What is Dry January?
This trending health movement, born over a decade ago, empowers individuals to take a mindful break from alcohol for a month. It's an opportunity to hit the reset button and step into the new year feeling revitalized and empowered.
Why Go Dry?
Dry January provides a unique chance to rediscover your life without alcohol. It's a safe space to experiment and understand how alcohol impacts your well-being. For some, it's a temporary cleanse, while others may discover a lasting shift towards a healthier lifestyle, embracing the energy boost, improved sleep, and clearer skin.
Unlocking the Benefits:
Dry January is a gateway to experiencing a cascade of positive changes. Say goodbye to bloating and stomach inflammation, witness a natural weight loss, and revel in enhanced energy levels, restful sleep, and improved heart and liver health.
While alcohol is an accepted part of our culture, it does have its adverse effects, and taking a break will allow you to experience your body without its presence.
The benefits start to occur from day one after the last drink.
Dry January can help people realize how much they drink and why. Quitting often prompts people to ask themselves: “Why am I drinking this amount? Does it play a role in how I feel? Do I think I need it?”
While both men and women experience the consequences of alcohol consumption, women’s body composition, which has more fatty tissue and less water than men of similar weight, experience higher and more persistent blood-alcohol concentration. Women also have fewer enzymes to metabolize alcohol. Fertility problems and early menopause are also tied to alcohol. So for women, this challenge is particularly helpful.
When you first eliminate alcohol, you might feel more irritable and depressed because alcohol decreases levels of stress hormones, making you feel calm as you imbibe. However, after you’ve stopped, the stress hormones rebound and spike to higher levels than before. This is temporary. Hold on for the upside.
***If you experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms such as confusion, hallucinations, fever, or seizures, it’s important to consult a doctor.
Physical Changes:
Rebuild your microbiome: Alcohol kills off the good microorganisms in our gut (our microbiome), leaving space for infectious/inflammatory microorganisms to proliferate. This is the cause of bloating and inflammation. An unhealthy microbiome is linked to most of the problems that occur in the body. Learn more about the microbiome in blog post #94 on my website.
Sleep better: Even one drink can cause fragmented sleep and there is a marked decrease in REM (the dream state). It might help you fall asleep faster but alcohol will wake you up after a few hours and you'll have a harder time falling back to sleep.
Weight Loss, Lower Blood Sugar/Inflammation: Alcohol has little to no nutritional value and is considered empty calories. Like cookies and lollipops, alcohol contains sugars that are quickly absorbed into the blood, spiking blood sugar levels, and causing inflammation and weight gain.
Heart Health: Research suggests that moderate to heavy drinking increases blood pressure and can cause blood vessel damage and abnormal heart rhythms. Alcohol also increases blood levels of free radicals, which can increase LDL, or “bad” cholesterol.
Improved Hydration and Skin: Alcohol is dehydrating, so avoiding it may reduce headaches and fatigue, as well as improve the appearance of your skin.
Liver Health: Binge drinking can harm the liver, increasing the risk for liver disease. Time off can help it heal.
Less Drinking in the upcoming months: Your month of abstinence is likely to decrease your tolerance, so you won’t need to drink as much to feel the way you did before you stopped. A study published in 2016 found that six months later, people who had participated in Dry January drank alcohol on average one fewer day per week, and nearly one drink less each day.
Mocktail Alternatives:
To support your Dry January journey, I'm sharing two delicious and convenient recipes packed with health benefits and minimal prep. They'll be ready to grab and go, making your transformation journey even smoother.
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Rosemary Grapefruit Mocktail
First, make a simple syrup.
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons of dried rosemary or 4 sprigs of fresh
Bring to a boil, and simmer until sugar is dissolved. Turn off the
heat and let this mixture sit for 30 minutes until it cools. Strain Rosemary.
· Combine the following in a pitcher:
1 cup rosemary syrup
1 ½ cups 100% grapefruit juice
3-4 cups sparkling water of choice.
Pour this over ice into individual glasses, garnish with fresh rosemary, and enjoy!
What are the health benefits of Rosemary?
Think of the Shakespeare quote "Rosemary for remembrance." Rosemary has a long history of use in helping to increase circulation, including to the brain, peripheral circulation, and the digestive system. Is there anything better than its sweet smell and invigorating taste?
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Elderberry Mocktail
First, make a simple syrup:
2 cups dried organic elderberries
4 cups cold water
2-3 tsp. organic dried ginger
1 tsp organic dried cinnamon
1 tsp organic dried cloves
1 cup raw honey
Add water elderberries, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves to a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until the liquid has reduced to half. Let cool. Mash the berries carefully. Pour berries through a strainer or cheesecloth into a jar and discard elderberries. Add the honey and stir well. When the honey is well mixed, pour it into a clean jar.
Combine the following in a glass:
1 teaspoon of Elderberry Syrup
1 cup sparkling water of choice
Add Ice
Garnish with citrus peel, rosemary sprig, lemon wheel, and mint leaves.
What are the health benefits of Elderberry?
Elderberry has a long history of use for supporting the immune system and helping to fight infections. It also contains anti-inflammatories and can help stimulate digestion.
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To celebrate this month, use the code DRYJANUARY for 10% off your next purchase online or in th
e shop through January 21st.