Date night.

Cute dress.

Cute shoes.

Champagne.

Uh oh.

How am I going to drink champagne while in ketosis?

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a few really relaxing hours with my husband and have some champagne? Do I have a night of nausea and vomiting ahead?

A quick biochem lesson:
“what?! oh no! Is algebra next?!”

Normal person:
1. drink a glass of champagne
2. alcohol goes to the liver
3. an enzyme breaks alcohol into acetelaldehyde
aceteladehyde is a poison, cousin to formaldehyde.
4. ALDH2 enzyme breaks down acetelaldehyde into urea （urine） and CO2 （breath）.

In ketogenic people:
There is a buildup of acetone （nail polish remover） that blocks ALDH2 from breaking down the poison acetelaldehyde. Too much acetyladehyde in body causes “flush syndrome”-heart palpitations follwed by horrid nausea, vomiting, and sweating.

Wow, sounds fab.

Sign me up.

When I was researching ketogenisis and alcohol biochemistry, I came across something that may help with the breakdown of that nasty toxin:

Taurine.

Explains why Redbull is popular with drinkers. It has Taurine in it. I wonder if that is where the “bull” part comes from.

Taurine. Taurus.

“This month, Neptune is no longer a planet and Saturn moves into your house. You have decluttering to do. Flirt with strangers and look forward to no promotions.”

I’m a writer and scientist with a side of Nutty Professor-willing to experiment on myself.

Yes, you’re welcome.

Here’s what happened:

30 minutes before champagne:
1. I took 2,000 mg Taurine.
2. At 2 sips of champagne-feeling nice and relaxed and buzzaroo.
3. 2 glasses of champagne over 3 hours with dinner.
4. At 4 hours after my first sip, my heart begins to race and I am awake as an owl.
5. For 2 hours, my heart pounds while I sit in the dark and listen to Dave Ramsey podcasts. I find it oddly comforting as if I’m a night truck driver listening to talk radio in the wee hours-slogging coffee and Slim Jims and expecting sightings of the Chupacabra.

6. Then, sleepy. No nausea, no vomiting.

Am I onto something?

The only way to know is to repeat the experiment next date night.

I’ll report back ;）

image from “Bully for Bugs”. Warner Brothers.