Medical Health

with Kirsty Lilley

As January heralds the start of a new year, it is typically the time at which we might begin to think about breaking some habits that no longer support us.

With the excesses of the festive period over and the recognition that we may have indulged a little too much in terms of alcohol intake, it might be a good idea to start to consider how we adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Dry January is a public health campaign which encourages people to give up alcohol for the month of January and reset their relationship with booze.

You may be surprised to know that the current guidelines for recommended alcohol intake for both men and women is no more than 14 units a week, spread across three days or more. That’s around six medium (175 ml) glasses of wine, or six pints of 4% beer.

There’s no completely safe way of drinking, but sticking within these guidelines lowers your risk of harming your health.

According to research by Alcohol Change UK, in just one month, 70% of people undertaking Dry January sleep better, 86% of people save money, and 65% of people notice generally improved health, which may include lower blood pressure, a reduction in diabetes risk and a reduction in levels of cancerrelated proteins!

In terms of long-term change, research also indicated that Dry January helped people to adopt more sustainable benefits, with 70% of people who undertook Dry January maintaining healthier levels of drinking up to six months after. They also noted a significant improvement in wellbeing.

If you are unsure about going completely dry in January but would like to find ways to cut down your alcohol consumption, here are some tips. • Aim to stick to the guidelines (as noted above) for safer alcohol intake. • Pace yourself and enjoy each drink slowly. Remember, you don’t have to join in every time someone else decides to drink. • Keeping a drinking diary for a couple of weeks will help you identify your drinking patterns. • Try drinking low alcohol and alcohol-free drinks. You could also alternate an alcoholic drink with a glass of water or other soft drink. • Have a few days free of

alcohol each week and plan some activities which don’t rely on alcohol consumption if you think you might find it difficult to say ‘no’. • Eat before and while you drink, which will slow down the alcohol being absorbed into your blood stream. • Ask for help if you feel your drinking is getting out of control and you are worried about your health. Contact your GP for further help and advice. Remember, it’s not about giving something up as much as it is about getting something back. Get your fun back. Get your energy back. Get your calm back and notice an improvement in health and wellbeing. If you are dependent on alcohol, stopping drinking suddenly can be dangerous. Please speak to your GP who will be able to support you and get help for you to reduce your drinking safely. For further information, visit www.alcoholchange.org.uk The Local Answer To advertise call 01242 510500 Page 13