Trying a Dry January
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/ Categories: WELLNESS, 2022

Trying a Dry January

The inclination to abstain from alcohol during the month of January isn’t new. It was first recorded in 1942, when the Finnish government launched the “Sober January” campaign. In the 2012, a British organization called Alcohol Concern did the same. They called it “Dry January.” The idea has persisted, because it offers many unexpected health benefits. What benefits could you realize by discontinuing alcohol for the month? Here are a few:

Physical health benefits. Metabolizing alcohol is hard on the body, especially the liver and digestive system. Just a short while after taking an alcohol break, you are likely to notice several health benefits, including improved blood sugar levels and decreased blood pressure. Over time, non-drinkers will experience decreased fat accumulations in the liver. In addition, non-drinkers often experience improved mental clarity and greater ability to fight infections. 

Weight loss. Most alcoholic beverages are loaded with calories. At the same time, they offer little nutritional benefit. Skipping alcohol alone could make a powerful difference when trying to lose weight. Alcohol also makes it more difficult to regulate our appetite and what we consume. Better eating habits acquired through sobriety could relate to another weight loss boost.  

Mental health benefits. People often associate alcohol with relaxation. For this reason, many people use alcohol to cope with anxiety and other uncomfortable feelings. When the alcohol wears off, the anxious feelings can seem even worse. A cycle of self-medicating with alcohol can lead to dependence. Learning authentic coping strategies and getting help for mental conditions, rather than masking them, can dramatically improve your life.

Financial savings. Whether you purchase alcohol to drink at home or go out for drinks, the cost of alcohol adds up. Trying a dry January will put a little money back in your pocket. Who couldn’t use that?

Increased awareness. If you drink alcohol regularly, you might not be entirely aware of its affect on your life. Abstaining for a month provides you an opportunity to reset your relationship with alcohol and realize just how much you had been drinking.

If you currently drink alcohol and you would like to experience the benefits of being sober, I encourage you to try a dry January. The positive effects could last a lifetime. According to a survey of 900 Dry January participants in August 2014, 72% had kept harmful drinking episodes down, and 4% had not resumed drinking alcohol.

Kim Fodor, MD, is an internal medicine physician at SVMC Internal Medicine, part of Southwestern Vermont Medical Center and Southwestern Vermont Health Care in Bennington.

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How to Become a Mask Wearer

Long before COVID-19, online chat groups for people with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) were filled with posts about how uncomfortable it is to wear a mask in public: not physically uncomfortable, a fact that was barely mentioned, but psychologically uncomfortable. For people with this condition or the lung transplant used to cure it, catching a cold or the flu could be deadly. They need to wear masks in public to help protect themselves from getting ill.

The participants discussed how awkward it is riding the bus in a mask, going to the grocery store in a mask, or boarding a plane while wearing one. They were mostly self-conscious that others would think they were ill or weak. Many would rather suffer the risk of getting fatally sick than put a mask on in a department store.

Now, we've all been directed to wear masks in public. Both Bennington and Wilmington's Select Boards have passed local mandates requiring masks in public places. This—along with distancing and handwashing—are crucial parts of returning to a more normal way of life. Suddenly, we are all feeling the psychological discomfort PF patients have felt for many years.

People usually have an interest in blending in. And, just like doing anything out of the ordinary, wearing a mask for the first time definitely feels like putting yourself out there. If we want to return to a somewhat normal way of life, masks are crucially important, along with frequent, thorough handwashing and keeping a distance from others.

Here are a few tips for making the leap from being someone nervous about wearing a mask to being a person who wears one regularly.

Do it for others. We know that people can spread COVID-19 as many as a few days before they get sick. Even if you feel fine, you could have COVID-19 right now without knowing it. At the same time, masks are far better at keeping sick people from spreading germs than they are at keeping people from getting sick. So wearing a mask isn't a sign of weakness; it's a sign of altruism. It's like saying, "I am not certain that I am not sick, so I want to pay those around me the consideration of limiting the likelihood I will infect them." Think of it as a badge of kindness.

Get a mask that fits. We know that masks are not completely comfortable physically. Getting the right fit makes a big difference in their "wearability." Cloth masks are readily available online and from local groups. The Green Mountain Mask Makers have excellent information and resources. If you can, purchase a few types in a few sizes to see which you like best. Buy enough of that type to allow washing between trips out in public.

Get a mask that you like. Once you have found a mask source and as long as you have a choice, pick one that you like. You can choose colors that match your wardrobe or that represent your interests, like camouflage. There are even masks that look like fashionable scarves when they hang around your neck. The sooner we start thinking of masks as part of our outfits, as essential and unremarkable as shoes or a belt, the healthier we will all be.

Try to quit caring about what others think. This one is hard. But one wise PF patient wrote, "I just don't give a darn!" Essentially, he shared that if people want to judge him for wearing a mask, so be it. Their opinions don't have a single thing to do with him. Many in the chat group applauded his confidence and vowed to adopt his attitude.

If we all do our best, soon the cultural scale will tip. Wearing a mask or not wearing one will cease to be a political statement. It will be normal. And thankfully, if wearing a mask in public, handwashing and sanitizing, and keeping our distance are all normal, going out into public again can be safe and normal too.

Donna Barron, RN, is the infection preventionist at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center.

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