Q: What is the best kind of alcohol to drink so that I do not gain fat?

Answer:
The easiest answer is none.

Booze contains calories that do not contribute to the improvement of your body in appearance or health.

Always remember, each serving of booze (1 shot of hard liquor, 1 beer, or 1 glass of wine) generally provides 100-150 calories.

Mixed drinks can be a huge source of calories, plus alcohol lowers your inhibitions to food intake. It is a 1-2 punch against fat loss. Staying away from the popular mixed drinks of summertime will help you stay lean despite summer outings.

If you choose to drink, please drink responsibly.

Q: Do I really need to drink Green Tea?

Answer:
Absolutely.

First, it will help you cut back on the liquid calories you consume as juice, soda, and whatever you put in your coffee.

And second, the most recent research* from Europe shows that Green Tea helps dieters lose weight and maintain their weight loss while on a low-caffeine intake.

*Westerterp-Plantenga, M.S., et al. Body Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance in Relation to Habitual Caffeine Intake and Green Tea Supplementation. Obes. Res. 13: 1195-1204, 2005.

Q: What is a good fat loss workout for someone that sometimes only has 15-20 minutes per day to workout?

Answer:
With all good fat loss workouts, an intense session using weight and interval training is best. You only need about 15 minutes to get in either an interval workout or weight training session. So in this case, just do weights on one day and intervals on the next day.

You can get a lot done with weights in 15 minutes. Beginners will be impressed by the gains they can make and advanced trainees will easily maintain their physique by training with weights for 15 minutes a couple of times per week.

It is easy to put together a weekly training schedule comprised of a weights plus interval session (or doing alternate days of lifting and intervals). A 5-minute warm-up and a 10 minute workout or 10-minute interval session followed by 5 minutes of cool-down will go a long way (when combined with proper fat loss nutrition).

So if you are running behind, don’t forego your workout even if you only have 15 or so minutes.
It is all about efficiency of exercise. You are going to have to work hard, but you will be thankful when you still manage to do some type of workout.

A fat loss routine should also have balance. Most people in the gym like to train the chest, biceps, and quadriceps, but by doing so they neglect the muscles that ultimately define their physical appearance!

You have to target the exercises and muscles that don’t get a lot of appreciation in regular training programs. These include rowing for the upper back, deadlifts for the entire posterior chain, and reverse lunges for the glutes and hamstrings.

Q: I am a female and I have been doing a lot of running and cardio for fat loss. What can I do to improve my results? I feel like I am stuck at a plateau.

Answer:
Drop the slow cardio and switch to interval training. Do a regular warmup, then run at a faster than normal pace for 1 minute. Then walk for one minute. Repeat up to 6 times, running almost as fast as you can during the 1-minute intervals. That will boost your metabolism by putting more turbulence on your muscles.

The Top Eight Reasons Why Alcohol Can Make You Fat

There has been a good amount of research over the last few years about the benefits of red wine and safe limits for alcohol consumption, but what about alcohol when you’re trying to diet? The truth may be surprising to you.

Drinking alcohol, whether in the form of wine, liquor, or beer, can negatively affect weight loss. People who try to find the best diet but also drink alcohol have a harder time losing weight than those who do not drink at all. Here are some facts:

o Alcohol slows your metabolism.

The New England Journal of Medicine published the results of a Swiss study showing that if you’re on a 1,250 calorie diet and get just 250 of those calories from alcohol, it can slow your metabolism by 36%.

o Alcohol stops your body from burning fat.

Alcohol and fat are both processed in the liver. When the liver is processing alcohol, it can not effectively metabolize fat.

o Alcohol is a depressant.

Although you may initially feel better after drinking alcohol, the ultimate effect is a depression, which has a negative effect on the dieter overall.

o Alcohol increases fatigue, making you less likely to exercise

Alcohol decreases the liver’s output of glucose, resulting in the lowering of the amount of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) entering the cells. ATP is the fuel for muscle contraction and immediate bursts of energy and so your ability to exercise will be impaired.

o Alcohol causes dehydration.

Dehydration causes your body to retain water and thereby cause water weight gain.

o Alcohol is also a sugar and so can trigger carbohydrate cravings and hunger.

