Every year when you visit your primary care physician, you’re given an intake form at check in to fill out. On this form, questions like have you been sexually active in the past year and how many alcoholic beverages do you have, on average, every week are asked. You’re expected to be truthful with your medical doctor, so that they can be aware of your habits and best advise you on how to proceed down the healthiest path.
If we narrow in on the question how many alcoholic beverages do you have, on average, every week, we’d come to find a somewhat not surprising answer. Approximately 4 drinks are logged by most, but many of us tend to fib on that intake form. Right?
What’s more is that the CDC highly recommends not exceeding 2 drinks for men and not exceeding one drink for women per day. Totalling out at ~14 per week and ~7 per week seems much higher than what’s being reported, but also seems more likely to occur.
Now, is this recommendation provided by the CDC healthy for our physical and mental health? Not really; we shouldn’t be aiming to meet those numbers, obviously.
Which is why we wanted to convince you to hold back with this blog – to see what happens to the human body once you stop drinking alcohol. The positives will blow your mind. Check ‘em out for yourself.
Weight Loss
When you’re regularly consuming alcohol, you’re also regularly consuming excess calories. A beer is typically 90+ calories, a seltzer 100+ calories, a glass of wine (depending on type), 120+ calories, and liquor-based beverages… Well, that depends on how many ounces you’re pouring into each glass you drink.
By eliminating alcohol from your diet, you’re automatically at a weight loss advantage.
Plus, all of those sugary mixers and different liqueurs point to another negative: Reduction in metabolism. Subtract the problem and you have a faster metabolic rate that’s able to break down nutrients and fat more efficiently.
Stronger Immune System
Frequently drinking can have two nasty side effects on the body: 1) Dramatically reduce overall immune functioning, and 2) Increase inflammation. Combine these two cons and you’re at a higher risk for acquiring the common cold and influenza.
What’s more is that booze can even alter your ability to fend off seasonal allergies. Basically, sobriety = maximum health.
Better Relationships
Enjoying a social drink every once in a while is not the end of the world; it’s when you continually drink, forming an unhealthy habit. Over time, you could form a dependence on beer, wine, or liquor. Not being able to control your actions can easily lead to manipulative behavior, lack of honesty, and a break in relationships.
If you toss the alcohol aside, though, you’ll quickly see an improvement in mood and your bond with others. The addictive substance won’t sway your conscience to give into your cravings and drink alone, isolate yourself, or make rash decisions.
Skin Health Improvement
Consuming excess alcohol is the quickest way to dehydrate your body. And if you’re dehydrated, your skin will begin to look dry and dull.
Luckily, the elasticity in the skin cells is so bouncy, that it’ll heal and look refreshing in a few short days. But to keep up the glowing look, you’ll have to put the bottle down for good.
Better Sleep
Drinking alcohol before bed gets you knocked out, right? In theory, the answer to that question is yes. In reality, the answer to that question is no.
In fact, research shows that the more alcohol you drink, the poorer your sleep quality is. Deep sleep is almost never achieved, and the amount of disruptions can easily set you on a path to chronic sleep disturbance.