Yahoo! I heard another internet alcohol & health lie!

A ridiculous, and dangerous, piece of fiction emerges from cherry-picking observational studies. In that pursuit, anyone can find support for smoking, alcohol use, or use of any other drug. However, the evidence-based science demonstrates ZERO health benefit to even moderate use of a toxin and known carcinogen. (READ THE DELICIOUS PIECE OF FACT-MANUFACTURING YAHOO! UK IS PEDDLING)

Aside from the fact that daily drinking is one of several indicators of the disease of alcoholism, there is no health benefit to drinking any amount, at any age, for either gender. Spend 52 min. with The A-Filesif you want to find out what this drug does TO you, instead of this fiction of what it does FOR you.

For example, Women... this is the ONLY dietary factor shown to increase risk of breast cancer. Each drink daily (10g of alcohol) increases risk by 11 percent. More than four a day brings the same risk as smoking a pack of cigs a day. It's the #2 cause of oral cancers. Was cancer intentionally left from this article? Probably... because alcohol causes eight types of cancer. “The relationship between alcohol and cancer is not widely appreciated by the public and remains underemphasized even by physicians. When it comes to cancer, there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.” American Journal of Public Health Feb. 2014

The heart health myth was discredited more than a decade ago. It causes pre-diabetes, a precursor to type 2… it doesn’t reduce the risk as observational studies claim. Additionally, one in five strokes is alcohol-related. The risk of stroke is both long-term and short-term. In fact, stroke risk increases instantly and remains elevated for two hours after consuming alcohol. There are also consequences for liver, brain, pancreas. More than 60 diseases are caused by even "moderate" use of alcohol and it is the third-leading cause of preventable death and illness in the U.S. and U.K.. This dandy dietary tip just could kill someone.

The immune system is sacked by even moderate use: That's basic bioscience, not the junk science in this pro-alcohol piece. Sex problems linger even a year after complete abstinence (http://www.examiner.com/article/sex-problems-last-a-year-after-heavy-drinking-stops-according-to-new-study) and an older 2007 study -- evidence-based -- notes a falloff in sex drive with regular moderate use. And life expectancy? Jeez. The CDC notes a reduction of life expectancy 18 months (moderate use) to 20 years (heavy use).

Get evidence-based facts before succombing to Yahoo!'s dangerous and irresponsible article.

The entire 26 episode HD The A-Files: Alcohol A-Z series is available on disc, along with fact sheets, for helping professions. Visit alcohologist.com for a replay of CBS Sports' Power Up Your Health featuring Scott Stevens.  Another interview is on Alcohol Awareness.  Syndicated radio program Savvy Central Radio did this interview, too. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud and the first for Adding Fire to the Fuel also can be found on www.alcohologist.com. Download the FREE Alcohology app in the Google PlayStore today. Stevens also is the public relations officer with AddictedMinds.com 

The A-Files, Alcohol A-Z for Alcohol Awareness Month: Heart Health

(View online article)

Twenty-six episodes of 'The A-Files' will run throughout Alcohol Awareness Month on YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Alcohologist.com and AddictedMinds.com, among other web and social media sites. Episode H looks at the myth that drinking has heart-health benefits.

Even a single glass of wine or beer can be damaging to the heart. I know, everyone has heard about wine being good for the heart in moderation. That has been discredited for more than a decade, even if a 2016 grape commercial still gives life to the heart-healthy myth. Red wine has resveratrol from the skin of the grapes. For the record, that substance is good for the heart. The alcohol in the wine negates the good.

The University College London and Pennsylvania University conducted no new experiments or studies for a piece appearing in the BMJ. Scientists instead analyzed 50 studies that looked at drinking habits and heart health, with data from more than a quarter-million people. They conclude: less alcohol is the only sure way to improve and protect heart health. "The best thing to do is to reduce consumption to reduce blood pressure and risk of heart disease," the lead researcher said.

