When I moved to the Costa Blanca, I was struck by how natural wine feels here. A weekday lunch in Jal\u00f3n? A glass of wine, of course. Tapas on a terrace in Moraira? Naturally, with wine. But what also stood out to me was that Spaniards take their time. No one downs three glasses in a row. It\u2019s about tasting, talking, laughing \u2014 and there\u2019s always a jug of water on the table. <\/p>\n
The photos that accompany this month\u2019s Vida Sana <\/i>stories came about quite spontaneously. My friend Clara Ramos<\/span>, a botanical illustrator from D\u00e9nia, dropped by recently for a catch-up. We walked through the vineyards near Jes\u00fas Pobre; I\u2019d dusted off my old analogue Lenca camera, and before we knew it, we were taking photos. Clara has a special connection with nature \u2014 she can look at a grape or a leaf for minutes as if it were a painting. It felt natural that she appeared in the shots: pure, unposed, just as we are. <\/p>\n I\u2019m often asked, \u201cElena, is wine good or bad for you?\u201d My answer is simple: it\u2019s wine. Not a superfood, not poison. Just a drink that, when enjoyed mindfully, brings pleasure instead of guilt. Yes, it\u2019s a clich\u00e9, but the difference lies in how you approach it. One good glass with a meal can be a gift to your senses. Three glasses on an empty stomach \u2014 you\u2019ll feel that soon enough, and not just the next morning. <\/p>\n I\u2019m a nutritionist, but also just a woman who, after a long week, likes to close the laptop, put on some music and pour a glass of wine. For me, it\u2019s all about conscious choice. I\u2019d rather have one glass I remember than three I forget. Sometimes it\u2019s something special from a local bodega, sometimes just a bottle I stumble upon in the supermarket that happens to surprise me. <\/p>\n It\u2019s not about the price or the label, but about the attention you give it \u2014 the aroma, the first sip, the moment you think: yes, this was exactly what I needed<\/i>.<\/p>\n Next time you drink a glass of wine, take a sip of water first, breathe deeply, and smell your glass as if you were standing at a market where the grapes have just been harvested.<\/p>\n Feel what the aroma does to you before you even taste it. Then take a small sip, let it rest on your tongue, and notice how the flavours unfold. I bet you\u2019ll naturally drink more slowly \u2014 and enjoy it far more. <\/p>\n Health isn\u2019t a goal in itself \u2014 it\u2019s a way of living. That\u2019s my motto. And within that, wine also has its place. Not as an excuse, not as a problem, but as part of a rhythm where pleasure and wellbeing don\u2019t cancel each other out. <\/p>\n After all, the Mediterranean lifestyle isn\u2019t about perfection, but about balance: eating, laughing, moving, sharing. A glass of wine is simply part of that \u2014 not to escape, but to connect. <\/p>\nHealth is no excuse \u2014 but it\u2019s not a problem either<\/h4>\n
How I do it myself<\/h4>\n
Try this<\/h4>\n
Balance above all<\/h4>\n
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