TIP #10: TO DRINK OR NOT TO DRINK?
Everyone knows that “everything (or most things) in moderation is good for you”, so how much alcohol should you or can you drink in menopause? To drink or not to drink? And how much?
Research shows that a glass of red wine (tannin-rich) a day is good for brain health.
Drinking more than one standard alcoholic drink per day increases your risk of breast cancer (more than taking hormone therapy for menopause symptoms for 5 years, in fact!). Therefore, if you have a personal or family history of breast cancer, you should reduce or eliminate your alcohol consumption.
Alcohol fragments sleep and prevents you from reaching the deep sleep waves that are regenerative and make you feel rested. This in turn negatively affects your brain function, making it harder to concentrate and remember things.
A standard drink equals:
- 360 millilitres (12 oz) of beer or
- 150 millilitres (5 oz) of wine or
- 45 millilitres (1.5 oz) of 80-proof liquor
Many US surveys define:
- light drinking for women – one to three standard drinks per week
- moderate drinking for women – four to seven 7 drinks per week
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines at-risk drinking for women as more than seven standard drinks per week or more than three standard drinks per day. So, to drink or not to drink? Remember, moderation is the key!
Out of curiosity, the at-risk drinking for men is defined as more than 14 standard drinks per week or more than four standard drinks per day.
Teresa Isabel Dias is a pharmacist and Certified Menopause Practitioner (NCMP) who provides education and support on symptom management for women at work and at home so they’ll feel like themselves again and enjoy a vibrant and productive life.
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