Dry January is in full swing! This is my third year participating in Dry January, & every year, I drink less & less for the next 11 months. It is truly amazing how this has improved my health, my outlook, & the way I practice authentic self-care & boundaries for myself, my relationships, my work, & more.
While I am not a fan of "wellness challenges" or restriction, I find Dry January to be the exact opposite of that: it's attainable, liberating, & expansive because it helps you access so many health & wellness benefits you've been desiring (plus, let's be honest: alcohol is not a food group & we shouldn't think of encouraging people to examine their relationship with alcohol as being anywhere near the same category as telling someone to give up carbs). There are so many benefits of abstaining from alcohol for women's health....
Improved emotional well-being: Alcohol spikes cortisol (stress hormone), & can lower serotonin & GABA (which are hormones that promote feelings of calm & happiness), so the short term effect of winding down with alcohol can lead to more stress & anxiety for days to come.
Better quality sleep: You might feel that a couple glasses of red wine knocks you out faster, but even those couple glasses can prevent you from reaching the deepest level of sleep (REM sleep), where you brain is able to properly detox old cells & debris.
Improved muscle definition & workout recovery: Alcohol can reduce Human Growth Hormone by up to 70%! This is our anti-aging hormone, & it repairs muscle, collagen, & more.
Better skin quality: Less dehydration & free radicals! If you take a collagen supplement & drink alcohol, you essentially flush the supplement down the drain & are wasting a lot of money. This is because alcohol puts free radicals into the body, which actively break down collagen. Why spend money on beauty-building or gut-healing supplements if you're going to actively work against them on a regular basis? ----& best of off: HAPPIER, HEALTHIER CYCLES & HORMONES, thanks to a supported liver that better regulate estrogen.
If you're participating in Dry January & want a fun, pretty, healthy alternative to a cocktail, or if you have insomnia before your period starts, this is the perfect nightcap for you!
The Pink Sleep Latte (sometimes called Moon Milk or Moon Mylk) is the perfect tonic for winding down for a restful night of sleep. The game-changing ingredient is Tart Cherry juice, which actually contains it's very own natural melatonin! I usually find my Tart Cherry Juice or Montmorency Cherry Juice at Kroger, Sprouts, or Whole Foods. It inexpensive & only takes a small amount to make the latte, so you get plenty of uses out of one bottle! It tastes like a warm cherry pie in a cup (great for PMS cravings if you do have premenstrual insomnia), & the best part is, I never wake up drowsy or with a "melatonin hangover" like I have from some melatonin supplements.
Aside from being a much healthier & more effective drink for getting a good night's rest, it's also A PINK LATTE-- I mean, how cute, right?! I personally think this is a thousand times more Instagrammable than a glass of wine, anyway.
Here's how to take it (two ways): Option 1: If you have an espresso machine with a milk steamer, you can steam your milk/ mylk & then pour it over a small amount of Tart Cherry (sometimes called Montmorency Cherry) Juice, just like a traditional latte.
Option 2: If you don't have a steamer, heat the milk & the cherry juice in a small pot on the stove for several minutes. Stir well to mix them together.
I also like to add a sprinkle of cinnamon on top, but that's totally optional!
Enjoy this beautiful, delicious, wellness latte! If you make it, be sure to tag me on Instagram @audreysgeyer so that I can share it on my stories as inspiration for other women like us!