February to become a month without alcohol?
"Please refrain from any alcohol consumption in February." This appeal was launched by the Foundation against Cancer and the expertise centre 'Alcohol and Drugs'. The aim is to have people reflect on their alcohol consumption, but there are many more potential benefits, the two instances say.
The idea is not new: you may know some friends who accepted a similar challenge in the past, or who just wanted to try it out. Now, an official campaign is being set up under the name "Tournée Minérale", a pun referring to the term "tournée générale" used in cafés when one customer pays a round of drinks for the whole pub.
The Foundation says that February was not picked because it's the shortest month: "You have the Christmas and New Year's Eve gatherings in December, and next the receptions in January. They are typical examples of overconsumption, also in the area of alcohol. We thought the month of February would be a good moment to recover from that intensive period, and to take a fresh start in the year."
The benefits?
- Your body gets the time to recover from your usual alcohol consumption
- You will make reflections on what you would normally consume
- Many people notice they start sleeping better and feeling fitter during the course of the month
- You save money
- You end up with less calories, which may impact positively on your body mass index