Alcohol raids the body of vitamin B (Thiamin) which is essential for a healthy heart. B-deficiency enlarges the heart and creates distended neck veins. Alcohol metabolism's byproduct, acetaldehyde, also physically weakens muscle, the heart being your body’s most important one. Acetaldehyde also increases cholesterol, especially triglycerides, by the way. The point on blood pressure sets up another legend, that moderate alcohol calms a person down and lowers blood pressure. Even modest alcohol consumption can cause blood pressure to increase, according to two studies conducted in Japan. Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan concluded that even very low alcohol consumption can be a health risk, raising the top number in a blood pressure reading 1.4 to 5.4 points on just a single drink. In second study, researchers from Kyushu University followed more than 1,100 people over age 40 for 10 years. One hundred men and 106 women developed hypertension, with the risk of developing hypertension higher for drinkers, even those who drank less than a drink daily.

Even if you're skeptical about the findings of junk science vs. real science, it's never been disputed that immediately after having a drink, blood pressure rises and blood platelets, which are essential for clotting, become stickier, increasing the risk of heart attack.
The entire 26 episode HD series is available on disc, along with fact sheets, for helping professions. See the preorder special at tr.im/AFiles

Visit alcohologist.com for a replay of CBS Sports' Power Up Your Health featuring Scott Stevens.  Another interview is on Alcohol Awareness.  Syndicated radio program Savvy Central Radio did this interview, too. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud and the first for Adding Fire to the Fuel also can be found on www.alcohologist.com. Download the FREE Alcohology app in the Google PlayStore today. Stevens also is the public relations officer with AddictedMinds.com 

USDA “healthy” diet guide to misguide and injure Americans for another five years years

New governmental dietary guidelines are dangerous to the health of America and contradict common sense and evidence-based research, including research by the very organization that released the five-year recommendation. The 2015-2016 Dietary Guidelines, were released jointly by the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA) Jan. 7.

BUT… There are no documented health benefits to consuming beverage alcohol.

Evidence-based studies provide robust data that conclusively demonstrate alcohol's undisputed ability to ruin otherwise healthy tissue. It isn't a health-conscious dietary addition in any amount.

The eighth edition of the government's guidelines state: “If alcohol is consumed, it should be consumed in moderation—up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men—and only by adults of legal drinking age.” The statement leads to an alcohol appendix, which, “in 300 words doesn't mention a single health consequence of drinking a toxin.” The appendix: If alcohol is consumed, it should be in moderation—up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men—and only by adults of legal drinking age. For those who choose to drink, moderate alcohol consumption can be incorporated into the calorie limits of most healthy eating patterns. The Dietary Guidelines does not recommend that individuals who do not drink alcohol start drinking for any reason; however, it does recommend that all foods and beverages consumed be accounted for within healthy eating patterns. Alcohol is not a component of the USDA Food Patterns. Thus, if alcohol is consumed, the calories from alcohol should be accounted for so that the limits on calories for other uses and total calories are not exceeded. For the purposes of evaluating amounts of alcohol that may be consumed, the Dietary Guidelines includes drink-equivalents [table]. One alcoholic drink-equivalent is described as containing 14 g (0.6 fl oz) of pure alcohol. The following are reference beverages that are one alcoholic drink-equivalent: 12 fluid ounces of regular beer (5% alcohol), 5 fluid ounces of wine (12% alcohol), or 1.5 fluid ounces of 80 proof distilled spirits (40% alcohol). Packaged (e.g., canned beer, bottled wine) and mixed beverages (e.g., margarita, rum and soda, mimosa, sangria) vary in alcohol content. For this reason it is important to determine how many alcoholic drink-equivalents are in the beverage and limit intake. [Table] lists reference beverages that are one drink-equivalent and provides examples of alcoholic drink-equivalents in other alcoholic beverages.

First of all, to endorse any amount of alcohol for a person with the disease of alcoholism – which afflicts 21 million Americans – is entirely irresponsible, yet they only caution those who are pregnant. Secondly, the guidelines are said to be “components of a healthy and nutritionally adequate diet to help promote health and prevent chronic disease such as cancer, hypertension, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.” Alcohol use – even moderate use – is a risk factor for all five of those chronic diseases. Consider the evidence-based data:

