Hormone balance and alcohol, don’t go together for most. We say it all the time to our clients, when your hormones are not in balance, your ability to lose weight will be almost next to impossible. If you’re consuming alcohol, it’s contributing to your hormonal imbalance.
When Stacia gave up alcohol, she lost 65 pounds!
It isn’t easy, and we aren’t saying you need to give it up forever, but if you want to feel better, try giving it up with one of our detoxes and see just how you feel!
The Facts about Alcohol and Hormones
Alcohol is metabolized in the liver.
Our liver is often referred to as the body’s ultimate protector when it comes to illness and disease and when its busy breaking down alcohol it isn’t as efficient at its main job, to keep us healthy.
Alcohol increases Estrogen Dominance
Alcohol raises estrogen levels, which worsens symptoms of PCOS, fibroids and endometriosis – and all other estrogen-dominant hormonal issues like perimenopause and menopause (cue the hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain and more). See our blog post on Estrogen Dominance
Alcohol is full of sugar and calories.
The sugar in your favorite glass of wine or cocktail disrupts your insulin levels. When insulin is balanced, we lose weight, when it is unbalanced, we gain weight, experience more moodiness and our risk for developing diabetes increases.
Drinking can decrease mental health.
When our hormones aren’t working properly, we already feel more anxious and possibly depressed. Alcohol can intensify these feelings making us feel worse.
The Sleep Factor
Drinking alcohol puts added stress on our adrenal glands, increasing our stress hormone cortisol. This can affect our sleep, and restful Deep/REM sleep is paramount when it comes to hormonal balance.
Dehydration
Alcohol dehydrates us and forces the liver to use its stores of antioxidants to break it down, leaving us feeling fatigued and run down. This feeling can also lead us to making pour choices for food. Just look at what bar food consists of. Also, being dehydrated makes us look older, makes wrinkles more pronounced and actually makes us retain water and bloat.
Brain Fog
Struggling with brain fog? That fuzzy-headed feeling that makes it hard to focus? Consuming alcohol could make things feel even foggier. If you’ve ever struggled to concentrate at work after one too many cocktails the night before, you know that alcohol can take a toll on your ability to think clearly. Even moderate drinking is linked to pathological changes in the brain, including impaired memory and decision-making.
We aren’t telling you alcohol is off limits forever, but figuring out what type of effect it has on your body and your hormones is key to feeling your best self yet!