Alcohol is always a tricky topic; on one hand, we have studies telling us wine is great for the heart and women that drink wine daily have lower BMI’s than those who abstain. On the other, even 1 drink weekly is associated with an increased risk of developing certain types of cancer. This happens because alcohol interferes with your body’s ability to detoxify estrogen and can also increase the body’s production of harmful estrogens and other inflammatory compounds. There are studies showing that drinking more than 7 glasses of alcohol weekly causes significant increases in serum estrogen levels which can contribute to heavy periods, weight gain, PMS and hormonal breakouts. While 7 glasses of wine or champagne weekly may be difficult to accomplish on a regular weekday it becomes surprisingly easy to pass this number during the holidays.

Let’s me be very clear hear – I (Dr. Sarah) will most definitely be having some bubbly and perhaps a few festive cocktails over the break. To me, semi-sober means indulging in way less alcohol than years (or weekends) past, no abstaining completely. Alcohol is yummy and fun and enhances physical relaxation so I still plan on having a few .. just less ..

For the sake of my own accountability, and to help you decrease your intake if that’s your goal this holiday season, I’ve done some research and put together a few top tips for healthier alcohol choices this holiday. Cheers beauties.

Choose Red

If you’re planning on having more than 1 glass of wine during a night of merriment then we suggest switching to organic red wine. Studies show that red wine contains natural aromatase inhibitors that block estrogen production. Pinot noir and cabernet sauvignons seem to have the highest levels of these hormone-helping compounds. A methylated B12 supplement can also be a good idea when drinking excess alcohol since it helps the body metabolize these estrogens and B12 levels are depleted by regular alcohol consumption.

Support Your Liver

Speak to your naturopathic doctor about adding a high quality milk thistle-based product to your holiday health protocol. This herb helps to up-regulate alcohol dehydrogenase which improves breakdown and excretion of toxic alcohol metabolites.  It protects the liver and prevents excessive drunkenness making it ideal for those company holiday parties.

Explore Non-Alcoholic Drinks

We know heavy holiday drinking can be a tough habit to break, so here are a few of our non-alcoholic favourite drinks & habits to help ‘take the edge off’

• herbal tinctures, in a wine glass! herbs like lemon balm, kava, st. john’s wort, chamomile and passion flower give the same relaxing benefits of alcohol with none of the sugar, hangover, breast cancer risk, etc. We mix 1/2 – 1 tsp of our replete zen drops in wine glass over ice and top with a splash of pomegranate + tarte cherry juice (metabolism + sleep benefits, yeehaw)
• Sparkling water + bitters; sometimes all you really want when you’re craving alcohol is the comfort of a ritual. Pour your favourite flavour of sparkling water into a tall glass with ice and top with bitters aka small bottles of spirits infused with botanicals (herbs and spices) that help make your drink feel & taste more special
• CBD drinks! there are lots of wonderful, sugar-free options available and they can be a great option for those of us that drink to take the edge off of social situations since CBD is relaxing to the nervous system (we see you, shy queens). Naturopathic doctors are not allowed to prescribe marijuana-based products in Canada (an OUTRAGE IMO) so speak to a teenager at your local cannabis store who is apparently more qualified to guide you in CBD selection than a doctor with 4+ years training in herbal medicine and pharmacology ..
• Sleepy tea; there are so many great organic sleepy tea options available commercially. Look for one that contains passion flower, valerian, chamomile + cinnamon for evening blood sugar regulation to help you chill out in the evenings. We’re working on a very special new sleepy tea blend for you sober-ish gals, check back in the new year for more details.