• Cancer: Even moderate alcohol use may substantially increase the risk of dying from cancer, according to a study published in Feb. 2012 in theAmerican Journal of Public Health. Alcohol use accounts for about 3.5 percent of all U.S. cancer deaths annually, according to the study. “Most deaths seemed to occur among people who consumed more than three alcoholic drinks a day, but those who consumed 1.5 beverages daily may account for up to one-third of those deaths,” the researchers concluded.
• Hypertension: Even modest alcohol consumption can cause blood pressure to increase, according to two studies conducted in Japan. Noriyuki Nakanishi, M.D., Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan and lead author of one of the studies, concluded that even very low alcohol consumption can be a health risk, especially older adults. Nakanishi and his research team observed that systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) went up 1.4 points in those between the ages of 25 and 35, but increased 5.4 points for men between the ages of 48 and 59, for just 12g-22g of alcohol per day. A glass of wine contains about 20g alcohol on average. In the second of the two studies, researchers from Kyushu University followed more than 1,100 people over age 40 for 10 years. One hundred men and 106 women developed hypertension, with the risk of developing hypertension higher for drinkers, even those who drank less than 23 grams daily. Both Japanese studies were published in the journal Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research.
  Quitting drinking has the expected benefit of reducing blood pressure. In one study reported in the journal Hypertension, researchers concluded that a reduction in alcohol intake among drinkers significantly reduced their blood pressure. They found that when alcohol consumption fell by 16 to 100 percent, there were significant drops in systolic blood pressure. Diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) also dropped significantly in eight clinical trials. The greatest drop in blood pressure was seen in patients with the highest blood pressure before treatment and those who cut back on alcohol the most.
• Heart Disease: A report released July 2014 in The BMJ (formerly British Medical Journal) debunks decades of misinformation about alcohol's heart-health benefits. According to researchers, even a single glass of wine or beer can be damaging to the heart. The University College London and Pennsylvania University conducted no new experiments or studies. Scientists instead analyzed 50 studies that looked at drinking habits and heart health, with data from more than a quarter-million people. They conclude: less alcohol is the only sure way to improve and protect heart health.
  Some studies have previously suggested moderate amounts of alcohol could be good for heart health. These studies were dealt a blow in March 2013 when the journal Addiction concluded that such health claims were based on observational studies, not evidence-based ones, and amounted to little more than wishful thinking. (See “Alcohol's health benefits deemed wishful thinking”) The authors of the 2014 study concur. “We now have evidence that some of these studies suffer from limitations that may affect the validity of their findings," said study author Juan Casas, a researcher at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
  Data compiled for the 2012 alcoholism recovery book, Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud, also found alcohol had more heart-damaging impact that life-giving benefit. “Alcohol itself raids the body of vitamin B (Thiamin) which is essential for a healthy heart. B-deficiency enlarges the heart and creates distended neck veins, narrow pulse pressure, elevated diastolic blood pressure (the second number in your BP) and peripheral edema. Acetaldehyde [alcohol metabolism byproduct] also physically weakens muscle, the heart being your body’s most important one. The weakening causes damage that accumulates.” Acetaldehyde also increases cholesterol, especially triglycerides. High cholesterol is a leading indicator of heart trouble on the horizon and the number one condition treated with prescription drugs in the U.S.
• Diabetes: Alcohol use (with moderate use being defined as one drink daily for women, two a day for men) damages the pancreas, the organ responsible for producing insulin naturally to regulate blood sugar. The more a person drinks, the more damage to that organ and the higher the risk of developing prediabetes, which can lead to type 2 diabetes.
  According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), prediabetes is when a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be type 2 diabetes. Prediabetics are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
  The risk of prediabetes may be even higher for people with high blood pressure, according to preliminary research introduced April 18 at the European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation's EuroPRevent meeting. Lucio Mos, of San Antonio Hospital at the University of Padova, Italy, found that patients with high blood pressure who drank more than 10 drinks a day had a six-times higher risk of developing a prediabetic condition.
  Drinking alcohol contributes to diabetes in three ways.
  1. Heavy drinking can reduce the body’s sensitivity to insulin (according to the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism)
  2.Diabetes is a common side effect of chronic pancreatitis, which is overwhelmingly caused by heavy drinking, especially in men. (See related article on the Y-chromosome and pancreatitis)
  3.Alcohol contains a huge amount of calories. One beer can be equivalent to a slice of pizza. (see examiner.com article on alcohol calories) The extra calories increase the chance of becoming overweight, another diabetes risk factor.

