That's Fit

Time. Our greatest resource. I'll debate it with anyone. And I'll win.

Lack of it is responsible for most of what stresses us out. And taking it back is what makes us feel better. The idea of taking a few minutes to relax at the end of the day is possibly the most commonly given advice for recovering from a stressful day. Such a simple solution and so satisfying. But how often do you actually do it? Seems I witness more time spent complaining about now having time than taking time to shut up and relax.

And it makes a world of difference. However, those few minutes would not be quite as decadent for me if not for adding a glass of wine to the equation. Also pretty common, I know. Again, when's the last time? And it's not such a bad idea. In moderation, wine can actually be a good thing. It can even have an antioxidant effect. For some adding chocolate makes for the ultimate de-stress recipe.

So stop fretting that you don't have time or can't afford the calories and sit down with a bite or sip of something nice. For five minutes. OK, two. Whatever. The point is this: ridding ourselves of a day's stress isn't about large quantities of time, wine, chocolate or anything else. It's about coming up with your perfect recipe, whatever that may be. Just so long as it's small and simple.

The American Cancer Society tells us that the hot dogs, burgers, and chicken we take on our picnics should be kept at 140 degrees F or higher and that our cold food should stay chilled at 41 degrees F or colder. Real Simple magazine weighs in on a few temperature matters too.

There are the basics: Normal body temperature is 98.6 degrees F, water boils at 212 degrees, and it freezes at 32 degrees. But what's the ideal temperature for wine? Well, 45-50 degrees F for white wine and 60-65 for red. What about that relaxing bath that's calling your name? Water temp should be 96-104 degrees. Make it any hotter and you may break down your skin's protective barrier, which guards against pollution, germs, and bacteria. Who knew?

Did you know your fridge should be set between 32 and 40 degrees and your freezer should register at a big fat 0? Food will spoil faster in warmer temps, and the quality of food will change if it's too cold. What about green tea? Your water should reach 170 degrees. This is lower than what you need for black tea because green leaves burn more easily. An omelet? You want an internal temperature of 160 degrees. And when your day is coming a close and it's time for a little shut-eye, snuggle in at a nice 68 degrees. A good sleep requires your body temperature to drop by losing heat into the environment. Sticking your arms and legs outside the covers and removing your bedtime socks will help the heat escape.

Most alcohol gets burned off during the cooking process. But if you have some recipes that require a cooking wine or liqueur and don't want to risk it on children or less-than-healthy guests, give these simple substitutions a try.

Replace one tablespoon of bourbon or sherry with:

• one tablespoon of apple or orange juice

Replace one tablespoon of coffee liqueur or chocolate liqueur with:

• 1/2 teaspoon chocolate extract or
• 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee in 2.5 teaspoons of water

You know which foods give you more energy, and you're aware of the foods that will pack on the pounds. But, can certain foods help your love life? According to a recent article on MSN, the answer is yes!

There's a reason people have turned to aphrodisiacs throughout the course of history -- while oysters alone won't turn you (or your date) into a raging sex machine, certain foods have been shown to have a subtle effect on "how amorous you're feeling."

Want to know what foods you should order on your next date? Check out the gallery!

Surveys say 21-to 35-year-olds prefer wine to beer. They just don't know much about the wine they prefer and have no strong loyalties to any specific brands. A good thing for advertisers who can tempt just about any palate.

Enter viral advertising, a technique that uses existing social networks to create brand awareness and sales. Forget billboards, TV, and print ads. This approach uses video clips, video games, e-mail blasts, and advertising at music events and other gatherings.

Sacre Bleu, a 45,000-bottle-a-year elite operation, is jumping at the chance to win over young drinkers with this method. Websites, podcasts, and MySpace pages will hopefully hook this population. Another selling point: Sacre Bleu wine is as natural as it can be -- with no added sugar or acids.

So wine isn't all that bad. It's healthy in fact if consumed moderately. But I tend to think advertisers wish for more than moderate sales. What do you think? A healthy endeavor or not?

Beer and chips and nachos, oh my! It's amazing how certain times of year can turn a sport -- something that's supposed to be a healthy activity -- into a supremely non-healthy activity for its fans. Hours in front of the TV munching on calorie and fat-laden snacks does not turn you into an athlete like you see on the screen. You're more likely to walk away from a sports season a few pounds heavier than anything. If you find yourself hopelessly glued to the tube for March Madness, take a look at Revolution Health's 16 tips to help you get through March Madness sanely and healthfully. Check out the gallery to see the tips.

No bones about it: Losing weight is hard work. You're going to have to make some major changes and you're going to have to stick to them. But changing too much too fast is a recipe for disaster, so our advice is to take it slow and start off with some smaller changes.

Diet Blog recently put together a list of easy food swaps you can make that will cut 100 calories from your daily intake. Some examples?

