Dry January. I like to preface this post with I am not someone who jumps on any nutrition or diet bandwagon because it’s trendy or everyone is hash tagging it! I make conscious and mindful decisions about my health based on what my body is telling me.
This past December, I enjoyed mulled wine, sugar cookies, crackers and sausage, cheeseball, and the list goes on. It was lovely to enjoy these holiday foods with my family. However, whew! did I really feel the post-holiday bloat this year and I could tell my body needed a bit of a rest. I needed to get back to whole foods, less sugar, more hydration, healthy habits, and no booze.
When I want to cleanse my body and give it extra support post-holidays, I practice some key healthy habits that always make me feel better and these key habits if you are trying out Dry January for optimal success:
- Remove or Reduce the foods you know that your gut reacts to. This is different for each person. If you know that when you remove dairy, simple carbohydrates, or sugars out of your diet that your digestion is better than removing/reducing those foods can be very helpful
- I scale back the coffee consumption and swap in more herbal teas in their place.
- I consume more probiotic foods in my diet like water kefir, sauerkraut, kimchee, grass-fed yogurts, or simply take a probiotic. What are the benefits of probiotics and how can you easily incorporate them into your health? Learn more through my blog post link here
- If you are new to Kefir I have a great Kefir Lemonade Recipe , 2-Ingredient Probiotic Milk Kefir Recipe, and a How to make Water Kefir Gingerale Recipe.
- Sauerkraut you can buy or you can easily make it at home! Here is my no muss-no fuss How to make Sauerkraut recipe here.
- I incorporate ginger root and fresh lemon into hot water or herbal teas at bedtime
- I increase my daily water intake and am mindful to hydrate. If water is boring for you to drink, try infused water. I have 7 Infused Water Recipes and some health benefits in the blog post here.
- I am mindful to get more sleep and rest in my days
- I move every day. Even if it’s 5 minutes of stretching in the morning or I walk the dog. Movement is beneficial not only for our digestive system but also for our mental health as well.
- These are a few of the healthy habits I engage in after the holidays. If you want to get deeper into supporting your digestive system check out my TOP 7 Ways to Support Your Gut Health After the Holiday Season Article here.
Now, this January in addition to the above I am engaging in Dry January. 31 Days with no alcohol. Passing on Alcohol for a month is said to have profound benefits to your health. In an Experiment by The New Scientist, participants who abstained from booze for only 35 days saw a massive “decrease in blood sugar, cholesterol, and liver fats”.
Some of the other benefits that Dry January Boasts is mood stabilizing, better sleep, more energy, mental clarity, reduced inflammation in the body, save wasted calories, and it saves you money. The digestive tips are key above during January to be successful and help you through. Additionally, I would like to add:
- Feed Your Body the Good Stuff! More of the stuff that grows in the dirt and less of the stuff that is made in a factory
- Sweating through exercise or an infrared sauna can be a great way to sweat out in January, especially for those that maybe drink a little more (more than 3-4 drinks per week)
- Be mindful of your social commitments. Move things around in January and/or let people know that you are following an alcohol-free January so they can support you.
- Get extra zzz’s. I mentioned sleep above but I will note it again. Going to bed an extra hour early can be very helpful.
- Pump up that self-care! A little time every day to fill up your emotional cup is key. If you are not sure where to start, here is my Self-Care 101, How to Incorporate Daily Self-Care article
- Journalling, reflecting on your habits, goal/ intention setting is a great way to keep you focused on what you want to cultivate and create in the new year.
I hope these tips help! If you are struggling or notice that maybe the dependence on alcohol is greater than you think reach out for help. Alcoholics Anonymous is a great resource and you can find support near you through their website, link here.
Comment or DM me on social media if you are also doing this challenge? I would love to hear from you and support you along the way.
XO,
Jo
P.S. if you make it comment below or tag Rejoice on Instagram or Facebook as I always love seeing your creations.