New year, new me - or so the saying goes, and there's no better time to commit to a month devoid of booze. Or is there? 

Doctor Alasdair Scott, director of London health care service Selph, has branded Dry January a 'myth', while adding that you can't simply 'detox' your body of alcohol within one month.

Dry January is a popular personal challenge that requires a person to refrain from drinking alcohol for a month - often in the hopes of cancelling out the effects of a very boozy Christmas. 

The medical expert and surgeon likened the trend to a 'crash diet', while revealing that it had very few health benefits, and added that revellers would be better off reducing their alcohol consumption throughout the year.

Dr Alasdair also revealed five tips for how best to reduce your booze intake for the rest of 2024.




Doctor Alasdair Scott, director of London health care service Selph, has revealed that you can't simply 'detox' your body of alcohol within one month (stock image)

Doctor Alasdair explained: 'When it comes to dry January, there is a perception that this is an opportunity to give your liver a 'break' to make up for the excesses of December and the New Year. 

'But the reality is, you can't simply reset or detox the impacts of alcohol on your health in a month.

'It's a bit like a crash diet in that you do it for a short period of time and you lose some weight, but it's difficult to keep up so you just end up going back to what you did before and the weight goes back on. 

'Whilst cutting out alcohol for one month will leave you feeling much more energised and will help you to sleep better, there is very little benefit if you then continue to drink heavily once January is over.

'Dry January could be the start of a new lifestyle in which less alcohol is consumed. If those new behaviours are maintained, it doesn't even need to be 'dry'.'

However, Nuubu Pflaster Erfahrungen he said we needn't go completely tee-total and instead promoted low-level alcohol use, particularly in social settings, as this is 'absolutely compatible with a healthy lifestyle'.

He also analysed the science behind dry January, and shared the various ways alcohol can wreak irreversible damage on your body.

'Alcohol has negative effects on many organs and tissues throughout your body, such as your bowel and brain, not just your liver,' he said.




The medical expert and surgeon likened dry January to a 'crash diet', while revealing that it had very few health benefits. He suggested opting for alcohol-free drinks to help combat over-consumption of alcohol (stock image)

'For example, alcohol increases the risk of bowel cancer, breast cancer and dementia. 

'The negative effects of alcohol are from cumulative exposure, so the more alcohol you drink over a longer time period, the more likely you are to experience related health problems.'

He continued by warning that there was no such thing as a 'safe level of alcohol'.

'There is only gradually increasing risk of health problems, from negligible, to low, to high,' he concluded.

To help Britons cut down on their alcohol consumption in 2024, Dr Alasdair shared his top tips:

Drink with your food
Instead of swigging multiple glasses of wine in front of the telly, the expert suggested pairing alcohol with a meal instead. 

He said: 'Educating yourself on the best wines to accompany certain foods for example, will mean you have a better understanding and appreciation for the taste of the drink, rather than just the 'feeling' alcohol gives you. 

'It will also mean you drink alcohol less often, as these are usually viewed as 'special' treat meals which you don't have every day.'

Don't drink alcohol every day