In addition, people often snack or eat in combination with drinking alcohol.

o Alcohol also makes you more likely to stop your weight loss program, as it decreases your resolve to stick to it.

o Some alcohol (like beer) is high in both carbs and calories.

The ugly truth is that these calories are truly “empty” meaning they have no nutritional value. For example, a five-ounce glass of wine contains approximately 110 calories, which represents 10% of a person’s calories if they consume 1,000 calories per day. That is 10% of their intake which did them no good.

Now we are not saying you need to become a teetotaler (a person who abstains from alcohol completely) to lose weight. An occasional glass of alcohol is fine but if you are exceeding 2 servings a week and you’re overweight, you may want to cut back.

Drinking alcohol and eating high carb foods are related in the fact that they are both activities which cause a serotonin boost in the brain and can give you a relaxed, happy feeling which can be addictive.

The Enlita Weight Loss Program is designed to teach people how to stop self-medicating with food or drugs and how to feel energetic, alive and joyful from living a natural lifestyle in harmony with nature. For more information about the Enlita Program and natural weight loss, click here.

Your stomach is bubbling like a hot tub. Your tongue feels as though you licked the lint trap of your dryer. And your head will surely explode if you dare open your eyes. You had one drink too many last night, and now your body is paying the piper for your overindulgence. You probably know it as a hangover. All that booze you consumed has irritated your stomach and produced a skull-spitting headache by overdilating the blood vessels in your head. And because alcohol is diuretic, it makes your thirst unquenchable and compounds your headache pain. Here are some tips that you can consider to adopt to subdue your discomfort.

1. Pace Yourself

Nurse your drink and sip a non-alcoholic beverage between drinks. A tall glass of sparkling water with a twist of lime or a mix of cranberry juice and seltzer can be just as festive as a glass of wine or a mug of beer.

2. Stick With High-Protein Fare

It is recommended noshing on foods that have lots of protein, such as cheese. They stay in your digestive system longer, so they help soak up alcohol. This reduces your risk of becoming intoxicated and of waking up with a hangover.

3. Get Your Juices Flowing

Because alcohol dehydrates, it can hinder the release of toxins such as lactic acid from your muscles. This can leave you feeling stiff and crampy. Take 10 to 15 minutes to stretch. It can improve your circulation and thus reduce the level of lactic acid.

4. Pick Some Fruit

Fructose, the natural sugar in fruit, enhances your body’s ability to burn off alcohol. It is recommended nibbling on cherries, grapes, or apples. All of which are especially good sources of fructose. Or spread honey, another high-fructose food, on a piece of toast or some crackers.

5. Sip A Sports Drink

Being a diuretic, alcohol makes you urinate more frequently. That can lead to dehydration. Sports drinks such as Gatorade can help replenish fluid and depleted minerals.

6. Swallow A Pill

Over-the-counter pain relievers remain a tried-and-true antidote to an alcohol-induced headache. Aspirin or ibuprofen is your best bet, but do not take it until at least 4 hours after imbibing. Otherwise, the medication can further irritate an already angry stomach.

7. Soothe Your With Bouillon

A cup of bouillon makes an ideal morning-after breakfast. It goes down easy on your grumbly stomach, and it helps replenish the salt, potassium, and other essential nutrients that alcohol siphons from your body.

As the economy continues to loom into uncertainty, staying defensive is a not a bad option for any portfolio. Interestingly, just as tobacco will help investors with capital gains during times of both economic growth and slowdown, purchasing alcohol stocks will have similar effects. While the industry is not too large, and only includes only one American company with a market-cap over $10 billion, there is still a tremendous opportunity investing in one of these corporations. Noticeable companies in this industry include Molson Coors and Anheuser-Busch; however one stock, Brown-Forman Corporation (BF.B) really will catch the investor’s attention. Only an 8.82 billion dollar company, shareholders will still be optimistic about strong business foundation, excellent growth potential, and relatively interesting valuations.

