Alcohol fasting in January - Healthy start to the new year

Can the one-month abstinence from alcohol be beneficial to your health??

Instagram is currently flooded with posts using the #DryJanuary hashtag. This refers to the annual tradition of some people to spend the first month of the year without alcohol. For many it is an intent to drink less and detoxify the body in the new year. What does alcohol abstinence do for your health? Experts claim that the idea of ​​losing alcohol altogether determines whether alcohol fasting is effective or not.

Obviously, there's nothing wrong with suspending or restricting alcohol consumption. Excessive consumption of alcohol and binge drinking can lead to various adverse health effects, as countless studies have already shown. For example, over-drinking increases the risk of certain diseases, including breast cancer, heart disease, stroke and liver problems, and can lead to sleep disorders. "A month-long break from drinking will not necessarily turn the clock back," says American health expert Dr. Jennifer Wider to the health magazine Self. According to Wider, the one-month alcohol break is good for the health, but no free ticket to drink the rest of the year unrestrained.

According to expert opinions, the success achieved in alcohol fasting depends heavily on the intention to renounce alcohol. Even the usual amount of alcohol plays a big role. (Image: JiSign / fotolia.com)

Those who drink more alcohol will notice greater difference in abstinence

George F. Koob, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), also mentions to Self: "The biggest benefit is learning where your body is in terms of alcohol and what you want to achieve with it." If someone does not feel well and suspects that their regular drinking habits are responsible, it may be helpful to see how they feel when they (or they) do not drink alcohol for a month. According to Koob, the results of the alcoholic fasting depend on how much they drank before. Someone who drinks occasionally does not notice such a big difference as someone who drinks four or more alcoholic drinks a week.

What health benefits are expected after a month of abstaining from alcohol?

According to Koob, one of the main benefits of fasting alcohol can be a reduction in the total calories you consume, since a standard drink normally has around 150 calories. So could possibly be brought about a weight reduction without completely changing the diet. Furthermore, abstaining from alcohol would cause many people to go out less at night, sleep more and do more exercise. "All of this can affect how productive you are, how focused you are, and how you feel overall," Koob tells Self.

The snowball effect for the immune system

When it comes to the immune system, the snowball effect of positive health habits - triggered by abstinence from alcohol - can have a major impact. According to Koob, alcohol poisoning can severely suppress immune system function, making it more susceptible to disease.

What is a safe measure of alcohol consumption?

"Some people may not like to hear it, but there is no safe level of drinking," the World Health Organization writes on its website. Of course, there is a level of less risk, but the WHO deliberately sets no upper limits, as it has been scientifically proven that a complete renunciation of alcohol from a health point of view is by far the best. Alcohol consumption, according to WHO, is closely associated with about 60 different diagnoses, with almost always a narrow dose-response relationship. This means that the higher the consumption, the higher the risk of illness. Less alcohol is better. (Fp)