I started new year this morning without a hangover. Strange thing for a naturopath to say I know but I admit I am completely guilty of the new year thinking that you need to see it in with some bubbles or a drink for it to be a 'real' celebration. Except this year, due to a lot of reasons and changes in my life and thinking, I didn't. And I can tell you I have rarely experienced a New Year's morning with such clarity and contentment. Alcohol is something that has been woven into my life for so long that it's hard to unravel, but this year, though not what I consider a regular or big drinker, I have really become aware in real time and for days after too, of the effect that a few drinks has on my wellbeing and physiology when I do. Tracking devices I use such as Oura and Apple Health show plummeting heart rate variability, increased heart rate, less deep and REM sleep and general anxiety, lethargy and mood in the days that follow. The results are scary and this does not include the years of emotional damage along the way! These personalised health insights also don't include all the education I have about its short and long term effects on my health which I conveniently choose to forget whenever I partake.
Time for a rethink?
Have you also ever wondered whether you might be drinking a little too much? It’s not that you have a ‘Problem’ with a capital P. You’re not dependent on it and you’re a long way from needing a drink early in the day. But these days, you’ve started noticing the one or two glasses of wine you have ‘just to unwind’ at the end of the day happens more days than not. Or maybe, while you can take it or leave it, when you do drink, one drink inevitably becomes two drinks, which turn into three, which somehow ends up being a whole bottle. And you’re not even particularly drunk. You can still function well enough, still get up for work the next day, albeit feeling a little more tired than normal. Contrary to popular belief, the majority of people who drink too much are not alcoholics (1).
One way or another, you suspect you might feel a whole lot better if you reduced your intake or even took a break for a little while. You’re not alone. 84% of men and 43% of women say they want to cut down and 5% and 25% respectively want to quit altogether (2).
From a health perspective, there’s a lot to like about drinking less, taking a break, or stopping altogether and, simple though it might sound, it’s not always easy.
We live in a society where alcohol is in our faces 24/7. Alcohol makes the social scene go round. It’s a social lubricant, and everything seems brighter, shinier, and better with a glass in hand. It’s common for friends and family to be ‘pushers’. If you’ve ever gone out for a night and not drunk alcohol, you’ll have experienced one or more of the following:
You find yourself having to come up with a really good reason for not drinking – like driving or being on strong medication that means you couldn’t even if you wanted to.
You find yourself having to justify your actions over and over because it seems everyone has a view - and they don’t mind sharing it!
You’re often asked (sometimes quite forcefully) ‘surely you can have a couple?’
People accuse you of being no fun, a party-pooper or boring.
If you’re thinking of reducing, taking a break from alcohol or stopping altogether, I’m here to help. My nutrition and lifestyle programmes are designed to help you reach specific health goals, and part of that might involve support and motivation to reduce drinking if that is on your radar.
My downloadable guide below contains some tools to help you take a look at your drinking, explore how you feel about it and create an action plan for making changes.
At the very back, you’ll find some helpful resources and an invitation for you to book a free mini consultation with me to talk about how I can help you get back on track with your health.
Juliana xx
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