This Is What Happens When You Stop Drinking…

In Australia, drinking alcohol is one of those things that is deeply connected with many of our social and cultural activities.

When we catch up with our mates, have a party, or sit down to relax, alcohol is often included.

However, doctors and researchers have shown that consuming too much alcohol at one time, or consuming serves of alcohol on a consistent and regular basis, can cause a negative ripple effect to our heath. While many drinkers feel that these health issues come out of nowhere, they are often linked to the cumulative harm caused by alcohol.

The positive take away from all of this is that when you don’t drink, your body has time to get a proper healing process started, and it actually doesn’t take as long as you think. To see for yourself, why not challenge yourself to give up drinking this year during one of the many charity initiatives like Febfast, Dry July and Ocsober. Not only will you have a chance to feel better about yourself, but�many of these initiatives help to support important charities in Australia.

If you do manage to give up the grog, here’s some of the positive health benefits you can expect to be coming your way.

1. Blood Glucose Levels Drop

Most people are familiar with blood glucose as an indicator of the risk a person is at of developing type 2 diabetes. What you might not know is that when you stop drinking for a month, your blood glucose drops by about 16%. This means you have less chance of developing type 2 diabetes as the load on your pancreas is reduced.

2. Liver Fat Decreases

When fat builds up in our liver, the condition is known as fatty liver disease, which over time can lead to liver damage. When that damage is serious, it can become cirrhosis of the liver, an irreversible condition.

However, when you stop drinking, the liver fat decreases by a substantial 15-20% in most people, considerably reducing your risk of getting cirrhosis.

3. Blood Cholesterol�Decreases

In Australia, heart disease is a serious issue, and it’s one of the leading causes of death both here and in other parts of the world.

The indicator for heart disease is blood cholesterol levels, which happen to drop by about 5% when you cut out alcohol. Admittedly, this might not sound like a lot at first glance, but it can make a big difference.

4. Better Concentration

Ever felt like your mind is not really switched on? Well, alcohol might be the cause of that. Some studies have shown that cutting out alcohol can help to improve a person’s concentration overall, and particularly, over longer periods of time.

Just how much does it improve it? According to the studies, it’s about 18%, which is definitely something.

5. Lower Body Weight�

If nothing else on this list impresses you, then maybe this will. People who cut out alcohol after being regular drinkers stand to lose about 2-4kg over a month without making any other changes. This is a pretty big amount to the average person, and it’s pretty much guaranteed to make you feel better about your body as well as improve how much energy you have. Oh, and less weight means less risk of chronic diseases like high blood pressure!

This is just the start of the potential benefits of stopping drinking, so start your�dry month�today and feel better.

You think you can do it?

If you become concerned about any symptoms, please seek immediate medical attention we have some hotlines and suggested websites for further information and advice�https://stayathomemum.com.au/my-kids/babies/important-hotlines-websites/

SAHM takes no responsibility for any illness, injury or death caused by misuse of this information. All information provided is correct at time of publication.

Clare Whitfield Chief Editor

Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney, she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

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