Why go dry this July? Here are our top five reasons to take a break from the booze: Better sleep – alcohol consumption before bed disrupts the body’s restorative processes and can be a cause of poor sleep quality. Weight loss – one full-strength beer contains around 550 kilojoules and as the recommended average adult in-take is 8700 kilojoules a day, a few drinks can quickly add up. Additionally, as the body is designed to metabolise alcohol as quickly as possible, it means processing other things such as fats and sugars aren’t prioritised and therefore more likely to be stored as body fat. Improved mental health – although it may initially provide a feeling of relaxation, alcohol is actually a depressant and can trigger or worsen symptoms of anxiety. Healthier skin – alcohol dehydrates the skin, can cause small blood vessels to widen which can lead to broken capillaries on the face and increases inflammation. Save money – the average household will save just over $1660 a year by reducing their alcohol consumption! Bonus: you can donate the money you save to the Dry July Foundation! Going dry doesn’t mean the end of Friday knock-off drinks, or Saturday evening cocktails though! There is a huge range of non-alcoholic beverages now available, which don’t even require a special trip to the bottlo – you can pick up a 0% alcohol six-pack of beer, artisan alcohol-free spirits or wine at Barossa Fresh when you do your grocery shopping in-store or online. If you’re not sure where to get started when it comes to alcohol-free beverages, try our top picks: Jacob's Creek Unvined Wines Coopers Ultra Light Beer 23rd Street Signature G&T