People in America are celebrating Sober September which means that for some it would be a alcohol-free month. For the entire month people are giving up alcohol which began from September 1. If you are familiar with Dry January, Sober September marks the end of summer parties a return to routines, reports ABC News. The idea behind a month-long break from alcohol was started by a UK non-profit organisation, Alcohol Concern, that first promoted Dry January in 2013 to improve public health, as reported in Bustle. There are lots of reasons that giving up alcohol for a month can do good for your body. So, step your game and indulge in a detox month during the month of September. How Much Alcohol is Safe for Health? 'No Safe Level of Alcohol Consumption' Concludes New Study.

The current US dietary guidelines define moderate drinking as up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men. And a recent data from the National Institutes of Health revealed that nearly 30% of people aged 18 and above engage in binge drinking. Although there has been limited research on how quitting or limiting alcohol for a month can affect your body, there are few studies that show psychological and health benefits.

Understanding Relationship with Alcohol: Dr Aaron White, senior scientific advisor at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) told DailyMail, “It’s always good to take some time to evaluate your relationship with alcohol. Sometimes people weren’t aware that they are drinking too much or that alcohol has become such a common part of their lives until they decided to take a break.”

Strengthens Gut & Liver: Alcohol is destructive to the gut as it destroys bacteria that are key to a healthy microbiome and therefore affects digestion by causing inflammation. Giving a break to the alcohol may give your body a chance to repair some of the damage that has been done already and you might experience easier digestion. People who are heavy drinkers, significant changes in liver function is seen after a month of sobriety.

Weight Loss: Alcohol contains calories and can add up to you daily intake of calories in your food. For example, a glass of wine contains up to 150 calories. Who stops at one glass, right? Hence, the calories increase. A research also suggests that people after drinking make poorer eating decisions and end up eating junk food most of the times. But a side-effect to quitting alcohol in the start is you start craving for carbs, but if you have self-control it will soon go away.

While there are pros to giving up alcohol, there are also side-effects. For instance, Men’s Health reports that if you suddenly stop drinking, you could experience withdrawal symptoms like insomnia, agitation, sweating and anxiety. Also, a month-long hiatus, people might end up drinking more without any lasting habit changes. But it is always worth a try. It is never too late to start. If you want to remain healthy, you need to take a decision for yourself. Accept it as a challenge and let us know if you are making an attempt at Sober September. Good luck!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 08, 2018 11:29 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).