The relation between drinking alcohol and cognitive function in ageing (or aging) is important. Most people drink and most look forward to mentally active ageing. But is there a connection between the two? I. The Study Researchers wanted to learn the answer. Therefore, they looked at participants drawn from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). That’s a nationally representative sample of US middle-aged and older adults.  Participants had taken an initial cognitive test. Then researchers… Read more

Is there a connection between drinking alcohol and chronic kidney disease? This is an important question. For example, 37 million people in the U.S. have chronic kidney disease. Also, many millions more are at risk. And most people in the country drink alcohol. I. Risk  These are risk factors for developing the disease. Abnormal kidney  Being African-American, Native American or Asian-American Diabetes Family history of kidney disease Heart and blood vessel disease High blood pressure… Read more

I. Frailty It’s important to avoid frailty in ageing. That’s because frailty is linked to poor health, disability, and death. Of course, being healthy helps ward off frailty. But specifically, what can we do to reduce our chance of frailty in ageing? Most research has studied those who are already of advanced age. Also, it doesn’t look at them over long periods of time. That doesn’t help those in their 40s and 50s to know… Read more

Mississippi Mississippi is a dry state and was so long before National Prohibition began in 1920. And it was also the first state to ratify National Prohibition. Upon Repeal in 1933, it kept its own state-wide prohibition. Later, it “reaffirmed prohibition.” Thus Mississippi has a very long and strong temperance tradition.  However, local governments do have local option. That is, they can vote to permit alcohol sales within their borders. Nevertheless, Mississippi is a dry state to… Read more

Are alcohol and diabetic retinopathy connected? There is strong evidence that they are. But first, what is diabetic retinopathy? I. The Disease of Diabetic Retinopathy Diabetic retinopathy is a disease that causes impaired vision or even total blindness. It does so by damaging blood vessels in the retina. The retina is needed for vision. This disease usually affects both eyes. And it can affect anyone with diabetes. That is, either type 1 or type 2. In… Read more

Wine experts and wine snobism can intimidate people. We’re afraid to trust our own judgment of what we like. Or of what we think we “should” like. Most people want a good wine at a good price. Should you rely on wine experts? Their advice should be, well, expert. As we’ll see, the experts aren’t really so expert. And the scientific evidence proves it! Or people often say that you get what you pay for.… Read more

I. Potential Problem Industry funding of research can sometimes bias research findings. That was the case of tobacco company support of smoking research. Many people are concerned that alcohol research funding on health effects of moderate drinking by producers may bias the findings. That’s a very logical and sound concern. Here’s a good example of that fear. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism is the federal agency on alcohol. It asked for funds… Read more

Confusing correlation with causation is natural. We all tend to fall into the trap. The classic example is the correlation between high ice cream sales and drownings. Or the sale of sunglasses. But ice cream sales don’t cause either drownings or the sale of sunglasses.  The cause of these things is clearly warm weather. It’s not caused by high ice cream sales!  I. Alcohol Sales Outlets Similarly, people often observe that alcohol consumption tends to be… Read more

Purley Baker was a leading temperance and Prohibition leader. He was born in Ohio in 1858 and died during National Prohibition (1920-1933) in 1924. Prohibition was part of the Progressive Movement. Anti-Saloon League Rev. Baker was an ordained Methodist minister who became well-known for strongly opposing alcohol and saloons. Perhaps because of that fact, Howard Hyde  Russell, the head of the Anti-Saloon League (ASL) hired him to work for the Ohio ASL. After only a year… Read more