I've been dealing with some health issues. I'm pretty sure my 45 year old female body is starting to deal with "the change" as some of us call it. I've been woozy, fatigued, gaining belly fat, foggy brained and dealing with night sweats. My primary dr is sending me to the cardiologist to see if my Mitral Valve Prolapse has gotten worse. Based on the way I feel and on my research, I think it's text book perimenopause symptoms. There are certain things that make the symptoms worse and sadly, they are things I enjoy. Booze, caffeine and spicy foods. I can tell you 1000% fore sure that alcohol is most certainly a trigger now. If I drink, I'm guaranteed to wake up at 2am sweating like crazy AND the next day I'm totally hit with all the other symptoms I mentioned a few lines up. I've also noticed lately that drinking is more of a habit for me than a rare occasion treat. I can't seem to stop once I get started and I don't like that way that makes me feel. I feel like it's a huge part of my life socially and in trying to connect with people in my life....but I have to STOP for my own health. So, for the next 30 days I'm going to go booze free and document my journey here. I have one event (good friends visiting from CA in a couple of weeks with a brewery stop) where I'll probably have a beer or two and that's only if I'm feeling like I really want to and know I can without going overboard. No more "oh it's sunny let's have a beer" on a Tuesday evening. It's going to be very difficult to stop...it's built into my life. Wish me luck! I'd love to know techniques you all have used to stop drinking if you too have had issues with it.
Today is day 1. I drank a bunch of beer last night...1.5 at a friend's party along with a shot of bourbon but then when I got home, I kept going. Beer in the sunshine solo then another at dinner. I woke up this morning feeling like shit and was totally woozy. My poor belly is SO bloated. I wasn't going to workout but I made myself get out there and do it anyway. Strangely enough one of the only things that helps me feel less crappy is getting a workout in. Some days I have to drag myself to the garage gym where I literally lay on my mat for 10 minutes giving myself pep talks. I'm watching hubby drink some tasty IPAs I left in the fridge for him. NO part of me wants any. I think I'm truly ready to try this challenge. This is the way it goes though. In two days I'll really be struggling to stay on the sober bus. That's just the truth.
Good luck, Lisa. Since you asked, in my experience the only way to cut out anything I don't want to ingest (red meat, poultry, sweets, etc.) is to be 100% no. Just, "No, I'm off the sweets right now." It makes things much easier for me.
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