Beer and wine are just as intoxicating as hard liquor. A 12-ounce can of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine or an ounce and a half of liquor contain the same amount of alcohol.
By Rochelle Blank Special to The Packet
The energy and excitement of year-end traditions present some healthy challenges. As Old Man Winter settles in, nourishing wisdom suggests you adjust your diet and activities toward choices suited for the colder weather. Food and movement that produce heat will keep you going strong during the chilly months ahead.
Consider ringing in the New Year with some smart “healthy habits.”
New Year’s Eve, a time honored tradition of celebration, lends itself to excessive drinking. While one drink is OK for most people, two or more drinks can pose problems. Whatever you choose to do for the New Year, consider replacing some of your typical drinks with healthier choices, some alcoholic and some not. Also consider how you serve your choices.
According to research published by the British Medical Journal, drinking from short glasses will cause you to drink more, while drinking from tall, thin glass will cause you to drink less. With that in mind, toast with a short, wide glass of water. Instead of keeping the champagne rolling, keep the filtered water rolling.
But if drinking spirits is your pleasure, limit your choice to one tall, thin glass of organic wine. Enjoy your drink, sipping slowly and savoring the flavor, a few hours before you plan to leave the party.
I recommend the new organic and biodynamic wines, with no added sulfites. Over the past few years they have gained in popularity with health conscious consumers, myself included. According to the beverage manager Joseph Repice of Pure Food and Wine in New York City, where you can find the best varieties of these wines, the flavor and health benefits are unparalleled.
“They have more balanced flavors, are more in tune with nature and with your body. People report no headaches,” Mr. Repice says.
Organic wines are produced on farms that have had no chemical processes for eight years and are certified by the FDA as such. Biodynamic wines go a step further. Bio means “life energy.” Not only are the grapes for the wine farmed on the organic soil at that farm, but the heart of the organic field where the wine is produced has a self- sustaining ecosystem. The ecosystem uses only things that grow on that farm to fertilize the soil that is producing the grapes. This is good for you, and it’s good for the environment, as well.
While there is much controversy over whether one glass of wine a day is good for you, I am betting that organic and biodynamic wine will certainly add more flavor to this conversation. As a health counselor, I would recommend only an occasional glass of wine, with more focus on getting your antioxidants from the beautiful world of dark, leafy green vegetables.
Another choice for something festive for the New Year is a bubbly bottle of sparkling organic apple cider or wine made from organic grains. Both drinks contain no alcohol, but are quite satisfying alternatives. Non-alcoholic choices can be found at Whole Foods, specialty food shops and some liquor stores.
If your one choice for the evening is a hard liquor drink, keep in mind that carbonated mixers like club soda or tonic water cause alcohol to be absorbed your bloodstream faster. Club soda also leaches out calcium from the body. Fruit juices and other mixes mask the flavor of alcohol and may cause you to drink more. They also add a lot of extra sugar to a drink.
Beer and wine are just as intoxicating as hard liquor. A 12-ounce can of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine or an ounce and a half of liquor contain the same amount of alcohol. Dilute your alcoholic beverage with water. Have a glass of water before you drink, and chances are you will drink less. Also, always follow a drink with a glass of water. This will help your body rid itself of the toxins from the alcohol, keep you hydrated and hopefully lessen a potential hangover.
During the last days of this year, focus on feeling the satisfaction of the many things that you are grateful for having accomplished during this past year. It is also a great time to look ahead and start to imagine and plan the bright future that you can create.
Rochelle Blank, HHC, AADP, is a holistic health counselor and owner of A Natural Choice. For more information, or to ask questions, contact Ms. Blank at www.a-naturalchoice.com. Ms. Blank will speak about “Simple Cleansing and Detox Secrets” at Whole Foods in West Windsor on Thursday, Jan. 31, at 12:30 p.m.

