It seems funny to be an acupuncturist, helping people strive for perfect balance and vitality to discuss alcohol, but the reality is most people will be drinking at least a few times during the holiday season. So, what should you choose if you don’t want to thwart your health goals? Alcohol alone is not considered bad in Traditional Chinese medicine. It is harmful when it is combined with “snack foods,” salty foods, fatty appetizers, and bite sized desserts. Make sure that you actually want to have a drink, rather than being pressured. A good trick if you don’t want to drink is to say, “Actually, I am really thirsty and could use a big glass of water with some lemon in it!” This usually satisfies your hosts desire to entertain you and avoids awkwardness. Here is a handy reference so that you can make some informed decisions! Way to go Wine! Clearly the best choice for potential health benefits with minimal calories and low sugar. Dry wine takes the number one place! Wine Calories Carbs Per 5-oz Serving Chardonnay 20 0.4 g 100 calories, 2 g carbs Pinot Grigio 20 0.4 g 100 calories, 2 g carbs Zinfandel® White Wine 20 0.4 g 100 calories, 2 g carbs Cabernet Sauvignon 20 0.8 g 100 calories, 4 g carbs Merlot Red Wine 20 0.8 g 100 calories, 4 g carbs Hard Liquor, the Mix is the Kicker Hard liquor is actually not too caloric dense, keeping in mind the 1.5 oz serving. If you mix it with pop, or juice the sugar and caloric count jumps way up and may...
Healthy Holiday Guide – Dinners #1 Have a healthy meal before going to a social event #2 Eat foods that you actually want #3 Appreciate the social aspect of Christmas, not just the food #4 Avoid soft drinks and juice; stay hydrated with water #5 Visit with people you actually want to Here are a few guidelines to navigate through the holiday season. Look for a new website, with lots of new goodies in the next couple of days at www.acupuncturevictoriabc.com ~Think...
Due to popular demand, here is a quick instructional video on how to make “Ugly Soup” which will give you a massive dose of nutrition and goodness! Try adding this to your current diet for 7 days and see what happens to your energy, digestion, skin, and mental clarity! (Click here to watch in full screen on youtube) ~Think...
Last night I heard Brendan Brazier speak about his new book “Thrive Fitness.” Brendan is a professional Ironman athlete that happens to be vegan. He has developed a line of whole food supplements called “Vega” that he credits for helping him reach his fitness goals. I have read both “Thrive Diet” and “Thrive Fitness” so I was interested to hear him speak about his area of expertise. It seems like there is always a new study, or research article that comes out telling us what we can and cannot do to keep ourselves healthy. I think it leaves the majority of people confused, overwhelmed and unable to take any action. Brendan’s approach was largely based on his own experience, real results, and listening to feedback from other athletes. He keeps his message very simple- eat real, whole foods. He spoke about how it takes a lot more energy to digest processed food compared to whole veggies, nuts, seeds, pseudo-grains and fruits. By using less energy to digest our food we have more energy to heal out bodies. I have seen many times how important it is to keep things simple. While I may not subscribe to the idea of veganism (because it is very difficult to stay healthy without becoming obsessive about food) I think we can all benefit from infusing our diets with good, vibrant, whole foods; like this! Blueberry, Spinach, Maca, Coconut Cocoa Breakfast Shake ~Think...
Over the last 40 years the average caloric intake has increase substantially. After the invention of “processed” foods following World War II, North Americans have experienced an increase in heart attack, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and other obesity related illnesses. Having access to nutrition-less and high calorie foods is just one aspect to the increase in obesity. The other factor is simply overeating. Contrary to what you might think, you can still gain weight from eating too much of a well balanced, healthy diet too. It is harder to over consume calories when you are eating greens, veggies, lean meat and fish but it is still possible. You may remember hearing about The Okinawa Program that was popular a few years ago. This was a study of the people of Okinawa, an island in Japan, where people commonly lived beyond 100 years of age. Several factors contributed to their longevity and vibrant health. One of them was called “Hara hachi bu.” This means “Eat to 80% fullness.” Stopping before you are 100% full can really help your digestive and metabolic health. It is important to eat until you are nutritionally and emotionally satisfied but then stop. You can always have more later when your stomach is empty. Make it a rule to only eat until you are 80% full. I have seen several people eat exactly what they normally eat and lose weight following this concept. Until next time… ~Think...
