Is alcohol so bad after all?
"People who have a daily glass or two of wine or beer are in better health than those who abstain"
Too much drink is undoubtedly bad for the system, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, liver damage and some cancers. But many experts now believe that consuming moderate amounts of alcohol can reduce the incidence of some health problems.
"Research has shown that there are modest health benefits from a moderate intake of alcohol," says Brigid McKevith, nutrician scientist with the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF). One of the benefits of alcohol comes from ethanol, which increases "good" HDL cholesterol and reduces blood clotting. A 12 year study of 38,000 American men showed that those who consumed small amounts of alcohol at least 3 to 4 days a week had a lower risk of heart attack. Neither the type of drink or whether it was taken with a meal or not affected the results.
There might be mental as well as physical benefits to moderate alcohol consumption. Research carried out by a team at University College London suggests that alcohol can enhance brain function. Of 6,000 civil servants studied, those who drank the equivalent of one glass of wine a week did better in a range of cognitive tests than teetotallers, while people who downed the equivalent of half a bottle of wine or two pints of beer a day scored highest of all. The effect is thought to be due to increased blood flow to the brain and the results were most striking among women drinkers- Copyright of Telegraph Group Ltd, London
The above is an extract from a Star newspaper article dated 15th September 2004, an article written by Barbara Lantin as she reports on new research. The reason i raised this article on my blog today, is simply because i found it to be a very controversial topic of discussion among youngsters today.
If this research makes any sense, then why is it today parents make a big deal when their child consumes alcohol? I was and still am not allowed to go out to clubs or pubs at night, because my parents fear that i would come home drunk. On occassions that they do allow me to go to a club or a pub, i would receive a large amount of phone calls, telling me to get back. It is only 10.30, and the phone starts ringing. Now, i don't understand why parents make such a big fuss when it comes to drinking. If this research makes sense, then parents should encourage their children to have a glass or two a day. It will only keep them at better health.
I noticed most parents, including my own, tend to worry a lot and abstain their children from alcohol. Pschycologist say that if a parent would give their children more freedom, they would pick up on responsibilty. My parents seem to say i am very rebellious, that i do things behind their back. Well, to be honest i only do them to take revenge. If i was allowed to do them, i would stop and think and then make a desicion. But because they dont, i am taken in by peer pressure. If my parent were to allow me to go out clubbing without making an issue that its a club, and there is alcohol, i would then go, but this time i will go in with responsibility.
I am not the only 18 year old out there, who has a view like this. Many of you do. More freedom should still be given, and then responsibilty will be seen. Parents should try and understand their children, instead of always abstaining them from the real world. A child can feel so lost and lonely out in the real world.
I tried to show my mother this article above and she just pushed it away refusing to read such nonesense. Now why is it, that she is so narrow minded to something like this, that continues to question her own children. She keeps saying "no", but not "why no".
For those of you reading the article above, open your mind to it. You do not have to follow it, but know that its just some proven research. So don't always believe what people say, as research can show different views.
