On Air with Ella - podcast episode 282
Can you change your relationship with alcohol without feeling deprived or like a social outcast? Why would you want to?
Alcohol is everywhere in our society, and it's hard to resist. The pressures to fit in and have "just one drink"-- that turns into several - whether at a party or on a casual Friday night, can lead to an imbalanced life that's plagued with unhealthy habits, lower self-esteem, and decreased productivity.
Karolina has helped thousands of casual drinkers transform their relationship with alcohol (including herself!). In Euphoric, she shares a strategy to make alcohol much less significant in your life. No matter what your relationship with alcohol, we're talking about what it does to our mind, mood and body and what a break could look like.
In this episode:
The science of alcohol on our bodies and brains
What you can expect from a break
Navigating your social life confidently without a drink (or FOMO)
After-effects of drinking (that get worse in your 30s and 40s)
We sometimes choose COMFORT vs FULFILLMENT... that's worth examining!
Why going alcohol-free can help you pursue bigger dreams
SLEEP
We think alcohol helps us sleep. Alcohol is a depressant and slows down or central nervous system and induces sleep but it is ineffective for depressed. It helps you fall asleep because it's sedating you into slow-wave sleep for the first half of the night.
ANXIETY
Anxiety is worsened with alcohol
To counter a depressant like alcohol our bodies release stress hormones and neuropeptides like cortisol, adrenaline, dynorphin (think of it as the opposite of endorphins!). It makes you feel sad.
Combined, these stimulants make you feel anxious, wired and exhausted.
...and you'll feel them the most about five hours after drinking
METABOLISM
Alcohol stimulates your appetite and blocks the absorption of certain nutrients and vitamins which then get depleted when your body is in the process of detoxifying
Specifically, alcohol inhibits the absorption and usage of folic acid, zinc, vitamins A, D and K.
By blocking the absorption of nutrients, alcohol makes you feel hungrier (because you are missing nutrients!).
...and not just when you drink. Alcohol makes you hungrier all the time.
An American journal of clinical nutrition study showed a 73% reduction in metabolism for three hours after consuming two drinks
HEART HEALTH
Fun fact: alcohol raises your resting heart rate. It forces your heart to beat faster and increases your blood pressure, but with no related physical exertion - so the heart becomes less efficient at pumping oxygen to the body and alcohol use over time increases both heart rate and blood pressure
Alcohol also impedes muscle growth by diminishing protein synthesis, slowing the body's ability to heal and recover from a workout end depletes energy. It also causes a drop in testosterone levels which are needed for growing muscles, and increases cortisol... ugh.
CONNECT WITH KAROLINA
Karolina Rzadkowolska is a certified alcohol-free life coach who helps intuitive women make alcohol insignificant in their lives. She’s worked with thousands of clients through her online courses and coaching to change their drinking habits and unleash a new level of health, happiness, and potential to go after their biggest dreams. Karolina is passionate about helping you discover what really makes you happy and design a life you love!
IG: @euphoric.af
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