Alcohol Awareness

Comments 41

1. 
   Simple Living Global

   November 16, 2021 at 8:24 am

   Alcohol Awareness Week in the UK

   Here are a few statistics taken from Alcohol Change – an organisation that brings awareness about alcohol and the consequences.
   https://alcoholchange.org.uk/alcohol-facts/fact-sheets/alcohol-statistics

   602,391 Alcohol dependent drinkers in the UK – 2018/19

   82% not accessing treatment

   24% of adults in England and Scotland regularly drink over the Chief Medical Officer’s low risk guidelines.

   27% binge drink in Great Britain

   ALCOHOL MIS-USE IS THE BIGGEST RISK FACTOR FOR DEATH, ILL HEALTH AND DISABILITY AGE 15 – 49

   74% more affordable than alcohol was in 1987

   ALCOHOL IS A CAUSAL FACTOR IN MORE THAN 60 MEDICAL CONDITIONS

   England
   976,425 HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS RELATED TO ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION 2019/20

   Wales
   54,900 ALCOHOL RELATED HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS

   Scotland
   35,781 ALCOHOL RELATED HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS

   Rise in older people over age 65 admitted to hospitals in England for alcohol related conditions.

   39% of all violent incidents in England – offender under the influence of Alcohol

   Young people who obtained Alcohol
   71% were given Alcohol by parents or guardians
   49% were given Alcohol by friends
   48% took Alcohol from home with permission

   66% of young people drink Alcohol with parents
   58% drink Alcohol with friends
   61% who drink Alcohol never buy Alcohol

   Scotland
   36,000 – 51,000 children live with a parent or guardian those Alcohol use is potentially problematic.

   These are some statistics and there are more – see link above.

   This is one country – United Kingdom and these statistics are speaking volumes.

   The burden on the National Health System means society as a whole is paying for it.
   Our Youth being enabled through their parents or custodians, that are supposedly to raise them by being real role models, drink Alcohol with them.

   Thousands of children living with parents that have an Alcohol problem.

   A reminder to ALL of Us.
   Statistics are always out of date, so take note that this is old news.
   How many live and go under the radar and never make the stats?

   This is worth considering as our methods of collecting data never includes all those that dodge the system, the world and remain under the radar.

   What would the real figures look like today if they were ALL included?

   What is the real state of this one country alone when it comes to Alcohol?
   What is this microcosm report telling us about the whole world and Alcohol?

   What is this blog, stating some facts and stats and posing some sensible questions telling us all Dear World?

   As this is ALCOHOL AWARENESS week, the spotlight is on this topic.

   How about we make it news headlines and keep the spotlight on Alcohol Awareness so that we all get to learn and understand the devastating and harmfull impact, beyond words that Alcohol consumption is doing to the human frame, those we say we love and care for and our communities, our countries and the whole world?

   Reply
2. 
   Simple Living Global

   November 17, 2021 at 3:32 pm

   World Health Organization – Europe
   Copenhagen – 20 October 2021

   https://www.euro.who.int/en/media-centre/sections/press-releases/2021/alcohol-is-one-of-the-biggest-risk-factors-for-breast-cancer

   ALCOHOL IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST RISK FACTORS FOR BREAST CANCER

   Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed type of cancer in the European region of the World Health Organization.

   2020 – Alcohol was the cause of almost 40,000 NEW BREAST CANCER CASES and Europe has the highest rate of new breast cancer diagnoses compared to any of the other WHO regions.

   Breast cancer has become the most common cancer globally.
   2 million new cases in 2020 and 100,000 attributable to alcohol.

   Many people, including women are not aware that breast cancer is the most common cancer caused by alcohol among women globally.

   WHO is telling us that people need to know that by reducing alcohol consumption they can reduce their risk of getting cancer.

   In this same article, WHO says THERE IS NO SAFE LEVEL OF ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION.
   The risk of breast cancer increases with each unit of alcohol consumed per day.

   “Simply put, alcohol is toxic. It harms every organ while it passes through the body”

   We then get told it makes ‘perfect sense’ but the advice is contrary. WHY?

   WHY are the World Health Organization saying people are unaware and then saying there is no safe level of alcohol consumption (which we all know already), then offer advice to limit our alcohol consumption, find ways to replace alcohol and adopt new policies that help reduce alcohol consumption?

   Will the recommendations from the World Health Organization work –
   increase taxes, ban or restrict marketing across the media and regulate sale hours?

   Would this drive alcohol underground, like the sales of cigarettes and illicit drugs?

   Could we ask the World Health Organisation that there could be another way?

   We already know the public are un-aware so WHY not bring in some real education?

   Let us put big billboards and adverts across social media and television and every other media platform throughout the world. If we just roll out statistics, like this article on Alcohol Awareness has done, that would be a great start.

   Let us bring in some proper real human life education and that is a reality check for ALL adults and then what they do with it once they are presented with the Real Truth about Alcohol is up to them.

   Let us remind the adult population of the consequences of their choices, as we are no longer ignorant once we know and have the facts presented. One such choice is our health systems can no longer give priority to this lifestyle choice of inflicting a poison in excess and expecting to be treated.

   Let us inform those that use the emergency services – because of their drinking habits that there will be a price to pay – community service for 100 hours and that happens regardless of job title and wealth status.

   Let us get into every school and bring in proper education for the kids.
   Then we get the researches in to do their studies and track those that have been offered the real education from presenters like the author of this blog, this comment and this website and see down the line IF they go near alcohol.

   Before we shut this comment down, why not consider it as nothing else is working?

   With due respect the organisation for world health is offering an approach that still gives the person a choice. How can we continue to allow more breast cancer cases to continue if we know and have the answer?

   We know that alcohol affects every organ and we know beyond doubt there is zero health benefits in consuming a toxic poison.

   The question we now need to ask is WHY are the authorities and those that tell the masses what is law and what is allowed and what is not, taking a soft approach that continues to harm the human frame?

   Are they afraid of the reaction or are they enabling others to continue because they themselves are unable to give up alcohol in their own personal life?

   Dear World,

   We are at a critical juncture in human life – nothing is working.
   Illness and disease is off the scale and our health systems are not coping.

   We continue to endorse or accept lifestyle choices that are harming people and having a huge knock on effect, like cancers because of alcohol and domestic violence because of alcohol and drugs.

   Yet we say ‘we want to reduce the risk’.

   WHY are we not saying let us ELIMINATE ALL RISK and that means give the people the facts, the stats, the absolute ALL that we know about alcohol and then give them the choice to choose if they want to continue?

   Our solutions have failed us and our nice approach does not work.
   Alcohol is killing people and the loss is devastating for those left behind.

   And finally, we need Independent Research studies (not funded by the alcohol industry) to do observational studies and present qualitative data in the European region so we know exactly WHY so many women are turning to alcohol.

   Let’s get into their real everyday life and observe what is going on and this may give us a greater insight and indication as to WHY they use alcohol.

   This comment serves as it offers another way for humanity, as does this whole website.

   It may be dismissed right now but one day scholars will study this website and note that the answers were presented to mankind back in the early 21st century.

   Reply
3. 
   Simple Living Global

   November 23, 2021 at 6:04 pm

   University of California San Francisco – 30 August 2021

   https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2021/08/421341/alcohol-can-cause-immediate-risk-atrial-fibrillation

   Alcohol can cause Immediate Risk of Atrial Fibrillation.

   A single glass of wine can quickly and significantly raise the drinker’s risk for Atrial Fibrillation, according to a new research study by University of California, San Francisco.

   This study provides the first evidence that alcohol consumption substantially increases the chance of the heart rhythm condition occurring within a few hours.

   “Contrary to a common belief that atrial fibrillation is associated with heavy alcohol consumption, it appears that even one alcoholic drink may be enough to increase the risk.” – Gregory Marcus, MD, MAS, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology at UCSF.

   Until now, research for Atrial Fibrillation has largely focused on risk factors for developing the disease and therapies to treat it, rather than factors that determine when and where an episode might occur.

