271: Sober Joy, Real Freedom

What if the “self-care” you reach for at 5 p.m. is the very thing stealing your sleep, peace, and energy? We dig into why alcohol and sugar feel soothing in the moment yet quietly disrupt dopamine, flatten motivation, inflame anxiety, and throw women’s hormones off balance. Ashlee shares what changed across 17 months alcohol-free—better cycles, calmer mornings, clearer joy—while Tabitha breaks down the functional medicine behind cravings, from microbiome shifts to estrogen clearance and why weekend binges still drive risk.We don’t stop at science. Shame loses power when brought into the light, and sustainable change comes from pairing spiritual honesty with smart physiology. You’ll learn how to reset dopamine gently, use protein and healthy fats to stabilize blood sugar, and create friction for triggers with mocktails and simple swaps. We talk about why white knuckling fails, how to re-associate weddings, weekends, and summers with real joy, and the line that changed our approach: you can’t pray away a dopamine deficit and you can’t supplement your way out of spiritual avoidance.If you’re tired of feeling puffy, wired, and stuck, this conversation offers a kinder path: one day at a time, one lever at a time, with community, Scripture, and practical tools that work. Freedom isn’t about restriction; it’s about restoration—body and soul in alignment so cravings finally quiet. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review telling us the one habit you’re ready to lay down this week.

If you’re ready to move beyond trying harder and start living more aligned, you’re invited to join Empowered by Faith — LIVE, a guided 5-day reset led by Dr. Tabatha that helps women reset body, mind, and spirit through simple, faith-centered rhythms.

🎧 Learn more and join the reset here: https://ftf.fasttofaith.com/empoweredbyfaithlive