What the???
Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 10:27 pm
This was posted on another beer forum. It's really, really long. THought it was quite a riot. Wonder if B3 got a copy of it..
The first paragraph is written from the guy that posted it on RCB, the rest is the letter itself.
Enjoy!
The following letter was e-mailed to me by my boss. Apparently, the
woman who wrote it is ending it out to every homebrew store in the
cosmos.
Hi, if you receive this email, I found it when I was
doing a search for a local homebrew and winery supply
company, after reading in a park district brochure
that this company is involved in a beer and wine
making workshop for the park district. I was just
appalled and wrote the park district telling them how
bad it is they are promoting alcohol. But in my search
for the winery supply place, up comes this site called
Homebrew Supply Shops with a huge long list! I had NO
IDEA there were so many of these places! That is just
terrible! Gosh, it's going to take several emailings
to reach everyone; at first I had to copy down all the
email addresses and now I have to type them in, what a
job! As if I don't have enough to do. I wish I hadn't
stumbled across that site. Anyway, I will send you
what I wrote to the park district. I hope you will
read it and take it to heart, and stop selling,
promoting, glorifying, and drinking booze, if you do
all that. I just can't believe that there are
businesses that do this!
Well, please read what I have written about why
alcohol is unhealthy and unwholesome, and take it to
heart, and try to find some other business to get into
which does not involve alcohol. You are better than
that!
Thank you and take care,
Cindy
MY LETTER TO THE PARK DISTRICT:
I can't believe the Oswegoland Park District offers a
beer and winemaking workshop! After all I have told
you about how unhealthy and unwholesome alcohol is,
and you are still promoting and glorifying booze! Have
you offered this in the past? If so, have people
actually signed up for it? Sheesh. I would like to
attend this class and then chastise everyone. "What is
WRONG with you people???" I'd like to say. "How can
you think making booze is a good thing? That is
terrible! Do you all actually DRINK?? What a thing to
do! You are making a toxic chemical that affects every
hormone in your body and poisons cells, and has been
linked to cancer and birth defects and everything
else, and is a mind-altering drug! Is this what you
people are LIKE? Don't you have any respect for
yourselves? Most parents try to raise their children
to grow up to always find NATURAL ways of relaxing and
unwinding and feeling good, not by using drugs! And
alcohol IS a drug! Drug abuse experts will tell you
that alcohol is the most widely used and abused
psychoactive drug in the world! And here you are,
grown adults, thinking nothing of consuming such a
substance to get a 'buzz' or whatever it is you get
from that stuff. That is TERRIBLE! Think of the
example you are setting! Stand up for yourself and do
what is right!"
But don't worry, I would never do that. I'm too much
of a wimp. Really, it is not good to consume this
stuff at all, not even in moderation. That's like
saying poison is okay in moderation, or that smoking a
joint is okay in moderation. And please don't tell me
to just not sign up for this class if I don't care for
alcohol. I already know that. That's not the point.
Believe me, I don't go to fancy restaurants because of
all the drinkers, I don't go to office parties or
class reunions or to Park District fund raisers such
as yours where they serve beer and wine. I have no
intention of signing up for this workshop, just like I
have no intention of signing up for the adult hip hop
class. Although if I had to choose, I'd take the hip
hop. But the point of this email is to try to get
whoever is involved in this booze class to wake up and
realize how wrong it! I'd like to know who decided to
hold such a class. Who thought, "Hey, let's have a
beer and wine making workshop! Let's advertise about
how grown adults can make their own psychoactive drug
to get a buzz!" Was there a committee of some sort
that had to approve this bright idea? And then who is
this Fox Valley Homebrew & Winery Supplies? I never
heard of them. Are they affiliated with that Fox
Valley Winery? The place I have written to numerous
times to try to get them to realize that they are
manufacturing a toxic, mind-altering drug and that
they should get out of this business, but instead they
EXPAND their business and continue to offer
wine-tastings and "Girls Night Out" wine tastings and
be quoted in newspaper articles promoting and
glorifying alcohol? In any case, I will have to
contact this supply company and tell them that what
they are doing is not a good thing at all! You are
setting a terrible example. Kids can read this
brochure and what message are they getting? That when
you grow up, you consume (and even MAKE) booze,
because that's what grownups do. It's good to ingest a
psychoactive drug to get a "buzz". It's cool and fun
and sophisticated! But that is ridiculous. Adults
should be well past the age when they want to mess
around with a psychoactive drug. I experimented
briefly with alcohol during my college days in the
70s, to be bad and cool and as a bad way of dealing
with problems, but I got all that out of my system by
the time I was 20 or so! You have this workshop under
"adult interests", but in my opinion it should be in
"Immature Teens Still Wanting to Experiment With a
Mind-Altering Drug Interests". I mean really, don't
you agree? Don't you think that we as grown adults
should know better than to want to spend a bunch of
money on a horrible-tasting, toxic chemical to get a
"buzz" and relax and unwind or whatever it is you get
from that stuff? You wouldn't smoke pot, right? At
least I hope not. All the pot-smokers I talked to
online, and there were tons of them--grown adults with
good jobs and families and education, who thought
nothing of lighting up a joint on a Friday night--said
that smoking a joint is about the same effect as one
or two glasses of beer or wine. So drinking beer or
wine is about the same effect as smoking a joint. One
is legal, the other is not. When I chastised all those
pot smokers online, they'd say all accusingly, "I bet
you think nothing of drinking your WINE." Of course
they were eager to prove me a hypocrite. I would be so
shocked and offended. But then I'd have to remember
that they did not know me, that they thought I was
like "everybody else". I'd explain that we shouldn't
drink wine or smoke pot, that we should not use any
psychoactive drugs!
My husband told me how he was in college sharing a
beer with his uncle. His uncle said, "I don't really
like beer." My husband said, "I don't, either!" He
remembers this as essentially giving him PERMISSION to
not drink alcohol, to not try to fit in and be cool
and be like everybody else. Isn't that inspiring? We
just have no desire to alter our minds, or to spend
our hard-earned money on a horrible tasting liquid. We
nourish our bodies with good food, drink water to
quench our thirst, and have nice, wholesome hobbies to
relax and unwind. There is no room or desire for
alcohol! And then years ago I joined a church in which
alcohol is against my religion. So that is yet another
reason I don't drink, and this only confirmed my
belief that alcohol is wrong. But as I said, I did not
drink BEFORE I joined this church. But this isn't even
a religious issue! It's just common sense! My husband
is not particularly religious and HE knows not to
consume booze! But then I know people who say they are
Christians and yet they drink. That just drives me up
the wall. My husband knows a guy at his work, though,
who is a born again Christian who does not drink. So
at least that restores my faith in humanity.
OH MY GOSH! I just did a web search for that Fox
Valley Homebrew & Winery Supplies place, and found
some site with a listing of "homebrew supply shops",
with well over 100 companies that do this kind of
thing! That is TERRIBLE! Most of them have websites
and I had to write down all those emails, grrr. Like I
don't have enough things to do! Now I have to type
them all and send a copy of this to all these places.
And then that list seemed to be sponsored by the
"Brewers Association", with all these links to
newspaper articles such as "US Brewers Take Gold and
National Awards." Oh brother! There are actually
AWARDS for booze. Now I have to write to THEM! I hate
when things like this happen. All because I innocently
picked up your brochure. You just HAD to have a booze
making class. And then that sets me off and I end up
spending hours writing this up and writing out tons of
email addresses and getting so disillusioned with the
world. This is just unbelievable that so many people
think nothing of drinking booze, and even MAKING it!!!
And it is just terrible that the Oswegoland Park
District is promoting and glorifying alcohol, even
after all I have told you. I hope you will read my
REVISED paper below regarding why it is unhealthy and
unwholesome to consume alcohol, and take it to heart
and not offer such a class anymore. You have a
responsibility! Do NOT be afraid to stand up and do
what is right! Take a stand! Set an example! You are
better than that!
Thank you and take care,
Cindy
WHY ALCOHOL IS UNHEALTHY AND UNWHOLESOME
When I was growing up, both of my parents drank, and
it caused many problems in their marriage and our
family life. Even though my mother drank herself, she
always told me, "Never marry a man who drinks!" And I
listened to her. I can't imagine being married to
someone who thinks nothing of drinking booze. Our kids
would be shocked and lose respect for us if they saw
my husband and I sitting around with a glass of wine
or beer or a mixed drink or ANYTHING like that. I
don't even drink coffee or tea, as these are bad for
you, too.
Of course people will say, "But wine is good for you!
Doctors say it's healthy in moderation!" But I don't
believe it. There may be SOME benefits to alcohol, but
the risks far outweigh them. There are other ways to
achieve whatever benefits alcohol MAY have without
pouring this poison down your throat. Besides, most
people aren't drinking this stuff for any health
benefits, they are drinking it to get a "buzz" or
whatever it is they get out of this. It's not good to
want to get a buzz from a psychoactive drug! And
alcohol IS a drug. Drug abuse experts will tell you
that alcohol is the most widely used and abuse
psychoactive drug in the world! It is not good to
drink this stuff at all, not even in moderation.
