Go sober for October

Healthy advice to go sober

The #GoSober month starts again today and some of the main benefits of going sober quoted on the campaign’s website are:
-A clearer head
-More energy
-Sleeping better
-Weight loss
-Help people with cancer (money raised goes to Macmillan Cancer Support)
-Sense of achievement

We would add ‘better digestion and elimination’ to this list of health advice for a better lifestyle.

Alcohol has been linked to many gut conditions, including bloating, constipation, acid reflux, peptic ulcers, and ultimately liver disease and cancer. Your body’s digestive system is not designed to process large amounts of alcohol and alcohol has been shown to affect all areas of the digestive tract, from the mouth to the oesophagus, the stomach, and both the small and large intestines.

Drinking alcohol also affects your gut microbiome – the complex mixture of bacteria living in your small and large intestines, which are known to support a number of crucial functions in the body.

Studies have shown that alcohol consumption affects the amount and types of bacteria in our gut, leading to dysbiosis (an imbalance of bad to good bacteria). This can affect our ability to absorb nutrients from our food, which may, in turn, affect our energy, weight, bones, and muscles, as well as our overall gut health.

For gut health reasons alone, we would advocate reducing alcohol consumption throughout the year and supporting the gut microbiome if you do partake.