Most of us know somebody who has quit alcohol. While reasons may differ, the number of people in this country who don’t drink is sizable. Science shows there can be many health benefits to quitting drinking.
Brain Fog Be Gone
One of the areas that alcohol hits the hardest is your brain. These effects can be both immediate and long-lasting and include memory slips to “brain fog,” where it’s tough to focus. Even after the alcohol has left your system, your brain suffers. Research shows that one night of drinking 5+ alcoholic beverages can be detrimental to your brain up to three days after.
In the long term, alcohol can be detrimental to several parts of the brain. Research shows that the cerebellum, cerebral cortex, and brain tissue are all damaged. Alcohol can also lead to depression, mood swings, and alcoholism.
Going Out or Going to the Gym?
As for your body, the damage that drinking can do is well-documented. The incredible thing is that when you stop over-drinking, your body begins to recover, especially in terms of weight loss.
Alcohol is often called “empty calories,” due to its lack of vital nutrients or vitamins. Most drinks contain an inordinate number of calories. Cutting alcohol cuts out these calories, and many that stop drinking see the pounds practically melt away.
Recovery. It’s Good for You
Beside your weight, some of the organs hardest hit by alcohol begin recovering once you quit. Almost immediately after you stop drinking, the liver begins to bounce back.
Research found that liver fat decreased by 15 percent in subjects after quitting. Blood glucose levels of subjects in that study dropped an average of 16 percent, while cholesterol fell by roughly 5 percent.
Quitting causes your skin to look more hydrated and less ruddy. Other conditions like dandruff or eczema may also improve.
Be Less Sick, Quick
Not only will your organs recover, your body will flourish as your immune system improves. See, alcohol impairs your immune system, which leaves you open to more illnesses.
Quitting also decreases your chances of getting many diseases. There’s a reason the International Agency for Research on Cancer lists alcohol as a Group 1 carcinogen. Regular drinking raises your chances for several cancers. This includes mouth, liver, breast, and throat cancers. The chances of cancer are even greater when paired with tobacco use.
Besides cancer, drinking can cause fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease, and cirrhosis. These are only a few of the diseases linked to alcohol consumption.
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The health benefits of the quitting drinking are only one side of the coin. Besides being healthier, going sober has emotional, social, and financial benefits! While there’s nothing wrong with the occasional drink, a sober lifestyle may be worth a try.
Further Reading
DrinkWise. — The effects of alcohol on your body
