With the COVID-19 pandemic seemingly lasting an eternity, many have increased their consumption of alcohol as a way to relax and forget about the stressors brought about by our new reality. Unfortunately, this can have detrimental effects on one’s physical and psychological health. Studies have suggested drinking more than 2 standard drinks a day can seriously affect your health over your lifetime. It can lead to dependence and addiction, increased blood pressure leading to a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease, damage to the brain, increasing the risk of stroke and developing dementia, as well as many more negative side effects.
Fortunately, breaking a habit does get easier with time, and kicking out alcohol is no different. Now as someone who enjoys nothing more than a few beers whilst watching the footy on a saturday afternoon, I’m not going to sit here and tell you to forget the frothies all together because that would be extremely hypocritical! I will however suggest thinking about dialing it back as the proven health benefits of drinking less include better sleep, weight loss and a stronger immune system.
There are many alternatives available outside of alcohol, and positively, there are many brands embracing the trend worldwide, with less people grabbing a drink than ever before. One of my favourites is kombucha. Kombucha is a fermented black or green tea drink that is filled with antioxidants and probiotics that can improve gut health. Even better, it provides a bubbly tang that is similar to a beer. it’s also super easy to make at home meaning you can choose your own flavours! As well as this, kombucha has been shown to improve “bad” LDL and “good” HDL cholesterol levels in rats. It may also protect against heart disease.
For further information, contact Hunter Rehabilitation and Health on 4016 4446 book in for a consultation to discuss alternative ways to replace a beer at home for better health outcomes!