I had breast cancer back in 2006 – mastectomy and chemotherapy made for a tough year but here’s the thing:
It never occurred to me that my serious wine habit could be linked to my breast cancer.
It was another nine years before I joined the dots and finally quit.
Since becoming alcohol-free almost a decade ago, I have become passionate about the benefits of an alcohol-free lifestyle. Back in 2015, I founded Tribe Sober which has helped thousands of women to change their relationship with alcohol.
Between running Tribe Sober and interviewing Doctors and Scientists for our podcast, I live and breathe this stuff – and yet… I’m still learning.
The deeper I dive into the research around women and alcohol, the more I uncover shocking statistics and insights that most of us simply never hear about.
That’s a problem.
Like many women, I spent years pouring a glass of wine to take the edge off, without ever questioning the long-term impact on my health.
I knew drinking wasn’t great for me – but I didn’t know it could be this bad!
The Gender Gap No One Talks About
Did you know that alcohol-related strokes happen four times faster in women than in men? Or that women become addicted more quickly – and suffer alcohol-related heart disease earlier?
One study found that drinking alcohol increases the risk of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer by 35%, and estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer by 28%. And yet, 80% of Australian women surveyed had no idea there was a link between alcohol and breast cancer.
How can something this important be so invisible?
Big Alcohol Isn’t Just Selling Drinks – It’s Selling a Dream
Let’s be honest – alcohol is everywhere. It’s dressed up in pink and glitter and sold as empowerment:
“You deserve it, mama. You’ve earned that glass of rosé!”
From boozy brunches to breast cancer fundraisers sponsored by wine brands, the messaging is loud and clear: alcohol is your friend, your reward, your way to cope.
But no one is talking about the tight correlation between alcohol and women’s health.
The Silent Struggle
Did you know that 90% of people who are struggling with addiction do not reach out for help.
We’re talking about lawyers, teachers, health care workers, stay-at-home moms and so many more people – struggling in shame and silence.
At the end of my cancer treatment, I asked my oncologist if I needed to avoid alcohol in order to stay healthy.
“Of course not, my dear, there is nothing wrong with a glass of wine now and again!”
Of course, to a serious wine lover like me, that “now and again” meant every evening. If only he’d told me the truth – that alcohol was not only number one carcinogen, but alcohol and women’s health are closely connected – I probably would have ditched the booze straight away.
But, as it happened, I drank for another nine years, putting myself at risk of a cancer recurrence and becoming more dependent with each year that passed.
Why wasn’t I told? Why aren’t all women told? Why the secrecy?
The Facts Matter
We now know that women’s bodies process alcohol differently. We have more fat and less water than men, which means alcohol hits us harder and stays in our system longer. The risks aren’t just higher – they’re faster and more severe.
And yet, the only demographic where alcohol consumption is rising is among midlife women – the very group most at risk of alcohol-related health issues.
This isn’t about preaching or judging.
It’s about giving women the facts about the correlation between alcohol and women’s health, so they can make informed choices.
The facts about the connection between alcohol, estrogen dominance, impaired liver function, and increased cancer risk.
Change Is Coming
Thankfully, things are shifting. We see it every day in the popularity of our alcohol-free challenges and workshops. Just as menopause has finally entered the spotlight, alcohol and women’s health is beginning to follow.
We’re waking up to the truth: women aren’t just smaller versions of men. We have complex hormonal systems, and yet we’ve been left out of most medical research for decades.
That’s changing – but not fast enough.
We need more studies. We need more conversations. And most of all, we need to support each other in making empowered choices about our health.
Let’s keep spreading the word – because once you know the truth, you can’t un-know it.
Are YOU Ready for Change?
Are you feeling just a bit sober-curious after reading this article?
Why not take a break – it’s a great way to test your dependence. Take a month off alcohol, and you’ll feel (and look) so good you might just decide to keep going!
Here are some tips:
10 Tips to Get You Through an Alcohol-Free Month!
1. Shake Up Your Routine
Use your alcohol-free month as an opportunity to shake things up a bit. If you stick to your usual routine (without the alcohol) you will feel something is missing. Far better to use this time to take up a new hobby or start attending a new class. Don’t just sit around the house doing nothing as you’re far more likely to be hit with a craving for a glass of wine!
2. Track Your Progress
You can create a monthly tracker of your own or you can email me at janet@tribesober.com, and I’ll send you one of ours. At the end of each alcohol-free day colour in your square; even better – colour it in when you wake up and set your intention for the day. Enjoy a sense of achievement as you watch those AF days building up as you progress through the month.
3. Stock Up on Alcohol-Free Drinks
There has been an explosion in the alcohol-free drinks market over the last few years. Use this opportunity to be sober-curious and explore what’s available. Transfer your “wine-tasting” skills to the alcohol-free versions. Drygoodsdrinks.com have a fantastic selection so order a sample and find your favourites.
4. Remove Alcohol from the House
You’ll need plenty of space in your fridge to store your alcohol-free drinks so now is the time to remove any alcoholic drinks that might tempt you. Move them into the garage perhaps – just somewhere you don’t have to look at them on a daily basis. Make it easy on yourself by removing temptation!
5. Play the Movie Forward
If you are hit by a craving for a glass of wine, then just play the movie forward. Is it really going to be the one glass or will it lead to another? Imagine how you will feel the next morning when you wake up feeling disappointed in yourself and have to record your slip up on your tracker.
6. Journal
If you haven’t yet discovered the benefits of journalling, then use this month as an opportunity to try it out. Buy a lovely notebook and keep a daily record of how your alcohol-free month is going. Is it easy? What benefits are you experiencing? If it’s proving to be a bit tricky, then what are you struggling with?
7. Exercise
If you don’t yet have a daily exercise routine in place, then this could be the month you get started. The benefits of exercise for our mental and physical health are well documented. Make this the month you try out yoga or meditation. A brisk one-hour walk will trigger your happy brain chemicals and lift your spirits.
8. Listen to a Podcast Every Day
Podcasts are free, and they are brilliant for multi-tasking. If you’d like a bit of moral support for your alcohol-free month then listen to the Tribe Sober podcast while doing your daily walk. It’s full of expert advice and inspirational stories. More than 250 episodes are available on Apple and Spotify so you can create a 30-day playlist to get you through the month.
9. You Do You!
It’s so easy to get caught up in a whirlwind of people pleasing. Try to be a bit selfish during your alcohol-free month. Think carefully before accepting any social invitations which involve alcohol. Learn how to say “no” when you need some time for yourself. Slow down a bit and discover the joy of “me” time.
10. Join a Community
If you’ve tried before and struggled to achieve an alcohol-free month then you will find it so much easier if you join a sobriety group. You can sign up to Tribe Sober for a month and connect with other people who will understand and support you. You’ll meet people who are embracing an alcohol-free lifestyle, and you may even decide to join them!
If you’d like to get to know us a bit before signing up, then why not log into our 7-day online Free Bootcamp? It is virtual and will run from April 20th to 27th.
Tribe Sober’s 7-day Sobriety Bootcamp is hosted on the “Sobriety Bootcamp” private Facebook Group. Live sessions are recorded to suit all time zones.
It’s open now and it’s absolutely free. Furthermore, your Facebook friends will not be able to see that you’re a member.
Click here to join Sobriety Bootcamp Group.
Even if you don’t want to quit completely then taking a break will benefit your health and freshen up your looks.
Let’s Have a Conversation:
What stats about alcohol and women’s health are you aware of? Which stats shared in this article were you not aware of? Does this new information change anything for you? Would you consider taking your health in your own hands to take a break – or quit – alcohol?
