June 4, 2019

Are you interested in moderating your alcohol intake, but still want a pleasurable and tasty drinking experience? Are you ready to examine your relationship to alcohol when it comes to stress management, health issues, disease prevention, social patterning or disrupted

sleep and energy? Then these ideas are for you!

The truth is, alcohol has more dramatic effects on women then on men. We metabolize alcohol differently due to our biochemistry. Women are twice as likely to face depression, insomnia and Alzheimer’s compared with men. We also experience significantly higher rates of anxiety and autoimmune issues like MS or Hashimoto’s. Blood sugar instability is responsible for 60% of cognitive decline. Inflammation is found to be a root cause of all major chronic and autoimmune diseases. Alcohol is a toxin that your body has to spend precious energy to process and purge. Alcohol can harm the gut, our metabolism and sleep, and increase the risk of stroke, certain cancers and hormonal issues.

A heightened awareness of how alcohol affects your blood sugar, energy levels, sleep patterns, weight, appearance, susceptibility to depression, anxiety, digestive distress, chronic illness and decreased cognitive functioning (“where did I leave my keys and why can’t I remember her name” brain fog anyone??) is imperative for optimal health and longevity. Resources to understanding some of this scientific research are linked below.

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Maggie’s Mocktails:The wise woman’s guide to refreshment

June 4, 2019

Part of the problem that many of us have with changes around our behavior patterns, diets and alcohol consumption is that we perceive the changes as deprivation, so one of the first steps is to identify the WHY that underlies your goals for changing or modifying these behaviors. We want to focus on and affirm what is good instead of what is gone.

In addition to alcohol addiction, alcohol consumption can simply evolve out of sheer habit or be framed as a treat or reward that we “deserve,” similar to sugar. It’s good to remember that we also deserve to have clarity, well-being, presence, favorable health and vitality! That we are capable of showing up without numbing ourselves or altering our mental state. It can be advantageous to shift the patterning from not getting to drink to not having to drink. Challenging, but worth it!

So what the heck do I drink when I’m not drinking?While there are a multitude of practices to examine when considering reducing or eliminating your alcohol intake, this article focuses on drink alternatives as part of a healthy action step. If we are looking to cut back or eliminate altogether, what do we drink at parties, for happy hour, at restaurants, on summer days and special occasions? Welcome to our cheerful replacement: the “Mocktail,”

Criteria for a “replacement drink” includes: pleasure and taste, low sugar (or no sugar) and low calorie content for weight and blood

sugar stability, nutritious and supportive to the body, hydrating, satisfying, aesthetically pleasing for social occasions and solo self-care, alcohol free or low alcohol to help with optimal sleep patterns, brain health, nutrition and hormone balance at all stages of life. These are also convenient recipes that do not need a blender or additional appliances to create.

The trouble with a lot of mocktail recipes out there is that they may be high in sugar and calories, which we want to avoid. Even artificial sweeteners disrupt the microbiome and leave us craving more sugar, and actually are associated with weight gain instead of loss.

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June 4, 2019

Here are some artificial sweeteners to avoid when considering your mocktail mixology:

SucraloseAspartameSaccharinAcesulfame potassium

Tonic water is also full of sugar, and diet tonic is full of chemically driven artificial sweeteners. Skip it. Even all-natural fruit juices will take your blood sugar levels on a roller coaster ride, so we want to monitor how we can get the antioxidants from these sources without the sugar high.

If you are craving a sweeter taste for your mocktail, Stevia is made from plants and is not an artificial sweetener. Many of the recipes you will find below use stevia. Unlike honey, agave, molasses or rice syrup (which all have the SAME effects as corn syrup or table sugar), stevia and monk fruit are the only sweeteners I recommend that have no calories, no sugar and are actually medicinal for the body. Links to where to buy stevia and which brands I recommend for great taste are found below. I love to use Sweet leaf brand sweet drops to flavor a mocktail when I have a taste for something sweeter.

Drink ideas and recipes, where to start:My favorite and easy drink base is mineral water or seltzer water. Mineral water is water from a natural mineral source that contains various beneficial minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, salts and sulfur compounds. Mineral water has a natural light effervescence and sometimes there is a bit of extra carbonation added for more bubbles. Some great and easy to find brands are Pellegrino, Topo Chico, Perrier, and Gerolsteiner.

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June 4, 2019

Seltzer water is also very popular. Seltzer is simply carbonated water: Flat water that get an addictive effervescence from carbon dioxide. Club soda,

typically used in cocktails, has a more mineral-y flavor from chemical compounds, like sodium bicarbonate and potassium sulfate. There are many brands of seltzer available and many come with hints of natural flavorings. Popular brands include La Croix, Polar and Vintage. Again, watch out for seltzer water that’s flavored with artificial sugars. That is not the same thing!