That's like saying poison is good in moderation, or
that smoking a joint is good in moderation. We
shouldn't use alcohol at all.
There are many doctors who know alcohol is not good
for you. Leading endocrinologist Dr. Diana Schwarzbein
states that alcohol is a toxic chemical that affects
every hormone in your body, and poisons cells. It has
been linked to cancer and birth defects. Scwharzbein
is the author of The Schwarzbein Principle, where she
talks about healthy eating and maintaining a healthy
lifestyle. Her book is excellent, I highly recommend
it. She tells how to eat balanced meals, and advises
controlling your intake of healthy, whole-grain carbs
according to your metabolism and activity level. It is
not fat and calories that cause weight gain, it is the
overconsumption of sugar and refined carbohydrates
that is the problem. (I know, because I lost 50 pounds
on Somersize, a controlled-carb program. Schwarzbein
wrote the introduction for a couple of the Somersize
books, authored by Suzanne Somers. I am still on this
program, because it is something one can stay on for
life! It's not a diet but a way of eating, full of
delicious food. But that's a whole different story; I
could write 50 pages on that alone!) Anyway, some of
the things Schwarzbein says in her books:
"Alcohol is a toxic chemical that causes an imbalance
of all your major hormones. This causes your body to
use up its biochemicals more than it rebuilds them.
Recent studies have linked alcohol consumption to
breast cancer and probably colon and prostate cancer
as well."
"Alcohol consumption at night usually helps to relax
people, and they fall asleep readily. However, it is
very common for them to wake up between 2 and 4 A.M.
because of the hypoglycemic effects of alcohol. While
you are sleeping your brain still needs a constant
supply of sugar to survive, but alcohol blocks the
liver's ability to supply enough sugar to the brain
during this time. This is a stressful situation for
the body; therefore, stress hormones are released to
help bring sugar levels back up. Remember, it is the
stress hormones that keep you awake or cause you to
wake up in the middle of the night."
"Alcohol is a double-edged sword; it is a combination
of alcohol and sugar. The alcohol poisons cells and
the sugar raises insulin levels.The best drink is
water."
"Alcohol can raise blood pressure, triglyceride and
sugar levels, and cause fat-weight gain. People with
high blood pressure, high triglyceride levels, morbid
obesity, known plaque buildup in the heart or brain
arteries, or diabetes should not drink alcohol at all.
If your adrenal glands are burned out, your cortisol
levels may be low and you may want to drink alcohol to
try to raise them back up again. You will be drinking
to self-medicate-to make yourself feel better-which
may make tapering off more difficult. Menopausal women
also need to be aware that it can be hard to give up
alcohol completely if their estradiol levels are too
low. Since alcohol helps keep estradiol levels in the
bloodstream higher, women will unknowingly be
self-medicating with alcohol to keep their low
estradiol levels a little higher. If you are in
menopause, discuss your HRT regimen with your
physician to see if it may be contributing to your
cravings."
"Alcohol is derived from grain or fruit, which are
carbohydrates. Because alcohol is toxic to cells and
increases insulin levels, drinking alcohol accelerates
the metabolic aging process. Recent studies have also
linked alcohol consumption to breast cancer."
"Alcohol is a toxin, so it is best to avoid it
completely."
In other words, stay away from this stuff! Why is that
so hard for people to do? I have NO desire to pour
this substance down my throat. It tastes horrible, is
bad for you, is EXPENSIVE, unwholesome, and I don't
have any need or want to alter my mind. It is not good
to desire a psychoactive drug. We should have hobbies
and interests to help us relax and unwind. Someone
online told me that "wine is the most social drink in
the world!" That made me so mad; it saddens me that
people think they have to drink booze in order to have
a good time. When my husband and I get together we
friends, we never drink! There are so many people
online I have talked to who think nothing of drinking
booze, telling tales of how they got "wasted" over the
weekend, or about what bar they went to or are going
to, counting the minutes till they get off work so
they can go drinking. And then of course there are the
people who think nothing is wrong with sipping wine
with their meal or having a glass in the evening, or
going to a fancy restaurant and having a glass of
wine, or downing a couple of cans of beers while
watching TV. They say it helps them relax and unwind,
and they enjoy it. Well of course they enjoy it! They
wouldn't be drinking this stuff if they didn't! But
that doesn't make it right! And if you need or want or
desire ALCOHOL to relax and unwind, that's pretty sad.
It's an unwholesome thing to do! As I said, our kids
would be shocked if they saw us drinking! If I want to
relax and unwind, I have PLENTY of other ways to do
that. I have lots of hobbies and interests. And
drinking alcohol would RUIN everything! I want to be
in full control of my faculties when I enjoy my
hobbies!
Drinking really is an unwholesome activity. I just
think that since adults don't give kids alcohol (or at
least most people don't), we as adults should not
drink it, either. I hate to bring religion into this,
because I'm not some "religious fanatic" or something,
but one of the beliefs of my church, and I think most
Christian churches as well, is that, according to the
scriptures we must "become as little children" in
order to enter the kingdom of God when we die. We must
be innocent and humble and teachable like little
children. That doesn't mean to regress like "goo-goo
ga-ga", but I take that to mean if we don't give our
kids booze, coffee, tea, cigarettes, etc. then we as
adults shouldn't use them, either. Kids KNOW. If you
gave a kid coffee or alcohol, they'd spit it out and
say "Yuk!" They just KNOW this stuff isn't good for
you. Then they grow up and start using things that
"grownups" use, to be "adult" and "cool". That's what
I always say, "Coffee is for grownups!" Or "Wine is
for grownups!" And that's why I won't drink it!
Seriously, this stuff IS for grownups. And if we are
to become as little children in order to be close to
God, we shouldn't use these things!
I used to talk to a guy online who would bring his
wife wine and cheese for a romantic evening. This was
a good, Christian couple, he was a real nice guy with
a computer job, never used bad language, she was a
stay-at-home mom who home-schooled their four
children. They were both active in their church. Yet
they thought nothing of drinking this wine. I just
don't understand that, how a good, Christian couple
would want to pour a horrible-tasting, expensive,
toxic, mind-altering substance down their throat.
You'd think they of ALL people would know better.
Being Christians, we're taught not to covet after
things like that. We should find ways to feel good
NATURALLY, not by using a psychoactive drug, legal or
not. I just don't get it, how they could think nothing
of this. And there are so many like them. I would be
aghast if my husband ever brought me wine! Cheese,
yes, but WINE??? Luckily he has no desire to drink
that stuff, either. If my husband brought me cheese, I
would hope it would be organic and full-fat (because
fat doesn't make you fat, sugar does). I would serve
this cheese over organic spinach salad, with organic
shredded chicken, chopped onions, tomatoes, and
full-fat, sugar-free ranch dressing. Yum! I would let
that digest for awhile without drinking anything,
because liquid can dilute the digestive juices which
we need. After about 30 minutes I would drink lots of
water to quench my thirst. Sorry, no room or desire
for ALCOHOL!
It also drives me crazy when I think of people who are
breast cancer survivors who drink. I have a friend who
had breast cancer yet thinks nothing of drinking
alcohol. She says "everything in moderation." The same
with Suzanne Somers, who also had breast cancer yet
drinks wine about once a week. I pointed out to my
friend that alcohol has been linked to breast cancer,
and I'm sure Suzanne knows this as well, because she
knows Dr. Schwarzbein, yet they both still drink this
stuff! If I had breast cancer, no matter how cured I
was, if there was one small chance of something being
linked to this disease, I would avoid it like the
plague!
And Suzanne wrote her whole life story about how her
father's alcoholism affected herself and her family
while growing up, and how all of her siblings became
alcoholics even after they vowed to never take a drink
after witnessing what their father did to the family.
You'd think she would avoid it completely. And my
friend who had breast cancer and her husband are
Christians. So how can they think nothing is wrong
with this? But it's because they think "everybody"
does it, it's legal, it feels good to them, and there
are doctors who say it's GOOD for you in moderation.
They don't believe in my church, and so of course they
won't accept the Word of Wisdom from my church which
we believe to be direct revelation from GOD saying
that alcohol is not for the body. But even if you
aren't a Christian or don't believe in the Word of
Wisdom, it's just the fact that you're consuming a
mind-altering drug! How can grown adults want to do
this? It's not like they're immature teenagers
experimenting to be bad and cool! Why do they need or
desire this stuff? And how can it taste good to them?
Most adults, especially Christians, try to impress
upon their children that they should not covet after
something that alters the mind; that we should strive
to feel good NATURALLY, not by using drugs. Yet
alcohol is legal and "everybody does it" so even good
Christians don't see anything wrong with it. It's just
so frustrating. And when I try to tell them, they get
MAD. Of course they want to enjoy their alcohol, and
don't want to hear the truth. I just don't get how
Christians can drink booze. I was emailing with a
teenage girl who is a Christian. She says she "loves
the Lord with all her heart." Yet she tore apart
everything I said about alcohol! Here I quote all
these facts about why it is unhealthy and a toxin, and
how it is a psychoactive drug, and how it's just not
good to consume such a substance, and she didn't
understand one bit of it! For instance, when I told
about my Christian friend bringing his wife wine and
cheese, she tried to tell me how he was showing his
love for her. Well I KNOW that! I didn't think he was
out to MURDER her! She totally missed my point, about
how even though he THOUGHT he was showing love, he
actually was giving her a toxic, psychoactive drug.
