Addressing High-Risk Drinking to Reduce Cancer Burden in Wisconsin

A lot of people drink too much alcohol, even though they don’t get social problems from alcohol. If you drink more than 7 drinks a week as a woman or 14 drinks a week as a man, that is too much. Even if you are under that number, consider if you are binge drinking. Binge drinking is drinking more than 3 drinks of alcohol at a time as a woman or more than 4 drinks of alcohol at a time as a man. If you do that, that is considered too much alcohol and it is unhealthy. It causes all sorts of health problems, such as problems with blood pressure. Alcohol is a poison. If you have trouble reducing alcohol to acceptable levels, please see me or another provider for a 4-day course of detox medicines and a referral to the therapist.

Vitamins and supplements sometimes work but they can cause problems. Biotin can interfere with labs, vitamin C can cause inflammation of your food pipe mimicking acid reflux or chest pain. On the other hand, elders often need vitamins, especially because they are at high risk of having a diet low in nutrients. People who drink too much alcohol (see above) should be taking vitamins. Please discuss supplements with me or another provider, we are here to serve you.

Dr. Lundin

Stockbridge-Munsee Medical Director