Tag: drink

Holidays and Excess

For the past two weeks Scott and I have been on holidays with friends. It was a lovely break, full of fun, food, fresh air and sunshine, with no housework or cooking.

We went for a cruise around New Zealand. Our stops included some lovely seaside towns where we walked many kilometres. Both of us are fans of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ movies, so we also went on some movie tours. Visiting filming locations and the special effects studio, which were amazing!

We treated ourselves to a few lovely New Zealand ice creams along the way.

The challenge,

Cruising also includes great entertainment with plenty of fabulous food and indulgent drinks. It can be quite a challenge for some to limit their intake, as there is so much choice on offer. We worked out that there was food on offer for almost 20 hours each day.

As with most holidays, it is a time of relaxation, so it is difficult to find the motivation to maintain some type of fitness or exercise routine.

Scott and I decided that one way to keep up some form of exercise was to always use the stairs. As our room was located on level 5 and many times we were going to level 14, we climbed many stairs. 140 each time, to be exact.

Many of my regular readers are aware that Scott and I decided some time ago to adopt a healthier lifestyle. We decided to do this by eating more whole foods and reducing our exposure to chemicals. Always with the 85 to 90% rule in mind, this allows a small allowance for treats and occasional eating out.

We definitely used up our 15% of excess!

On a cruise it is difficult to avoid chemical exposure, especially with the hand sanitiser you are expected to use before entering any restaurant. The food is also plentiful and very tasty, so there was quite a digression from our usual diet. That is, however, what holidays are all about.

The plan moving forward,

With the return to our normal routine, it’s time to “pay the tax” so to speak and detox. For us that means a mostly plant based diet with no alcohol. Increasing our daily exercise will also help to burn off those extra ‘cruise kilos’.

I think it’s important for our mental health to ‘let loose’ and be indulgent when on holidays. However, for our physical wellbeing, it’s important to return to a healthier type of routine when the holiday ends.

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper

Red wine and Chocolate

Well, according to Saturdays Courier Mail, it’s official. Ladies, red wine and chocolate are healthy! Love it!

I have always said that these 2 items are good for us, as long as they are of good quality and consumed in moderation.

 The article states; ‘women are less likely to develop diabetes if they indulge in moderate amounts of red wine and dark chocolate.

A study of 64,000 women found that those who consumed more antioxidants slashed their chances of getting the disease by 27%. The participants consumed 15% of their antioxidants from red wine.’ ‘The study concluded the compounds in wine outweigh the damage of alcohol, provided women consume less than a glass a day.’

Healthy Chocolate

 At the beginning of the year I wrote about the many health benefits of raw cacao. One of those being, that Raw Organic Cacao has over 40 times the antioxidants of blueberries. Therefore, to get the most health benefits from chocolate, you have to consume a very dark and preferably ‘raw cacao’ product.

Your average chocolate bar from the service station probably won’t fit the criteria.

 Keep in mind that a good quality dark chocolate should contain very little sugar and additives. These ingredients will undo the benefits. I shared my healthy chocolate recipe in February.

Red wine

 Grapes are rich in many antioxidants. These include resveratrol, catechin, epicatechin and proanthocyanidins.

These antioxidants, especially resveratrol and proanthocyanidins, are believed to be responsible for the health benefits of red wine.

Proanthocyanidins may reduce oxidative damage in the body. They may also help prevent heart disease and cancer.

 Resveratrol is found in grape skin. This antioxidant has been linked with many health benefits, including fighting inflammation and blood clotting. Resveratrol has also been linked with reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer.

 Red wine was found to be particularly beneficial to lowering the risk of developing diabetes. The polyphenols in red wine actually help to manage blood sugar levels.

 Small amounts of red wine are linked to more health benefits than any other alcoholic beverage.

 People who drink approximately 150 ml of red wine a day seem to be at about a 32% lower risk of heart disease than non-drinkers.  However, a higher intake increases the risk of heart disease dramatically.

 Drinking small amounts of red wine may reduce the risk of heart disease by helping to retain the “good” HDL cholesterol in the blood. Oxidative damage and the oxidation of the “bad” LDL cholesterol may also be reduced by up to 50%

However, there is a fine line between moderate and excessive intake.

 Moderate intake of red wine is defined as 1-2 glasses (100 to 200 ml) per day. It is also recommended that you have at least 1–2 days a week without alcohol.

There are, of course, other sources of antioxidants, such as green tea, blueberries and other fruits and vegetables.

However you get your antioxidants, enjoy it.

Till the next post,

 Live clean n Prosper.