening  or contact us for more information.