SIP THE WORLD with Jack Maxwell

We're fans of shows that transport us to new locations - whether we actually visit or not. A new twist on the classic travel show includes the stories and cultures that Travel Channel's host, Jack Maxwell encounters on Booze Traveler. On his way to Tahiti, Jack told us about the show, where he'd like to film and what he's learned doing the show.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us about your background - how did you become the Booze Traveler and had you ever bartended before or done anything in the alcohol industry?

JACK MAXWELL: Growing up shining shoes in the bar rooms of South Boston, I fell in love with the magical combination of booze, travel, adventure and storytelling. My neighborhood was filled with divey pubs and all sorts of characters who loved a drink and a story.

AM: Although the show follows you drinking through various countries, it's not really about drinking per se, but more of an Anthony Bourdain style (which we're fans of too) of the culture behind why one drinks or the history behind certain beverages. Why do you think that this resonates with viewers and what have you learned after doing this for 3 seasons?

JM: Maybe “Booze Traveler” resonates because we meet such interesting people, with really great stories. Hopefully my gratitude for that, along with my natural curiosity and joy for life, comes across.

AM: How important is interacting with the culture and sharing it with viewers of The Travel Channel?

JM: It's what the show is all about. The drink just gets us into the scene. It's all about the people and the culture.

AM: We loved when you drank vodka at Lake Baikal in Siberia and also enjoyed the episode of the Smoothie in Belize - what was your favorite country to enjoy a drink and what was it?

JM: I really loved having an authentic Mojito in Cuba. Drinking great Port while sailing the river through the Douro Valley in Portugal was another favorite. Having cocktails with the Conch Republic in Key West while fighting the Coast Guard, and zip lining through downtown Las Vegas with a Dean Martin impersonator were both fun, unforgettable experiences.

AM: Where would you like to film next and what beverage story would you like to learn about there?

JM: Having filmed Booze Traveler in roughly 50 countries - covering six continents - has been wonderful, a real eye-opener. I would love to find a native tribe somewhere yet to be discovered and have a drink with them. That would be fantastic.

AM: The show is an hour, but we see you enjoying a number of beverages and finding a particular drink, what is it like when you are taping for one of these shows?

JM: I probably don't put away as much booze as it seems. A lot of what you see on the show happens off camera, too. The camaraderie is real. The travel can be a grind, but the crew is great and we keep each other loose.

AM: With all of the traveling and beverages, do you detox or cleanse and what workouts do you do?

JM: I like to tell people I only drink at work, which is mostly true. Hard to pass up a nice bottle of wine with dinner though or a celebratory cocktail when I reunite with friends. Don't work out as much as I'd like. We are constantly on the road shooting long

days, which I'm exhausted by the end of. I should do a better job of getting to the gym.

AM: What is your personal style in terms of what you wear to go out with friends or to run errands?

JM: Relaxed. Casual. Comfortable.

AM: You take a lot of flights, what is on your playlist and how do you make your travels more comfortable for long flights or for various legs on a trip?

JM: I have a lot of nice relaxing music on my iPod. When I want to get in the mood I play some Stones or Frank Sinatra, as different as those two are. Make sure I have a sleep mask and wax (not foam) earplugs on the plane. The wax kills a lot of the ambient noise; the mask helps you sleep. A few hours here and there make a difference.

AM: How do you manage jet lag - any tips that you can share?

JM: I try to drink as much water as I can. Keeps me hydrated and makes me get up and go to the bathroom. Great for circulation. DVT can be an issue on long flights, although I've never had a problem with it.

AM: When you're in between seasons, what would we find you doing?

JM: Visiting family. Hanging with friends. Resting. Probably won't see me on an airplane.

AM: Can you tell us if there is a season 4 and what locales are on your bucket list?

JM: We are filming season four of Booze Traveler right now. Very excited about the Tahiti episode. So tropically beautiful and naturally exotic. Also, Italy, Costa Rica, Norway and Romania.

AM: What tips do you have for travel- ing like a pro this summer from packing, essentials for your carry on and when you get to your final destination?

JM: Travel light. You probably don't need as many clothes as you think. Bring comfortable shoes. Don't make too many plans. The trip will be a blur and you'll have covered some distance, but won't remember as much as you should. Go off the beaten path. Duck into a café and talk to strangers. You might be surprised.

AM: Feel free to tell us where we will see you next, whether it's an upcoming project or if you have philanthropies/ charities that you are involved in!

JM: Very fortunate to be entrusted with a second show for Travel Channel called “Booze Traveler: Best Bars.” It's a pub crawl through all the best bars in the US. You will find me handing out toys at the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Dept. Holiday Toy Drive in Phoenix every Christmas. My lifelong friend, Roy Catalo, is the chairman. One of the great joys in life is seeing the face of an underprivileged kid light up like a Lite-Brite when they pick out a toy they never thought they'd get.

