Q I'm 49, and when I have a beer or two in the evening, my face and hands are puffy the next day and my weight goes up too. Is alcohol really that bad for menopausal weight?
A Alcohol itself is high in calories and worsens menopausal swelling and heat rising, making weight management harder. If next-day swelling and weight gain keep repeating, it is best to cut back. Drinking enough water and eating less salty food also helps.
Detailed Answer
Alcohol is high in calories on its own, and the side dishes that come with it add even more. It also disrupts fluid balance, causing next-day swelling, and lowers sleep quality — a double disadvantage for menopausal metabolism. Eating salty food adds to the swelling, so reducing sodium together is helpful.
Our Korean Medicine Clinic's Perspective
Dongjedang views menopausal swelling as a state where circulation is suppressed and water and excess do not drain well. Alcohol and salty food add heat rising on top of that. Releasing the stagnant swelling, opening up circulation, and clearing accumulated excess helps the swelling go down while weight and overall condition become lighter together.
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