Thursday 20th December 2006

Alcohol Free January

The festive season has left many of us feeling like we never want to touch another drop.

Hungover and overdrawn is hardly the 'in look' for 2007, and what with all those calories - a G&T can clock in with the equivalent of a large ice cream - it's no wonder that your clothes are feeling tighter.

Boozing can cause all kinds of problem for your body. It can weaken your heart and increase your blood pressure. It can puff your face, dry your skin and make you look much older than you actually are. Heavy drinking has even been linked to an increased risk of both stroke and breast cancer. And as everyone knows, drinking can make you emotional, but did you know that it can also lead to blackouts and damage the nerves in your brain?

So, what if you were to take it easy for a month?

Give up the booze this January and not only will you lose those pounds, your body will begin to recover after all those Christmas toxins. Your skin will clear, your eyes will brighten and your hair will shine. And inside, you'll feel the benefits, too.

But you might be surprised at how difficult you find it.

Alcohol is very much a part of adult life and in Britain socialising usually means boozing. Some people can feel like social outcasts if they turn down a drink, but giving up for a month will give you time to reflect on your own use of alcohol. And by taking part in Addaction's 'Alcohol Free January' will help you detox at the same time as raising money for a worthwhile cause. Addaction works all over the UK, helping people with serious drug and alcohol problems. So while you shape up after the Christmas blowout, you'll be helping people and their families from Scotland down to Cornwall.

Alcohol addiction is a huge and complex problem for the UK and the money you raise will help fund important work.

Get your mates to sponsor you too -  and watch their faces as you lose weight without dieting, get fitter, save the pennies and end up looking great. And all the while, you'll be raising money to help tackle one of today's most important issues.

So - why not take part?

To find out more about the Alcohol Free January, contact Addaction on 020 7017 2753 or by email at fundraising@addaction.org.uk

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. Addaction is a national drug and alcohol treatment charity supporting over 25,000 service users each year to address their drug and alcohol misuse. Addaction has over 70 services from Addaction Scotland, and across England as far afield as Penzance in Cornwall.  The charity was founded in 1967

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