Feel good every day with mocktails by Natalie

The Zen Blue Magic is available at The Life Store, Super Value Towne Centre on Constant Spring Road.

This Wellness Wednesday, we tackle one of the topics many of us have a love-hate relationship with.

I know many of you avid readers can attest to this personal truth as well. We love alcohol a little more than alcohol loves us.

Sigh…there’s nothing worse than a one-sided relationship, where one person gives and one person takes.

In this situation, alcohol robs me of energy, sleep, nutrients and my ‘vibrancy’. What a beast?!

SEE RECIPES BELOW

During these stressful times of social distancing, curfews and homeschooling, many have turned to the bottle for a little stress relief and comfort.

Is this the best place we could have turned for comfort, however?

Whereas on the surface you may think alcohol is a great stress reliever because of the initial feelings of euphoria and relaxation, alcohol actually contributes to increased stress on the body because of the chemical processes that occur in your body after intake.

Here are some of the challenges with alcohol:

- Alcohol taxes your liver. 

- Alcohol depresses your immune system.

- Alcohol provides an unfriendly environment for your gut bacteria so it actually can interfere with gut health. 

- Alcohol prevents the absorption of vital nutrients. 

- Alcohol interrupts your deep restorative sleep.

So whereas the occasional glass of something is not bad, we want to give you some real, fun, sexy viable options for mocktails.

These mocktails will still give you that Zen, feel-good feeling that comes from having a glass of something.

But, it’s still beautiful but without the lingering after-effects and definitely without adding to your stress.

Here are some zenned out mocktails for you to try:

Zen Blue Skies

Ingredients

½ tsp Ashwagandha powder

¼ tsp Blue Spirulina

10 oz cashew milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp hot water

Ice to fill the glass

Sweetener to taste: Stevia, Monk fruit, or other of choice

Method

Whisk Matcha powder and spirulina with hot water to dissolve. In a shaker or Mason jar, combine all ingredients and shake well. Pour into a highball glass filled with ice.

Zen and Tonic

Ingredients

1 oz pomegranate molasses

1 oz lime juice

½ tsp Ashwagandha

3-4 oz tonic water

Method

In a rock glass stir Ashwagandha into pomegranate molasses, add in lime juice. Add ice and pour in tonic water. Stir with a spoon and enjoy.