We often talk about having dry months. A dry month is when you don’t drink alcohol. People like to give up drinking for a month for their health.
We believe that alcohol consumption is a nuanced topic. Some people don’t drink because of personal beliefs, health concerns or past problems. Others do drink because they believe it can aid health, or they enjoy drinking socially. Drinking or not drinking is a personal choice, and we think adults need to make that decision for themselves.
We have written about Sober October, when people aim to reevaluate their relationship with alcohol. The aim is to learn to have more fun without it and see how their bodies feel.
We wrote about “Try January” a couple of years ago, wherein people cut back instead of abstaining completely. It can be easier for people to slowly step away from alcohol rather than go from the parties of the holidays to completely removing alcohol from their lives.
Dry January can help lower chronic inflammation. What starts off as just taking a break from indulging can have a large health impact.
“Alcohol is a poison,” said Drug and alcohol rehab counselor Alan Berki, “and if you’re ingesting a poison, it’s going to damage every cell in your body. You’re going to notice tremendous health benefits when you stop drinking for an extended period of time.”
Inflammation caused by alcohol can heal if given time to do so. “When people stop drinking, even if it’s for just a month, this alcohol-induced inflammation has the chance to improve,” said liver specialist Dr. Jamile Wakim-Fleming. “It’s like you’re giving that wound a little bit of time to heal itself. It may not heal all of the way back if you’ve been drinking a lot before and your liver has been severely damaged by alcohol. But it will still help.”
The liver is amazing in its ability to heal itself. However, constant alcohol use causes chronic inflammation that can cause the liver to grow scar tissue. When you have a dry month, you stop that damage and allow your liver to heal and rest. You may feel better and realize you would also like a Dry February.
For many people, a Dry January leads to a new, “damp,” life where they drink considerably less than before. For others, it makes them realize that drinking isn’t something they want at all. The new year is a great time to try new things. We toast all of you, with our glasses of water, tea, coffee and seltzer, as you try new things in 2025!
