Show notes
This week on the podcast I'm diving into the health benefits of Dry January, by exploring some of the questions that you may not ask yourself regularly about alcohol.
1) Do you have any preexisting conditions that are exacerbated by drinking? This can include diabetes, liver disease, hypertension, epilepsy, and more.
2) Are you taking any medications that are less effective because of your alcohol consumption or that pose dangerous side effects when mixed with alcohol? This can include blood pressure medications, insulin, antibiotics, and various psychiatric medications.
3) How does alcohol interfere with your ability to take care of your physical health? For example, is it affecting your skin, teeth, digestion, diet, or exercise habits?
4) What is your cancer, Alzheimer’s, and stroke risk? Have you or anyone else in your family been diagnosed with these types of conditions, which makes drinking more likely to negatively impact you?
5) How is alcohol affecting your sleep? Do you find that you are waking frequently at night? Chronically tired in the morning?
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Low risk drinking guidelines from the NIAAA:
Healthy men under 65:
No more than 4 drinks in one day and no more than 14 drinks per week.
Healthy women (all ages) and healthy men 65 and older:
No more than 3 drinks in one day and no more than 7 drinks per week.
One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. So remember that a mixed drink or full glass of wine are probably more than one drink.
Abstinence from alcohol
Abstinence from alcohol is the best choice for people who take medication(s) that interact with alcohol, have health conditions that could be exacerbated by alcohol (e.g. liver disease), are pregnant or may become pregnant or have had a problem with alcohol or another substance in the past.
Benefits of “low-risk” drinking
Following these guidelines reduces the risk of health problems such as cancer, liver disease, reduced immunity, ulcers, sleep problems, complications of existing conditions, and more. It also reduces the risk of depression, social problems, and difficulties at school or work.
If you' are unsure about whether or not you have alcohol use disorder, please visit the NIAAA for more information.
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