Taking the plunge into Dry July

At BRAVEday we tell you to "Live boldly" at every opportunity, so this month I'm doing my bit by participating in Dry July. If someone had told me eighteen months ago that I would be voluntarily going a month without alcohol, I would have been the first to whack them over the head with my wine bottle.

Over the past year, my liquor intake has reduced somewhat, but I'm taking this opportunity to create an even healthier me by knocking the "odd tipple" on the head completely for a month and saying bye-bye to the booze.

Did you know:

• There are over 300 alcohol related offences every day in NZ.
• 60 different medical conditions are caused by heavy drinking
• There are over 1,000 alcohol related deaths in NZ every year
• Half of all serious violent crimes in NZ relate to alcohol.

(source: nsad.org.nz)

So have you signed up yet?  Go on, do it now …

Dry July supports the Cancer Society of NZ and various other NZ medical services (like Auckland and Northland hospitals), so it's a great chance to help raise money for these very valuable resources, all the while doing something that is actually good for you.  (By the way - please feel free to donate here)

Here's what you can look forward to:

1. Increased energy levels, higher productivity
2. Sleeping better
3. Weight loss
4. Sense of achievement
5. Know you have done something positive for a good cause.

You have signed up by now, right?  What have you got to lose apart from a hangover?!