
After years of drinking during a majority of social occasions, which included delving into the nightlife scene of New York City, I figured it was time for a rest.
I didn’t try a sober challenge in January, like many others do, but instead decided to give up alcohol completely for November. Although there are various reasons why one may attempt a sober month, one of the biggest factors in my decision was my face. When I drink even one or two drinks, my face becomes bright red as a result of alcohol flush reaction, or the “Asian glow”. As noted by the National Institutes of Health, the main symptom of alcohol flush reaction “is a red face or flush,” which can “also be accompanied by hives, nausea, low blood pressure, the worsening of asthma, or an episode of migraine”.