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The Wisdom of Moderation

When a person is always moderate in eating and drinking, he can often prevent certain ailments. But once those ailments develop due to excesses, what then? Consider cirrhosis of the liver. Too much drinking of alcoholic beverages can lead to this liver ailment. But when an alcoholic with cirrhosis of the liver quits drinking, his condition often improves.

Now it appears that the same is true of those who drink too much of alcoholic beverages and develop what is known as esophageal varices. These are varicose veins in the wall of the esophagus. They can rupture, resulting in severe hemorrhaging. In experiments it was found that in those who stopped drinking, the varicose veins decreased in size significantly. None ruptured. But in those who continued to drink, the enlarged veins remained or increased in size, and nearly half of those persons suffered ruptures and hemorrhaging, and died. How wise it is to be moderate in habits at all times! If you have not done it before, start now.