You Might Want to Put That Smoothie Down

You Might Want to Put that Smoothie Down

 

Reasons to Eat Your Fruits, Not Drink Them

 

Getting a little—or a lot—more fruits and vegetables into your diet is always a good thing (1).

 

But when it comes to slamming them back in a tasty smoothie, are you getting all the benefits you could?

 

Fruits and vegetables are packed with micronutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that help your body function better.

 

These nutrients can help prevent disease, contribute to fat loss, protect your heart, and keep you feeling and looking young.

 

And if a smoothie is going to help you get more of these nutrients and boost your fruit and veggie intake, then it would be silly for me to tell you to put them down, right? Well… maybe not.

 

Whole Foods Provide Longer Feelings of Fullness

Fruits and veggies might not be best suited as beverages. One of the biggest reasons whole fruits and vegetables are superior is because of what happens to the fiber when they’re liquefied—the structure is altered and these foods may not provide the same health benefits as when consumed whole. The insoluble fiber is reduced, and that fiber is key to how sugars are absorbed; that is, you end up absorbing them much faster, causing a metabolic response similar to drinking a fruit juice or soda, which may eventually lead to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. There is research indicating that people who eat more whole fruits, as opposed to drinking them as fruit juices, are less likely to get type 2 diabetes.

 

Whole foods also provide longer feelings of fullness than smoothies or fruit juices, because your body takes a longer time to break down the nutrients. This is largely due to the presence of fiber along with the fact that it simply takes longer to eat food than drink it.

 

Smoothies can also help calories creep up quickly, depending on what you put in them. Using almond milk, nut butters, flaxseeds, and other ingredients can add quick, unnoticed calories. Not that that’s a problem in and of itself—but if it’s not keeping you full for very long you’re likely to find yourself eating something shortly after. Those extra calories can add up quickly if you’re not paying attention.

 

Getting enough servings of fruits and vegetables every day has a number of health benefits, and if you can get up to eight per day if you’re in great shape. If a smoothie every day helps you add a serving or two, that’s great, but it probably shouldn’t be your sole source of fruit/veggie intake.

Please share with family and loved ones.   Call us to get your personalized healthcare plan made just for your needs.

 

Health and Wellness Associates

312-972-WELL

The Painkiller

The Painkiller

 

If you need to numb the pain, the Pain Killer is just what the doctor ordered. It was originally concocted at the legendary Soggy Dollar Bar in the Sandcastle Hotel, Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands. Technically you can’t make one unless you’re using Pusser’s Navy Rum. Pusser’s is a delightful rum based on the rum used by the British Navy until July 31, 1970.

 

Pain Killer

 

4 oz rum

4 oz Pineapple Juice

1 oz Coconut Cream

1 oz Orange Juice

8 oz Crushed Ice

 

Mix all ingredients in a blender and blend for approximately 3 seconds. Serve in a tiki mug or double rocks glass and dust with nutmeg, cinnamon, or both.

 

Did you know that rum is carb-free

What Alcohol Does To Your Body

 

I wish I had learned the following information years ago, or had at least been more mindful of it. While I do believe it is common knowledge that alcohol is not particularly good for us, I don’t believe very many of us know just how bad it is. I myself was shocked to learn that it is a known carcinogen, and was further surprised to discover that regular alcohol consumption actually inhibits the body’s natural ability to produce crucial vitamins.

 

Considering alcohol is a depressant, this information makes clear how negatively it can impact both mental and physical health, often leading to a vicious cycle of self medication. Let’s take a look at some of the long term negative effects of alcohol on the body.

 

 

Known Carcinogen

 

Many studies clearly correlate alcohol consumption and cancer development, linking moderate to regular alcohol consumption to the following types of cancer: Head and neck cancer, Esophageal Cancer, Liver Cancer, Breast Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, and more.

 

“Based on extensive reviews of research studies, there is a strong scientific consensus of an association between alcohol drinking and several types of cancer.” National Cancer Institute

 

 

Decreased Vitamin B12 Production

 

Studies have shown that drinking alcohol in excess compromises your vitamin B12 levels; if you are already or become deficient in this crucial vitamin, your health may suffer greatly. Recent studies have also concluded that even regular, moderate use of alcohol can impact your B12 levels.

 

 

Decreased Vitamin D & Calcium Absorption

 

Alcohol interferes with the pancreas and its ability to absorb calcium and vitamin D. Alcohol also affects the liver, which is important for activating vitamin D, necessary for proper calcium absorption. This cascade of effects can lead to difficulties with bone regeneration.

Liver Damage (Cirrhosis)

 

Liver cirrhosis occurs when the liver becomes scarred, and while a number of things can cause this, a common cause of this is alcohol abuse. Cirrhosis of the liver can be very serious, even fatal, and often the only way to reverse it is through surgery.

 

 

Depressant

 

As appealing and even empowering as the feeling of lowered inhibitions and increased confidence can be, alcohol is a depressant which lowers serotonin levels in the brain. Many people turn to alcohol to alleviate depression, but many actually develop it because of alcohol, hence why this can become a very vicious cycle for some people.

 

 

 

Memory Loss

 

Consuming alcohol slows down processes in the brain, often resulting in memory loss.  Excessive drinking, moreover, can result in complete “black-outs,” causing you to forget where you were, what you did, and even who you did it with. Over time, this can make it difficult to remember events that happen even while sober.