And that is NOT a good thing! But this girl just
didn't get it. Here I say all this stuff about how bad
alcohol is, I am SO CLEAR about it, and she ripped
everything apart, and said she would pray for me. Pray
for ME? I'm not the one drinking a toxic,
mind-altering chemical that affects every hormone in
your body! I'm the one who knows better than to do
that! I just can't believe her! She is a Christian,
yet she doesn't understand at all! And neither do
those other Christian couples I mentioned! They still
drink! At least my husband works with a guy who is a
born again Christian and who doesn't drink. HE knows
it is wrong. That helps restore my faith in humanity.
But how can some Christians think nothing is wrong
with booze, and others know it is wrong? I was
discussing this with a friend and she said that there
are "degrees of Christianity", and that the trouble is
people want that feeling they get from booze so much
that they'll justify it in any way they can. We also
both agreed that this shouldn't even be a religious
issue, that it is just common sense! A grown adult
should know better! My husband isn't religious and HE
knows drinking booze is wrong!
I just think grown adults should be well past the
stage where they want to mess around with a
psychoactive drug. They should not need or want that
in their lives (unless of course they have an
addiction problem). I experimented briefly with
alcohol in my younger days, drinking enough to get
tipsy once or twice just to see what it was like. I
did it to be cool and bad, and as a bad way of dealing
with problems. But I got that out of my system by the
time I was 20 or so! My husband told me of how he
remembers sharing a beer with his uncle while in
college. His uncle said, "You know, I don't really
like beer." My husband said, "Neither do I!" He
remembers this as being a turning point in his life,
essentially giving him PERMISSION to not feel he had
to drink to "fit in" and be like "everybody else".
Isn't that inspiring? I really think that's why a lot
of adults still drink, is because they feel they HAVE
to, that it's "what grownups do". That should NOT be
any reason to drink! We shouldn't be afraid to stand
up and do what is right, to set an example and not
consume a psychoactive drug in order to have a good
time!
The last bit of alcohol I had was a sip of champagne
at my wedding in the late 70s. We took a sip
grudgingly just to be polite. I wasn't even religious
back then and in the early years of my marriage,
either. Yet I still did not drink. I just knew this
was bad for you, knew it was an unwholesome activity,
and I had no desire to! I did not want to be a
booze-drinking wife and mother. Then I joined a church
where alcohol is against our religion, so I don't
drink it now for that reason, but even if it WEREN'T
against my religion, I still wouldn't drink it! It's a
toxic chemical and a mind-altering drug, and I just
have no desire to put something like that in my body.
My husband is not a member of this church and not
particularly religious, but even he knows better than
to consume that stuff. Alcohol is a LIQUID. In my
mind, we should use liquid to quench our thirst.
That's why I drink WATER!!! Not coffee, tea, wine,
beer, pop, etc. I nourish my body with good food
throughout the day, and then drink lots of water to
quench my thirst. When would I even have ROOM for
anything other than water? Water is what does it! I
have no desire or room for any other liquids! Besides,
wine and beer and coffee and tea taste terrible!
People will say that wine and beer and martinis and
the like taste good, but I find that hard to believe.
How on EARTH could anybody think that stuff or any
alcohol tastes good? It probably only tastes good to
them because they DEVELOPED a taste for it after years
of drinking it. If you gave a child a sip of one of
these chemicals, they would spit it out and say
"Blech!"
Oh, and then people online I had talked to would
always bring up the fact how "Jesus drank wine." I
have heard it all before, many times. "Jesus drank
wine, Jesus drank wine." But I guarantee that people
drinking booze aren't doing it for any spiritual
reasons, they're doing it to get a "buzz" or whatever
it is they get from this stuff, which is NOT a
wholesome thing to do. It's a mind-altering drug! Most
churches teach that we should not covet after things
like that! But even if you're not religious, this is
just plain, common sense! We as grown adults should
know to stay away from these substances! Back to the
Jesus drank wine bit; one of the things I told people
online is that yes, Jesus drank wine. But there is
evidence that much of the water was unsanitary back
then and if they drank it they could get sick or die.
Also, someone from my church told me that what they
called "wine" back then was not really what we know it
as today; I'm not real clear on that and neither was
she, but in any case, it's just not a good thing to
do, not a wholesome activity. Think about it. What
kind of impression is a person giving off when they
sit there with their wine glass, guzzling down this
alcohol? Put two identical twin women together at a
table, one is drinking alcohol (or coffee or smoking a
cigarette) and the other is not using any of these bad
substances. Which one is giving off the more wholesome
image? Which one is going to attract the more decent
man if she is single?
Now you're probably thinking, "Geez, she makes it
sound like everyone is falling-down drunk lying in a
gutter somewhere!" No, I don't think that at all.
That's what makes this so frustrating, is that very
nice people drink. But that, in effect, makes it
worse, because they are probably just casual drinkers,
contributing to the whole drinking scene. Alcohol
seems to be everywhere. Cooking shows have recipes
with booze, travel show hosts tell you to go to such
and such country and sample the wine or the beer, the
restaurant review shows rave about the wine lists at
restaurants, newspapers write restaurant reviews and
rave about the booze, there are magazines devoted to
alcohol, the list goes on. Not to mention summer
festivals with "beer gardens" and fund raising groups
who have activities with alcohol. I was aghast when we
received an invitation for a park district fund raiser
at which beer and wine would be served. This was
written in black and white on the invitation. And they
invited children to this event! Even if it weren't a
family activity, just the fact that these grown adults
thought it was a good thing to consume a psychoactive
drug was terrible. I told them my husband and I would
not be attending, because sitting around drinking
booze and/or socializing with people who are drinking
booze is not our idea of a good time. They even offer
a beer and wine making workshop in their class
brochure! Aaargghhh! And the local Girl Scout
organization had a fund-raising dinner with a cash
bar, and an auction for a wine-tasting party! It was
an adults-only affair, but still, what kind of example
were they setting? That when you grow up, you drink
BOOZE in order to have a good time. It's not enough to
enjoy this "gala evening" without a psychoactive drug.
You have to consume alcohol because "that's what
grownups do." I would never want to attend an event
like that! My husband and I went to dinner at a fancy
restaurant recently and EVERYBODY around us was
drinking. Young and old, mothers with babies,
middle-aged couples, families with children, just
everywhere I looked people were sipping booze,
ordering booze, making toasts, etc. It just made me
sick. I couldn't help but think as I watched all these
drinkers that none of them would smoke a joint (at
least I hope not). Yet they thought nothing was wrong
with consuming a toxic, mind-altering chemical in
order to get a "buzz" and relax and unwind or whatever
it is they get from that stuff. All the pot-smokers I
have talked to online say that smoking a joint has
about the same effect as a glass or two of wine or
beer. One is legal, the other is not. People go to
fancy restaurants all the time and order booze.
Restaurants rave about their "expanded wine lists"
with hundreds of selections, as if they are proud of
this fact. That is terrible! Waitresses who serve this
stuff may as well be saying, "Can I interest you in a
mind-altering drug this evening?" And then when they
serve it, they should say, "Here is your toxic
chemical that affects every hormone in your body and
poisons cells and has been linked to cancer and is the
most widely used and abused psychoactive drug in the
world.. Enjoy your meal."
I understand how people become addicted to alcohol;
alcoholism is a very serious disease and I have great
sympathy for those who suffer from it. But I'm not
talking about alcoholics, I'm talking about casual
drinkers like most people. It's similar to what I told
all the casual pot-smokers online. I can't BELIEVE how
many people in those chat rooms and on the message
boards think nothing of lighting up a joint on a
Friday night and getting "stoned". They'll say, "It's
safer than alcohol!" or they'll talk about how Carl
Sagan smoked pot, or so-and-so smoked it, etc. They'll
say, "It SHOULD be legal." Like that is going to help
you if you get busted. The judge won't care WHAT you
think! These pot smokers will say how they're a good
person, have a good education, good job, take care of
their family, pay taxes, so they're "entitled" to
smoke pot, because it helps them relax and unwind. I
get so mad when people say these things! If they are
so "good", it makes it WORSE! I'd have more sympathy
for a strung-out junkie than a casual pot-smoker! If
they are so educated and good, then they of ALL people
should know better than to do such a thing! They are
breaking the law and negating everything that most
parents try to teach their kids about drugs and life!
They should be standing up for themselves and serving
as an EXAMPLE, rather than lighting up a joint on a
Friday night and acting like it's okay as long as they
don't get caught. Casual pot smokers keep the whole
illegal drug trade in business, by their sheer
numbers. I don't know anybody in real life who smokes
pot; none of my friends do and I sure never did, I
wouldn't have even known where to GET marijuana! And I
grew up in the 70s! But all these people online blab
about how they smoke pot, or they say how they know
people who smoke pot and how they're good people with
good jobs and education and families, as if that
"entitles" them to break the law and get "high". I
always told them, "Most parents do all they can to
keep their kids off drugs and out of trouble with the
law, and even if pot were legal, most parents would
still raise their kids to know better than to ever use
it. Most parents try to teach their kids to have
higher expectations than THAT for themselves!"
