Public health units across the province are taking part in the Rethink Your Drinking campaign, encouraging adults to be mindful of what exactly is in their glass.
Rethink Your Drinking seeks to change the way people think about and use alcohol.
“The idea of this campaign is to rethink your drinking and set small, reasonable goals for yourself,” said Sylvie Plumstead, public health nurse at Public Health Sudbury & Districts.
“Following Canada’s Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines is easy and will reduce your risk of cancer and other alcohol-related problems.”
The campaign highlights that there is no “safe” amount of alcohol when it comes to a person’s risk for cancer. It also indicates that it doesn't matter what type of alcohol you drink - beer, spirits or wine — alcohol is alcohol.
Research shows that drinking any type of alcohol increases your risk of cancer. The link between alcohol consumption and cancer is truly important, as only one third of Canadians are aware that they can lower their risk of cancer by reducing how much alcohol they drink.
Drinking less can lower your risk of colorectal, breast and liver cancers as well as head and neck cancers. In 2010, Cancer Care Ontario estimated that alcohol caused up to 3,000 cases of cancer in Ontario.
The Canadian Cancer Society recommends limiting alcohol to less than one drink per day for women and less than two drinks a day for men.
Women are more vulnerable to the health effects of alcohol even when drinking small amounts. For women, alcohol increases the production of estrogen, leading to a higher chance of breast cell mutation and a higher risk of developing breast cancer.
Learn more about Rethink Your Drinking by visiting www.rethinkyourdrinking.ca or phone Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705-522-9200, ext. 238.
