Safer Drinking for a Healthier Lifestyle
Is Drinking Good or Bad for Us?
I mean we all know that drinking way too much isn’t good for us long term, but what about just a little bit? There are studies now saying that it is good to drink just a little bit. Now the scientific story is changing saying that even pregnant women can even have a glass of wine so what’s the truth?
The truth is that there are pros and cons to drinking. Its fun. We can all admit that, but what do we really mean when we say “drink responsibly”? In this article, we are going to cover the good, the bad, and the ugly of alcohol. We are also going to talk about our favorites!
Good, Better, Best
I always tell my clients to look at food (or anything we ingest really) as “good, better, best”. Based on what you know now and the options you have, is this choice the good, better, or best choice? We won’t always have the best option around, and we don’t want to beat ourselves up over a choice that is just “good”.
A beer full of sugar, gluten, and GMO grains covered in glyphosate would obviously be the worst choice possible. The only thing that could be worse is the sweet drinks with artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners.
Alcohol is a Part of Our Culture
Alcohol has become such a huge part of the human culture, especially since the rise of agriculture, because of its many physiological effects on the brain on its own and as a delivery mechanism for certain compounds in plants. This is one of the reasons why many people debate if alcohol is “paleo” or not because it is so connected to agriculture.
From ancient tribes brewing alcoholic brews with psychoactive plants and mushrooms for ritual initiation to Franciscan monks using grains and hops, brewing alcohols and tinctures out of various plants has been an ancient art that humanity has cultivated for thousands of years.
It is connected to both celebration, and even to the sacred. We have used “toasts” and “christenings” where we ritualistically imbibe alcohol to commemorate a new venture, business, or even a marriage. Could there really be health benefits to alcohol?
The Panacea is with The Poison
Some people criticize alcohol for its ability to cause liver damage. However, it goes through the same pathways as many over the counter anti-inflammatory drugs, cold medicine, and many prescription drugs. As they say, “the devil is in the dose”.
There is one theory that alcohol has health benefits because of an effect called hormesis. This is when ingesting something toxic in a small dosage can have beneficial effects overall. This could be a part of it, but the mystery goes deeper with red wines.
Reseveratrol:
The Reason Everyone Justifies Having One More Glass
Resveratrol is the reddish-purple pigment in the skin of grapes that is such a powerful antioxidant that it seems to have benefits for heart disease, brain health, DNA repair, and even increasing longevity. We can take supplements of resveratrol though right?
We can take supplements, and if you have an acute or chronic cognitive illness, then a supplement will be your best bet for healing. However, there is one interesting thing about resveratrol, and its presence in wine with alcohol.
Alcohol: The Secret Delivery Boy of Antioxidants
Resveratrol is so volatile that if it does note reach your organs within 3 hours, then it will oxidize and be rendered ineffective. Wine is brewed using anaerobic fermentation. The key is that “anaerobic” means “without oxygen”.
Not only is the resveratrol protected from oxidation in the wine bottle, but this concentrated antioxidant is carried into your organs and tissues by the alcohol! Alcohol could also have the opposite effect of carrying toxic pesticides into your body if the alcohol carries them instead.
Quality Over Quantity
Getting drunk is fun. We can all agree that there is something enjoyable about getting a little tipsy with friends or at a celebration. What I am saying is pick good wines, and clean beers and spirits.
Red grapes treated fungicide had 60% less reseveratrol than organic grapes that were not treated. This means you could be getting less of the good stuff you want, and possibly a fungicide that was picked up in the grapes.
Organic, Chemical Free, and Very Low Sugar
If you are trying to heal or even just optimizing your performance, then I recommend staying away from alcohols that may be contaminated with pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. Definitely stay away from beer that could have glyphosate and gluten from GMO grains.
I also recommend doing alcohol with little to no sugar in it. When I am ketogenic, I sometimes have a vodka with naturally flavored seltzer water and vanilla flavored stevia. Its not the best, but its pretty darn good!
What is the Best Alcohol?
In my not-so-humble opinion, red wine takes the cake for packing in nutrients, and antioxidants. It also has a really nice buzz especially if there is not a lot of sugar. Then I one night, I found it…like a holy grail (pun intended).
I eat very low-carb, and at Keto Con, we were treated to the most delicious and satisfying wine that I had ever encountered. The flavor of each exotic wine was phenomenal and unique.
From each French Muscadet to Bordeau and more, each wine was flawless in flavor in addition to being organic (or biodynamic), very low in sulfites, and a decent amount of alcohol!
The Miracle of Low Carb Wine
For some reason, when I say “low carb wine” for some reason people think that it is also lower in alcohol. They average at about 12.5% alcohol, and did I mention the best part yet? There is less than 1 carb per bottle! 1 carb per liter, and they come in 750ml bottles.
Imagine drinking a completely organic wine that tastes delicious. You drink the whole bottle without fear because you know there is not even one gram of sugar in it. You have a great time, and you have no semblance of a headache in the morning.
Sign Me Up! How Much Is it?
That’s the reality I am talking about here! Smooth buzz, clean grapes, no headache, and no sugar in this wine. It literally does not get any better than this. Because they ferment out all the sugar, each wine takes time so they do cost a little more than your average wine.
Our links to the club are below, and prices range from $150/month – $300/month for 5-10 bottles. Could you just drink vodka or tequila in soda water with lime and stevia? Yes…but you wanted to know about the best, right? The reigning champions and absolute best alcohol for health are from Dry Farm Wines.
Here is what I recommend:
I highly recommend that you take advantage of the “bottle for a penny” promo below. You can sign up for a month jaunt cancel if you want to do that. You can get ten bottles of amazing wine for $300 and an 11th one for a penny.
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Dry Farm Wines: Check Out What The Experts Say