I'LL DRINK TO THAT!

Did you ever notice when you buy a magazine at the grocery store or drugstore that promises you on the front cover that you can lose 30 lb. by Christmas or some such similar nonsense, that it never includes anything to drink?   It is the same old chicken, fish, veggies and maybe a protein shake for breakfast.
Is that really real?  Doesn't anyone drink coffee, tea or wine?  Firstly, it is unrealistic.  Secondly, if you followed it to a "T", you would be dehydrated.  Most of these diets don't even mention water.

First let's talk about wine.  I love a good glass of wine with my meals but I limit myself to a couple of times a week and mostly when I go out.  A glass of wine is 4 points on the Weight Watchers program or about 90 calories in other programs.  There was a theory in recent times that red wine was better than white although personally, red wine sometimes give me a headache because of the tannins in it.

Well finally, there is a new study out of Loyola University that says sipping one serving of alcohol daily dials down your risk of dementia by 23%.  If my Dad were alive, he could probably attest to that and he had more than one glass of scotch a day and passed away in his 95 year.  Who knows, how long he would have survived if they hadn't taken him off it when he went into an old-age home a couple of years earlier.  When he did die, he was still pretty alert.  Alcohol may strengthen your brain cells against future stressors, making you less susceptible to cognitive decline.  I think this is based on one glass a day however.  Indulging more can up your risk of dementia.  Maybe they are just covering themselves so you don't become an alcoholic.  Anyway, let's drink to your memory.

My other favourite drink is coffee.  There were all kinds of studies done on that drink.  Here is the good stuff on it.  Caffeine causes an increase in dopamine, which is how it boosts your confidence, focus, and mood.  I will drink to that too.  In addition to its stimulating properties, a cup of coffee has more antioxidants than a glass of grape juice (I didn't say wine, here) or a serving of spinach.  And it contains two phytonutrients, norhaman and harman, which function like a class of antidepressants called monoamine oxidase inhibitors.  People who drink a few cups of coffee daily have a decreased risk of brain disorders such as depression and dementia. 

Well, now I have a lot to drink about.  Happiness rules.  Other foods for thought are eggs, grass-fed butter (yum), grass-fed beef, arugula, walnuts, tomatoes, Chile peppers and Garlic.  I am sure there are other foods that are good for us but this is my blog so I can talk about my favourites.