Summary

The author reflects on the significant health benefits experienced after 30 days without alcohol, particularly emphasizing the positive impact on their ability to cope with a recent COVID-19 infection.

Abstract

The article details the author's personal journey of abstaining from alcohol for 30 days, noting substantial health improvements such as better skin, mood, energy levels, and sleep quality. However, the most significant benefit highlighted is the body's preparedness to fight a severe COVID-19 infection, which the author believes would have been more challenging to manage if still consuming alcohol. The author shares their experience with COVID-19 symptoms and expresses gratitude for having quit drinking prior to the illness, as it likely contributed to a quicker recovery and better management of symptoms. The article concludes with the author's appreciation for readers' support and encourages following their work for future updates, also providing links to their most-read stories and latest articles.

Opinions

The author believes that quitting alcohol was crucial in facing the physical challenges of COVID-19.
Alcohol consumption is seen as a hindrance to the immune system and overall health.
The author suggests that their liver's healthier state, due to abstinence from alcohol, was beneficial in processing medication to manage fever.
There is an expression of serendipity in having quit alcohol just before contracting COVID-19.
The author is confident that their recovery from COVID-19 was more manageable due to not dealing with alcohol withdrawal simultaneously.
The author values the readership and encourages engagement through claps and follows.

30 days no alcohol: this is by far my top health benefit

Today marks the 30th day since I quit alcohol, and one health benefit stands above all others.

Sure, I could point to the fact that my skin is back to a healthier-looking hue, or that the dry patches that used to irritate my hands are gone (even with the heat turning back on last week).

I could talk about how my mood and energy levels have improved, and that I’m generally a happier, more positive person. And that no-alcohol sleep? Glorious.

There’s one thing that I think was more important than all of these wins over the past month, however: My body was actually ready for a full-on, devastating attack.

Photo by Hush Naidoo Jade Photography on Unsplash

The unexpected strike

Today also marks the fourth day since my COVID diagnosis. I’m writing this post during one of the small windows in which I have the energy to do so. Although today was much better and I feel myself starting to exit the illness, the weekend was punishing.

If you’re interested in an hour-by-hour account of my decent into COVID hell, you can read that here (I was bored).

Although the effects of COVID on my body were still harsh — never-ending fever spike, losing 8 pounds over three days, crippling fatigue — I shudder to think about how I would have managed were I still entrapped by my daily drinking habit.

An unnecessary burden

Alcohol lowers your immune system, and I imagine my immune system was already taking a beating due to some acute stress events in my life last week. I’m not a stressed out person by nature, so this was definitely out of the ordinary.

Would I have avoided contracting COVID in a crowded, steamy sports facility last week had I been cool as a cucumber like I normally am? I can’t say for sure, but I know I was already feeling like complete garbage.

Now imagine I were running on my usual crappy, unfulfilling, alcohol-damaged sleep cycle. Imagine my internal organs were already worn down by my dousing them in poison. Imagine going through alcohol withdrawals with COVID.

Imagine my poor, sweet liver processing 1000 mg doses of Acetaminophen in an attempt to lower a 104 F fever while already being hobbled by wine or beer or vodka or whatever.

When I set out to quit drinking a month ago, COVID was the furthest thing from my mind. Since the start of the pandemic, I’d managed to avoid it even as it ran through my friends and family. In fact, when an acquaintance found out I had it this week, he said to my wife: “Really, he’s just getting it now?!”

Bouncing back

I’ve never been so thankful for such a lovely stroke of luck. To clear my system and start building strength right before I needed it most was serendipitous indeed.

Although COVID still curb-stomped me pretty good, I have absolutely zero confidence that, had I been living my old lifestyle, I would already feel like I’m on the mend and the symptoms would have been as contained as they were (I didn’t even cough).

I’ll take this lesson away from it all as I enter Month 2: you never know what’s coming around the bend, physically or mentally.

Best not to hobble yourself before you even have to face life’s big surprises.

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