Friends at a dinner party

Tips on how to enjoy an alcohol-free month

How to go alcohol-free for a month

Learn the tips, tricks and benefits of going alcohol-free for a whole month without losing your friends.

More and more people are discovering the benefits of going alcohol-free, whether it’s for a month or on a more permanent basis. In fact, it has become somewhat of a social trend as people consider the impact of alcohol on their physical and emotional health and wellbeing.

A great way to see if an alcohol-free lifestyle is for you, is to start off by going alcohol-free for a whole month. You’ll be surprised how quickly the month will pass. And you’ll probably come out the other side feeling like a new person.

So, why go alcohol-free for a month?

Going alcohol-free is good for your health, in both the short term and the long term. You can notice benefits almost immediately.

Drop some weight

Alcohol can have a long-term effect of causing weight gain. Many alcoholic beverages are high in kilojoules on their own, and then if you mix them with sodas and juices, you are significantly increasing the sugar content. The sugars can be stored in your body as a fat that is difficult to shed. Furthermore, drinking alcohol encourages you to eat more.

✓ By simply cutting out alcohol for a month, you can reduce the number of calories and sugars you consume.

Improve your brain function

It’s no secret that alcohol has short-term and long-term effects on the regular function of the brain – the most important organ in the body.

In the short term, there is the intoxicated feeling that comes with alcohol consumption, followed by the lethargy and sore head of a hangover. Over a long period of time, alcohol can cause severe memory loss and impact learning capability.

✓ By reducing your alcohol consumption, you can help your brain function in a healthier manner.

Get a better night’s sleep

Alcohol can help you fall asleep faster, but did you know that it can prevent you from enjoying a deep sleep? During the night, your blood pressure and heart rate increases as the alcohol is metabolised in your system, disrupting your night’s sleep.

✓ By reducing alcohol consumption before bedtime, your central nervous system remains stable, and you are more likely to enjoy a better night’s sleep.

Balance your mental health

Alcohol can be responsible for feelings of happiness, but unfortunately, also feelings of depression as the serotonin levels in your system are boosted and then quickly drop.

✓ By avoiding alcohol, you can maintain stable levels of serotonin and prevent alcohol-induced mood shifts.

Get your heart on the right beat

Alcohol can affect your heart in several ways. It can increase the levels of triglycerides and cause fat to build in your arteries, leading to thickening and hardening of the artery walls. This can put you at risk of having an irregular heartbeat, heart attack or stroke.

✓ By reducing your alcohol intake, you can lower your chances of serious heart conditions.

Look after your liver

Your liver can be directly damaged by alcohol as it works to filter the toxins from your body.

✓ Long-term liver damage can be avoided by limiting your consumption of alcohol.

Boost your immune system

More than ever, we are aware of the constant evidence of germs around us. Fortunately, our immune system helps to fight the ongoing threat of illness. Alcohol can reduce the ability of our immune system to fight those ever-present germs.

✓ By reducing your alcohol intake, your immune system has a better chance of keeping you well.

Friends at a picnic

How to go alcohol-free for a month

Going cold turkey with no alcohol for a month might seem intimidating. However, cutting out alcohol doesn’t necessarily mean going without a glass of wine. Edenvale produces a range of premium Australian alcohol-removed wines with the same taste, aroma, complexity and variety of traditional wines.

Edenvale wines are non-intoxicating, with less than 0.5% alcohol by volume. They have less than half the calories of normal wine and are rich in antioxidants.

Edenvale alcohol-reduced wines are created using grapes grown in Australia’s finest wine regions, using the same winemaking techniques as traditional wine before the alcohol is extracted. The Edenvale range includes true-to-varietal wines featuring many favourites like Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Sparkling Cuvee, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sparkling Rosé, Sparkling Shiraz, and Sauvignon Blanc.

But what will your friends think?

Fortunately, the social pressure of drinking alcohol is not as prevalent as it once was, making it easier to explain to your friends that you’re going alcohol-free for a month. However, it’s still good to know some tips on how to avoid alienating your friends.

Let them know your plan early. That way you can both be prepared. Much like a vegetarian at a barbecue, they’ll know in advance not to get you an alcoholic drink.

Accept that they might not want to join you. It’s your choice, and good on you, but there’s no need to lecture them. If they want to know more, let them ask.

Make social plans where alcohol is easily avoided. If there’s less opportunity to drink, you’ll find there’s less peer pressure on you to drink. For example, go to a movie or have a picnic by the river. Just because there’s no alcohol, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself.

Discuss the benefits for them. You could be the designated driver and ensure your friends get home safely. They’ll love that idea!

Remember, you can still enjoy a good drop with Edenvale’s alcohol-removed wines and remain blissfully sober.

Sparkling Shiraz wine

Can an alcohol-free month lead to a new habit?

Hopefully, by the end of the month, you’ll see the benefits of going alcohol-free for yourself. And drinking Edenvale’s alcohol-removed wines might have helped you get there. So, why not make Edenvale your wine of choice and keep the lifestyle going?

Your body will thank you in the long-term.

Ready to go alcohol-free for a month?

Finding a great choice of alcohol-removed wines is as easy as taking a look through the Edenvale range. Edenvale wines offer the taste and full complexity of premium wines, without the alcohol content. Select Edenvale varietals are available at Dan Murphy’s, Coles, Woolworths and IGA, or you can shop our full range at our online store or from our online retail partners – Sansdrinks, CraftZero, Brunswick Aces and Free Spirit Drink Co.

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