The latest New Year’s trend has nothing to do with alcohol—literally. For millions of people, January 1 marks the first day of not just a new year, but a “dry” January, or month-long break with booze. Started by the UK's Alcohol Concern organization in 2013, the movement’s main goal is to help people "reset their relationship with alcohol." But what happens to your body when you become a temporary teetotaler?
In general less booze is a good thing: “The effects of alcohol are cumulative,” says Dr. Wakim-Fleming (who was not involved in the study). “If people drink one glass a day starting in their teens, they may be fine after 10 or 20 years—but after 40 or 50 years, they might start to experience liver problems.”
And while it’s true that moderate drinking (that's one drink a day for women, two for men) might improve your heart health, research suggests not everyone may experience these benefits. What's more, our relationship with alcohol may not be as healthy as we’d like to think. Case in point: According to government statistics from 2015, about 1 in 4 Americans over 18 said that they had binged at least once in the past month.
Inspired to give Dry January a go? Here's what you can expect during your month off the sauce.
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