# 100 | Going Alcohol-Free - The Surprising Joys and Benefits of Ditching Alcohol

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Written By Kate Bendewald
going alcohol free

“If it feels like something that's been getting in your way, try it and see how you feel. What happens to your creativity, what happens to your energy, what happens to your business? There's so much potential”

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In today's episode, I'm opening up about going alcohol-free this year and the impact this decision has had on my health, my work, and my relationships. I had gotten to a point where my anxiety had gotten worse and I suspected my alcohol use was a way to manage anxiety. I knew it was impacting my day to day energy, mood, stress levels, and anxiety. It started when we moved to Texas and I was struggling, then we moved back to Colorado and Covid happen. My drinking had worsened but I just couldn't quit. I chose to try out a Dry January and ended up where I am today.

2 Myths about Alcohol Use

  • Myth #1: I'm the problem, It's me!

    • I felt so much shame around feeling addicted until I really dug into learning about alcohol and all of the ways that alcohol is an addictive substance.

  • Myth #2: The AA Way is the Only Way

    • I thought (like many people) that the only way forward was to label myself an alcoholic, declare myself "powerless", and attend meetings in the basement of a local church with a bunch of strangers who had hit rock-bottom. I knew that wasn't going to work for me so I looked into other options and found amazing resources! I found the book Quit Like A Woman and it was a game changer for me.

What Alcohol does to your body and brain

As I started looking into alcohol and it's impact on your body and brain and other facets of life, I found the Huberman Podcast and highly recommend his episode on what alcohol does to your brain and body. It starts with that first sip euphoria and then you keep chasing the feeling you get from that first drink, but you'll never get it because the first drink causes your brain to release more dopamine.

Alcohol also has an impact on your gut-brain axis which runs from your throat to the end of your intestines and send chemical and neural signals between your brain and your gut. Alcohol disrupts this pathway. WIth alcohol being an ethanol - he same chemical we put in gasoline to fuel our cars, and in cleaning agents to kill bacteria (hand sanitizer) - when we ingest it, we also kill off our healthy microbiota.

When our healthy microbiota is disrupted, we can trigger leaky gut syndrome where good bacteria are being killed and bad bacteria can pass through the gut lining into the bloodstream, and into the brain.

What Has Happened Since I Went Alcohol-Free

I've seen so many benefits in my alcohol-free journey including my relationships with my kids and my husband have improved greatly. I am more present and less aggravated. My closest friends around me have also stopped drinking. I no longer care or feel shame around being alcohol-free and have done a full 180 where I don't even want people to think that I'm drinking alcohol. In addition, I have lost 20 pounds, my skin looks amazing, and I get better quality sleep. I feel more creative, more alive, and more present. I truly feel amazing and am so thankful for my decision.

My Alcohol-Free Toolbox (when you're ready)

My top tips and ticks in my alcohol-free toolbox are:

  • Start by telling your close friends and family. If they aren't supportive that says more about them than it does about you.

  • Get all of the alcohol out of your house

  • Be VERY gentle with yourself (especially in the first few days).

  • Drink hot water with lemon every morning

  • Go on walks and incorporate more stretching and yoga.

  • Stimulate your Vagus Nerve. You can do this through singing, breathing exercises, meditation, gardening, etc.

  • Join a Community

  • Have "Happy Hour" every day (yes, you read that right!). Just because you're going alcohol-free doesn't mean you aren't drinking fun drinks. Some options include:

    • Make Functional Drinks - drinks with ingredients that make you feel good.

    • Sparkling water, Ginger, Lemon, Herbal Tinctures (I like "Emotional Ally" from Wish Garden Herbs or Rhodiola)

    • Look for drinks with adaptogens or add adaptogens to beverages. Adaptogens are plants and mushrooms that can help the body manage stress, anxiety, fatigue, and overall well-being such as Ashwaganda, Rhodiola, and Reishi Mushroom.

Resources

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