Holy Buck, Fatman!

EVERYTHING causes cancer.

Every vice, that is. Now, researchers have shown that consumption of alcohol, any kind of alcohol, will increase a woman’s chance of developing Breast Cancer by nearly 10% if one alcoholic beverage is consumed every day.  If you drink that second glass of wine with your dinner (thinking you’re keeping that heart disease at bay), You’re putting yourself at an even increased risk for Breast Cancer.

Goddammit.

Why is it that every single vice is bad for you? Even in moderation? What.The.Fuck?

Yes, I have an increased risk of developing Breast Cancer because my mother is a survivor. Because of this, I am subjected to a yearly boob squish or MRI every year. I do not mind this; in understand that it is part of well check ups and early detection. So, if I want to decrease my risk even further, I must severely curtail  my favorite social past time? Fuck. FUCKITY FUCK FUCK FUCK!

When you see someone you love die of cancer,   a part of you doesn’t   want to go through that horror yourself.  So you take every precaution, change your habits and make sure to be vigilant on news surrounding potential research on the disease. It starts to get increasingly difficult to live this way all the time,(because, you know, Stress raises your risk of breast cancer, too!) so you often find yourself saying,  “Well, now that I have witnessed death, I know it’s inevitable, so screw it. Enjoy life!”

I can tell you that I fall into  living in the “Enjoy Life!” camp. I socialize at a corner bar. I have a few too many on the weekends sometimes. I drink a beer or two after work.  I LIKE TO DRINK BEER. and wine. And tequila. Not all in the same night, mind you. But, yes, those are my drinks of choice. Reading that having drinks  in moderation even, can raise your risk is like giving someone a shovel to start digging their own grave.

I’m sure my habits aren’t life threatening and with pervention, I’ll be fine.

What troubles me is the fact that this news could start a movement within insurance companies to raise premiums on women who might drink a cocktail on occasion. With the risk of developing breast cancer nearly 1 in 8 women, it would not surprise me in the least that insurance companies (both life & health) would use such data to cash in. Healthcare companies could potentially start to deny benefits to women with histories of alcoholism in their family citing a “risk”.  Could this happen? It’s not likely since drinking is somewhat socially acceptable. But, then again, when we look at history, we can see that one group of people were wildly successful in passing temperance legislation. I believe these are important questions   worth discussing, even if we come to the conclusion that it’s a bit tin foil hat like. I don’t trust the Insurance industry.

Either way, It’s Friday and I’ll be having a few drinks, despite what was recently published.  Bottoms up.