Sober October is a fundraising campaign for MacMillan Cancer Support in the UK, which aims to raise money and help people living with Cancer. The campaign encourages social drinkers to quit drinking alcohol in October for the sake of charity. And instead of raising a glass, supporters of the campaign are encouraged to raise money towards a great cause. In honor of this initiative, I am going to reveal my story and tell you why I made the decision to quit drinking alcohol permanently.
What do you mean you quit drinking?
Let me clarify, I’m not a crazy heavy drinker. A few months ago, I opted to make some lifestyle changes and focus on taking better care of my health, body, and soul. I’m not saying that I’ve done anything wrong in the past that affected my health and wellbeing. I mean, yes, I’ve had some pretty pathetic drinking stories that left everlasting memories in friends’ minds and still laugh about them. But these were the usual youthful experiences that cannot quantify as personal problems. Going sober in October is a temporary thing, but what I am seeking is a different lifestyle approach to proactively address and cope with midlife health issues, mainly menopause!
As a woman approaching the big five O, I started experiencing some of the not-so-great symptoms of menopause like insomnia, irritability, hot flashes, and brain fog. On the bright side, I haven’t dealt with the anguish of the monthly menstrual cycle this year. I’m glad to say that I’ve been pad-free for 10 months and have saved close to $60 on feminine hygiene products. But kidding aside, this is a crucial phase of a woman’s life, and menopause can wreak havoc on our physical and emotional health.
One of the lifestyle changes I made was to become fully sober and avoid drinking alcohol. My decision was made based on researching various health articles and on observing how my body reacts to drinking. It was also based on realizing that, regardless of what corporate research studies say, alcohol consumption, including wine, doesn’t have health benefits. Or, at least, wine doesn’t have any exclusive health benefits that cannot be achieved with a proper diet and workout. And let me add, some of the best celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Tyra Banks, and Jada Pinkett Smith do not consume alcohol!
Why did you become sober all of a sudden?
I wouldn’t call it a sudden shift! The struggle began a few years ago when I started to feel bloated and constipated. My intestines were irritated, and I had blood in my stool (sorry to gross you out). I was worried about the possibility of having a severe disease, but my family doctor assured me that there was nothing serious going on. I asked her to refer me to an internal specialist for additional observation. The specialist suspected acidic sensitivity, something that never crossed my mind. I thought my diet was healthy since I don’t eat junk food, I avoid fatty ingredients, and I drink liters of water each day. So what would possibly cause this severe sensitivity?
To identify the potential culprits, the doctor placed me on a 3-week diet which excluded all food and beverages with high acidity. This included coffee, red wine, alcohol, yogurt, spices, citrus fruits, Tomatoes, and even Berries. This was big for me since I live on yogurt, citrus fruits, and Berries. At the end of 3 weeks, I could re-introduce one of the “forbidden” food types to my daily diet and wait 2 days to see if it stimulated the problem. However, during the 3-week diet, for some strange reason, I established a sudden aversion towards red wine and couldn’t bear the smell or taste of it!
Of course, back then, I enjoyed having a drink or two with a meal or at a social event. I tried different alcoholic beverages to replace red wine. This included white wine, which was boring; cocktails were too sweet for my palette and high in calories; and whiskey that I learned to drink while watching Mad Men! Over time, I began experiencing fatigue, lack of sleep, hot flashes, and recurring psoriasis flare-ups on my face. I didn’t realize these were signs of changing times and could not figure out how to deal with them. So naturally, I shared these issues with my family doctor and had some blood work done to test hormone levels. Surprisingly, there wasn’t a significant change in Estrogen to justify these changes. I decided it was time to get back into a disciplined workout routine and healthy eating, which helped me slim down. However, it didn’t solve the skin flare-ups, the hot flashes, and sleeplessness.
What made you go sober then?
Here’s the thing ladies, I do not believe products containing alcohol have health benefits. In fact, not a single health association will ever recommend drinking alcohol to prevent illnesses, such as the claim that red wine helps prevent heart disease. The fact of the matter is, wine contains an antioxidant called resveratrol, which could be linked to a lower risk of inflammation and blood clotting. But some studies found no benefits from resveratrol in preventing heart disease. Even if this was true, resveratrol comes from the skin of grapes used to make wine. So simply eating grapes or drinking grape juice can be a way to get resveratrol without drinking alcohol.
As well, we often neglect to realize that alcohol is classified as a drug and a depressant. I did some basic math on a 5 ounce of wine, which is an equivalent of one glass. On average, a glass of wine has 12% alcohol. This translates to 0.6 ounces of alcohol in each glass. If you drink a glass of wine a day, 365 days, you are consuming 219 ounces or 43 glasses of alcohol each year. Do I really need to ingest this amount of drug into my body as I age? The answer is no. I’m 100% content with drinking water and pure grape juice rather than ingesting an unnecessary amount of drugs (depressants).
And what sort of benefits do I get if I go sober?
Here are some of the most exciting benefits of going sober in October and beyond:
Hydration:
I don’t know about you, but I feel it’s becoming increasingly important to stay hydrated in my 40s. I can become easily dehydrated if I don’t drink enough water or if I drink a glass of alcoholic beverage. Although I pride myself on drinking at least 2 bottles of water a day, my skin gets too dry too fast. Since alcohol is known to dehydrate And we know quite well that a hydrated body translates to a glowing and youthful-looking skin and face. Therefore,
Better sleeping patterns:
One of the main issues women complain about during menopause is lack of sleep. Drinking alcohol can add to this problem because alcohol reduces the length of sleep cycles and energy levels. I would much rather have a good night of sleep than a glass of Dom Perignon.
Healthier diet:
Alcohol impairs regulation of blood sugar levels and interferes with the hormones that regulate glucose levels. As well, alcohol can worsen menopausal weight gain. Numerous articles support this point, and here’s why: most alcoholic drinks are high in calories. And that can further reduce metabolism during menopause. As if reduced metabolism isn’t already a problem women face during menopause, now alcohol can make it even worse. No thanks, I’ll skip the martini night.
Should you go sober in October and beyond?
I am not a health expert or specialist in any shape, form, or manner, but I know that there’s no way alcohol is good for my health. There are countless articles written by many women who believe that alcohol and menopause should not mix. The decision to go sober is totally a personal choice, and I don’t intend to guilt you into quitting. My goal is to help menopausal women, like me, find healthy options and alternative solutions to dealing with this midlife “crisis.” And maybe going sober in October is an excellent month to try out an alcohol-free lifestyle for a few weeks. After all, you are showing support for cancer patients and what a beautiful thing this can be.
Summary
Alcohol has been proven to trigger symptoms of menopause. If you are over 40, you may want to consider tweaking some of your lifestyle habits. A slight change, such as reducing alcohol intake, will make a difference in how you feel during menopause. Going sober can help increase energy levels, as well as reduce caloric intake. Needless to mention, we’ll have more money in our bank accounts to use towards improving lifestyle as we age.