Anyway, this sort of correlates with my point about
alcohol, in that I KNOW most people aren't
falling-down drunks. Alcoholism is a different
situation entirely. But casual drinkers are just
contributing to the whole alcohol "culture", if you
will, where people think drinking booze is perfectly
acceptable, that "everybody" does it, that it's good
for you, etc. Is this how people really want to be?
Thinking that because "everybody" drinks wine that
they have to, too? Don't they have more respect for
themselves than that? Again, I know there are many,
many worse things in this world than drinking wine.
But it all starts with little things like this, the
one glass of wine, the one joint; you just shouldn't
do ANY of this stuff!
I'm not saying this to make people mad or upset
anybody. I'm saying this to HELP people. But I suppose
whoever is reading this will be like all the people
online I've talked to, who get mad or tell me I'm
nuts. They don't believe me when I tell them alcohol
is bad for you. They choose to believe the doctors who
say it's healthy in moderation, rather than what
someone like Dr. Schwarzbein would say. That's because
they want to enjoy their alcohol. It feels good and
they want to keep drinking it, even though it's bad
for them. But Dr. Schwarzbein is not some quack! She
is not LYING about this, or telling people alcohol is
unhealthy just to make them mad! She is a leading
endocrinologist! Her books are great, make perfect
sense, and are full of good, sound advice on nutrition
and healthy living. Most people won't believe her
because they want to drink alcohol. Everybody else
does it, it's legal, they sell it all over the place,
lots of doctors say it's good for you, so it must be
okay, right? That's how people justify it.
You'd think grown adults would be PAST wanting to use
a mind-altering drug. When I used to chastise
pot-smokers online, they'd say all accusingly, "But I
bet you think nothing is wrong with drinking your
WINE." Of course they were eager to prove me a
hypocrite. I would be so shocked and offended. Of
course I didn't drink wine! But then I'd have to
remember that they did not know me, and probably
thought I was like "everybody else" who "savored" a
glass of wine with a meal, or ordered a martini at a
restaurant, etc. I'd have to explain to them that I
don't drink at all, that it is not good to consume a
psychoactive drug, legal or not. I remember back in
college, the one and only time I was ever exposed to
marijuana. I was a senior in college, 22 years old and
engaged to be married. My roommate and her friends lit
up in a nearby room (they didn't offer me any), and I
was shocked. I never thought they were the type to do
that. I told my parents about this incident, saying,
"I don't know why people feel the need to do that." My
dad said, "I don't, either!" But then the thought went
through my mind about how he drank quite often. I
wondered, "Is that so different?" I didn't say
anything, but it really did strike me that just
because alcohol is legal doesn't make it right.
Drinkers are using a psychoactive drug just like
pot-smokers.
There are wineries all over. One in my hometown, and
those I have come across on the Internet, encourage
people to bring CHILDREN to their wine-tasting events!
I can't believe it! Of course they aren't encouraging
adults to feed children wine, I know that. But grown
adults should stand up and serve as an example and NOT
DRINK! What are these wine-tasting events telling
these kids? To grow up and be just like Mommy and
Daddy, and pour booze down your throat. The newspapers
can be the worst as far as glorifying alcohol. Even my
husband got fed up with all the restaurant reviews and
such raving about booze. Our paper even ran an article
about beer vs. wine and which one is better. He said
that somebody should write to the newspaper and get to
the source. I told him I had been doing that very
thing! We were both stunned when I received a snippy
reply from one of the reporters telling me to stop
emailing them, that I would never change the content
of the paper, and that if I don't like alcohol, I
should just stay out of those places. Well I already
know to stay out of those places! They missed my point
entirely! It is so frustrating, because I can't even
take this issue to the newspaper, because the
newspaper is the problem, what with it glorifying and
promoting alcohol! No wonder people think its okay to
drink it! I just wish more people would realize how
bad this stuff is, realize they are better than that,
that they should not want to pour a mind-altering,
unhealthy drug down their throat. What a thing to do!
Even Martha Stewart drinks! It never fails, whenever I
catch a glimpse of her show, she's promoting and
glorifying alcohol. Here she is this nice crafts lady,
with her sewing and cooking and gardening, and yet
even SHE thinks nothing of consuming a toxic,
mind-altering drug to get a "buzz". I just can't
believe it! I thought she was different, but now I
find that she is just like everybody else. It saddens
me.
And to whoever is reading this, if you drink alcohol,
PLEASE do not be mad at what I have said. I have only
presented facts from a reputable doctor on why alcohol
is unhealthy, quoted from a drug abuse website about
how alcohol is an addictive, psychoactive drug, and
stated my own thoughts and feelings about this, which
are totally reasonable and make sense. As I said, I
know that very nice people drink. You aren't a "bad
person" for drinking. But if you are a good, sensible
person, you should know better than to pour a toxic,
mind-altering drug down your throat in order to get a
"buzz". If you don't want to believe that alcohol is
unhealthy and unwholesome, I really do feel it is
because you want to justify your drinking, and if you
make money from a business that promotes alcohol, of
course you don't want to give that up. I understand.
But what I'm saying is that you shouldn't be afraid to
take a stand! You are worth it! It is not "everything
in moderation." You should not drink at all! It is a
toxic chemical and a psychoactive drug!
I can't force you to give up alcohol. Only you can do
that. And it is legal. So it's just up to you. But
please do not be upset or angry. I have received some
nasty replies from wineries and various businesses
when I have sent out my little write-up about why
alcohol is unhealthy, and it saddens me. You would
think a professional business person would be very
careful to maintain good customer relations, and even
if they disagreed with me, to just not say anything or
simply thank me for my email, rather than be nasty. I
mean, what if I lived in their hometown and I told
people about them? Any alcohol-drinking people would
be put off by their attitude and reconsider attending
their establishment or booking "wine tours" and
whatnot through them. Also, if you are rude, I think,
"Is that what booze-drinkers are really like?" and
then I'm even more against alcohol. So I'm just asking
that you please be nice and take what I have said into
consideration. I am trying to help people see that
they shouldn't want or need alcohol. And don't tell me
to "mind my own business", because it is these
businesses and newspapers and columnists and cooking
show hosts and travel and restaurant review show hosts
and such that are putting their information out there.
It is very easy to find these websites and emails, and
most people INVITE comments! For instance, type in
"winery" in any search engine and up pop all these
websites with information about how great wine is, and
how you can come join them for wine tasting events and
bring your children, and book wine tours, etc. I see
that on my computer screen and can't help but react. I
wouldn't know about their business otherwise. People
should be GLAD that someone is trying to help them
realize alcohol is bad for you, and that there is a
better way to live. From all the replies I have
received, I am even more convinced that people are
just so "in the dark" about alcohol, that they
honestly think "everybody" drinks and that there is
nothing wrong with it and that it's just "the thing to
do". That's sad. We shouldn't drink at all. I am
trying to help people realize that. It's just like the
pot-smokers online I talked to; I was doing it out of
love and concern! One guy, a divorced father of three,
told me he stopped smoking pot because of the things I
said! It is very rewarding to know that you can be a
good influence on someone. I hope you keep that in
mind. Thank you and take care.
FROM A DRUG ABUSE WEBSITE:
Every year, more money is spent promoting the use of
alcohol than any other product. Perhaps through its
elaborate and creative marketing, the most basic, yet
important fact about alcohol is often overlooked -
ALCOHOL IS A DRUG - the most commonly used and widely
abused psychoactive drug in the world.
One concept that many people find difficult to
accept is that alcoholism and alcohol problems are a
disease. Research has shown that alcohol interacts
with the body's systems in predictable ways to lead to
physiological addiction.
Alcoholism is a disease - a chronic, progressive,
fatal disease if not treated.
Short Term Effects
Even at low doses, alcohol significantly impairs the
judgment and coordination required to drive a car or
operate machinery safely. Low to moderate doses of
alcohol can also increase the incidence of a variety
of aggressive acts, including domestic violence and
child abuse.
Effects of moderate alcohol intake include dizziness
and talkativeness. The immediate effects of a larger
amount of alcohol include slurred speech, disturbed
sleep, nausea, and vomiting. "Hangovers" are another
effect after large amounts of alcohol are consumed -
symptoms including headache, nausea, thirst,
dizziness, and fatigue.
Long Term Effects
Prolonged, heavy use of alcohol can lead to addiction
(alcoholism). Sudden cessation of long term, extensive
alcohol intake is likely to produce withdrawal
symptoms, including severe anxiety, tremors,
hallucinations, and convulsions.
Long-term effects of consuming large quantities of
alcohol can lead to:
. permanent damage to vital organs
. several different types of cancer
. gastrointestinal irritations, such as nausea,
diarrhea, and ulcers
. malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies
. sexual dysfunctions
. high blood pressure
. lowered resistance to disease
Mothers who drink alcohol during pregnancy may give
birth to infants with fetal alcohol syndrome. These
infants may suffer from mental retardation and other
irreversible physical abnormalities. In addition,
research indicates that children of alcoholic parents
are at greater risk than other children of becoming
alcoholics.
