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“Health benefits” of moderate drinking disappear when controlling for wealth

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Re: “Health benefits” of moderate drinking disappear when controlling for wealth

#21

Post by CM30 »

Honestly, with all this stuff about whether drinking or whatever is or isn't good for you, part of me wonders why I should even care any more.

I mean, it's pretty clear that genetics have a huge impact in how long you live regardless of what your lifestyle is like, and it's also clear that the advice seems to change every few years anyway.

May as well just live how you like and deal with things as they come. And if that's a short life... well at least it was an enjoyable one till that point.

Re: “Health benefits” of moderate drinking disappear when controlling for wealth

#22

Post by freecodyx »

_m8fo wrote: post #5

I've never drank before, so I'm a terrible person to comment about this: but what exactly is the supposed benefit of drinking? I go to dinner parties, clubs, etc. and it seems that alcohol is everywhere. People mention that its social lubricant, but I just don't get it. I've had great times with groups that don't drink any alcohol: sometimes we just eat great food, play games, etc. I've had similar experiences with m…

I've tried once(Vodka), and i regret it. awful taste. vomits everywhere, felt bad, the next day is a mess. I'll stack with weed. (especially that i am from Morocco, we have good weed and Hash)

Re: “Health benefits” of moderate drinking disappear when controlling for wealth

#23

Post by Swizec »

jasonkostempski wrote: post #17
Swizec wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can confirm. Being the only nondrinket at a party sucks. Everyone becomes a strange kind of boring where the stupidest things entertain them and you just can't see it. Happens to me a lot because I don't like wine and beer and it seems that in the US people really really don't like to drink spirits socially. Or even to mix their own cocktails. Sometimes I miss parties with my slavic friends where we go through bottle…

Not sure where you got the idea that in the US people really really don't like to drink spirits socially. I'm sure it's different around the country but that's not the case anywhere I've been.

I find that they drink them at clubs but not at home parties. Should've been more clear.

And anyway it probably has more to do with age than geography. People don't get as smashed in their late 20's as they do in high school and college when drinking is more like a competition on who can get the most drunk the fastest.

Or maybe I'm just going to the wrong parties. You're right, geography is prob a correlation.

Re: “Health benefits” of moderate drinking disappear when controlling for wealth

#24

Post by matwood »

freecodyx wrote: post #22
_m8fo wrote: post #5

I've never drank before, so I'm a terrible person to comment about this: but what exactly is the supposed benefit of drinking? I go to dinner parties, clubs, etc. and it seems that alcohol is everywhere. People mention that its social lubricant, but I just don't get it. I've had great times with groups that don't drink any alcohol: sometimes we just eat great food, play games, etc. I've had similar experiences with m…

I've tried once(Vodka), and i regret it. awful taste. vomits everywhere, felt bad, the next day is a mess. I'll stack with weed. (especially that i am from Morocco, we have good weed and Hash)

You clearly didn't just 'try' Vodka if you were vomiting. You drank to excess.

Re: “Health benefits” of moderate drinking disappear when controlling for wealth

#25

Post by TulliusCicero »

_m8fo wrote: post #5

I've never drank before, so I'm a terrible person to comment about this: but what exactly is the supposed benefit of drinking? I go to dinner parties, clubs, etc. and it seems that alcohol is everywhere. People mention that its social lubricant, but I just don't get it. I've had great times with groups that don't drink any alcohol: sometimes we just eat great food, play games, etc. I've had similar experiences with m…

I don't drink either, but I can see the benefit of something that lowers inhibitions. Especially for professionals, we kind of learn to be somewhat guarded and uptight all the time.

I know when I'm very tired (from being up late or exercising a ton) I get somewhat loopy and it seems to have a similar effect on my inhibitions.

Re: “Health benefits” of moderate drinking disappear when controlling for wealth

#26

Post by mcrump »

happyrock wrote: post #7
_m8fo wrote: post #5

I've never drank before, so I'm a terrible person to comment about this: but what exactly is the supposed benefit of drinking? I go to dinner parties, clubs, etc. and it seems that alcohol is everywhere. People mention that its social lubricant, but I just don't get it. I've had great times with groups that don't drink any alcohol: sometimes we just eat great food, play games, etc. I've had similar experiences with m…

Not sure what your point is here. You've never tried it, so you don't know why people enjoy it? So why don't you try it and find out? There's a reason drinking is a popular activity all over the world. It's a lot of fun.

>>It's a lot of fun.

I quit drinking about 6 months ago and I couldn't feel better. I have a lot of fun with my drinking and non-drinking friends.

Re: “Health benefits” of moderate drinking disappear when controlling for wealth

#27

Post by slobotron »

CM30 wrote: post #21

Honestly, with all this stuff about whether drinking or whatever is or isn't good for you, part of me wonders why I should even care any more. I mean, it's pretty clear that genetics have a huge impact in how long you live regardless of what your lifestyle is like, and it's also clear that the advice seems to change every few years anyway. May as well just live how you like and deal with things as they come. And if t…

If you are predisposed to some genetic condition (say cancer), healthy living (excersize, eating right) can help delay the onset and improve outcomes. (s.o. is nurse and sees that stuff all the time, fwiw)

Re: “Health benefits” of moderate drinking disappear when controlling for wealth

#29

Post by jimrandomh »

A lot of research has shown supposed health benefits of alcohol, but it all has something in common: it's based entirely on observational data, with no intervention performed. Observational studies have an extremely poor track record in health and especially in nutrition, and are not experiments, but they get reported as though they were science. So we get reversals like this one. (Which was entirely expected.)

Re: “Health benefits” of moderate drinking disappear when controlling for wealth

#30

Post by vilmosi »

_m8fo wrote: post #5

I've never drank before, so I'm a terrible person to comment about this: but what exactly is the supposed benefit of drinking? I go to dinner parties, clubs, etc. and it seems that alcohol is everywhere. People mention that its social lubricant, but I just don't get it. I've had great times with groups that don't drink any alcohol: sometimes we just eat great food, play games, etc. I've had similar experiences with m…

Nobody is saying you should start drinking if you don't want to, but there are definitely some benefits for social drinking. Lower inhibitions, feeling more relaxed, getting rid of anxiety or just enjoying a good drink. Again, not for everyone, but it works for a lot of people.

Replace alcoholic drinks with a good pizza, and you might answer your own question.

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