Does alcohol really “warm you up” in the winter — or is it quietly stressing your heart?

Cold weather already raises blood pressure by tightening your blood vessels. Add alcohol, and you create a confusing mix of temporary warmth, rebound constriction, disrupted sleep, and extra strain on your cardiovascular system.

In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook breaks down the real science behind winter drinking and blood pressure, including:

• What cold temperatures actually do to your arteries and heart
• Why alcohol’s warming effect is misleading
• How winter drinking can spike nighttime blood pressure
• The connection between alcohol, sleep disruption, and cortisol
• How nutrients like Vitamin B1 (Benfotiamine) and NAC (found in Daily Restore) support cardiovascular and recovery pathways

🎧 Tap play to learn how cold weather and alcohol interact — and how to protect your heart without giving up every seasonal sip.

Ever had a drink while taking a “normal” medication… and felt extra off?

Alcohol doesn’t just affect your mood — it changes how your body processes medications. Since your liver has to metabolize both alcohol and drug compounds, even casual drinking can increase side effects, reduce effectiveness, or add extra strain behind the scenes.

In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook breaks down:

• How alcohol competes with medications in the liver
• Why some drugs feel stronger (or weaker) when alcohol is involved
• Common interactions with sleep aids, antidepressants, painkillers, and more
• Why mixing alcohol and meds can worsen fatigue, brain fog, and anxiety
• How ingredients like NAC and Milk Thistle can support liver recovery pathways

🎧 Tap play to learn what alcohol is really doing to medication metabolism — and how to make safer, smarter choices.

Ever get a headache from one glass of wine… but other drinks feel fine?

That might not be the alcohol — it could be histamine.

Wine (especially red) is high in histamines and other fermented compounds that can trigger headaches, flushing, congestion, and even migraine-like reactions in sensitive people.

In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook breaks down:

• Why wine contains more histamine than most drinks
• How histamine affects blood vessels and triggers headaches
• The DAO enzyme and why some people react faster than others
• Why alcohol makes histamine intolerance worse overnight
• How ingredients like NAC and Milk Thistle can support recovery and inflammation balance

🎧 Tap play to learn the hidden histamine side of wine headaches — and why your body might not be overreacting at all.

Ever wake up at 3 AM after drinking… anxious, hungry, wide awake?

That might not be random — alcohol can seriously disrupt your blood sugar overnight, even if you’re not diabetic. Your liver shifts into detox mode, glucose drops, stress hormones spike, and suddenly your sleep turns into a hidden rollercoaster.

In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook breaks down:

• Why alcohol causes blood sugar crashes while you sleep
• How low glucose can trigger anxiety and restless wake-ups
• The spike-crash cycle behind next-day cravings and fatigue
• Why “hangxiety” is often metabolic, not just mental
• How nutrients like Vitamin B12 and Milk Thistle can support recovery

🎧 Tap play to learn what alcohol is doing to your blood sugar overnight — and how to wake up feeling steady again.

Ever drink to quiet your mind… but wake up feeling even louder inside?

Alcohol can feel calming in the moment, but afterward, many people experience amplified anxiety, racing thoughts, emotional sensitivity, and that wired-but-tired “hangxiety” feeling.

In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook breaks down:

• Why alcohol boosts calm temporarily — then rebounds hard
• The brain chemistry behind next-day anxiety and irritability
• How disrupted REM sleep makes emotions feel heavier
• The role of cortisol, blood sugar crashes, and nervous system overload
• How ingredients like L-Theanine and Ashwagandha can support recovery and emotional balance

🎧 Tap play to understand why alcohol sometimes turns up the volume inside — and how to find real calm that actually lasts.

Alcohol doesn’t just steal your night — it steals your energy.

Even if you’re not hungover, alcohol can quietly drain your motivation, focus, and stamina the next day. That tired, foggy, low-drive feeling isn’t just “getting older”… it’s biology.

In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook breaks down:

• Why alcohol disrupts deep sleep and morning recovery
• How stress hormones and dehydration drain your system
• The hidden blood sugar crash that fuels fatigue and cravings
• Why alcohol depletes key energy nutrients like Vitamin B1 and B12
• How ingredients like NAC can support recovery and resilience

🎧 Tap play to learn what alcohol may be taking from your energy — and how to get your momentum back.

What if mornings felt easier without alcohol?

For a lot of people, the hardest part of drinking isn’t the night, it’s the next morning. The brain fog, low energy, anxious mood, and feeling like your day starts on hard mode.

In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook explores:

• Why alcohol can disrupt sleep even if you “sleep enough”
• The real reason hangxiety shows up the next morning
• How dehydration and blood sugar crashes steal your energy
• Why even casual drinking can affect motivation and focus
• How supporting recovery can help you get your mornings back

🎧 Tap play to imagine what life could feel like when mornings aren’t about recovery — but clarity, ease, and momentum.

What does confidence look like without a drink?

For many of us, alcohol has been a shortcut to feeling bold, relaxed, or socially at ease. But what happens when confidence comes from presence instead of a buzz?

In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook explores:

• Why alcohol often gets mistaken for confidence
• The difference between liquid courage and real self-trust
• How alcohol quietly undermines confidence over time
• What confidence feels like when it comes from a regulated nervous system
• How supporting recovery helps you show up grounded and clear

🎧 Tap play to discover what confidence looks like when it’s actually yours — no drink required.