Is drinking alcohol really that bad?
What about my glass of red wine with dinner?
But Why? What does it actually do that is so bad?
Alcohol interrupts sleep.
You wake up with low energy and exaggerated fatigue.
Alcohol encourages swelling- it’s inflammatory. It will exacerbate high blood pressure, joint pain, injury, etc.
Alcohol damages the liver.
High alcohol content drinks damage the lining of your digestive tract.
Alcohol can kill the microorganisms in your intestines that promote digestion.
This affects your immunity and digestion and therefore,
mental health and mood.
Alcohol inhibits athletic recovery.
Alcohol is a dehydrating your body- contributes to DOMS (delayed-onset muscle soreness)
Alcohol affects your training the following day: slower reaction time and weaker muscular coordination.
Alcohol interrupts hormonal regulation.
Alcohol can increase baseline Cortisol levels.
Alcohol intake can lead to poor absorption of nutrition.
Better of the bad choices…
So if you’re going to drink alcohol, what should you pick? Recall that we are navigating how to improve your insulin sensitivity- that affects your body composition, energy levels, athletic performance and overall health. When you are selecting your drink, think about the sugar content. The better of the bad choices starts with a clear liquor- vodka, gin or tequila; add a low-sugar mixer like soda/carbonated water, diet soda etc. and throw in lemon or lime, mint or other herbs for flavor. These clear liquors also have lower acidity when compared to other options.
Something funny that I’ll throw in for the strategic personalities is this- at a social event, no one is going to ‘top off’ your cocktail like they would top off your glass of wine. Therefore, it also allows you to keep track of how many drinks you have had. Be careful with liquor- a serving size is 1 oz. Secondly, take caution that the mixers and flavors in cocktails are usually full of sugar. When you are having alcohol, make sure to have both food and water as well. This will help protect your digestive tract and organ health. It’s a terrible idea to drink on an empty stomach.
Next up after your clear liquors would be your dark liquors- these don’t usually have sugary mixers, and then wine. Last on the list would be beer; lighter beers have less calories.
In discussions I have clients that say to me,
“I just got a whoop- I realize that I have red days after I drink alcohol so I have cut back a lot”.
Is part of your alcohol consumption because you’re bored? Maybe you need to switch up the regular activities that your friend group is doing- instead of gathering at a brewery- grab a frisbee, hike, play some golf, or hit the trails with snowshoes.
Are you feeling the excitement of being social but find that the pressure to drink increases?
Order a mocktail, or
Soda water/diet tonic with lemon, lime, mint, rosemary, etc
Herbal tea (hot or iced)
Kombucha (Can be high sugar)
Decaf coffee, espresso, hot cocoa, latte etc
Or just drink water 🙂
Is a glass of wine nightly just a habit? Something you do nightly? Or maybe it is a way to wind-down and relax at the end of the day? … One of my personal favorite parts of my evening routine is Beam Dream. It is worth the investment and is a great replacement for that habitual drink or dessert after dinner.
{This will get you a discount:
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