Blame it on the Goose…
By: Brittany Walker
In the words of Jamie Foxx, “Blame it on the Goose, got you feeling loose. Blame it on the Patron, got you in the zone. Blame it on the al-al-al-al-al-alcohol.”
After a stressful or demanding day, you may want to pour up a glass or two of wine to decompress. You had a successful week and would like to cheers while meeting up with some friends for Happy Hour. This appears to be common activities, right?! Medical information states that drinking no more than 1 glass a day is not harmful, however we must be mindful of how alcohol increases the estrogen levels in the body. The higher the estrogen is in your body, the more likely to have an influx in inflammation which we want to avoid as an Endo Warrior. Frequent drinking may make you prone to resist insulin which can cause the pancreas to go into overdrive to maintain proper insulin levels thus causing unnecessary inflammation for the body. The sugar in alcohol has the tendency to block anti-inflammatory prostaglandins therefore welcoming inflammation into the body. When you are living with endometriosis, it’s “HELL NO, INFLAMMATION MUST GO!”
Your day-to-day actions can have a delayed effect on your menstrual cycle for up to 60 days. So if you had an all-inclusive vacation with 5-7 days of consistent drinking in March, it is possible to not receive any effects until May. With so many techniques and options for health treatment, we know that each body is different. Let’s challenge ourselves! Try not drinking for 1-2 months so you can evaluate how decreasing or eliminating alcohol works with your body. You can substitute alcohol for water, herbal teas or fresh juices (not from concentrate) which will provide your body with whole nutrients that will combat the inflammation and onset of symptoms especially during your menstrual cycle. The goal is to not chastise you for doing something that you like. It is to try alternatives to healing and doing whatever needs to be done to make living with endometriosis more manageable.
Here are some positive alternatives that may replace the use of alcohol:
Stressed or depressed —> journaling, going out in nature, therapy, yoga
Celebrations —> treat yourself to your favorite meal, set new goals, self-care treatment
Evening routine to relax —> read, manifestations/affirmations, take a soak
To be social —> alcohol-free events, mocktails, join endo friendly organizations
For enjoyment —> indulge in hobbies, plan next adventure, research next major move
Escape problems —> speak to a loved one, seek guidance from a professional, develop realistic resolutions