“Lastly, saying daily consumption is 'okay' diminishes the fact that daily use is one warning sign of the disease of addiction,” concludes the recovery advocate and alcohol/health author, who has a chapter in each of his two most recent books detailing the health consequences of alcohol use. “Daily use is a contributing factor to more than 60 other diseases. Including eight cancers. The HHS even lists the drug (alcohol) as a known, not a suspected, human carcinogen in its 13th list of carcinogens released only four months ago.” (See “Alcohol: A carcinogen hiding in plain sight” and the HHS Report on Cancinogens)

The author notes dietary guidance for the UK, released in the same week as the US recommendations, clearly stated there is no justification to drink for health reasons, and consumption of any level of alcohol increases the risk of a range of cancers. “We're on the same planet, using the same data, but we're clearly not on the same page when it comes to promoting public health.”
Visit alcohologist.com for a replay of CBS Sports' Power Up Your Health featuring Scott Stevens.  Host Ed Forteau led a discussion on risky myths of about "healthy" drinking.  Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud and the first for Adding Fire to the Fuel also can be found on www.alcohologist.com. Download the FREE Alcohology app in the Google PlayStore today. Stevens also is the public relations officer with AddictedMinds.com and works with TheAddictionsAcademy as well.

Binge vs. daily drinking: Which is riskier?

It's common knowledge that alcohol causes damage to the liver, the organ primarily responsible for handling the toxin. The University of Missouri School of Medicine took a look at the damage caused by daily drinking versus the damage from binge drinking. Their November 2015 report published in the journal, Biomolecules, was significant considering the most common form of alcohol use or abuse in the U.S. is binge drinking. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports approximately one in six adults binge drinks about four times each month.

The researchers at Mizzou concluded that daily alcohol use and repeat binge episodes caused moderate liver damage when compared to a control group not exposed to alcohol. “This outcome came as no surprise,” say the researchers. “However, in the mice exposed to both chronic use and repeat binge episodes, liver damage increased tremendously.” Even more 'shocking' – in the researchers' own words – was the extent of fatty deposits in the livers of those exposed to chronic plus binge drinking. It was approximately 13 times higher than the control group.

The amped-up fat accumulation was in part caused by changes within the liver which not only increased fat deposits, but increased stress on the organ while decreasing the liver’s ability to fight the stress. Chronic and excessive alcohol use shouldn't be associated only with liver damage. Drinking alcohol excessively can create an inflammatory response to the liver and other organ systems in the body and when those organs work at a lower level of function, then a whole host of physiological processes can be affected including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and eight forms of cancer… all of which were covered in various prior episodes of The Sobriety :60+.

By way of background, both types of drinking on their own are going to do damage, but evidence-based studies disagree on which is worse. Long-term daily drinking, rather than weekly binge drinking, is by far the biggest risk factor in serious liver disease, according to a 2009 report from the University of Southampton. A 2011 University of Rochester study found binge drinking worse for the heart, increasing bad cholesterol and causing 60 percent more artery blockages than abstainers.

The new UM study says both produce ugly results on their own, but combining daily and weekly binge drinking is worse. If you're curious as to how long you have to drink in these patterns to do the damage or increase health risk, the answer is simple: Alcohol is a toxin and the damage begins with day one, drink one. How much damage? Less if you quit today, more if you wait until tomorrow.
Visit alcohologist.com for a replay of CBS Sports' Power Up Your Health featuring Scott Stevens.  Host Ed Forteau led a discussion on risky myths of about "healthy" drinking.  Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud and the first for Adding Fire to the Fuel also can be found on www.alcohologist.com. Download the FREE Alcohology app in the Google PlayStore today. Stevens also is the public relations officer with AddictedMinds.com and works with TheAddictionsAcademy as well.

Women more susceptible to alcohol-related damage from lighter drinking

The Sobriety :60+ #42 on men, women and alcohol examines gender differences in handling alcohol. 

Pound for pound, women have less water in their bodies to dilute alcohol, leaving them more susceptible to alcohol-related damage. Read the transcript or share the YouTube vid.


Visit alcohologist.com for a replay of CBS Sports' Power Up Your Health featuring Scott Stevens.  Host Ed Forteau led a discussion on the health risks and myths of health benefits of drinking.  Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud also can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  Download the FREE Alcohology app in the Google PlayStore today.

The Sobriety :60 - Heart health, part 2

In August 2013, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation put it this way: “Broad encouragement to drink in moderation, rather than not to drink at all, yields few survival benefits."  Because alcohol is NOT heart healthy. 

