.png)
Hormone No No #1: What's Causing You Stress at Happy Hour
Part #1 of Balanced Bombshells 3 Hormone No No's Series
Mmmmm happy hour. Who doesn’t love going out for a drink? It’s a time to relax and unwind!
Grabbing a drink with a date or friends can feel unavoidable and is a prominent part of our culture. But it can turn into a big hormone no no.
It wasn’t until I learned about cycle syncing --partnering food, workouts, and lifestyle habits to your monthly cycle-- that I saw some flaws in my choices.
After tracking my cycle, I noticed two things:
1. My cycle was irregular with my period coming every 40-43 days. A healthy cycle falls between 21-35 days. Bloating occurred in my ovulation phase, and would hang around for 2 weeks.
2. My body was sensitive to the natural rise and fall of estrogen and progesterone.
Some women barely notice the changes in these hormones, where my body was suffering monthly.
This is a rough look at what estrogen and progesterone do in your cycle:
Estrogen peaks in your ovulation phase, while progesterone peaks in your luteal phase.
Alcohol can increase estrogen, so having a few cocktails during times of the month estrogen is naturally high can make balancing hormones much more difficult. Alcohol also sparks your adrenal glands to release the stress hormone cortisol, thus further pushing your body away from where you want it to be.
Hormone No No #1 = avoid alcohol during your ovulation phase.
Today, I avoid alcohol during ovulation and focus on drinking kombucha or water with lemon. I sip it out of a champagne glass to keep that fancy feeling without the side effects of alcohol. I feel so different with this simple change and don’t have to decline a drink.
My client, Kary, noticed the same issue when she began tracking her cycle. She would bloat at ovulation and began saying no to alcohol during that week. She found she had clearer skin, less bloating, and felt calmer when PMS week came around.
Who knew a simple change could have so much power!
“But Laura, I love wine and don’t have the willpower to say no!”
I totally get it. You don’t have to eliminate it completely, just be more strategic when you do indulge.
For example, after your period is over, your hormone levels are at their lowest levels and can be a great time to indulge. Or if you just love two glasses of wine, opt for one glass of water with lemon, followed by your favorite red or white.
You can always pick and choose when you celebrate with alcohol, but now you know WHY a symptom arises, and why it might linger for a bit. Your body can take a few weeks to process that excess estrogen!
Check out Hormone No No #2 of this 3 part series: what’s causing you stress at the gym.
