Is it necessary to give up drinking to be healthy? Is alcohol truly bad for your health?
Aside from the apparent personal injury risks that come with drinking too much at any sitting, there are some challenges your body faces when presented with alcoholic beverages in general. The reaction to alcohol in the body is similar to that of white sugar. Both alcohol and white sugar go into the body and are converted immediately to energy. This “conversion to energy” process requires minerals, vitamins, and enzymes, none of which are supplied by alcohol or white sugar. So really, alcohol is a “negative” energy substance. You get a temporary spurt of energy, but your body loses more than it gains. And alcohol stimulation, like that of white sugar, is usually followed by a let-down.
If you occasionally enjoy a glass of wine or a social drink, your health shouldn’t suffer. You don’t need to resolve never to drink alcohol again rigidly. You could, but that wouldn’t necessarily guarantee good health more than rigidly deciding never to eat meat again. “Rigidly resolving” anything is the catch here. Moderation is the word. If you deny yourself every small pleasure in a crusade for health, you’re not living – you’re just existing.
Proper health is a function of balance. There isn’t anything – aside from the illegal or immoral – that we would advocate giving up altogether (well, except smoking cigarettes!). Moderation is the key. Treat yourself occasionally to the food and drink you enjoy but have chosen not to eat or drink regularly. And, when you treat yourself, enjoy it without guilt. Guilt is far more detrimental to your long-term health than an occasional “bad” food or drink! Then, get back to body-friendly eating and drinking. Oh, and enjoy that too, or your negative feelings about the “good stuff” could outweigh the benefits!