   “The effects seem to be fairly linear: the more alcohol consumed, the higher the risk of an acute AF event. These observations mirror what has been reported by patients for decades but this is the first objective, measurable evidence that a modifiable exposure may acutely influence the chance that an AF episode will occur.” said Marcus.

   Reply
4. 
   Simple Living Global

   December 10, 2021 at 5:25 pm

   Independent News – 8 December 2021

   https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/government-war-on-drugs-alcohol-deaths-b1971903.html

   Alcohol claimed the lives of more people than drugs in 2020.

   Ian Hamilton writes “The government’s war on drugs turns a blind eye to one of Britain’s deadliest narcotics – Alcohol.
   The only intervention we have witnessed is to ensure uninterrupted supply of alcohol during the pandemic”.

   Many of us do not consider alcohol as being a drug.
   The Office of National Statistics report on alcohol-specific deaths is a reminder.
   3,000 lives were claimed for drugs and 8,974 deaths were alcohol related in 2020.

   Men continue to be twice as likely to die due to alcohol.
   Scotland and Northern Ireland have the highest rates of deaths.

   While those with more wealth drink as much as those with the least, factors such as diet and access to health care and other resources ensure the impact of heavy drinking is felt more acutely by those with the least.

   The advertising budge at the disposal of the alcohol industry – count the number of times a day alcohol is advertised. TV, bus shelters, billboards, social media, etc., Add to that the number of outlets where it can be purchased.

   “Alcohol advertising and promotion pays, otherwise the industry would not bother investing the millions that it does” says Hamilton.

   There has been a trend showing a slight fall but what we ought to pay attention to is the switch from lower strength alcohol like beer to stronger ones like wines and spirits. So collectively we might be drinking a bit less but what we are drinking is significantly more potent and therefore a greater risk to our health.

   “Despite the record numbers dying as a result of alcohol, do not expect action from the government on this. Whilst it continues to get tough on narcotics, it works hard to ensure we continue to have access to our favourite drug, irrespective of the damage it causes to an increasing number of families and communities” adds Hamilton.

   WHY does the British government not take the alcohol crisis seriously?
   WHY are they endorsing this industry when we all know the harm it causes?

   The following is in line with the government guidelines:

   £1,734,347 total spent on Alcohol in The House of Lords between 2015 and 2020
   £1,073,724 total spent on Alcohol in The House of Commons between 2017 and 2020
   https://metro.co.uk/2020/11/13/house-of-lords-splashed-nearly-2000000-on-booze-in-five-years-13587244/

   Could it be possible that those that are in positions of making decision for and on behalf of the general public, need to lead by example. In other words, become real role models and if not, they could just have a blind spot and not see Alcohol for the actual toxic scientifically proven poison that it is?

   We have 195 countries telling us with numerous studies to back this statement now – THERE IS NO SAFE LEVEL OR HEALTH BENEFIT WHEN IT COMES TO ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION.
   https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/alcohol-drinking-no-safe-level-health-heart-disease-cancer-study-a8505181.html

   Let us not blame the politicians or those that love their alcohol or those that profit from this industry. Let us turn it around and take a look at WHY we need to consume alcohol and why are we using a poison to harm our body?

   Reply
5. 
   Tim Bowyer

   December 14, 2021 at 4:11 am

   The Conversation – 8th December 2021

   Alcohol Deaths Up Almost 19% During the Pandemic – the Greatest Increase Since 2001

   https://theconversation.com/alcohol-deaths-up-almost-19-during-the-pandemic-the-greatest-increase-since-2001-170972

   Deaths from alcohol in 2020 were up almost 19% compared with the previous year, according to the latest figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). In total, 8,974 deaths resulting from alcohol misuse were recorded in the UK in 2020. This is the largest single-year increase since the ONS started collecting this data in 2001.

   As in previous years, there were significant gender differences: twice as many men as women died as a result of alcohol.
   The highest number of alcohol-specific deaths were recorded in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
   In England, the West Midlands and South West reported the highest increases in rates.

   The pandemic, and associated lockdowns caused many people’s relationship with alcohol to change. Although overall sales fell during 2020 due to pub and restaurant closures, there was a significant rise in supermarket sales of alcohol. And while some people may have drunk the same or less than they normally would have, reports from Public Health England show an almost 59% increase in people who said they were drinking at higher risk levels – around 50 units of alcohol a week for men and 35 units a week for women. These levels of consumption are linked with a range of conditions, including cancers, heart disease and liver failure.

   Many people began drinking strong forms of alcohol (such as wines or spirits) during the pandemic which are also linked to a greater risk of developing health problems such as cancer, coronary heart disease and psychological dependence.

   There are many complex reasons why the pandemic may have changed our relationship with alcohol. Of particular concern is the impact the pandemic has had on mental health, with some even attributing increases in alcohol consumption to experiences of loneliness, depression and anxiety.

   Previous research shows that people with common mental health disorders are twice as likely to report an alcohol use disorder than those without. While many people have used alcohol during the pandemic to cope with poor mental health, this short term relief could lead to longer-term risks to both mental and physical health.

   The number of people receiving specialist alcohol treatment has been in decline since 2014 – though there has been no less demand for treatment. But significant budget cuts in recent years have meant that specialist services are less equipped to provide help to those who need it.

   Alcohol is recognised as putting substantial pressure on the NHS. But, even in the government’s latest ten-year drug strategy – which has pledged £780 million in specialist treatment for drug problems – there are no plans to update dedicated treatment strategies for alcohol problems.

   There are no quick fixes when it comes to reversing the rise in harm that alcohol is causing, including fatalities.
   While Scotland, for example, has introduced minimum unit pricing for alcohol to reduce harm, there is currently no evidence that it has reduced alcohol-specific deaths despite reducing consumption. This is why there is currently a campaign to reduce the stigma associated with problem alcohol use, which is recognised to play an important role in seeking help.

   The ONS data also showed that those living in the most deprived areas are three times more likely to suffer alcohol harm (including deaths) compared to those living in the most affluent areas. Tackling wider issues of inequality – such as poverty, education, housing and unemployment – are critical in reducing both the uptake in risky levels of alcohol consumption as well as the fatal outcomes this yields.

   This article states that overall sales of alcohol fell but supermarket sales rose significantly. This was due to pubs and restaurants being closed which means that we were drinking at home which means that we would be less likely to stop drinking when pubs and restaurants would normally close plus the added bonus of not having to pay for your drinks at the bar would probably give us the mindset that it was cheaper, so we carry on drinking.

   The pandemic and the lockdowns that followed have been and are being blamed for many of our highlighted problems.

   It is very easy to put everything down to mental health issues but is it possible that, with regard to the increase in alcohol related deaths, this is nothing more than our inability to deal with life and what life puts our way?

   What I mean by this is everything we do in life always comes down to the choices we make.

   We can choose to let the pandemic and the lockdowns affect us in a way that leads us to our next bottle of wine or whiskey, or we can choose to deal with what is in front of us without the need for checking out and numbing ourselves with a harm-full substance.

   I know the feeling of wanting to unburden myself with all of what life was throwing at me.

   I couldn’t wait for my days off work so I could have a drink and not care about my life or anyone around me or the world. But my life would always come screaming back to me the next day.

   Yes, a 19% increase in alcohol-related deaths is a shocking figure but at what point do we take responsibility for ourselves?

   Reply
6. 
   Simple Living Global

   January 6, 2022 at 9:13 am

   Its that month again – some of us dread and some of us are up for this challenge or at least want to give it a go. DRY JANUARY.

   The article gives us a presentation with some valid questions to consider.

   Simple Living Global have posted on their Social Media platform Twitter some stats taken from Alcohol Change UK
   https://alcoholchange.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/dry-january

   86% SAVE MONEY
   70% HAVE BETTER SLEEP
   66% HAVE MORE ENERGY

   If we ADD to this from the same website real life testimonials –

   “My appetite was poor, my anxiety was through the roof and my blood sugars were high. The benefits of Dry January have changed my life and it is like a light bulb has been switched on”.

