Concientización sobre el alcohol

Drinking less alcohol can improve your health, reduce your risk of cancer, and support better sleep, mood, and energy. Even small changes in how much you drink can make a meaningful difference over time.

Alcohol affects the normal functions of cells in your body and is linked to several serious health risks, including cancer. Understanding how alcohol impacts your body and learning how to reduce your intake can help you make more informed choices.

Key facts about alcohol and your health

• Alcohol use is linked to an increased risk of several types of cancer.
• Even moderate drinking can impact your health over time.
• Binge drinking raises the risk of both short-term and long-term health problems.
• Many people drink more than they realize.
• Reducing how much you drink can improve your overall health, with benefits including better sleep, improved mood, and more energy.

How does alcohol affect your health?

Alcohol can affect nearly every part of your body. It can interfere with how your brain functions, impact your mood and mental health, and disrupt your sleep. Over time, alcohol use can increase your risk of chronic conditions, including liver disease, heart problems, and several types of cancer.

Drinking alcohol can also increase your risk of developing at least six different types of cancer:

• Cáncer de boca y garganta.
• Cáncer de laringe (caja fonatoria).
• Cáncer de esófago.
• Cáncer de colon y recto.
• Cáncer de hígado.
• Cáncer de mama en mujeres.

El riesgo de cáncer aumenta con el número de bebidas consumidas, comenzando con solo una por día. In their Drink Less, Be Your Best campaign, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that if you drink alcohol at all, drink it in moderation (up to one drink a day for women or two drinks a day for men), and some people should not drink at all, including people younger than age 21, women who are or might be pregnant, and people on certain medications.

What is binge drinking?

Binge drinking is especially risky and defined as consuming four drinks or more (for women) or five drinks or more (for men) on a single occasion. Uno de cada seis adultos estadounidenses bebe en exceso cerca de cuatro veces por mes, consumiendo casi siete copas por ocasión. Beber en exceso coloca a las personas en riesgo con resultados a corto y largo plazo además de los riesgos de padecer cáncer, como lesiones, violencia y accidentes cerebrovasculares.

“One of the early red flags is when alcohol starts to take up more mental space – thinking about when you’ll be able to drink, forgetting parts of the night before, or noticing that drinking is leading to more tension at home,” said Dr. Bernard DiCasimirro, lead Behavioral Health Medical Director at Capital Blue Cross. “When alcohol begins to interfere with relationships, sleep, or how you function the next day, it’s often a sign that it’s worth taking a closer look.”

What is a standard drink?

Es posible que algunas personas no se den cuenta cuánto alcohol beben. A standard drink is defined as equal to 14 grams (0.6 ounces) of pure alcohol. Traducción:

• 12 onzas de cerveza (5% de alcohol).
• 8 onzas de licor de malta (7% de alcohol).
• 5 onzas de vino (12% de alcohol).
• 1.5 onzas o "trago" de 80 proof (40% de alcohol), bebida espirituosa destilada o licor (como gin, ron, vodka y whiskey).

How can you reduce your alcohol intake?

If you choose to drink, the CDC provides guidance on simple ways to drink less:

• Set a limit for how many drinks you will have before you start, and how many days a week you plan to drink.
• Recognize “standard” drink sizes and count your drinks.
• Avoid temptation by managing your triggers (limiting time spent with tempting people and activities).
• Find the support you need from friends, family, and health care providers.

Making small changes can help you lower your risk and improve how you feel day to day.

Tengo dudas sobre mi consumo. ¿A quién puedo llamar?

Si usted piensa que su consumo puede causar o causará problemas de salud, o si es consciente de que necesita ayuda para detener dicho consumo, hay muchos recursos disponibles para usted. Puede visitar el sitio web de Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) o llamar de forma gratuita al 800.662.4357 con cualquier duda o pregunta que tenga.

"The most important first step is simply acknowledging that something doesn't feel right," Dr. DiCasmirro said. "Talking with a trusted primary care provider can open the door to support, and for many people, peer resources like AA or other community supports can be very effective - even if taking that step feels intimidating at first."

También puede verificar con el departamento de Recursos Humanos de su empleador para ver si su empleador ofrece un programa de asistencia al empleado (llamado EAP). La mayoría de los servicios de EAP ofrecen un número limitado de sesiones de asesoramiento gratis para iniciar y toda la información se mantiene confidencial; incluso de su empleador. También puede hablar con su médico y programar una cita para controlar su salud y buscar recursos que pueden ser perfectos para usted.

Si usted es miembro de Capital Blue Cross, comuníquese con Servicios para miembros que se encuentra en el reverso de su tarjeta de seguro para solicitar información sobre los servicios de abuso de sustancia o buscar proveedores de abuso de sustancias en MyCare Finder.

Este no es un consejo médico y no pretende sustituir el asesoramiento, diagnóstico o tratamiento médico profesional. Siempre busque el consejo de su médico u otro proveedor de atención médica calificado con cualquier pregunta que pueda tener con respecto a una afección o tratamiento médico. La información que se brinda está dirigida al público en general. Capital Blue Cross y sus empresas afiliadas consideran que este recurso de educación de la salud brinda información útil, pero no asumen ningún tipo de responsabilidad con respecto a su uso.