Many people use January as a short Lent. For a month, they abstain from alcohol and sugar or eat vegan. But does a one-month waiver even make sense? The answer is very clear: Yes! Because after just a few days, the first positive changes in the body can be seen.
New year, new resolutions. At least in the first month of the new year, many people challenge themselves. Most popular at the moment
But does a one-month change bring anything? The look into the body says: Yes! In fact, the first positive changes can be seen after just a few days. An overview.
It is now fashionable to avoid sugar. However, switching is not necessarily easy, as many finished products and sauces contain sugar. But the effort is worth it, the waiver quickly has an effect.
The first positive changes are noticeable after only three to four days:
Towards the end of the month, the first physical improvements can be measured:
At the end of 2018, the WDR program “Markt” tested with a small group of seven people how different ways of avoiding sugar affected weight and blood values. From cutting out sweets and sweetened drinks to radically cutting out sugar and carbohydrates, all subjects improved within four weeks: they lost body fat, not muscle mass. Cholesterol and blood sugar levels improved in some high-risk candidates. In addition, all candidates noticed that their sense of taste had become more refined during the experiment.
Even when switching to a vegan diet, positive changes can be seen after just a few days.
According to nutrition expert Diana Rubin, after a month of vegan nutrition, the first measurable changes begin.
Tip: The British organization “Veganuary”, which calls for people to avoid all meat, fish and dairy products in January, is taking its participants by the hand: for 31 days they will be emailed with recipes and tips about everything caters to veganism. In Germany, for example, Hello Fresh is launching the “Veganuary” campaign month and delivering purely vegan boxes.
Note: In the case of a long-term vegan diet, the German Society for Nutrition (DGE) recommends: “Continuously take a vitamin B12 supplement, make sure you have an adequate intake of critical nutrients in particular and use fortified foods and nutrient supplements if necessary.” Vegans should also regularly have their blood levels checked. The nutrition experts of the DGE strictly advise against a purely plant-based diet for pregnant women, breastfeeding women, infants, children and young people.
Anyone who has previously consumed alcoholic beverages every day can already notice the first physical changes in the first few days, which become even clearer after two weeks:
Jarmila Mahlmeister, chief physician at the Betty Ford Clinic in Bad Brückenau, explains: “If the liver is relieved by abstaining from alcohol, it immediately breaks down stored fats. The triglycerides are reduced after just a few days, while the cholesterol levels take longer. But in general, our liver recovers amazingly quickly.”
Data from Great Britain shows what a month without alcohol brings. A non-alcoholic campaign is regularly launched here in January. Research from the University of Sussex after Dry January (alcohol-free January) showed that participants had more energy, better skin and less weight after 31 days without alcohol. The January abstainers also registered better sleep, lower blood pressure, and greater ability to concentrate.
Betty Ford Clinic expert Mahlmeister adds:
