Dry January... Why You've been hearing about it and how it can impact your gut health

Happy New Year! January is such a good time for a reset as we start off 2024. Many people take this as a time to re-evaluate their relationship with alcohol and participate in dry January. I am a big proponent of taking a month for an alcohol reset. It’s a great way to see the difference in how you feel physically, mentally, and socially when you take alcohol out of the mix. Let’s talk about a few of the health benefits when you take a break from drinking, ways to detox if you do drink, and a few mocktail recipes to get you started.

When people think of alcohol’s effects on the body, their thoughts often immediately go to the liver. The association between liver function and alcohol is clear, since the liver filters toxins, like alcohol, to be removed from the body. Drinking in excess or frequently can then put stress on your liver that is not only filtering alcohol, but also all the other toxins you come in contact with on a daily basis.

Did you know that drinking also has a big impact on the gut? Alcohol is an antimicrobial. Consider this, alcohol started being used as an antiseptic in the 1300s. So what do you think it’s doing to the good bacteria that we want to support in our gut, to create a healthy microbiome? While getting rid of good bacteria, drinking has been shown to increase the growth of bad bacteria, leading to dysbiosis. Alcohol ingestion, even in small amounts has also been shown to affect the level of digestive enzymes and alter stomach acidity, impacting digestion. Over time, alcohol is one of the factors which increases the permeability of the intestinal lining, increasing toxins in the bloodstream and causing leaky gut. If working on gut health is one of your goals for this year, doing a sober month could be a great place to start.

Another surprising impact of alcohol is on skin health. Drinking alcohol increases acne, flushing like rosacea, and eczema. Frequent alcohol intake increases dehydration, destructing the skin’s moisture barrier and increasing the development of wrinkles. With January being right in the middle of cold and flu season, it is the perfect time to take a break from drinking since alcohol also lowers the immune system. If any of these are factors of your health that you are wanting to improve, join me in doing a dry January!

Mocktail recipes:

Cucumber Basil Spritz

• 6-8 cucumber slices
• Handful of basil
• 1 lime juiced
• Dash of maple syrup
• Ice & lime sparkling water
• (optional) rim- lime zest & sugar

1. Muddle cucumber & basil leaves
2. Add lime juice & maple syrup
3. Shake & pour into glass
4. Top with lime sparkling water & ice
5. Enjoy!

White Tea Paloma

• 2 White tea bags
• 2 tsp Honey
• Grapefruit
• Sea salt
• 1 lime, juiced
• Can of grapefruit sparkling water

1. Boil water for tea & steep tea bags for 1 minute
2. Stir in honey & put in fridge until cooled
3. Zest half the grapefruit onto a plate & mix with salt
4. Drizzle honey onto a plate, roll rim of glass in the honey, & use finger to spread thin layer
5. Roll rim of glass with honey in grapefruit zest & salt
6. Juice the grapefruit & mix with lime juice, tea, & ice. Shake & add to glasses. Top with sparkling water.
7. Enjoy!

Tips for detoxing after you drink:

• Try not to have more than one drink a day (and not every day)
• Hydrate after drinking- don’t forget to replace electrolytes too
• Eat food that helps to absorb the alcohol in your stomach before drinking
• After drinking enjoy fermented and high fiber foods to support your microbiome
• Consider your beverage of choice and how it will impact your blood sugar
• Drink greens powder to support your liver
• Avoid taking tylenol after drinking, to not put too much stress on your liver

Food for thought:

Did you know that alcohol also affects women’s fertility? In a study of nonalcoholic women, even small amounts of alcohol was shown to impact LH levels, stop ovulation, and cause menstrual irregularities (Emanuele, Wezeman, & Emanuele, 2002). An animal study provides evidence that alcohol increases estrogen and testosterone (Emanuele, Wezeman, & Emanuele, 2002). In humans, sustained high estrogen can lead to estrogen dominance, whereas high testosterone levels are often seen in conditions like PCOS. Drinking alcohol can have a profound effect on the delicate balance of our hormones.

Emanuele, M. A., Wezeman, F., & Emanuele, N. V. (2002). Alcohol’s effects on female reproductive function.

Alcohol Research & Health, 26

(4), 274-281.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6676690/