There was a time when people met in bars (social occasions) or offices (business), but coffee shops and coffee bars are literally the new go-to spots for rendezvous, both personal and professional. Coffee bars, by which we mean the Starbucks, Peet’s, Coffee Bean, Tully’s, Tim Horton’s, and Aromas of the world, although the list goes on, have become so haute, you can now find almost any flavor of coffee or caffeine strength you desire, but just try to find good, old-fashioned whole milk at many of these establishments.

Or at any of the many coworking spaces that seem to have proliferated around the world.

When did a long-standing staple like whole milk hit the no-fly list and why? Especially when the health benefits of whole milk far outweigh those in any of the lower fat versions: skim, 1%, 2% or fat free.

We live in a very health-conscious society, but the information available to us can be confusing – and often contradictory – so here’s a good rule of thumb, if you’re in doubt about which products are healthier, especially when it comes to milk: Good idea to stick with an end product that’s the least adulterated or altered from when it started. We all do at least try to avoid processed food and beverages, and I’ve yet to meet the bovine who produces skim or any of the versions of low-fat milk.

If you look at the nutrition labels on the different forms of milk – whole milk, skim, fat free or 1% or 2% fat – the chief difference is that whole milk is highest in calories and fat. However, for the protein, calcium and vitamins found in any form of milk to be absorbed by the body, fat must be present. Glycosphingolipids are a milk fat that helps to keep the immune system healthy and aid in cell metabolism. The two main vitamins are A and D; both are fat-soluble, so if you drink fat-free or one of the low-fat milks, the vitamin A and D won't do you any good, even if additional Vitamin D has been added. Your body just will not absorb them.

People who drink whole milk and eat more full-fat dairy products are significantly less likely to develop diabetes than people who go for the low-fat products, according to a study published in Circulation, which also found that, over time, children who habitually drink low-fat milk gain more weight, and those who drink whole-fat milk gain less weight.

The Skinny on Skim Milk

Skim milk has a strange and fascinating history. It was originally considered ‘industrial waste’ and fed to pigs to fatten them up for market. In fact, farmers in Denmark, for example, still do this. So how did this lowly byproduct, which has long been used to fatten up farm animals, become a staple for dieters and the health conscious? Enter the marketing department, who turned this one-time industrial waste into a literal cash cow.

According to NaturalHealth365, “At the turn of the twentieth century, skim milk was converted into condensed milk. This was done by putting the liquid into a vacuum pan at 100-120 degrees – until sufficiently concentrated and then adding sugar. In the 1920’s, this is how skim milk was marketed to the public.

Another use for the left-over skim milk was the production of casein, the main protein in milk. Casein is used in

GOT MILK? by Bonnie Halper

processed foods and adhesives, paints and other industrial products. Casein fibers extracted from skim milk soon replaced fur in hats and were used to upholster car seats.”

As for the perception that because of its reduced fat, skim and low fat milks are healthier, buyer beware! These milk products contain powdered milk, which dairy manufacturers are not required by the FDA to disclose on their labels, although it’s important to note that in the manufacturing process of powdered milk, “liquid milk is forced through tiny holes at very high pressure, which causes the cholesterol in the milk to oxidize. Oxidized cholesterol contributes to the buildup of plaque in the arteries,” says the NaturalHealth365 piece.

Yet manufacturers are not required to disclose it because it’s all just milk, right?

Riiight.

So, contrary to what people have been led to believe, low- and non-fat milks are not healthier, do not help people weight-loss regimens, and low- and nonfat dairy products have no real nutritional value, since the vitamins and minerals found in milk are fat soluble.

It also turns out that saturated fats in dairy can protect against certain diseases and are not associated with heart disease or cardiovascular disease, as previously thought. In fact, there is very little scientific evidence that suggests you should be avoiding saturated fat in your diet, according to Authority Nutrition.

Then again, humans are the only mammals who drink dairy-based milk after the traditional nursing period - mostly because we can. And because we love our cheeses, yogurts, ice cream and yes, milk.

People may be starting to realize this, which may account for the sudden rise in popularity of alternative milks, such as soy, rice, coconut, oat and almond milk. I’m just not sure that I’m one of those people who's ready to make that big switch to rice cream.

And I do happen to be one of those people who enjoys drinking whole milk in my coffee. So next time I’m in a specialty coffee shop and there’s not a drop of whole milk to be found, I really would prefer it if they’d simply start offering it to their customers rather than do what they usually do: suggest that I mix the low- or fat-free milk with the half and half or cream. You’ll get the same result, they’ll invariably say. Once mixed with the coffee, it might look the same and it may taste somewhat similar. But, like me, you might not want to stomach it, now that you know the whole story.