The first paragraph is written from the guy that posted it on RCB, the rest is the letter itself.
Enjoy!
The following letter was e-mailed to me by my boss. Apparently, the
woman who wrote it is ending it out to every homebrew store in the
cosmos.
Hi, if you receive this email, I found it when I was
doing a search for a local homebrew and winery supply
company, after reading in a park district brochure
that this company is involved in a beer and wine
making workshop for the park district. I was just
appalled and wrote the park district telling them how
bad it is they are promoting alcohol. But in my search
for the winery supply place, up comes this site called
Homebrew Supply Shops with a huge long list! I had NO
IDEA there were so many of these places! That is just
terrible! Gosh, it's going to take several emailings
to reach everyone; at first I had to copy down all the
email addresses and now I have to type them in, what a
job! As if I don't have enough to do. I wish I hadn't
stumbled across that site. Anyway, I will send you
what I wrote to the park district. I hope you will
read it and take it to heart, and stop selling,
promoting, glorifying, and drinking booze, if you do
all that. I just can't believe that there are
businesses that do this!
Well, please read what I have written about why
alcohol is unhealthy and unwholesome, and take it to
heart, and try to find some other business to get into
which does not involve alcohol. You are better than
that!
Thank you and take care,
Cindy
MY LETTER TO THE PARK DISTRICT:
I can't believe the Oswegoland Park District offers a
beer and winemaking workshop! After all I have told
you about how unhealthy and unwholesome alcohol is,
and you are still promoting and glorifying booze! Have
you offered this in the past? If so, have people
actually signed up for it? Sheesh. I would like to
attend this class and then chastise everyone. "What is
WRONG with you people???" I'd like to say. "How can
you think making booze is a good thing? That is
terrible! Do you all actually DRINK?? What a thing to
do! You are making a toxic chemical that affects every
hormone in your body and poisons cells, and has been
linked to cancer and birth defects and everything
else, and is a mind-altering drug! Is this what you
people are LIKE? Don't you have any respect for
yourselves? Most parents try to raise their children
to grow up to always find NATURAL ways of relaxing and
unwinding and feeling good, not by using drugs! And
alcohol IS a drug! Drug abuse experts will tell you
that alcohol is the most widely used and abused
psychoactive drug in the world! And here you are,
grown adults, thinking nothing of consuming such a
substance to get a 'buzz' or whatever it is you get
from that stuff. That is TERRIBLE! Think of the
example you are setting! Stand up for yourself and do
what is right!"
But don't worry, I would never do that. I'm too much
of a wimp. Really, it is not good to consume this
stuff at all, not even in moderation. That's like
saying poison is okay in moderation, or that smoking a
joint is okay in moderation. And please don't tell me
to just not sign up for this class if I don't care for
alcohol. I already know that. That's not the point.
Believe me, I don't go to fancy restaurants because of
all the drinkers, I don't go to office parties or
class reunions or to Park District fund raisers such
as yours where they serve beer and wine. I have no
intention of signing up for this workshop, just like I
have no intention of signing up for the adult hip hop
class. Although if I had to choose, I'd take the hip
hop. But the point of this email is to try to get
whoever is involved in this booze class to wake up and
realize how wrong it! I'd like to know who decided to
hold such a class. Who thought, "Hey, let's have a
beer and wine making workshop! Let's advertise about
how grown adults can make their own psychoactive drug
to get a buzz!" Was there a committee of some sort
that had to approve this bright idea? And then who is
this Fox Valley Homebrew & Winery Supplies? I never
heard of them. Are they affiliated with that Fox
Valley Winery? The place I have written to numerous
times to try to get them to realize that they are
manufacturing a toxic, mind-altering drug and that
they should get out of this business, but instead they
EXPAND their business and continue to offer
wine-tastings and "Girls Night Out" wine tastings and
be quoted in newspaper articles promoting and
glorifying alcohol? In any case, I will have to
contact this supply company and tell them that what
they are doing is not a good thing at all! You are
setting a terrible example. Kids can read this
brochure and what message are they getting? That when
you grow up, you consume (and even MAKE) booze,
because that's what grownups do. It's good to ingest a
psychoactive drug to get a "buzz". It's cool and fun
and sophisticated! But that is ridiculous. Adults
should be well past the age when they want to mess
around with a psychoactive drug. I experimented
briefly with alcohol during my college days in the
70s, to be bad and cool and as a bad way of dealing
with problems, but I got all that out of my system by
the time I was 20 or so! You have this workshop under
"adult interests", but in my opinion it should be in
"Immature Teens Still Wanting to Experiment With a
Mind-Altering Drug Interests". I mean really, don't
you agree? Don't you think that we as grown adults
should know better than to want to spend a bunch of
money on a horrible-tasting, toxic chemical to get a
"buzz" and relax and unwind or whatever it is you get
from that stuff? You wouldn't smoke pot, right? At
least I hope not. All the pot-smokers I talked to
online, and there were tons of them--grown adults with
good jobs and families and education, who thought
nothing of lighting up a joint on a Friday night--said
that smoking a joint is about the same effect as one
or two glasses of beer or wine. So drinking beer or
wine is about the same effect as smoking a joint. One
is legal, the other is not. When I chastised all those
pot smokers online, they'd say all accusingly, "I bet
you think nothing of drinking your WINE." Of course
they were eager to prove me a hypocrite. I would be so
shocked and offended. But then I'd have to remember
that they did not know me, that they thought I was
like "everybody else". I'd explain that we shouldn't
drink wine or smoke pot, that we should not use any
psychoactive drugs!
My husband told me how he was in college sharing a
beer with his uncle. His uncle said, "I don't really
like beer." My husband said, "I don't, either!" He
remembers this as essentially giving him PERMISSION to
not drink alcohol, to not try to fit in and be cool
and be like everybody else. Isn't that inspiring? We
just have no desire to alter our minds, or to spend
our hard-earned money on a horrible tasting liquid. We
nourish our bodies with good food, drink water to
quench our thirst, and have nice, wholesome hobbies to
relax and unwind. There is no room or desire for
alcohol! And then years ago I joined a church in which
alcohol is against my religion. So that is yet another
reason I don't drink, and this only confirmed my
belief that alcohol is wrong. But as I said, I did not
drink BEFORE I joined this church. But this isn't even
a religious issue! It's just common sense! My husband
is not particularly religious and HE knows not to
consume booze! But then I know people who say they are
Christians and yet they drink. That just drives me up
the wall. My husband knows a guy at his work, though,
who is a born again Christian who does not drink. So
at least that restores my faith in humanity.
OH MY GOSH! I just did a web search for that Fox
Valley Homebrew & Winery Supplies place, and found
some site with a listing of "homebrew supply shops",
with well over 100 companies that do this kind of
thing! That is TERRIBLE! Most of them have websites
and I had to write down all those emails, grrr. Like I
don't have enough things to do! Now I have to type
them all and send a copy of this to all these places.
And then that list seemed to be sponsored by the
"Brewers Association", with all these links to
newspaper articles such as "US Brewers Take Gold and
National Awards." Oh brother! There are actually
AWARDS for booze. Now I have to write to THEM! I hate
when things like this happen. All because I innocently
picked up your brochure. You just HAD to have a booze
making class. And then that sets me off and I end up
spending hours writing this up and writing out tons of
email addresses and getting so disillusioned with the
world. This is just unbelievable that so many people
think nothing of drinking booze, and even MAKING it!!!
And it is just terrible that the Oswegoland Park
District is promoting and glorifying alcohol, even
after all I have told you. I hope you will read my
REVISED paper below regarding why it is unhealthy and
unwholesome to consume alcohol, and take it to heart
and not offer such a class anymore. You have a
responsibility! Do NOT be afraid to stand up and do
what is right! Take a stand! Set an example! You are
better than that!
Thank you and take care,
Cindy
WHY ALCOHOL IS UNHEALTHY AND UNWHOLESOME
When I was growing up, both of my parents drank, and
it caused many problems in their marriage and our
family life. Even though my mother drank herself, she
always told me, "Never marry a man who drinks!" And I
listened to her. I can't imagine being married to
someone who thinks nothing of drinking booze. Our kids
would be shocked and lose respect for us if they saw
my husband and I sitting around with a glass of wine
or beer or a mixed drink or ANYTHING like that. I
don't even drink coffee or tea, as these are bad for
you, too.
Of course people will say, "But wine is good for you!
Doctors say it's healthy in moderation!" But I don't
believe it. There may be SOME benefits to alcohol, but
the risks far outweigh them. There are other ways to
achieve whatever benefits alcohol MAY have without
pouring this poison down your throat. Besides, most
people aren't drinking this stuff for any health
benefits, they are drinking it to get a "buzz" or
whatever it is they get out of this. It's not good to
want to get a buzz from a psychoactive drug! And
alcohol IS a drug. Drug abuse experts will tell you
that alcohol is the most widely used and abuse
psychoactive drug in the world! It is not good to
drink this stuff at all, not even in moderation.
That's like saying poison is good in moderation, or
that smoking a joint is good in moderation. We
shouldn't use alcohol at all.
