Alcohol and Your Hormones

Anyone who's ever had a few too many drinks knows that alcohol has a profound effect on your body. Whether it's a distortion of reality, a stumbling walk home, or a massive hangover, alcohol can sometimes make you regret every decision you made in the past 24 hours.

A glass of wine with dinner or a single cocktail usually doesn't make much difference to your body and mind. But did you know that too much alcohol can affect your hormones and menstrual cycle?

Drinking heavily can worsen your PMS symptoms (mood swings, acne, cravings, cramps, insomnia). What's considered heavy? Binge drinking is defined as more than four drinks within two hours.

How Alcohol Affects Your Cycle

Alcohol is broken down by your liver. A key function of your liver is breaking down hormones. If your liver is working overtime to process the previous night's alcohol, estrogen breakdown is delayed. This prevents it from leaving your body.

The result? A lot of annoying things.

• Existing complaints : recurring complaints such as cramps, acne and mood swings may feel worse.
• Cravings : Excessive alcohol consumption depletes your magnesium levels . This lowers your blood sugar and increases your cravings for unhealthy, sugary snacks. Studies have shown that magnesium and zinc can help you cope with your hangover. So, make sure you get enough magnesium and zinc through your diet or a supplement to help ease your hangover.
• Emotions : Because your body cannot get rid of the excess estrogen, you may feel emotions that cannot be fully explained.

Hangovers and your cycle

Your menstrual cycle can affect your hangovers. You might find that sometimes you drink a lot and still wake up feeling refreshed, while other times you're hungover after just one drink. What's going on?

Women can be more sensitive to the effects of alcohol in the week before their period. The reason? Estrogen. After ovulation, the liver must break down estrogen.

If you drink a lot of alcohol during these days, the combination of alcohol and estrogen can overload your liver, leading to headaches, fluid retention, and bloating. Avoid or overdo alcohol if you want to avoid this.

Did you drink too much? Here are a few tips to ease your hangover:

• Drink plenty : and we don't mean alcohol or coffee, of course. The caffeine in coffee will dehydrate you even more. Try to drink plenty of water!
• Supplementing with magnesium : Alcohol depletes your magnesium levels and can damage your liver, impairing the absorption of vitamins and minerals. Choose foods rich in magnesium , such as nuts, seeds, and leafy greens, or opt for a high-quality supplement.
• Sleep in and have some sex : your body recovers faster during sleep, and during sex, your body produces the hormone oxytocin, which reduces pain and makes you feel good. Masturbation counts, too!
• Eat something : Start your day with a healthy breakfast, even if you only feel like having croissants with chocolate. Whole-wheat bread and fruit are healthy and safe options, but an egg and avocado are, of course, the ultimate hangover cure because they're packed with protein, B vitamins, and healthy fats. Drink ginger or green tea with it to detox your body.
• Exercise and fresh air : moving helps your body break down alcohol more easily. And fresh air is always good for you.

Tips before you start the evening

• Choose alcohol with a low glycemic index, such as champagne, red or white wine.
• Never drink on an empty stomach. Provide a (not too greasy) appetizer. Avoid fried snacks, as they accelerate glucose absorption in your liver. Choose guacamole, green olives, cashews, hummus with raw vegetables, or toast with salmon or shrimp.
• Drink water between each alcoholic drink. Is water too boring for you? There are plenty of options for creating fun non-alcoholic cocktails with drinks like Gimber, Nona June, and Seedlip.

The benefits of quitting alcohol

Alcohol puts extra stress on the body. Less stress = a healthier body. There are other benefits as well. Here are a few:

Better sleep

Sleeping without alcohol in your bloodstream improves the quality of your sleep. You'll experience a deeper, more restorative sleep because your body relaxes and recovers instead of breaking down alcohol.

More energy and better focus

With all that extra quality sleep, you'll wake up refreshed, focused, and full of energy every day.

Weight loss

Alcohol is high in calories, especially when you drink cocktails or beer. We tend to ignore the calories in alcohol because... we like it! But you'd be surprised how much extra weight you're carrying around because of your drinking. After a month without alcohol, you can lose up to two kilos!

A radiant skin

Alcohol dehydrates you, so it can also dry out your skin. This can lead to dull, wrinkled skin. If you stop drinking, you'll notice your skin looks and feels much better.

Save money

A no-brainer, right? If you swap your expensive glass of wine for water, you'll undoubtedly save money over the course of the month. How much? Belgians drink an average of €462 worth of alcoholic beverages per year. Not spending money on alcohol means you'll have that extra cash to spend on something else. So treat yourself to something good for your body! Did someone say... a spa day?

Better hormonal health and menstrual cycle

If you're struggling with PMS symptoms or other hormonal issues, it could be due to alcohol consumption. If you stop drinking, you might notice your cycle becoming more regular. Regular periods are a sign that you're fit and healthy, and that your body is in balance.

Practical tips for quitting

Alcohol is often a big part of your social life. It can be difficult to go out with friends, attend parties, or get-togethers without drinking. Temptation is everywhere! Here are a few tips on how to quit drinking:

• If you want to relax , do something other than reach for a drink! Play a game, go for a walk, or call a friend for a chat and drink some water while you do it.
• When you're out with friends , check the mocktail menu . Many restaurants offer non-alcoholic versions of popular drinks. They're a delicious alternative to their alcoholic counterparts. You could also try a different drink, like kombucha, which feels like a luxury when you're out. It's a nice change from water.
• Tell people what you're doing . This will make you feel stronger to persevere and you'll have support from those around you.
• Try something new . Choose times when you normally have a drink and do something different. If you normally go to the pub on Friday nights, plan a movie date or take a yoga class.
• Avoid bad influences . Do you have friends who drink heavily? Or are there social gatherings where drinking is the order of the day? Then it's perfectly okay to say no to stick to your goals.