Before plunging into Brown-Forman’s financial statements, an analysis is required to figure out what exactly this company does. According to Reuters, Brown-Forman “is a diversified producer and marketer of consumer beverage products.” The company produces many noticeable brands including Jack Daniel’s, Southern Comfort, and Fetzer. More particular to hard-liquor drinks including tequila, gin, table wine, and vodka, the company uses regional appeal (Kentucky, Tennessee and Canada) to further market its products. Since alcohol is a very inelastic good, demand will be high for Brown-Forman’s good regardless of the economic condition. Inelastic goods mean that a good will sell similar quantities regardless of slight changes of price, because consumers will always allocate income to this good. Since the current economy yields strong evidence of a slowdown, investing in companies like Brown-Forman is not a bad idea.

However, investors may ask why Brown-Forman should be preferred as a company to invest in instead of other alcohol brands. One reason is that Brown-Forman has great international exposure which ranges from Canada to Poland to South Africa to Japan. As the dollar continues to weaken, especially with interest rates ready to drop, exports will continue to rise helping sales grow in these foreign nations. This will escalate Brown-Forman’s already strong revenue figure of 2.81 billion dollars. In addition, this company’s share price has performed very well over the past five years. Not since 2001 has Brown-Forman had worse than a flat year, with a 22% increase in price in 2005 and a current share price appreciation of 8% in 2007. This 2007 number is very strong considering the poor track record of the rest of the market. Therefore, before even looking as far as the top line of this company’s financial statement, there is already strong evidence to purchase shares.

However, analysis on a company cannot just be on its business model and share price fluctuations. There must be more financial recognition involved. Fortunately for Brown-Forman, the growth story is a very positive one. With sales, according to Reuters, of 2.81 billion dollars compared to market-cap industry leaders such as Molson Coors’ revenue figure of 5.84, there is great expectations that a lower relative number should yield higher margins. This is the case for Brown-Forman. As of the past twelve months, Brown-Forman has seen sales growth 16.62%–a number far higher than the industry average 5.42%. This number was also higher than Constellation Brand’s 6.41% increase and Molson Coors’ 6.45% growth. Moreover, after including costs, there is strong evidence that Brown-Forman is very effective with the way it runs the company. Trailing gross margins at 52.33% are higher than the company’s five year average at 51.17%. In addition, the company also beats the industry average of 35.27%–a number below the current five year average of 38.87%. Moreover, operating margins at 21.17% are also not only higher than its five year average of 20.06%, but also higher than the industry’s 15.17% figure. Comparing these numbers to more specific corporations in this industry, and evidence illustrates that none of the three aforementioned industry competitors had margins better than Brown-Forman. This observation made, despite companies like Central European having much less revenue flowing in per year and only managing 21.09% in gross margins and 9.63% in operating margins.

In addition, growth is apparent for Brown-Forman all the way down to earnings. For the past five years, this company has managed to maintain an earnings growth rate of 14.11%. This number is better than the overall industry average at 9.21% and also better than Constellation’s and Molson Coors’ respective five year growth rates of 12.25% and 5.44%. These earnings come strongly, even though Brown-Forman’s capital spending over the past five years is solid at 3.09%. More spending in the present, while decreasing earnings and cash, does have the positive impact of allowing for more free cash in the future to be given to investors as dividends or stock repurchases. Thus, after going through margin growth and expected returns, there is strong evidence to support that Brown-Forman is growing and will continue to grow.

However, while growth prospects are a very important indicator of future success, valuation needs to also be taken into account. The alcoholic beverage industry currently has a P/E ratio of 19.41. Brown-Forman has an expected earnings multiple of 20.79 for fiscal year 2007. Now, before looking through more numbers, there are both positive and negative news from this comparison. It is true that this company is a bit overvalued to the rest of the industry as a whole. But since Brown-Forman is a growing company compared to the rest of the industry, it should be taken as a positive sign that investors feel confident about Brown’s future growth and are willing to invest money into this company. Price to sales is also a bit high for fiscal year 2007 at 2.84, but if there is strong evidence that this company will continue to growth, having overvalued multiples may not be so detrimental.

