You know those people that I’m talking about, right? Those that say I’m drinking red wine for the antioxidants. Um, you can get your daily dose of antioxidants without ethanol in it. Blueberries, grapefruit, watermelon, broccoli, carrots, and the list goes on are foods that you can eat without a side of cancer-causing carcinogens.
This week the American Cancer Society published NEW GUIDELINES for alcohol. The previous recommendation was if you drink alcoholic beverages, limit to no more than one drink per day for women and 2 per day for men. The new recommendation is to AVOID alcohol altogether.
I think many of us have been waiting for this day. I’m shocked that this happened right now and not a couple of years down the road. Finally, what a lot of us have been saying for years has been brought to light, and it’s a great feeling to be validated. Below are a few more reasons why these new guidelines are amazing.
1) Isn't it easier to stop or not do something when you know it'll cause you harm? Yes, we know that alcohol isn't good for us, but we haven't been "officially" told that. It's like when cigarettes were popular back in the day, and then we started learning more information about how harmful smoking really is. When we look at alcohol for what it is, a cancer-causing chemical, it doesn't seem as appealing as it did before.
2) Less explaining ourselves to friends and family. I mean, you don't need to explain yourself to anyone, but with these new findings, it's easier not to feel like there’s something wrong with you or a buzzkill for not drinking. "I'm good; I just don't want to increase my chances of getting cancer.”
3) Less stigma. Being able to get rid of the notion that if you don't drink, then you must be an alcoholic is a huge step in the right direction. Many will keep quiet about their sobriety because they feel people will perceive them in a different light. The sober curious movement has allowed for this shift as well. More people are becoming alcohol-free because it doesn't fit with their overall health and well-being, which also means more people who are loud and proud of their sobriety. More non-alcoholic beverages brought to the market. AND more options and resources than just AA.
Speaking of options, I’ve already opened up registration for the next 60 Day Alcohol-Free Challenge starting July 6th! These new guidelines are bringing to light what alcohol really does to your health. We eat healthy. We exercise. We meditate. Then we drink alcohol and negate all the good we've done. How does that even make sense? I hope if you’ve been on the fence and have recently seen these new guidelines from ACS, then you'll consider joining us for the next round.
Join me and 29 other women in ridding your life of this cancer-causing substance.