In the 1800’s, alcohol was an important part of daily life for many people and by 1830, the average American over 15 drank nearly seven gallons of pure alcohol each year; basically, they drank it like water. Distilled spirits were cheap and used freely and before the mid 1800’s there was no minimum drinking age in the U.S.
But Ellen White swam against this tidal wave of inebriants, calling the drinking of alcoholic beverages a curse that caused people to have impaired thoughts, actions, and health. She was ahead of her time in advising people about the risks of liquor. It has turned out to be the third leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. and if you or your loved one has a hard time controlling how much you drink, then you know just how much of a curse it can be. Many still don’t want to hear it, though, preferring to use alcohol to celebrate, commiserate, and cope.
The CDC says that you can lower your health risks and even prolong your life by choosing not to drink. Drinking any alcoholic beverage, like wine, beer, or liquor increases your risk of cancer of the mouth and throat, esophagus, pancreas, colon, liver and breast- and the more a woman drinks, the greater the risk of breast cancer. Alcohol is broken down into a chemical that damages the body’s DNA and damaged DNA can trigger the growth of cancerous cells. It can also trigger high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, anxiety and depression, even dementia and even a small amount taken during pregnancy can cause a baby to be born with fetal alcohol syndrome (a serious, but entirely preventable, birth defect). Maybe the permanent problems it can cause aren’t worth the temporary buzz it can provide.