See episode #14 of The Sobriety :60 on youTube at http://youtu.be/W18gAbSHsB8 or read the transcript at http://www.examiner.com/article/the-sobriety-60-spotlights-alcohol-related-damage-to-the-heart

Visit alcohologist.com for a replay of the Bringing Inspiration To Earth show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud also can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

The Sobriety :60 - Alcohol and healthcare costs

Twenty to 40 percent of general hospital beds are used for managing alcohol-related health complications.  Here's a minute on the top driver of healthcare costs. Episode #5 - Healthcare Overhaul can be found at http://youtu.be/j7Xif-Azh0g

Visit alcohologist.com for a replay of the Bringing Inspiration To Earth show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud also can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

New study says alcohol is NOT heart healthy, older studies: 'It never was'

A new report released July 10 in The BMJ (formerly British Medical Journal) debunks decades of misinformation about alcohol's heart-health benefits. According to researchers, even a single glass of wine or beer can be damaging to the heart.

The University College London and Pennsylvania University conducted no new experiments or studies Scientists instead analyzed 50 studies that looked at drinking habits and heart health, with data from more than a quarter-million people. They conclude: less alcohol is the only sure way to improve and protect heart health.

Some studies have previously suggested moderate amounts of alcohol could be good for heart health. These studies were dealt a blow in March 2013 when the journal Addiction  concluded that such health claims were based on observational studies, not evidence-based ones, and amounted to little more than wishful thinking. (See “Alcohol's health benefits deemed wishfulthinking”)  The authors of the new study concur. “We now have evidence that some of these studies suffer from limitations that may affect the validity of their findings," said study author Juan Casas, a researcher at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

"The best thing to do is to reduce consumption to reduce blood pressure and risk of heart disease," said Casas. "We expect that these findings will help to simplify policymaking about alcohol consumption."

Data compiled for the 2012 alcoholism recovery book, Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud, also found alcohol had more heart-damaging impact that life-giving benefit. “Alcohol itself raids the body of vitamin B (Thiamin) which is essential for a healthy heart. B-deficiency enlarges the heart and creates distended neck veins, narrow pulse pressure, elevated diastolic blood pressure (the second number in your BP) and peripheral edema. Acetaldehyde [alcohol metabolism byproduct] also physically weakens muscle, the heart being your body’s most important one. The weakening causes damage that accumulates.”

Acetaldehyde also increases cholesterol, especially triglycerides. High cholesterol is a leading indicator of heart trouble on the horizon and the number one condition treated with prescription drugs in the U.S.

Even modest alcohol consumption can cause blood pressure to increase, according to two studies conducted in Japan. Noriyuki Nakanishi, M.D., Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan and lead author of one of the studies, concluded that even very low alcohol consumption can be a health risk, especially older adults. Nakanishi and his research team observed that systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) went up 1.4 points in those between the ages of 25 and 35, but increased 5.4 points for men between the ages of 48 and 59, for just 12g-22g of alcohol per day. A glass of wine contains about 20g alcohol on average.

In the second of the two studies, researchers from Kyushu University followed more than 1,100 people over age 40 for 10 years. One hundred men and 106 women developed hypertension, with the risk of developing hypertension higher for drinkers, even those who drank less than 23 grams daily. Both Japanese studies were published in the journal Alcohol: Clinical & Experimental Research.

Quitting drinking has the expected benefit of reducing blood pressure. In one study reported in the journal Hypertension,researchers concluded that a reduction in alcohol intake among drinkers significantly reduced their blood pressure. They found that when alcohol consumption fell by 16 to 100 percent, there were significant drops in systolic blood pressure. Diastolic blood pressure also dropped significantly in eight clinical trials. The greatest drop in blood pressure was seen in patients with the highest blood pressure before treatment and those who cut back on alcohol the most. However, the Mayo Clinic warns, “Heavy drinkers who want to lower blood pressure should slowly reduce how much they drink over one to two weeks. Heavy drinkers who stop suddenly risk developing severe high blood pressure for several days.”

