Drinking and Smoking (good fpr you)

[Mowee]

New story.

People who drink alcohol are less prone to the sometimes crippling disease called rheumatoid arthritis compared with non-drinkers, according to a Scandinavian study published on Wednesday.
People who had a moderate alcohol consumption were 40 and 45 percent less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis compared with people who did not drink or drank only occasionally, it found.

Among those who had a high consumption, the risk was reduced by 50 and 55 percent respectively.

Most surprising was that the biggest benefits were seen among smokers with a genetic profile known to make them vulnerable to the disease.

Rheumatoid arthritis affects between 0.5 and one percent of people, according to figures for the industrialised world.

It happens when the immune system attacks the joints, causing inflammation and damage to the cartilage and bone.

A mixture of environmental factors, especially smoking, and genetic heritage are the deemed causes of the disease.

The authors, led by Henrik Kaellberg of the Institute of Environmental Medicine at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, note previous research that suggests alcohol interferes with inflammatory processes that trigger heart disease.

Doctors advising patients about the disease say they should urge smokers to kick tobacco, but not necessarily to stop consumption of alcohol in moderate quantities.

High consumption of alcohol, while apparently protective for rheumatoid arthritis, is itself linked with many other health problems.

The paper appears in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, a specialist journal published by the British Medical Association (BMA).

[CSMAnderson]

OK here it comes I can see it now. A little alcohol is good for rehumatoid arthritis, so a lot of alcohol must be good for all types of arthritus.

[tight_ash]

Originally Posted by CSMAnderson

OK here it comes I can see it now. A little alcohol is good for rehumatoid arthritis, so a lot of alcohol must be good for all types of arthritus.

I'll subscribe to that theory!

[Lord Nikon]

I will run this by my wife, not sure she will bite on buying me more alcohol and cigars.

[tight_ash]

Originally Posted by Lord Nikon

I will run this by my wife, not sure she will bite on buying me more alcohol and cigars.

My wife won't buy it either, but it doesn't mean I won't argue the hell out of it.

[casual]

Originally Posted by CSMAnderson

OK here it comes I can see it now. A little alcohol is good for rehumatoid arthritis, so a lot of alcohol must be good for all types of arthritus.

Exactly!!! It kills the pain.

[soxs]

Originally Posted by CSMAnderson

OK here it comes I can see it now. A little alcohol is good for rehumatoid arthritis, so a lot of alcohol must be good for all types of arthritus.

You can not feel the pain when you drunk.

[jazznut]

Don`t Scandinavians number amongst those population groups with the highest per-capita consumption of alcohol?

[MountChuck]

Originally Posted by CSMAnderson

OK here it comes I can see it now. A little alcohol is good for rehumatoid arthritis, so a lot of alcohol must be good for all types of arthritus.

This is why my knees hurt so much today. Only 1 cigar and no alcohol last night.

[Eagle]

Originally Posted by jazznut

Don`t Scandinavians number amongst those population groups with the highest per-capita consumption of alcohol?

Hell it's so cold over there all they have to do is set in the house and drink and smoke and I would guess make baby's on the side.