   “Alcohol for me can so often be used as a social thing that soon becomes part of stress relief. With a recent prostate cancer diagnosis this has made me re-evaluate a big portion of my lifestyle choices..”

   “..My sleeping improved and instead of nursing a hangover, feeling rough and being unable to move, I actually got on with those little jobs around the house..”

   “I have struggled with anxiety, depression, lack of motivation and fatigue for a long, long time now. Since staying sober, I have slept amazingly every night..”

   “After drinking heavily over Xmas for two solid weeks, my appetite was poor, my anxiety was through the roof and my blood sugars were high (I am a type 1 diabetic). Dry January was not easy but the benefits have changed my life..”

   “..This is the longest period of time I have not drunk alcohol for almost 20 years and it has given me the time and space to consider the role alcohol has played in my life..”

   “The biggest noticeable benefit for me was my sleep. I have been sleeping better than I have in a long time..”

   This article on Alcohol Awareness gives us a global report card on what is going on around our world with this toxic poison so many of us consume – ALCOHOL.

   Those that are waking up and making the choice to stop drinking alcohol for one month are sharing the benefits and these quotes above are not to be negated or dismissed. This is real life, they call it anecdotal evidence and for those that don’t know, science and those that profess to know and have more intelligence than the rest of us, generally dismiss and discount it, simply because it is coming from a person and what if they are not accurate and are not under the microscope in a lab or double blind tested with a hypothesis to start with etc., etc.,

   Enough said. Our world has a serious 911 when it comes to alcohol addiction and it is an enormous strain on our human body and the health systems.

   Nothing has worked and we can keep asking for more research until we get to the point we have with cigarette smoking – hundreds of years later where we now admit it is harmfull and there are zero, yes ZERO benefits to smoking.

   Are some of us getting to this realisation with alcohol and will this support those that continue to seek alcohol as a prop in life to dull, numb, bludgeon their body and alter the natural state of who and what we truly are?

   We have the evidence, these people speak for ALL of us and there are millions that know what alcohol does, like the author of this comment, this article and this website.

   WHY are we not interested, open or willing to listen to them?

   That would be a great question to start with?

   Without having ALCOHOL AWARENESS we lack the understanding and without knowing the facts and the stats, we may not be aware of how huge the problem is. Learn more about alcohol in our post on this website called THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT ALCOHOL then read the 250+ comments which ADD more ‘evidence’ – let’s call it ‘confirmation’ about what alcohol is doing to the human frame, those around us and society as a whole.

   https://simplelivingglobal.com/the-real-truth-about-alcohol/

   Simple Living Global are leaders in topics like Alcohol. We bring to the people about what the people (and that means ALL of us) are creating in life today and report on it without any need to convert, preach or teach. We say it as it is, present it all in a way that is SIMPLE and that means we all get it. No fancy talk and no sounding like we are up there with the current specialised intelligensia that the world subscribes to.

   Reply
7. 
   Simple Living Global

   January 22, 2022 at 5:55 pm

   World Heart Federation – 20 January 2022

   https://world-heart-federation.org/news/no-amount-of-alcohol-is-good-for-the-heart-says-world-heart-federation/

   THE IMPACT OF ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION ON CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH

   In a new policy brief, the World Heart Federation (WHF) is challenging the widespread notion that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol can decrease the risk of heart disease and they are calling for urgent and decisive action to tackle the unprecedented rise in alcohol-related deaths and disability worldwide.

   2.4 million people died in 2019 because of alcohol, which accounts for 4.2% of all deaths globally and 12.6% of deaths in men aged 15 to 49.

   ALCOHOL IS A PSYCHOACTIVE AND HARMFUL SUBSTANCE THAT CAN CAUSE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE HUMAN BODY.

   Alcohol consumption is a major avoidable risk factor for non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, digestive diseases and intentional and unintentional injuries and for several infectious diseases.

   The evidence is now clear – any level of alcohol consumption affects our health.
   Studies have shown that even small amounts of alcohol can increase a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease, including coronary disease, stroke, heart failure, hypertensive heart disease, cardiomyopathy, atrial fibrillation and aneurysm.

   “The portrayal of alcohol as necessary for a vibrant social life has diverted attention from the harms of alcohol use, as have the frequent and widely publicised claims that moderate drinking, such as a glass of red wine a day, can offer protection against cardiovascular disease. These claims are at best mis-informed and at worse, an attempt by the alcohol industry to mislead the public about the danger of their product”.
   Monica Arora – Member of the WHF Advocacy Committee and Co-Author of the brief.

   The economic and social costs of alcohol are also significant: they include the cost to health systems, out of pocket expenditure, productivity losses and the increased risk of violence, homelessness and criminal activity.

   Dear World

   Is this enough or do we want to continue and ignore this brief from the WORLD HEART FEDERATION.

   The writing is on the wall, so to speak and we all know, yes we do.

   We can continue to bludgeon ourselves and live in the illusion that alcohol is not harming us, even if the rest of the world is affected or we can wake up now as time is up and the leading world authorities like the World Heart Federation are telling us – spelling it out. What more could we need or want when it is super clear and simple.

   If we are still in any doubt, read this article and add up all the research studies, then go to our blog called THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT ALCOHOL and there can be no doubt unless we go blind, stop reading and ignore what is in front of us on the screen.

   https://simplelivingglobal.com/the-real-truth-about-alcohol/

   Alcohol is a scientific proven poison and it has been killing us for centuries.

   How much longer do we want this to continue – where is our own Responsibility?

   Reply
8. 
   Simple Living Global

   January 23, 2022 at 5:12 am

   Oxford Population Health – 20 January 2022

   https://www.ndph.ox.ac.uk/news/new-genetic-study-confirms-that-alcohol-is-a-direct-cause-of-cancer

   NEW GENETIC STUDY CONFIRMS THAT ALCOHOL IS A DIRECT CAUSE OF CANCER

   New data from a LARGE SCALE study led by Oxford Population Health confirms that alcohol directly causes cancer. The results were published in the International Journal of Cancer.

   3 million deaths each year worldwide from Alcohol, including over 400,000 deaths from cancer.

   Alcohol consumption is rising, particularly in rapidly developing countries like China. There is an urgent need to understand how Alcohol affects disease risks in different populations.

   Evidence from Western countries already strongly indicates that alcohol is a direct cause of cancer in the head, neck, oesophagus, liver, colon and breast.

   This comment is to ADD another study about Alcohol Awareness.

   The detail of this study is interesting and will be covered in our forthcoming book in the future – THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT ALCOHOL.

   Dear World

   How serious is it to know that alcohol is a direct cause of cancer?

   Without understanding, without the awareness, we seem to blindly continue with our ill habits that are literally killing us.

   Reply
9. 
   Simple Living Global

   July 4, 2022 at 6:52 pm

   University of Michigan – 1 July 2022

   https://medicine.umich.edu/dept/psychiatry/news/archive/202207/study-pre-teens-yields-surprises-about-alcohol-tobacco-marijuana

   Pre-teenage children at the age of 9 or 10 are curious about using substances.
   10% of children already say they are curious about using alcohol or tobacco products.
   1 in 50 are curious about using marijuana according to a new study.

   12,000 9 and 10 year olds surveyed said they already have a friend who uses one of these substances. Those who said they did were also much more likely to be curious about trying alcohol or tobacco and other nicotine containing products themselves.

   35% of the children’s parents said their children may have easy access to alcohol at home, while smaller percentages said the same about tobacco or marijuana.

   25% of parents said they had not yet set rules for their pre-teenage children about whether they are allowed to use the substances.

   This study was published in the June issue of Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports and was led by a University of Michigan researcher, using data from a large national project.

   The findings show considerable variation by gender, race/ethnicity and family income in many of the measures. Across-the-board boys were more likely to be curious about substances than girls.

