Category Archives: Belief Systems

Alcohol Consumption

Let’s face it. One of the greatest things about Google is that you can get the answer you want if you search hard enough. And, there is growing support that many individuals can seek online guidance to also find or hear others supporting their actions and/or decisions.

Sadly, this is very much the case for nutrition and health.

I decided to write this blog after having a very disturbing discussion with a patient about going gluten-free and how liberated she felt in eating everything and anything gluten-free – and out of the blue upping her alcohol intake.

Remember the old saying, “If it is too good to be true, it probably isn’t…”

I am dedicating this blog to educating everyone on some lesser known facts about alcohol, not only from the perspective as a holistic practitioner, but a well-educated and experienced sommelier who knows what they are talking about. I advise and continue to work with the global wine industry as it evolves, grows, and continues to strive towards better environmental practices and higher standards in its products.

Alcohol plays a role in life-like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. As a society, we try to find ways to make it fit in as a healthy part of our life-style, as a necessary evil, etc. There are thousands of studies in and not in favour of its use – from increasing lifespan to shortening it, but there really is no gold standard to speak of. Furthermore, if you believe, as we do at The Second Act, we are bio-individual; you cannot even take studies to heart where it concerns your own well-being.

So then what?

Know thy self. Know your family history. Educate yourself.

Should everyone have a glass of wine with dinner, 7 nights a week? Of course you know the answer is no. Can some people do this successfully and be healthy? Yes.

Do drinkers live healthier and happier lives than non-drinkers? Some do; some do not.

What exactly then should a person do?Continue reading→

A Journey From Darkness – Week 5


A lot of my girlfriends in the city and in other major areas around the USA have made a decision. They would rather drink their calories than eat them. I shared this “in” diet methodology with Cat. She said to me, “Do you really think it makes sense?”

I said, “A calorie is a calorie…”

To which she replied, “Yes, but what happens when you ingest certain calories?”

Here in lies the fundamental difference between holistic and regular medicine. No one ever asked me or explained things to me. No medical professional asked me to make a choice – they simply told me this is a solution, do that, don’t do this. Eat x amount a day, take these pills, etc…. You know the drill.

My food diary changed gears this week. I began adding in a few of the things taken off for the past month – in a modest amount and saw/experienced how it impaired and/or affected my digestion, my sleep, my skin. Yep – the jury is in. Sugar = bad.

Sadly, the other truth constantly smacking me in the face is that everything we eat, think, and do will affect our health. Actions and decisions have consequences, even the ones we made 10 years ago. We kind of all know this, though, don’t we? We just need a professional to remind us.Continue reading→