Did you know that when you drink alcohol, you’re actually consuming ethanol? Ethanol is a psychoactive substance and is one of 4 types of alcohol. Methyl, propyl and butyl are other types of alcohol that are unsafe for consumption. Ethanol, consumed in alcoholic beverages, is primarily metabolized in the liver where our bodies convert alcohol to acetaldehyde, a highly toxic substance and known carcinogen.
It has long been public perception that drinking in moderation is “good” for your health. The definition of moderation set by the NIAAA is as up to four alcoholic drinks for men and three for women in any single day. Our general sense of moderation seems to have shifted overtime as wine glasses are now 7 times larger than they originally were. And while some studies suggest moderate drinking may be beneficial to health, we still aren’t all on the same page as to that “moderate” definition. Some of those studies focus on those having less than one drink per day, while others hold to the NIAAA definition it means three or four drinks per day. Another mitigating factor in the debate centers around lifestyle factors rather than alcohol. Increased physical activity and a healthier diet are regularly seen in in the “healthy glass of red wine a day” group. For centuries, the debate has gone on about whether or not alcohol is good or evil. And while this will likely continue on, there are some straight forward facts about how alcohol, even in moderation, negatively impacts health.
+One drink a day increases the risk of breast cancer by 4%
+New studies are showing moderate or “normal” drinking to be responsible for damage to brain’s hippocampus.
+Abstaining from alcohol for even just one month has been shown to cut liver fat by an avg. of 15%. Liver fat is a precursor to liver disease
The more we study alcohol and overall health, it seems a distinct correlation has emerged between alcohol consumption and several types of cancer along with other negative health effects. Sobriety may no longer be just an extension of addiction, but rather an essential component in overall healthy living.
