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Did you know that decreasing your alcohol intake can also decrease your risk of breast cancer? At a recent breast cancer clinic, only one in five women attending was aware of the link, so don’t feel bad if your answer is no.
Alcohol consumption is estimated to be a serious contributing factor to between 5-11% of all cases of breast cancer, and researchers say that cutting back on what you drink could be the best thing if you are worried about developing this later in life.
Despite all the pink marketing and promotional videos you see, it seems that women are not well informed on what increases their risks of breast cancer. Out of the 200 women that took part, only a third knew that obesity increased the risk of cancer, and half knew that smoking was another big contributor. A depressing 16% were aware that alcohol is just as serious.
Cancer Research UK says that with each extra ‘unit’ (Half a glass of wine, a half a pint of beer, etc) you consume, your risk for developing breast cancer increases. While the increase isn’t a staggering amount (Don’t put down that pinot just yet), it is a very real way that women who are concerned about breast cancer can make a change in their life to prevent it.
Don’t think this is an all or nothing situation. You don’t have to give up alcohol entirely in order to keep yourself healthy, so don’t panic!
Cutting down on your alcohol is what researchers recommend. Limiting yourself at parties or events where you would normally over-consume, and observing more days free of alcohol entirely, are all excellent steps in the right direction.
If you are going to drink, consider choosing something with a lower alcohol content, like a wine cooler instead of a glass of wine or a light beer instead of a strong cider. These small choices will add up over time, and your body will thank you in the future.
