Drinks like Ginger Beer, the Belvoir range (which includes drinks like Elderflower Presse and natural Lemonades) and J20 Juices all offer interesting flavours that can help to replace your alcoholic evening tipples. Just be aware of their sugar content as they can be quite high – make sure you don't overdo it!
How to simulate alcohol. We've established that alcohol tastes tingly, drying, bitter, and sweet. To recreate these effects in a nonalcoholic drink, we simply need to add ingredients that produce the same effect. The best analog for alcohol's burn comes from spicy ingredients such as ginger or chilies.
- Caffeinated Energy Drinks: Caffeinated energy drinks are some of the most popular functional drinks on the market. They are packed with caffeine and other stimulants, which can give you a quick buzz.
There is limited information in the medical literature on auto-brewery syndrome, also known as gut-fermentation syndrome. This rare syndrome occurs because of yeast overgrowth in the gut, leading to fermentation of ethanol, thereby causing symptoms similar to alcohol intoxication without ingestion of alcohol.
However, the fact is that exercise releases endorphins that are responsible for feelings of euphoria and happiness, just like alcohol. In fact, many people refer to a good workout as a “runner's high.” Exercise's physical and mental effects can actually mimic that feeling you get when drinking alcohol.
If you stop drinking completely, one of the first things you notice should be improved energy levels, better sleep and finding it easier to wake up in the morning. Regular drinking can affect the quality of your sleep making you feel tired and sluggish during the day.
Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases and other serious problems including: High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems. Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, voice box, liver, colon, and rectum.
Bitters and Soda: Bitters and soda is a refreshing drink that is perfect for those who want a non-alcoholic nightcap. It is made with bitters, soda water, and other ingredients such as lemon juice and honey.
After two weeks off alcohol, you will continue to reap the benefits of better sleep and hydration. As alcohol is an irritant to the stomach lining, after a fortnight you will also see a reduction in symptoms such as reflux where the stomach acid burns your throat.
At 3 weeks of not drinking, most drinkers have successfully reduced their risk of heart disease, including stroke, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Their kidney health and even their vision may improve. For dependent drinkers, blood pressure may reduce to normal levels by the 3rd or 4th week.
These include the benzodiazepines, e.g., Valium and Z-drugs that are used to treat anxiety, insomnia, and epileptic seizures. Low doses of some of these have been shown in human studies to have effects that are indistinguishable from low doses of alcohol, suggesting they might be alternatives to alcohol [30].
Green tea leaves contain L-theanine, a compound that shows promise in helping to balance the same chemicals in the brain that become imbalanced during the cycling between intoxication and withdrawal seen in alcohol use disorder. L-theanine can be ingested by simply drinking a cup of green tea!
Kava-kava (Piper methysticum)
This herb closely mimics the effects of alcohol. A member of the pepper family, kava-kava has been used for centuries as a recreational drink and ceremony in Oceania.
It's your rational conscious 'human' brain that wants to stop – that doesn't like what drinking is doing. And it's your amygdala that wants to keep on drinking. It's the amygdala that 'likes' alcohol. And the amygdala is extremely powerful without the calming rational presence of a healthy robust PFC.
For more steady drinkers, there is something called the permanent hangover phenomenon with symptoms that mirror fatigue, irritability, poor concentration, and low mood. Often this is put down to life stressors such as work, the kids or not eating well but is more likely due to the effects of alcohol on the system.
But in reality, if someone drinks a lot and never seems to get drunk, they have developed a high tolerance for alcohol. Tolerance occurs because of your body's remarkable ability to process alcohol. Unlike with other drugs, your body actually tries to adapt to alcohol's persistent presence.
All of your body's systems are back to their usual working levels. You may find that you have more energy and better concentration. Even if you toss and turn a bit at first, when you do drop off you'll get better-quality sleep and probably wake feeling more refreshed the next day.
It's common to feel anxious or cranky. Your mood should get better within 3 to 6 weeks. Tell your doctor if it doesn't. You may need treatment for long-term symptoms or an undiagnosed mental health condition.