The season of overindulgence is over and we are all left looking a little worse for it in all areas, money, rest and our waistlines. So, we all decide that its new year, new me…
But what is the best way forward to achieving this new you, what will provide the results we so desperately desire in time to showcase our new beach bod by the time spring arrives?
A new year favourite has always been the abstention from alcohol, affectionally known as “Dry January” but a more recent contender has arisen. From the seemingly endless array of diets that have been created over recent years, one challenge claiming to achieve big health benefits is Veganuary. Veganuary is the abstention of meat, dairy and eggs throughout January. So, we are questioning what is the best way to start your new year?
Rightly or wrongly, for a lot of people, Veganism is now not only seen as a diet, but a political stance as well. We seem to have blurred the lines between someone’s belief and the nutritional benefits of a vegan diet. It’s true that excessive meat consumption can have a negative effect on your health, so its unquestionable, that Veganuary must benefit your health, but is this a sustainable choice that you can carry on past January?
Well, both our chosen resolutions have one fail each, for Veganism, it’s a little vitamin called B12. This little nutrient helps keep your body’s nerve system and blood cells healthy, a deficiency in this can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, numbness, tingling in limbs, depression and some other nasty bits. While it’s not impossible to substitute this in a vegan diet, it is the main downfall and the hardest to keep in check.
But this doesn’t mean that a positive change in your diet can’t be continued past January, an alternative, would be a plant-based diet, this allows you to reward yourself with meat for a treat, so you get the benefits of a vegan diet, without having to totally abstain from meat. This is definitely becoming a more popular dietary choice globally.
So, what if giving up meat just isn’t for you, that leaves you with dry January. This really can be a challenge for most of us, but the benefits are clear to see. Reducing your intact of alcohol after such a heavy period of indulgence can help reduce empty calorie intake as well as increasing your mental sharpness and sleep pattern. This should be carried out whilst increasing your intake of water to achieve the best results.
But we are asking, is removing alcohol completely all it’s cracked up to be? Well there is one particular drink that puts up a great argument against this. That is the miracle that is “Wine”. Wine has been consumed longer than any other alcoholic beverage and for good reason. It isn’t the easiest to produce, but it does possess the best qualities of any of its competitors. In fact, it has been proven that “moderate consumption” of wine on a weekly basis can actually provide benefits to a person’s health such as boosting your immune system, reducing the risk of strokes, heart disease and diabetes amongst others.
It would seem that, neither dry January or Veganuary actually win in the long run. It would seem that prolonged positive change will only be achieved by mastering the hardest challenge of all, “moderation”.