Booze and Your Body
Alcohol takes a toll on your body, and even one week without it can make a big difference. Whether you've been alcohol-free forever or are just starting your Dry January journey, here's what you -- and your body -- can expect to lose and gain when you cut out the alcohol. Thank you to Amanda Nighbert, RD (@amandanighbertrd), who provided this valuable information!
1 Week Alcohol Free
- Improved sleep quality (even if it is tough at first!)
- Save a few dollars on your grocery bill
- More likely to be productive in the mornings when you are not hungover
2 Weeks Alcohol Free
- Feeling more confident with your ability to stop drinking
- Potentially finding more like-minded Instagram accounts, people, etc. who limit drinking as well
- More likely to be productive in the mornings when you are not tired form your body trying to detox the alcohol
- Learning how to combat cravings a bit more
- Better workouts
3 Weeks Alcohol Free
- Losing your cravings for alcohol
- Learning to cope with any feelings that alcohol may mask
- Creating better habits and routines
1 Month Alcohol Free
- Less inflammation
- Better GI health
- Fewer snacking and "bad" food cravings (alcohol lowers your inhibition; therefore, you are more likely to snack!)
- Save roughly $80+ depending on how much alcohol you were buying (assuming $20/week on average)
- Significant reduction of liver stiffness (the beginning stages of liver disease) and blood pressure
- Brighter skin and eyes
- More time for hobbies
1 Year Alcohol Free
- Better relationships with others
- Better quality of life
- Savings roughly $480+ per year (if you spend $20/week on alcohol you'd save $1,040 per year!)
- Better coping strategies
- Better relationship with going out to eat, going to a holiday party, going on vacation, etc.
- Better hair, skin, and nails
- Mental health issues such as anxiety and depression decrease
- Canadian researchers found that alcohol contributed to roughly 29% of all dementia cases in a 2012 University of Montreal study
- Weight loss and better nutrient absorption