Chief American surgeon dr. Vivek Murthy warned in a recent advice to Fr alcohol use increasing the risk of cancer.
The advice states that alcohol can increase the risk of throat, liver, oesophagus, mouth, larynx (voice box), colon and rectal cancer, making it “the third leading preventable cancer cause of cancer“in the US
These guidelines follow the rise of the “sober curious” trend, with younger generations cutting back on their drinking or choosing not to drink at all.
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For those who want to curb their alcohol use, here are six tips on how to do it safely.
The Surgeon General’s advice noted that alcohol-related cancer deaths have occurred even among some moderate drinkers. (iStock)
1. Analyze your alcohol addiction
Alcohol is “one of the most serious substances” when it comes to detoxification, sometimes requiring medical hospitalization withdrawal symptomsaccording to dr. To Chris Tuell, Clinical Director of the Lindner HOPE Center in Mason, Ohio.
“If you are one of the 40% of Americans who are trying to quit drinking, sometimes it is necessary to seek counseling services.”
Tuell, who is also an associate professor at the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, recommended talking to your primary care physician before you stop years of heavy drinking.
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dr. Adi Jaffe, chief executive officer of addiction recovery platform IGNTD in Los Angeles, noted that in some cases it may be “medically inadvisable to simply quit” if alcohol addiction is difficult.
Heavy drinkers, or those who drink five to seven drinks a day, should consult their doctor before quitting, one addiction expert recommended. (iStock)
“You need to consult a doctor before you quit,” said Jaffe, author of “Unhooked.” “This is especially true if you feel shaky, shaky, or sweaty when you don’t drink, even for a day or two.”
“Those are markers of someone who is more likely to have a grand mal seizure if they just stop the cold treatment.”
2. Set clear goals and follow patterns
For people who haven’t had a “necessarily problematic” relationship with alcohol and just want to cut back, Tuell recommended setting clear goals to get there.
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“With all the behaviors you plan to change, what are clear, realistic, and specific goals about how much or how often you plan to drink?” he asked.
“Maybe you have a goal to only drink on weekends, or maybe you limit your alcohol intake to two drinks per occasion.”
Writing down your drinking behavior can help identify triggers, experts say. (iStock)
Tuell suggested tracking your drinking by keeping a journal of when, where and how much you drink.
“This helps identify patterns or triggers that may be related to your mood, such as work or family stress stress and anxiety“, he said.
Planning alcohol-free days and then gradually increasing the number of days each week can be effective, the expert added.
3. Avoid triggers and find alternatives
By tracking when, where and how much you drink, it may become clear what drives you to drink.
Tuell encouraged identifying these situations, emotions and behaviors and finding alternative ways to deal with them.
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“These triggers often lead to behaviors that bring us relief and/or reward, and many times that’s not a healthy way to cope,” he said.
“Choose soft drinks in social settings … such as sparkling water, mocktails or herbal teas, to satisfy the drinking habit … or avoid places where drinking is frequent.”
Social pressure to drink can be a huge temptation, according to experts. (iStock)
Jaffe commented that focusing on drinking less will not be as effective as drinking something else, such as a soft drink, or doing another activity instead.
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Tuell agreed that the invention of a a healthier alternative bad behavior is a good way to stop them.
This can include stress-relieving practices such as exercise, reading, journaling, or spending more time with supportive friends.
Adding exercise as a substitute for drinking can help curb bad habits. (iStock)
Movement, mindfulness exercises, and meditation can also be helpful practices throughout the day, according to Jaffe.
“You can do these practices while brushing your teeth or while making coffee,” he said. “Meditation practices just five or ten minutes can have an incredible impact on your response to the stress in your life.”
4. Change the environment
Removing temptations from the environment is a good way to prevent reaching for them, according to experts.
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Tuell suggested removing alcohol from your home or limiting activities that make it more accessible, such as hanging out at bars.
“Smell is the strongest of the five senses associated with memory,” he added.
Jaffe agreed that environment “plays a huge role” in how people interact with alcohol.
“If you want to reduce your drinking … having other people on the journey with you will go a long way towards helping you achieve your reduction goals.”
5. Practice saying ‘no’ and surround yourself with support
Social pressures to drink can be a trigger, but learning to say “no” is powerful. Tuell recommended being prepared with a “polite but firm” response in situations where you might feel pressured to drink.
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It can be as simple as, “No thanks, I’m taking a break from drinking” or “I’m fine, thanks.”
Tuel advises to surround yourself with people who support you, such as people you trust friends or family members with whom you can share your goals.
Experts recommend that you surround yourself with people who support you and with whom you can share your goals. (iStock)
He also suggested joining a support group, “like Alcoholics Anonymous, SMART Recovery, Celebrate Recovery or Women for Sobriety.”
“If you’re one of the 40% of Americans who are trying to quit drinking, sometimes it’s going to take some searching consulting services.”
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Tuell also mentioned that methods like cognitive behavioral therapy can be effective.
6. Be kind to yourself
Thinking about the reasons you want to reduce your alcohol intake – will it do it improve your healthsaving money, strengthening relationships or some other motivating factor — can help you stay on track, according to Tuello.
“Failures are normal. So be kind to yourself and focus on progress, not perfection.”
He also encouraged celebrating milestones by enjoying something non-alcoholic, such as a massage, a round of golf, a shopping trip, or another fun outing.
“Change takes time,” Tuell said. “Failures are normal. So be kind to yourself and focus on progress, not perfection.”
“If you continue to progress one step at a time, you’ll get to a point where you’ll be drinking significantly less.” (iStock)
While about 40% of people give up on their New Year’s resolutions before the end of January, according to Jaffe, the expert said it’s important not to get discouraged by the wrong things.
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“Learn from it and just keep going,” he advised.
“If you continue to progress one step at a time, you’ll get to a point where you’ll be drinking significantly less.”
