Alcohol and Cancer- New Updated Guidelines from the American Cancer Society

Guidelines recently released from the American Cancer Society say that it is “best not to drink alcohol”.

Based on information from the World Cancer Research Fund, the International Agency on Cancer Research, the US Departments of Agriculture, and other agencies, this guideline is the first update from the American Cancer Society in the last 8 years. 

There are a few areas where the current guideline has changed since 2012:

▶︎ The previous recommendation was to limit alcohol intake to 1 drink per day for women and 2 for men. The update says that, optimally, alcohol should be avoided completely.

▶︎More physical activity is now recommended: one hour per day for kids and 5 hours a week for adults.

▶︎The new guideline focuses more on healthy dietary patterns rather than individual nutrients. 

Wondering what’s behind the recommendation to 100% avoid alcohol?

The American Cancer Society reports:

🍸Alcohol consumption is an established cause of at least 7 types of cancer. 

🍸Both alcohol and acetaldehyde (its metabolite) are cancer-causing in humans.

🍸Consumption of ANY amount of alcohol increases the risk of some cancers—notably breast cancer

Alcohol contributes to cancer risk by:

🍸 Damaging DNA

🍸 Increasing oxidative stress

🍸 Interfering with nutrient absorption

🍸Changing DNA methylation

🍸And (in the case of breast cancer) increasing estrogen levels

If you need strategies and support to decrease alcohol consumption, I’m here to help. There are many herbs and nutrients that support relaxation in lieu of alcoholic beverages.

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