Men are being urged to drink to their health by indulging in less alcohol this month.
Island Health’s advice coincides with “Movember,” a November movement where men all over the world grow moustaches to raise money for causes such as prostate-cancer and testicular-cancer prevention.
“We encourage men who drink alcohol to drink less during Movember and beyond,” said Dr. Réka Gustafson, Island Health’s chief medical health officer. “Drinking less alcohol improves your health.”
It also saves you money, Island Health said.
Alcohol-related hospital admissions in the health region are higher for men than for women, the health authority said.
According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, 500 Canadians are hospitalized daily for alcohol- or drug-related reasons, and two out of three are men — with alcohol behind more than half of hospital stays linked to substance use.
Island Health said alcohol has several health impacts — it’s a main cause of liver disease and poses risks for cardiac-related diseases, including heart failure and high blood pressure, as well as several types of cancer, including colon and liver cancer.
And since alcohol is a depressant, Island Health said it can be a factor in mental-health conditions such as depression and anxiety.
It can result in aggressive behaviour, including intimate-partner violence and violence between adults, according to the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction.
Consuming less alcohol can lead to better sleep, more energy and an improved mood, while also lowering the chances of long-term health and social problems, Island Health said.
The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction said that men drink more alcohol than women, and are more likely to drink to excess — meaning that they are more apt to see serious consequences of drinking alcohol such as impaired-driving crashes, hospitalization and violent incidents.
Gustafson pointed to the centre’s updated guidelines on drinking, which say that one to two drinks a week carry a low risk of harm, three to six drinks bring a moderate risk and seven or more can lead to an increasingly high risk.
The guidelines suggest not shaming or stigmatizing anyone to try to get them to cut down on alcohol, saying it won’t produce positive change. “Rather, find out what aspects of their health are most important to them and offer support, encouragement and compassion to help them achieve the goals they set.”
Suggestions for those wanting to reduce their alcohol consumption include matching every alcoholic drink with a non-alcoholic one, eating and drinking water while having alcohol, and having alcohol-free days, weeks or months.
Another option is low-alcohol or non-alcohol beer, wine and spirits, as well as “mocktails” that are similar to classic tipples but contain no alcohol.
The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction guidelines are available at .
