We all know that alcohol isn't good for our bodies, but did you know that drinking alcohol increases your risk for cancer? (1) That's right, alcohol can increase your risk for the following types cancer, to just mention a few.
- breast
- lung
- colon & rectum
- liver
- stomach
- pancreatic
- mouth. throat, & esophagus
- ovarian
- prostate
Alcohol is inflammatory, meaning that it causes damage to our tissues, which over time damages the DNA leading to the accumulation of cancer cells. Although the threshold for increased risk for each type of cancer varies, erring on the side of caution is beneficial. In fact, one drink a day can increase a woman's risk by 4%, and more than 3 drinks per week increases a woman's risk for breast cancer by 50%! (2) Alcohol also increases estrogen in the body, which can help some cancers grow, especially breast.
"But all my friends like to do is hang out and drink." There are plenty of other tasty, healthy beverages if what you need is something in your hand. Remember, most alcoholic drinks can be made without the alcohol. If you are looking for something entirely different try: kombucha, mineral water with essence of lemon or lime, teas (herbal, green, white, black), coffee (which can be a class on its own), juices, smoothies, and you can play around with combinations of all of the above. Who knows, your new favorite drink might be Lime Perrier with white tea, and a splash of grapefruit juice. And the possibilities are endless when it comes to fruit, a blender, and your imagination. Perhaps, if your friends aren't interested in doing anything but drinking, maybe its time to find some new friends.
If you are looking for that buzz, well there really isn't a direct substitute. However, you may want to consider devoting more time to your other hobbies, starting a new one. But I have to say that kombucha can be close, especially with calming herbs such as Kava. In my experience, kombucha has the special ability to pick you up or help slow you down depending on what you need. Plus it has billions of little probiotics to help your gut and immune health, thus perhaps preventing cancer! My favorite brand is Brew Dr. Kombucha.
So next time you reach for that cocktail or beer pause to ponder, "Do I want to have cancer?" The occasional drink, every month or so, is not going to significantly increase your risk. But don't get carried away.
Stay tuned for the next session on environmental pollutants.
References:
1. American Cancer Society: Alcohol Use and Cancer
2. Seitz HK, Pelucchi C, Bagnardi V, La Vecchia C. Epidemiology and pathophysiology of alcohol and breast cancer: update 2012. Alcohol Alcohol. 2012 May;47(3):204-12. Epub 2012 Mar 29.
Disclaimer: For individualized specifics of how to create positive lifestyle changes in your life, please talk to your naturopathic physician or primary care provider.
