If it really is the case that people stop going to restaurants when there is no alcohol serving, then there is something fundamentally wrong with their alcohol habits.
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Then the howling chorus to get alcohol pouring in restaurants and bars started again. One opposition party after another in the Storting “pulls on” in the hope of being able to get some dissatisfied voters on their side in the next election.
And, this is happening despite the fact that coronary heart disease is now constantly increasing. That this in turn could expose our already understaffed and overworked health personnel in hospitals and in the municipal health service to an even greater burden, the same people do not seem to sacrifice any thought.
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Unsympathetic, is probably the right word to use here. Was not exactly at a restaurant in Oslo that 80 of 117 were infected not too long ago? In addition, infections in restaurants accounted for more than 30 per cent of the total infections in the country before the last liquor ban was introduced.
However, our authorities should somehow not take this into account when introducing infection control measures. Understand it whoever can!
Something is wrong
The fact that the nightlife industry has proven to be so dependent on selling alcohol in order to survive financially is also a great paradox. There must be something fundamentally wrong when we have to serve alcohol to save jobs.
Also read: Voters are fleeing hopeless bar stops and stingy power packs from the red-greens
And, that Vinmonopolet must be open to calm the population, while other stores had to close completely, as we experienced earlier. The pandemic has revealed a collective alcohol problem. Consideration for the alcohol industry prevails over consideration for public health. It is precisely this that is worrying that our politicians are not taking more seriously.
If it really is the case that people stop going to restaurants when there is no alcohol serving, then there is something fundamentally wrong with their alcohol habits. Here it must be timely to quote what is the definition of alcoholism, namely that one is physically and / or mentally dependent on alcohol.
Yes, what about people who can not gather in a good team either at home or abroad, without there having to be “strong issues” in the glass? Mental addiction?
Try to think about it a bit. Shouldn’t it be just as social and nice to sit down at a restaurant with loved ones and enjoy good food and non-alcoholic drink? For those who need beer or wine with their food, there are good non-alcoholic alternatives. Otherwise, there is actually a very healthy variant called water. Yes, you can even get ice cubes in the glass, so then the “drink” will be both cold and good.
Increase in alcohol sales
Having said that, the corona pandemic has revealed and confirmed the position and harmful effects of alcohol in society. This is what chief physician Einar Solheim at Førde Central Hospital says. There has been less nightlife, and we have seen fewer drug-related injuries and fewer emergencies in connection with fights.
This corresponds well with the results of previous studies on what reduced pouring time leads to. At the same time, we have seen an increase in alcohol sales in the first quarter of 2021. A danger in this pattern is that we get more insidious damage from alcohol in the form of an increase in, for example, various cancers and in the development of dementia.
In addition, we know that alcohol also weakens the immune system. Shouldn’t there be something to emphasize in these pandemic times?
Also read: How are Støre and Kjerkol behaving in a restaurant?
Here it is important to realize that you do not have to drink often or too much for alcohol to have negative consequences. Every time you drink, your immune system weakens, according to new research. Alcohol disrupts the immune system in complex ways, affecting the body’s ability to defend itself against infections and other health problems.
The combined effects of alcohol on both innate and adapted immunity, weaken the body’s ability to defend itself against infections and other health problems. Among other things, researchers have found that alcohol alters the number and relative abundance of microbes in the gut microbiome, a comprehensive community of microorganisms in the gut, which helps with normal bowel function. These organisms also affect the maturation and function of the immune system. It can be useful to have some important knowledge about the microbiology in our body, before we eat and drink.
Think about it
Alcohol use is never healthy or safe. Think about all of you who now do not bother to go to a restaurant, have this as a starting point, and still choose to support this industry in a difficult time. Maybe you find that both food and drink taste the same, even with no alcohol in the glass?
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Maybe the children also thought it was more pleasant with “natural” parents? Then maybe there is a possibility that you continue with it for the sake of your own health and the children’s well-being?
Just being able to get in the car and drive home after a better meal outside, and wake up the next morning fresh and fast, should be well worth it.
A version of this post has also been published in Northern Norwegian debate.
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