If one of your New Year鈥檚 resolutions is to cut back on your alcohol, here鈥檚 some extra incentive for that plan: It could lower your risk of getting cancer.
鈥淭he connection with alcohol and breast cancer has been well defined,鈥� Dr. Paula Rosenblatt, an oncologist who treats breast cancer patients at the University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center and assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
鈥淭here are hundreds of studies that have shown the association that, basically, as little as a drink a day can increase one鈥檚 risk of breast cancer,” she said.
When it comes to talking about alcohol and health, Rosenblatt said the talk about a glass of wine a day being good for your heart has overshadowed the fact that alcohol can also have serious health risks, such as cancer. It鈥檚 not just breast cancer 鈥� the risk of other cancers of the head and neck and throughout the body increases with alcohol use.
As for why alcohol has this effect, there are a couple of hypotheses.
鈥淎lcohol is just empty calories and can be associated with weight gain,鈥� Dr. Rosenblatt said. 鈥淥besity can be associated with breast cancer as well.鈥�
Another explanation is that the metabolization of alcohol increases the estrogen in a woman鈥檚 body, and 80% of breast cancers are estrogen positive breast cancers.
Does this mean you have to stop drinking altogether?
鈥淚 think a drink here or there is safe,” Rosenblatt said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 regularly drinking on a daily basis and drinking multiple servings of alcohol that really is the problem.鈥�
Basically, save the alcoholic drinks for special occasions, or a weekend treat, instead of adding it to your menu every day, she said.
It鈥檚 also important to note what constitutes a drink.
鈥淚 think American servings of things are quite large,鈥� Dr. Rosenblatt said. 鈥淚n medical terms a serving of alcohol is only 5 ounces of wine, is only an ounce-and-a-half of liquor or a 12-ounce beer.鈥� So be mindful that your single drink could be more than a serving.