Nevertheless, these valuations may not be favorable to many investors. However, what should be favorable is the wealth of other positive financial facts of this company. As of last year ROE of 25% for Brown-Forman, while a bit below the industry, easily beats out all three of the aforementioned market-cap competitors. In addition, ROA and ROI respectively of 13.20% and 18.06% are also both higher than any of the three main competitors–not to mention higher than the respective industry averages of 5.93% and 6.95%. A current ratio of 1.31, above the industry average of 1.10, illustrates the solvency of the company and the future availability of more cash. Debt to equity is also very small, illustrating that this company is not very risky, but still maintains strong growth using a majority of equity. Asset turnover of 0.96 is also quite good, while inventory and receivable turnover at 2.18 and 8.03 are also not bad–doing better than other competitors like Constellation. Probably even more important to the investor, dividend yields of 1.69% are solid. Competitor Molson Coors only had a 1.43% yield, and Constellation and Central European did not even give any dividends to investors.

Therefore, after reviewing the business model, growth potential, and valuation of Brown-Forman, there are many good reasons why investors should be interested in this company. Technically speaking, now may be a good time to purchase some shares, even though this company should be viewed as a long-term investment. However, the parabolic SAR is above the current share price, and both stochastic and RSI indicators are also below the 50 range. Therefore, given all the provided information, there is much evidence to support the idea that investing in Brown-Forman would be a wise decision.

Alcohol consumption by women is a relatively new phenomenon. A couple of decades ago, most women did not take alcohol regularly. The scientific community has been shocked recently to witness the birth of babies with severe growth retardation, a small brain, small and narrow eyes and an overall permanent development retardation.

It did not take long before the medical community was able to link this syndrome to the fact that mothers of these babies had consumed regular or good amount of alcohol during their pregnancy. Proving that alcohol can pass through the placenta was then a simple step.

Now that we know that alcohol taken in large amounts or repeatedly during the pregnancy have a proven effect on the unborn baby, we can honestly ask ourselves if any amount can have a deleterious effect.

Difficulties with proving the dangerous effects of taking alcohol during pregnancy will come from the fact that one cannot scientifically link such imprecise data as hyperactivity or trouble of attention to any one causing factor. There are way too many possible causes to be able to pinpoint one causing factor.

On the other hand, if alcohol has been proven without any doubt to cause fetal alcohol syndrome a severe an irreversible neurological and overall developmental problem, it is reasonable to strongly question ourselves on the effect of any amount of alcohol during pregnancy.

Since such things as asking for a negative pregnancy test, just like we ask for a proof of age, before serving alcoholic beverages is not a possible solutions.

Information and offering acceptable solutions to women in their reproductive years such as attractive beverages containing no alcohol need to be more common.

Pregnant women are often stressed out by all the dangers awaiting them and their unborn babies but few solutions are offered. Such steps as offering support and having healthy and non-alcohol beverages ready for her, will make pregnant women happier.

We do not know as a society the overall impact of alcohol intake during pregnancy. Although we recognize the fetal alcohol syndrome, the existence of lighter forms of developmental retardation can be extrapolated. What if the next generation of newborn babies that have been exposed to alcohol present with overall attention deficit disorders, tendency to depression and lack of self-confidence?

Since we have no idea of how much alcohol is safe to take during pregnancy, the zero policy is the best to adopt. By minimizing or better yet not taking any alcohol during pregnancy, we will ensure healthier and happier babies.

After all, we know for a fact that alcohol crosses the placenta and that the baby metabolizes alcohol slower than his mother, his liver not being mature. Hence, if a mother takes two glasses of wine and is a little happy, maybe her baby is already drunk inside?

Ever wondered how many calories are in your favourite alcoholic drinks? We have matched the calorie content of alcoholic drinks with a fatty food equivalent and uncovered some shocking results. Surprisingly, many people would not be able to tell you how many calories are in their drinks, and recent NHS research certainly surprised many by highlighting that alcoholic drinks often contain as many calories as an unhealthy meal. Below are some of the more surprising calorie comparisons.

Beer & cider

The average beer drinker consumes five pints of medium strength lager a week, which mounts up to around 44,200 calories a year – the equivalent of 221 doughnuts.

One pint of strong lager = 330 calories. Same as a four ounce fillet steak.

One pint of average strength lager = 200 calories. Same as one packet of crisps.

One pint of premium lager = 250 calories. Same as a small chocolate bar.

One pint of cider = 200 calories. Same as one fried chicken drumstick.

