LEAF Blog

It may shock you to learn that alcohol is linked to several different types of cancers. 

Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy aims to make people more aware of the risks of drinking—in January 2025, Dr. Murthy called on Congress to update the warning labels on alcohol packaging. He released an advisory report that can be viewed here.

The current warnings on alcohol labels call out the risks to pregnancy and impaired driving, but Dr. Murthy estimates that less than half of Americans are aware of the risks for cancer.

“The science has been building for years, creating greater and greater certainty about more and more types of cancer,” Dr. Murthy told NPR’s Steve Inskeep.

What types of cancer are associated with drinking alcohol? And what can you do to protect yourself? 

You may have heard that alcohol is good for your heart, but is it really? We may picture someone living on the Mediterranean, sipping red wine by the beach and eating healthful foods, but is this a realistic picture of health?

Unfortunately, experts have debated this issue for decades—and they have not conclusively proven that alcohol benefits the heart.

There is a lot of evidence to the contrary, though. Read on for details.

Give yourself grace, count your wins, and keep trying. Read on for tips on learning from your triggers.

Start the year fresh with an alcohol-free month. People who accept the Dry January challenge experience a number of benefits. Learn more.

Children and teens face tough stuff everyday—from going to school to keeping up with friends to managing stress in our fast-paced world, all within the limits of a developing brain and body.

A traumatic event only adds to a child’s cognitive and emotional load.

November is a month dedicated to childhood grief awareness. While it’s not something we like to picture, approximately six million children will experience the death of a parent or sibling by the time the child turns eighteen (source: Judi’s House).

Children and teens are especially in need of support during these difficult times. A child’s grief can sometimes be overlooked during a crisis—or well-meaning adults may shield the child from the reality of death.

According to Harvard, children need just one stable relationship with a trusted adult to develop resilience.