Health Farm

-- American Cancer Society (ACS) now says it’s best to completely avoid alcohol

Wine drinkers have partly justified their excesses by raising a glass to the high levels of polyphenols – a type of antioxidant – contained in grapes.  

But it turns out that no amount of any alcohol is beneficial, which is the likely reason why the society’s updated guidelines advise total abstinence.

Though should we be surprised given alcohol is a known human carcinogen and linked to several types of cancer?

Meat is also in the spotlight, with updated guidelines upping the ante from limiting consumption to avoidance.

Previous: Limit consumption of processed meat and red meat. Eat at least 2.5 cups of vegetables and fruits daily. Choose whole grains instead of refined grain products. Emphasis on plant foods for a healthy diet.

New: Avoid red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, highly processed foods, and refined grains. Eat foods high in nutrients including a variety of vegetables – dark green, red and orange, fibre-rich legumes (beans and peas), fruits in a variety of colours and whole grains.

We need to sweat more, too. ACS previously recommended a least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity for adults. Now they suggest increasing the amount of time to 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity each week; achieving or exceeding 300 minutes is optimal.