New guidelines raise the alarm about the effect of alcohol has on your health

New guidelines in Canada on alcohol consumption say that having more than six alcoholic drinks a week could put your health at risk.

The guidelines say that having three to six drinks a week represents a moderate risk to your health. Having just one more than that elevates your risk for cancer, as well as cardiovascular and liver diseases.

“Alcohol is a really small molecule and it can go everywhere in the body so it affects all of the organ systems in the body,” said Dr. Kevin Shield, from the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addictions.

“So in particular, when you look at the brain it causes epilepsy but it also impacts your sleep quality, as well.”

Nurse Melanie Rail, of Public Health Sudbury & Districts, said northerners already drink more than people in some other parts of the province.

"Heavy drinking, which is defined as males having five or more drinks and females having four or more on one occasion at least once a month in the past year, is significantly higher than the province and country," Rail said.

According to the new guidelines, having one to two drinks a week will likely allow you to avoid alcohol-related illness.

But having three to six drinks a week will increase risk colon and breast cancer. And having more than seven drinks a week will radically increase risk of heart disease and stroke.

Local bartender Clarissa Elliott said more customers opt for alcohol-free drinks following the holidays.

“Mocktail sales are going way up but I think a lot of people don’t know what to order,” Elliott said.

“They’ll just go with a blended drink or they’ll just do a Shirley Temple. But there are so many options for mocktails and I think there’s a lot more people doing that.”

Shield said people should write down their drinking habits to stay on top of their consumption. The process of recording how much you drink will help you reduce consumption.

“No other interventions, just the journal, people reduce their alcohol consumption because they’re aware of it,” he said.

Shield said if you’re going to drink on a night out, alternating between something alcoholic and non-alcoholic is a good way to keep a balance.

But he said the bottom line is, when it comes to alcohol and your health, less is better.