5 benefits of cutting back on the alcohol
As I race towards my late 50s, I’ve noticed that I’ve become super sensitive to many foods and particularly alcohol. Hence I have cut down to almost zero alcohol in the last 18 months. I still enjoy a celebratory champagne or a nice cocktail here and there, but I have more or less ditched the booze. Why and what benefits have I noticed?
Sleep Better
I don’t know about you, but alcohol makes me sleepy. So getting to sleep after a few drinks is super easy. But I found that I was waking up at the strangest times, not getting any quality sleep whatsoever, and I would wake up the next morning feeling so sleepy and sluggish.
Stable Weight
Alcohol equals sugar. And as soon as I have a drink, I start searching for the snacks. The potato chips, the nasty processed stuff. And then what happens? I feel like junk myself. So by switching to a low-sugar tonic water, or a sparkling water with fresh citrus, no more searching for the nasty snacks. And consuming way less sugar is a good thing to keep my weight at a stable level.
Clear Skin
Alcohol makes your skin horribly dehydrated. Fact. I used to get really deep pimples, especially around my chin. And I noticed that my skin was really bad 2 days later if I’d over indulged. So breaking free from the booze has meant my skin has been free from blemishes and much clearer and more vibrant.
Wake up without the Coffee
It’s a common theme – use downers (alcohol) to get to sleep, and use uppers (coffee) to wake up in the morning. That used to be me! Ditching the booze has meant I am waking up feeling refreshed and truly awake first thing. No more dragging myself out of bed or drinking a giant pot of coffee in bed (that’s what I used to do).
Feel Healthier
I generally feel better within myself and these days I rarely get a cold, or fall ill. I used to find that alcohol would drain my body of nutrients and I would feel really run down, or get bad cold sores. Not any more thankfully! Oh and eating a whole food plant based diet (95% of the time) has also made a huge positive impact on my health.