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I was seconds from death after drinking 10 bottles of wine a day, but no one knew what I was going through
A MILITARY veteran has revealed that behind his superficial social media page, he was a “barely functioning” alcoholic drinking about 10 bottles of wine per day.
Alysia Magen, a United States Air Force veteran, said that despite posting on Instagram to portray an idyllic life, in reality, she was “killing herself” by drinking vast quantities of wine and spirits.
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The 33-year-old explained that she would drink almost the entire day to cope with the pain of past relationships.
Magen told The US Sun: “The strong girl was gone – I didn’t know who I was at that time.
“I didn’t know I was an alcoholic – I thought it was just something to manage anxiety. I would wake up in the morning shaking from withdrawal,” Magen continued.
She explained that she thought she was using the alcohol to merely manage panic attacks at first, only to find out that it was instead to fight withdrawal later on.
“I was so mentally sick and could see I was in pain and not there. I feel like a fraud and a fake because I was living a lie for so long.”
“Throughout that period I wasn’t the person I am at all. I was scared to even go outside and meet people. At times I couldn’t even look at myself in the mirror,” Magen confessed.
Ultimately, Magen said she realized that she was abusing alcohol to block out trauma from abusive relationships — and it started a long time ago.
She revealed that her drinking began while in the military and progressively got worse after being demoted for posting a suggestive picture of herself on Instagram alongside another one of her in military uniform.
Her charge was what’s known as Article 15.
Magen claimed that she was ostracized after it happened and she spent her last six months in the military in “painful isolation”.
After being demobbed in 2017, Alysia threw herself into social media full-time which involved unconventional hours and lots of parties.
This led to her drinking progressively getting worse before it spiraled out of control over the following four years.
During that time she said she had a succession of violent and abusive relationships with former partners.
Alysia explained that in addition to drinking she was taking cocaine and other drugs including opioids during this period.
Near-death experience
At one point she overdosed while her ex-boyfriend was driving – prompting him to rush her to the emergency room.
“The doctors said if I had been 10 seconds later, I would have died,” she explained.
“I was literally seconds from death but I didn’t care. I had lost all interest in life.
“Dealing with all that pain and trauma makes you want to get high to numb the pain,” she continued.
“It’s a vicious cycle and I knew I had to change but it’s hard when you continually get pulled back.”
As time went on and Alysia became sicker and sicker, she realized in March of this year that something had to change.
After a difficult stay in a Veterans Affairs-funded rehab center, she decided to shell out $10,000 to check in to a private facility.
This enabled her to kick the drinking, leave her then-partner, and set her on a road to recovery.
Recovering and re-emerging
And weeks into sobriety, she received a phone call asking if she would fight model and influencer, Blac Chyna, in a celebrity bout in June.
She jumped at the chance and despite earning a draw, Magen knocked Rob Kardashian’s ex on her back during the fight and said training for it “kept her on the road to recovery.”
“I’ve been reborn in six months,” she said.
“I was seconds from death, in abusive relationships and dependent on alcohol.”
“I didn’t think I needed help because I’d been in the military and had this attitude like ‘nothing affects me.’
“I did not go through all of those things to keep the story inside,” she said.
“So get the support and help you need because nobody deserves to be abused by the people who are supposed to love them.”
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
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7 Crazy Food Lawsuits From 2022
If you’ve been less than satisfied with a food product or a restaurant meal lately, you’re not alone. The problem has grown to be quite common. While some consumers simply toss out a few complaints and call it a day, others have resorted to more drastic legal measures to address their grievances.
Lawsuits against food and beverage companies have gone through the roof in recent years—peaking in 2021 with a total of over 300 class action lawsuits filed. Many of these cases hold a lot of legitimacy, addressing issues such as harmful materials found in products, untrue sustainability claims, or false advertising. No, you can’t call a product “100% Natural” if it’s chock full of preservatives and artificial sweeteners.
So yes, many of these litigious claims prove to have validity. But there are always a select few that are rather gratuitous and, in some cases, downright bizarre. We all remember the woman who sued McDonald’s for coffee that was “too hot,” or when Kellogg’s faced a lawsuit for its fruitless Froot Loops.
Here are some of the craziest lawsuits brought against food companies in 2022.
Time is certainly a valuable asset—but is a couple of extra minutes worth $5 million? According to Florida consumer Amanda Ramirez, the answer is yes. Ramirez filed a class action lawsuit against Kraft Heinz in November, claiming that the company’s Velveeta Shells & Cheese takes longer than its advertised 3.5 minutes to make. The lawsuit makes the argument that this allotted time only covers the step of microwaving the product, and other actions like opening the package and mixing together water and cheese sauce are not factored in.
In response, a Kraft Heinz spokesperson told CNN“We are aware of this frivolous lawsuit and will strongly defend against the allegations in the complaint.”
You may recall a lawsuit revolving around Barilla pasta and its non-Italian origins. Well, another very similar case popped up around the same time focused on the Texas Pete hot sauce brand.
Contrary to its name, the hot sauce is not made in the Lone Star state. It is actually crafted in Winston-Salem, NC—a fact which California resident Philip White was shocked to learn and which ultimately prompted the class action lawsuit. White says that despite the hot sauces’ Texas-style images, which include the white star from the state’s flag and a cowboy, “there is surprisingly nothing Texas about them,” and he wouldn’t have purchased the product if he had known its true origin.
