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FITNESS: A wee tipple fraught with health hazards

There is an abundance of evidence that alcohol is carcinogenic
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A 30-year study of more than 100,000 people showed that the risk for breast cancer in women is increased with even one alcoholic drink per day. (File - Metro-Creative)

Ron Cain | Contributed

A long hard day and work can be improved by kicking back with your favourite alcoholic beverage. I love a cold beer after cutting the grass on a hot day.

The temperance movement of the 1920s and 1930s lobbied the government to eliminate legal drinking because alcohol ruined families and caused terrible harm to people physically, socially, and economically. The movement in the U.S. began in the early 1800s but picked up steam after the First World War leading to a ban on serving alcohol until 1933.

The main contribution of the movement to history was the growth of the mob and the popularity of illegal bars.

Since alcohol has been around for thousands of years with archaeological evidence dated back to ancient Rome and in the east to China in 7000 BC, denying a man his daily grog could not overcome the entrenchment of thousands of years raising a glass with friends.

Is a wee tipple every night an issue to be fraught over? There is an abundance of evidence that alcohol is carcinogenic – it causes cancer.

The data is concerning. Drinking 3.5 drinks a day doubles or even triples your risk of developing cancer of the mouth, pharynx, larynx and esophagus. Consuming about 3.5 drinks a day increases your risk of developing colorectal cancer and breast cancer by 1.5 times. The less alcohol you drink, the more you reduce your risk.

A 30-year study of more than 100,000 people showed that the risk for breast cancer in women is increased with even one alcoholic drink per day.

As a Class 1 rated carcinogen for decades (on a par with cigarettes and asbestos), a good question to ask is why does the wine you buy for dinner not carry a warning label similar to cigarettes? Simple answer: money. There is a lot of money for governments in alcohol sales, and they do not want to slaughter the golden goose.

What about the other health issues with alcohol? Beer consumption is associated with the classic beer belly but is it due to calories or something else? Beer contains two ingredients that are of concern: phytoestrogen and prolactin. These two chemicals can increase the estrogen levels your body produces.

Don’t panic if you enjoy a beer with the boys. An occasional beer will not result in man boobs or a compulsion to watch re-runs of You’ve Got Mail. But if everyone in the beer and wine store knows you by your first name and where you live, it should concern you.

Are you trying to practise girth control? Are you concerned about the tale of the tape?

A simple and highly effective method for gradual and sustainable weight loss is reducing empty calories.

A study of North American men estimated they consume 900 empty calories a day. That’s 900 calories from junk food, sugar, and alcohol. One gram of alcohol produces seven calories!

Instead of depriving yourself of enjoying satisfying meals, focus on reducing the consumption of the principal offenders: alcohol, fruit drinks, energy drinks, and soda, including the sugar-free varieties.

Instead, keep a pitcher of tap water in the fridge and add a few pieces of lemon or lime. Eliminating fruit juices and pop will, on average, cause a fat loss of 10 to 14 pounds per year! And, drinking more water may get rid of muscle aches and pains.

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Ron Cain is the owner of Sooke Mobile Personal Training. Email him at sookepersonaltraining@gmail.com or find him on Facebook at Sooke Personal Training.

ALSO READ: Is the fitness industry mortally wounded?



editor@sookenewsmirror.com

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