For many of our patients, the holidays represent a challenging time—whether it’s increased stress from the pressures of the holiday season, or difficulty maintaining routine and healthy habits amid the travel and social engagements. Alcohol is a huge part of this. So to support our community during this time, Culina Health RD Alex Balbontin, BS, RDN, hosted a webinar dedicated to mindful drinking during the holidays and the effect alcohol has on our bodies. This presentation is packed with proven tips and advice for abstaining, or imbibing, in a way that is aligned with your unique health goals.
You can watch the full webinar here or read below for some quick takeaways!
Effects of alcohol in the body
Firstly, the purpose of this webinar isn’t to tell you whether or not to drink—but as dietitians, we feel it’s important to understand the impacts of alcohol on the body, so you can make more informed choices.
Alcohol has direct, top-down effects on various parts of our physiology. When we drink, alcohol is directly absorbed into the bloodstream and the blood-brain barrier, disrupting sleeping patterns, as well as leading to feelings of brain fog.
Alcohol metabolization occurs mainly in the liver, the process of which produces cholesterol, elevating our lipids over time and also causing our body to hold on to extra fat.
As alcohol enters the digestive tract, it can disrupt the naturally-occurring bacteria that plays a part in maintaining our immune system and digestive function and regularity, as well as increasing stomach acid.
Impacts of decreasing your alcohol intake
There are so many health benefits to drinking less, or cutting out alcohol altogether. Think about the difference between how you feel after a big night out vs. a night of only a few drinks, vs. a sober evening, to take stock of how alcohol affects your body specifically.
Reducing alcohol intake often leads to…
- Better sleep
- More energy
- Improvement in lipid panels
- Decreased risk for cancer
- Improvement in blood pressure
- Better connection with hunger cues the next day
- Decrease in acid reflux symptoms
- Improvement in digestion
- Increased support for movement
And it’s not just the physical effects of alcohol that can mess with your physical and mental health. Next-day hangovers can really disrupt your routine! When we’re hungover, we tend to stay in bed, cancel plans or chores that need doing, go off-script when it comes to our food habits, and more. So cutting back on alcohol, and reducing your hangovers offers the opportunity to stay on track with your health goals, self-care routine, and avoid those next-day mental health symptoms.
Tips for mindful drinking
It’s easy to say we want to drink more mindfully, but in practice, it can be difficult to pull off. For most of us, alcohol is so deeply ingrained in our culture and social lives, especially during the holiday season, so to step back and change your habits requires planning and a mindset shift. Here are some of my most tried-and-true tips for planning ahead to enjoy social outings while sticking to your health goals around drinking and alcohol consumption.
Have a loose plan in mind
A few things to consider as you plan for your evening, and whether or not you want to drink, include…
- How do I want my evening to go? This is a great way to look back on previous events and see what you want to do differently, or the same. If you and Uncle Frank always fight after a few beers, maybe changing up the script will allow you to avoid unpleasant dynamics.
- How do I want to feel tomorrow? If you have to be up early to travel, or have a big workday, or are craving routine, imagine how bad a hangover will feel. Consider the impacts of how much you drink on the following day, and plan accordingly!
- What other events do I have coming up? Sometimes drinking can be helped with prioritization. Maybe you’d rather stay sober for your family dinner tonight, so you can feel better about having a few glasses of wine at your friend’s party later this week. You don’t need to drink at every event—maybe think about which are more worth it to you!
- Maybe consider having a drink count in mind. Sometimes, putting parameters on something that’s usually open-ended can make decisions easier. For example, saying to yourself, “I’m only having X drinks tonight” instead of saying, “I’m going to try and drink less tonight,” likely will set you up for better success!
Strategies for the night-of
Once you’re at the party or gathering, it’s time to put into practice what you’ve been thinking about! Here are some ways to get even more support for moderate drinking or not drinking at all, and make this transition easier.
- Involve someone you trust. You don’t need to go through this alone! Telling a friend can help you feel less lonely in your endeavor to drink mindfully, and it also creates accountability. Who knows—this friend might even be trying to cut back too, and you can be in it together!
- Consider “BYOM.” Good news—we are living in the golden age of mocktails and non-alcoholic drinks. If you’re not sure whether the party will have NA options, bring your own! Whether it’s Poppi, seltzer, Ghia, or another non alcoholic beverage—pour it in a fancy glass, and no one will be able to tell it’s not an alcoholic drink.
- Take a pause. It’s easy to get caught up in the moment of holiday celebrations and forget everything you were working toward. When the party begins, take a 5-10 minute pause before reaching for an alcoholic beverage to reset on your drinking goals and intentions. It will help you stick to your plan! Also, you can pause by grabbing a seltzer or water when you first walk in—this will give you time to focus on your goals, while taking the pressure off a bit. Or enjoy the champagne toast before swapping to an NA option!
- Eat. Whether you’re drinking alcohol or not, don’t forget to eat! It’ll keep you full and satiated, and provide a lining for your stomach in case you do drink.
Our favorite holiday mocktails and non-alcoholic drinks
Have these on hand when you want to alternate with a non alcoholic beverage, or avoid a hangover for the next day!
- Club soda with lime: This sugar-free and gluten-free option is so easy to put together—and no one will be able to tell it’s not a vodka soda!
- Seltzer: Spindrift, Waterloo, La Croix—there are so many great options. Most of them have little to no sugar, and you can dress them up with a sprig of rosemary or a citrus garnish for added festive energy!
- Better-for-you soda: Poppi and Olipop are two of my favorites!
- NA beer: Try Athletic Brewing, Samuel Adams Just the Haze, Guinness 0, Heineken 0, Corona 0—there are tons of options, and they taste just like the alcoholic version!
- Alcohol-free wine: TOST Rose, Ariel Cabernet Sauvignon, Giesen Marlborough, Leitz Eins Zwei Riesling are all great options.
- NA Canned Cocktails: Ghia, Kin Euphorics, and St. Agrestis Phony Negroni are some delicious, festive options perfect for a holiday party!
- Tart Cherry Juice Spritzer: Pour 1 oz of 100% tart cherry juice, mix with club soda, and fresh lime juice – shake to combine and pour over ice. Add a sprig of rosemary to garnish for extra holiday cheer or add extra cranberries!
- Iced Herbal Tea. Try it with peppermint, turmeric ginger, or green tea. Tasty, refreshing, and has tons of health benefits. Garnish with fresh cut orange slices and cinnamon sticks!
Get support for mindful drinking
Cutting back on alcohol can be tricky—and it’s important to remember you aren’t alone in it. If you’re looking for extra support on this journey to reexamine your drinking habits, there are so many resources out there:
- Helplines like SAMHSA National Helpline → 1-800-662-4357
- Healthcare providers. Be honest with your physician! They can only help if they know what is happening, and they won’t judge you. This is their job!
- Mutual support groups are available to those struggling with substances. They are most often free, with virtual and in-person options, available anywhere you live.
- Therapists can be a beneficial part of your healthcare team, too.
Finally, Culina Health RDs can offer you tools and support for mindful drinking, eating, and whatever lifestyle and health goals you want to work towards. We are a zero-judgment space where we account for your unique lifestyle, budget, culture, and goals, to create a plan of action for your health that will be sustainable, and lead to lasting wellbeing. Get matched with an RD today!
