Now that we are firmly in to February and Christmas is but a distant memory, many people are congratulating themselves on having had a “dry” January.
Most people attempt Dry January, thinking that the liver probably needs a bit of a rest after the excesses of Christmas and New Year celebrations, but actually the effects are felt far more widely throughout the body, and a month without alcohol has a number of benefits for the cardiovascular system.
Heavy consumption of alcohol is a known risk factor for heart disease, so cutting back or stopping completely helps to reduce this risk. Alcohol also puts up blood pressure, so a reduction in alcohol intake will help with good blood pressure control. Alcohol is stuffed full of calories, so cutting back is good for the waistline, and improves insulin resistance, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, a major risk factor for heart disease.
The British Heart Foundation has a useful page (click here) about the effects of alcohol on the heart, and in 2022 the European Society of Cardiology released a statement about alcohol and the heart, which you can read here. For independent advice and support around alcohol including tools to help you cut back, visit drinkaware.