An expert on the risks of alcohol has been drinking heavily for years. His “default abstinence” rule helped him drink less, lose weight, and live a more fulfilling life.

• The U.S. Surgeon General has released a new report highlighting that moderate alcohol consumption may cause cancer.

• Richard Piper is an expert on alcohol harm and a former alcoholic.

• His “default abstinence” rule helps him reduce the risk of drinking while sober.

Richard Piper, 52, who runs regularly, feels more energetic, has lost weight and enjoys concerts and holidays more than he did at 42 – something he attributes to “a default dryness”.

Piper told Business Insider that he drank heavily every day for years. But after becoming chief executive of harm reduction charity Alcohol Change UK in 2017, he realized he needed to change his drinking habits.

He joins a growing number of people, especially Gen Z and Millennials, who drink less alcohol. A Gallop survey conducted between 2021 and 2023 found that 62% of U.S. adults ages 18 to 34 drink alcohol, down from 72% between 2001 and 2003.

“Drink-free by default” means that Piper is sober most of the time, but drinks on rare occasions – for example, when there are no non-alcoholic alternatives to his favorite beer.

He said he preferred this to staying sober because he could reduce his risk of alcohol-related harm without having to adhere to “permanent lifelong rules.”

On Friday, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released a new report stating that alcohol is the leading cause of preventable cancer and increases the risk of at least seven cancers, including breast, oral and cancer and colorectal cancer. Muti called for greater awareness of the causal link between alcohol consumption and cancer when making decisions about whether or how much to drink.

“There is no such thing as healthy drinking,” Piper said before Murthy’s report was released. “But there’s high-risk and low-risk drinking. And the less you drink, the healthier you are.”

Study shows all alcohol consumption is harmful — even in moderation

Some research suggests that moderate drinking may be better than no drinking at all. But recent research shows that the data pointing this out is flawed – it doesn’t take into account that people are more likely to quit drinking when they’re sick or addicted, meaning they’re in poor health although Don’t drink, not because of drinking.

Now, there is growing evidence that no amount of alcohol is safe.

According to the U.S. Surgeon General’s report, 25% of global cancer cases in 2020 occurred in people who drank two or fewer alcoholic beverages per day.

Drinking alcohol can also pose risks to other aspects of people’s lives, not just their health. “Alcohol can lead to poor decision-making — about getting home safely, who to talk to and what to say to them — and makes many of us do things we wouldn’t otherwise do,” Piper said.

You don’t have to quit drinking to reduce health risks

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults drink moderately, meaning fewer than one to two drinks a day, or no alcohol at all.

Piper said drinking one to two units of alcohol per week is indeed a very low risk of dying from alcohol and alcohol-related problems.

In general, he said, most people would see benefits from drinking less, including losing weight, saving money, sleeping better, having more energy, and relieving depression and anxiety. This is something you don’t see, like reduced cancer risk.

“Make sure you have a really good reason to drink,” he says, and that the benefits of drinking outweigh the risks.

“Basically, the less you drink, the better it is for your health, mental health and happiness,” says Piper, even if you don’t give up entirely.

“It’s always good to take a few days off a week. Alcohol should be on the edge of our lives, not the center,” he said.

Read the original article on Business Insider