You know the moment when you come home from a late night shift and all that could cure your tiredness and frustration is a glass or even better, a bottle of wine?
What about the moment when you have a childish fight with your significant other and you just need that glass of rosé to gather your composure and thoughts?
Well, me too!
Whenever I went out with my friends, back home in Bucharest, I would have a glass or two of wine. One of my best friends, Alexandra, and I used to have a tradition before I moved to London. We would go to one of our favourite local pubs, where we were always at when we finished high-school, and we would get a bottle of wine and talk and talk and talk…
My first year of university brought flat parties and girls’ wine nights.
But my second year of studying brought a glass of wine a day, doctor recommended, and it made me feel more relaxed and calm. I enjoyed drinking it after finishing an assignment, or when I came home from work. I would make myself comfortable in bed between all the pillows, wrapped in my blanket, with a glass of wine and I would hit play on the TV-show that I had been waiting all day to watch on Netflix.
Let’s discuss the benefits of drinking wine. Many studies and experiments have been done on wine by, especially on red wine.
In red wine, you can find Resveratrol, extracted from skins of grapes and berries which contain antioxidants. It is known to fight off bacteria and to protect against ultraviolet irradiation.
This compound from plants boosts cardiovascular health, protects against breast, prostate and colon cancer, and even helps treat acne, reports Medical News Today. Resveratrol prevents dementia and even reduces the risk of depression.
The Telegraph published in October last year an article about the unexpected health benefits of drinking wine, based on research done by Washington University. If you are pregnant you are probably happy to read that red wine helps during childbirth, but if you are not pregnant just yet, go buy a bottle of wine because it boosts fertility.
White wine helps with weight loss due to its low-calorie amount. Dr Health Benefits says that white wine increases creativity and boosts your mood. After drinking it you wouldn’t be left with a hangover which is always a plus and reduces stress.
All of the above if consumed in moderation, of course.
Now back to the not drinking part.
I was with my friend Oana, when she came to visit at the beginning of February, and we had just bought two bottles of wine because…why not?
We opened, poured and cheered. After a few sips, a thought crept into my mind: What if I stopped drinking wine for a month?
We didn’t open the second bottle of wine.
It’s been a month since I last drank wine and to be honest, I don’t feel the need to drink anymore. They say that if we do one thing for 21 days it becomes a habit. I guess I just broke my habit?
So what happened exactly after I stopped drinking wine?
When I was angry I didn’t have my trusty old friend, the booze, so I had to find another method to calm down, which didn’t actually work properly.
When I got home from a long day at University and work, I didn’t have my companion, the booze, so I had to resort to a cup of tea and sleep.
As an effect, I waved goodbye to feeling bloated and being tired in the morning. I started waking up feeling rested and ready to conquer whatever the day was about to bring.
At first, the decision to stop drinking wine was like the iconic scene from Titanic. I was Rose who let Rosé, also known as Jack, slip into the abyss.
I probably stopped drinking wine at the worst time possible. Exams are coming up, I am trying to eat as healthy as I can and on top of everything I am trying to break another habit and quit smoking. It seems like all the stars have aligned, but I am managing.
I am going to give myself a pat on the back and a round of applause and maybe go open that bottle of rose I have been saving in the kitchen.
Irina Iacob 