Christian Shire is an addictions professional writing about all matters pertaining to treatment and recovery. If you need help making a decision about treatment visit Choosehelp to read more.
Read the daily addiction blog Troubleblog for stories of recovery and the latest news on treatment options.
We all know of the risks of heavy drinking, and it seems as though with every passing week researchers are finding yet more evidence of the damage done by heavy drinking.
Alcoholics are at risk for cirrhosis, for cognitive declines, for early dementia (The risks of brain damage) malnutrition, hepatitis of the liver, heart disease and of course for a host of cancers. Adding to the list of known alcohol related cancers, Canadian researchers last week added cancers of the larynx, esophagus and oral cavity to an already long list of alcohol influenced cancers.
If you drink heavily you are not likely to live as long, and you are very much more likely to get cancer.
But it's not all doom and gloom, and as a real positive note the same researchers who announced the new alcohol related cancers also revealed that for those people that can quit drinking, their risk for cancer slowly declines, and after 2 or 3 decades, the cancer risk is no more elevated than for those people who never drank to excess.
Very much like smoking, if you can quit drinking at a young enough age, you can spare yourself from a host of health problems.
When researchers examined the cancer rates of people who had quit drinking, they noted that after a few years, the cancer risks started a long steady decline, but for the first year or so, people who quit drinking actually had a greatly increased rate of cancer. Which seems confusing at first, until researchers explain that far too many people never do quit until already feeling the early and painful symptoms of cancer; and this fact is reflected in elevated early year cancer rates for newly abstinent patients.
The message is of course clear; don’t wait until drinking causes you physical pain before seeking help.
Women are at particular risk to the chronic effects of heavy alcohol consumption, and in addition to suffering greater rates of cirrhosis, heart disease and mental declines, they also show an almost 50% increased risk of breast cancer.
Just like smoking, if you drink heavily, you should stop, and if you can't you should get professional help. Life is far too short to squander your available years on this earth suffering through the pains of addiction, and ultimately reducing your life span with painful and fatal diseases. There are great treatments available to all who commit to change and to sobriety.
Don’t wait until it's too late, get help today and start enjoying better health and a happy future of sobriety. Millions quit drinking every year, there's no reason why you can’t too.
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
- Quit Drinking and Don’t Get Cancer. Alcoholics are at Great Risk
- Alcohol and Breast Cancer the Real Facts
- Make This Energy Packed, Healing Fruit Smoothie Your Everyday Morning Drink
- Homeopathy Approch in Stomach Cancer and Its Managment
- Drinking Green Tea May Help To Reduce The Risk Of Developing Gastrointestinal Cancer
- Health Benefit of Green Tea: Cancer Prevention
- Breast Cancer - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
- Harmful Effects of Drinking Soda
Is It Impossible to Lose 10 Pounds in a Short Time?
By: Agnes Seow | 29/11/2009If there is an event in your job that requires you to fit into that bondage dress or you have to go to a beach weekend party with your friends, you definitely do not want to look like a pig. Sure, you can suck it all in but you can never really trick anyone if you have a bulge in your stomach. When things like this arise, all you have to do is to find ways on how to lose 10 pounds fast.
How to be Free from Worries and Anxiety Depression
By: Dr. Ben Mbam | 29/11/2009“Which of you by worrying can add a single hair to your head?” - Jesus. “That thing I so worried about has eventually happened to me” - Job. “Anxiety depression from worry is that great modern plague” - Anonymous. From the quotes above, needless to say friends, to overcome anxiety depression, we’ve got to break the worry-habit. Let’s see how we can be worry-free today. This is the main focus of this article.
Sustainability in Easy Terms
By: Steve Reed | 29/11/2009How do you define sustainability? There will be a wide array of answers if you ask that question to a few different people. Many people will define it as not messing up the planet for future generations. Sustainability has as much to do with making good lifestyle choices, supporting your local village or community and enhancing long term economic strength as it has to do with being environmentally conscious and aware.
How To Tell Whether You Have Been Infected With Genital Warts Or Genital Herpes
By: Vikram Kumar | 29/11/2009If you have been infected with a sexually transmitted infection, you may be unable to tell which one it is. There are two, genital warts and genital herpes which cause similar symptoms.
A Natural Cure for First Trimester Morning Sickness
By: Michelle Philips | 29/11/2009First trimester morning sickness. Four words that can ruin your whole day.
Exercises For Frozen Shoulder That Work!
By: Pam Simpson | 29/11/2009If you have Frozen Shoulder, also known as Adhesive Capsulitis(the two terms are interchangable), exercises for Frozen Shoulder are crucial in order to get your range of motion back. Period! A Simple Frozen Shoulder Definition: For many reasons, some unknown, the shoulder joint becomes stiff and scarred. It is a condition that...
Revision Surgery- Is it Lifestyle Failure?
By: Alma Orozco | 29/11/2009A single bariatric surgery procedure is usually sufficient for most patients, providing adequate long term weight loss. In some patients, the first weight loss surgery procedure may not result in the desired effects, and a second surgical procedure may be required, which brings the concept of 'revision surgery'.
Learning about Paranoid Schizophrenia through Blockbuster Movies
By: Steven Magill | 29/11/2009Paranoid Schizophrenia is just one of the forms of schizophrenia diagnosed. This type of ailment is also one of the most common as people living with it have a distrust for anything and everyone and feel that someone or something is out to get them. This brain disorder is one that challenges not only the patient but those loved ones.
Christian Rehab, Jesus Has the Answers. You Never Need to Drink Again
By: Christin Shire | 09/10/2007 | HealthUntil we can rid ourselves of the delusions and denials that bar our understanding of God, we cannot ever hope to make a meaningful recovery from addiction, and we can never hope to live as God wishes. You do not need anything but prayer and the bible to get better, all the answers are there; but we sometimes benefit from shared prayer, shared exploration of our denials, and Christian counseling, as is offered in a Christian rehab.
Christian Recovery; Live for Jesus, and Never Take Another Drink
By: Christin Shire | 09/10/2007 | HealthAlthough when you abuse your body with drink or drugs you walk far from the Christian path, Jesus forgives you, and with His help you never again need take another drink. Find out how Christian Recovery can help you.
Alcoholic? God Has the Answer. Work the Christian 12 Steps, and Get Better
By: Christin Shire | 09/10/2007 | HealthProblems of the flesh have worldly causes but spiritual solutions. Although we get ourselves into trouble with our drinking or drug taking behaviors, we too often cannot get ourselves out of these difficulties. Only through an understanding and admission of our spiritual conceit, and by turning our will and our hearts to the Lord for guidance, can we relearn what has always been needed for a good, honest and righteous life.
Drug Rehab; 4 Reasons Why you Need Group Therapy
By: Christin Shire | 09/10/2007 | HealthAlthough people often emphasize the importance in individual therapy in drug or alcohol rehab, group support therapy is as important if not more so. You ideally want a rehab that offers a comprehensive therapeutic experience, but make sure that group support therapy is offered; here are 4 reasons why you need it.
Addiction; When We Think That God Won't Love Us We Presume Too Much
By: Christin Shire | 09/10/2007 | HealthWhen addicted, we do terrible things, we fall into despair and we even question our worth before God. Jesus loves us always, and He wants us to get better and live a better Christian life, and he will show us how. All we need to do is ask. Consider a Christian rehab, and consider the Christian 12 steps. You got yourself into this problem, Jesus can get you out.
Addicted to Pills? Jesus Can Help…christian Rehab for a Better Life
By: Christin Shire | 09/10/2007 | HealthAlthough we get ourselves into trouble when we seek the transient pleasures of a pain pill high, Jesus will always forgive us, will always have the answers to our problems, and can give us the strength we need to break free from despair and abuse. A Christian rehab offers far more than any secular rehab ever could. Find out why.
Alcoholism; Can an Atheist Get Help From Aa? 12 Steps But No God?
By: Christin Shire | 09/10/2007 | HealthAA is essentially a religious organization, trying valiantly to broaden access to alcoholics of all creeds and beliefs. But for those with no belief in any form of God, can AA offer any assistance with alcoholism? There are ways to work the steps to sobriety even without a belief in God, and some atheists find that AA can help. Find out how they do it.
After a Dui; Treatment Can Help you Get Better, and Stay Out of Jail
By: Christin Shire | 09/10/2007 | HealthA DUI can cause you significant legal problems, but perhaps more worrisome are the use behaviors that allowed for the occurrence of the DUI. If you can use a DUI as a catalyst for personal change and the betterment of an abuse problem, your arrest may be the best thing that ever happened to you. Help yourself with needed treatment, and as you do it, show the judge your commitment to change.