Dry January and the lowdown on alcohol and your health
With the beginning of a new year comes well intentioned new years resolutions, many of which are linked to health. A popular new year’s resolution in recent years has been Dry January; a month without drinking alcohol, which was originally a public health initiative established in 2013 by Alcohol Change UK in 2013.
Some people choose to do it after an excessive festive season and think of it as a ‘detox’, some people may have found they are habitually drinking too much and wish to slow things down a bit by taking a break, and others just want to start off the year feeling healthier so swear off the alcohol. But is Dry January worthwhile? And how does alcohol affect our weight and health in general?
Dry January benefits
If your regular alcohol consumption is low and you only have a maximum of a couple of glasses a week, then you may not see much difference or feel the need to have a break from alcohol. Any higher than this and you may well notice some benefits, which can include:
Improved quality of sleep. A 2018 study on 800 Dry January participants by the University of Sussex found that 71% of people reported better sleep
Weight loss (for several reasons detailed below)
Healthier skin as alcohol can cause you to lose more fluid than you consumed, resulting in dehydration and dull skin
Improved mood thanks to no hangovers
Increased energy levels (which can also result in increased physical activity)
Potentially more balanced blood sugar levels
Reduced risk of high blood pressure
An improved awareness in understanding your personal relationship with alcohol
May help to relieve gut issues as alcohol can irritate the stomach lining causing reflux, heartburn and nausea, as well as lower GI symptoms, so by stopping it gives the lining a chance to repair
Research also found it leads to people drinking less in the long term, with the University of Sussex study finding participants still drinking on average one day less a week up to six months later
Weight gain and alcohol
The study also found that 58% of participants lost weight during Dry January. Alcohol is high in calories with a small glass of wine containing about 150 calories and a pint of beer around 200 calories, with some drinks such as beer also high in carbohydrates too. However it’s not just the excess calories that can cause weight gain, but the fact that alcohol is a toxin to the body in any amount and is inflammatory. When it is consumed it goes straight to the liver where it is prioritised as an energy source, meaning we burn calories from alcohol first rather than from food, which can hinder weight loss progress.
Finally, alcohol can make us more hungry and lead to unhealthy food choices, as well as the fatigue created from alcohol consumption resulting in less motivation to exercise.
Alcohol and chronic disease
A key reason to be mindful of alcohol consumption is that it increases risk of cancer, insulin resistance and blood pressure, the greater the consumption.
Unfortunately women are slightly more at risk, as their bodies take longer to break down alcohol than men, and are therefore at higher risk of chronic disease such as cardiovascular disease, brain and cognitive diseases, liver disease and certain types of cancers.
Drinking in moderation
With that being said, the Blue Zones research shows that centenarians typically enjoy 1 alcoholic drink a day in 4 out of 5 of the Blue Zones, usually a glass of red wine or sake. Therefore drinking in moderation is the key to healthy alcohol consumption.
If you like to enjoy alcohol, the healthiest way to drink is limiting to 1-2 drinks a day, with more alcohol-free days than not a week. Some tips to enjoy alcohol in a healthier way are:
Choose lighter options such as vodka with soda and fresh lime, or champagne
Or choose red wine as it contains polyphenols which act as antioxidants in the body
Add ice to drinks to make the drink go further
Always have a glass of water too to rehydrate
Get flavour from herbs and fruits like mint, lime, lemon and berries, rather than from sugary juices and mixers
To conclude, if you feel like you have drunk too much in the last few months, a dry January can be a great idea to reset, which can help to initiate a healthier relationship with alcohol, give you a sense of achievement, bring about several wellbeing benefits and save money too. Socially it can also be easier in January as more people tend to do it, however do make sure that you still go out and enjoy yourself to prove that you don’t need alcohol to have a good time.
If you do think you have a problem with your drinking habits head to drinkaware to seek help.
References:
De Visser, R. 2018. University of Sussex. Found at https://www.sussex.ac.uk/broadcast/read/47131