The Top Ender Magazine June July 2023 Edition

DRY JULY
Could you give up alcohol for one month?
Every year, Dry July encourages us to give up alcohol for
one month to raise funds for cancer patients and their
families and carers. And while it’s all about helping to
ease the burden, reduce stress and add a bit of comfort
for those affected by cancer, there’s another very
important reason to stop drinking: your health.
THE BENEFITS OF GIVING UP ALCOHOL
As well as the obvious benefits associated with quitting
drinking, like more energy, no hangovers, spending less
money and no guilty feelings associated with a long
night’s drinking, abstaining from alcohol for just a few
weeks can have a remarkable improvement on your
health.
You might also find it helpful to collect all of the money
you would normally spend on alcohol to see how much
you save every month – and then donate it to your Dry
July fundraising efforts.
MORE ABOUT DRY JULY
The organisation helps to provide things that may not be
front of mind following a cancer diagnosis, like getting to
and from an appointment, helping to find accommodation,
Wi-Fi and mobile phone charting stations. Their programs
also help to fund free services for cancer patients –
including wellness programs, complementary therapies and
wig libraries.
Find out more at www.dryjuly.com
People who have quit have reported effects like clearer
skin, reduced feelings of anxiety and greater motivation –
and, there’s also evidence to suggest that even shortterm
abstinence can benefit your liver and blood glucose
levels – not to mention your waistline.
A few years ago, a team from New Scientist wanted to
see what happened when they gave up drinking for one
month. In the study, ten people abstained from alcohol
for one month, while four continued to drink as normal.
At the end of the month, the changes were, according to
the researchers, “dramatic and consistent across all 10
abstainers”.
Extracted from Defence Health
– Health HQ
https://healthhq.defencehealth.com.au/
2016/06/28/give-alcohol-one-month/
Liver fat dropped 15 to 20 per cent, while blood glucose
levels dropped 16 per cent on average. These results
were collected via blood samples and ultrasounds that
were done before and after the month.
Another great reason to give up drinking for a month is
that it can lead to a long-term drop in alcohol
consumption. Researchers from Sussex University found
exactly that when they investigated the long-term effects
of the UK’s Dry January campaign. According to their
results, 72% of participants had maintained lower levels
of harmful drinking and 4% were still not drinking after
six months.
TIPS ON SURVIVING THE MONTH
If you’re a regular drinker, it can be difficult to imagine
having no alcohol for one month, so it may help to:
• Tell everyone – as you’ll be fundraising you want to
raise as much funds as possible, and telling people
that you have given up may also make it easier for
you to commit to the cause
• Experiment with different drinks – keep things
interesting by trying different types of herbal teas,
sparkling water with lemon and lime, bitters and the
occasional flavoured soft drink
• Find new ways to relax – if winding down and an
alcoholic drink go hand-in-hand for you, try to seek
new hobbies and ways to relax, like working out,
warm baths, a yoga or meditation class, listening to
music, and walking
DARWIN PRIDE
FESTIVAL
22 - 25 JUNE
The Darwin Pride Festival has been the leading Pride
Festival in the Darwin region since 1985. The 2023
Darwin Pride Festival will be held over 4 days in June.
Civic Park and Browns Mart (The Pride Hub) will come
alive with colour, music, performances, forums, cabarets,
comedy nights and the annual Pride Family Day including
crowd favourites, Drag Story Time and Pride Pooches.
The Pride Parade will be bigger and better this year.
Address: 12 Smith St 0800 NT Australia
https://discover.darwin.
nt.gov.au/events/2023-
darwin-pride-festival
18 The Top Ender | Tri-Services Magazine Incorporated