In 2016 we will…
Give our livers a break!
Mine certainly needs a detox, doesn’t yours? After the abuse our poor livers have suffered throughout Christmas and the New Year it definitely needs a bit of TLC and a well deserved rest, which is why I’m suggesting we all try and go alcohol free for a couple of weeks, or even better see if you can go the whole of January.
Government guidelines recommend that we should be aiming for at least two alcohol free days each week, in order for our livers to repair and detox. Andrew Langford, the chief executive of the British Liver Trust says, “One in four people tested were showing the early signs of liver disease. Caught at this early stage, lifestyle changes allow the liver to repair itself. Having an alcoholic drink every night, overindulging in rich food too frequently and not making time for regular exercise are major contributing factors for liver disease. As everyone is affected differently, and symptoms are almost unrecognisable until the damage is beyond repair”. In fact, liver disease is now the fifth biggest killer in the UK and figures are rising.
There are not only physical effects caused by regularly drinking too much alcohol, but there is also the fact that the more often we drink the greater the tolerance of the liver and this can result in dependency and addiction.
I’m sure many of us are suffering from hangovers after last nights New Years Eve celebrations, so what better time to start a detox than today; a day when we probably really don’t think we could look at an alcoholic drink EVER again!
