Do you need a booze break? I did

"Should You Take a Break from Alcohol?" the headline asked. I clicked on it — and immediately wished I hadn't.

Just the fact that I clicked on it probably meant the answer was yes.

The click took me to an article by K. Aleisha Fetters in Women's Health magazine:

"In the world of summer brunches, happy hours, and music fests, it can seem like alcohol is always on the agenda these days. But should you consider taking a hiatus from your typical three-martini girls' nights? Well, it certainly couldn't hurt."

(I should mention that I was reading this article in August.)

To start, a doctor urged that if you have an alcohol problem, a break is obviously in order. But he said even moderate drinkers should lay off the booze every now and again to give their livers a break — or possibly someday face ulcers, pancreatitis and cirrhosis.

Yikes, I thought, and kept reading.

"What's more, since alcohol is a diuretic, natural depressant, and can interfere with sound sleep, taking even a short break from alcohol is an opportunity to see how you would feel without that stuff floating through your body on the regular. And we're willing to bet you'll feel pretty amazing."

Like how amazing?

The article went on to say that moderate consumption actually has some health benefits. (Which is why at my annual physical, when the nurse asked if I drank, I responded with a resounding YES! She raised one eyebrow.)

But the article also said women tend to underestimate how much we actually drink.

Oh. I do that. (It was one glass of wine. OK, so it was a Very. Big. Glass.)

The article also said that not only are there lots of calories in alcoholic beverages, we also tend to eat more when we drink. (At Postino, I eat an entire bread board by myself. Then again, I can do that, wine or no wine.)

I'm a social drinker. If we go out for Mexican food, I order a margarita. I'll have a couple beers at a ball game. Mostly, I drink wine. A glass at dinner. Or two on the front porch with neighbors. Sometimes more, depending.

But maybe a break would be good for my liver — and for my own peace of mind. Maybe I would sleep better or even lose a few pounds.

I would do it, I decided.

But I didn't.

There were birthday parties and get-togethers, a wine tasting and cousins in from out of town. Then came the holidays.

So it wasn't until January that I picked a day to start. Friends Rhonda and Niki agreed to do it with me.

At work, I announced, "This is my first day of a 10-day booze break." Shaun glanced at the clock. So did I. It was just after 9 a.m.

I was doing great.

On Day Two, we had tickets to a show at Gammage. Rhonda, Niki and I met up in the lobby near the bar. We looked at each other and then awkwardly, at the same time, we crossed each our arms, unsure what do to with our hands.

I went grocery shopping on Day Three and skipped the liquor aisle.

On Day Four, after dinner out before a second show that week, which was unusual even for us stage moms, Niki observed, "Now we will see how much we really like each other without the booze."

The following days were busy, with work and carpools, tap and painting class, an evening walk up "A" Mountain, another dinner out. It wasn't until Day 10 that I turned on the news, the teenager was in bed, the house quiet, and thought, "I'd like a glass of wine."

I poured half a glass of milk and ate two Milano cookies instead.

Last week, I texted Rhonda and Niki: "So can you guys get together tomorrow for wine and to talk about what we learned from our booze break? Postino?"

At Postino, we ordered wine and two bread boards (yes, one for me, one for them to share).

All three of us had gone longer than the allotted 10 days. Niki had a margarita on Day 11. Rhonda had a Bloody Mary after a morning 5k on Day 12, and I drank a glass and a half of wine at Megan's birthday party that night.

We all slept a little better. We drank more water — and Diet Coke.

Rhonda lost weight, but Niki and I substituted ice cream for wine and came out about even. I did go to the gym more often. (That means twice in 10 days.)

We found other ways to unwind.

And we saved a lot of money. Yes, wine at $7 a glass plus tax and tip adds about $20 to your dinner tab, but you don't really notice until you stop paying it. (None of us spends more than $10 or $15 a bottle at the store.)

Not drinking didn't bother us. We didn't have any weird withdrawal symptoms. No headaches or sweats.

But it did bother other people. "Aren't you going to have anything?" they would ask when we ordered Diet Coke or seltzer with lime.

I had, deep inside, wondered if taking a break from alcohol would be harder than I thought. Did I look forward to that glass of wine a little too much? Did I reach for it too quickly when I was stressed?

It was a test of sorts.

Alcohol is a delicate subject for some. A tragic one for others. I understand what is easy and enjoyable for me is not for some. I know people who have drunk their friendships and families into oblivion, and others who have lost loved ones to it.

Taking a break from alcohol was easy for us; it's not for some.

In the weeks since our break from alcohol, we have become more mindful about it. A little less often. One glass instead of two. We invite friends in instead of going out.

It turns out we do like each other just as much without alcohol; we're still just as funny.

We clinked our wine glasses together. To us.

And then Rhonda's cellphone buzzed with a notification from FourSquare. She'd earned a Golden Sticker: "A little something for checking in at more Wine Bars than any of your friends."

Reach Bland at karina.bland@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8614.