Alcohol. It's the kind of frenemy that many women have a love-hate relationship with. It may make us feel good in the moment—relaxed, more social, less anxious—but many women find that after a drink or several, they’re moody, irritable, don’t sleep as well, and feel overall kind of not-so-great. Are there reasons for this that are unique to women? And can alcohol have hidden effects on our estrogen? Progesterone? Menstrual cycles? What about your gut? Circadian rhythm? Thyroid? That’s exactly what we’ll explore together in this two part series on women, alcohol, and our hormones. Whether you’re having a dry January or just hitting the brakes a little now that the holiday parties are behind us, what better time of year is there to do a little self-check-in on this anyway? It can be a perfect time to revaluate your relationship with alcohol altogether as you move into a healthier New Year. We’ll be diving straight into the research and discussing the direct impact alcohol has on women’s hormonal and long-term health, so you can make the most informed decisions when it comes to alcohol consumption that best fit your lifestyle. In the first of this two part series on women, alcohol, and our hormones, we'll deep dive into... Why we need to know how much a "drink" really is in terms of alcohol content The differences between how men and women metabolize alcohol and why this is so important The differences between light, moderate, heavy, and binge drinking and why it matters How your personal background can play a role in the way you react to alcohol The truth about red wine consumption and the French Paradox The dynamic between alcohol, inflammation, leaky gut, blood sugar, and thyroid health How alcohol impacts estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and our menstrual cycles This episode will give you food for thought and some important information to consider as you intentionally reflect on whether and how much to include alcohol in your lifestyle with zero judgment. Thank you so much for taking the time to tune in to your body, yourself, and this podcast! Please share the love by sending this to someone in your life who could benefit from the kinds of things we talk about in this space. Make sure to follow your host on Instagram @dr.avivaromm and go to avivaromm.com to join the conversation.