Staying Healthy
Take the Dry January challenge
Why you should try abstaining from alcohol for a month.
- Reviewed by Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing
Every January, millions of people commit to abstaining from drinking alcohol (beer, wine, and spirits) for one month. Known as "Dry January," the public health initiative was launched in 2013 by Alcohol Change UK to address the role alcohol plays in people's lives and health.
"Dry January can be a useful tool to help people change their relationships with alcohol," says Dr. Rocco Iannucci, director of the Fernside Residential Treatment Program at Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital. "People take the Dry January challenge as a step toward changing their alcohol habits or to explore the effect a monthlong break can have on their health."
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About the Author
Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing
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