Why We’ve Given Up Alcohol – Sort of
TL/DR brands in this post: Raising the Bar, Trejo’s Spirits, dri/kit, Modica
Being in your señora era means wanting to live life more slowly, finding joy in every day things, taking care of yourself, and focusing on your mental and physical well-being. You start to want to create peace in everything you do – especially in your home.
You start to find that things that used be useful to us or fun, are actually not so fun – like drinking. Wine is delicious and sophisticated, tequila is so smooth, and whiskey is such a treat – and they make any moment super fun.
But after a certain age, its effects start to catch up to you – you start to feel groggier, wake up with more headaches, and the buzz only lasts for minutes. Then you start to hear about all of the negative health effects of alcohol – especially recent research that’s showing just how much booze can really age you (thanks telomeres!).
Here’s how alcohol is hard on your body:
- Telomere Shortening: A study published in the journal “Molecular Psychiatry” found that heavy alcohol use is associated with shorter telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of chromosomes. Shortened telomeres are a marker of cellular aging and have been linked to an increased risk of age-related diseases .
- Skin Damage: Alcohol can dehydrate the skin and reduce its elasticity, leading to wrinkles and premature aging. A study in the “Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology” highlighted that alcohol consumption is associated with skin changes such as dryness, redness, and the development of fine lines and wrinkles .
- Oxidative Stress and Inflammation: Alcohol metabolism produces reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can cause oxidative stress and inflammation. A study in the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” showed that chronic alcohol consumption leads to increased oxidative stress and inflammation, both of which contribute to the aging process .
- Hormonal Imbalance: Alcohol can disrupt hormone levels, including those of growth hormone and testosterone, which are important for maintaining muscle mass and skin health. A study in the “Journal of Endocrinological Investigation” found that alcohol disrupts the endocrine system, leading to signs of premature aging .
- Impaired DNA Repair: Alcohol can interfere with the body’s ability to repair DNA damage. A study in “Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention” found that alcohol consumption impairs the DNA repair mechanisms, leading to an accumulation of DNA damage, which is a hallmark of aging and age-related diseases .
These señoras started finding that cutting back to 1-2 max glasses per week made us feel better overall. Christina quit pretty much altogether. Our moods are better, it became easier to work out, and physically my stamina came back. It’s completely changed my fat/muscle composition. It’s been game changing.
So what do you do for fun if you are no longer reaching for that drink? We’ve been testing out some delicious mocktails and we’ll be finding our findings and favorites with you.
This week we tried the box Raising the Bar (our new partner), a subscription box that brings you mocktail recipes and all of the materials you’ll need to make them.
Check out what we made this week, with Trejo’s Spirits, actor Danny Trejo’s zero proof tequila alternative. It was honestly incredible and tasted like the real thing.
I didn’t completely stop – I may have one or two drinks a week, maybe only on special occasions, and it’s made those goodies even more special since it’s now more of a treat. I seriously recommend it.
dri/kit (partner) is another subscription box that also makes an excellent gift to bring to a party or send a beautiful kit in the mail to that special person who doesn’t drink.
Modica (partner) is a brand of non alcoholic drinks that was literally created by a mixologist – so you know it’s good. It’s got no weird ingredients, no preservatives, nothing artificial. It’s also great for the occasional cocktail
Let me know if you’re also trying mocktails and what your favorite recipes are.
