Dry January

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

What if a drug was discovered that could reduce blood pressure, cholesterol, and insulin resistance? Oh, and it's also free. Those health benefits and more have been found to result when an alcohol drinker, like the author yesterday, quits.

During "dry January," 100 men and women abstained from alcohol while their health was monitored by University College London. That 30-day period rendered surprising results: "liver damage was reduced by 12.5 per cent and resistance to insulin came down by 28 per cent." 

“If [a clinical trial] had a drug that lowered blood pressure by the amount we’ve observed in those that stopped drinking alcohol, the company would be excited beyond belief. If they then also found it reduced cholesterol, they would be doubly excited… it’s such a good story, there’s no drugs that do that.”

According to this chart, half of all adult Americans have an average of less than one drink per week. So if you do what yesterday's author advocates, you'll have lots of company.