 

What Happens To The Body Right Away And Especially The Next Day?

 

Alcohol irritates the stomach and intestines, which causes an inflamed stomach lining and delayed stomach emptying.

 

You are becoming dehydrated; the consumption of 50 g of alcohol in 250 milliliters (ml) of water (i.e. approximately 4 drinks) causes the elimination of 600 to 1,000 ml (or up to 1 quart) of water over several hours.

 

Alcohol inhibits glutamate production; glutamate is a stimulant whose job is to keep us awake. However, when our alcohol blood-levels reach zero (i.e., hangover time), our body reacts by overproducing this stimulant, which results in broken sleeps

 

According to this research, a possible explanation for alcohol induced hangovers is that alcohol effects the neurotransmitters, histamine, serotonin and prostaglandins.

How Much Is Too Much?

 

According to the Canadian Centre For Addiction and Mental Health, women should drink no more than 10 drinks per week with no more than 2 drinks a day. Men should drink no more than 15 drinks a week, with no more than 3 on one day. And you are not supposed to drink daily. I don’t know about you, but on a day that I go out and plan to drink it’s very rare that I would consume only 2 drinks. For instance, in the U.S. one out of ever six adults binge drinks 4 times a month with an average of 8 drinks per binge.

Some Personal Thoughts On The Matter

 

Learning how detrimental alcohol truly is for our health really made the “truth seeker” in me wonder why it is promoted so heavily in mainstream media. It’s not often you see a TV show or a movie where the characters aren’t regularly consuming copious amounts of alcohol, and both these characters or those in alcohol advertisements are portrayed, to varying degrees, as sexy, cool, spontaneous, and fun. In fact the promotion of alcohol in mainstream commercialism was reported to have spent 8 billion on advertising between 2002-2009. While knowledge of alcohol’s dangers is nowhere near as common as that of, say, smoking, that still leaves the question, why is it kept in the dark? A lot of information is coming forward these days about how sugar is the tobacco of the 21st century and so on, but it seems the truth about alcohol’s dangers are largely being ignored.

 

Even many popular alternative health blogs don’t seem to pay too much attention to the idea. Is this because so many people enjoy alcohol and the way it makes them feel and would rather turn a blind eye? Or is there a vested interest in keeping this information quiet? Not to be a total Negative Nancy, but this all reminds me of George Orwell’s 1984 and how the deprived characters of the story were just given alcohol as a way to keep them happy and help them escape their otherwise miserable existence.

 

Please don’t get me wrong — I enjoy alcohol as much as the next person, or maybe even more, as it can be a great way to let loose, have fun, or even just relax, but this information has really got me thinking lately. Especially after abstaining from alcohol for the month of February, realizing how much better I felt on a day-to-day basis and seeing how much more I was able to accomplish, I think this is something we could all benefit from examining more closely.

 

What Do You Think?

 

If you are someone who enjoys the occasional glass of wine or a couple of beers every now and then, you can pretty much disregard this article. It is likely that if you are living an otherwise healthy lifestyle, these negative effects won’t have much of an impact on you. But if you are someone who drinks regularly, or who uses alcohol as an escape, this information is really worth taking into consideration. Why not take a break from alcohol and see if your mood improves? If you find you are using alcohol as a means to deal with stress, consider an alternative, like going for a run or walk, spending a few minutes in the sauna, or even meditating. Try doing something positive to deal with the stress rather than escaping it with alcohol.

Some Benefits Of Cutting Back Or Quitting Alcohol

 

Increased mood

More savings

Less or no hangovers

More time to get things done

Not having regrets from something stupid you may have done

Better memory

Healthier lifestyle

 

Please share to help someone else out.  Call us if you need help looking into what supplement you will need, and always calculate the other medications and supplements you are on.

 

Health and Wellness Associates

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312-972- WELL

Melon Sangria : Great for Summer

Melon sangria

Ingredients

• ~3 cups of mixed melon balls (watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew)
• 2-4 tablespoons of honey, adjust to taste
• 1 lime, juiced
• ¼ cup to ½ cup of grappa, adjust to taste – can also use pisco or a clear grape brandy
• 1 bottle of moscato wine, chilled
• ~ 1 ½ cups of sparkling water, chilled

To serve and garnish:

• Mint leaves
• Lime slices
• Ice cubes or frozen melon ball ice cubes

Instructions

1. Place the melon balls in a large pitcher, add the honey (2 tablespoons to start), lime juice, and ¼ cup of grappa. Mix gently and let rest in fridge for 1-2 hours or until 1 hour before serving.
2. Add the moscato wine, mix gently, taste and add more honey or grappa if desired. Keep in mind that you will top it off with sparkling water right before serving, so it’s okay if it’s on the sweeter/stronger side. Refrigerate for another hour.
3. Right before serving, add ice (or frozen melon balls as ice cubes), lime slices and mint leaves to garnish, and top off with sparkling water. You can prepare the final mix in the pitcher or serve it directly into glasses with melon ice cubes and top off each glass with the sparkling water.

Notes

For a mocktail sangria variation, omit the moscato wine and the grappa, and replace with a sparkling white grape juice and sparkling lemonade.