   Pre-teenagers whose parents made $100,000 or more per year were much more likely to be curious about alcohol and their parents were more likely to say it was readily available in the home. Lower income children with family incomes of $50,000 or less, were slightly more likely to be curious about nicotine and marijuana and to have it available in the home.

   “the earlier in adolescence a child begins using the substances, the greater the potential impact on brain development and functioning.” Megan Martz PhD

   Reply
10. 
    Simple Living Global

    July 18, 2022 at 8:18 pm

    Oxford Population Health – 14 July 2022

    https://www.ndph.ox.ac.uk/news/new-study-finds-even-moderate-alcohol-consumption-may-increase-brain-damage-potentially-through-iron-overload

    The results of a new large-scale study indicate that even moderate alcohol consumption impacts the brain.

    Alcohol’s damaging effects on cognitive functions may be partly caused by increased iron accumulation in the brain, damaging nerve cells.
    Very heavy alcohol consumption has been associated with iron accumulation in the brain but it was unknown whether this also occurs in moderate alcohol drinkers.

    Results from the study –

    Alcohol consumption above 7 units each week was associated with greater iron accumulation in the basal ganglia, a group of structures found deep within the white matter of the brain that perform various cognitive, emotional and movement-related functions.

    Higher levels of iron in the basal ganglia were in turn associated with poorer executive function and fluid intelligence and slower reaction speed.

    There was a significant interaction between alcohol consumption, age and iron accumulation in the brain, suggesting that alcohol may magnify how ageing affects the brain.

    Reply
11. 
    Simple Living Global

    July 24, 2022 at 5:51 pm

    Arizona State University – 20 July 2022

    https://news.asu.edu/20220720-childhood-loneliness-linked-stress-and-problem-drinking-young-adults

    New research from Arizona State University has show that experiencing loneliness in childhood predicts problem drinking in adults.

    Alcohol misuse is not the only health problem connected to loneliness.

    In older adults, loneliness contributes to poor physical health, including dementia, heart disease and stroke.

    Julie Patock-Peckham, assistant researcher professor in the ASU Department of Psychology said childhood loneliness before the age of 12 was associated with perceived stress right now and affected dysregulated drinking.

    Higher levels of loneliness before age 12 led to more stress in early adulthood that was associated with greater alcohol use and alcohol-related problems.

    Stress leads people to drink alcohol in excess, especially women – see link.
    https://news.asu.edu/20211213-stress-itself-can-lead-excessive-drinking-women-not-men

    Reply
12. 
    Simple Living Global

    July 31, 2022 at 6:17 pm

    Independent News – 31 July 2022

    https://inews.co.uk/opinion/more-patients-lockdown-drinking-habits-1768181

    More and more patients with lockdown drinking habits that they cannot shake off says Dr. Punam Krishan.

    “In my GP surgery, I have seen first-hand the drastic and direct impact of lockdowns on people and their relationships with alcohol. The following are a few I have seen who have turned to alcohol to cope with the pressure of daily life.

    Woman in her 30s, tired teacher with 2 children, trying to home-school and educate 30 other pupils everyday with no external support during lockdown. She had never attended my surgery until recently when her husband threatened to leave her if she did no seek help for her drinking.

    Social drinker had turned to a gin and tonic every evening to de-stress and cope with the pressures she was under but this was now a bottle of wine every night; well over the safe alcohol guidance of 14 units per week.

    57 year old man whose wife died due to Covid. Chartered Accountant with no previous health problems found himself grieving without external support and used alcohol to sleep. His children expressed concern that he was drinking alcohol in the morning to curb the shakes and throughout the day. His drinking was impacting all aspects of his life.

    28 year old woman struggling with anxiety, something she had been receiving treatment for pre-pandemic, found that alcohol helped her settle the feelings of doom and gloom during Covid peaks. Started with a glass of wine at night, which turned into drinking sessions on zoom with friends and soon drinking most days of the week.

    Collective anxiety, alcohol becomes a default coping mechanism for some. This is what I am hearing from several of my patients. I often have patients who have drink-free days during the week but then binge drink over the weekend, says Dr. Krishan.

    Dear World

    This is a microcosm – one doctor reporting real life cases to bring awareness.
    The pandemic has without doubt increased alcohol intake in many many households globally. We are yet to know more and hear more.

    Alcohol is a scientific proven poison with zero health benefits. We do not need any more research studies to tell us this. 195 countries have united on this.

    What is of great concern is when we champion or even consider that we are in control and can manage to drink in ‘moderation’. Is this not what most start off with and before they know it, life brings more tension, more stress or something unexpected and boom we are drinking excess amounts to the point of addiction? We need more to just keep the edge off life, so to speak.

    This whole article by Simple Living Global is full of evidence and confirmation over and over again about alcohol.

    This website is to bring more awareness to humanity and present another way to live.

    Reply
13. 
    Simple Living Global

    August 30, 2022 at 6:58 pm

    SSA – Society for the Study of Addiction – 22 August 2018

    https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/add.14386

    In England, the alcohol industry appears to be highly financially dependent upon heavy drinking and might face significant financial losses were consumers to drink within guideline levels.

    According to this study – see link
    https://eucam.info/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Bhattacharya-et-al-2018-How-dependent-is-the-alcohol-industry-on-heavy-drinking-in-England.pdf

    The heaviest drinkers continue to account for the majority of alcohol consumed in England.

    The most striking difference found in sales revenue from purchase by heavy drinkers was between the on-and off-trade.

    81% of off-trade revenue was estimated to come from those drinking above guideline levels.
    60% for the on-trade, although heavy drinkers also still accounted for the majority of sales revenue.

    Every beverage and retailer type has significant exposure to changes in consumption by heavy drinkers. This holds true even for sectors such as wine that are more likely to be associated with moderate drinking the in the popular perception.

    77% of beer expenditure came from drinkers consuming above guideline levels.
    70% for cider
    66% for wine
    50% for spirits

    38% fall estimated in total revenue from sales of alcohol in England if all consumers drank within government low-risk guidelines of 14 UK units per week.

    £13 billion in absolute terms, this implies that market value would fall by, given that alcohol sales in England were approximately £35 billion in 2014.

    These findings raise serious questions about the conflicts of interest inherent to voluntary schemes and self-regulation. Moreover, in so far as they suggest that a financially successful alcohol industry of its current size and form depends upon harmful drinking, the government’s economic support for alcohol producers, for example, through tax cuts and trade negotiations, appear more problematic.

    These findings may also have relevance for ongoing debates about whether to restrict alcohol sales to state monopolies or open them up to commercial enterprises. A further implication is to reinforce the need for researchers to be cautious in receiving funding from, or collaborating with, the alcohol industry.

    Reply
14. 
    Simple Living Global

    September 26, 2022 at 6:00 pm

    NIAAA – National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism – September 2022

    https://www.spectrum.niaaa.nih.gov/Content/archives/Fall_2022.pdf

    The NIAAA has released the Healthcare Professionals Core Resource on Alcohol (HPCR) to help healthcare professionals provide evidence-based care for people who drink alcohol. It is designed to help them integrate alcohol care into their practice.

    Alcohol contributes to over 200 health conditions and 100,000 deaths in the United States each year with an upward trend in both deaths and alcohol-related consequences seen during the pandemic. Yet alcohol-related risks often go unaddressed in healthcare settings.

    Although many healthcare professionals ask patients about their alcohol consumption, few use validated screening tools or follow up with an assessment and brief intervention and some may not be aware of treatment options.

    Less than 10% of people ages 18 and older who had Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) received any treatment in the past year and less than 2% receive U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved AUD medications.

    In the United States between 2003 and 2018, Alcohol use preceding death by suicide increased among women compared with men.
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35491753/

    Reply
15. 
    Simple Living Global

    September 30, 2022 at 6:32 pm

    NIAAA Spectrum – Fall 2022

    https://www.spectrum.niaaa.nih.gov/fall2022bythenumbers

    14.5 million people age 12 and older met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM_IV) criteria for past-year alcohol use disorder, according to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

    Less than 10% with past-year alcohol use disorder receive any treatment.

