We all know that creating healthier habits will increase our longevity and strengthen our well-being, but how do we get started? You may have heard sayings like “it takes 21 days to make or break a habit,” which simplify the process and also invalidate our attempts at changes in the past. If healthier habits were formed as easy as sticking to something for 3 weeks, we would all be early risers who run 10k marathons once a month— but we aren’t (well most of us anyways!)

Many of us would like to believe that our alcohol habit does not affect those around us, but many studies show that heavy drinking can negatively impact our partners and our children. As our drinking progresses, our loved ones will likely experience a range of negative emotions. Promises to stop drinking are repeatedly broken and consequences of alcohol use escalate over time.

You may have heard the term toxic positivity before but what does it really mean? Can positivity be toxic? The answer is yes. According to Tabitha Kirkland, a psychologist and associate teaching professor at the University of Washington’s Department of Psychology, “Toxic positivity is a way of responding to your own or someone else’s suffering that comes across as a lack of empathy. It dismisses emotions instead of affirming them and could come from a place of discomfort.”

The brain has a direct effect on the gut and vice versa. Stop and think of a time when you got excited about an event, that nervous yet exciting feeling (a.k.a the butterflies) mixed in your stomach. That feeling immediately reports from the gut to the brain, and that's how you ultimately know what you are feeling. These feelings are natural occurrences and can arise from the bacteria in the gut communicating directly to the emotional and intuitive parts of the brain via messengers called cytokines.

While we are already aware that consuming alcohol isn’t good for us, we sometimes attempt to make up for our consumption by taking supplements or remedies to detox our body. The truth of the matter is that the only way to avoid complete alcohol damage is to abstain from drinking, but many companies still advertise themselves as “cures” for hangovers or ways to offset the damage done to certain organs.

Having a drink at the end of a long day to decrease anxiety may seem like the answer, but studies have shown alcohol can actually exacerbate symptoms of anxiety.

Could alcohol be the cause of my excess body fat? The simple answer–yes. Many popular mixed drinks and ready-to-go beverages are loaded with processed sugars; margaritas, daiquiris and even beer!

You may or may not be familiar with the term ‘nightcap,’ a popular euphemism for an alcoholic beverage at the end of the night.

We’re living in an era where Alcohol Use Disorder, Binge Drinking and Gray Area Drinking are at an all time high and it can be hard to discern what a healthy relationship with alcohol looks like.

Have you ever participated in 'Dry January' before? If you haven't heard of it, it's a public health campaign where people all around the United States and Europe decide to abstain from alcohol for the month.

If you've been drinking alcohol on a regular basis for a long time, you might hear that it's dangerous or difficult to quit cold-turkey. A tapering process can help you to change your relationship with alcohol in a safe, sustainable way.

If you've landed on this page, you're probably in a place where you're considering cutting alcohol out of your life, and you want it to be a quick, clean break. You can make this decision today.

Maybe you're already on the path to quitting or cutting down on alcohol use, or maybe you're still considering it. Either way, it's important to know some ways that you can stay on the path once you're on it.‍

When considering cutting down or quitting drinking completely, it's normal to wonder what happens next. Though the specifics vary from person to person, we can talk about some recognized trends so that you know what to expect.‍

Benefits of Cutting Back! When you quit drinking, or even cut back on drinking, you'll experience real effects on your body and mind.

Alcohol changes your brain on a biological level. Over time, drinking can wear down the mental and emotional resilience needed to change your habits. This can become like a feedback loop, keeping you stuck in cycles of drinking.

Did you know that 78% of Americans feel stressed at least one day in a typical week - and 15% feel stressed every single day? As we get older and take on greater responsibilities, stress is an emotion that becomes more and more prevalent in our lives.

Now more than ever, the world is seeing more and more celebrities and influencers speak out about their decision to cut back or eliminate alcohol from their lifestyle. What was once thought of as a "trend" has become a permanent change for many.

When on your journey to drink less or quit drinking entirely, one of the most common concerns you may have is “How will I celebrate without alcohol?” And who can blame you? Popping champagne bottles and pouring ourselves a drink has been our default way to celebrate.

Whether you want to drink less to reach your fitness goals, or you know that you could nail that work promotion with fewer hangovers, or you suspect that alcohol is holding you back from your creative endeavors, it makes sense that you might be interested in learning how to cut back on your drinking.