Heart Foundation: Is it time to rethink alcohol?

For many years, there has been a belief that drinking alcohol in moderation is acceptable. Recent evidence has now become stronger and clearly indicates that any amount of alcohol consumption raises the risk of heart disease.

The Heart Foundation’s new advice is that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption. If you don’t currently drink any alcohol, then don’t start. If you do drink alcohol, it’s better to drink less. 

However, we need to remember that 4 out of 5 New Zealand adults choose to drink, so for many people this becomes a conversation about less is best and being practical and realistic in relation to your alcohol consumption. 

For many New Zealanders who choose to drink, a significant step can be being more mindful about the amount you drink each week, the frequency you drink, and to understand that any steps taken to reduce the amount you drink over time will have benefits for heart health.

Alcohol can affect your heart in many ways, from impairing the function of the endothelium – a thin layer of cells lining the inside of the heart and blood vessels – to increasing heart rate and blood pressure. 

Just over a year ago the Heart Foundation updated its position statement on alcohol and heart health. This process involved looking at the latest evidence from other international organisations. 

• Drinking alcohol increases your risk of high blood pressure – a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Around 20% of adults in New Zealand are living with high blood pressure.
• Alcohol increases your risk of heart conditions like atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) and may also increase your risk of heart failure and ischaemic heart disease. 

Beyond heart health, it is well reported that alcohol also has strong link with several other health conditions, including bowel and breast cancers – two of the most common cancers in New Zealand.

It’s a commonly held belief that a glass of red wine is good for your heart. This has come about because red wine contains antioxidants like resveratrol (responsible for the red colour in wine) and the healthiness of the traditional Mediterranean diet, which includes small amounts of alcohol with meals. 

There is now stronger evidence to clearly show that any amount or type of alcohol increases the risk of heart disease. It doesn’t matter whether it’s wine, beer, cider, or spirits – it’s all still alcohol.

Ways to reduce alcohol consumption will vary for different people. For many, making the commitment to drink less alcohol is hard to do. Any steps to reduce the amount you drink will benefit your heart health. 

• Have alcohol-free weeks and weekends wherever you can.  
• Choose alcohol-free activities or make your usual activities alcohol-free. 
• Drink slowly. 
• For every drink of alcohol, have a drink of water or soda water. 
• Try having ‘low’ or ‘zero’ alcohol products in place of full-strength drinks. 
• Chat with friends and whānau if you need their support.  

Often a gradual approach can work for people and it’s best to make small steps over time that are realistic and achievable. Overall, the best sorts of changes are ones that stick and fit into our ongoing daily/weekly/monthly routine. 

Our blog on making healthy habits stick can be found here.

• Go for a short walk.
• Do a yoga or Pilates class, or your favourite form of physical activity. 
• Phone a friend or member of your whānau. 
• Read a book or magazine. 
• Play music or listen to an audiobook/podcast. 
• Try guided meditation or mindfulness. 

• Saving money 
• Improving sleep quality  
• Improving memory and concentration  
• Helping manage your weight due to alcohol being high in kilojoules (calories) 
• Helping manage or improve mental health.  

Regularly connecting with people is crucial for our mental, emotional and physical health. However, you can still socialise without alcohol or while drinking less. It’s a good idea to let people know that you’re not drinking or aiming to drink less so that they can support you. 

When arranging to catch up with friends and family, focus on food or an activity. Examples could include a bush walk, pot-luck dinner, picnic or sporting activity.  

We have created some great, lower-sugar alternatives to alcohol to help keep you hydrated. These options, as well as water, are great to have on hand, especially if entertaining.

• Infused water combinations 
• Iced Teas 
• Non-alcoholic cool mint crush mojito