Many of us love pouring a nice glass of wine at the end of the day to relax and treat ourselves. But, for some people, this can mean a drink every day.
Even if it does not lead to a second glass or more, it is probably not a healthy habit to keep.
For lots of people, a habitual glass of wine at the end of each day is not a reason to join Alcoholics Anonymous or other such support groups.
For most people a little detox may be just the thing one needs in order to find a more healthy approach to handling stress or as a wind-down routine.
There are alcohol detox centres throughout the U.K. that are designed to help everyday people who love a glass of wine (or more) create more healthy habits.
Whether you are just looking for some confidential advice, help on living a more positive life or you need a rehabilitation program to help you stop going for that drink every day, these centres can help.
If you’re not sure whether you need to look into this more just now, you should keep reading to get a better idea…
What Happens to the Body When You Drink Every Day?
Research has shown that you may live a shorter life if you consume more than the recommended limits of alcohol per week.
This is in comparison to people who drink less than the minimum recommended amount.
According to U.K. guidelines, alcohol intake should be limited to 14 units per week. To give you an idea, that is the equivalent to around six pints of beer (4% ABV) or seven 175ml glasses of wine (12% ABV). In one week – total.
Ideally, you should space these drinks out across the days so you do not drink every day. That can allow you to give your body and mind a chance to detox.
With that in mind, when you drink every day you are most likely exceeding this limit.
As you probably already know, this increases your risk of stroke, liver disease, cardiovascular disease, and some types of cancer!
Drinking in excess saturates your liver enzymes, producing free radicals, and oxidising bad cholesterol in your body.
This can create deposits on your carotid arteries and form blockages that may cause a heart attack or stroke. The build-up of free radicals caused by excessive alcohol consumption has been linked to different types of cancers, including:
- Liver cancer
- Breast cancer
- Oesophageal cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Head and neck cancers
What Happens When You Stop Daily Alcohol Consumption?
There can be some incredible health benefits and improvements to your overall health and wellness if you stop consuming alcohol daily.
For example, if you cut alcohol out of your diet for 30 days, your body undergoes some beneficial changes such as better sleep, greater mental clarity, healthy weight loss, and of course, the much-loved ‘detox‘ feeling.
Liver cirrhosis can occur if you drink over the recommended limits for an extended period of time. Therefore, your liver health may improve from cessation of daily alcohol consumption too.
However, your liver is quite tolerant and may return to a completely healthy state when you stop drinking altogether.
Healthy weight loss is also known to be a very positive side effect of quitting daily alcohol consumption. Alcoholic beverages are high in calories and added sugars, so can easily add on the pounds!
This isn’t always the case though.
It also depends on other factors of your lifestyle, such as your diet, general health and frequency of exercise.
Brain focus can also improve after you stop drinking.
When you drink excessively, you may develop brain disorders, reduced memory, or concentration. Stopping or significantly reducing the alcohol you consume may benefit your brain functions.
How to Replace Wine in Your Evening Routine
It can be hard to break a daily habit, but it is well worth it for the benefits to your overall health and wellness!
If you love the sense of relaxation and the frequent ‘treat’ that having a glass of wine in the evening brings, there are some healthier alternatives you can try:
- Tea
If you are like many people who enjoy lots of cups of tea or coffee throughout the day, you might want to try something different for your alternative to wine.
Herbal teas and green tea, in particular, are very good for your overall health.
Your body gets lots of beneficial nutrients and antioxidants from caffeine-free tea and teas with less caffeine.
If you prefer chilled white wines, you might enjoy iced teas. To make an excellent iced tea, try these recipes for iced jasmine citrus tea or iced green tea with mint and honey.
If you are more of a red wine drinker, you may enjoy a more robust (and still healthy) tea like African rooibos.
- Spritzers
For another healthy wine alternative, you might consider treating yourself to a sparkling water spritzer.
Many water brands have developed sugar-free, flavoured sparkling waters, and you can even make some alcohol-free spritzers yourself.
It is an excellent way to hydrate, give yourself a special evening drink, and avoid the adverse effects of excessive alcohol consumption.
- Non-Alcoholic Wine
You might be surprised to learn that there are non-alcoholic wines available. These are my personal “go-to”!
If you love the taste of wine, but you want to avoid alcohol, these can be a great option. Especially during parties or gatherings! It is lovely to be able to enjoy yourself with friends, while not feeling pressured to drink alcohol.
At the end of the evening (or lunch) you can go home feeling fresh, but having the “taste” of alcohol in your mouth so you feel like you have not missed out on anything. Great!
However, the flavour and complexity are different than normal wines that contain alcohol, so you should lower your expectations to suit.
So, as you can see…the benefits of quitting or even just cutting down your alcohol intake to the recommended amount (or less, ideally) are very clear. Give it a go and challenge yourself.
Try to stop for 1 day. Then 2 days and so on…you can do this!
Please, do not forget to ask for help and support if you think you might need it.
Images: Silviarita from Pixabay and Cottonbro from Pexels