There are many doctors who know alcohol is not good
for you. Leading endocrinologist Dr. Diana Schwarzbein
states that alcohol is a toxic chemical that affects
every hormone in your body, and poisons cells. It has
been linked to cancer and birth defects. Scwharzbein
is the author of The Schwarzbein Principle, where she
talks about healthy eating and maintaining a healthy
lifestyle. Her book is excellent, I highly recommend
it. She tells how to eat balanced meals, and advises
controlling your intake of healthy, whole-grain carbs
according to your metabolism and activity level. It is
not fat and calories that cause weight gain, it is the
overconsumption of sugar and refined carbohydrates
that is the problem. (I know, because I lost 50 pounds
on Somersize, a controlled-carb program. Schwarzbein
wrote the introduction for a couple of the Somersize
books, authored by Suzanne Somers. I am still on this
program, because it is something one can stay on for
life! It's not a diet but a way of eating, full of
delicious food. But that's a whole different story; I
could write 50 pages on that alone!) Anyway, some of
the things Schwarzbein says in her books:
"Alcohol is a toxic chemical that causes an imbalance
of all your major hormones. This causes your body to
use up its biochemicals more than it rebuilds them.
Recent studies have linked alcohol consumption to
breast cancer and probably colon and prostate cancer
as well."
"Alcohol consumption at night usually helps to relax
people, and they fall asleep readily. However, it is
very common for them to wake up between 2 and 4 A.M.
because of the hypoglycemic effects of alcohol. While
you are sleeping your brain still needs a constant
supply of sugar to survive, but alcohol blocks the
liver's ability to supply enough sugar to the brain
during this time. This is a stressful situation for
the body; therefore, stress hormones are released to
help bring sugar levels back up. Remember, it is the
stress hormones that keep you awake or cause you to
wake up in the middle of the night."
"Alcohol is a double-edged sword; it is a combination
of alcohol and sugar. The alcohol poisons cells and
the sugar raises insulin levels.The best drink is
water."
"Alcohol can raise blood pressure, triglyceride and
sugar levels, and cause fat-weight gain. People with
high blood pressure, high triglyceride levels, morbid
obesity, known plaque buildup in the heart or brain
arteries, or diabetes should not drink alcohol at all.
If your adrenal glands are burned out, your cortisol
levels may be low and you may want to drink alcohol to
try to raise them back up again. You will be drinking
to self-medicate-to make yourself feel better-which
may make tapering off more difficult. Menopausal women
also need to be aware that it can be hard to give up
alcohol completely if their estradiol levels are too
low. Since alcohol helps keep estradiol levels in the
bloodstream higher, women will unknowingly be
self-medicating with alcohol to keep their low
estradiol levels a little higher. If you are in
menopause, discuss your HRT regimen with your
physician to see if it may be contributing to your
cravings."
"Alcohol is derived from grain or fruit, which are
carbohydrates. Because alcohol is toxic to cells and
increases insulin levels, drinking alcohol accelerates
the metabolic aging process. Recent studies have also
linked alcohol consumption to breast cancer."
"Alcohol is a toxin, so it is best to avoid it
completely."
In other words, stay away from this stuff! Why is that
so hard for people to do? I have NO desire to pour
this substance down my throat. It tastes horrible, is
bad for you, is EXPENSIVE, unwholesome, and I don't
have any need or want to alter my mind. It is not good
to desire a psychoactive drug. We should have hobbies
and interests to help us relax and unwind. Someone
online told me that "wine is the most social drink in
the world!" That made me so mad; it saddens me that
people think they have to drink booze in order to have
a good time. When my husband and I get together we
friends, we never drink! There are so many people
online I have talked to who think nothing of drinking
booze, telling tales of how they got "wasted" over the
weekend, or about what bar they went to or are going
to, counting the minutes till they get off work so
they can go drinking. And then of course there are the
people who think nothing is wrong with sipping wine
with their meal or having a glass in the evening, or
going to a fancy restaurant and having a glass of
wine, or downing a couple of cans of beers while
watching TV. They say it helps them relax and unwind,
and they enjoy it. Well of course they enjoy it! They
wouldn't be drinking this stuff if they didn't! But
that doesn't make it right! And if you need or want or
desire ALCOHOL to relax and unwind, that's pretty sad.
It's an unwholesome thing to do! As I said, our kids
would be shocked if they saw us drinking! If I want to
relax and unwind, I have PLENTY of other ways to do
that. I have lots of hobbies and interests. And
drinking alcohol would RUIN everything! I want to be
in full control of my faculties when I enjoy my
hobbies!
Drinking really is an unwholesome activity. I just
think that since adults don't give kids alcohol (or at
least most people don't), we as adults should not
drink it, either. I hate to bring religion into this,
because I'm not some "religious fanatic" or something,
but one of the beliefs of my church, and I think most
Christian churches as well, is that, according to the
scriptures we must "become as little children" in
order to enter the kingdom of God when we die. We must
be innocent and humble and teachable like little
children. That doesn't mean to regress like "goo-goo
ga-ga", but I take that to mean if we don't give our
kids booze, coffee, tea, cigarettes, etc. then we as
adults shouldn't use them, either. Kids KNOW. If you
gave a kid coffee or alcohol, they'd spit it out and
say "Yuk!" They just KNOW this stuff isn't good for
you. Then they grow up and start using things that
"grownups" use, to be "adult" and "cool". That's what
I always say, "Coffee is for grownups!" Or "Wine is
for grownups!" And that's why I won't drink it!
Seriously, this stuff IS for grownups. And if we are
to become as little children in order to be close to
God, we shouldn't use these things!
I used to talk to a guy online who would bring his
wife wine and cheese for a romantic evening. This was
a good, Christian couple, he was a real nice guy with
a computer job, never used bad language, she was a
stay-at-home mom who home-schooled their four
children. They were both active in their church. Yet
they thought nothing of drinking this wine. I just
don't understand that, how a good, Christian couple
would want to pour a horrible-tasting, expensive,
toxic, mind-altering substance down their throat.
You'd think they of ALL people would know better.
Being Christians, we're taught not to covet after
things like that. We should find ways to feel good
NATURALLY, not by using a psychoactive drug, legal or
not. I just don't get it, how they could think nothing
of this. And there are so many like them. I would be
aghast if my husband ever brought me wine! Cheese,
yes, but WINE??? Luckily he has no desire to drink
that stuff, either. If my husband brought me cheese, I
would hope it would be organic and full-fat (because
fat doesn't make you fat, sugar does). I would serve
this cheese over organic spinach salad, with organic
shredded chicken, chopped onions, tomatoes, and
full-fat, sugar-free ranch dressing. Yum! I would let
that digest for awhile without drinking anything,
because liquid can dilute the digestive juices which
we need. After about 30 minutes I would drink lots of
water to quench my thirst. Sorry, no room or desire
for ALCOHOL!
It also drives me crazy when I think of people who are
breast cancer survivors who drink. I have a friend who
had breast cancer yet thinks nothing of drinking
alcohol. She says "everything in moderation." The same
with Suzanne Somers, who also had breast cancer yet
drinks wine about once a week. I pointed out to my
friend that alcohol has been linked to breast cancer,
and I'm sure Suzanne knows this as well, because she
knows Dr. Schwarzbein, yet they both still drink this
stuff! If I had breast cancer, no matter how cured I
was, if there was one small chance of something being
linked to this disease, I would avoid it like the
plague!
And Suzanne wrote her whole life story about how her
father's alcoholism affected herself and her family
while growing up, and how all of her siblings became
alcoholics even after they vowed to never take a drink
after witnessing what their father did to the family.
You'd think she would avoid it completely. And my
friend who had breast cancer and her husband are
Christians. So how can they think nothing is wrong
with this? But it's because they think "everybody"
does it, it's legal, it feels good to them, and there
are doctors who say it's GOOD for you in moderation.
They don't believe in my church, and so of course they
won't accept the Word of Wisdom from my church which
we believe to be direct revelation from GOD saying
that alcohol is not for the body. But even if you
aren't a Christian or don't believe in the Word of
Wisdom, it's just the fact that you're consuming a
mind-altering drug! How can grown adults want to do
this? It's not like they're immature teenagers
experimenting to be bad and cool! Why do they need or
desire this stuff? And how can it taste good to them?
Most adults, especially Christians, try to impress
upon their children that they should not covet after
something that alters the mind; that we should strive
to feel good NATURALLY, not by using drugs. Yet
alcohol is legal and "everybody does it" so even good
Christians don't see anything wrong with it. It's just
so frustrating. And when I try to tell them, they get
MAD. Of course they want to enjoy their alcohol, and
don't want to hear the truth. I just don't get how
Christians can drink booze. I was emailing with a
teenage girl who is a Christian. She says she "loves
the Lord with all her heart." Yet she tore apart
everything I said about alcohol! Here I quote all
these facts about why it is unhealthy and a toxin, and
how it is a psychoactive drug, and how it's just not
good to consume such a substance, and she didn't
understand one bit of it! For instance, when I told
about my Christian friend bringing his wife wine and
cheese, she tried to tell me how he was showing his
love for her. Well I KNOW that! I didn't think he was
out to MURDER her! She totally missed my point, about
how even though he THOUGHT he was showing love, he
actually was giving her a toxic, psychoactive drug.
