Rethinking alcohol.
Could perimenopause be the reason to cut down on the booze? Tips for managing hot flushes, plus the perfect Creamy Almond Hot Chocolate.
It’s only a few weeks until Christmas — and party season has officially begun! With all of the celebrations, healthy eating and lifestyle habits often get sidelined, and then unrealistic new year resolutions are made and quickly broken soon after. But why do we keep repeating this behaviour every year? In reality, this all or nothing approach is rarely a good idea and takes its toll both physically and mentally. Instead, we would be better off considering what we can add in to our diet and lifestyle to support our health this festive season. Rather than feeling guilty, we should feel free to enjoy our celebrations with friends and family. Remember that it’s the small changes over time that make big differences, so giving yourself freedom and flexibility is likely to lead to a healthy balance and longer term success.
After Christmas comes a new year, with the chance to set goals and plan for the year ahead. I’d love to keep creating useful content for you in Midlife Bites, so please do share your feedback. Let me know what you’d like to read in future issues by completing this short survey.
In this month’s edition of Midlife Bites, at the risk of sounding like a killjoy, I look at the benefits of quitting alcohol in midlife. It may not seem like a great time to be rethinking your relationship with booze, but why not? If the effects of alcohol are now hitting you harder than they used to, why wait? Now is as good a time as any for making change if you’ve been considering it. New habits don’t just happen, they take time and effort. If you’ve been toying with the idea of reducing how much alcohol you drink, I say, go for it!
When we think of menopause symptoms, I can guarantee that hot flushes will get a mention. With around 80% of women experiencing them, they’re certainly not uncommon. For some people, hot flushes are manageable but for others they can be quite debilitating. So in this month’s habits, I share three tips to help beat the heat.
The last couple of weeks have been freezing — and what better way to warm up than with a mug of creamy hot chocolate? This recipe for Creamy Almond Hot Chocolate has an extra ingredient that adds protein, healthy fats and added creaminess.
For paid subscribers this month, we take a look at cortisol and whether TikTok influencers are onto something with the latest trend for ‘cortisol face’. I also share the wide-ranging benefits of an often overlooked antioxidant, CoQ10, and reveal why it might be worth considering a supplement during perimenopause.
As always, I’d love to hear from you if you’re interested in working together, or if you have any questions or comments — either hit reply or book a free 1-to-1 chat.
Is it time to rethink drinking alcohol?
The conversation that nobody really wants to have, am I right? Society has placed such a strong link between socialising and drinking, it may seem impossible to have a life without booze. But when it comes to perimenopause, do the cons of drinking actually outweigh the pros? Whether you’ve begun your perimenopause journey or not, current recommendations are to drink no more than 14 units (that’s six glasses of wine) per week, spread over three or more days — and even then, research suggests that there’s actually no safe amount of alcohol. Regularly drinking higher levels of alcohol is linked with certain types of cancer, liver disease, and heart disease, not to mention the potential impact on mental health.
Anecdotally, many women feel the effects of a couple of glasses of wine much more when they’re in their 40s, with mood swings, anxiety, insomnia and hot flushes becoming significantly worse. But what’s going on, why aren’t alcohol and perimenopause friends?
Firstly, compared to men, women have lower levels of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) (an enzyme responsible for breaking down alcohol) in their stomach. This means that women absorb more alcohol into the bloodstream, making us more susceptible to the effects. As we age, this enzyme can dip even more, plus — we lose water volume making us less able to dilute the alcohol in our system. So this may be why in perimenopause we notice that our tolerance is not what it used to be.
Effective liver function is crucial when it comes to processing alcohol and the liver is also responsible for producing and metabolising hormones. As we age, the liver becomes less efficient and drinking alcohol creates a burden that makes the detoxification of excess hormones more difficult — this is when our symptoms may worsen.
Wine in particular contains the chemicals histamine and sulphites, to which many women find they become more sensitive during perimenopause and which may exacerbate hot flushes and night sweats. Alcohol also affects how we absorb calcium, reducing bone mineral density and increasing a woman’s risk of fractures. Despite helping you to drop off, alcohol actually suppresses REM (or dreaming) sleep, leading to worse sleep quality and feeling less rested on waking. If you’re already experiencing disrupted sleep, alcohol is likely to only leave you feeling worse. Fluctuating hormones in perimenopause can cause havoc with your mood, making you feel more anxious and low. Alcohol is a depressant so it may intensify these feelings in the long run.
But whether you should drink alcohol or not is down to your individual experience. If you notice that your symptoms get worse when you drink, you should probably consider reducing or going alcohol free for a period to see whether symptoms improve. Try to keep a diary for a month, noting down when you drink, what you drink, your reasons for drinking, and your perimenopause symptoms to determine if there’s a pattern.
TIPS FOR CUTTING DOWN
Socialise differently: plan your social life around activities that don’t revolve around drinking (such as: walks in nature, theatre visits, movie nights).
Be mindful: Don’t drink on an empty stomach; follow every alcoholic drink with two glasses of water; choose small portion sizes; alternate with non-alcoholic drinks (so-called ‘zebra striping’ is on-trend this season); take days off.