Using mineral water or seltzer as a base, here are a variety of mocktail recipes to tantalize your tastebuds and keep your body balanced.

Blends: (amounts will vary if you making it by the glass or pitcher)

SPARKLING LEMONADE INGREDIENTS

• Mineral or seltzer water• About 1/6 to 1/4 cup lemon juice (canned or fresh

squeezed, both will work• Several drops liquid stevia (sweeten to taste)• 2 lemon slices for garnish• Ice if desired

SPARKLING FRUIT AND HERBAL INFUSIONS (here are some great taste combinations)

Watermelon and Mint Berry infusion (blueberry, strawberry, raspberry or whatever berry is in season) with Tarragon Grapefruit and Rosemary Lemon with Basil Lime with Mint (mojito) Cherry (acerola cherries if possible) and Lavender- (this is a great relaxation or sleep tonic)

INGREDIENTS• For each combination duo above, take a few pieces or

slices of the selected fruit and several springs of the corresponding herb and muddle into the bottom of a glass

• Fill glass with selected mineral water or seltzer (flavored or regular)

• Couple drops of stevia (optional if you want a sweeter taste)

• 1 tbsp. lime juice• garnish with extra fruit or herb sprig• Ice if desired

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June 4, 2019

SPARKLING HERBAL OR GREEN TEAS (give Snapple a run for its money)INGREDIENTS

• Fill half the glass with your choice of brewed tea (herbal, green, black, etc.)

• Fill other half with seltzer• Couple drops of stevia- flavored stevia can be nice • garnish with a peach slice or lemon or mint

MATCHA MOJITO (Matcha is essentially processed green tea leaves that have been stone-ground into a delicate powder. The powder is then sifted and whisked with hot water. Matcha has many health benefits: it is packed with antioxidants, boosts metabolism, burns calories, detoxifies effectively and naturally, calms the mind and relaxes the body, is rich in fiber, chlorophyll and vitamins, enhances mood and aids in concentration, provides vitamin C, selenium, chromium, zinc and magnesium, prevents disease, lowers cholesterol and blood sugar.INGREDIENTS

• 1 tsp. matcha green tea powder• 1 cup water (160 degrees F), use a hand frother or whisk

to blend matcha in the warm water first for better mixing• Add a few drops of stevia, if you desire sweetness (you

may enjoy the grassy taste without sweetener)• 1 tbsp. lime juice• 2 lime slices (muddled), extra for garnish• 4-5 mint leaves (muddled), extra for garnish• ice

COLA OR ROOT BEER SUBSTITUTE (healthy alternatives for the diet soda addict)INGREDIENTS

• Seltzer water or Topo Chico• Couple drops of stevia COLA flavored• Splash of bitters (see explanation of bitters below)• Lime slice or cherry for garnish• ice if desired

PINA COLADA SPRITZER INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup pineapple juice (or just muddled pineapple in bottom)

• 1/4 cup coconut water• Couple drops of stevia (May not need since both

pineapple juice and coconut water are very sweet)• Fill rest of glass with Coconut seltzer by La Croix• Add crushed ice and lightly shake in shaker then serve in

glass • Pineapple slice to garnish

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June 4, 2019

CINNAMON APPLE SPARKLING CIDER (made with medicinal Bragg’s raw apple cider vinegar, which is high in acetic acid with potent biological effects, can kill many types of harmful bacteria, lowers blood sugar levels and fights diabetes, helps you lose weight and reduces belly fat, lowers cholesterol and improves heart health.) INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons of Bragg’s Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (3 if you want more of a kick)

• Squeeze of lemon juice (optional)• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon• 1/2 teaspoon allspice or pumpkin pie spice• Couple drops of stevia• Fill glass with cold mineral water• Use hand frother to mix ingredients • Cinnamon stick or apple slice for garnish

TURMERIC GINGER SPRITZER (both well-known anti-inflammatory ingredients) INGREDIENTS

• Mineral water• 2 or three tablespoons lemon juice• Couple drops of stevia• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder• 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder• Pinch of cinnamon and pinch of black pepper• Mix all ingredients in glass with a hand frother• Lemon slice to garnish• ice if desired

ENERGIZING SWAMP JUICE (add a scoop of green powder-links included below)INGREDIENTS

• Glass of mineral water • Scoop of greens powder• Couple drops of stevia• 1 tbsp. lime or lemon juice• Celery stalk, cucumber or lime slice for garnish• ice if desired

