Journey to the Sunnyside

Welcome to Journey to the Sunny Side, the podcast where we have thoughtful conversations to explore the science of habits, uncover the secrets to mindful living, and, of course, inspire your own mindful drinking journey. This podcast is brought to you by Sunny Side, the number 1 alcohol moderation platform. And if you could benefit from drinking a bit less, head on over to sunnyside.co to get a free fifteen day trial. I'm your host, Mike Hardenbrook, published author, neuroscience enthusiast, and habit change expert. I'm excited to dive into something that has been making big headlines recently, and that is The US Surgeon General has issued a major advisory calling new warning labels on alcohol.

Specifically, they're recommending that these labels include a warning about the link between alcohol and cancer. Now this is a game changer for a few reasons. First, it's something that we've known about for decades. The research actually has been very clear. Alcohol is a carcinogen, meaning that it causes cancer, and yet most people don't know this.

But here's what's really fascinating and what we'll dig into today is that studies show that pairing this kind of education, the why to reduce with a specific action step, the how to reduce, is 1 of the most effective ways to help people drink less. And guess what? At Sunnyside, we've been doing the how part for a long time. So today, I'm gonna walk you through what this new advisory means, the science behind it, and how this all connects to what we're doing here at Sunnyside to help people build healthier habits. So first, let's talk about the research because this is really compelling.

There's a study published in Addictive Behaviors in 2021 by Simone Pettigrew, and her team tested a simple but powerful idea. They asked, what happens when you pair information about the health risks of alcohol with practical strategies to reduce consumption? Here's how the study worked. They recruited nearly 8000 participants, and then they split them into 2 different groups. Some groups were shown a TV ad that explained the link between alcohol and cancer.

That's the why to reduce. The other groups were also given practical advice like keeping track of their dreams. That's the how to reduce part. And the results of the study were very clear. The group that saw the cancer warning and was encouraged to log their drinks significantly reduced their alcohol intake over six weeks.

So really the conclusion is is that it's simple, but a very powerful thing to understand why alcohol is risky and have a tool to track your habits that can make the difference. Now let's put this into perspective. Alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in The US after tobacco and obesity. The surgeon general estimates that alcohol is responsible for about a hundred thousand cases of cancer and twenty thousand deaths a year. And while that's surprising, here's another shocking stat from the study.

Only twenty five to fifty percent of people are even aware that alcohol is a carcinogen. That means that most people don't know that drinking, even in moderate amounts, can increase their risk of cancers like breast, liver, and colon cancer. And this lack of awareness is why the surgeon general is pushing for new labels on alcohol. And these labels have not been updated since 1988. And back then, those warnings were focused more on pregnancy risk and driving safely, which are still important, of course, but they left out a bigger picture about the long term health risks related to alcohol and cancer.

And this whole thing isn't just about education. It's about making people pause and think. When you know that there are risks, you're more likely to wanna take action, and that's where pairing education and a specific strategy like tracking comes in. And at Sunnyside, we believe education is a pillar of success when it comes to changing your relationship with alcohol. That's why we've invested heavily in getting this podcast going and all the education that you'll find inside of the app.

And we've seen firsthand learning about the health risks of alcohol combined with tracking your daily intake can be the game changer. And in fact, the same strategies highlighted in the study, like counting your drinks, are exactly what we built into our platform. And it's not just about reducing alcohol. It's about getting curious. It's about building awareness, and it's about finding what works for you.

And I can't tell you how many times we've heard from our community that tracking their drinks is eye opening. They started noticing patterns that they hadn't seen before, like reaching for a drink out of habit rather than enjoyment. And for many, this was the first step toward making lasting change. Now here's why I think this new advisory is great news. It has potential to spark a societal shift even greater than what we're starting to see around alcohol.

More people are starting to question their relationship with alcohol. They're asking themselves how alcohol actually fits into their life, or what would my life look like if I cut back a little bit? And the surgeon general's warning might be a wake up call for millions of people who've never even thought about these questions before. And when they start to explore their habits, platforms like Sunnyside are here to help them make that next step. And at the end of the day, it's all about giving people tools, not just scaring them with facts, but empowering them to make changes that align with their values and goals.

So let me bring this back to you. If this topic has you thinking today, first, start with education. Understanding the risks of alcohol, like links to cancer, is the foundation to making informed choices. Second, take action. If you're not already tracking your drinks, now is a great time to start.

Many people have already started with dry or driest Jan. 0. And knowing that it's not about perfection, it's more about awareness and progress. And tracking helps you see these patterns, set your goals, and take more control of your habits. And if you're ready to explore what cutting back or taking a break might look like, Sunnyside is always here for you.

Our platform gives you the tools to track your progress along with support and resources to make this easier. And the surgeon general's advisory is a reminder that small changes can lead to big health benefits. Whether it's cutting back by 1 drink or taking a few alcohol free days each week, every step of that counts. So I'll leave you with that. Thanks for tuning in to this week's ten minute Monday.

This is such an important conversation, and I hope it has inspired you to take a closer look at your own habits. I know if you're listening to this, that is a great first step. You're likely on your journey if you're thinking about it or you're curious. Check out Sunnyside for more resources and tools. Of course, we have a free fifteen day trial.

And if you found today's episode helpful, please share it with somebody who might need to hear it. And until next time, cheers to your mindful drinking journey.