And that is NOT a good thing! But this girl just
didn't get it. Here I say all this stuff about how bad
alcohol is, I am SO CLEAR about it, and she ripped
everything apart, and said she would pray for me. Pray
for ME? I'm not the one drinking a toxic,
mind-altering chemical that affects every hormone in
your body! I'm the one who knows better than to do
that! I just can't believe her! She is a Christian,
yet she doesn't understand at all! And neither do
those other Christian couples I mentioned! They still
drink! At least my husband works with a guy who is a
born again Christian and who doesn't drink. HE knows
it is wrong. That helps restore my faith in humanity.
But how can some Christians think nothing is wrong
with booze, and others know it is wrong? I was
discussing this with a friend and she said that there
are "degrees of Christianity", and that the trouble is
people want that feeling they get from booze so much
that they'll justify it in any way they can. We also
both agreed that this shouldn't even be a religious
issue, that it is just common sense! A grown adult
should know better! My husband isn't religious and HE
knows drinking booze is wrong!
I just think grown adults should be well past the
stage where they want to mess around with a
psychoactive drug. They should not need or want that
in their lives (unless of course they have an
addiction problem). I experimented briefly with
alcohol in my younger days, drinking enough to get
tipsy once or twice just to see what it was like. I
did it to be cool and bad, and as a bad way of dealing
with problems. But I got that out of my system by the
time I was 20 or so! My husband told me of how he
remembers sharing a beer with his uncle while in
college. His uncle said, "You know, I don't really
like beer." My husband said, "Neither do I!" He
remembers this as being a turning point in his life,
essentially giving him PERMISSION to not feel he had
to drink to "fit in" and be like "everybody else".
Isn't that inspiring? I really think that's why a lot
of adults still drink, is because they feel they HAVE
to, that it's "what grownups do". That should NOT be
any reason to drink! We shouldn't be afraid to stand
up and do what is right, to set an example and not
consume a psychoactive drug in order to have a good
time!
The last bit of alcohol I had was a sip of champagne
at my wedding in the late 70s. We took a sip
grudgingly just to be polite. I wasn't even religious
back then and in the early years of my marriage,
either. Yet I still did not drink. I just knew this
was bad for you, knew it was an unwholesome activity,
and I had no desire to! I did not want to be a
booze-drinking wife and mother. Then I joined a church
where alcohol is against our religion, so I don't
drink it now for that reason, but even if it WEREN'T
against my religion, I still wouldn't drink it! It's a
toxic chemical and a mind-altering drug, and I just
have no desire to put something like that in my body.
My husband is not a member of this church and not
particularly religious, but even he knows better than
to consume that stuff. Alcohol is a LIQUID. In my
mind, we should use liquid to quench our thirst.
That's why I drink WATER!!! Not coffee, tea, wine,
beer, pop, etc. I nourish my body with good food
throughout the day, and then drink lots of water to
quench my thirst. When would I even have ROOM for
anything other than water? Water is what does it! I
have no desire or room for any other liquids! Besides,
wine and beer and coffee and tea taste terrible!
People will say that wine and beer and martinis and
the like taste good, but I find that hard to believe.
How on EARTH could anybody think that stuff or any
alcohol tastes good? It probably only tastes good to
them because they DEVELOPED a taste for it after years
of drinking it. If you gave a child a sip of one of
these chemicals, they would spit it out and say
"Blech!"
Oh, and then people online I had talked to would
always bring up the fact how "Jesus drank wine." I
have heard it all before, many times. "Jesus drank
wine, Jesus drank wine." But I guarantee that people
drinking booze aren't doing it for any spiritual
reasons, they're doing it to get a "buzz" or whatever
it is they get from this stuff, which is NOT a
wholesome thing to do. It's a mind-altering drug! Most
churches teach that we should not covet after things
like that! But even if you're not religious, this is
just plain, common sense! We as grown adults should
know to stay away from these substances! Back to the
Jesus drank wine bit; one of the things I told people
online is that yes, Jesus drank wine. But there is
evidence that much of the water was unsanitary back
then and if they drank it they could get sick or die.
Also, someone from my church told me that what they
called "wine" back then was not really what we know it
as today; I'm not real clear on that and neither was
she, but in any case, it's just not a good thing to
do, not a wholesome activity. Think about it. What
kind of impression is a person giving off when they
sit there with their wine glass, guzzling down this
alcohol? Put two identical twin women together at a
table, one is drinking alcohol (or coffee or smoking a
cigarette) and the other is not using any of these bad
substances. Which one is giving off the more wholesome
image? Which one is going to attract the more decent
man if she is single?
Now you're probably thinking, "Geez, she makes it
sound like everyone is falling-down drunk lying in a
gutter somewhere!" No, I don't think that at all.
That's what makes this so frustrating, is that very
nice people drink. But that, in effect, makes it
worse, because they are probably just casual drinkers,
contributing to the whole drinking scene. Alcohol
seems to be everywhere. Cooking shows have recipes
with booze, travel show hosts tell you to go to such
and such country and sample the wine or the beer, the
restaurant review shows rave about the wine lists at
restaurants, newspapers write restaurant reviews and
rave about the booze, there are magazines devoted to
alcohol, the list goes on. Not to mention summer
festivals with "beer gardens" and fund raising groups
who have activities with alcohol. I was aghast when we
received an invitation for a park district fund raiser
at which beer and wine would be served. This was
written in black and white on the invitation. And they
invited children to this event! Even if it weren't a
family activity, just the fact that these grown adults
thought it was a good thing to consume a psychoactive
drug was terrible. I told them my husband and I would
not be attending, because sitting around drinking
booze and/or socializing with people who are drinking
booze is not our idea of a good time. They even offer
a beer and wine making workshop in their class
brochure! Aaargghhh! And the local Girl Scout
organization had a fund-raising dinner with a cash
bar, and an auction for a wine-tasting party! It was
an adults-only affair, but still, what kind of example
were they setting? That when you grow up, you drink
BOOZE in order to have a good time. It's not enough to
enjoy this "gala evening" without a psychoactive drug.
You have to consume alcohol because "that's what
grownups do." I would never want to attend an event
like that! My husband and I went to dinner at a fancy
restaurant recently and EVERYBODY around us was
drinking. Young and old, mothers with babies,
middle-aged couples, families with children, just
everywhere I looked people were sipping booze,
ordering booze, making toasts, etc. It just made me
sick. I couldn't help but think as I watched all these
drinkers that none of them would smoke a joint (at
least I hope not). Yet they thought nothing was wrong
with consuming a toxic, mind-altering chemical in
order to get a "buzz" and relax and unwind or whatever
it is they get from that stuff. All the pot-smokers I
have talked to online say that smoking a joint has
about the same effect as a glass or two of wine or
beer. One is legal, the other is not. People go to
fancy restaurants all the time and order booze.
Restaurants rave about their "expanded wine lists"
with hundreds of selections, as if they are proud of
this fact. That is terrible! Waitresses who serve this
stuff may as well be saying, "Can I interest you in a
mind-altering drug this evening?" And then when they
serve it, they should say, "Here is your toxic
chemical that affects every hormone in your body and
poisons cells and has been linked to cancer and is the
most widely used and abused psychoactive drug in the
world.. Enjoy your meal."
I understand how people become addicted to alcohol;
alcoholism is a very serious disease and I have great
sympathy for those who suffer from it. But I'm not
talking about alcoholics, I'm talking about casual
drinkers like most people. It's similar to what I told
all the casual pot-smokers online. I can't BELIEVE how
many people in those chat rooms and on the message
boards think nothing of lighting up a joint on a
Friday night and getting "stoned". They'll say, "It's
safer than alcohol!" or they'll talk about how Carl
Sagan smoked pot, or so-and-so smoked it, etc. They'll
say, "It SHOULD be legal." Like that is going to help
you if you get busted. The judge won't care WHAT you
think! These pot smokers will say how they're a good
person, have a good education, good job, take care of
their family, pay taxes, so they're "entitled" to
smoke pot, because it helps them relax and unwind. I
get so mad when people say these things! If they are
so "good", it makes it WORSE! I'd have more sympathy
for a strung-out junkie than a casual pot-smoker! If
they are so educated and good, then they of ALL people
should know better than to do such a thing! They are
breaking the law and negating everything that most
parents try to teach their kids about drugs and life!
They should be standing up for themselves and serving
as an EXAMPLE, rather than lighting up a joint on a
Friday night and acting like it's okay as long as they
don't get caught. Casual pot smokers keep the whole
illegal drug trade in business, by their sheer
numbers. I don't know anybody in real life who smokes
pot; none of my friends do and I sure never did, I
wouldn't have even known where to GET marijuana! And I
grew up in the 70s! But all these people online blab
about how they smoke pot, or they say how they know
people who smoke pot and how they're good people with
good jobs and education and families, as if that
"entitles" them to break the law and get "high". I
always told them, "Most parents do all they can to
keep their kids off drugs and out of trouble with the
law, and even if pot were legal, most parents would
still raise their kids to know better than to ever use
it. Most parents try to teach their kids to have
higher expectations than THAT for themselves!"