FERMENTED VEGGIES ELIXER (using water from cultured veggie juice like beets or cabbage or tomato juice- this will have more of a savory taste if you like things like V8. It also provides the benefits of healthy probiotics from the fermentation and micro nutrients from the veggies)INGREDIENTS, Option 1 (similar to V8 or virgin Bloody Mary)

• 1 cup of Madge’s Fermented Bloody Mary mix (full of healthy probiotics, Amazon link to buy is in resources below)

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June 4, 2019

• Top glass with mineral water• 1/2 teaspoon horseradish (optional)• Dash of Worcestershire sauce (optional)• Few dashes of Old Bay seasoning or celery salt, paprika• Squeeze of a lemon wedge• Mix all ingredients well• garnish with olives or celery or dill pickle • ice

INGREDIENTS, Option 2• Mineral water• 1/3 cup Beet and/or Ginger Gold Kvass by Oregon

Brineworks (Amazon link provided below)• Small drop of stevia • ice

SELTZER WITH BITTERS SPECIALTIES (see information below about bitters. Links for where to buy also provided at end of article) INGREDIENTS

• Seltzer water (I enjoy peach flavored Perrier, but any style will do)

• 4 to 8 dashes of bitters (love to mix it with the peach bitters) Another great combo is regular mineral water with cardamom flavored Fee Brother’s bitters

• Couple drops of stevia (but can also be pleasant without sweetener)

• Squeeze of lemon or lime• garnish (citrus peel, lime wedge, rosemary sprig) • ice

If you are out at a restaurant, a great alternative is to ask for soda water/club soda (which is just carbonated water) with a splash of bitters and a lime. This will appear “cocktail-like” and will make you feel fancy but without calories, tipsiness or hangover. Bitters are flavored extracts made from infusing herbs, seeds, bark, roots, flowers and berries with alcohol. The liquid is highly concentrated, which is why you need only a few dashes in a drink. Mainly used nowadays as flavoring agents, bitters were once popular natural remedies to help with digestive issues and bloating. Five to ten splashes of bitters adds a negligible amount of alcohol to drinks (similar to what would be in vanilla extract or non-alcoholic beer) and less than what

you find in some kombucha.

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June 4, 2019

Where and what to buy:Link to Fee Brothers bitters (peach is my favorite, but they have many great flavors to choose from): https://amzn.to/2WekYwb

Link to Urban Moonshine bitters guide:https://www.urbanmoonshine.com/blogs/blog/which-bitters-are-best-for-meBuy on amazon: https://amzn.to/2WrhF9R Link to Sweet leaf stevia drops (My kitchen is STOCKED with these) https://sweetleaf.com/stevia_products/sweetleaf-liquid-stevia-sweet-drops/Buy on amazon: https://amzn.to/2WRtZzS

Links to monk fruit sweetener: https://amzn.to/2IihTq8 (drops) https://amzn.to/2WrwHfZ (powder for baking)

Bragg’s raw Apple Cider Vinegar:https://amzn.to/2WjdUyu

Green Powders: https://amzn.to/2XzhAO8https://amzn.to/2MvTTVyhttps://amzn.to/2ESNw8C

Yogi Teas: https://amzn.to/2IpJdCV

Fermented/Cultured Veggies with Juice: https://amzn.to/2MwFysfhttps://amzn.to/2Inf32X

Matcha green tea powder: https://amzn.to/2HYC65e

Hand frother: https://amzn.to/2Iruvvc

Fermented Bloody Mary tomato juice mix: https://amzn.to/2MuTeE3

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June 4, 2019

Additionally, if you are curious about consuming the “cleanest” and healthiest types of alcohol, here a great resource article from Parsley Health, a functional medicine practice headed by Dr. Robin Berzin:https://www.parsleyhealth.com/blog/the-definitive-guide-to-the-healthiest-alcohols/

If you are a wine lover, here are some of the best wines on the market, Dry Farm Wines (organic, sulfite-free, sugar-free and lower alcohol content):https://www.dryfarmwines.com/

For more information on the effects of alcohol consumption on women, check out these articles:https://www.thetemper.com/the-top-10-health-risks-of-alcohol-for-women/https://www.saragottfriedmd.com/women-and-addictive-tendencies-food-and-alcohol/

Here is a link to the work and website of Dr. Sara Gottfried, one of the leading experts and advocates in female health issues:https://www.saragottfriedmd.com/

There is no teaching force for doctors more formidable or effective than knowledgeable, intelligent, assertive women.”

-John R. Lee, MD

Happy hydrating!

Cheers to your good health,

Maggie

ArtFullLiving.net

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