by-products

For decades now the media has blitzed the world with negative advertisements about the ills of alcohol and tobacco use. The message is correct but as usual there is more to the story. After all both substances occur naturally and have been used by mankind for thousands of years. Let’s take a drink and see what happens. If you feel sophisticated and try a shot of Remy Martin VSOP Cognac you have just consumed an 80 proof mixture which means by volume you have swallowed 40% alcohol. So besides water and sugar what is in the other 60%? Well as much as I tried the makers of this alleged fine champagne cognac won’t disclose. Therein lays the problem. It seems that consumption of reasonable levels of alcohol is really not the problem. The chemical additives placed in the mixture to manipulate the taste and to preserve the tonic are the true culprits. That means that if you must drink it is best to consume pure alcohol and dilute the chemical directly. The substance is quickly absorbed by every part of the body. That’s why so many of your medications have alcohol as a base: For absorption, not intoxication. Beer and wine get high marks but once again additives spoil the brew. Red wine clears blocked arteries but unfortunately is loaded with sulfates to stop fermentation and surely you don’t want to know what is added to American beer during pasteurization (foreign beer makers generally do not pasteurize, hence comes their crisp bitter taste).

So surely there can be nothing good about tobacco. Nicotine is a natural addictive toxic substance found in tobacco. It can be removed by washing the leaves with water. This product’s usage is not to be encouraged but once again the makers of today’s packaged cigarettes and cigars have taken the lead in poisoning their users by adding loads of extra nicotine and tar to enhance the flavor of their stale prepackaged product and to ensure the users addiction. Additionally, thousands of chemical and metal additives are included to insure the product burns evenly and handles well. In essence the makers of today’s mass produced tobacco products have taken the relatively inane tobacco product and created a poisonous addictive concoction.

So make no mistake, smoking cigarettes and drinking liquor is extremely dangerous to your health. But alcohol and tobacco have really been given a bad rap by the way the makers have altered and mass marketed these products. Much the way food manufacturers have taken simple products and destroyed their nutritional value by loading the products with refined salt and sugar. Be clear that it is best not to use tobacco or alcohol. But note that when used in reasonable quantities and in their pure form, neither product tolls the death knell that occurs from using the altered by-product found in your local store.