Start slow: rather than going full-on dry, consider breaking the habit of drinking at home, or drinking daily and making your changes over the long term.
TOP NON-ALCOHOLIC SWAPS
Mother Root uses beneficial apple cider vinegar and other natural ingredients to create an alcohol-free aperitif that not only tastes good, but makes you feel good too.
Third Spirit creates plant-based spirit alternatives for every mood. If you’re looking for a party pick-me-up, try The Livener, or for an end-of-the-night slow-sipper, try The Nightcap.
Pentire Drinks make a great non-alcoholic alternative to gin. My favourites of these ready-to-drink cocktails are the negroni-style Coastal Spritz or the classic Margarita.
Agua de Madre is a low-alcohol water kefir brewed in small batches in London. Bursting with billions of gut-loving live ingredients, the flavours (such as pomegranate & hibiscus) are simply delicious.
If you’d like to learn more about how to support your perimenopause symptoms through diet and lifestyle, please do get in touch, I’d love to chat!
To manage hot flushes
Of all the many symptoms of perimenopause, hot flushes (also known as hot flashes) are probably one of the most well known. Around 80% of women experience hot flushes during perimenopause and menopause, so know that you’re not alone if you’re suddenly feeling hot and bothered. Usually lasting a few minutes, you may find that you only get them occasionally or several times a day; you may also continue to get them for several years after your last period. If you’re having a hot flush, you may feel: a rapid and intense feeling of heat; flushing across your face, neck and chest; a lack of concentration; and sweating. Although hot flushes are usually associated with a decline in oestrogen, there’s no correlation between oestrogen levels and the severity or frequency of hot flushes. Research also suggests that a decline in serotonin (a ‘feel-good’ hormone) may also have role in triggering hot flushes by affecting the part of the brain that regulates your body temperature. If hot flushes are a symptom you’re experiencing, here are three tips to help you to keep your cool:
Include phytoestrogens: Compounds naturally found in plants, phytoestrogens have a similar chemical structure to oestrogen and can bind to oestrogen receptors in the body and either mimic or block the effects of oestrogen. Research has indicated that phytoestrogens may reduce the frequency and severity of hot flushes in menopausal women. Foods that contain phytoestrogens include: soy beans and soy products (tofu, tempeh, miso); flaxseeds; sesame seeds; chickpeas; lentils; berries; oats; broccoli; Brussels sprouts.
Manage stress: Emotional stress can affect your body temperature by impacting the body’s stress-response mechanism. Add perimenopause on top of that stress, and you just might trigger a hot flush. Relaxation techniques that help manage anxiety and the stress response may help keep this under control, meaning less frequent, and potentially less severe, hot flushes. Try breathing techniques, especially long, slow, deep breaths with a focus on the exhale.
Avoid triggers: Many women notice that particular foods and drinks make hot flushes worse or more frequent (or both). Try keeping a food diary to see if you can spot a connection with what you might have had to eat or drink. Common triggers include spicy foods, hot foods, caffeine and alcohol.
If you’re interested in working with me on a 1-to-1 basis, why not book a complimentary chat to find out more about how I can support you through perimenopause. And if you’re on Instagram, come and say hi.
Creamy Almond Hot Chocolate
Serves: 2 | Time: 5 minutes
The weather has been so awful recently, I can’t think of anything better than snuggling up with a cosy mug of hot chocolate. The instant hot chocolate powders that are available in supermarkets are often full of sugar and additives. But it’s so easy to make something delicious with minimal ingredients that are actually good for you. For this recipe, I use raw cacao powder, which is full of protective antioxidants, is an excellent source of magnesium (‘nature’s tranquiliser’) and supports brain power, heart health and mood. I’ve also added a splash of maple syrup, anti-inflammatory Ceylon cinnamon and almond butter to boost the protein content and make it extra creamy! Add a pinch of Cayenne pepper for an extra kick of heat.
INGREDIENTS
400ml milk (of choice; I used almond)
1 tablespoon smooth almond butter
2 heaped tablespoons raw cacao powder
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon
pinch of Cayenne pepper
METHOD
Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small saucepan and warm on a low to medium heat. Pour into mugs and serve immediately.
Why is everyone talking about cortisol?
The great minds of the wellness world (aka TikTok influencers) have been causing a stir about a condition they’ve termed ‘cortisol face’. Characterised by a round puffy face, tired appearance and loss of skin elasticity, cortisol face is allegedly caused by high levels of the stress hormone cortisol (or it’s just a consequence of being a parent? IYKYK). Of course, those people making this mass diagnosis, also have the solution for reducing this seemingly debilitating condition.
It will come as no surprise that cortisol face is not actually a recognised medical term. But nevertheless, should we be worried about our cortisol levels, particularly during perimenopause?
Forget how your face looks, if you’re feeling anxious, have brain fog, feel ‘tired and wired’, have trouble sleeping, are getting sick all the time and have noticed that you’ve been putting on weight, it’s likely that your cortisol levels may be out of balance. But what even is cortisol? I’ll explain what’s going on with this hormone, and why actually short-term increases in cortisol production are normal and essential in supporting a healthy stress response.
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