In 2010 the Australian non-profit "Life Education" created the fundraiser “Ocsober” and shortly after the U.K.-based charity Macmillan Cancer Support created the actual name “Sober October”, according to InStyle.
The concept/initiative has taken on many forms since then and is now not exclusively a fundraising concept for charity. Although if you want to raise some funds for a great cause here is the link to the Macmillan fundraising site https://www.gosober.org.uk/
This year we’re seeing a lot more people taking part in “Sober October” as we emerge from a difficult period of lockdown and social distancing. Some have realised they’ve been unintentionally drinking alcohol far more regularly and habitual alcohol consumption is a real and present danger that comes with ill effects in terms of health and mental wellbeing. Others are choosing to take part in Sober October for a personal challenge and some simply as a lifestyle choice or adjustment.
Any way you look at it, the benefits do outstretch the negatives and we thought we’d explore some of these benefits as well as how to still enjoy your favourite drinks and social occasions without having to make too many sacrifices other than simply excluding the alcohol content from our drinks!
(Mostly sourced from the Drinkaware website - highly recommend for a deeper dive into the effects of alcohol on the body)
Sleep!
Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that causes brain activity to slow down. Alcohol has sedative effects that can induce feelings of relaxation and sleepiness, but the consumption of alcohol – especially in excess – has been linked to poor sleep quality and duration.
-See Sleep Foundation. Org for more info.
Energy!
Alcohol interferes with the way your body makes energy. When you're metabolising or breaking down alcohol, the liver can't produce as much glucose, which means you have low levels of blood sugar. Exercise requires high levels of sugar to give you energy.
Mental Health!
While the effects of alcohol can sometimes have a short term positive impact on our mood, in the long term it can cause problems for mental health. Find out more about how alcohol can change our mental health.
Physical wellbeing!
Alcohol can be just as fattening as some foods. For example, a 4% ABV pint of beer can have as many calories as a slice of pizza (197 calories). A glass of 13% ABV wine can have as many calories as a slice of sponge cake (195 calories).
But it isn’t just the calories in the drink that makes you gain weight. Alcohol reduces the amount of fat your body burns for energy. Because we can’t store alcohol in the body, our systems want to get rid of it as quickly as possible, and this process takes priority over absorbing nutrients and burning fat.
In particular, binge drinking may be linked to weight gain. It has been suggested that binge drinking for some may lead to unhealthy overeating and lack of exercise, all contributing to weight gain or obesity.
Slimming World has produced a report on the link between excessive alcohol consumption and obesity.
Have a read through The Lifestyle Guide Health & Wellbeing blog posts for some inspiration on getting active at home with Virtual Gyms, Yoga Retreats, the best cycle routes, and beautiful London walks
There is no reason to have any FOMO and here's why!
We've seen a surge in the development of low or no alcohol drinks that we recently wrote a blog about these amazing brands. Here is the link and we even introduce a Sparkling Tea which is a completely new concept and is hugely exciting!
Non-alcoholic beers and everything you need to know...
If you’ve ever considered cutting back on alcohol, you may have tried switching to alcohol-free or low-alcohol drinks. But what are the differences between alcoholic and alcohol-free beers?
Alcoholic and alcohol-free beers
The main difference between alcoholic and alcohol-free beer is the amount of alcohol they contain. Alcoholic beers have some alcohol in them while alcohol-free beers contain very little alcohol.
By UK law ‘alcohol-free’ beer can contain a very small amount of alcohol (less than 0.05%)
The amount of alcohol in a drink is shown as a percentage of the whole drink. The labels on all alcoholic drinks will show the Alcohol by Volume (ABV). Beer that says 5% ABV on its label contains 5% pure alcohol.
Alcohol labelling
There are four types of categorisation often used on labels:
•Alcohol-free beer = no more than 0.05% ABV
•De-alcoholised beer = no more than 0.5% ABV
•Low-alcohol beer = no more than 1.2% ABV
•Alcoholic beer = contains more than 1.2% ABV
Why does alcohol-free beer contain some alcohol?
Alcohol-free beer does contain a small amount of alcohol (up to 0.05% ABV). This is because some alcohol naturally forms as part of the brewing process.
How is alcohol-free and low-alcoholic beer made?
Manufacturers have two ways of reducing the alcohol content of their beer. They can remove alcohol from the finished product, or make sure alcohol doesn’t form during the brewing process.1
One of the most common methods is to heat the beer to boil away alcohol. Another is to pass the beer through a filter which takes out the alcohol.
Is alcohol-free beer less fattening than alcoholic beer?
Alcohol-free beers do tend to contain fewer calories than alcoholic beers. Drinks also labelled as ‘light’ beers usually have less alcohol and fewer calories.
So, choosing an alcohol-free beer over alcohol, alongside a balanced diet and exercise, could be useful if you’re trying to get rid of your 'beer belly' and maintain a healthy weight.
Here is a review we asked two of our friends participating in Sober October to do on a few non to low alcohol beers provided by Beer Hawk - the premium online beer shop. They will delivery a case of an amazing selection of low to no alcohol beers and it will arrive the very next day!! AMAZING!
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