Ep 34: Alcohol & Health: Its Journey through the Body

How does alcohol really affect your health? Anna is joined by Professor Charlie Knowles, a renowned medic and author, to shed light on the complex relationship between alcohol and our bodies. They explore the popular perception that a glass of red wine a day is beneficial and address its potential role in increasing the risk of serious health issues, including various types of cancer. Together they discuss how alcohol, a Group 1 carcinogen, affects everything from our DNA and gut microbiome to our social behaviours, and touch on the ethical responsibility of the medical profession and the drinks industry to inform the public about these risks, especially against the backdrop of aggressive alcohol advertising. There is a thin line between moderate consumption and dependency, significant global social consequences of alcohol, and staggering costs of alcohol-related harm. So, whether you're curious about cutting back or just want to make more informed choices, stay tuned as we rethink the big drink together!Here are the highlights:03:55 Professor Charlie Knowles' writing his book.13:00 How alcohol spreads through the body and affects it.20:37 Common reflux disease linked to obesity and cancer.32:30 Alcohol benefits for heart health questioned and debated.35:50 Changes in DNA can increase cancer risk.45:54 Know the risks and make decisions.49:07 Dependency, long-term memory and behaviour issues.53:47 Biology and alcohol: understanding addiction.🔗 Get all the free resources from the series at: Toolkit OptinAnna’s group coaching community ‘Unstuck!’ helps identify your alcohol ‘stories’ and beliefs, breaking the cycle of alcohol and all the shame that goes with it. For more information and to find out how to join, please follow this link: Unstuck! community informationTo further explore your relationship with alcohol, check out Anna’s self-guided programme, The Big Drink Rethink Experiment: https://www.thebeliefscoach.com/the-big-drink-rethink-experimentAnd apply the code POD99 to purchase for just £99 as a podcast listenerIf you’re loving the podcast and would like to give Anna a warm, fuzzy feeling of appreciation, then you can buy her a coffee:https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethinkAbout the host Anna:Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do.Connect with Anna:Website: thebeliefscoach.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonagheyInstagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethinkProduced by winteraudio.co.ukAbout Charles Knowles:Charles Knowles is Professor of Surgery at Queen Mary University of London and a colorectal surgeon. He is author of the book “Why We Drink Too Much: the new science of alcohol” which will be published by Macmillan in the UK, Commonwealth, US and Canada in January 2026. The book entwines his own journey with an understanding of the effects of alcohol in the body and brain, and how this informs rational approaches to stopping or moderating consumption.