Who doesn’t love a freshly brewed, steaming coffee that just hits the spot? It invigorates and life is good again.
Or a crisp and juicy slice of sirloin? It dissolves in your mouth and you thump the table in approval.
And who doesn’t go to a special place after a few generous mouthfuls of a full-bodied shiraz?
Actually, lots of people. And that’s their choice / loss, whatever.
But there are plenty of us out there who do love some of the simple pleasures in life. And yet, we’re constantly told to moderate, to avoid – to restrict the amount of good stuff.
Coffee and chocolate are great, but…
A glass of wine a day has lots of benefits, however…
We all need protein, but…
ENOUGH! Seriously, leave us alone.
Maybe it’s easier to simply smile politely at the naysayers, before completely ignoring them. Maybe, just maybe, drinking a few coffees every day and washing down your lamb chops with a glass from the grape isn’t the worst thing in the world.
Coffee
Let’s not get overly scientific. Never mind the “it may” or the “it could possibly” articles, we’re after cold hard facts.
Coffee is packed with antioxidants and that’s a good thing. Antioxidants are the unsung heroes in your body that help to fight against free radicals, which sound like a lame university punk band.
They’re actually disease causing molecules that can develop from sources such as pollution, chemicals, the ozone and even stress.
Antioxidants put these dangerous little turds back into their box by neutralizing them. Three cheers for antioxidants!
On top of this is the obvious stuff. Coffee sharpens the senses, increases concentration, boosts energy levels and generates greater feelings of well-being.
Not to mention it tastes great, and gives those of us who need a ritual something to do a few times a day.
The only downside we can think of with coffee is that it’s helped to create that most loathsome of creatures – the overly serious, self-important barista. Stop glowering at me little man, shuffle over there and pour my coffee.
Red wine
You’ll be hearing a lot of this word today – antioxidants. Yep again, this time it’s red wine that has loads of them. Grape skins are an excellent source of resveratrol, which has loads of antioxidants. Both red and white wine has resveratrol, but red wine is stored for longer, meaning there’s more time for it to soak into the wine.
Wine antioxidants help prevent heart disease, strokes and cancers. That should be reason enough for you to stop reading and reach for the Cab Sav immediately.
Plus, it soothes the soul, enhances conversation (to a point) and simply makes you feel good about the world.
Besides, if you get a bit carried away with the ole red now and then, there’s close friend Coffee just waiting to step in and lend a hand the next day.
Meat
Not everyone likes to eat meat or wants to eat meat and that’s fine. Some get their protein from other sources such as fish, beans and nuts.
The majority of people who love a steak or chicken breast aren’t doing it for their protein fix. We eat meat because it simply tastes good. Our bodies also respond approvingly.
This is probably because meat packs plenty of punch when it comes to essential vitamins and minerals. With a mouthful of rump steak or chicken breast, you’ll get iodine, zinc, iron and Vitamin B 12, to name a few.
If someone lectures you on eating meat you can turn to them with a mouthful and say, “Shut up – it’s got zinc and iodine!”
And wouldn’t it be good to know exactly why these are good for you? Without getting too long-winded…
- Iodine – helps maintain our cell health and the growth of bones and nerves. Tick!
- Iron – we use iron to make hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body. So yes, that’s important.
- Zinc – protects our immune system and aids in wound healing. Again, sounds good.
Did we mention meat just tastes good?
Chocolate, potato chips, soft drink, tequila shots…etc
That last one’s not for kids, but the rest are. Why? Because it’s fun to eat them and they taste good.
Are they good for us? Of course not, but using common sense and not eating chips for breakfast means we still get to enjoy them.
Actually, chocolate is good for us – and wouldn’t you know it, it’s that word antioxidants again. But we’ve made that point fairly clear by now.
As for tequila shots, or drinking a bottle of Coke now and then – who cares?
Life flies by, so why impose restrictions on yourself that probably aren’t even necessary? Wine and coffee are better than smoking, a steak is better than processed meat and exercise is better than everything.
If you make an absolute pig of yourself on Monday, go for a longer walk/jog/gym session on Tuesday.
Just don’t beat yourself up about it.
gustoker 
All things in moderation eh!