Valerie Bertinelli opens up about her sobriety journey, says she wants to live life ‘better and cleaner’

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE: 'One Day at a Time' star Valerie Bertinelli has experienced remarkable improvements after being alcohol-free for over six months. 

Recently, Valerie Bertinelli, 64, posted an update on Instagram announcing her milestone and firmly stating her commitment to this lifestyle change.

"Six months. No alcohol," she captioned the post.

Bertinelli also affirmed that she has no intention of reverting to her old habits.

Drew Barrymore, Ben Affleck, and Miley Cyrus are among the celebrities who have embraced sobriety, as per Summit Malibu.

Valerie Bertinelli emphasizes benefits of being sober

During her recent interview with PEOPLE Magazine, Valerie Bertinelli shared the changes she's experienced since giving up alcohol.

"Even with life struggles and how life can be challenging, I find that it is easier to get myself clearer faster, about what I need to do and taking care of my life," she said. 

She added, “I feel good when I wake up in the morning. I'm not groggy. I'm not tired. I'm not: ‘What did I do last night?’” 

The 'Hot in Cleveland' actress considers herself “one of the lucky ones,” explaining, “I don't think I ever really had a problem [with alcohol] and that's why it was a bit, I don't want to say easy, but it was an easier path for me to start with Dry January. And then go, ‘Well, I'm halfway through February, now I might as well just keep going.' And now for me, I kind of make a game of it.”

Valerie Bertinelli reveals why she decided to go alcohol-free

In January 2023, Bertinelli revealed her decision to participate in Dry January, giving up alcohol for 31 days, as per Fox News. "I have decided to go Dry January. I like it so far," Bertinelli shared.

"I'm doing it for two reasons. One, I want to try and cut down the cravings for my sugar. And I think alcohol exacerbates that."

She continued, "Secondly, I want to calm down the cortisol in my body that has been raging for the last five, six years. I've been in fight, flight, freeze, fawn mode. And I want to go into rest and digest. I think cutting alcohol will help me do that."

In her April cover story for PEOPLE, Bertinelli shared that she used to rely on food and alcohol as coping mechanisms to avoid dealing with difficult issues. Over the past six months, she has demonstrated that this is no longer the case.

“[It’s] keeping me honest about my emotions and honest about my mental health journey, and my work that I want to do there," she claimed.

While the most significant changes in her life have already brought some positive, short-term results, Bertinelli ultimately decided to stop drinking for the sake of her long-term future.

“I say all the time, ‘If I'm lucky, I have 20 more years left,’ and I want them to be the best years of my life. And I don't want to be doing what I've been doing the last 64 years,” she said.

“I want a better, cleaner, cooler, more exciting way to knock out the last 20.”

Valerie Bertinelli's fans praise her for 'courageous accomplishment'

After learning about Valerie Bertinelli’s six-month journey of cutting out alcohol, her fans flocked to comment on her appearance. Many users encouraged her to continue her healthy lifestyle.

One Facebook user wrote, "Such a beautiful & courageous accomplishment for everyone in that battle."

The second user explained, "Everything in moderation. I hope she’s eating and exercising too! I think being active is definitely a crucial role to living a long life!" 

The third user shared, "She and I are the same age. I also quit drinking last October so that's very coincidental. My liver is shot...but I totally miss drinking 😐''

The fourth user claimed, "Well she looks a lot healthier."

The last user said, "Good for you Valerie! You go for it."

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