No boozeyness anymore –
Jan. 5, 2021 – Justine quit alcohol when she was 40 years old after she spent most of her thirties ‘medicated from alcohol 24/7’.
‘The single turning point was my nine-year-old daughter looking at me with tears in her eyes and saying, “Mum I am scared you are not going to get better”,’ Justine said.
‘I dropped 14kg in six months, my liver reading was around 2500 (it should have been 42), my triglycerides were so high I was a major heart attack risk, my platelet count was so low I had bruises from head to toe and my hair was falling out.
‘It got to the point where my dad saw me for the first time in months and he said that if he had not known it was me he would not have recognised his own daughter.’
Doctors also told Justine that she had just months to live if she continued the way she was going.
STEP ONE: Asses your real relationship with alcohol. Think about how long can you go without it and why you need it. Reach out to a friend or family member or support group and tell them your truth. Admit to yourself that you can’t do this on your own and make a solid plan. Be open to the fact that life has to look different for a while and establish your ‘why’, before putting it at the front of every decision.
STEP TWO: Enroll in a program that suits you and your situation. Set up structure both in your home and outside it. Take it one day or one minute at the time and tell your loved ones how you are feeling at all times.
STEP THREE: Start exercising daily. Schedule this into your routine. Remember exercise can be as little as a 30-minute walk outside and find a friend or family member to work out with.
STEP FOUR: Start nourishing your body with good nutritious foods. Eat regular healthy foods and don’t allow yourself to get hungry. Drink at least two litres of water per day. Keep junk food and overly processed food at a minimum.