• On your toast, have honey instead of jam and butter.
• On your sandwich, trade mayo for a little bit of light cream cheese.
  
• Instead of having a beer after work, have a glass of wine.
  
• Instead of ordering a cheeseburger, order a plain hamburger.
  

They have plenty of other great swaps -- click here for more info.

Women drinkers may have something to lament from now on, if they buy into this new research that is! According to psychiatrists, wine causes more damage to the brain in comparison to beer. The study shows that this affects the hippocampus area for women more predominantly than men.

Wine has been touted as a beneficial drink for health reasons, so this could be seen as a bummer for people (particularly women) who may often indulge with a glass. So how exactly does it hurt the brain anyway? Researchers were able to study the brain and assess the shrinkage that this type of alcohol helped contribute to.

The hippocampus was shown to be 10 percent smaller in those who drank wine than the drinkers who preferred spirits and beer. However, I think it's worth taking this study with a grain of salt because the way they got these results was by comparing diagnosed alcoholics to healthy brains. So in other words, this references alcohol dependence and not necessarily people who are moderate drinkers. That's not to say a smaller scale association can't be made, but it's not worth panicking over.

Does two and a half bottles of wine sound like a lot to you? It does seem a bit high, but apparently, that's the amount you should be drinking each week in order to protect your heart, according to recent studies. Drinking two glasses of wine a day can help ward off heart attacks and, more surprisingly, will help make your heart healthier than those who don't drink at all.

But keep in mind, that's two and a half bottles per person, per week, so drinking that on Saturday night and teetotalling for the rest of the week is not a good idea, and won't do your heart any good.

Martha mentioned recently the potential that one day, we may need only a pill to maintain a healthy weight and live a long life. Wouldn't that be grand? Maybe. But I'm here to tell you we're a long way off from such a dream. That magic pill, likely to house the supplement Resveratrol, isn't quite ready for human use.

Resveratrol, a natural substance that comes from the skin of red grapes, has been shown in studies to keep mice thin, boost their energy, and extend their lives, all while protecting them from the dangers of an unhealthy diet. Resveratrol also helped mice maintain their motor skills as they aged. There have been no similar studies in humans.

Don't pop that cork and conduct your own studies just yet. You'd have to down 1,000 bottles of red wine to consume as much Resveratrol as each mouse was given. Until further notice, just stick with a handful of red grapes. The fiber, vitamin B, and manganese packed into this juicy fruit is good enough for now.

Ah, the beer belly. Take a look around in any crowd of people and it's likely to be one of the most prominent physical features you see. Of course "beer bellies" aren't always caused by beer -- it's really just body fat from too many calories. But the question is: do some calories tend to layer fat on around the middle more than others, specifically calories from alcohol?

This is one of those questions that has different answers depending who you talk to, so big bummer that I don't have a straight yes or no. But I can say this: although they're not sure why, researchers have found that daily moderate drinkers (having about 1 drink per day) usually have less abdominal fat than binge drinkers (those who drink less frequently but have 4 or more drinks at a time). So go figure, another reason to have that nightly glass of wine.

It's New Year's Eve, everyone, so get ready to raise your glasses. A touch of the bubbly is always fun, but if you plan on kissing someone at midnight, you may be better off sticking to wine.

According to an article published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, drinking wine -- red or white -- may help fight certain types of oral bacteria. Apart from making your breath fresher, reducing bacteria can also help do away with dental plaque and even combat streptococci, which is one of the leading causes of sore throats.

Of course, this is not license to down an entire bottle of vino by yourself. Please drink responsibly and, as always, be safe.

If you're spouting off the health merits of wine as you defend your drinking practices, your defense may be weaker than you think. Why? Because it's now clear that alcohol-free wine has the same benefits as the real deal. It has only 15 to 25 calories per four-ounce glass too. Compared to the 90 calories found in a glass of chardonnay or cabernet sauvignon, this wine might just come out on top.

Although some health benefits of wine have been linked to alcohol, removing the alcohol is now considered a plus, says Joy DuBost, a food scientist for the Institute of Food Technologists.

"While it does appear that alcohol in moderation decreases the effects of cardiovascular disease," she says, "it can also increase your calorie intake; triglycerides, which is another blood lipid; your blood pressure; and possibly your cancer risk. You have to look at the total picture."

People drink more hard liquor during the month of December than any other month of the year -- that's amazing! I don't know if it's the festivities, the family and friends, or the stress, but all those extra drinks are not only relaxing and fun but they're fattening too.

Also during this time of year people tend to pass on beer and wine and go instead for fancy mixed drinks, which in addition to having more calories the alcohol can lower our inhibitions and lead to more eating and snacking. Your best bet is to pass on those fancy mixes and stick with wine or beer instead, but if you must indulge then you might as well know which ones are the worst.

Which holiday cocktails are the most fattening? Click on the images below to find out: