Hey guys,

I am wondering what the raw food gurus think about alcohol.

I enjoy alcohol. However, if it is not good for you, I will stop it. I enjoy both wine and hard liquor such as scotch and brandy. Recently, I tried adding vodka to fresh fruit juice and that was also enjoyable.

However, are these activities advisable? Should I drink alcohol at all? One of the reasons I had started drinking was because of the potential health benefits. However, how does this fit into the raw lifestyle?

Thanks.

I've never liked alcohol. It always tastes to me like something that isn't supposed to be in the human body. There seems to be a fair few raw foodists who enjoy the occasional organic vegetarian wine.

If you are an ethical vegetarian, you'll want to stay clear of most alcohol (especially wine and beer) unless it's been labelled as vegetarian as many brands of beer and wine have had isinglass (gelatine made from a fish's swim bladder) used in the fining process. AFAIK, There's only one commercial veggie friendly lager in the UK at the moment, as an example of how common non-veggie lager is.

Also, at some 'organic freshly made' cider farms, they use an old technique where they throw in a lump of meat (pork, usually I think) with the cider for a short period to add extra flavour. Gag.

I personally think alcohol isn't healthy. I think the whole wine/antioxidants thing is only being pushed because many drinkers aren't healthy in their diet anyway. It's like people who drink 6 cups of tea w/milk a day are pushed into thinking that that's healthy too "There's antioxidants in it! I read it in the newspaper!".

Ugh, I did not know that there could be meat in my wine.

Also, I had the same thoughts about the health benefits. If you are eating right, there should be no need to do all these other things. Btw, I enjoy green tea with honey every day.

Maybe I should just stick to raw organic wine. *sigh*.

Every once in awhile I'll have a red wine but I'll get only "Frey" or "Our Daily Red" these wines are organic and sulfite free.

dinesh75 Wrote:
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(...) I am wondering what the raw food gurus think about
> alcohol.
(...) One of the reasons I had
> started drinking was because of the potential
> health benefits (...)
I sould not answer to your question - since I'm not a raw guru :-)

Maybe one should ask him/herself how "guru" into the alcohol became, make a chart with the alcohol consumption over time ( just to see the trend) and then to try to answer yourself honestly if you REALLY noticed any improvement (fizical AND mental) due to the alcohol consumption.

For me, drinking alcohol sounds like this: IT MIGHT BECOME DIFFICULT TO STOP USING IT !


I use alcohol in my windsield fluid and Listerine. I even drink alcohol once or twice a year - not more than 4 - 8 fl. oz if it happens to go to a wedding or so.
I am also using the refined alcohol to disinfect my hands or eventually wounds when I go outdoors.


JMHO

Pls. excuse my English - foreigner.

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Medicine, Food Industry and Commerce are businesses.
Is their goal to make/keep me healthy or to make more profit?
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I don't think there's any way that alcohol is good for you, although I do think if anything, wine should be your first choice. Hard liquor smells and tastes like poison, which it is. If you consume too much of it, or it in the wrong combination with medication, you end up with alcohol poisoning, or with a massive headache the next day. I wouldn't really want to drink something like that. Every time I ever drank, I felt dehydrated and weird the next day.

The older I get, the worse it makes me feel...I only drink wine occasionally, but it makes me feel bad afterwards, no matter if I have one glass or three, it is the same reaction, physically...

I used to consume a lot of beer/wine, etc....and made my own...for many years. After becoming healthier....I found that it made me fat...didn't taste as good as say.....grapes......and lowered my nervous system and immune-system response. This made it a no-brainer to phase out....for me. After I did, I never wanted it again. Just my experiences. I support you 100% in whatever YOUR decision is.

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

I used to think that all alcohol has bad, and didn't have a sip of it until after the age of 25. I think alcohol is to a large degree overused and abused and more often then not of more harm then good. However, I tend to be a very stressed kind of person and one day I accidentally ordered a non-virgin pinacolada (before my raw days). I only had a few sips, but it chilled me out like nothing I've ever done. Don't get me wrong, I meditate, do chi-gong, exercise regularly etc, I do all the right things (I could maybe stand to up my greens a bit), but I still have a way of getting really tense over time. Having a couple drinks of wine a year I've found can crack the shell. I think that if you are healthy you can handle it and that the benefits of relaxation (stress can be VERY unhealthy) can for some outway any negatives. My understanding is that alcohol chemically blocks off certain portions of the brain that may be overly stressed and allows us to focus in on, access, and build the "fun" areas of our brain that people like myself tend to override, while giving the critical/rational areas a chance to just rest a bit and recuperate. My theory and experience, but probably wouldn't apply to most . . .

-Ryan
radicalvitality.com

I love Beer wine Vodka and vodka with juice an NA beer,but I gave it up I know any type of Alcohol is poision. Oh i could make excusses it relaxes me, I feel good etc.but I am only kidding myself as you would be.
We made our own wine from our concord grapes so 100% organic vegatarian.. so what..it is Alcohol. If you're looking for good health I'd choice to stay away from this. It is hard!! it is enjoyable, also it seems going out and about with friends you have a good time. A glass of wine mellows you indeed. Oh I could go on and on how great Alcohol is. But the truth of it is if you are someone that wants a healthy body, mind and soul stay away from it. Alcohol is poision bottom line, it does your body no good. Harsh Truth!!

Alcohol is acidic so I don't realy think there are "health benefits".

I think the "health benefits" and "claims" are as reliable as any other SAD product. Like the Cheerios commercial that brags about the "cholesterol lowering" benefits. Or how high fiber SAD carbs help prevent colon cancer.

hmm, ok. So I guess I shall quit drinking liquor and have a few bottles of wine in an year on special occasions.

The healthier I have become with my diet the less attractive alcohol has become, as it brings down my mood, makes my body hold more water and steals my energy, I am not at the point where I can say I won't ever have it again, but I am at the point where if I have a glass a wine it will only be one, and will be organic and vegetarian approved.

Phil.

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"Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it" (Chinese Proverb)

I actually have a hard time not drinking at all! I agree that I come home from work and at around 9pm I will be so stressed from daily routines, freelance work and anyone with kids will know besides being lovely they can be devils. When everything is finished and done, I have some wine and the stress falls off. No matter what alcohol though (organic and what not) - I know it is not good for me, even if I try to convince myself it is fairly raw (the kinds I get). Bottom line is that it is costly, makes me fat, makes me tired the next day AND that the body becomes more tolerant bla bla..anything that also applies to SAD foods basically or drugs
Raw doesn't make me feel gross about alcohol. The only times when I was seriously grossed out be alcohol was during my 2 pregnancies.
Well I don;t know what it contributes to the thread but no drinking of any alcohol is on my resolution list.
My husband likes red wine so it doesn't look like I can eliminate all alcohol from the house, which would be a logical step to do first.

Hello,

Personally, I think organic wine is fine on occasion. However, I do notice that I don't feel as good when I drink. I feel so much better without alcohol.

Here's a link to Federic Patenaude's theory on alcohol. [http://www.fredericpatenaude.com/blog/?p=103]
He is known for giving straight talk on health issues.

Best Regards to you.

i have decided to quit alcohol.

I would like to know which wines, especially (but beers too) are vegetarian/organic/raw. Does anyone have some resources for this?
Thanks!

[www.tastebetter.com]


(not sure of the reliability, but it is quite an extensive list)

I don't indulge very often myself. But I do have a glass of wine every now and then... I am not going to stress about it... IMO, breathing in our polluted air is more of a health risk. I don't see a problem with enjoying a glass or two of vino on occassion.. but definately not health promoting to have more than that!

I don't drink alcohol much because (1) I know it converts to sugar and is bad for my sugar levels as well as my liver, (2) I know too many "bad" alcoholics and want to be the person at the party (or wherever) that doesn't drink, in solidarity with anyone who actually finds it difficult to abstain, and (3) it costs too much. I could also now add (4) which is that I noticed the last few times I drank alcohol I didn't even get a buzz -- including the time, about two months ago, that I must have had at least 3-4 shots of good quality tequila. One friend suggested the reason why was because I'm "naturally drunk," and I have to admit there may be some truth in that, I don't know, LOL.

Alcohol does not make me feel bad. Of course, I do not like to get drunk. I also do not crave it, but I do enjoy it.

I enjoy a nice glass of scotch or cognac. Since I bought a juicer, I have taken to adding vodka to fresh fruit juice as an after dinner drink. Very enjoyable.

dinesh75 Wrote:
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> Alcohol does not make me feel bad. Of course, I do
> not like to get drunk. I also do not crave it, but
> I do enjoy it.
>
> I enjoy a nice glass of scotch or cognac. Since I
> bought a juicer, I have taken to adding vodka to
> fresh fruit juice as an after dinner drink. Very
> enjoyable.



Oooh! Dinesh! That sounds delish... I'll have to try the
vodka and fresh fruit in the summer!!!

The world would be a much better place without it IMO, it causes so much suffering in so many lives, we so take it for granted - and for what really?
Just weigh the pros and cons, there's no contest.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/2008 04:48PM by Dulset.

Reason 2 is very noble of you, Avocadess!! No matter if alcohol or anything, I always cringe when I am in a situation where I witness a person doing something he or she doesn't want to or know they should not be doing but peer pressure gives them an excuse to do so. And of course, I am such person too often myself