Potential drinking risks amid Alcohol Awareness Month

More than 10 percent of US children live with a parent with alcohol problems. April is Alcohol Awareness Month, and while everyone deserves to enjoy a drink now and then, here is some information on alcohol you’ll want to know.

The CDC reports that if alcohol is consumed, it should be consumed in moderation; up to one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men. But what is considered a “drink”? 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of liquor is all it takes! Two out of three drinkers report drinking above these moderate levels at least once a month. Martha Carucci, Author and Recovering Alcoholic, knows the effects it can have.

“Alcoholism takes its toll on your body in so many different ways,” said Carucci.

But where’s the harm for moderate drinkers? Alcohol’s effects are not just over time but even on a single occasion. If not consumed in moderation, it can cause heart problems that could lead to high blood pressure or even a stroke. It can damage your liver, causing fatty liver disease or cirrhosis. It can even increase your risk of developing certain cancers, including cancers of the mouth, throat, liver and breast.

“Physically I felt horrible, and I just knew, it was really starting to take its toll on me physically,” Carucci told Ivanhoe.

So enjoy your happy hour drink, but don’t make it five!

There have been some studies done that show red wine, in moderation, may be healthy for your heart. The antioxidants or polyphenols help prevent coronary artery disease, a condition that leads to heart attacks by protecting the lining of blood vessels in your heart. But again, moderation is key!

Contributors to this news report include: Gabriella Battistiol, Producer; Katie Campbell, Assistant Producer; Roque Correa, Videographer and Editor.