Government dietary guidelines must be be reasonable and science-based. Imagine you’re at a friend’s party. You finish nursing your first beer and casually reach for a second. Everyone immediately stops and stares. Your friends start whispering to themselves, wondering if they should stage an intervention. Ridiculous and unjustified, right? Wrong! At least according to a …
Peripheral arterial disease is caused by plaque (fat and cholesterol) in the arteries that supply the extremities. The plaque narrows the arteries and decrease blood flow. It usually causes leg problems. The most common symptom of PAD is leg pain while walking (claudication). Over 200 million people around the world suffer the disease. This is …
Many people are concerned about drinking alcohol and gallstone risk. Gallstones are hard bits from bile (digestive fluid) that can occur in the gallbladder. That’s a small organ just below the liver. Gallstones can be very painful if they cause blockage of bile by lodging in a duct. Thus, people want to reduce their risk …
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). …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Researchers wanted to know if there is a link between drinking alcohol and blood vessel function or health. The endothelium is the thin interior surface of small blood vessels. Endothelial dysfunction (ED) is when it fails to perform all of its important functions normally. As a result, several bad things can happen to the tissues …
Are drinking alcohol and weight gain connected? We hear much about the calories in alcohol. So what’s the story? I. The Study Researchers wanted to find out. To do so, they studied 37,000 non-smokers for five years. Smoking and drinking interact to influence weight. Therefore, the researchers limited their study to people who had never …
Alcohol and cancer risk is greatly concerns many people. After the background section, you’ll find a list of 50 cancers and their symptoms. I. Background A. Risk The major cause of death in most of the world is cardiovascular disease. That is, diseases of the heart and circulation system. Fortunately, drinking alcohol in moderation lowers …
