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Drinking dry spell: Taking a booze break

An estimated 95,000 people die every year from alcohol-related causes

ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – March 2021 officially marks one year of the pandemic and more Americans seem to be drinking away the pain.

Alcohol hits our neurochemical pathways, releasing endorphins that make us feel good, but how much is too much? At what point does wanting a drink turn into needing as drink? An estimated 95,000 people die every year from alcohol-related causes, making alcohol the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States.

“I’ve had all these negative feelings about myself and ... alcohol numbed that,” Traci Barnes, owner of Rise Above Café, told Ivanhoe.

Drizly, an alcohol delivery company, reported that in the first wave of lockdowns, sales surged by seven to 800%.

A small time-out for 30 days can impact your health, and your liver can focus on breaking down toxins in the body. You may also lower your blood pressure, sleep more soundly, have more energy, clearer skin, and a smaller waistline.

Your bank account will thank you too. The average American spends thousands of dollars every year on alcohol alone. While your relationship with alcohol starts to change, so should your routine. “The bewitching hour” is one of the most common drinking triggers due to the popularity of a post-work cocktail so, try to keep yourself busy through 8 p.m.

When in doubt, recruit a friend and take on the challenge together.

Another bonus of a break from booze? Your immune system will also get stronger! If you don’t feel ready to take a big break just yet, but want to cut back, consider trying out dry weekdays instead. How much alcohol is considered too much? For men, it’s two drinks a day. For women, it’s one.

Source: https://www.heart.org/en/news/2020/07/01/covid-19-pandemic-brings-new-concerns-about-excessive-drinking https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/article/2020/rebalancing-the-covid-19-effect-on-alcohol-sales/ https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/alcohol-facts-and-statistics#:~:text=An%20estimated%2095%2C0005%20people,death%20in%20the%20United%20States https://abcnews.go.com/US/alcohol-consumption-rising-sharply-pandemic-women/story?id=73302479 https://www.huffpost.com/entry/money-spent-on-drinking_n_5adf49d9e4b07be4d4c54401

Contributor(s) to this news report include: Marsha Lewis and Sabrina Broadbent, Producer; Robert Walko, Videographer; Robert Walko, Editor. To receive a free weekly email on Smart Living from Ivanhoe, sign up at: http://www.ivanhoe.com/ftk


About the Authors
Roslyn Jimenez headshot

Roslyn Jimenez is a news producer at KSAT. Before joining the team, she was a producer and video editor at KIII-TV and a radio intern in Corpus Christi. She graduated from Del Mar College with an Associate's degree in political science and liberal arts. Roslyn is family-oriented and loves spending time with her fiancé and chihuahua Paco.

RJ Marquez headshot

RJ Marquez is the traffic anchor/reporter for KSAT’s Good Morning San Antonio. He also fills in as a news anchor and has covered stories from breaking news and Fiesta to Spurs championships and high school sports. RJ started at KSAT in 2010. He is proud to serve our viewers and be a part of the culture and community that makes San Antonio great.

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