Anyway, this sort of correlates with my point about
alcohol, in that I KNOW most people aren't
falling-down drunks. Alcoholism is a different
situation entirely. But casual drinkers are just
contributing to the whole alcohol "culture", if you
will, where people think drinking booze is perfectly
acceptable, that "everybody" does it, that it's good
for you, etc. Is this how people really want to be?
Thinking that because "everybody" drinks wine that
they have to, too? Don't they have more respect for
themselves than that? Again, I know there are many,
many worse things in this world than drinking wine.
But it all starts with little things like this, the
one glass of wine, the one joint; you just shouldn't
do ANY of this stuff!
I'm not saying this to make people mad or upset
anybody. I'm saying this to HELP people. But I suppose
whoever is reading this will be like all the people
online I've talked to, who get mad or tell me I'm
nuts. They don't believe me when I tell them alcohol
is bad for you. They choose to believe the doctors who
say it's healthy in moderation, rather than what
someone like Dr. Schwarzbein would say. That's because
they want to enjoy their alcohol. It feels good and
they want to keep drinking it, even though it's bad
for them. But Dr. Schwarzbein is not some quack! She
is not LYING about this, or telling people alcohol is
unhealthy just to make them mad! She is a leading
endocrinologist! Her books are great, make perfect
sense, and are full of good, sound advice on nutrition
and healthy living. Most people won't believe her
because they want to drink alcohol. Everybody else
does it, it's legal, they sell it all over the place,
lots of doctors say it's good for you, so it must be
okay, right? That's how people justify it.
You'd think grown adults would be PAST wanting to use
a mind-altering drug. When I used to chastise
pot-smokers online, they'd say all accusingly, "But I
bet you think nothing is wrong with drinking your
WINE." Of course they were eager to prove me a
hypocrite. I would be so shocked and offended. Of
course I didn't drink wine! But then I'd have to
remember that they did not know me, and probably
thought I was like "everybody else" who "savored" a
glass of wine with a meal, or ordered a martini at a
restaurant, etc. I'd have to explain to them that I
don't drink at all, that it is not good to consume a
psychoactive drug, legal or not. I remember back in
college, the one and only time I was ever exposed to
marijuana. I was a senior in college, 22 years old and
engaged to be married. My roommate and her friends lit
up in a nearby room (they didn't offer me any), and I
was shocked. I never thought they were the type to do
that. I told my parents about this incident, saying,
"I don't know why people feel the need to do that." My
dad said, "I don't, either!" But then the thought went
through my mind about how he drank quite often. I
wondered, "Is that so different?" I didn't say
anything, but it really did strike me that just
because alcohol is legal doesn't make it right.
Drinkers are using a psychoactive drug just like
pot-smokers.
There are wineries all over. One in my hometown, and
those I have come across on the Internet, encourage
people to bring CHILDREN to their wine-tasting events!
I can't believe it! Of course they aren't encouraging
adults to feed children wine, I know that. But grown
adults should stand up and serve as an example and NOT
DRINK! What are these wine-tasting events telling
these kids? To grow up and be just like Mommy and
Daddy, and pour booze down your throat. The newspapers
can be the worst as far as glorifying alcohol. Even my
husband got fed up with all the restaurant reviews and
such raving about booze. Our paper even ran an article
about beer vs. wine and which one is better. He said
that somebody should write to the newspaper and get to
the source. I told him I had been doing that very
thing! We were both stunned when I received a snippy
reply from one of the reporters telling me to stop
emailing them, that I would never change the content
of the paper, and that if I don't like alcohol, I
should just stay out of those places. Well I already
know to stay out of those places! They missed my point
entirely! It is so frustrating, because I can't even
take this issue to the newspaper, because the
newspaper is the problem, what with it glorifying and
promoting alcohol! No wonder people think its okay to
drink it! I just wish more people would realize how
bad this stuff is, realize they are better than that,
that they should not want to pour a mind-altering,
unhealthy drug down their throat. What a thing to do!
Even Martha Stewart drinks! It never fails, whenever I
catch a glimpse of her show, she's promoting and
glorifying alcohol. Here she is this nice crafts lady,
with her sewing and cooking and gardening, and yet
even SHE thinks nothing of consuming a toxic,
mind-altering drug to get a "buzz". I just can't
believe it! I thought she was different, but now I
find that she is just like everybody else. It saddens
me.
And to whoever is reading this, if you drink alcohol,
PLEASE do not be mad at what I have said. I have only
presented facts from a reputable doctor on why alcohol
is unhealthy, quoted from a drug abuse website about
how alcohol is an addictive, psychoactive drug, and
stated my own thoughts and feelings about this, which
are totally reasonable and make sense. As I said, I
know that very nice people drink. You aren't a "bad
person" for drinking. But if you are a good, sensible
person, you should know better than to pour a toxic,
mind-altering drug down your throat in order to get a
"buzz". If you don't want to believe that alcohol is
unhealthy and unwholesome, I really do feel it is
because you want to justify your drinking, and if you
make money from a business that promotes alcohol, of
course you don't want to give that up. I understand.
But what I'm saying is that you shouldn't be afraid to
take a stand! You are worth it! It is not "everything
in moderation." You should not drink at all! It is a
toxic chemical and a psychoactive drug!
I can't force you to give up alcohol. Only you can do
that. And it is legal. So it's just up to you. But
please do not be upset or angry. I have received some
nasty replies from wineries and various businesses
when I have sent out my little write-up about why
alcohol is unhealthy, and it saddens me. You would
think a professional business person would be very
careful to maintain good customer relations, and even
if they disagreed with me, to just not say anything or
simply thank me for my email, rather than be nasty. I
mean, what if I lived in their hometown and I told
people about them? Any alcohol-drinking people would
be put off by their attitude and reconsider attending
their establishment or booking "wine tours" and
whatnot through them. Also, if you are rude, I think,
"Is that what booze-drinkers are really like?" and
then I'm even more against alcohol. So I'm just asking
that you please be nice and take what I have said into
consideration. I am trying to help people see that
they shouldn't want or need alcohol. And don't tell me
to "mind my own business", because it is these
businesses and newspapers and columnists and cooking
show hosts and travel and restaurant review show hosts
and such that are putting their information out there.
It is very easy to find these websites and emails, and
most people INVITE comments! For instance, type in
"winery" in any search engine and up pop all these
websites with information about how great wine is, and
how you can come join them for wine tasting events and
bring your children, and book wine tours, etc. I see
that on my computer screen and can't help but react. I
wouldn't know about their business otherwise. People
should be GLAD that someone is trying to help them
realize alcohol is bad for you, and that there is a
better way to live. From all the replies I have
received, I am even more convinced that people are
just so "in the dark" about alcohol, that they
honestly think "everybody" drinks and that there is
nothing wrong with it and that it's just "the thing to
do". That's sad. We shouldn't drink at all. I am
trying to help people realize that. It's just like the
pot-smokers online I talked to; I was doing it out of
love and concern! One guy, a divorced father of three,
told me he stopped smoking pot because of the things I
said! It is very rewarding to know that you can be a
good influence on someone. I hope you keep that in
mind. Thank you and take care.
FROM A DRUG ABUSE WEBSITE:
Every year, more money is spent promoting the use of
alcohol than any other product. Perhaps through its
elaborate and creative marketing, the most basic, yet
important fact about alcohol is often overlooked -
ALCOHOL IS A DRUG - the most commonly used and widely
abused psychoactive drug in the world.
One concept that many people find difficult to
accept is that alcoholism and alcohol problems are a
disease. Research has shown that alcohol interacts
with the body's systems in predictable ways to lead to
physiological addiction.
Alcoholism is a disease - a chronic, progressive,
fatal disease if not treated.
Short Term Effects
Even at low doses, alcohol significantly impairs the
judgment and coordination required to drive a car or
operate machinery safely. Low to moderate doses of
alcohol can also increase the incidence of a variety
of aggressive acts, including domestic violence and
child abuse.
Effects of moderate alcohol intake include dizziness
and talkativeness. The immediate effects of a larger
amount of alcohol include slurred speech, disturbed
sleep, nausea, and vomiting. "Hangovers" are another
effect after large amounts of alcohol are consumed -
symptoms including headache, nausea, thirst,
dizziness, and fatigue.
Long Term Effects
Prolonged, heavy use of alcohol can lead to addiction
(alcoholism). Sudden cessation of long term, extensive
alcohol intake is likely to produce withdrawal
symptoms, including severe anxiety, tremors,
hallucinations, and convulsions.
Long-term effects of consuming large quantities of
alcohol can lead to:
. permanent damage to vital organs
. several different types of cancer
. gastrointestinal irritations, such as nausea,
diarrhea, and ulcers
. malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies
. sexual dysfunctions
. high blood pressure
. lowered resistance to disease
Mothers who drink alcohol during pregnancy may give
birth to infants with fetal alcohol syndrome. These
infants may suffer from mental retardation and other
irreversible physical abnormalities. In addition,
research indicates that children of alcoholic parents
are at greater risk than other children of becoming
alcoholics.
In conclusion, only I know what is good for all the adults in America and I should be in charge of what people should be allowed to do and what they shouldn't"