Should I take a month off drinking alcohol?

Sober October is over – but was it worth it? Yes. Studies confirm that abstaining from booze for four weeks lowers blood pressure and blood sugar, improves sleep and concentration and helps you lose weight

Have you ever wondered if a dry January really works? Does your liver notice if you spend a month off the chablis, sipping elderflower spritzers instead? Apparently so, according to research to be presented this month at the 66th annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease.

A study of 102 drinkers who had a dry January found a reduction in their “liver stiffness” – measured by a scan that assesses the amount of fibrous scarring in the liver. No one knows what this means, although one could hope the liver can at least partially repair itself, given an alcohol–free holiday. Fibrous scarring can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, irreversible damage that can lead to liver failure. Importantly, the blood pressure of those in the study fell, as did their resistance to insulin, reducing the likelihood of developing diabetes.

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from Health & wellbeing | The Guardian http://ift.tt/1ix8An1
via health