DOES GOD’S TEMPLE NEED ALCOHOL?

The bible refers to the human body as Gods temple and must therefore be devoid of defilement. However, in our quest for pleasure, we adopt lifestyle patterns to satisfy our craving while making sure we have excuses and justification for our actions. At the long run we sacrifice our health and wellbeing in atonement for the consequences that come with the pleasures. The question of whether Gods Temple needs alcohol for its proper functioning continues to be mind bothering and debatable as far as arguments related to alcohol consumption are concerned.

Nutrition has two main purposes of providing energy maintaining body structure and function. Food provides energy and building blocks needed for the provision of building blocks needed for the replacement of worn out or damaged cells and the nutritional components needed for optimal body function.

Carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins and minerals and water are considered essential for health. This is because their deficiencies in the body lead to health problems and diseased conditions. Alcohol cannot be classified an essential nutrient because there is no known associated health problem or disease state when one does not consume alcohol.

In our part of the world, people have the assertion and fervently argue that alcohol consumption has added health benefits and its deficiency leads to health complications which are not named by proponents of this dogma. One must clearly understand what alcohol is, how it is metabolised and how it affects other metabolic pathways in the body.

Nutrition and alcohol are closely related. Over consumption of alcohol can lead to nutritional deficiencies, weight gain and chronic diseases such as liver diseases, hypertension, strokes and coronary heart diseases.2 drinks(28g) and 1 drink(14g) per day for both male and females respectively is recommended.

However before you take the decision of going into drinking with the hope of going by this recommendation, ask yourself whether the benefits are worth the health risks associated with alcohol consumption. Never forget that behaviour changes are improved upon with constant practise-a drink will be sufficient for you today but the dosage will have to be increased once you never get the feeling you used to get after taking a drink.

Carbohydrates, proteins, fats and alcohol provide energy for the body. The nutritional value of this energy depends on their vitamin, mineral and water content. Variety of these vitamins and minerals in both quality and quantity is the key to good health. The calories provided by alcohol has no associated vitamin or mineral- a calorie called empty calorie.

Many people drink to get that peculiar feeling associated with alcohol consumption but i wonder whether they take just a fraction of a minute to ask why they feel that way when they drink.

The effect of alcohol on health commences with the manner in which alcohol is metabolised. In terms of metabolism, the body prioritises the metabolism of alcohol. This means that the body stops metabolising anything else until it has finished metabolising alcohol because it has no storage site in the body.

About 20% of alcohol consumed is absorbed in the stomach and directly transported into the blood stream. In matter of minutes, it reaches the brain causing the feeling of being a stimulant. The remains go to the small intestine where it is absorbed with other nutrients. Minute amounts are excreted through the urine, sweat, saliva and breath.

Once ingested, alcohol can inhibit the breakdown of nutrients into absorbable forms usable by the body through interference with enzyme secretion from the pancreas. Damage to linings of the small intestines caused by alcohol prevents efficient absorption of nutrients even when adequate quantities are consumed. Alcoholics may be able to digest and absorb nutrients but their transport may be interrupted leading to cell starvation.

In pregnant women, alcohol has a direct toxic effect on foetal development, causing alcohol related birth defects including foetal alcohol syndrome. Children born with this preventable tragedy typically have disproportioned head, facial deformities, retardation and behavioural problems.

The relationship between alcohol and nutrition runs through pregnancy to adulthood and associated with chronic diseases developed in later life. What we eat or drink must be of importance because dietary factors are associated with more than five of the ten leading causes of death in the world.

Eat Well to Live Well!!!!!!!!!!!!
BASSAH DOMINIC
UDS-SMHS TAMALE
[email protected]
0240534534