Wine

If they don’t work off the calories from their wine, the average wine drinker will put on half a stone per year.

The average wine drinker now consumes 2,000 extra calories a month – the equivalent of 10 bags of crisps Large glass of medium strength dry white wine = 190 calories. Same as two and a half digestive biscuits.

Bottle of medium strength dry white wine = 570 calories. Same as chicken with cashew nuts and egg fried rice.

A bottle of average strength red wine = 644 calories. Same as 14 Jaffa cakes or McDonald’s cheeseburger and medium fries.

Half a bottle of average strength red wine = 313 calories. Same as a Snickers chocolate bar. Spirits

One shot (25ml) of vodka or gin = 55 calories. Same as a 25ml serving of single cream

Large Bailey’s (100ml) = 320 calories. Same as a Snickers Bar.

Baring in mind that these comparisons only factor in one alcoholic drink, adding up a total at the end of an evening could leave you clocking up as many calories as a multi-pack of chocolate bars or crisps. Snack attack Snacking on crisps while you’re out drinking to tide you over till you get home is all too tempting, and combining this with a drink puts you well on your way to 500 calories – a fifth of the 2500 recommended daily calorie intake for men, and a quarter of a woman’s.

After a couple more drinks and maybe a take away on the home, you’re way over the recommended calorie intake.

Burn baby, burn

If you’re starting to feel like you can never drink again without worrying about the calorie content of your drinks, there is a solution. Preparing your body for the night ahead by exercising will help burn up some of the extra calories you are about to consume – even if it’s just a power walk to the pub. Failing that, a good exercise session the next day can really help.

In the bag

Planning ahead a little can help prevent you reaching for the pork scratchings.

Try packing a few healthy snacks in your bag beforehand. No doubt you’ll find yourself chatting outside the pub at some point, which gives you the perfect opportunity to have a nibble. It’s what’s on the inside that counts Alcohol and calories have been dominating the news stories recently, which highlights that it’s high on people’s list of concerns when they think about the effects of alcohol.

Drinking alcohol and drugs before pregnancy

For recent years we knew a lot about taking and abuse of drugs and alcohol. Some people ask about quantity of alcohol, cigarettes or drugs they can take during pregnancy without doing harm to themselves and fetus. The best way is to exclude everything.

And it is better to do it before pregnancy. By the time when you understand you’re pregnant, about 8-10 weeks may pass after conception. Thus, you could take drugs, not knowing that you were pregnant. However, mother’s ignorance will not save fetus from various harmful effects. Few of women would start taking alcohol and drugs, if they knew about their pregnancy. Stop taking any preparations, not necessary for you, at least 3 moths before pregnancy!

In past we knew little about abuse of alcohol. Today doctors-experts in narcology can already give recommendations and prescribe treatment for those, who became addicted to alcohol or drugs.

Undoubtedly, nicotine, alcohol and drugs are harmful and dangerous both for you and your future baby. It is better to get assistance now, while you have not conceived a baby yet, than struggling with these habits, when you are already pregnant. If you think you will do no harm to anybody, continuing taking substances, poisoning organism, during pregnancy, then you are just mistaken. Moreover, you bring irreparable damage to your baby’s health.

According to researches, and you should remember of it, taking alcohol and drugs during pregnancy influences baby’s intellect, his mental faculties. And safe quantity of taking of such substances is out of the question.

Smoking

We knew for a long that smoking damages pregnancy and fetus development. Babies, whose mother smoked during pregnancy, have low weight while childbirth and developmental delays. A woman’s pregnancy seldom passes all right, if she’s still smoking. If you smoke, but want to have a baby, you need to quit this habit, and do it beforehand – before conception. Consult a doctor, he will help you quitting nicotine addiction.

Alcohol

Earlier it was considered that small quantity of alcohol during pregnancy will do no harm. Today we understand that any quantity of alcohol you drink during pregnancy will bring inevitable consequences. Alcohol penetrates through placenta and effects fetus directly. If you drank a glass of wine, this means your future baby drank it too! How would you like it? Abuse of alcohol during pregnancy leads to alcohol syndrome of a fetus.

