DR. MARC SIEGEL: The Surgeon General wisely warned Americans about the cancer risk alcohol brings
NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
dr. Vivek Murthy was US surgeon general twice, for two presidents, but I got to know him best in his second term, where I had the privilege of interviewing him multiple times, in coordination with each of his advisors, and learning firsthand about the relationship of these tips according to real world trends and health crises. From anxious teenagers to anxious parents, to the loneliness epidemic, to excessive violence, to the negative impact of social media, Murthy has had an important impact on public perception.
In his new advisory, just released this weekMurthy warns of the link between alcohol and several types of cancer, mainly affecting the gastrointestinal tract and breast.
This is especially important because previous generations believed that some alcohol could actually be good for you, at least in small amounts. But Murthy points out that alcohol is, in fact, the third leading cause of preventable cancer, behind tobacco and obesity. “Alcohol is a well-established preventable cause of cancer and is responsible for approximately 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the United States,” he said in an advisory Friday.
ALCOHOL LINKED TO CANCER RISK IN NEW US SURGEON GENERAL’S ADVICE
As usual, apart from pointing out the health problem, Murthy also analyzes not only the causes but also gives useful suggestions on what to do about it. As for the cause, as Murthy points out, alcohol leads to more estrogen, which increases the risk of breast cancer.
American Surgeon General dr. Vivek Murthy has made it clear with his latest tip that less is more when it comes to alcohol. (Getty Images)
Alcohol is metabolized in the body into aldehyde, which can damage DNA, impairing its repair mechanisms and lead to cancer. Alcohol also causes “oxidative stress,” which can also damage DNA and cause inflammation, and inflammation is linked to cancer. Like tobacco, alcohol is a group one carcinogen.
As for what we can do about it, Murthy is asking us doctors and health professionals like myself to help raise awareness of the problem, while at the same time asking the government to review spending limits. Less is more when it comes to alcohol.
There is growing evidence that true prevention is a lifestyle choice that happens before you even get to the doctor’s office.
Murthy points out that most Americans are unaware of this risk, which is especially problematic when you consider that during the pandemic, at least 25 percent of Americans increased their drinking due to stress. https://covid19.nih.gov/news-and-stories/risky-drinking-alcohol-use-epidemic-inside-covid-19-pandemicand stress is a well-known cause of seeking alcohol for comfort.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONS
Alcohol creates both physical and psychological dependence, so Murthy’s warning comes at the right time. There is growing evidence that true prevention is a lifestyle choice that happens before you even get to the doctor’s office. This promises to be a focus for health and human services under the incoming Trump administration. If you drink less, exercise and sleep more, and eat healthier foods, the likelihood that you will need to see me or another internist for chronic health problems, including cancer, is greatly reduced.
Since the days when Surgeon General C. Everett Koop advised that smoking cigarettes is dangerous to your health, and many millions of lives ended up being saved as a result, the position of Surgeon General has functioned best as a health care advocacy position rather than a political appointment.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
According to my assessment and the assessment of others, dr. Vivek Murthy did a great job in this role. Based on his important book on loneliness, he has used the post-pandemic mental health crisis to publish important advice on loneliness, social media, depression, violence, parenting and now alcohol.
We would be wise to heed his warnings before dealing with disease rather than health.
