The holidays are here, and with them come festive gatherings, clinking glasses, and a whole lot of fun. But for many women navigating perimenopause and beyond, alcohol can throw our bodies out of balance in ways that don’t feel so merry. The good news? You don’t have to swear off wine forever—you just need a strategy.
Your Liver: The Unsung Hero of Hormone Health
Your liver is a powerhouse organ, working around the clock to process and eliminate toxins—including alcohol. It’s also essential for maintaining hormone balance, as it helps metabolize and clear excess hormones like estrogen from your system. When your liver is overburdened with toxins, it struggles to keep up, leading to imbalances that can affect everything from mood and energy to weight and sleep.
That means that reducing your toxic load is about more than cutting back on what you take in—it’s also about supporting the organs and systems that help process toxins OUT. By lightening the liver’s workload and bolstering your body’s natural detox pathways, you can boost hormone health, improve digestion, and feel better overall. Even if you still enjoy the occassional wine.
Let’s take a closer look at how alcohol impacts your body and explore some simple, effective ways to support your liver and your hormones this holiday season.
🍸 How Alcohol Impacts Hormones
Did you know even a single drink can lower testosterone levels? Testosterone is key for maintaining muscle tone, supporting a healthy metabolism, and giving us the energy we need to tackle our busy lives. When levels drop, we can feel sluggish, experience more trouble sleeping, and even find it harder to manage weight.
During perimenopause, when our hormone levels are already fluctuating, these effects can hit harder than ever. That’s why small shifts in how we approach alcohol can have a big impact on how we feel.
🥂 The Gut Connection
Your gut isn’t just responsible for digestion—it’s central to your overall health and hormone balance. Alcohol disrupts this delicate system by feeding harmful bacteria, wiping out the good ones, and contributing to bloating, reflux, and eventually more difficult issues like SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth), which can be challenging to heal.
Since a healthy gut is the foundation of hormone health, prioritizing your gut during this season of indulgence is one of the best gifts you can give yourself. Even if you're still enjoying some cocktails.
🍷 Alcohol and Weight Management
Here’s a fun fact that might surprise you: your body processes alcohol as a toxin. While it’s working overtime to eliminate that margarita, other calories are stored more easily as fat. Over time, this process can add up—especially as our metabolism naturally slows with age. (But this also leads us to ask, is it really age, or is it just the build up of toxins and poor detoxification from decades of living without this knowledge???)
🎯 Easy Action Steps You Can Take
First, you can join me for a free Live Workshop Wednesday, Dec. 18 at 12 pm EST/ 11 am CST. Just 30 min to dive deeper into this topic and learn more about the January accountability group. Get the link here!
The goal doesn't have to be giving up alcohol completely—unless that's something you want for yourself. It can simply be to enjoy it in a way that works with your body, not against it. Here are seven steps to get you started that also support liver health (which in turn enhances hormone health!):
1️⃣ Sip Smarter: If you’re planning to drink, keep it to one or two and alternate with water or sparkling water to stay hydrated and slow down your intake. Your liver will thank you! This helps it do its job.
.2️⃣ Food First: Eating a protein-rich meal before you pour can slow alcohol absorption and reduce its impact. Think grilled chicken, salmon, or plant-based options like lentils.
3️⃣ Set a Goal: Commit to cutting back. Whether it’s skipping the mid-week glass(es) of wine or going “Dry-ish” in January, small changes make a big difference. Consider diluting your wine with sparkling water for more of a spritz or asking the bartender to use 1/2 a shot in your cocktail instead of a full. Decide how many drinks align with your goals before you walk into a party and ask a friend to be your accountability partner. Bring something fun and non-alcholic to swap to when you've reached your limit. I like to have an Olipop Vintage Cola on deck!
4️⃣ Support Your Liver with Nutrients: Load up on foods like cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and arugula) and citrus fruits to give your liver the nutrients it needs to detox effectively. I also love to supplement daily with milk thistle, curcumin, ginger and other liver supportive herbs. This is my go to liver support supplement that Nic, Jake and I all take daily.
5️⃣ Incorporate Gentle Detox Practices: Try adding practices like dry brushing, the Big 6 lymphatic massage, Epsom salt baths, or herbal teas (think dandelion or milk thistle) to support your liver and encourage toxin elimination.
.6️⃣ Get Moving: Gentle movement, like a brisk walk, rebounding or yoga, can improve circulation and help your lymphatic system flush toxins out of your body.
7️⃣ Hydrate Like a Pro: Water isn’t enough—be sure to replenish key minerals like magnesium and potassium, which support detoxification and help your liver do its job. Especially after drinks, even 1-2. You'll sleep and feel better for it. I always drink 1 packet of hydrate detox with about 12 oz of water after wine or cocktails.
🌟 Ready for a Reset? Join the Dry-ish January Group!
If you’re looking to start the New Year feeling clear, balanced, and energized, you won’t want to miss my Dry-ish January: Detox and Thrive for Hormone Harmony group!
This 4-week challenge is packed with science-backed tips, hormone-friendly recipes, and support from a community of women on the same journey. Together, we’ll focus on liver health (your detox MVP), gut healing, and simple lifestyle tweaks that will leave you feeling your best.
➡ Ready to join? Click here to learn more and save your spot!
Let’s toast to a season of health, balance, and happiness, even during perimenopause! Cheers!
Comments