Diet and disease

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Cholesterol producers	Diet and disease prevention	Osteoporosis	Phytochemicals
Selenium - antioxidant

8. ALCOHOL:

Alcohol use increases the risk of liver cancer . When combined with smoking, alcohol intake also increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, larynx, and esophagus. In addition, alcohol intake is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer in women.

Alcohol is processed by the liver into energy for the body. Continued and excessive use of alcohol can damage the liver in various ways, including the development of a fatty liver. A fatty liver can lead to cirrhosis of the liver.

Alcohol can damage the lining of the small intestine and stomach, where most nutrients are digested. As a result, alcohol can impair the absorption of essential nutrients. Alcohol also increases the body's need for some nutrients, and interferes with the absorption and storage of other nutrients.

Continued and excessive use of alcohol can result in an increase in blood pressure. Chronic heavy drinking also can cause damage to the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy). In addition, stroke is associated with both chronic heavy drinking and binge drinking.

If you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation -- no more than 2 drinks per day for a man, 1 per day for a woman.

9. NITRATES AND CANCER:

Countries in which people eat a lot of salt-cured, smoked, and nitrite-cured foods have a high rate of cancer of the stomach and esophagus. Examples of such foods include bacon, ham, hot dogs, and salt-cured fish.

Eat salted, smoked, or cured foods only on occasion.

RESOURCES:

• The American Cancer Society is an excellent source of information on cancer prevention. http://www.cancer.org
• The American Dietetic Association provides sound dietary advice on a wide range of topics. http://www.eatright.org
• The American Heart Association provides dietary guidelines aimed at reducing the risk of heart disease and certain contributors to heart disease, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and obesity. http://www.americanheart.org
• The National Cancer Institute's CancerNet is a government gateway to the latest, most accurate information on cancer prevention. http://cancernet.nci.nih.gov
• The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute provides trustworthy information on preventing heart disease and cardiovascular risk factors. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov
• The National Osteoporosis Foundation is a good source of information on osteoporosis prevention. http://www.nof.org

Review Date: 09/02/2005
Reviewed By: William McGee, M.D., M.H.A., Assistant Professor of Medicine and Surgery, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, and Director ICU Quality Improvement, Critical Care Division, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.