    Reply
16. 
    Simple Living Global

    November 4, 2022 at 6:32 am

    JAMA Network Open – 1 November 2022

    https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2798004

    1 in 8 total deaths among U.S. adults ages 20 to 64 were attributable to excessive alcohol use, according to a study led by CDC – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    1 in 5 deaths among adults aged 20 to 49 years.

    CDC maintains that the number of premature deaths could be reduced by taking such steps as increasing alcohol taxes or regulating the density of stores selling alcohol.

    Death rates from “fully alcohol-attributable causes” such as alcoholic liver disease have increased in the past decade.

    Reply
17. 
    Simple Living Global

    November 7, 2022 at 7:02 pm

    News Medical – 2 November 2022

    https://www.news-medical.net/news/20221102/Moderate-to-heavy-drinking-could-increase-the-risk-of-stroke-in-young-adults.aspx

    People in their 20s and 30s who drink moderate to heavy amounts of alcohol could increase the risk of stroke.

    The risk of stroke increased the more years people reported moderate to heavy drinking.

    “The rate of stroke among young adults has been increasing over the last few decades and stroke in young adults causes death and serious disability. If we could prevent stroke in young adults by reducing alcohol consumption that could potentially have a substantial impact on the health of individuals and the overall burden of stroke on society.”
    Eue-Keun Choi, MD, PhD, Study Author, Seoul National University, Republic of Korea.

    Reply
18. 
    Simple Living Global

    November 27, 2022 at 9:15 am

    Radiological Society of North America – 22 November 2022

    https://press.rsna.org/timssnet/media/pressreleases/14_pr_target.cfm?ID=2384

    Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can change the unborn baby’s brain structure and delay brain development, according to a new MRI study.

    The study revealed that even alcohol consumption at a low to moderate level during pregnancy can cause this effect.

    Using foetal MRI, researchers observed structural brain changes in regions related to key functions including language development.

    Significant changes were seen in foetal brains even when the mothers consumed less than one alcoholic beverage per week.

    Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can expose the foetus to a group of conditions called foetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Babies born with foetal alcohol spectrum disorders could develop learning disabilities, behavioural problems or speech and language delays.

    Lead author of the study Patric Kienast M.D., Ph.D. student of the department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology at the Medical University of Vienna said “Unfortunately many pregnant women are unaware of the influence of alcohol on the foetus during pregnancy. Therefore, it is our responsibility not only to do the research but also to actively educate the public about the effects of alcohol on the foetus.”

    On that note, this is what Simple Living Global is actively doing: bringing awareness to the public about the effects of alcohol with this article on Alcohol Awareness and thereafter comments such as this one.

    Reply
19. 
    Simple Living Global

    December 13, 2022 at 3:05 pm

    Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs – 12 December 2022

    https://www.jsad.com/doi/full/10.15288/jsad.21-00444

    Alcohol is the most commonly used intoxicant in the United States and is responsible for significant public health burden in terms of both morbidity and mortality.
    (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2019).

    Research suggests that alcohol consumption, problematic alcohol use and alcohol-related deaths have increased substantially in the United States over the past 20 years, especially for women.
    (Shmulewitz et al., 2021; Spillane et al., 2020; White et al., 2018, 2020).

    Rates of alcohol-involved injury emergency department (ED) visits and the costs associated with such visits, appear to be rising along with other public health indicators of problematic alcohol use (DiMaggio et al., 2021).

    Many injuries coded as intentional self-harm or assault involve alcohol.
    (Goldman-Mellor et al., 2019; Kool et al. 2018).

    Reply
20. 
    Simple Living Global

    December 15, 2022 at 7:22 am

    Office for National Statistics – 8 December 2022

    ALCOHOL-SPECIFIC DEATHS IN THE UK: REGISTERED IN 2021

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/alcoholspecificdeathsintheuk/2021registrations#factors-behind-the-rise-in-alcohol-specific-deaths

    9,641 deaths from alcohol-specific causes – HIGHEST NUMBER ON RECORD

    Alcohol-specific deaths risen sharply since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

    Research suggested people who were already drinking alcohol at higher levels before the pandemic were the most likely to have increased their alcohol consumption during this period.

    Alcohol-specific deaths have risen sharply since 2019.
    27.4% rise from 2019 to 2021

    3 individual causes, which caused 95.9% of all alcohol-specific deaths registered in 2021
    Alcoholic Liver Disease
    Mental and Behavioural Disorders because of the use of Alcohol
    Accidental Poisoning by and exposure to, Alcohol

    Consistent with previous years, the alcohol-specific death rate for males in 2021 was around twice the rate for females.

    Scotland and Northern Ireland had the highest alcoholic-specific death rates.

    Last pre-coronavirus pandemic year, the largest increases in rates were seen in England and Wales.

    Rates of alcohol-specific death have risen in every region of England since 2019.

    8th consecutive year, the North East had the highest rate of any English region for alcohol-specific deaths.

    When comparing rates of alcohol-specific death in 2021 with deaths registered in 2019, 8 out of 9 English regions have observed statistically significant increases in rates.

    Note –

    16 consecutive years – ratio between male and female rates of death was greatest in London. In 2021, the male rate for London was more than double the female rate of deaths.

    Alcohol-specific deaths only include those health conditions where each death is a direct consequence of Alcohol (that is, wholly attributable causes such as alcoholic liver disease). It does not include all deaths that can be attributed to alcohol.

    Studies show that there is no safe level of Alcohol consumption, as shown in this article from The Lancet.
    The level of alcohol consumption that minimised harm across health outcomes was zero standard drinks per week.

    https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-67361831310-2/fulltext

    Reply
21. 
    Simple Living Global

    December 18, 2022 at 6:44 pm

    Medical University of Vienna – 13 December 2022

    https://www.meduniwien.ac.at/web/en/ueber-uns/news/2022/news-im-dezember-2022/alkoholabstinenz-auch-bei-fortgeschrittener-leberzirrhose-essenziell/

    Alcohol abstinence is essential – even in advanced liver cirrhosis, according to a new study from the Medical University of Vienna. The results were published in the journal “Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology”.

    Scientists have provided evidence of the positive effects of alcohol abstinence even at very advanced stages of the disease.

    “Our results clearly show that all patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis who maintain sustained abstinence from alcohol not only show a significant lower risk for developing complications of liver cirrhosis but also live considerably longer.”

    Reply
22. 
    Simple Living Global

    January 23, 2023 at 5:11 pm

    NIH – National Cancer Institute – 18 January 2023

    https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2023/cancer-alcohol-link-public-awareness

    A new study conducted by National Cancer Institute research team, confirmed that most American adults are not aware of the link between alcohol consumption and cancer. It also found that even among those who are aware, there is a belief that it varies by the type of alcohol.
    For example – more participants were aware of the cancer risks from hard liquor and beer than about the risk from wine, with some believing wine lowers your cancer risk.

    “All types of alcoholic beverages, including wine, increase cancer risk.
    Unfortunately, there have been very few attempts at educating the public about the alcohol-cancer link,” said Andrew Seidenberg, Ph.D., who led the study.

    The key conclusion from this study is numerous changes need to be made to raise public awareness of the fact that drinking alcohol raises the risk of several types of cancer.

    “The study’s findings are important because they help to “document gaps in awareness that, if addressed, can support system-level efforts to reduce the health impact of alcohol, such as higher regulation and changes in social norms.”
    Dr. William Klein, Ph.D., – Associate Director of NCI’s Behavioral Research Program

    4% of cancers diagnosed worldwide in 2020 can be attributed to alcohol consumption, according to the World Health Organization.

    In the United States, 75,000 cancer cases and 19,000 cancer deaths are estimated to be linked to alcohol each year.

    Reply
23. 
    Simple Living Global

    March 16, 2023 at 6:44 pm

    The Guardian – 10 March 2023

    https://www.theguardian.com/food/2023/mar/10/bollinger-launches-350-pound-champagne-demand

    A £350 bottle of champagne has been launched in London to meet soaring demand.

