Consuming “less alcohol” made it to our 2019 resolutions after we went ham on holiday parties. Though resolutions are lies we tell ourselves at the beginning of the year, let’s not give up on this one just yet. New studies show that going dry for one month might save what’s left of our livers.
Cutting down on alcohol after December’s onslaught of parties? Hard same on that one. But Dryuary is the month that can lessen our hangover mornings.
Dry January is the campaign urging heavy and social drinkers to go cold turkey throughout the first month of the year.
Dry January is the campaign urging heavy and social drinkers to go cold turkey throughout the first month of the year. Originating from Alcohol Change UK, more than four million people have signed to their campaign on cutting down alcohol intake for a month. And it seems that it’s turning into a global phenomenon.
Why? Because Dryuary works.
The Wall Street Journal supported the positive effects of Dryuary through research data. Basing on the research conducted by Richard de Visser, a psychology professor at the University of Sussex in England, they discovered participants of Dryuary drank less after finishing the month.
According to the research’s participants, some experienced the “rebound effect” and drank more than before. But all participants of Dryuary showed signs of drinking less compared to their usual average before. The effects of finishing the challenge lasted ’til the six-month mark.
“A group of liver specialists found that abstaining from alcohol for a month improved liver function, blood pressure and markers associated with cancer. Participants also lost an average of 3.3 to 4.4 pounds,” The Wall Street Journal wrote.
“A group of liver specialists found that abstaining from alcohol for a month improved liver function, blood pressure and markers associated with cancer. Participants also lost an average of 3.3 to 4.4 pounds,” The Wall Street Journal wrote.
The other effects of finishing Dryuary also include “better concentration, better sleep, gaining the ability to exercise, and having less fatigue.”
Dryuary is also the much-needed wakeup call our livers are pleading for. According to Euromonitor’s 2017 data, Filipinos are the 9th heaviest drinkers in Asia. Tagay culture be damned.
New Year’s resolutions might as well be promises waiting to not happen. But hey, following up on Dryuary might be worth giving a shot. We’ll be missing tipsy nights out. You know what we’ll not miss?Puking inside Grab cars.
Learn more about Dry January here.
Art by Aira Ydette