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:

10TV: Summer Mocktails

June is National Iced Tea Month and because it’s been so warm lately, it’s a great time to switch from hot coffee and tea to cooler beverages like iced tea – whether black, green, oolong, white, or herbal. There are many benefits to drinking tea including lower cholesterol, cancer prevention and improving dental hygiene (cavity determent).

A mocktail is an easy and delicious way to keep hydrated during these high temperature months. Behold! The Strawberry Mint + Lime Cooler as well as the Cranberry Raspberry Lime Sparkler.

Strawberry Mint & Lime Cooler
1 cup white tea
1 cup sparkling mineral water
½ cup fresh mint
½ cup fresh strawberries, sliced

Cranberry Raspberry Lime Sparkler
1 cup 100% cranberry juice
1 cup raspberry tea
1 cup sparkling mineral water
¼ of a lime, juiced
Mint for garnish

Instructions:
Make tea; once tea has cooled, add ice cubes (if desired) and stir in remainder of ingredients. Garnish with mint and lime. Of course you can easily make this mocktail into a cocktail by adding your favorite wine, mead, or liquor (i.e. vodka). These recipes will serve you well in the late spring and deep into summer’s heat. Enjoy!