While White appears to be tricked by the brand’s name and appearance, the company’s website does explain the inception of Texas Pete in detail and clearly states that its actual home is, and always has been, North Carolina. A quick peek at the product’s back label also reveals it is from North Carolina.
Accurate wording is everything when it comes to advertisements—a lesson that the snack company Blue Diamond was faced with earlier this year. One customer, Margo Clark of Chicago, was outraged that the company’s Smokehouse flavored almonds were in fact not produced in a smokehouse. According to Clark, since the almonds are not made through the process of using actual smoke, and instead simply include a “natural hickory smoke flavor,” they are not worthy of the name.
The filing goes on to mention that the almonds’ orange and red-colored container is misleading as it is “evocative of the colors of fire.” And, the complaint additionally argues that “foods that are not made in a smokehouse should contain a prominent statement such as ‘with added smoke flavor,’ ‘smoke-flavored’ or with ‘natural smoke flavor.'” This is certainly one consumer who is nuts about their nuts!
We’ve all fallen victim to something (or someone) that looks better in a picture than it does in person. And burgers are no exception. In a lawsuit filed earlier this year, New Yorker Justin Chimienti alleged that big burger chains McDonald’s and Wendy’s misrepresented their products—including popular burgers like The Baconator and the Big Mac—in advertisements.
The claim asserts that these companies photograph their products when the meat is not yet fully cooked, making them look up to 15-20% larger than in real life—a tactic which is “unfair and financially damaging” according to the plaintiff.
This case followed closely after a similar one against Burger King, putting all three of America’s top burger chains in hot water this year.
Multiple lawsuits have been filed in recent years against Kellogg’s Frosted Strawberry Pop-Tarts and their disheartening lack of real strawberries. Consumers have taken issue with the toaster pastries of other flavors as well, such as apples and pears, which they claim to be inferior to strawberries
What Makes Authentic Mexican Food Truly Authentic?
There’s a reason people search for authentic Mexican food when they crave something meaningful, flavorful, and real. It’s not just about spices or presentation. Authenticity is rooted in tradition, in the way ingredients are treated, the stories behind each preparation, and the cultural memory carried from kitchen to kitchen. When a dish feels like it could have been served at a family table in Mexico, that’s when it’s truly authentic.
Mexican cuisine is an inheritance: flavors, techniques, and rituals passed down through generations. And tacos, perhaps the most beloved of all Mexican foods, are one of the clearest expressions of this heritage.
The Foundation: Ingredients That Tell a Story
At the heart of traditional Mexican cooking is respect for ingredients. One of the most essential examples is the tortilla.
For centuries, corn has been a staple of Mexican life. But it becomes something extraordinary through nixtamalization, an ancient process of cooking and soaking corn in an alkaline solution. This unlocks flavor, improves nutrition, and gives fresh tortillas their tender texture and deep aroma. This difference sets the tone for everything built on top of it.
Then, we have the salsas. Salsa is not just a topping: it is part of the flavor structure of the dish. And in an authentic taquería, salsas are prepared each morning using ingredients that speak for themselves: roasted tomatoes, chiles, onions, cilantro, and lime.
There is no one “true” salsa. Each recipe reflects a region, a family, or even a specific cook’s personality.
Tacos: A Clear Example of Authentic Mexican Food
Tacos are one of the most expressive examples of Mexican culinary tradition because they carry the identity of the regions where they originate. Each style reflects a different landscape, history, and technique, and that’s what makes them truly meaningful. There is no single “right” taco; the variety itself is part of the culture.
Take tacos al pastor, for example, come from a blend of indigenous and Middle Eastern influences: pork marinated with spices and chiles, slow-roasted on the trompo, and carved into thin, tender layers. Suadero, on the other hand, offers a silky, savory texture achieved through careful searing and simmering. And carnitas are a celebration of patience, cooked slowly so the meat develops both juicy softness and crispy edges.
Each style reflects the community that created it: their ingredients, their celebrations, their everyday life. The way these tacos are prepared tells stories that have been passed from one cook to another, from one generation to the next.
Why Authentic Flavor Matters
Authentic Mexican flavor isn’t defined by intensity or complexity, but by care. It comes from taking the time to marinate al pastor overnight, from allowing carnitas to simmer gently until they reach just the right texture, from watching suadero closely to ensure it stays tender and rich. These methods aren’t shortcuts or quick conveniences: they are traditions preserved because they produce flavor that feels complete.
Authentic vs. Americanized Mexican Food
Across the United States, many restaurants adapt Mexican dishes to fit mainstream expectations, often adding more cheese, thicker tortillas, or heavier sauces. While these versions can be enjoyable, they tend to flatten the delicate balance that defines traditional Mexican cooking.
Authentic Mexican cuisine respects contrast:
- the acidity of lime,
- the freshness of cilantro and raw onion,
- the heat and complexity of real chiles,
- and the texture of a well-made tortilla that supports the filling.
When these elements are balanced, the dish feels connected to where it comes from. It reflects history, place, and memory. That’s the difference between a taco that simply fills you and one that truly resonates.
Preserving Tradition, One Taco at a Time
Restaurants that stay committed to these practices help keep cultural heritage alive. They honor recipes that have traveled through family kitchens and street stands. They value hospitality as part of the meal.
Authentic Mexican food is not just about flavor; it’s about continuity. It’s about remembering where we come from and sharing that memory with others.