Make It a Virgin
Maybe don’t cheers to that…
It turns out that it’s not just your head that suffers from over-indulging in alcohol; your breast health does too. The consumption of alcohol has been demonstrated to be a consistent risk factor for breast cancer, whereby lifetime risk increases with quantity of alcohol. Compared to women who don’t drink at all, women who have three alcoholic drinks per week have a 15% higher lifetime risk of breast cancer, with the risk of breast cancer increasing by 10% for each additional drink women regularly have each day.
Alcohol can increase levels of estrogen and other hormones associated with hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. Alcohol may also increase lifetime breast cancer risk by damaging DNA in cells. While even the most stubborn hangover eventually fades, the negative implications of drinking can be long lasting and significant for your breast health.
Furthermore, science shows that the lifetime risk increases for those women drinking during the decade after their periods begin and before their first pregnancy. Therefore it is particularly important for young women to keep their alcohol intake in check. So try to consume fewer drinks or mix in water; you’ll save some money, avoid a nasty headache, and do your breasts a favour all at once. It’s a win-win!
What you need to know:
- Alcohol can increase hormone and estrogen levels, which are linked to breast cancer
- Limit your alcohol intake and help your liver keep blood estrogen levels low
- Less is truly more when it comes to alcohol consumption and your breast health!
- Limiting alcohol consumption can reduce your lifetime risk, so once in a while, make it a virgin.
