I don't drink. Never even been tempted to, really. Okay, so those fruity wine cooler things sound kind of yummy, and sometimes I've wondered what it would be like, but in all honesty? I've never been the least bit tempted.
It's just not worth it. Fleeting moments of inebriation in exchange for what? Social embarrassment, liver damage, the potential for alcoholism, the nasty hangover the next day, a shortened life span. Put bluntly like that, it's hard to see wherein the temptation lies.
This past weekend we went away to visit family. And we ate. Oh my did we eat. My usual health consciousness went out the window as I glutted myself on drive thru and gas station fare. I ate whatever it felt like. Sunday morning I woke up feeling wretchedly ill. My stomach was roiling, I felt dizzy. I walked into the bathroom door jamb on my way to perform my morning ablutions.
Thing is though, I wasn't sick. No mysterious bit of biochemical warfare had infiltrated my body. No. What I was experiencing was a hangover. Of the food variety. The greasy and sugary food had hit my system hard, and I was reeling from the consequences of my laissez-faire attitude.
I had to get some more food into me or I was going to throw up.
As I realized that I winced, drawing a parallel between eating and drinking that I'd never drawn before. The consequences of eating too much and drinking too much are eerily similar. Same yucky feeling after extreme overindulgence. Damage to health and lifespan. Social embarrassment...oh my yes. Add to that gaining two pounds in two days and I'm left asking myself, wherein is the temptation?
The end result is not worth the momentary taste in my mouth. It never will be, or can be, worth it.
I feel a little ill again at the thought. I'm chugging a bottle of water today, hoping I can wash away the damage, and start fresh. That's the good news, really. That's the happy ending. We can never be so bad that being good again isn't an option.
It's kind of cheering, really.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Hungover
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5 comments:
WOW. This is such an excellent correlation. Really. People forget all the time that food and alcohol over-indulgence are the same. Sort of. Of course you can't get a DWI from eating, nor will it make you smack your wife, but lots of other things are the same. I think about this a lot.
Great post.
Of course.
I like this!
It's really hard because it IS such an addiction. And unlike other substances, you still have to deal with it, you still have to use it, you still have to see everyone else eating... Forget cigarette commercials, how many Wendy's commercials do you see on TV? How many radio ads do you hear? Food is shoved down your throat all. day. long. And honest to goodness, it's a really tough road sometimes.
I followed a link from Heather of the EO to your website so you can thank her Sunday Suck-Ups for this comment.
I was thinking about this the other day in connection to smoking. I live in a big city and I see people smoking all the time. I'm most surprised when they are young and intelligent people who, I feel, should have known better.
Then I realized, we do the stupidest things when we're young. I'm only 22 and I think that I'm invincible. I think that there won't be any consequences for the things I do. I was talking to a woman today about her battle with high cholesterol and, although she eats very healthy and I do not, I still couldn't wrap my mind around this possibility for myself. Yeah, smoking is deadly harmful. But unhealthy eating is also unhealthy and I am very guilty of that. And the only reason I can't bring myself to rein in is because I honestly don't believe that it will ever happen to me.
I needed this shift in perspective. Thanks.
OH. MY. HEAVENS. This is fabulous. I have NEVER thought of food that way... but you are SO right. WOW. I know that living the Word of Wisdom is more than just the 'don'ts'... we need to eat healthy and all... but to liken over-eating to drinking too much is so, so - well - brilliant. That "I NEED one more cookie" and the grumpiness that comes after eating too much.
You have given me a whole new outlook. Thank you for sharing! (BTW-I found this blog thru Celia Fae, who I found thru "These are a few of my Favorite Things")
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