|
Alcohol is arguably man's oldest medicine, observed by the ancient Greeks to be safer than water and used as an antiseptic from the 5th century BC until the discovery of penicilllin. Pliny the Elder wrote (AD 23-79) ' In vino sanitas, in wine there is health'.
Alcohol has always been recognised as a double-edged sword, offering pleasure and relaxation in moderation but both social and health problems in excess.
“Wine and music delight the soul as long as they are used with sobriety” (Eccles 32:6 40:20).
“Whether wine is a nourishment, medicine or poison, is a matter of dosage” (Paracelsus 1493-1541, a German physician and father of modern pharmacology, and also the doctor who gave us the word 'alcohol').
The rennaissance of Alcohol
The valid issues of binge drinking or alcohol dependency and their associated problems dominate the headlines and it is often forgotten that an estimated 90% of the UK population enjoy alcohol in a responsible manner.
The acceptance by many that alcohol forms part of a balanced diet and lifestyle is due, in part, to the growing body of evidence from eminent researchers and physicians that drinking in moderation is not only enjoyable and sociable but may prolong life by protecting against coronary heart disease and stroke as well as late-onset diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and in the words of Plato, the 'crabbedness of old age'!
What the experts say....
Sir Richard Doll, Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University of Oxford, sums up past attitudes well:
"The Belief that alcohol was bad for health was so ingrained that the idea that small amounts might be good for you was hard to envisage, and it is only in the past ten years that cardiologists and specialists in preventative medicine have begun to take it seriously"
For in depth papers and summaries on alcohol and health, please visit www.aim-digest.com and click on to the Gateway to sensible drinking and health. Here, you will find papers and summaries on all areas of alcohol and health. If you have specific questions or queries, please email us via: info@aim-digest.com
How much is too much?
If you're worried that a member of your family or your partner has a serious drink problem, contact Alcohol Concern via www.alcoholconcern.org.uk or Alcoholics Anonymous via www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
|
Alcohol and Health 
