HEALTH + WELLNESS
Don’t Have A Drink Before Dinner…
Unless you combine it with foods high in fiber, healthy fats and lean, clean pro-
teins. A glass of wine (or any alcoholic beverage) on an empty stomach raises
glucose levels in the blood and freezes the functions of the liver. This triggers
hormones in your body (insulin) to make fat. In addition, this process stimulates
inflammatory cytokines which can have a long-term impact on overall health and
encourage us to eat more carbohydrate-rich foods. By combining alcohol with the
above-mentioned foods, the rise in glucose is significantly hampered, and so is the
reaction in the body. Not to be a buzz kill, but we all should take a good look at our
overall alcohol intake and consider taking vacations from alcohol during the week.
Don’t Sleep In…
The lazy days of summer can tempt us to get off our regular schedules. Disrup-
tions of our schedules can have negative impacts on our circadian rhythms and
normal sleep patterns leading to health ailments and less productivity. In addi-
tion, changes in just two to three months can disrupt sleep patterns for years. Try
to stick to a schedule of waking to sunlight, and get early exposure to the sun to
stimulate melatonin production for the night.
Avoid late meals and late nights. Keep alcohol intake in check. Power down electron-
ics two hours before bedtime and most importantly, go to bed when you are tired. n