July 4, 2021: Dry July
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Alcohol is one of those subjects that’s been caught up in the good for you bad for you debate for quite some time. Moderate amounts lower your risk of heart disease, binge drinking increases your risk of Cirrhosis, a glass of red wine a day has health benefits, but it’s highly addictive, but it makes the party. This week, we’re going to talk about the benefits of taking a break from alcohol.
If you’re finding yourself drinking more than one glass of wine a night, or your beer belly isn’t going anywhere - despite the exercise and diet change - it might be time to take a step back and see what happens when you quit drinking even if it’s just a few weeks.
The Dry July Foundation is a challenge you can sign up for to go sober in July and have friends and family sponsor you. The money raised goes to help people affected by cancer. This is a great reason to abstain from alcohol and raise money for a good cause! Plus, the findings of staying sober for even a brief period of time might surprise you.
Check it out...
A few drinks at night and you’ll sleep like a baby, right? Wrong. Alcohol might get you to fall asleep faster, but the rest of the night will be a restless night of tossing and turning. Alcohol disrupts sleep leaving you tired, groggy and aggravated the following day. When you quit drinking for any period of time, you’ll find yourself waking up more rested and feeling more aware.
Drinking at dinner has a way of making you want more, which prompts you to overeat. Alcohol heightens your senses, increasing brain activity in your hypothalamus which causes you to eat up to 30% more. Cut out the glasses of wine at dinner, and you’ll put down the fork sooner because you’ll realize you’re full faster.
Giving up alcohol can increase your desire for sugar. If you’ve ever known anyone to quit smoking, they probably comment about how much more they’re eating. Quitting one substance that increases the happy chemicals in your brain will have you looking for something to replace it. Don’t be surprised if drinking something sweet makes you feel just as good as that cocktail made you feel.
If you’re staying sober at meals, and you’re able to curb your sugar cravings, you’ll find when you’re not drinking your waistline is shrinking. Depending on your spirit of choice, drinking certain cocktails can contain as many calories or more than a doughnut.
After a night of drinking you wake up the next day in desperate need of water. That’s because alcohol is a diuretic causing you to urinate more and lose more water, which causes dehydration. The effects of dehydration are all over your face. If you’re struggling with rosacea, eczema, dandruff, or itchy dry skin, you’ll notice a big difference when you quit drinking.
Drinking is an expensive habit. If you’ve ever been out to eat and had a couple, you may not notice how quickly the bill increases until it’s time to pay. Some of these drinks are more expensive than an entrée. But even if you stick with the cheap stuff, you’ll find that once you stop drinking, you’ll have some extra cash in your wallet.
FOMO or fear of missing out is a real thing when you’re not drinking. It’s hard to imagine having fun with friends if you’re not indulging, too. You’ll notice you feel extra moody when you’re not drinking so surround yourself with those who are okay if they’re not drinking too, at least in the beginning and find other ways to have fun without the accoutrement.
Alcohol increases your risk for certain cancers including, mouth, liver, colon and rectal cancers. When you stop drinking you decrease those risks.
The effects of quitting alcohol are noticeable within weeks of stopping, but if it’s in moderation, there are proven benefits associated with light drinking like a decreased risk of heart disease. Healthy living requires a lot of sacrifice and compromise on what you eat and drink, and it can be hard to give up entirely on things you might enjoy, like the occasional cocktail. But, remember your why, stay focused on your goals, and do what works for you and your plan.
Next Sunday, we’ll talk about how to use fresh rhubarb to make Strawberry Rhubarb Gummies.
Want some expert help with reaching your health goals painlessly? Check out my programs! We’ll get everything taken care of in a way that fits into your current lifestyle so you never have to think about your health again.
Do you have a friend who could stand to G(her)ST? Feel free to forward this!
I hope you have a wonderful week,
Kelly
Kelly Morgan, Ph.D.
Tsirona - www.tsirona.com
My weekly GYSTS email give you one actionable thing to do for the week that will make you life a little easier. As "they" say, "Fail to plan; plan to fail." Get these emails (and more!) delivered right to your inbox by clicking HERE.