April: Alcohol Awareness Month
Why you should think twice about the next sip
April kicks off Alcohol Awareness Month—it’s a chance to get a clearer look at how we’re all using booze. Most U.S. adults sip responsibly, but when problems pop up, they’re a huge public‑health headline.
- Every day: About 15 million adults in the U.S. grapple with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD).
- Every year: Roughly 88,000 people lose their lives to alcohol‑related causes.
- What that means: Alcohol is the third leading preventable killer in America.
Where the numbers get worrisome by 2040
By the time we hit 2040, the numbers look like a bad headline:
- 8,000 more deaths linked to alcohol‑related liver disease.
- 18,700 unfortunate cases of liver failure.
- 1,000 new cases of liver cancer.
What’s going on in the liver
AUD doesn’t just stay in your mind—it rips through your organs, especially the liver. Two heavyweight players in the liver‑problem lineup are:
- Alcoholic Liver Disease (ALD) – the obvious culprit when you’re looking at alcohol.
- Non‑Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) – the sneaky one that builds up fat in your liver for reasons that aren’t booze (think diet, inactivity, and all that healthy‑spoiler stuff).
Both ALD and NAFLD are among the most common reasons why people in the U.S. need a liver transplant. That’s more than you’d guess when you’re swiping through your grocery list.
Wanna keep your liver happy?
- Drink in moderation—whether it’s a glass of wine or a bubbly, still.
- Take breaks. A “dry day” can work wonders.
- Watch what you eat; keep that liver from feeling the shame.
- Get checked. It’s just a health check—no drama.
In short, April is the place to drop those questions. It’s a reminder that while you’re out celebrating, your body’s not wait‑ting for the next cheers. Let’s keep the liver happy and the headlines from turning into a crisis.