    Experts say that rich people are drinking more bottles of champagne and seeking out specific vintages and more valuable bottles.

    A luxury brand is capitalising after shipments hit a record £5.4 billion last year, despite the cost of living crisis. Sales are expected to be even stronger in 2023.
    The cost of living crisis does not affect the richest people. Luxury goods are doing better than ever according to the co-founder and chief executive of an Investment firm.

    The launch is the latest in a series of expensive vintage champagnes capitalising on booming demand as wealthy people continue to party hard to make up for lost extravagances during the pandemic.

    Consumer studies show champagne is the drink of celebration and people want to celebrate even small things after lockdown.

    One luxury goods company behind several champagne brands said wealthy people are enjoying a new “roaring 20s” age of decadence.

    Champagne bottles shipped in 2022 increased to 326 million.

    Reply
24. 
    Simple Living Global

    May 9, 2023 at 6:14 pm

    NIAAA Spectrum – Volume 15 | Winter 2023

    https://www.spectrum.niaaa.nih.gov/Content/archives/Winter_2023.pdf

    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

    Alcohol misuse accounts of 50% of all liver disease deaths each year.

    Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is the most common alcohol-related cause of death.

    22.4% rise in ALD-related deaths between 2019 and 2020.

    Mortality rates are increasing faster among women and among young adults ages 24 – 34 than in other groups.

    Reply
25. 
    Simple Living Global

    May 30, 2023 at 6:21 pm

    University of East Anglia – 26 May 2023

    https://www.uea.ac.uk/news/-/article/heavy-drinkers-risk-muscle-loss-new-study-finds

    According to new research, heavy drinkers could be putting themselves at risk of muscle loss and frailty in later life.

    The study shows that people with the lowest amount of muscle were drinking 10 units or more a day which is about a bottle of wine or 4-5 pints.

    Most of the people in the study were in their 50s and 60s.
    Those who drank a lot of alcohol had a lower amount of skeletal muscle after taking into account body sizes and other factors.

    Professor Welch said “This study shows that alcohol may have harmful effects on muscle mass at higher levels of consumption.”

    Reply
26. 
    Simple Living Global

    June 6, 2023 at 4:53 pm

    University College London News – 1 June 2023

    https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2023/jun/alcohol-dependency-adolescence-not-consumption-linked-later-depression-risk

    According to a new study led by UCL and University of Bristol researchers, adolescents who show signs of alcohol dependence are more likely to develop depression by their mid 20s.

    Problematic drinking patterns could be a warning sign of future mental health problems.

    The study looked at the association between alcohol consumption and signs of problematic drinking or dependence, at age 18 and depression 6 years later at age 24.

    Alcohol dependence signs include an inability to stop drinking, failure to meet normal expectations due to drinking and feeling a need to drink after a heavy session, as well as harmful effects such as drink-related memory loss.

    The researchers found that those who appeared to be dependent on alcohol from age 17 to 22 were more likely than their peers to have depression at age 24.

    Reply
27. 
    Simple Living Global

    June 23, 2023 at 4:58 pm

    Columbia Mailman School of Public Health – 16 June 2023

    https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/news/cannabis-legalization-aging-binge-drinker

    A new study examined changes in binge drinking after the implementation of recreational cannabis laws.

    The national study found a decline in binge drinking among young people alongside rise in the behaviour among adults aged 31 and older.

    Until now, research on the relationship between recreational cannabis laws and binge drinking has been limited to data from a few states, small study samples and combined age groups.

    This study was one of the 1st to report associations between binge drinking and recreational cannabis laws in adolescents and adults at a national level.

    Dear World

    While we wait for more research studies, can we join the dots here and keep it simple?

    Recreational cannabis is the licence to smoke a joint, weed, pot or whatever the name is for marijuana.

    What if this substance does more for us than binge drinking so we go for this drug but as we get a bit older (only a few years), we use alcohol or we use both? At this stage we are not aware if those older are still doing their pot and adding alcohol to the ‘recreation’ – the licence society gives us to use mind altering substances, which remains illegal in other countries around the world.

    Alcohol has now been confirmed by 195 countries that there is nothing beneficial but this website covers enough evidence which tells us clearly it was never designed for human consumption.

    What if we did not do any more research but got anecdotal evidence and started to observe closely how these youth are living, what their background is and that means how they attend to daily life, day in and day out, their responsibilities, their approach and how they cope with the stresses of life?

    Then let’s dig a bit deeper and go to their background in terms of previous years and their childhood and teenage years. We could probably learn a lot and we could also no doubt summarise WHY on earth these young adults do what they do.

    How much more research studies are we going to churn out whilst we continue to ignore the obvious, which is using good old fashion common sense and questioning how and why until we get to the root of this?

    Reply
28. 
    Simple Living Global

    June 24, 2023 at 6:45 pm

    Columbia University Irving Medical Center – 20 June 2023

    https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/news/risk-problem-drinking-rises-among-thirty-something-women

    Risk of problem drinking rising among women in their late 20s and 30s.

    The proportion of women at risk is growing amid rampant marketing and social media messaging that normalizes drinking among women of reproductive age.

    Traditionally, women tend to reduce their alcohol consumption one they have had children and in recent years, more middle-aged women have delayed or skipped motherhood.

    Excessive drinking and alcohol related deaths are increasing at an alarming rate among women and this growing trend in women who are delaying or foregoing parenting is contributing to an increase in women at highest risk for excessive alcohol use, according to a new study led by Boston University of Public Health and Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

    The study is the first to consider the impact of delayed parenting on excessive alcohol use among new generations of middle-aged women, but particularly among this expanding group of women without children.

    “Because more women are delaying having children in the U.S., a growing proportion of women fall into the highest risk group. This growing prevalence of heavy drinking is exacerbated given that excessive alcohol use is increasing overall for middle-aged women in more recent cohorts. Therefore, at-risk alcohol use and consequences are expected to continue increasing in future years, if not addressed.”
    Rachel Sayko Adams – Study Lead Author

    Compared to men, the consequences among reproductive age women who binge drink or develop AUD (Alcohol Use Disorder) include an increased risk for liver disease, alcohol-related injuries and breast cancer, along with sharper increases in alcohol-related mortality.

    The researchers state that one of the most significant drivers of unhealthy alcohol use among women today is the widespread acceptance and normalization of alcohol consumption in daily life in the U.S. – from social and professional settings to casual drinking at home. Women with children were also at an increased risk, particularly in more recent cohorts.

    This public embrace of alcohol may be influenced in part by social media-driven “wine mom” culture, which encourages mothers to drink to cope with the challenges of motherhood and work and for recreational enjoyment.

    “Alcohol industry messages around drinking for stress relief and enjoyment have always been part of the industry’s advertising strategy and we have seen this emerge on social media platforms, particularly geared towards people who parent. Promotion of alcohol use for moms to deal with the stresses of motherhood on popular social media platforms have common hashtags like #winemom #sendwine #mommyjuice.
    Simultaneously, there has been a rapid increase in alcohol products targeting middle age women, such as low calorie seltzers, pink beverages and expression such as ‘rose all day’.

    Due to little research, knowledge about how these cultural changes may be impacting women’s drinking behaviours is very limited.

    Studies have shown that drinking to cope with stress increases risk for AUD.

    Reply
29. 
    Simple Living Global

    June 30, 2023 at 5:11 pm

    Medical Xpress – 29 June 2023

    https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-06-home-delivery-alcohol-pandemic-permanent.html

    Home delivery of alcohol soared in the United States during the pandemic, as did binge drinking along with it, with permanent effects on health, according to a new study.

    ‘Home delivery’ refers to when restaurants, bars or retailers use their own employees or a third party delivery system to deliver alcohol to consumers’ homes.

    The number of states permitting home delivery of alcohol by restaurants or bars rose from 23 states to 39 states.

    Although many states expanded their home delivery laws as a way to help businesses, few considered the potential consumer on public health. Furthermore, the fact that retailers and third party delivery drivers often do not check IDs, youth drinking habits were probably also negatively impacted by expanded home delivery laws, said E. Grossman from the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse.

    Reply
30. 
    Simple Living Global

    June 30, 2023 at 6:11 pm

    Mail Online – 27 June 2023

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12238183/Research-dispute-claims-light-alcohol-consumption-protect-against-diabetes-obesity.html

    Researchers assessed Alcohol intake data from over 400,000 participants.

    Researchers state that even one glass of wine or a beer can make people fatter.
    They dispute claims that light alcohol consumption can protect against Diabetes and Obesity.

    The study adds to the decades long dispute over the harms of moderate drinking.

    Study author Dr. Tianyuan Lu said “some research has indicated moderate drinkers may be less likely to develop Obesity or Diabetes compared to non-drinkers and heavy drinkers. However, our study shows that even light-to-moderate alcohol consumption does not protect against Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes in the general population.
    We want our work to encourage the general population to choose alternative healthier behaviours over drinking alcohol.”

    This study comes after World Health Organization officials warned that no amount of alcohol consumption is safe in January 2023.
    https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health

    3 million deaths worldwide each year from excessive alcohol consumption.

    Reply
31. 
    Simple Living Global

    July 31, 2023 at 3:12 pm

    JAMA Network Open – 28 July 2023

    A cross-sectional study of 605,948 alcohol-attributed deaths, male individuals had a significantly higher burden of alcohol-involved mortality. Temporal trends revealed an increase in alcohol-related deaths among both sexes, with a significantly higher rate of increase in deaths among female individuals in recent years.

    In the U.S alcohol ranks as the 4th leading cause of preventable death, after tobacco, poor diet and physical inactivity, and illegal drugs.

    18.5% of emergency department visits and 20% of prescription opioid deaths are related to alcohol.

    Reply
32. 
    Simple Living Global

    August 3, 2023 at 6:21 pm

    31 July 2023

    American Heart Association – 31 July 2023

    https://newsroom.heart.org/news/routinely-drinking-alcohol-may-raise-blood-pressure-even-in-adults-without-hypertension

    Headlines – Routinely drinking Alcohol may raise blood pressure even in adults without hypertension.

    An analysis of data from 7 studies involving more than 19,548 adults in the United States, Korea and Japan found a clear association between increases in systolic blood pressure and the number of alcohol beverages consumed daily.

    Even people who drank one alcoholic beverage a day showed a link to higher blood pressure when compared to non-drinkers.

    Reply
33. 
    Simple Living Global

    August 14, 2023 at 5:37 pm

    The Washington Times – 10 August 2023

    https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/aug/10/study-finds-most-cancer-survivors-drink-heavily-de/

    A new study has found that most adult cancer survivors drink Alcohol despite medical warnings that doing so can derail their treatment and recovery.

    78% of cancer survivors reported drinking actively
    75% among them consumed substantial amount of Alcohol
    24% reported binge drinking
    38% displayed habits medical experts classify as “hazardous drinking”

    “Our study fills in a critical unmet understanding as growing evidence shows that Alcohol consumption can worsen outcomes for cancer survivors, both in the short and long term. Our research underscores the need for increased support to address risky drinking in cancer care settings” said Yin Cao – senior author of the study and Associate Professor at Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis.

    Reply
34. 
    Simple Living Global

    September 17, 2023 at 6:44 pm

    Wake Forest University School of Medicine – 12 September 2023

    https://newsroom.wakehealth.edu/news-releases/2023/09/study-finds-heavy-alcohol-consumption-linked-to-ectopic-fat

    A new study has found that heavy Alcohol consumption and binge drinking are linked with higher levels of ectopic fat, which refers to fat around organs such as the heart, liver and intestines.

    The study was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
    https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.123.030470

    Pericardial fat, or fat around the heart is also associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

    The research team found heavy alcohol consumption and binge drinking was associated with significantly higher pericardial fat. Results were similar for other ectopic depots with the strongest association for pericardial and hepatic.

    Reply
35. 
    Simple Living Global

    September 21, 2023 at 5:50 pm

    Mail Online – 16 September 2023

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12524867/Reaching-drink-cope-stresses-parenting-lead-problems.html

    Experts have warned that drinking alcohol to cope with the stresses of parenting could lead to problems.

    ‘Wine mum” drinking have higher problematic drinking issues, according to a new study.

    ‘Wine mum’ culture means using alcohol to ‘get through the day’ or ‘cope with the challenges of motherhood’.

    The results of the study showed that while many of them joked about their drinking and were part of social media groups with light-hearted names such as ‘mums who drink wine’ or with the hashtag #sendwine – those that drank like a wine mum were found to have higher levels of problematic drinking.

    They admitted to binge-drinking, memory loss after drinking and feeling remorseful after drinking. They were also more likely to have issues around food, skipping meals to avoid extra calories after drinking wine or eating less so they could feel the effects of alcohol faster after a stressful day.

    The study was published in the journal Alcohol.
    Those who scored highly on alcohol-related food issues at the extreme included making themselves sick after drinking alcohol to get rid of the extra calories.

    The food issues fell into 4 categories:
    Bulimic behaviour
    Exercising and dieting
    Eating less to get more intoxicated
    Skipping meals to make up for the calories drinking

    Mothers who reported being more stressed were more likely to fall into the last 2 categories and this was even more the case if they drank like a ‘wine mum’.

    Dear World

    The researchers say as always “more research is needed” – so while we wait and “really need women to be self aware about how much they are drinking” can we ask WHY they are reaching for a toxic poison to cope with raising a child?

    What is going on for them?

    Reply
36. 
    Tim Bowyer

    November 6, 2023 at 6:22 am

    Diabetes UK – 8 October 2023

    https://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/2023/oct/mind-the-booze-increase-in-liver-disease-cases-associated-with-toxic-wine-culture.html

    According to a new study, 30% of those diagnosed with liver disease after being admitted to hospital in an emergency, end up losing their life within a year.

    Latest research identifies that evening wine drinkers have contributed to a rise in liver disease cases, which increased by 5 times since the 1970s.

    Latest health figures show that a significant number of liver disease cases are diagnosed late, putting thousands of people at risk of health complications or death.

    • Fatty liver: cases rise by 131% in the last 30 years
    • People who stay up late, snore and nap are at greater risk of fatty liver disease

    Experts are now urging people to ‘wake up’ and alter their lifestyle behaviours, including reducing their alcohol intake. They are also keen to detect liver disease early by calling for more liver ultrasounds.

    During the study, researchers analysed hospital records to detect individuals who were diagnosed with chronic liver disease after an emergency hospital admission.

    Each year in England, approximately 30,000 emergency admissions were caused by chronic liver disease, with 13,000 of these people living with the condition undiagnosed before being admitted.

    According to the findings presented at the British Association for the Study of the Liver (BASL) conference, around 17% of people hospitalised with chronic liver disease died in hospital.

    In addition, the results show that 34% of the people hospitalised with chronic liver disease were readmitted within a month.

    One of the authors, Dr Jessica King, said: “Our analysis of all hospital records from across England allows us to measure the full scale of this problem for the first time.
    The initial results are stark: the numbers of patients diagnosed in an emergency is increasing, but survival has improved very little.”

    She added: “So far, we’ve only looked at the years leading up to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the picture may look even worse with the disruption to health services and increased alcohol use during that time.”

    Every year in the UK, more than 10,000 people died from chronic liver disease, making it one of the top causes of deaths in adults under the age of 65 years old.

    Vanessa Hebditch, Director of Policy at the British Liver Trust, said: “People wrongly believe they are not at risk. People have got this sort of misconception that you need to be an alcoholic to have liver disease. But, actually many of us are drinking at levels that can really cause harm.”

    She added: “If you are drinking half a bottle of wine every night, which is easy to do with a glass while you are cooking, another with dinner and maybe a third while watching TV, then you’re drinking at a potentially harmful rate.

