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CHEERS everybody! A clinical study inspired by New Scientist staff has confirmed that “Dry January” is good for your health.

Our pilot study in 2013 with a London-based team showed that those of us who abstained for a month saw sizeable reductions in blood pressure, cholesterol, weight and diabetes risk. It led to a proper clinical trial by the same team. The results resoundingly echoed our own (see “”).

Ominously, the researchers found an unexpected link between drinking and levels of blood factors that can help cancer grow and …