We all know alcohol can have its downsides, but do you really understand the full impact it has on your health?
As a nutritionist, I’m here to share the truth about alcohol and provide some healthier drink recommendations to help you feel your best.
How Alcohol Affects Your Body and the Alcohol Health Risks
First, let’s look at how alcohol affects the body. While that nightly glass of wine may seem harmless, alcohol disrupts your sleep cycles, causes dehydration, wrecks your gut health, and prevents your body from absorbing important nutrients.
This triple-whammy of sleep troubles, dehydration, and nutrient deficiencies can leave you feeling totally drained.
Alcohol health risks reduce melatonin production, ruining the quality of your sleep no matter how long you’re in bed.
It also increases water loss, leading to dreaded headaches and brain fog.
On top of that, it throws off the delicate balance of gut bacteria, causing issues like bloating.
And by inhibiting absorption of B vitamins and magnesium, alcohol robs your body of energising nutrients.
The cumulative effect of poor sleep, dehydration, gut problems, and nutrient deficiencies is nothing short of exhausting.
But here’s the good news – simply moderating your alcohol intake can make a big difference.
When you pull back on the drinks, your body is able to rebound.
You’ll start getting better sleep, proper hydration, balanced gut flora, and optimised nutrient absorption.
The Impact of Moderating Alcohol Intake on Health
In turn, you’ll feel more energised, mentally sharp, less bloated, and have better immunity and metabolism.
Cutting back on alcohol can have a profound influence on your overall vitality.
So, if you’re feeling drained or like your get-up-and-go is lacking, reducing your intake could be an easy and impactful solution.
Healthier Drink Recommendations: Alternatives to Alcohol
Of course, I know it can be tempting to unwind with a few drinks after a long day. That’s why I’m providing some nutritionist-approved alternatives to help satisfy your cravings in a healthier way:
Non-alcoholic options:
Seedlip is a botanical, non-alcoholic “spirit” that can be mixed with a sugar-free tonic for a sophisticated, gin-like drink without the alcohol.
Kombucha is a fermented tea that provides gut-supporting probiotics. Look for flavours like ginger, citrus, or berry for a refreshing, lightly bubbly beverage.
Punchy is a grown-up, non-alcoholic mocktail featuring blood orange, bitters, and cardamom. It provides the bittersweet, complex flavours of an Aperol Spritz or Negroni without the alcohol.
Three Spirits: To get that classic gin & tonic vibe without the booze, mix Three Spirits with a good tonic water and squeeze of fresh lime – so refreshing!
Botivo: Botivo’s “Preissecco” is bold and complex on its own, but I love topping it with a ginger beer for a virgin Moscow Mule situation.
Something & Nothing: This citrusy, bubbly one is made for faking a Negroni. Mix it with some non-alcoholic vermouth and bitters for that perfect bittersweet aperitif feeling.
Clean Co: Craving an adult beverage? Make sangria mocktails by pouring Clean Co’s “Wines” over fresh fruit, some juice, and club soda. So vibrant!
Sentia: For an Old Fashioned without a next-day headache, mix Sentia’s whiskey alternative with ginger beer and a twist of orange peel. Yum!
Alcoholic options:
Tequila soda with fresh lime is a great pick if you’re looking to minimise sugar. Tequila is also lower in carbs compared to other spirits and has the least negative impact on blood sugar levels, therefore minimising the alcohol health risks.
A glass of red wine, ideally paired with a meal, can be a wonderful way to enhance the flavours of foods like red meat. The polyphenols in red wine also provide antioxidant benefits.
Vodka soda with lime offers a low-sugar alcoholic beverage alternative that won’t adversely affect blood sugar levels as much as high-sugar drink choices.
Understanding the Alcohol Health Risks and Making Healthier Choices
These picks provide the ritual and flavours you crave from your favourite drinks, but without the negative health impacts of excess alcohol.
Sipping on these options allows you to enjoy yourself while also feeling your best.
At the end of the day, even moderate alcohol consumption can have consequences for your energy, sleep, gut health, and nutrient status.
At first it might seem like a harmless way to unwind, but the cumulative effects can really zap your vitality over time.
At a minimum, I recommend cutting back and trying some of these nutritionist-approved alternatives.
Your body (and your mood!) will thank you.
Ready to improve your health and build a lively lifestyle through healthy habits, while also being mindful of alcohol health risks?
Instead of just focusing on food, I consider the bigger picture for long-lasting results.
No need to wait! Grab your free discovery call now, and let's work together to create a simple plan that incorporates healthy habits, helping you look and feel your best while also addressing any concerns about alcohol health risks.
