“No Amount of Alcohol is Safe”: What the Latest Research Says

Sep 8

You are too worthy to feel dimmed by a beverage, and I cannot shout it enough, if you don’t feel your best the next day after drinking: it’s not you.

The latest research shows no amount of alcohol is good for our health. Science proves alcohol is damaging to everyone—no matter who you are—and having this knowledge in your back pocket is empowering.

With this info as your North Star, you can release unhelpful stories around drinking alcohol “responsibly” and do what’s best for your whole being.

We’ve been programmed since early childhood to associate alcohol with glamor, sophistication, entertainment, excitement, and social relationships, but the reality of what comes with alcohol is very different.

These are the latest findings about alcohol—and how to leverage them to lead your biggest life.

1. No Amount of Alcohol is Good for Your Heart

There are so many mixed messages about alcohol—no wonder we don’t know what to think.

This is by design. Like Big Tobacco, Big Alcohol has poured billions into obscuring data showing alcohol is harmful. Their goal is to sow reasonable doubt so the average person believes moderate drinking is fine, although there is very clear research showing even small amounts of alcohol negatively impact health.

Just think about red wine.

How many times have you heard that a glass of red wine with dinner is heart healthy? Not true.

What about resveratrol? I heard it and believed it too… until I learned that there isn’t a significant amount of resveratrol, a polyphenol with cardiovascular benefits, in red wine. In fact, you’d have to drink liters or bottles and bottles of wine—way above the safe drinking guidelines—to get any benefit. And there’s a much higher concentration of resveratrol in completely healthy alternatives, like red grapes, green grapes, raspberries, tomatoes, apples, and peanuts.

If there was any lingering doubt, 2022’s World Heart Federation’s (WHF) Policy Brief clarified that “no amount of alcohol is safe” and moderate drinking does not have protective cardiovascular benefits. In fact, it increases blood pressure, can increase cholesterol by increasing inflammation, and overstresses and sags the heart over time.

2. One Drink Accelerates Cognitive Decline

My goal is to live the biggest life I can. To feel joy, awe, contentment, peace and love well into old age.

Did you know a single glass of wine can contribute to cognitive decline?

According to Everyday Health, “two alcoholic drinks per week can lead to cognitive decline,” and Medical News Today reports that, “there is no level of alcohol consumption that does not increase the risk of dementia among drinkers.”

If you dream of continuing to make an impact and change the world into old age, even the occasional drink can stand in the way of that dream.

It's up to you. You can choose a beverage in a glass or you can manifest the fullest life possible.

(If you want to learn more about thriving in old age, I highly recommend Euphoric The Podcast Episode: This 102-Year-Old Doctor’s Secrets for a Healthy, Happy Life, from Finding Your Juice to Spending Your Energy Wildly with Dr. Gladys McGarey. I had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Gladys before she passed. The “mother of holistic medicine,” she was a truly inspiring woman who published her bestselling book when she was 102! In it, she shares the secret to finding your “juice” and living a life full of wonder and meaning.)

3. “A Single Drop” Increases Cancer Risks

Society conditions us to believe alcohol is only harmful if you “have a problem.” The truth? Alcohol is a toxin. According to The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), it’s a group 1 carcinogen. In other words, alcohol has just as much potential to cause cancer as cigarettes, formaldehyde, and asbestos.

Alcohol is harmful to everyone and new research shows it’s harmful even in small amounts.

Here are just some of the facts:

“Just one alcoholic beverage increases risk of cancer,” according to a 2024 study from the New England Journal of Medicine.

Alcohol is linked to at least 7 different cancers, including mouth and throat cancer, breast cancer, esophageal cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic and stomach cancer, liver cancer, and colon and rectum cancer. All alcohol, including hard liquor, beer, and wine, increase cancer risk.

“One bottle of wine per week equals that of five cigarettes per week for men or 10 cigarettes per week for women.”

These facts are not meant to scare you. They’re meant to empower you. When we understand what we’re putting in our bodies and the damaging effects of even small amounts of alcohol, we have the power to do something about it.

I remember feeling so shocked to learn that alcohol has such a strong link to breast cancer, especially after seeing so many pink ribbons on wine labels. When we know the facts, we’re free to step into our power and become the fullest expression of our true selves.

4. Even Small Amounts Cause Inflammation

We’re just starting to understand the true importance of inflammation and gut health.

And while you may be hearing quite a bit about your gut microbiome, we rarely hear about alcohol and the effects it can have on healthy gut bacteria.

Alcohol destroys healthy bacteria, leaving your gut imbalanced and prone to inflammation—and alcohol increases inflammation on a systemic level too. Toxins from alcohol start in the gut, get into the bloodstream, and can ultimately cause inflammation to your cardiovascular system and brain.

To reverse these effects, all you need is two weeks. In just two weeks, your system begins to significantly heal from inflammation caused by drinking alcohol.

5. No Amount of Alcohol is Safe

There is a lot of misinformation out there that keeps us drinking socially, engaging in behaviors that do not serve us, playing small, and not quite living up to the women we want to be.

But the World Health Organization (WHO) is giving us a clear message and a clear direction, and that message is:

“No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health.” “Risks start from the first drop.” “No amount of alcohol is beneficial.”

Using these facts, you can be part of the movement for more happiness and health. You can host alcohol-free parties and events or offer exciting non-alcoholic options. You challenge the age-old narrative that we need to drink to fit in**.** You can show young generations that drinking is no longer a milestone or a rite of passage, but rather something seriously harmful, like cigarettes. You can be part of shifting the cultural landscape and enacting real change.

I truly believe alcohol will go the way of cigarettes. The information is out there. More and more studies are emerging showing just how harmful alcohol is to our total health and well-being. It took years for the public to learn and trust the research about the toxicity of cigarettes. So much has changed since then and we’re fortunate to live in a world where information spreads faster than ever before.

That means we’re in the midst of an alcohol-free revolution. It’s already happening, and intuitive women like you have the courage, knowledge, and foresight to be on the frontlines.

What will your impact be? Join the tens of thousands of women who have changed their relationship with alcohol and, in doing so, changed their lives as well as the lives of people around them.

Join Euphoric the Club to learn the rituals, science, and mindset tools that have helped thousands of women transform their lives and step into a new empowered identity entirely free from the pull of alcohol. Our supportive community includes ongoing access to coaching and connection with strong, loving, badass women on the same journey as you.

Or, for only $12.99, you can read my book, *Euphoric: Ditch Alcohol and Gain a Happier, More Confident You,* for my story and a sneak peek into the program.