5 Healthy Habits That Will Help You Drink Less This Thanksgiving

Healthy habits can help reduce your alcohol intake. Alcohol is quite common during the festive season, especially during Thanksgiving.

Excessive alcohol leads to the accumulation of aldehydes. Aldehydes are harmful compounds that are derived from alcohol in the body. These compounds are responsible for the symptoms of hangovers. Practicing healthy habits in your lifestyle can also reduce inflammation, risk of chronic conditions, and fat percentage.

Alcohol is usually consumed as a stress buster by many, but the long-term implications of alcohol are a matter of concern. Occasional drinking can relieve you of stress and anxiety in a hectic life, but frequent drinking can cause hangovers, damage the stomach and intestine, and affect the brain.

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Adverse Effects of Drinking Alcohol

Alcohol can affect your health in many ways. It can cause nausea and hangovers. The more you drink, the severity of the following symptoms can increase:

• sleep issues
• digestive issues
• memory problems
• anxiety
• depression
• irritability

These symptoms can pile up over time and cause serious issues. A proper lifestyle that includes healthy habits can reduce and prevent the effects of drinking over time.

Short-term hangover symptoms include:

• anxiety
• headache
• fatigue
• insomnia
• mood changes
• shakes
• sweating

Check whether alcohol impairs your muscle growth and fitness level.

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Healthy Habits To Follow This Thanksgiving

This festive season, try to develop a set of healthy habits that will help you drink less and keep you healthy despite all the enjoyment.

Try including these five habits gradually:

1) Start an alcohol detox

You can include several detox drinks that might help you drink less this Thanksgiving. Include drinks made from fresh fruits, herbs, and condiments that might help you reduce your drinking. That could also be used as a substitute for alcoholic drinks.

Here's a detox recipe to include in your healthy habits:

Lemon cucumber detox

Lemons can flush out all the effects of alcohol and reduce the symptoms of hangovers. Cucumbers provide enough water to prevent dehydration caused by all the festive drinking.

Ingredients

• 2 lemons peeled
• 2 cucumbers halved
• Water
• Salt
• Mint leaves

Instructions

• Peel and wash the lemons and cucumbers well, and cut them into pieces.
• Place all ingredients in a blender, and add salt.
• Blend using the slow option and strain before consumption.

Check out the best post-holiday juice cleanse detox diets of 2022.

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2) Stay hydrated

It might seem like a minuscule thing to do, but staying hydrated can prevent you from drinking heavily during the festive season.

Water is present in and around all the cells in our body and keeps them functioning. Drinking plenty of water is the most important among all the healthy habits to follow this Thanksgiving.

Water is essential for metabolic functions, and alcohol can make you feel dehydrated. It can regulate body temperature, improve digestion, and prevent kidney damage.

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3) Eat healthy food

Meals full of healthy foods can prevent you from drinking too much alcohol. Keeping ourselves nourished should be a part of the healthy habits to follow this festive season.

Remember to add dietary fiber foods to your diet. Protein is beneficial for weight loss and can make you feel full. Fruits and vegetables can provide enough antioxidants for the body to fight off free radicals. Fresh food can reduce stress and urge to drink more.

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4) Manage your stress

Stress management should definitely be a part of your healthy habits. You can follow several stress relief techniques to improve your mental health.

Emotional and psychological stress can have adverse effects on the body and could give you the urge to drink. Once you manage your stress, your drinking habits will definitely decrease.

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5) Get more sleep

There are several mental health benefits of getting more sleep. Enough sleep can reduce your stress and the urge to drink more alcohol. With all the festive enjoyment, it's important to sleep well to shed all the stress.

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Bottom Line

Incorporating a set of healthy habits into your lifestyle can help you drink less this Thanksgiving and the rest of the festive season. Remember to enjoy your vacation without causing harm to your health.

It's fine to scale down on enjoyment sometimes for the sake of health and fitness. The aforementioned healthy habits can not only help you reduce your drinking but also improve long-term health.