Why I Gave Up Alcohol
In a society that glorifies and prioritizes drinking, it can seem like an impossibility to not partake in this social norm. Think about all of the situations where we’re pushed to drink: dates, brunch, going out to breakfast/lunch/dinner; sporting events & intramural sports, painting classes, even yoga classes now offer wine to go with your downward dog. And the list goes on. With that being said, there’s a sobriety movement happening in our society and it’s paving the way and normalizing substituting the cocktail for a mocktail.
Not only can alcohol pose some serious health concerns and be abused pretty easily, it can also have some pretty damaging effects on hormone health and your cycle. In addition, who wants to be robbed of a day or two you of being hungover when it could have been spent doing something that is actually enjoyable? It just doesn’t sound worth it any longer for something that usually doesn’t even taste all that good anyway.
If you’re embarking on this journey or you’re feeling a nudge to stop drinking (or cut back on your consumption), I want to provide some tips and encouragement on how to do so. Disclaimer: this is not to shame anyone who chooses to drink alcohol.
In today’s post, we will discuss:
Why I choose to be sober
How alcohol impacts your body, especially your hormones
Tips and tricks to go on your own journey
My favorite 3 mocktail recipes
Healthier options if you choose to drink alcohol
My Journey with Alcohol
I started experimenting with alcohol at 15 - we used to mix beer with lemonade to mask the taste (*shudders). While my tastes haven’t changed much (never did develop a taste for beer), it’s no longer something I have much of a desire to put in my body.
Fast forward to 2019, I started my journey towards balancing my hormones after coming off the pill. I kept seeing over and over that alcohol could impede hormone balance but I disregarded it. After all, I only drank when I went out to bars (which after college slowed significantly) or had to go to pretty much any social event. What was the big deal? While hormone health was an important, an even bigger deal big deal for me was why I felt the need to drink. I was using it as a crutch for my social anxiety. Any time I had to interact socially with people I didn’t know very well I wanted to cover up, what I believed was a lacking personality, with liquor. So it wasn’t being used to “unwind” at the end of the day or for self care, but quite the opposite.
So I started to opt out more often and to find activities that didn’t involve drinking because it’s what I enjoy more anyway. Of course I received comments like “You’re NOT drinking??” (apparently appalled by this choice) or my personal favorite “well you’re no fun”; but who says I can’t still have fun without knocking a few back?
It’s a work in progress; I went to 2 weddings this year where I chose to have a drink or two but not nearly as much as I would have in the past. It’s a personal choice and it’s important to recognize why you’re drinking and to what extent are some things to take note of.
How Alcohol Impacts the Body
Your poor liver has to try and filter out and detox the body of a lot of junk that we expose it to on the daily and it’s pretty good at it. However, when consuming alcohol, the liver has to work to metabolize it and it has some pretty harmful by-products including acetaldehyde which is a known carcinogen and is then eventually broken down into water and carbon dioxide to be easily removed from your system. Excessive intake of alcohol can also lead to a buildup of fat and inflammation of the liver.
Chronic alcohol abuse leads to a decrease in testosterone and progesterone and an increase in estrogen and FSH (follicle stimulating hormone). Finally, alcohol intake has been shown to increase PMS symptoms in women and this is something I hear all of the time. Letting loose throughout your cycle can worsen PMS symptoms for the next 1-2 cycles.
Tips & Tricks:
Ask for a ‘virgin’ version (say that 10x fast)
If there’s a drink you like that you want to have while you’re out - try the ‘virgin’ version of it! It’s much easier if you’re holding something in your hand so you don’t have to explain for the millionth time why you aren’t drinking. I used to be a vodka soda kind of gal in college, so sometimes I’ll order tonic water with a bunch of limes or a virgin bloody Mary, or a virgin mimosa…AKA orange juice.
Set Boundaries with family & friends
If your friends and family are used to seeing you drink and especially if that’s what gatherings are centered around, it can be really difficult to break that. Setting boundaries is really important when first starting a sobriety journey because you don’t want to be made to feel bad about this decision! And if you don’t think you’ll be supported in this decision, it may be wise to stay away from certain functions or else there are tons of alternatives to alcohol that still look like you’re drinking a fun bevie (see #4).
Plan social activities that don’t involve alcohol
Get in the drivers seat of social activities with friends and plan things that don’t require drinking! Try goat yoga on a Saturday morning instead of brunch or take a pottery class with friends. There are options out there where alcohol isn’t even on the menu!
Use an alcohol alternative: Ritual Zero Proof or Three Spirits
There are some great alternatives on the market and they often come with their own cocktail recipes. Some companies make non-alcoholic wine, liqour, and beer that tastes like the real thing (if you like the taste that is) and other companies, like Three Spirits, makes herbal
Learn some mocktail recipes
Learn how to make some yummy drinks that are just as pretty as a cocktail but don’t contain alcohol. See below for 3 of my favorite drink recipes!
Mocktail Recipes
Pineapple Refresher
pineapple Juice | lime | coconut cream | seltzer
Passion Fruit Agua Fresca
passion fruit agave | lemon | topo chico
Black Berry Basil Fresca
blackberries | basil | simple syrup | lime | seltzer
Opting out of drinking has been a really empowering and eye opening experience! It’s taught me that I don’t need to lean on alcohol to make people like me and I feel a hell of a lot better when I’m not drinking. I do still love drinking fun non-alcoholic beverages out of cute cocktail glasses and this doesn’t mean that I never drink either. But I’ve learned a balance that I didn’t practice before and I would highly recommend taking a break from alcohol if you’re feeling called to, just test it out to see how you feel!