Like all alcoholic drinks, wine contains calories and may contribute to unwanted weight gain — another risk factor for high blood pressure. For the wine drinker, dry wine contains fewer calories than sweet: 106 calories for five ounces of dry wine and champagnes… double it for five ounces of sweeter wines. A glass of wine before dinner, another glass with dinner and a sweet wine for dessert, that’s more than 400 calories in addition to the meal.

www.alcohologist.com

Scott Stevens, author of Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud, was the guest on the Rebecca L. Mahan Show July 5.   If you missed it... the replay is on Soundcloud. Visit alcohologist.com for a replay of the Bringing Inspiration To Earth show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud also can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

image: creativedoxfoto, Free Digital Images, used with permission

Alcohol Awareness Month keys on most popular, deadliest, drug of choice

Coinciding with warmer spring days, baseball season and upcoming prom and graduation celebrations, April is recognized as Alcohol Awareness Month. Founded by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) since 1987, the observance aims to increase public awareness and understanding to reduce the stigma associated with alcohol use disorders – stigma that too often prevents individuals and families from seeking help. The 88,000 alcohol-related deaths in the United States every year are 100 percent preventable.

More than 21 million Americans suffer from alcohol-use disorders, such as the disease of alcoholism. The NCADD notes it isn't just those with the disease who suffer. “In addition, there are countless millions of individuals, family members and children who experience the devastating effects of the alcohol problem of someone in their life. In fact, 25 percent of U.S. children have been exposed to alcohol-use disorders in their family. The recovery book Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud estimates that every alcoholic directly impacts the lives of a minimum of eight other people.

The economic cost of alcoholism and alcohol abuse has recently been estimated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to be $223.5 billion ($746 per person) or about $1.90 per drink. Researchers found the costs largely resulted from losses in workplace productivity, health care expenses and law enforcement or other criminal justice expenses related to excessive alcohol consumption. Only six percent of the estimate is attributed to motor vehicle crash costs from impaired driving.

“Mixing alcohol with gasoline while drinking and driving kills more than 10,000 per year, which is a year-over-year increase for the first time in years, but up to 75 percent of other crimes are committed by people under the influence of alcohol,” notes Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud. “And two hospital visits every minute are alcohol-related. It's pressing the health care system to a breaking point.”

Alcoholism places an enormous emotional, physical and financial burden on family members and children of the person who is addicted to alcohol. NCADD research states, “Three of four domestic abuse incidents are committed while one or both members are intoxicated and family members utilize health care twice as much as families without alcohol problems. Emotional and physical abuse often occurs as a result of parents or spouses losing control with family members because of alcohol.
Teens that experiment with alcohol before age 15 are four times more likely to become alcohol dependent when they are older than those that wait until age 20. Which is why education and prevention are co critically important to reducing alcohol-related problems and alcoholism.

“Unfortunately, still too many of our children are drinking alcohol, at too early an age,” according to the NCADD. “Much of it goes unnoticed and unchecked by adults. Unconcerned or unaware of the health risks, lacking in other coping skills, and eager to find peer acceptance, many teens are involved in regular alcohol use, which puts them at greater risk for alcoholism, as well as related problems like drunk driving, sexual assault and other violence, and further drug use.”

Parents can help to reduce their child's risk of problem drinking by educating their kids and keeping a more watchful eye on them, especially as they enter middle schools. “We know that high levels of parental monitoring are associated with lower levels of both high school and eventually college drinking. Research has linked parents' disapproval of underage drinking to a lower risk of alcohol use, and that increased parent-child hostility has been tied to a greater likelihood of problem drinking,” says the NCADD. Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud states “waiting for the high-school years for alcohol-related health and safety messages – and parents leading by example – is way too late. They've already stepped out onto the street, the truck just hasn't hit them yet.”

For the 27th Anniversary of NCADD Alcohol Awareness Month, NCADD has chosen the theme, "Help for Today. Hope For Tomorrow.”
--
from examiner.com (See full article)
www.alcohologist.com

Scroll down for the replay of the Dr. Jeanette Gallagher show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international historical fiction novelist from the UK.  
 

SAVE THE DATE:  Scott Stevens will be part of the opening night symposium for the REEL Recovery Film Festival San Francisco.

SATURDAY REWIND: Other organs risked by binge drinking, not just the liver

The following article from the alcohol research news archive takes a look at other organs at risk from episodes of heavy drinking.


Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) covers a range of diseases such as fatty liver, hepatitis and cirrhosis. All are commonly linked to alcohol abuse or the disease of alcoholism. A January 22 review of studies addressing the effects of binge drinking on the liver underscores the complex interactions among various damages done to the liver by binge drinking.

Results published in the April 2013 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research and are part of the first review that highlights the changes at the molecular level that occur in the liver from excessive alcohol use.

Binge drinking is defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as four or more drinks in an episode for women, five or more in an episode for men.

Binge drinking is on the rise worldwide, and is particularly common in the U.S. A recent study, reported on examiner.com in early 2012, shows it is a rising – and risky – problem for women, but men are statistically more prone to binge drinking and are also at risk. Teen and young adult binge drinking is also a statistical headache for those in the alcohol abuse prevention profession.

"The liver is the main metabolic site in the body," said Shivendra D. Shukla, Margaret Proctor Mulligan Professor at the University of Missouri, School of Medicine and lead author for the study. "It is involved in the physiological functions of organs such as the heart, kidney, blood vessels and brain. ALD-affected liver chemicals can also influence immunity, cardiovascular health and coagulation. Thus, ALD can have a 'domino effect' on many organs."

The liver is also the major organ for alcohol metabolism, and as such, is the first line of defense against excessive alcohol consumption.

New studies from both experimental animals and humans indicate that binge drinking has profound effects on the liver. This is in addition to the known dangers of acute levels of alcohol. "Chronic alcohol consumption renders the liver highly susceptible to binge-induced liver damage," said Shukla. "Binge-induced liver injury impacts other organs as well, a view rather poorly appreciated by the public."

Shukla said, "This review also sets the stage for additional investigations in this field. The cross-organ implications of binge-induced liver damage must be explored."

Binge drinking can cause changes at the cellular level, in the mitochondria – the power-plant of all living cells. It can result in cell death as a result, and otherwise has a snowball effect in other organs because of the liver’s role in removing toxins from the body. Added Zakhari. "Therefore, people should not binge drink, especially on an empty stomach, and if they are chronic heavy drinkers, binge drinking will exacerbate liver injury, especially if (conditions) such as obesity, Hepatitis C or HIV infection exist."

"We hope this will encourage research and development of newer approaches and tools to control and ameliorate binge-induced health effects,” said the researchers.

The alcohol user is eight times more likely to get cirrhosis, which is irreversible, incurable and fatal. Not all Alcoholics will get it. Only one in 10 develops cirrhosis. However, it is not the only liver disease cause by alcohol. A fatty liver occurs when alcohol consumption disrupts how the body chooses its fuel. Cell mitochondria – our body power plants – normally use fat to produce energy. As acetaldehyde breaks down in the body it releases hydrogen, which mitochondria use before fat as fuel. The unused fat then accumulates around the liver. Even in someone who doesn’t look fat in their extremities or midsection, fat deposits choke the liver.

Alcoholic hepatitis is a third type of liver injury connected to alcohol misuse. It is a condition similar to the other hepatitis diseases, but is not the same as A, B or C hepatitis.

“Lest you think these three liver problems are the realm of only the hard drinker, they can be stimulated by amounts of alcohol between seven and 13 ounces of whiskey – five to nine shots or mixed drinks – in 24 hours,” according to the book, Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud: Relapse and the Symptoms of Sobriety. “There are very few symptoms of liver injury until it becomes chronic because the liver has no pain nerves to tell you when it is hurt. If the liver had nerve endings, you’d never make it to the second drink.”
-- from examiner.com (full article)

www.alcohologist.com

Alcohol and blood pressure: Hypertension is caused by and worsened by drinking

May is Blood Pressure Education Month, emphasizing the causes and prevention of hypertension.  While many assume alcohol (especially red wine) is heart healthy, several studies in this article indicate the opposite may be the case. 


A third of adults have hypertension, or high blood pressure, but as many as one in four of them don't even know it. And it kills. High blood pressure contributes to nearly a thousand deaths every day.

May is National Blood Pressure Education Month, putting a spotlight on awareness of the $47.5 billion health condition. The statistics, from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), favor those who are being treated, but half of Americans with high blood pressure do not have it under a doctor's plan of care.

Hypertension makes a heart work harder, increases the stress on the heart muscle and arteries and leads to a thickened heart muscle. High blood pressure can also lead to plaque build-up in the arteries, upping the risk for a heart attack or stroke. (See the examiner.com article on “Stroke Awareness Month, which also is May.)

