Navigating the Gray Area of Drinking

What if alcohol isn’t the harmless stress reliever it’s been marketed to be—but a silent saboteur of your confidence, hormones, and nervous system? In this deeply honest and empowering conversation, Sarah Rusbatch, author of Beyond Booze, joins Angela to unpack the hidden costs of "grey area drinking"—the space between social drinking and addiction where many high-achieving women quietly struggle. Together, they explore how alcohol affects female physiology, from rising cortisol and disrupted sleep to impaired hormone detoxification and loss of confidence.

Angela and Sarah also dive into the neuroscience of GABA, the truth about alcohol’s effect on your brain chemistry, and what it takes to reclaim joy, vitality, and authentic self-connection without reaching for a glass. Whether you're sober curious, navigating perimenopause, or questioning your relationship with alcohol, this episode is filled with science, stories, and soul-deep wisdom to help you create a life you love—alcohol free.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Grey Area Drinking Defined: The silent space where women drink regularly but don’t identify as having a problem—yet still experience negative consequences.

• Alcohol’s Hormonal Hijack: Alcohol raises cortisol, disrupts estrogen detox, and accelerates hormonal imbalances—especially in perimenopause.

• The GABA Trap: Alcohol mimics the calming GABA effect—but leads to a crash in neurotransmitters and increased stress over time.

• You’re Not Broken—You’re Biologically Wired : Struggling to stop after one glass isn’t a willpower issue; it’s neurochemistry and marketing manipulation.

• Sex, Intimacy & Sober Confidence: Alcohol isn’t a prerequisite for pleasure—Sarah explains how connection, nervous system regulation, and communication create better intimacy without booze.

• Curiosity Over Judgment: Take a break. Track the changes. Reconnect with who you really are—free from the fog of alcohol.

TIMESTAMPS AND KEY TOPICS:

0:00 – Introduction

5:20 – Social and relational challenges of quitting

11:16 – The neurotransmitter rollercoaster

17:51 – The tipping point: rock bottom vs. gradual awareness

25:25 – How alcohol affects female hormones and liver health

33:49 – How to naturally boost GABA

37:51 – The role of nervous system regulation in sobriety

44:37 – Sex and the nervous system connection

49:08 – The hardest myth to break: alcohol = fun

53:04 – Try a 90-day alcohol-free experiment

VALUABLE RESOURCES

Listen to Angela’s solo episode on how she started with a 90 day alcohol free challenge, how she navigated the first year and the challenges and personal growth she experienced - listen here

Click here for discounts on all the products I personally use and recommend

Sarah’s book Beyond Booze https://amzn.eu/d/i6R9R7a

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sarahrusbatch/?hl=en

Website: http://www.sarahrusbatch.com/

Facebook community - The Women's Wellbeing Collective -

https://www.facebook.com/groups/342319476897067

A BIG thank you to our sponsors who make the show possible:

LVLUP HEALTH: Slow aging, repair gut health boost collagen and recovery and more with LVLUP Health’s amazing products. Save 15% with code ANGELA at https://lvluphealth.com/angela

LUMEN: Develop metabolic flexibility and remove the guesswork with Lumen - use code ANGELA for your exclusive discount at http://angelafoster.me/lumen

Save 10% on The Ultra Human Ring at www.ultrahuman.com/AngelaFoster

ABOUT THE GUEST

Sarah is author of the best selling book “Beyond Booze, How to create a life you love Alcohol Free’, a multi-award winning Health and Wellbeing Coach, an accredited Grey Area Drinking Coach, a menopause coach and a Key-Note speaker sharing her journey to Sobriety and impact of alcohol on mental health to global audiences. Sarah works tirelessly to support women all over the world to create and live their best lives as they age.

ABOUT THE HOST

Angela Foster is an award winning Nutritionist, Health & Performance Coach, Speaker and Host of the High Performance Health podcast. A former Corporate lawyer turned industry leader in biohacking and health optimisation for women, Angela has been featured in various media including Huff Post, Runners world, The Health Optimisation Summit, BrainTap, The Women’s Biohacking Conference, Livestrong & Natural Health Magazine.

Angela is the creator of BioSyncing®️ a blueprint for ambitious entrepreneurial women to biohack their health so they can 10X how they show up in their business and their family without burning out.

The High Performance Health Podcast is a top rated global podcast. Each week, Angela brings you a new insight, biohack or high performance habit to help you unlock optimal health, longevity and higher performance. Hit the follow button to make sure you get notified each time Angela releases a new episode.

CONTACT DETAILS

Instagram

Facebook

LinkedIn

Affiliate Disclaimer: Note this description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. While this channel may earn minimal sums when the viewer uses the links, the viewer is under no obligation to use these links. Thank you for supporting the show!

Disclaimer: The High Performance Health Podcast is for general information purposes only and do not constitute the practice of professional or coaching advice and no client relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast, or materials linked from this podcast is at the user's own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for medical or other professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should seek the assistance of their medical doctor or other health care professional for before taking any steps to implement any of the items discussed in this podcast.