Study Shows No Amount of Alcohol Is Safe

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1 Study Shows No Amount of Alcohol Is Safe Just one drink a day increases a woman s risk of cancer according to a British study of nearly 1.3 million middle-age women. As recently reported in the Journal of National Cancer Institute the study is the largest ever to investigate the link between alcohol and cancer in women. The results of the study are truly sobering. Based on their findings researchers estimate that approximately 13 percent of cancers in women (breast, aero-digestive tract, liver and rectum) can be directly attributed to alcohol consumption. This evidence is contrary to earlier studies that seemed to indicate cardiovascular benefits of moderate drinking. In the U.S. at least 50 percent of women drink occasionally with the government s own dietary guidelines stating that one drink a day for women can have some beneficial effects. However the British study showed that regardless of whether the woman drank wine, beer or liquor, even as little as 10 grams of alcohol per day on average increased the risk of cancer. And, the cancer risk increased with each additional drink consumed on average per day. Increased cancer risk outweighs potential benefits In an editorial that accompanied the study s findings, two experts from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, emphasized that the results are particularly concerning given the large population of women included in the study. Among women, the major cause of death by far during the middle age years in cancer, Michael S. Lauer and Paul Sorlie wrote in their editorial. For this large group, the only reasonable recommendation we can make is there is no clear evidence that alcohol has medical benefits. Interestingly, a committee is currently rewriting the federal government s dietary guidelines including those for alcohol consumption. The group s chairperson has already stated that the committee will consider the new study in their rewriting process. For Lauer and Sorlie, the message from the study is clear. From a standpoint of cancer risk, they wrote, the message of this report could not be clearer. There is no level of alcohol consumption that can be considered safe. Cancer

2 Source: Face at faceproject.org, Molly Black, March 31, 2009 For your health Alcohol and the Brain Did You Know? Alcohol dilutes itself in the water volume of the body in order to travel through the system. Those vital organs, like the brain, that contain a lot of water and need an ample blood supply are particularly vulnerable to the effects of alcohol. (Dunlap, 2001) Heavy drinking over many years may result in serious mental disorders or permanent, irreversible damage to the brain or peripheral nervous system. (Narcotic Educational Foundation of America, 2002) Alcohol affects all parts of the brain, which also affects the heart rate, coordination, speech, and destruction of brain cells. (Narcotic Educational Foundation of America, 2002) Alcohol may encourage aggression by disrupting normal brain mechanisms that normally restrain impulsive behavior such as aggression. (Hingson et al, October 2001) The brain does not finish developing until a person is around 20 years old, and one of the last regions to mature is intimately involved with the ability to plan and make complex judgments. (Kuhn, Swartzwelder, and Wilson, 1998) The available evidence suggests that adolescents are more vulnerable than adults to the effects of alcohol on learning and memory. (White, 2001) It has become clear over recent years that alcohol impacts both behavior and brain function differently in adolescents and adults. (White, 2001)

3 General Heart Disease and Stroke Facts about Women Heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 3 killers of women over the age of 25. Heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases claim the lives of more than half a million women each year about a death a minute. That s more lives than the next 7 causes of death combined, and nearly twice as many as all forms of cancer, including breast cancer. Of the women who die, one in 29 dies of breast cancer. About one out of every 2.4 women dies of heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. One in five females in the United States has some form of cardiovascular disease. Every year since 1984 more women than men have died of heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. The difference in deaths currently is more than 65,000 per year. 63 percent of women who died suddenly of heart disease had no previous symptoms of this disease. Of the total number of U.S. deaths in 2000 from heart disease and stroke, women represented 53.5 percent of all deaths and men represented 46.5 percent. African American and Mexican American women have higher heart disease and stroke risk factors than white women of comparable socioeconomic status. Heart disease rates in women after menopause are 2 to 3 times those of women the same age before menopause. Within six years after a recognized heart attack: 35 percent of women will have another heart attack, 14 percent will develop chest pain, 11 percent will have a stroke, 46 percent will be disabled with heart failure, and 6 percent will experience sudden cardiac death. At older ages, women who have heart attacks are more likely than men to die from them within a few weeks. After the first heart attack, studies show that 38 percent of women die within a year compared to 25 percent of men because women tend to be older and sicker when they have heart attacks. Stroke is the No. 3 cause of death for American women behind heart disease and cancer. It is a leading cause of serious, long term disability. Overall, more women than men die of stroke. In 2000, nearly 103,000 females died from stroke, which represents about 61 percent of women who have an initial stroke die within a year. This percentage increases among women 65 and older. 53 percent of women under the age of 65 who have a stroke die within eight years. Sources: American Heart Association Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics 2003 Update American Heart Association Biostatistical Fact Sheet, Women and Cardiovascular Disease

4 Tips for Surviving the Summer Heat Wear loose fitting, light colored clothing made of natural fibers like cotton. Slow Down! Avoid strenuous activity or perform strenuous tasks during the cooler parts of the day. Stay indoors if possible. If you must go outside, do so in the early morning hours. Use the air conditioner. Fans do not cool the air, but they evaporate perspiration which helps cool your body. Drink lots of water. Don t wait until you feel thirsty to drink water. By the time you feel thirsty, your body has been in need of water for a long while. Avoid beverages containing alcohol or caffeine. They can make the effects of the heat worse instead of better. Alcohol actually dehydrates the body. Eat small, light meals and eat often. A heavy meal diverts blood to the stomach to aid digestions when it is needed at the skin s surface to help cool the body. Also avoid using the stove during hot weather. Cool foods like Jell-O and popsicles help lower your body s internal temperature. Take cool showers and baths. They help lower the temperature of your skin. Check with your doctor about medication. Some medications can make a person more vulnerable to the heat. Stay in contact with friends or relatives especially if you live alone. Check on friends and report regularly to others about your own well being.

5 Summer Safety for Athletes Here are some tips to maintain your health this summer and prevent injury. 1. Take it slow: During the winter months most of us are not as active and don t exert as much energy as we do in the summer. We are stiff and not as flexible. 2. Stretch Out: Before participating in any physical activities you must warm up your muscles and joints. In as short as 5 or 10 minutes of stretching you are allowing your body to ease into the activities and will be less likely to strain or pull something causing an injury. 3. Take a break: Know your limitations and how hard you can push yourself. About every hour stop and allow your body a short rest. Change tasks often so you don t overwork one part of your body or group of muscles. 4. Lift it right: You know the drill lift with your knees not your back! Sounds simple and yet is easily forgotten. Lift with your back straight and knees bent. 5. Hydrate: Water is vital to all of our bodies especially in warm weather. Always have water on hand during breaks so you do not overheat. 6. Good Footwear: By wearing shoes with the proper support you are providing your body stability throughout your activities and protecting your feet from injury. 7. Stretch out before you wrap up: Just as you warm your body up before physical activities and sports you should also cool your body down. By stretching you will prevent soreness and muscle cramps.