Some with high blood pressure rely on observational studies that claim alcohol – red wine, specifically – reduces hypertension. This notion is based on observation and is not evidence-based, meaning that patients on the wine-is-good-for-the-heart plan may be getting sicker rather than better. (See related “Wishful Thinking” article.) According to the CDC, “Patients can achieve greater hypertension control by taking their medications as directed, measuring their own blood pressure, and eating a lower-sodium diet.”

Part of the challenge with the “healthy” wine reports is many people aren't mindful of the other health consequences of drinking. In an American Heart Association survey, 67 percent of those surveyed agreed with the statement that wine can be good for your heart, yet only 30 percent knew the association's recommended limits for daily wine consumption. “This survey shows that we need to do a better job of educating people about the heart-health risks of overconsumption of wine, especially its possible role in increasing blood pressure,” said Gerald Fletcher, M.D., American Heart Association spokesperson.

If a person drinks at all, the association recommends no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. 

Having more than three glasses of wine in one sitting temporarily increases blood pressure, but repeated binge drinking can lead to long-term hypertension. Heavy or daily use of any type of alcohol can dramatically increase blood pressure or cause heart failure and irregular heartbeats. The consequences go beyond blood pressure and the heart. There's also an increased risk of alcohol use disorders including the disease of alcoholism, suicide and accidents. And cancer: In a 2013 study, Boston University researchers concluded, “When it comes to cancer, no amount of alcohol is safe.”

Even modest alcohol consumption can cause blood pressure to increase, according to two studies conducted in Japan. Noriyuki Nakanishi, M.D., Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan and lead author of one of the studies, concluded that even very low alcohol consumption can be a health risk, especially older adults. Nakanishi and his research team observed that systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) went up 1.4 points in those between the ages of 25 and 35, but increased 5.4 points for men between the ages of 48 and 59, for just 12g-22g of alcohol per day. A glass of wine contains about 20g alcohol on average.

In the second of the two studies, researchers from Kyushu University followed more than 1,100 people over age 40 for 10 years. One hundred men and 106 women developed hypertension, with the risk of developing hypertension higher for drinkers, even those who drank less than 23 grams daily. Both Japanese studies were published in the journal Alcohol: Clinical Experience and Research.

Quitting drinking has the expected benefit of reducing blood pressure. In one study reported in the journal Hypertension, researchers concluded that a reduction in alcohol intake among drinkers significantly reduced their blood pressure. They found that when alcohol consumption fell by 16 to 100 percent, there were significant drops in systolic blood pressure. Diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) also dropped significantly in eight clinical trials. The greatest drop in blood pressure was seen in patients with the highest blood pressure before treatment and those who cut back on alcohol the most. However, the Mayo Clinic warns, “Heavy drinkers who want to lower blood pressure should slowly reduce how much they drink over one to two weeks. Heavy drinkers who stop suddenly risk developing severe high blood pressure for several days.”

Like all alcoholic drinks, wine contains calories and may contribute to unwanted weight gain — another risk factor for high blood pressure. For the wine drinker, dry wine contains fewer calories than sweet: 106 calories for five ounces of dry wine and champagnes… double it for five ounces of sweeter wines. A glass of wine before dinner, another glass with dinner and a sweet wine for dessert, that’s more than 400 calories in addition to the meal.

Another problem arising from drinking with hypertension: Alcohol can interfere with the effectiveness, or increase the side effects, of some blood pressure medications.
-- from examiner.com


The media portrayal of drinking being good for the heart might not consider all the other health consequences of drinking... and the portrayal isn't widely encouraged by the medical community.  The key to the debate over alcohol and its purported heart benefit stems from the 1976-1992 Copenhagen City Heart Study, in which 13,285 men and women were observed. The results from this study suggested that patients who drank wine had half the risk of dying from coronary heart disease or stroke as those who never drank wine. Other research since the Danish study failed to show a beneficial effect for drinking alcohol, wine included.  The more recent reports suggest the lifestyle profile of the wine drinker's OTHER activities -- being more prone to exercise regularly and eat healthier than beer drinkers, for example -- has more to do with their longevity than the wine.
www.alcohologist.com

Scroll down to listen to the replay of the Feb. 10, 2014 interview about Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud.