Booze News: Reduce Risk of Cancer and Other Diseases With More Mindful Drinking

Dry February is not about precipitation.

It’s about participation.

Canadians are challenged to give up alcohol for 28 days as individuals or as part of a team and to invite friends, family and colleagues to encourage them with donations to the Canadian Cancer Society.

It’s also a way to make people aware that drinking alcohol comes with health risks, especially for older people, including increasing the risk of cancer.

At the end of January — just in time for Dry February — the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse and Addiction issued new Guidance on Alcohol and Health. The CCSA now recommends no more than two standard drinks of alcohol per week as well as citing the benefits of going alcohol-free.

More than two drinks increases the risk of developing several types of cancer, notably breast and colon cancer. Seven drinks or more significantly increases the risk of heart disease or stroke.

“We’re having amazing conversations now in Canada about alcohol and cancer risk,” says Elizabeth Holmes, Senior Manager, Health Policy at the Canadian Cancer Society. 

Holmes says, “40 per cent of Canadians are not aware that alcohol consumption raises the risk of cancer including head and neck cancer, liver cancer and pancreatic cancer.”

She suggests that Dry February can be a time for thinking about how, why and when we drink while also raising funds for cancer research.

And no, it’s not too late to join Dry February, pledging to be alcohol-free for 28 days. You can join more than 2,500 Canadians who are already enrolled or you can donate on behalf of someone who has taken up the challenge.

That someone might be Ottawa resident Janine Charron, a mother of three who is in her 40s. 

Charron is a former member of the National Women’s Hockey League and also played NCAA Division 1 women’s hockey while on an athletic scholarship at the University of New Hampshire.

Drinking was how her hockey teams celebrated.

“You train all week, working hard, and after game day you celebrate with a night of partying before your one day off,” she recalls. “I do believe those extremes developed in the hockey world because of the all or nothing attitude. And there’s nothing wrong with celebrating as long as you’re aware of the habits you’re creating.”

Charron is also a breast cancer survivor and after testing three years ago revealed that she carried the BRCA 2 gene mutation, she opted for a double mastectomy, hysterectomy and removal of her ovaries and fallopian tubes.

“I didn’t want to wait for another cancer diagnosis,” she explains.

Her experience with cancer has made her more aware of her health and how to live her best life. And that, she says, means minimizing her consumption of alcohol and giving it up completely for both January and February each year.

“It used to be that I’d go out once a week with friends and have a night where we’d over consume,” she says, “but I’m getting out of that habit. It doesn’t serve me like it used to.”

 

 

Charron has created new habits for herself: meditating, giving inspirational talks about her experiences and, especially, journaling. “Journaling,” she advises, “can uncover a lot.”

At the same time, she’s become more aware of how much social drinking is part of Canadian culture. “I started noticing it more when watching TV shows or movies or commercials,” she says. “What do people do with stress? They have a drink! I’m much more aware now of the triggers for people to grab a drink.”

But, she adds, “I do believe there’s a shift starting in society to a sober lifestyle.”

Among the tips for getting to that sober lifestyle for 28 days or longer:

• Hydrate with water
• Find other ways to self-soothe, including exercise, meditation and journaling
• If you’re having an alcohol drink, be sure to measure it
• Concoct and offer creative mocktails
• Encourage activities with friends other than partying with alcohol
• Enjoy mornings without hangovers!

 

The Risk of Alcohol for Older Adults

 

Zoomer asked Dr. Dawn Sugarman about alcohol consumption and its risks, especially for older people, and the benefits of a dry month. Sugarman is an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and a research psychologist in the division of alcohol, drugs and addiction at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass.

 

Is Canada’s new Guidance on Alcohol and Health, recommending abstinence but no more than two standard drinks a week, a positive and useful step — or is it too drastic and unlikely to be followed?

Alcohol use is associated with negative physical and mental health consequences, including heart and liver problems, memory issues, mood disorders and increased risk of certain cancers. According to the World Health Organization, every year three million deaths result from harmful alcohol use, which represents 5.3 per cent of all deaths. In addition to health consequences, there are significant social and economic costs associated with harmful alcohol use. National guidelines are based on the evidence and can raise awareness to the harmful effects of alcohol use. People may choose to follow them or not, but from a public health perspective, it is important to provide evidence-based information to the public.

 

Is going without any alcohol for a month beneficial in any way?

Many people find that taking a break from alcohol can be beneficial. People often report feeling more productive when they reduce or abstain from alcohol. People who drink heavily often spend a lot of time recovering from the effects of alcohol. In particular, not experiencing hangovers and getting a better night’s sleep can help people think more clearly and feel more productive.

 For individuals who decide to take a month off, we recommend that they reflect on their experiences without alcohol to determine if they want to continue with abstinence after the month is over. It is important that people not only think about what they liked about the experience, but also what was difficult about not drinking so that they can develop a plan to navigate these difficulties if they choose to continue abstinence after the month ends.

 

Why are women drinking more, and is this something that affects older women in particular?

There may be several reasons why women are drinking more including, changing social norms around female drinking, targeted marketing of alcohol to women, and increased stress. Compared to men, women are more likely to drink alcohol to cope with negative moods or feelings. Also, in countries where there is more gender equality, there’s more equality in drinking rates for men and women as well.

Alcohol use in older adults has been increasing over the years, particularly among women. Older adults are particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of alcohol due to age-related changes in the body. Older adults typically metabolize alcohol more slowly and have less muscle mass to absorb alcohol; therefore, older adults will feel the effects of alcohol more quickly even with lower amounts of alcohol than when they were younger. Older women are at an increased risk of experiencing these effects compared with older men.

Older adults also need to be careful about drinking alcohol if they are taking prescription medications. Some medications may have dangerous or even fatal consequences if mixed with alcohol.

This Q&A has been edited for length and clarity.

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