Sober October is over… Now what?

Continuing the momentum…

If you participated in Sober October, well done you!

You've completed a whole month without alcohol.

Either you've 'white knuckled' your way through the past 31 days and are feeling relieved it's finally over and are ready to pop the champagne corks in celebration, or perhaps you feel so good, the thought of continuing not drinking has become a welcome extension of your new health goals.

For many, just getting through a whole month without booze can feel like a punishment that has finally ended. The mental anguish of not having that familiar "reward" at the end of a busy working day or to take the edge off the stress if the kids have been driving you crazy through the school holidays, can be enough to drive you to drink! Or so your well-ingrained conditioning may lead you to believe.

But does alcohol really have the magical powers you thought it did?

Can alcohol make life seem so easy to manage, fun and sociable, that you just can't live without it? We've been brought up to believe alcohol is the secret sauce to having fun, socialising, commiserating, having a good sex life or even getting to sleep. So, if you take out the booze, what then? Does life become so boring that you stay home and hibernate like a bear in winter?

It can take the body at least a month to reset once booze is taken out of your system (depending on your alcohol intake). This short break in October is just the start of allowing your body time to heal. And, some of the organs that benefit include the most obvious one, the liver. Our liver bears the brunt of the work when it comes to breaking down alcohol and has the job of metabolising alcohol which it sees as a toxic substance.

A healthy liver can metabolise one alcoholic drink per hour. If you have more than that, toxic acetaldehyde builds up in the body. Drink too much too often, and your liver suffers damage and burns fat more slowly. When you're drinking alcohol, the liver burns acetaldehyde for the body's fuel instead of fat, as it should.

So, it's no real surprise that excessive drinking can lead to liver problems, weight gain, and a myriad of other health issues, including, high blood pressure, risk of stroke, cancer of the oesophagus, colon, liver, mouth, pharynx, stomach, pancreas, lung, breast, and prostate. Not to mention the emotional impact due to changes in your biochemistry and mental health implications.

On the flip side, some of the positive health benefits you may notice after taking a month off the booze could be:

•           Better sleep

•           Mental clarity and focus

•           More energy

•           Increased motivation

•           Weight loss

•           Clearer skin & eyes

•           Less anxiety

•           Stable mood

•           Increased confidence

•           Money saved

So, when you weigh up the pros and cons for your health and wellbeing, it's a no-brainer!

Alcohol-free is the best way to be!

But what about the social aspect, you ask?

The market for non-alcoholic drinks has exploded in recent years. There are now so many healthier, flavoursome options that still have a "grown-up" feel without tasting like sugary soft drinks.

Not drinking alcohol doesn't mean only being limited to drinking water or tea! To quote a favourite saying of Janey Lee Grace, podcast host of Alcohol-Free Life and founder of The Sober Club, "Keep the ritual, change the ingredients!"

Have a sophisticated, non-alcoholic drink in a wine glass or other beautiful glass and still feel like you’re part of the crowd without the "FOMO" (fear of missing out). The only thing you'll be missing is the hangover!

Alcohol-free bars and retail outlets are also popping up around the country.

Business is booming for Brunswick Aces, Australia's first alcohol-free cocktail bar in Melbourne. It's a cool, upmarket venue that draws a large Friday and Saturday night crowd where patrons want to socialise and have a great time sans booze.

Major alcohol retail chain Dan Murphy's created a pop-up cocktail lounge in Melbourne that was a huge success and recently, hosted an alcohol-free event at a trendy Melbourne city venue.

Sober is the new cool!

But if you're still not sure if living an alcohol-free lifestyle is for you, consider the benefits of how it’ll improve your overall health and well-being. Ask yourself “Is another hangover and the risks of negative health impacts worth the short-term dopamine hit?”

If you need more practice and accountability, there's always Dry January just around the corner.

Anytime is a good time to start taking better care of your health and live a better life.

If you’d like to learn more about how you could find your freedom and achieve success like many of my coaching clients, check out my Coaching Services.

For the month of November, I'm delighted to offer you a 10% discount on any coaching package until 30 November 2022.

I look forward to helping you find your freedom and live a life you love - without alcohol.

Namaste,

Cindy