In a surprise announcement after last weekend’s Golden Globes, mega heartthrob George Clooney says he’s given up drinking.
The 50-year old movie star, who was awarded the Best Actor in a Motion Picture award, declared that he was not going to toast to his success with alcohol, saying that he’d like to give his liver a chance to catch up.
Clooney isn’t the only actor who has given up the sauce. He joins Daniel Radcliffe, Bradley Cooper, and Samuel L Jackson, all of whom have been teetotalers for impressive lengths of time, considering the field of employment that they enjoy.
Many people find that their lives are improved when they decide to give up drinking. It can be confusing, however, as the news frequently touts the benefits of enjoying a glass of red wine for heart health or other, similar reports. Many of us are conflicted as to if we should drink at all, and how much is too much. Are there health benefits to drinking alcohol?
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One out of eight Americans are addicted to alcohol or drugs. Of those with a substance abuse problem, at least 40 percent have a contemporaneous mental disorder of some type. While the root of addictive behavior varies from person to person, studies show correlations between an inability to process emotions and cope with stress in a healthy manner, and subsequent misuse of alcohol and drugs.
The estimated cost to our country in direct relation to alcoholics and drug addicts is over 250 billion dollars annually. With 70 percent of illegal drug users that are employed, the expense of substance abuse caused accidents, absenteeism and decreased productivity is on the rise. Health care costs are 300 percent higher for untreated alcoholics versus non-alcoholics.
Addiction treatment centers and agendas such as Alcoholics Anonymous’ 12 Step Program aim to minimize a person’s drive to drink alcohol or use drugs by addressing psychological and mental health issues. Using therapy techniques to calm, soothe and diminish anxiety, these programs are deemed helpful for those needing assistance.
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With holiday parties scheduled nearly every weekend and the New Year right around the corner, many of us enjoy the occasional cocktail, or ten. If you are suffering from a hangover, keep reading. Even though there is no known cure that will positively eliminate or prevent the painful effects of a hard night of drinking, the following yoga inspired tips and poses can help relieve your suffering so you can get on with your day in a productive manner.
Yoga Tip #1
Take Five Deep Breaths, preferably outside
Your pounding head in the morning is often caused by a lack of oxygen to your brain because drinking alcohol slows down your respiratory rate. To get the oxygen flowing again, practice some yogic breathing.
Take a deep breath in and at the very top of your inhale, take in just a little bit more breath. Hold your breath for two to three seconds and exhale slowly. Repeat up to five times. This will help flood your brain with the oxygen you may be lacking and give your whole body a blast of fresh air, especially if you can practice this yogic breath in the great outdoors.
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There are literally millions of diet books on the shelves. Not one of them recommends a long night of whiskey drinking and 5:00 a.m. cheeseburgers. None of them did, until now, that is. Luc Carl’s memoir The Drunk Diet will follow this rocker as he gets in shape in the most unorthodox manner.
Luc Carl is the manager of the rock bar St. Jerome in New York City. He’s also a party promoter and Lady Gaga’s boyfriend. Carl’s lifestyle of heavy drinking and partying left him 40 pounds over weight and very out of shape. Carl was ready to make a change, but not by following the rules.
The Drunk Diet is a year long look into how Carl still partied every night and managed to lose 40 pounds and tone up his body. Carl specifically wanted to challenge the rule about heavy alcohol consumption and weight loss.
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By Alison Lewis
Is there such thing as a healthy cocktail? I believe cocktails don’t have to be unhealthy, and with the right combination of ingredients, you can actually enjoy a slimming cocktail that is bursting with flavor. With the excitement of fall holiday parties, tailgating parties and Halloween parties upon us, these creative ideas and recipes are great examples on how to create “healthier” fall cocktails.
I recently created a survey on Facebook asking, “What are your favorite fall ingredients?” My social media friends’ answers included what you would imagine: cinnamon, cranberry, pumpkin, pomegranate, nutmeg, allspice, apple pie spice and ginger. Now, how fun to try them in some festive fall cocktails! These favorite fall ingredients can actually kick up the flavor of fall cocktails without adding fat and calories.
Fall Cocktail Pairings
Here are some great pairing combinations using fall flavors:
- Wine, limes, lemons, apples, oranges
- Champagne and fresh grapefruit juice
- Bourbon and apple cider
- Champagne and fresh fruit purees
- Vodka and low-sodium vegetable or tomato juice
- Brandy, honey and water
- Brandy, cider and cinnamon
- Rum, fruit juice and fresh fruit
- Vodka and light cranberry juice, apple, or pomegranate juice, light orange juice or fresh grapefruit juice (can you say Appletinis?)
- Brandy, Wine, cloves, allspice and ginger
- Apple cider and ginger
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