Introducing: Dry July

If you live in Australia, you probably know a few people that love to drink. It’s part of our culture. But sometimes we forget that just because something has become normal, it doesn’t mean it’s healthy.

Drinking can be enjoyed – in moderation – as part of a healthy lifestyle. But, almost nothing about alcohol is actually good for you. In excess, alcohol can kill you.

So, cutting down your alcohol consumption is always a good idea, but doing so in July has an additional benefit. Dry July was created to raise money for people with cancer while also raising awareness of the dangers of one of its common causes: alcohol.

What’s wrong with drinking?

Numerous clinical trials have found evidence of links between alcohol misuse and cancer, heart disease, stroke and liver disease. Even moderate drinking has been proven to raise blood pressure, cause digestive problems and put pressure on every single one of our organs.

And it isn’t just the dramatic illnesses that drinking alcohol. By weakening your immune system, drinking alcohol make you more likely to get sick from any illness.

Being exposed to a flu virus, for example, might not pose much of a health risk to a usually healthy person. When hungover, however, this largely mild disease could make you much more sick.

How does dry July work?

If you haven’t guessed by now, Dry July is a month-long pledge to be alcohol free. That means no cheeky after-work beers and no wine with dinner. The whole month, not a drop.

The main point of Dry July is to raise money, so asking friends, family and co-workers to sponsor you is great if you can. As well as fundraising for a great cause, many people are motivated to do it purely for their health. So, even if you can’t raise much, it’s still worth it!

All you have to do is sign up on the Dry July website and go alcohol-free for July. The proceeds you raise will fund research and treatment for people living with cancer. You’ll feel great. It’s a win-win.

Tips for a happy and successful Dry July

Substitute

If you think you’ll miss the taste of alcohol, try some of the great alternatives we are lucky to have. For some great examples of this, check out this post on drinking less over Christmas: it applies all year round!

Exercise

The best way to successfully enjoy Dry July is to feel amazing doing it. So, pair your alcohol reduction with a full-scale lifestyle overhaul and you will never want to go back. Feeling healthy is addictive. It’s so easy to forget that!

Eat well

Just like exercise, a healthy diet can make you feel incredible. Form positive associations between sobriety and feeling great!

Get outside

Just like you’re substituting your drinks, substitute your activities. It will be much harder to complete Dry July if you still go to the pub every night. Get outside, be active and get your endorphins in other ways. You might even decide you want to stick it out after July ends.

Be real

Dry July is intended to help social drinkers reduce their intake. It is not recommended that alcoholics begin a path to sobriety this way. If you think a whole month might be overwhelming, do what feels best for you.

Dry July: Better for Everyone

Dry July primarily helps those with cancer but it’s beneficial for everyone that gets involved. Even if you just sponsor a friend, you are getting the chance to support a truly great cause.

If you think you might have a more severe problem with alcohol misuse, speak to your doctor. If they think it’s necessary, they will recommend you to an expert that can help treat your addiction. We will talk about what constitutes addiction over the next few weeks!