What rymes with Holiday Cheer..... Holiday BEER!

Hopefully you’re ready for the holidays, enjoying lots of parties and time with friends and family. Today, I'd like to talk about something millions of people enjoy over the holiday season.... I'm talking about about beer! I have a couple clients who have been trying for years to convince me that beer is a part of any nutrition meal. Well, as it turns out, it could actually be good for you. Enjoy! Did You Know Beer Has These 4 Health Benefits? I’m sure you’ve heard all the talk about red wine and how it can be great for your heart and overall health. What you probably haven’t heard … is that beer might be just as healthy. Humans have been drinking the stuff for ages, as far back as Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. And now research is showing us it has four unique health benefits. Take a look Health Benefit #1 - Better Blood Pressure Researchers have found that women who drink one beer a day were less likely to have high blood pressure than those who drank wine or spirits. The data comes from the Nurse’s Health study, which tracks over 70,000 women ages 25 to 42. [1] The key here is moderation, as drinking too much of pretty much ANY alcoholic beverage can do the exact opposite, and RAISE your blood pressure. Health Benefit #2 – A Healthier Heart Beer can be good for your heart, too. Why? Research shows it can help reduce homocysteine levels in your blood. In case you don’t know, homocysteine is an amino acid that can build up in your blood stream. High levels are associated to an increased risk of heart disease. A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found a link between beer consumption and lower homocysteine levels. This is most likely attributed to the b-vitamins found in beer. Another bonus benefit – the alcohol content in beer could help boost your HDL (“good”) cholesterol. [3] Health Benefit #3 – Less Risk Of Kidney Stones If you’re prone to kidney stones, then you’ll love beer. Compared to other alcoholic AND non-alcoholic beverages, beer has the lowest risk of developing kidney stones. It’s most likely due to beer's high water content. Health Benefit #4 – Stronger Bones The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study looking at the effects of alcohol consumption and bone mineral density. As it turns out, both men AND women who drank beer on a moderate basis, had significantly higher bone mineral densities than those participants drinking other kinds of alcohol. So this summer, don’t be bashful about drinking a beer or two. Remember, the key here is moderation. All these studies are looking at folks who drink just ONE or two beers a day. Anything over that, and the health benefits may be negated. In fact, once you cross the line of “moderate consumption” you can run into negative health consequences. So enjoy your beer, if that’s your drink of choice. One or two a day, may very well do good at keeping the “doctor” away. And by the way, if you're serious about taking your health and fitness to the next level in 2016, why not take advantage of your FREE Fitness Consultation? (an $85 value) During this consult, you'll receive detailed information on how to get fit and trim that's tailored to YOUR body. There's no obligation and it's totally and completely free. Sign up at www.personalbestfitness.com. Mesquite Beer Chicken 2 cups mesquite wood chips 1 (4-pound) whole chicken 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 teaspoons chili powder 2 teaspoons brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground cumin 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 (12-ounce) can beer Soak wood chips in water for 30 minutes; drain well. 2. Preheat grill to medium-high heat using both burners. After preheating, turn the left burner off (leave the right burner on). Pierce the bottom of an aluminum foil pan liberally with the tip of a knife.Place pan on heat element on heated side of grill; add wood chips to pan. 3. Remove giblets and neck from chicken, and discard. Starting at the neck cavity, loosen skin from breasts and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. 4. Combine oil and next 5 ingredients (through black pepper) in a bowl. Rub spice mixture under loosened skin and over drumsticks and breasts; let stand 20 minutes. 5. Discard 6 ounces beer from can. Holding chicken upright with the body cavity facing down, insert beer can into cavity. Place chicken, upright, on grill rack covering left burner, spreading legs out to form a tripod. Cover and grill 1 1/2 hours or until a thermometer inserted in thigh registers 165°. Place chicken and can on cutting board; let stand 10 minutes. Discard can and skin. Calories 375/ Fat 16.6g/ Satfat 4.1g Protein 51g/ Carbohydrate 3g/Fiber 1g/ Sodium 533mg