Here are the show notes for the podcast episode "Alcohol & Midlife Women: The Surprising Impact on Hormones, Brain Fog, & Belly Fat."

Episode Summary: This episode delves into the often-overlooked impact of alcohol on women in midlife, exploring how it affects hormones, brain function, sleep, and metabolism. Host Amy Mewborn shares her personal journey and explains why alcohol may not "hit the same" as it used to during these transitional years. The discussion emphasizes that this is not about shame but about empowering listeners with information to make informed choices about their health and well-being.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Alcohol as a Neurotoxin: Understanding how ethanol affects brain cells, impairs cognitive function, and is linked to increased dementia risk.
• Metabolism Differences: Why women metabolize alcohol differently than men, leading to more intense effects.
• Hormonal Impact in Midlife: How fluctuating estrogen levels during perimenopause and menopause interact with alcohol, exacerbating symptoms like anxiety, mood swings, and sleep disturbances.
• Impact on Men: The accelerated decline of testosterone and increased estrogen in men due to alcohol, leading to belly fat, fatigue, and mood changes.
• Sleep Disruption: How alcohol interferes with deep, restorative sleep, leading to fragmented sleep patterns and early morning awakenings.
• Blood Sugar and Inflammation: Alcohol's role in spiking and crashing blood sugar, disrupting metabolic health, and increasing inflammation through leaky gut and cytokine production.
• Weight Gain: The link between alcohol-induced inflammation, elevated cortisol, and stubborn belly fat.
• Mood and Emotional Well-being: How alcohol can lower serotonin and dopamine, contributing to depression, anxiety, irritability, and a diminished capacity for joy.
• Thyroid Function: Alcohol's suppression of thyroid function and its impact on metabolism and energy levels, particularly for women with existing thyroid conditions.
• Shifting Habits: Practical advice on creating new rituals, experimenting with alcohol-free breaks, and listening to your body's signals.
• Living Simpler Reflections: Aligning choices with the life you want to live, prioritizing clarity, energy, and presence over numbing or coping mechanisms.

Notable Guests/Moments:

• Host's Personal Experience: Amy Mewborn shares her own evolution from enjoying wine regularly to significantly reducing her intake after noticing negative effects on her sleep and energy.
• Oxford Study Mention: Reference to a study from Oxford that found heavy drinkers had a 41% higher dementia risk, and any amount of alcohol showed brain damage.
• Empowerment over Shame: A consistent message throughout the episode is the focus on providing information for empowerment rather than inducing guilt or shame.
• The "What Now?" Section: Practical, actionable steps for listeners to begin experimenting with reducing or eliminating alcohol from their lives.

Call to Action: Ready to explore a clearer, more energized you? Start by getting curious about how alcohol truly makes you feel – not just in the moment, but in the days that follow. Consider an experiment: take a break from alcohol for a few weeks and notice the changes in your sleep, mood, and energy. Discover new rituals that support your well-being.

Free Living Simpler Health Resources: https://living-simpler.com/resources Follow Amy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amymewborn Shop Amy's Top Wellness Picks: https://www.amazon.com/shop/amymewborn Shop Amy's Fave Shaklee Products: https://us.shaklee.com/en_US/amymewborn/storefront