Thinking of trying Dry January?
No judgement, just some of the facts on alcohol and health, to help make informed choices:
According to Cancer Research UK there is no safe limit for alcohol.
According to Cancer Research UK alcohol is linked to at least 7 different cancers including, Breast Cancer, Bowel Cancer, Mouth Cancer, Oesophageal Cancer, Upper Throat Cancer, Laryngeal Cancer and Liver Cancer.
Our bodies convert alcohol into a toxic chemical called acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde causes cancer by damaging DNA and then stopping our cells from repairing the damage. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified acetaldehyde formed as a result of drinking alcohol carcinogenic along with alcohol itself.
Alcohol can affect hormone levels, including increasing oestrogen and insulin levels. Higher levels of these hormones can encourage cells to divide more rapidly which further raises the risk of cancer.
A report from the World Cancer Research Fund, as part of their Continuous Update Project analysed 119 studies, including data on 12 million women worldwide and found strong evidence that drinking the equivalent of a small glass of wine or beer a day is linked to an increased risk of cancer.
A recent study from The University of Oxford, Yale University and the University of Cambridge found that drinking alcohol likely increases the risk of dementia.
According to the Mental Health Foundation, alcohol is a depressant, which can disrupt the balance of neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) in the brain and can affect feelings, thoughts and behaviour. Over the long term alcohol use can reduce the number of neurotransmitters in the brain, making some want to drink even more alcohol to help to manage difficult feelings, which can then become a cycle of dependence.
