Reducing alcohol in your diet

Changing your diet to reach your health goals is NOT just about changing the food you put in your mouth. We aren’t afraid to tackle habits that may need some tweaking (or total revamping, let’s be honest!). Often times our sessions touch on potentially sensitive topics like alcohol intake.

Some clients are surprised that they fall into the category of “heavy drinker”. NIAAA defines heavy drinking as follows:

For men, consuming more than 4 drinks on any day or more than 14 drinks per week

For women, consuming more than 3 drinks on any day or more than 7 drinks per week

Being honest with your dietitian about your diet allows us to make the most helpful recommendations in a judgement-free, safe space. While some studies support health benefits with light to moderate drinking, heavy drinking is a different story.  Heavy drinking increases the risk of cancer, high blood pressure, heart failure, and stroke. It’s also damaging to the brain, changing the brain structure and brain volume.

When we wrap up an initial session, we decide which goals should be a priority. We recently came across an app called Reframe, and we’d encourage you take a look at it if reducing alcohol in your diet is one of your top goals. It’s helpful even if you aren’t a heavy drinker and just want to cut back! Find out how our one week trial went in Part 2 of this blog.

*Please note, heavy drinking can be different than alcohol use disorder (alcoholism). For help with drinking concerns, call 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

References

Alcohol and heart health from Hopkins Medicine

Alcohol and cancer risk from the National Cancer Institute

Alcohol and brain health from the journal Nature

Types of drinking from National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism