Study: Alcohol causes cancer

[tesuji]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/07/23/alcohol-causes-7-types-cancer---least/87473546/

Health experts are calling for warning labels on booze, like those on tobacco products, based on a new study that finds alcohol is a direct cause of at least seven forms of cancer.

Drink only a little? You're still at risk, scientists write in the journal Addiction. After reviewing 10 years' worth of data from agencies including the World Cancer Research Fund, researchers conclude drinking is a direct cause of not just liver cancer, but also cancer of the colon, rectum, breast, oropharynx, larynx, and esophagus, reports the Guardian.

[An Investigator]

I don't understand why so many people have problems understanding that Alcohol is a poison.  I didn't drink Alcohol before I joined the Church.  

[LeSellers]

2 hours ago, An Investigator said:

I don't understand why so many people have problems understanding that Alcohol is a poison.

When drunk, the legal term is often intoxicated. The third through seventh letters, i.e., toxic, tell me all I need to know to understand that alcohol (among other drugs) it a poison.

Lehi

[Maureen]

I'm skeptical with this study, since it says any amount puts you at risk. How do they measure the consumption of a drink once a year (for example) can put someone at risk for cancer. With that logic, just being alive can cause cancer.

M.

[LeSellers]

44 minutes ago, Maureen said:

I'm skeptical with this study, since it says any amount puts you at risk.

Is there any amount that does any good?

We've already seen that alcohol is a poison, a toxin. And, in studies I've referred to, the same conclusion: the slightest amount begins a process of affecting the nervous system such that judgement is impaired.

And, in any case, the liver must oxidize the alcohol because it will continue to affect the brain (and others systems, too) until it is neutralized.

There is no benefit in drinking alcohol that outweighs the damage it does to the human body.

'Sides, it tastes like horse pi$$.

Lehi

[Guest MormonGator]

51 minutes ago, Maureen said:

, just being alive can cause cancer.

You raise a great point. There is no "cancer epidemic" in our culture today. The only reason you hear more about cancer today is that people live long enough to get cancer.  

It's fairly obvious that when someone thinks something is immoral, reason goes out the door. They'll believe anything negative about it. In fairness it's not an LDS thing, it's a human nature thing. 

[Guest Godless]

Other things that can cause cancer, according to the WHO (source):

The Sun

Chemical pollution in oceans and rivers

Chemical pollution in the air we breathe

Red Meat

Cured/Processed meats like bacon, salami, sausage, and pepperoni 

Working in the coal, rubber, petroleum, or shoemaker industries (among several others)

 

Life's too short to obsess over the things that might kill you. I love bacon and beer too much to give them up. I also quite enjoy breathing and occasionally swimming in the ocean. 

 

 

 

Edited July 24, 2016 by Godless

[Guest MormonGator]

8 minutes ago, Godless said:

Life's too short to obsess over the things that might kill you.

 Amen. My favorite health scare is when you see three pack a day smokers worrying that their cell phone will give them cancer. 

Or when people avoid swimming in the ocean because of sharks but drive their cars to the beach. Really think about that one. Like, for real. 

 

[tesuji]

I'm surprised to see people here downplaying this finding. Almost like you're defending drinking and don't want to believe it's bad.

Many things are unhealthy, as user Godless points out. Perhaps you'll at least agree it's wise to be informed and to minimize risky behaviors.

Edited July 24, 2016 by tesuji

[tesuji]

14 hours ago, MormonGator said:

You raise a great point. There is no "cancer epidemic" in our culture today. The only reason you hear more about cancer today is that people live long enough to get cancer.  

"Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, exceeded only by heart disease. One of every four deaths in the United States is due to cancer."

Obviously if those people hadn't gotten cancer they would have lived longer. Cancer is also not a fun way to die, so you want to try to avoid it.

http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/data/types.htm

It's not an epidemic, it's a pandemic. Yes, cancer, is more of an old person's disease. That doesn't mean we shouldn't still try to avoid it.

 

Edited July 24, 2016 by tesuji

[Guest MormonGator]

4 hours ago, tesuji said:

"Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, exceeded only by heart disease. One of every four deaths in the United States is due to cancer

 

Speaking only for myself, I am trying to defend "truth" more than defend drinking. You can think things are immoral and thats fine, but that doesn't mean you should think everything bad about people who drink or alcohol itself. Like I mentioned, It's not a LDS thing-it's human nature to think the worst of things we find immoral. Reason goes out the door. 

 

4 hours ago, tesuji said:

"Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, exceeded only by heart disease. One of every four deaths in the United States is due to cancer."

Obviously if those people hadn't gotten cancer they would have lived longer. Cancer is also not a fun way to die, so you want to try to avoid it.

It's not an epidemic, it's a pandemic. Yes, cancer, is more an old person's disease. That doesn't mean we shouldn't still try to avoid it.

 

No one is saying cancer is a fun way to die. I have never seen anyone in my life who said "I like cancer! I like when people get it! Yay cancer!" 

There is no cancer epidemic. You only think there is because of early detection. Because more people live longer enough to get cancer. Because we talk about it more than we did in 1950. 

In fact, thanks to early detection many cancers are actually becoming more treatable. Yay for science, yay for living in 2016!

Edited July 24, 2016 by MormonGator

[MrShorty]

I hope it is not considered rejecting the word of wisdom or defending evil to say this, but the problem I have is that we use this sort of thing to justify our "100% abstinence" stance against alcohol. As noted, there are plenty of other carcinogens in the world. My dad had a round of skin cancer, probably caused by the sun. Should we have a "have you ever used a tanning booth or otherwise suntanned on the beach and not repented of it with priesthood leadership?" question in the temple recommend interview? Should we start to advocate the benefits of a nocturnal lifestyle to get away from one of the most common carcinogens?

AS you said, there is wisdom in being aware of the dangers around us, and managing those risks as our best wisdom suggests and subject to God's laws and directions. I doubt that alcohol's carcinogenicity is the reason God has asked us to be 100% abstinent.

[Traveler]

One can find excuse for anything they want to do or do not want to do.  There are some that argue that a glass of wine is actually good for one's health.  But then in actual studies it is shown that the presents of alcohol does not contribute to the benefits that wine provides and that 100% of the benefits of wine comes from other ingredients - zero benefit from the alcohol.  I have a covenant with G-d to substain from drinking alcohol - I have also taken it upon myself to abstain from softdrinks that contain caffene.  What I find most interesting is that even though I do not argue with others to abstain from caffene softdrinks (my wife often drinks caffene softdrinks) beyond that softdrinks can contribute to negativetly to health (particularly overweight) - many that wish to justify their obvious addiction - will criticize me for my discipline to abstain.  I believe their criticism is driven somewhat by a feeling of gilt? Especially if they are overweight and know that softdrinks do not help at all and the reason caffene is added to softdrinks is because of it addictive nature - that increases sales.

 

The Traveler

 

 

[Guest MormonGator]

Just to be clear-I'm certainly not saying LDS should drink.

But on the other side of the coin, I don't look down on @Godless for having a couple of beers while he watches the game on Sunday.  

[tesuji]

My reason for posting this study it that this is an LDS site, and we have been told for almost two hundred years by our prophets that drinking is a bad idea. This is the first time I've seen a study that said alcohol causes cancer. So obviously that's interesting to Mormons.

I haven't said anything about people being bad who drink alcohol. That's something people have assumed here.

I don't personally think of drinking as being immoral, not in the sense that murdering, stealing or adultery are immoral. However, we have enough health information in 2016 to say that drinking is a bad idea - it causes many problems for individuals, families and society. Just like we have enough medical evidence to say smoking is a bad idea.

LDS, additionally, have modern prophets to reinforce what science now tells us: using alcohol and tobacco are a bad idea - also spiritually, in addition to physically and for society.

Cancer is the second cause of death. That means a lot of people dying, not just being "early detected." Call that what you want.

Edited July 24, 2016 by tesuji

[Blackmarch]

20 hours ago, An Investigator said:

I don't understand why so many people have problems understanding that Alcohol is a poison.  I didn't drink Alcohol before I joined the Church.  

when you enjoy something it is hard to condemn it.

 

[Anddenex]

2 hours ago, MormonGator said:

Speaking only for myself, I am trying to defend "truth" more than defend drinking. You can think things are immoral and thats fine, but that doesn't mean you should think everything bad about people who drink or alcohol itself.

The first part takes on a little bit of irony. An individual is stating they are defending "truth" while ignoring what some would consider "truthful" statistics -- cause and effect. It doesn't appear truth is being defended in your posts.

Second, which post said a person was "bad" that you felt to come to Godless or anyones aide? The points, before you posted, were specific to "alcohol" being "poison," -- which it is -- nothing regarding individuals who choose to drink it (their prerogative), yet you feel to come to their aide when no one made any comment specifically toward individuals who drink alcohol. 

[Guest]

I don't drink alcohol or smoke. Im so happy I don't. Nor do I drink coffee or tea.

[Blackmarch]

23 hours ago, LeSellers said:

Is there any amount that does any good?

We've already seen that alcohol is a poison, a toxin. And, in studies I've referred to, the same conclusion: the slightest amount begins a process of affecting the nervous system such that judgement is impaired.

And, in any case, the liver must oxidize the alcohol because it will continue to affect the brain (and others systems, too) until it is neutralized.

There is no benefit in drinking alcohol that outweighs the damage it does to the human body.

'Sides, it tastes like horse pi$$.

Lehi

the difference between poison and medicine is the amount used and for what purpose that it is used. Poisons tend to make good disinfectants. Can alcoholic beverages have some sort of good application? probably, altho nowadays there's probably something better in whatever capacity one would want to use an alcoholic beverage for.

[Traveler]

15 hours ago, Blackmarch said:

the difference between poison and medicine is the amount used and for what purpose that it is used. Poisons tend to make good disinfectants. Can alcoholic beverages have some sort of good application? probably, altho nowadays there's probably something better in whatever capacity one would want to use an alcoholic beverage for.

 

Sadly medicine is not what most people think that it is.  For the most part medicine is a treatment of symptoms rather than a cause.  For example often aspirin is used for treatment of a headache but headaches are not cause by a lack of aspirin in our blood or anywhere else in the body.  What we always need to keep in mind is that medicines have side effects.   So we balance the ill side effects against the condition that is being suffered.   Seldom is medicine a cure but a way to deal with a condition while the physical body – or mind – finds a way to heal itself.   

In fact – many wonder about what is called the placebo effect and wonder if it is real – I believe it is the body or self that must heal.  I realize that may are upset with such a suggestion because of their dependency on various drugs for various things.  My point in posting is not to criticize – but to point out that there is no cure until the body or mind heals itself.  That the various treatments or drugs are not a cure but rather a means to cope.  And we all need help to cope with mortality – just that it is best – to my understanding – to teach the mind, spirit and body to cope without outside dependencies.  But then my religious friends do not like the idea of spiritual independence.

But it is my understanding that G-d will not do for us what we can do for ourselves – that he will only do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.  Like my atheist friends – when we think G-d is helping us with things we are capable of doing ourselves – I believe it is a delusion of coincidence.   Some have seen me argue the point of justice – that man is incapable of justice and thus if there is to be justice - man is dependent on G-d and without G-d there cannot be justice.  Not that man cannot strive for justice – just that his efforts will always fall short and create a condition of diminished returns where the human pursuit of justice will only produce more injustice. 

 

The Traveler

[tesuji]

In light of the new health study, I think US Mormons should think twice before supporting this man for president:

Edited July 26, 2016 by tesuji

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, tesuji said:

In light of the new health study, I think US Mormons should think twice before supporting this man for president:

He seems as valid and reliable a candidate as any.

[mrmarklin]

On ‎7‎/‎23‎/‎2016 at 0:53 PM, tesuji said:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/07/23/alcohol-causes-7-types-cancer---least/87473546/

Health experts are calling for warning labels on booze, like those on tobacco products, based on a new study that finds alcohol is a direct cause of at least seven forms of cancer.

Drink only a little? You're still at risk, scientists write in the journal Addiction. After reviewing 10 years' worth of data from agencies including the World Cancer Research Fund, researchers conclude drinking is a direct cause of not just liver cancer, but also cancer of the colon, rectum, breast, oropharynx, larynx, and esophagus, reports the Guardian.

Interesting but irrelevant to the WOW. 

Of course any side effects of alcohol are secondary to the commandment.  In ancient times, and up until 1930  alcohol was used by members of the church mostly because the health benefits of an alcoholic beverage were better than drinking water from possibly contaminated wells.  Obviously there are Biblical admonishments against excessive use..............

[JonnieZ]

On 7/24/2016 at 9:44 PM, Godless said:

Other things that can cause cancer, according to the WHO (source):

The Sun

Chemical pollution in oceans and rivers

Chemical pollution in the air we breathe

Red Meat

Cured/Processed meats like bacon, salami, sausage, and pepperoni 

Working in the coal, rubber, petroleum, or shoemaker industries (among several others)

 

Life's too short to obsess over the things that might kill you. I love bacon and beer too much to give them up. I also quite enjoy breathing and occasionally swimming in the ocean. 

 

 

 

I love taking sun baths in the summer. And, I love bacon as well.