Is there really no safe amount of drinking?

Plus more health news | Email not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( [Health Matters]( How to make sense of the new alcohol guidelines you've likely been hearing about By Jamie Ducharme Health Correspondent Did you know that alcohol is a known human carcinogen and linked to multiple forms of cancer? If so, [you’re in the minority of Americans]( this week’s news cycle may change that. As you’ve likely seen in the headlines, new health guidance from Canada suggests that the safest amount of alcohol to consume is none. (And if you really must drink, the report suggests having no more than two beverages per week to minimize health risks.) That’s a huge bummer to anyone who likes to consider their nightly glass of wine “healthy,” but it’s not terribly surprising if you’ve been following research on alcohol over the past few years. Back in 2018, [I covered a string of studies]( that came to the same conclusion: [even small amounts of drinking aren’t good for you](. In the years since, scientific consensus has continued to shift away from the old notion that light drinking is good for your heart and lifespan, and toward an understanding that even small amounts of booze may increase risks of multiple chronic diseases, not to mention accidents and injuries. While U.S. dietary guidelines haven’t embraced a zero-drinking approach yet, alcohol’s scientific reckoning doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. [READ THE STORY](. What else to read [It’s Not Just You: The Flu Is Bad This Year]( By Tara Law This flu season is no 100-year outbreak. But it’s the most severe flu season since the start of the pandemic. [Read More »]( [It May Not Be Long Before We’re All Suffering from Climate Trauma]( By Jeffrey Kluger Depression, anxiety, and distraction are all symptoms of the trauma that comes from experiencing a climate disaster, finds a new study. [Read More »]( [As COVID-19 Barrels Through China, Some Are Turning to Black Market Amid Drug Shortages]( By Armani Syed Hong Kong customs officials seized over the weekend thousands of contraband antivirals headed for the mainland. [Read More »]( [Exclusive: ‘I Feel Like I’m Drowning.’ Survey Reveals the Toll of Working For Amazon]( By Billy Perrigo Amazon was fined Wednesday over a failure to keep workers safe at three warehouses. [Read More »]( [Why 2023 Could Finally Be the Year of the 4-Day Workweek]( By Lisa Abend Both employers and employees have declared global trials of a four-day workweek an overwhelming success. [Read More »]( ONE LAST READ [The germiest spot in your kitchen might surprise you]( As the Washington Post reports, a recent [study]( from the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that 48% of spice jars used while participants prepared turkey burgers became contaminated with bacteria from the meat. About 10% to 20% of other kitchen surfaces, like countertops, tested positive for bacteria. [Read More »]( --------------------------------------------------------------- If you were forwarded this and want to sign up to receive it daily, [click here](. Today's newsletter was written by Jamie Ducharme and Angela Haupt, and edited by Elijah Wolfson. [Want more from TIME? Sign up for our other newsletters.]( [Subscribe to TIME]( TIME may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this email. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Connect with TIME via [Facebook]( | [Twitter]( | [Newsletters]( [UNSUBSCRIBE]( [PRIVACY POLICY]( [YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS]( TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508, Boone, IA 50037-0508 Questions? Contact health@time.com Copyright © 2023 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved.