How to Avoid Too Many Cocktails

Oops—too many cocktails?!

Well so much for using your wisdom to make the right choices, hey?  Hehe. Just kidding.

During the holidays it’s easy to throw caution to the wind as we enjoy an abundance of food and drink with people we love. Because we are so busy socializing and having fun, our mind is likely not on our food and also not paying attention to how many spirits we’ve had. We usually don’t know we’ve overdone it until it’s too late and then we feel like junk.

To Avoid Too Many Cocktails…

Start the evening off with one or two mocktails (see below) or sparkling waters before your first glass of wine or cocktail. This way, your mind stays clear in the beginning of the night.

The main reason why we over-drink is that alcohol causes our minds to get lax, and then we lose adherence to making the right choices and following through with the right action. We totally lose our wisdom. Ever do anything dumb while drunk? Right. See? No wisdom.

But, if we allow ourselves 1 or 2 drinks over the course of a night, we are more likely to take it slow, savor and enjoy. Space it out with water or a mocktail in between. You will feel SO good about honoring your modern Ayurvedic self without feeling like you’re missing out. And! The next day you’ll feel awesome.

Mocktail Ideas

Experiment! It’s part of the fun, and for maximum festivity, serve mocktails in a fancy glass.

Note: These mocktails are not necessarily Ayurvedic; they are just alternatives to alcohol with ingredients likely found at parties or a bar. In Ayurveda, we don’t strive for perfection, we strive for better.

1. Warm Apple Cider

Heat apple cider in a pot with cinnamon sticks and a few cloves. Strain and enjoy. You can also add honey if needed. Garnish w/one cinnamon stick.

2. Cranberry Mocktail

Serve cranberry juice with a splash of orange juice, and top with seltzer. Have with or without ice. Garnish with an orange slice, or float three little cranberries in the glass.

3. Pomegranate Mocktail

Pomegranate juice with a dash of orange juice. For optional fizz: top with seltzer.

Or, pomegranate or cranberry juice mixed with ginger ale.

4. Grapefruit Mocktail

Grapefruit juice with a splash of cran and seltzer. Dip a lemon wedge in sugar for garnish.

5. My Favorite Mocktail

Cranberry juice with seltzer and lime.  Mmm!

Helpful  Hints

Ginger ale will give fizz and sweetness; seltzer just adds fizz.  Orange juice adds sweetness, and pineapple juice is also good for that—very sweet. Pomegranate and cranberries are astringent; they soak up and cool down the heat.