It is a bit of an ongoing debate: "To be truly healthy can
you still include alcohol in your diet?" Certain diet plans say yes whilst
others say absolutely not. Once I found out I had PCOS I did my research and
the same advice kept coming from all angles - cut out sugar, in as many and all
forms as you can and, yes, this includes alcohol. The problem was, and this
was probably a massive contributing factor to my PCOS in the first place, I am
an out-and-out party girl.
Over the last six months I have cut my drinking down to a
minimum and, on the occasion that I do have a tipple, it is usually a small
amount in conjunction with food. Because of this, I now notice the effects of
alcohol even after the smallest amounts and, some forms of alcohol that I used to
be able to drink with ease now make me feel light-headed and queasy within a matter
of minutes.
So, why don’t I stop drinking altogether? Well, there are
still certain situations in which I will never be able to say no to a cocktail because I enjoy the social aspects as well as the flavour. Yet, on the other end of the spectrum,
there are also times when proclaiming to be tee-total would save an awful lot
aggravating questions such as; “What do you mean you’re not really drinking?”,
“Why bother coming out if you’re not going to drink?”, and, my personal
favourite statement “Just lighten up, another one won’t kill you.”
Over time, rather than feeling the need to defend my choices I have developed certain strategies that
are able to please everyone and could potentially work for you too…
1 – Choose the right
type of alcohol for you.
There are certain things that I have NEVER been able to drink and keep down, namely amber coloured spirits i.e. whiskeys, bourbons, rums etc. However, I used to really enjoy an ale or glass of wine, both of which I now find almost impossible to stomach especially when not consumed with food. I have, however, always had the ability to drink vodka and gin which still happens to be the case and these are therefore what I tend to stick to – even when it comes to cocktails. I also seek out drinks with less sugar in as the sugar often makes me feel just as ill as the alcohol. Mixers such as tonic water and soda water are my preference - again, even when it comes to cocktails.
There are certain things that I have NEVER been able to drink and keep down, namely amber coloured spirits i.e. whiskeys, bourbons, rums etc. However, I used to really enjoy an ale or glass of wine, both of which I now find almost impossible to stomach especially when not consumed with food. I have, however, always had the ability to drink vodka and gin which still happens to be the case and these are therefore what I tend to stick to – even when it comes to cocktails. I also seek out drinks with less sugar in as the sugar often makes me feel just as ill as the alcohol. Mixers such as tonic water and soda water are my preference - again, even when it comes to cocktails.
2 – Choose a drink
that can be replicated in non-alcoholic form without anyone being any the wiser.
The drinks listed above are perfect for this. Many bars offer non-alcoholic versions of cocktails and make them look just as extravagant as the originals. Similarly, if you return from the bar with a plain lime & soda as oppose to a vodka, lime & soda then no one will know and you can still appear to be just as party as the rest of them.
The drinks listed above are perfect for this. Many bars offer non-alcoholic versions of cocktails and make them look just as extravagant as the originals. Similarly, if you return from the bar with a plain lime & soda as oppose to a vodka, lime & soda then no one will know and you can still appear to be just as party as the rest of them.
3 – Don’t succumb to
peer pressure.
You know that point in the night when someone yells “SHOTS!” – I die a little inside. Mainly because I have allowed myself to succumb to peer pressure in the past and it always ends with me in the bathroom, head down the toilet. Personally, I believe tequila is the Devil. The thing to remember is that YOU have to live with your health, not your peers. Also, once you explain that 60 seconds after swallowing the liquid fire of Hell it will come back up through your nose then people really won’t force you to partake in the activity. Besides, after another couple of drinks they won’t care what you’re drinking... or not drinking... or even remember what they were drinking for that matter.
You know that point in the night when someone yells “SHOTS!” – I die a little inside. Mainly because I have allowed myself to succumb to peer pressure in the past and it always ends with me in the bathroom, head down the toilet. Personally, I believe tequila is the Devil. The thing to remember is that YOU have to live with your health, not your peers. Also, once you explain that 60 seconds after swallowing the liquid fire of Hell it will come back up through your nose then people really won’t force you to partake in the activity. Besides, after another couple of drinks they won’t care what you’re drinking... or not drinking... or even remember what they were drinking for that matter.
4 – Work on your own
self-confidence.
I have never had much trouble with this but, I do have friends that say that they couldn't imagine being on a dance floor in a club without being drunk first which I actually find quite an upsetting concept. What you've got to remember is; everybody in there is drunk and dancing like an idiot so, what’s stopping you from dancing like a drunk idiot? They don’t know that you’re sober – the only thing that’s going to give that away is if you lack confidence and therefore create an atmosphere of self-conscious unease. So pretend that you’re as trolley-d as the rest of them and dance your face off. I promise you there is nothing more liberating and waking up with sore feet is far more enviable than waking up with a sore head.
I have never had much trouble with this but, I do have friends that say that they couldn't imagine being on a dance floor in a club without being drunk first which I actually find quite an upsetting concept. What you've got to remember is; everybody in there is drunk and dancing like an idiot so, what’s stopping you from dancing like a drunk idiot? They don’t know that you’re sober – the only thing that’s going to give that away is if you lack confidence and therefore create an atmosphere of self-conscious unease. So pretend that you’re as trolley-d as the rest of them and dance your face off. I promise you there is nothing more liberating and waking up with sore feet is far more enviable than waking up with a sore head.
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