    It is really ingrained in our culture now – that you can go and have Prosecco for breakfast. The other key driver is fatty liver disease and the big risk factors for that are being overweight and also having Type 2 Diabetes.”

    She concluded: “Better early detection is needed through such things as enabling GPs to carry out more fibroscans, a type of ultrasound which measures liver stiffness and changes to the liver.”

    I fully understand this ‘toxic wine culture’ and how easy it is to get hooked onto it.

    As a member of a wine club in the past, and consistently having several bottles of wine in the house, it was very easy for me to drink one or even two bottles a night.

    I know I would be one of these statistics if I had carried on drinking.

    Alcohol is a toxic, psychoactive, and dependence-producing substance and has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer decades ago – this is the highest risk group, which also includes asbestos, radiation and tobacco

    https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health

    If we have known this for decades and tobacco is in the same risk group, why don’t we have photos of diseased livers on all forms of alcohol containers just like we have photos of diseased lungs on cigarette packets?

    The thing is, with alcohol being a socially accepted norm, we feel we are entitled to drink it and sod the consequences.

    We know that if we get this disease everything will be OK because we can just get a new liver.

    Where is our responsibility in this?

    Alcohol is a scientifically proven poison, so why would we ever consider putting this into our bodies?

    Do we really need to go any further than this?

    Reply
37. 
    Simple Living Global

    November 29, 2023 at 4:44 pm

    Mail Online – 25 November 2023

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12787361/Why-alcohol-got-stronger-1970s-units-wine-beer-spirits-drink-drive-limit.html

    Alcohol has got so much stronger since the 1970s that doctors now say no driving even after having one drink.

    The alcohol content of beer, wine and cocktails has surged in recent years.

    Larger glass sizes which hold more alcohol, powerful New World wines and craft beers are to blame for alcohol becoming stronger, experts say.

    Sir Ian Gilmore – Head of the British Medical Association (BMA) warned that it is now nearly impossible to work out how many units of alcohol a person has consumed.
    He called for laws effectively banning motorists from consuming any alcohol before driving.

    A glass of 125ml wine, which is standard has 1.6 units of wine.
    Sir Ian warned that these are now ‘virtually unheard of’.
    Instead, a 250ml glass has become the standard measure offered in many pubs, bars and restaurants. This contains 3.5 units of alcohol.

    Studies have suggested that the introduction of the larger 250 ml wine glass in the 90s encourages drinkers to consume more – effectively making a glass of wine stronger than it was a decade ago.

    Wine itself has also become stronger due to the trend of bolder wines.

    The popularity of stronger European lagers among the British has also seen alcohol by volume levels rise.

    There has been a shift from the British bitter and more trendy to drink a Spanish lager or a Greek lager than one from the UK.

    Craft beer options have an ABV (alcohol by volume) of up to 15%.
    A light beer has around 3% ABV.

    The total number of breweries in the UK has risen in 2023.
    There is a demand for craft beer and brewery taprooms or microbreweries.

    An increase in Gin, Vodka and Whisky measures confirm that the British are now consuming more alcohol per drink than they previously did.

    Spirits in 25ml measure glasses are equivalent to one unit of alcohol.
    Many have now switched to 35ml or 50ml measures.
    This means often people are consuming far more alcohol than they realise.

    Sir Ian said his preference is to go down to 20 milligrams, which allows for almost zero-tolerance.

    Reply
38. 
    Simple Living Global

    November 30, 2023 at 4:27 pm

    The Guardian – 25 November 2023

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/nov/25/the-rise-of-undersea-champagne-i-have-never-tasted-such-a-wine-in-my-life

    The rise of undersea Champagne.
    The discovery of intact bottles on 1852 shipwreck sparks the development of underwater ageing process. 145 bottles of champagne were found 160ft below the surface.

    2 years after the discovery, 11 bottles were auctioned for $156,000.

    These sleeping ancient champagne bottles tasted by experts have been declared to be among the world’s best champagnes. One droplet from a micro syringe was reported to have the aroma in the mouth 3-4 hours after tasting it.

    £6 BILLION A YEAR undersea ageing industry.

    Demand has grown so rapidly that an offshore exploration company that worked for the gas and oil industry has launched a new division, dedicated to undersea wine storage.
    They have the perfect underwater cellar: Full darkness, constant temperature and total safety.

    These underwater sites are located at the depths beyond limits of human free diving, so there is no risk of being stolen.

    Reply
39. 
    Simple Living Global

    December 31, 2023 at 5:05 pm

    The Guardian – 29 December 2023

    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/dec/29/nearly-3000-offenders-in-england-and-wales-fitted-with-sobriety-tag-over-christmas

    47% increase this Christmas for the number of offenders with “sobriety tags” that can tell probation officers if they have been drinking alcohol and potentially put them back in prison.

    2,800 in England and Wales wearing the tags this season after the government said it would increase use of the devices aimed at reducing alcohol-fuelled crime.

    The devices can detect if an offender has been drinking by analysing their sweat.

    The tags are accurate and will not be triggered by foods that contain alcohol but alcoholic drinks will raise the alarm.

    39% of all violent crime involves alcohol in the UK, including domestic abuse, which can rise during the festive period.

    The devices are part of the government’s £156 million investment in tagging technology.

    Reply
40. 
    Simple Living Global

    January 17, 2024 at 6:50 pm

    Independent News – 14 January 2024

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/alcohol-liver-disease-women-deaths-b2477598.html

    Huge rise in women drinking alcohol and women dying from alcohol related disease has soared in recent years.

    Incessant marketing of drinks towards women has fuelled a surge in alcohol-related deaths, particularly liver disease.

    37% increase in 5 years of UK women who lost their lives according to the latest data, marking the HIGHEST LEVEL since records began.

    While more men than women still die from alcohol-related diseases, the figures from the Office of National Statistics show that the number of deaths is rising substantially faster in women than in men with 29% increase in women over the same period.

    Professor Shawcross at King’s College London’s Institute of Liver studies said –
    “Liver disease is a particular problem in female patients.
    Women tend to present with more severe liver disease, particularly alcohol-related hepatitis and do so after a shorter period of excessive drinking and at a lower daily alcohol intake than men.
    Alcohol-related liver disease often has no symptoms for many years, while women also have lower levels of the enzyme that breaks down the alcohol.”

    42% rise from 2015 to 2021 in number of deaths in women attributed to alcohol-related liver disease in England.

    34% male deaths linked to alcohol-related liver disease in men during the same time frame.

    Recent research found that the proportion of British women who are binge-drinking is the joint HIGHEST out of 33 countries.

    Dr. Richard Piper, Chief Executive of Alcohol Change charity raises concerns about the “feminisation” of alcohol marketing. He highlighted the annual reports of major alcohol brands, which reveal that they are deliberately targeting women.
    “This is leading to deaths, and the second reason would be pricing – alcohol is more affordable now than it has been at any point in the last 20 years, so people are drinking more.”

    Reply
41. 
    Simple Living Global

    March 3, 2024 at 5:56 pm

    U.S. News – 29 February 2024

    https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2024-02-29/u-s-deaths-linked-to-alcohol-keep-rising-especially-among-women

    U.S. deaths linked to Alcohol keep rising – especially among women, data from CDC
    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
    https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7308a1.htm

    2016 to 2021 are the latest numbers available
    The average number of U.S. deaths from excessive alcohol use increased by more than 40,000 – (29%)

    488 Americans died each day from excessive drinking, the authors concluded.

    2018 to 2021
    23% increase in alcohol deaths

    The rate at which women are dying from excessive drinking is rising faster than that of men.

    35% rise among women over the study period.
    27% rise among men.

    Death rates for women involving alcohol were highest from heart disease and stroke.

    According to the researchers, there are numerous factors for the steady, steep rise in deaths, including a widening of access to alcohol – for example, home delivery that began during pandemic lockdowns.

    Binge drinking also is on the rise.
    The prevalence of binge drinking among adults aged 35-50 was higher in 2022 than in any other year during the past decade, the CDC team noted.

    Reply