Work and pregnancy

One of the most important moments in planning of pregnancy is your work. Many women don’t even suppose that that will have a baby, even by the time, when first stages of pregnancy are already behind. As this period of pregnancy is extremely important for fetus growth and development, it would be wise to plan pregnancy beforehand. Such planning should foresee the way your work will influence pregnancy, i.e. what you will have to deal with on work and which influence it will make on your health and baby’s development.

Another question, connected with work, which you should care about beforehand, – is compensatory damage and insurance, which your company’s program of help for mothers grants. Majority of companies grant special vacations for pregnant. There is sense in learning everything before pregnancy. If you don’t take care about this beforehand, then, when you will be already with a baby in your hands, it will be more difficult for you to find necessary money for providing normal life. Childbirth is an expensive pleasure.

Some kinds of works can be dangerous and harmful for pregnant. Such substances, like chemicals, inhalers, radio-active substances or liquid dissolvents, which you have to deal with on work, can become a reason of complications during pregnancy.

Women, who are standing for the major part of their working day, should be especially careful. As a rule, they give birth to babies with low height and weight. If you had premature birth in past or you have lack of cervix, then you should not get fixed up in a job, which requires constant tension or connected with physical loads. Consult your doctor about conditions of your work.

Majority of doctors will advice you not to quit working without special reasons. If there is something that worries you, speak to your doctor about it.

Defensive and Distorted Styles of Thought in Addictive Behavior and What to do about It!

Throughout the course of our lives we develop certain habitual styles of thinking that serve as defenses or distortions of reality, feeding into craving and urges and aiding in the cycle of relapse of addictive behavior. Defenses and distortions of thought are often unconscious ways of trying to protect ourselves from a painful reality that we don’t want to face. As we become more familiar with these common styles of thinking we can begin to recognize them in any given moment, and as soon as we do, we have stepped out of auto-pilot and are now present to the moment. In this presence we have the ability to simply notice these as mental events in the mind that come and go and to consciously choose a new direction.

As you read the following habits of the mind make a mental checkmark next to the thoughts patterns that sound familiar to you. The first thought pattern is a defense that most of us have heard of and have probably used at some point in the addictive cycle:

1. Denial: Denial is refusing to accept reality – it is a psychological process that we use to protect ourselves by blocking difficult and painful things from our awareness. For example: “I don’t not have a problem with my drinking.”

2. Minimizing: Minimizing is admitting we have a problem with an addictive behavior to some degree but in such a way that makes it seem less serious or significant than it really is. For example: “I only had a few drinks – I was okay to drive.”

3. Rationalizing: Rationalizing is inventing excuses so as to make unacceptable or addictive behavior seem acceptable – the behavior itself is not denied, but an inaccurate explanation is given – For example: “I had a really hard day at work, I needed a drink to chill out.”

4. Intellectualizing: Intellectualizing is a way to avoid experiencing the emotional pain connected to the awareness of our addiction problem by keeping things general and vague – For example: “lots of people have wine with dinner, are they all alcoholics?”

5. Blaming: Blaming is trying to make other people, places, or things responsible for our behavior – our behavior is not denied but its cause is placed ‘out there’ rather than with ourselves. For example: “You would drink too if you were married to her.”

6. Bargaining: Bargaining is cutting deals or setting conditions for when things will be right to deal with the problem. For example: “I’ll quit drinking after I finish my big project at work.”

7. Catastrophizing: Catastrophizing is when a person assumes that worst possible outcome – which often amplifies anxiety. We look at a situation that we are facing and automatically imagine the worst possible thing that could happen. The mind gets lost in the what if’s game. For example: “If I tell anyone that I drank againI will lose my job, my husband will leave me, and I will out on the street.”

8. All-or-Nothing Thinking: All-or-nothing thinking is when we think that things are either black or white, right or wrong and there is no grey area. If we think this way then it becomes difficult to integrate the uncertainties of life without relapsing. For example: “I can’t believe I had a sip of wine, I am such a bad person and I ruined my recovery.”

