The subject of alcohol and cataracts is important. Most people drink alcohol, and as we age, our chances of having cataracts increase. I. Cataracts Cataracts are clouding of the eye lens. They may occur in one or both eyes. If untreated, they can lead to blindness. They are common with advancing age. For example, the …
Alcohol and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an important concern. Most people drink alcohol. At the same time, many people have RA. I. Rheumatoid Arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic or long-lasting disease. It’s inflammatory in nature. (In fact, “arthritis” means joint inflammation.) The immune system attacks the body for reasons doctors don’t understand. In effect, the …
Chronic kidney disease and alcohol is an important matter. Millions of people regularly drink alcohol. And many people suffer chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD afflicts large numbers of people. In fact, it affects about 10% of adults around the world. The percent is higher in the U.S., with 37,000,000 suffering CKD. In addition, doctors diagnose …
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 …
