We are about to head into another beautiful summer at the Northwest; summers tend to be filled with outdoor eating and drinking…. So, here is a Mindful, and Self-Admittedly very Opinionated Yogi’s Guide to Drinking along with a very tasty concoction.
Yes, if you have not guessed, this is your teacher, Dora writing… did the “self-admittedly very opinionated” gave it away? : – )
Here is Dora’s guide to responsible drinking:
I don’t believe in daily drinking. If you drink every day – check yourself before you wreck yourself.
If you know you have difficulty with addiction, just don’t do it. Take a yoga class, breathe deep, connect with nature. Exercise discipline to find freedom.
I also strongly believe that there is absolutely no need for a third drink. One drink OK. Two drinks over three hours of social fun, OK – third – pour it out on the nearest plant, you will be grateful tomorrow.
As we consume more alcohol, we build up a tolerance, not only to the buzzing effect of alcohol, but we also numb our ability to sense the after-effects of alcohol. You do not know how bright you can feel in the morning until you went without any alcohol for 40 days.
As I stated earlier, alcohol numbs, and you cannot numb emotion selectively. If you numb the bad, stressful, sad stuff, you also turn down the good and happy stuff.
If you drink to numb emotion, you know the ‘night-cap’ to clear the mind… Yeeeah, not such a fan of that! – Drinking alone to self-soothe is not a mindful way to deal with our emotional responsibilities and engagement with the word. If you feel something, sit with it, breathe, allow the emotion to work through and release. What you resist will persist, ostrich politics never solved a darn thing.
Basically, drink responsibly, in the company of others, or alone with a fireplace for the joy, the flavors of the drink. Appreciate what you are drinking, savor the flavors, textures to enhance your life. Not because you can’t have fun without it, not because you don’t want to feel something, not because that is what everybody else is doing, not because you want to look like you know what is hip to drink. Drink mindfully with awareness to flavors in your mouth and chemical changes in your brain.
Alright, with that out of the way…
Did you know that the FDA approved numerous wine additives that are not needed to be listed under ingredients due to their low concentration level? This is stuff to give wine color, thickness, velvetiness and so on. Many of us developed sensitivities to wine. This may not be because of the grape people! The grape is innocent! If you are looking for clean, organic, good wines, I recommend this website:
Another way to stay clear of those pesky artificial additives is to consume hard liquor such as scotch, vodka, tequila and gin.
If you are on a low carbohydrate diet due to health reason, like I am, you want to stay away from cocktails since they are packed with sugar. But, but, but I like my occasional frou-frou drink… So imagination and Swerve sugar substitute to the rescue.
Dora’s Cool Cucumber Delight
I like to use Gin since it has the lowest caloric and sugar alcohol content among the hard liqueurs. And I like the flavor as well.
1.5 shots of Gin
A splash of Dry Vermouth
One slice of cucumber smashed, one to decorate
Juice of two fresh Key limes
Cilantro
Jalapeno, tiny amount (optional)
1 teaspoon of Swerve sweetener
Take your shaker, add cucumber, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno and Swerve sugar substitute according to taste. Smash it, smash it good! Then add ice, gin and dry vermouth. Shake it, shake it good.
Take fancy glass of your choice and decorate!
Drink responsibly according to rules 1-7 above!
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