Dry January doesn’t just help you get rid of potentially bad habits. As one health journalist admits, this temporary break also revealed some unexpected benefits to her daily life that may be of interest to you.
After the holidays, the season of Dry January arrives.
This exercise, popular today, suggests abstaining from alcohol for a month to recover from excesses. Living without alcohol for a month is becoming more and more popular due to the positive effects it has on physical and mental health. But at Eating Well Media, a journalist who took this step in reveals some particularly pleasing benefits. Ending chronic inflammation in just one month
According to the journalist, the first effect she did not expect when she started this detox was the joy that still exists despite not consuming alcohol.
“It was the beginning of a year of reflection, realizing that I was still having fun, because I continued to celebrate birthdays and other occasions without a drink in my hand. Even if I went out at night, I didn’t get a throbbing headache or feel sluggish the next morning, which was definitely a plus.”
But the young woman also noticed an impact on her daily life that turned out to be enjoyable: the end of the inflammatory response.
“When I drink alcohol, I notice a recurrence of inflammation on my skin and in my eyes. This is normal for me, as I suffer from ocular rosacea, but when I drink alcohol, the inflammation on my face gets worse, and the effects remain for days afterwards.”
According to the journalist, Dry January not only reduced the age spots on her skin, but also brought about positive changes in the condition of her skin for the next year. “The rashes are less frequent, the redness on my cheeks has disappeared, the puffiness of my eyes has decreased.”
Effects that are not always known, but visible
So, although alcohol is harmful both in the short term (fatigue, impaired judgment, injuries, etc.) and in the long term (effects on the liver, cancer, poor mental health), its pro-inflammatory effects are not always known to consumers.
But it is known that excessive alcohol consumption not only causes significant destruction of the intestinal wall, but also the appearance of inflammatory processes that harm the body, whether at the intestinal, cardiovascular, renal and brain level (or here at the skin).
No regrets about putting on the brakes
Daniella DeAngelis’ decision was made. “Thanks to the success of Dry January and the amazing effect it had on my body, I was able to reduce my alcohol intake throughout the year.”
This year, the reporter is planning a method called “Damp January”, which aims to reduce drinking without completely quitting alcohol. But she is convinced that there is no need to hesitate for long, since the first Dry January has already radically changed her relationship with this drink.