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José Antonio Rodríguez Piedrabuena-- Alcohol and cancer Dairy products and health

On the subject of boozefests and non-parties

Moderate wine consumption did not shorten life span. In contrast, very moderate regular drinkers exhibited somewhat lower mortality rates and longer life expectancy than abstainers. This superiority is not great in the moderate male drinker and may not be statistically significant. But it certainly does not support the almost universal belief that alcohol always shortens life, even in moderate amounts.

In the specific case of alcohol, for which there is strong evidence, the associations of alcohol intake with the risk of kidney and stomach cancer qualified with a "weak evidence"The one that does, on the other hand linked to pre-menopausal breast cancer was rated with "convincing evidence".

"Biological mechanisms linking alcohol consumption to breast cancer would primarily involve altered circulating and intracellular oestrogen concentrations and the subsequent proliferation of oestrogen receptors (ER) in mammary epithelial cells. More specifically, alcohol consumption has been associated with increased concentrations of circulating estrogens and androgens in observational studies, and ethanol promotes the proliferation of ER+ but not ER- breast cancer cells".

Chronic alcohol intake has also been associated with oxidative stress (premature ageing, wrinkling of the skin), gut dysbiosis, altered composition of gut bacteria without which we cannot be healthy and live long, and hyperpermeability to luminal bacterial products, because it damages the tight junctions between intestinal cells, which can lead to the development of colorectal cancer, alcoholic liver disease and liver cancer.

Direct carcinogenic effects, and its metabolites are another potential mechanism for cancer development, as acetaldehyde - one of them, which will later be detected with the breathalyser - that the body will try to eliminate even through the skin, and is also transformed into abdominal fat.

This substance rapidly binds to DNA and proteins and produces DNA adducts, resulting in point mutations in DNA. Adducts, forms of DNA resulting from exposure to carcinogens (in the case of smokers, these would be carcinogenic components of smoke).

And the power of milk

The dairy products may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer due to its high calcium concentration. "Other pathways include the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis via the preservation of the integrity of intestinal epithelial cells and the maintenance of immune homeostasis in the gut".

They also point out that studies have shown that "the Lactic acid bacteria - Lactic acid bacteria - Lactic acid bacteria yoghurts, cheeses and kefir–  can absorb mutagens from cooked foods, deactivate intestinal carcinogens and reduce intestinal inflammation. Eat cheese with meals as it is done in France, and was done in the past, here in rural areas.

The integral products, natural flakes with no added cereals, seeds and nuts as protective agents against colorectal cancer, for which there is, they say, "strong supporting evidence". They contain high levels of dietary fibre and other nutrients and substances with potential anti-cancer properties. Specifically, dietary fibre "shortens intestinal transit time, dilutes colonic contents and promotes anaerobic fermentation of intestinal bacteria. As a result, carcinogenic substances spend less time in contact with epithelial cells, while short-chain fatty acids are produced". In addition, wholegrain products reduce fasting insulin concentrations, which is an established risk factor for colorectal cancer.

Coffee

In relation to the coffeeThe paper has found that it has been the subject of much research. "We found evidence to suggest that coffee intake decreases the risk of basal cell carcinoma of the liver and skin. The beneficial effects of coffee consumption could be due to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of their phytochemical compounds which may protect against inflammation-triggered diseases such as cancer. In addition, coffee consumption has been linked to a improved liver injury marker profile and therefore may reduce the risk of liver cancer. But no more than two cups a day, caffeinated or not.

In conclusion, they propose that, in the field of public health and health policiesthe efforts should be aimed at discerning the main diet-related cancer risk factors, in particular dietary obesity and alcohol consumption.

The main dietary risk factors are a high sodium intake and low intake of healthy productsThe paper also highlights the need for more whole grains, such as whole grains, natural oat flakes, fruit, nuts, seeds, olive oil and vegetables. "The work also highlights the need to interventions that promote the production, distribution and consumption of healthy food around the world," explained Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.

*The texts reflect the views of the author and are independent of the opinions of PROA.

This text may be reproduced provided that PROA is credited as the original source.

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