Beware Wet February expert reveals the healthiest way to consume alcohol

Congratulations if you’ve made it smug and sober to the finish line of Dry January.While you may be ready to celebrate with a libation, an expert warns of the party peril of Wet February.Courtney Smith, a registered dietitian, diabetes specialist, and founder of the Keys to Nutrition, told The Post that Wet February brings the danger of over-imbibing after a month of banishing booze.

“It defeats the purpose when you have that extreme restriction, and then on February 1, you’re back to partying,” she said.Smith recommends that those who are getting off the wagon ease alcohol back into their lives.“With a lot of things, we tend to restrict and then binge.

If I tell you that you can’t have tequila, what are you going to think about, what are you going to want? Tequila.That’s the one con of Dry January,” she said.Add to the mix (drink) that February plays host to drink-heavy holidays like Superbowl Sunday and Mardi Gras that can encourage those who have been teetotal to go buck wild with booze.

“Be cognizant about your alcohol consumption.The idea is not to erase the benefits of Dry January by making February a party month.”Giving up booze, even temporarily, comes with a slew of proven health benefits, from improved sleep to weight loss to better mood.With the Surgeon General noting that alcohol is the third-leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States — and that consuming alcohol increases the risk for “at least seven types of cancer,” including breast, colon and liver — it’s clear that abstaining has some long-term plus-sides too.According to Smith, the Surgeon General, and other experts, there is no safe amount of alcohol to drink.

“You’re always going to have that increased cancer risk.That’s there.

I never suggest people increase their alcohol intake.I recommend that it’s moderate.

I want my clients to enjoy their lives and find a plan that works for them.”In a similar vein — or shot glass as it were �...