British-born Wendy Narby’s premise ‘Knowledge Increases Pleasure’ not only applies to her extensive wine education but also to her wellness education. The Chef d’Enterprise (love the title!) at Insider Tasting zoomed in directly from Bordeaux to talk with the hosts about returning to France post-pandemic, as well as to discuss The Drinking Woman’s Diet, A Liver-Friendly Lifestyle Guide, her most recent book.
Previously a wine and food consultant in Paris and Bordeaux, Wendy’s wine experience is not just based upon study, but on her time spent working as a marketing consultant, journalist, teacher and guide. She received her Bachelor of Science with Honors in Agricultural Economics from the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth.
Fast forward a bit and she moved from Paris to marry a local Château owner and negociant. And now Wendy enjoys sharing her passion for Bordeaux and the famous region’s wines with guests and friends from all over the world. In fact, Wendy frequently leads wine tours throughout Bordeaux and environs (and is looking forward to more Americans returning to visit France as the pandemic recedes).
Wendy is a member of the Association of Wine Educators (AWE), lecturing on behalf of the Bordeaux Wine School (Ecole du Vin de Bordeaux); the author of Bordeaux Bootcamp, The Insider Tasting guide to Bordeaux Basics, and (more recently), The Drinking Woman’s Diet, which we talked about on the show extensively.
On the WWRH show, we often get to talk with winemakers, marketers, and others promoting the industry or their brand. But we rarely have the opportunity to talk about wine’s health effects (or lack thereof). Every wine bottle already carries significant health warnings. And for women in the wine industry, wine consumption can come with additional risks from over-imbibing to inappropriate behavior.
Long envious of the supposed French woman’s diet (which appears to maintain everything in balance from wine consumption to food intake, exercise, and still projecting a chic and stylish elan), we wanted to learn from Wendy how they do it. What is the “Drinking Woman’s Diet”? Is it a secret?
Throughout the conversation, Wendy dispelled myths and offered well-researched health tips. Her fast-paced, easy-reading book is chock-full of valuable lessons that can easily be put into use immediately for a sensible, but still fun, lifestyle including alcoholic drinking.
First, Wendy dispelled our notions of equality between men and women when drinking – there’s none! More alcohol reaches women’s bloodstreams faster than in men, disadvantage #1. She also taught us signs to watch for about too much alcohol consumption with the CAGE Questionnaire.
We learned how the body processes alcohol, a toxin. And then we were on to her many tips to maintain wellness within a diet that includes alcohol. It included her magical “2-2-2” method (which you’ll have to listen to the show or buy the book to learn), and being able to enjoy foods and beverages that send us signals when we’ve had enough.
All of her advice provides an excellent framework for maintaining a healthy lifestyle while enjoying food, friends, fun and wine. Oh, and how do you maintain that healthy lifestyle while out on a wine tasting? Tune in to find out!
To be transported to Bordeaux from your armchair (or phone in hand), subscribe to Wendy’s Insider Tasting newsletter. Or find her on Instagram at @insidertasting and @drinkingwomansdiet and @wendynarby. And The Drinking Woman’s Diet is available for purchase online.