President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, announced that the sale of alcohol will again be suspended with immediate effect from Sunday.
As sad as those news might be for some people a GP has revealed how not drinking during the lockdown could reduce your calorie consumption by as much as 2,000 calories in just two weeks, while your liver will enjoy a 15 percent fat reduction after a month of not drinking.
Dr Ross Perry, GP and Medical Director of cosmedics.co.uk, told the Daily Mail how no longer going out for drinks during the lockdown, and giving up drinking at home, could result in a flatter stomach, clearer skin and a stronger immune system should you get sick.
Meanwhile Dr Selena Langdon at Berkshire Aesthetics, and Dr Diana Gall at www.doctor-4-u.co.uk, told how in some cases giving up alcohol could result in the liver seeing a 100 percent recover from years of drinking alcohol.
Nutritionist Tamara Willner of Second Nature explained that alcohol consumption within the guidelines of up to 14 units per week for both men and women can provide almost 3,000 extra calories per week.
Speaking to Femail, Dr Ross Perry explained: ‘After your last drink the liver starts working overtime and the pancreas starts producing extra insulin. It’s important to drink lots of water to keep your skin and body hydrated.
‘If you haven’t drunk any alcohol for a couple of days your body goes into detox mode, headaches, grogginess will have subsided and you start to feel more refreshed in general, but it’s actually takes up to 72 hours before you mentally and physically feel back to normal.
‘After one week of not drinking, your sleep pattern becomes more regulated, you wake up with more energy and skin looks clearer.’
He continued: ‘If you don’t drink any alcohol for a month, the liver fat reduces up to 15 percent, increasing its ability to flush out toxins.
‘You’ll notice a flatter stomach and much clearer skin. Mild liver disease, like fatty liver can be reversed completely if a person stops drinking alcohol. When there is no alcohol in your blood for several months, the liver cells can return to normal.
‘Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it affects the kidneys and makes you pass water much more than you normally take in, hence why we feel so dehydrated following a night of drinking.
‘It also inhibits the kidney’s production of the hormone vasopressin, which encourages your body to reabsorb water as opposed to sending it straight to the bladder to be flushed out.
‘Once you stop drinking alcohol, and replenish the fluids, you’ll see a noticeable difference in your energy levels, sleep quality, dark circles will lessen under the eye area and the daily dry mouth and dull headaches should also go.’
Speaking as the coronavirus pandemic continues, he added: ‘Giving up alcohol will strengthen your immune system and make it easier for your body to fight off infection should you get ill.
How alcohol affects you over time
Dr Selena Langdon revealed that alcohol-related liver damage can be reversed if you stop drinking alcohol early enough in a disease process.
She explained: ‘Healing can begin as early as a few days to weeks after you stop drinking, but if the damage is severe, healing can take several months.’
1-12 Hours
One hour after an alcoholic drink, the liver has to clear the alcohol in order to prevent alcohol poisoning. Alcohol is converted to acetaldehyde and then to acetate
Acetaldehyde, a highly toxic substance and a known carcinogen, has the potential to cause significant damage. It can cause nausea and tremors. The pancreas also produces extra insulin, which causes intense carbohydrate cravings.
12 – 24 hours
Blood sugar normalises, however glycaemic control can be difficult with sugar cravings
48-72 hours
Tiredness and fatigue can be apparent depending on how much alcohol your body has to process. A serious alcohol problem may need medical support from your GP
72 hours
Any hangover side effects should have settled by now
One week
Better sleep and less headaches
Physical and mental energy are increased
Skin improves with restored hydration, conditions such as dandruff, eczema, and rosacea may also improve
Better glycaemic control
Two weeks
Reduced acid reflux
Reduced damage to gastrointestinal lining
Weight loss (saving roughly 2000 calories)
Three weeks
Reduced risk of stroke and heart disease
Improved renal (kidney) health
Improved vision
Reduced blood pressure
Four weeks
Reduce liver fat by up to 15 – 20 percent
Improved skin quality
Improved liver function – toxins are flushed more efficiently
Further weight loss (reduced calorie intake of up to 5000 calories)
Cholesterol drops by up to 5 per cent
Glucose stabilises decreasing the risk of type 2 diabetes
-Adapted from the Daily Mail
