HEALTH BEYOND THE GLASS: CULTIVATING A LIFE YOU LOVE THOUGH CONSCIOUS CHOICES
Have you ever stopped to ponder your relationship with alcohol? The reasons behind your choice to drink? When embarking on a cleanse or participating in Dry January, what's your goal? Are you exploring a life without alcohol (a concept now called 'sober curious'), or seeking a health reset? I believe it is important to set intentions for a cleanse or alcohol hiatus so that you can make observations, understanding how these choices truly impact your body, mind, and sleep. This can lead to lifestyle changes that can have a lasting impact on your health.
In my work, conversations about alcohol's impact on health, sleep, hormones, relationships, and social encounters are frequent. I am often asked about my position on alcohol and what's deemed an "acceptable" quantity. My response remains clear: there's no safe amount of alcohol—it's a toxin. However, I never tell people not to drink. That choice is deeply personal. As with other foods and drinks such as caffeine, sugar, starchy carbohydrates, or dairy, I want individuals to have the ability to DECIDE whether they want these substances, and not have the feeling that they “need” the coffee, drink after work, or cheese to get through the day. My goal is to grant my clients control, understanding the 'why' behind their choices. This is the essence of my cleanse—to unveil how their body feels without the stimulants, enabling a deliberate choice about what they wish to incorporate into their lives. There is no judgment. I go through periods of time that I drink coffee and most who know me know I love a good Manhattan! But I am conscious of how it affects me and am making a deliberate choice based on the situation without feeling guilt. The body naturally eliminates toxins periodically; the trouble arises when the toxic load is too high too often.
I teach the women in my programs the following:
Alcohol can impair the detoxification of other toxins and acts as a toxin itself
Harms sleep patterns, disrupting melatonin and circadian rhythms
Exacerbates night sweats, further disturbing sleep
Shrinks the brain, specifically the hippocampus, that regulates HPA axis/stress response
Damages gut microbiome, promotes intestinal permeability and activates mast cell histamines
Hampers muscle and bone development
Impairs estrogen metabolism, estimated to be sole cause of at least 8% of breast cancers
I'm heartened by the recent surge in non-alcoholic beverages, the emergence of sober curious communities/programs, and individuals reassessing their relationship with alcohol. Gathering with friends now is often something active like a hike or bike ride, hanging in the sauna and cold plunge, meeting at a tea house, or doing some activity together such as vision boarding, engaging in a chocolate-making class or knitting circle.
If you are looking for support to quit alcohol, here is a program to look into.
As you engage in your cleansing activities for the new year, take a deep look at what you want the outcome to be. New habits? New relationships with substances? New activities with friends?
Be Well,