Do any of these sound familiar to you? If so, it might be a good idea to start incorporating a mindfulness practice in your daily life. In practicing mindfulness, the art of paying attention, on purpose, without our usual filters of judgment, we begin to understand that the words and images in our mind are just mental events that come and go like everything else. We learn to acknowledge the thoughts or judgments that arise, label them – such as rationalizing or denial, and increase our awareness of the pervasive patterns of defenses and thought distortions that keep us arrested in our addicted behavior. Mindfulness gives us the mental space or pause to break free from these habits of the mind, empowering us to make a positive change.

This can be used as an adjunct to your current recovery program. Take a moment today to learn a bit more about how integrating a mindfulness practice into your recovery might support you.

I have been asked why I think that cyclists should not drink alcohol, and this was my response:Although alcohol contains more energy per gram (7 Cal/gram) than carbohydrates, and it is rapidly absorbed from the intestinal tract, the available evidence suggests these calories are not utilized to any significant extent during exercise. Thus its negative effects outweigh any theoretical positive ones.

These include:

1) It’s a diuretic and contributes to dehydration

2) Alcohol lowers your blood pressure while drinking it

3) After the alcohol is metabolized in the liver and excreted trough the kidneys the body reacts defensively increasing the blood pressure to compensate the dehydration, so the body tries to retain water doing this which causes not only temporary hypertension and in some people heart palpitations especially if they are athletes who climb in any way, like runner, hikers and cyclists.

4) It slows down glucose production, causing hypoglycemia

5) It metabolizes in the liver and destroys hepatic cells

6) It damages the pancreatic cells as well.

7) It disturbs motor skills including balance and coordination.There was a study from Pennsylvania State where 10 women were given a mixed alcohol drink. Then they made them ride stationary bikes for 30 minutes at 70-75% of their maximum heart rate. Compared to their own baseline performance off alcohol, cycling after drinking alcohol required more energy, produced a higher heart rate, and stimulated a higher cardiovascular demand. Even moderate drinking while exercising placed increased demands on the cardiovascular system. The bottom line is a definite negative influence on cycling performance. Now, you would probably want to ask me: but what’s wrong when drinking a few glasses of alcohol and not riding until the next day when the alcohol has been excreted from your body? Alcohol intake affects the brain. The next day the brain is dead half the day because of blood sugar spikes. This doesn’t mean they can’t ride hard, but it does mean that they can’t do much except lay around the rest of the day after a ride. Plus they seem to get injured a lot. I would say a glass of red wine a week with one’s dinner is OK and it also depends on how serious the cyclist is about cycling.

There are many different uses of wine. It is not only for consumption as it is a beverage with significant value and considered sophisticated. Wine is significant to many different cuisines, religions, and it has many different health related benefits.

There are many different wines used for cooking purposes. Many deserts have wine in them, such as the Black Forest Cherry. Many people like to marinade meats in wine before grilling or baking in the oven.

Wine has many religious uses. Because wine induces a mind altering state, the Dionysus used it as a sacramental entheogen. It is an integral part of the Jewish laws, such as Kiddush. This is a blessing which sanctifies the Jewish holiday with wine.

The Christianity religion uses wine also during the Eucharist. The last supper shows Jesus Christ sitting with his disciples drinking a glass of wine and sharing bread. There are many denominations that believe in the Eucharist, including the Roman Catholics and the Protestants.

Islamic law forbids wine. Although Iran used to have a thriving wine industry it was abolished in 1979, due to the Islamic Revolution. Any type of alcohol is strictly forbidden.

There are also many health benefits of wine. Red wine contains a chemical called resveratrol. This chemical has cardio protective and chemo protective effects in studies of animals. Procyanidins are known to have heart benefits and they are most commonly found in red wines. Procyanidins suppress the process in the body that constricts the blood vessels.

Sulphites are contained in all wines due to the fermentation process. Some wines have more than others. Sulphites have been known to cause problems with people who have asthma.

Wine is known to be healthy to drink occasionally. If you drink one glass of wine a day it is considered to be healthy for your heart. Pregnant women are also okay to drink a small glass of wine each day. It is known to be a heart healer and healthy for the body because it provides a relaxing affect on the muscles and the brain.

Excessively drinking wine can lead to problems and cause health issues if it is on a constant basis. It is not advised to drink excessive amounts of wine due to the high alcohol content in most wines.