Dr. Sarah Wakeman

Then you start to see that those like health benefits of alcohol go away, especially if you look across all conditions.

Then you start to see that those like health benefits of alcohol go away, especially if you look across all conditions.

Yes, I would never say drinking alcohol is good for your health. That doesn't mean that drinking at what we call low-risk levels can't be a part of a healthy lifestyle. So it's a slight shift that, like, don't fool yourself into thinking that drinking that glass of wine is, like, going to exercise for 30 minutes. Like, it's not something that's going to promote your health.

Yes, I would never say drinking alcohol is good for your health. That doesn't mean that drinking at what we call low-risk levels can't be a part of a healthy lifestyle. So it's a slight shift that, like, don't fool yourself into thinking that drinking that glass of wine is, like, going to exercise for 30 minutes. Like, it's not something that's going to promote your health.

I think of it more like having dessert, eating bacon, going out in the sun. There are risks associated with all those activities. It doesn't mean that I would say you can never do any of that, but you need to understand what the risks are and then make choices for yourself.

I think of it more like having dessert, eating bacon, going out in the sun. There are risks associated with all those activities. It doesn't mean that I would say you can never do any of that, but you need to understand what the risks are and then make choices for yourself.

Yep.

Yep.

Yep.

Yep.

Well, so part of the challenge is what we think of as one drink. So I think much like, you know, if you learn to read the serving size on a food, you realize that like a serving of ice cream is like a half scoop. It's not like a giant ice cream sundae. The same is true with alcohol.

Well, so part of the challenge is what we think of as one drink. So I think much like, you know, if you learn to read the serving size on a food, you realize that like a serving of ice cream is like a half scoop. It's not like a giant ice cream sundae. The same is true with alcohol.

So in the UK, the kind of low risk drinking limits talk about units of alcohol, which is the equivalent of eight grams of alcohol. So how much of a drink has eight grams of alcohol? And to be in that low-risk category, you have to be below 14 units. The problem is that glass of wine, just eyeballing it, has several units of alcohol.

So in the UK, the kind of low risk drinking limits talk about units of alcohol, which is the equivalent of eight grams of alcohol. So how much of a drink has eight grams of alcohol? And to be in that low-risk category, you have to be below 14 units. The problem is that glass of wine, just eyeballing it, has several units of alcohol.

So it is not a – even though we think of it as a single drink, it's probably – I mean, I have to guess, but it's probably like three units of alcohol.

So it is not a – even though we think of it as a single drink, it's probably – I mean, I have to guess, but it's probably like three units of alcohol.

You'd be right at that limit. The problem is most people don't drink just one glass. If you have two glasses one day and then one glass one day and then three glasses one day because you're at a social function, all of a sudden you're actually quite a lot over that limit.

You'd be right at that limit. The problem is most people don't drink just one glass. If you have two glasses one day and then one glass one day and then three glasses one day because you're at a social function, all of a sudden you're actually quite a lot over that limit.

And you get 14 a week.

And you get 14 a week.