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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

#41

Post by isaac_is_goat »

slobotron wrote: post #27
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)

Isn't this a given though...? Exercise and eating right will improve outcomes no matter what genetics you have.

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

#42

Post by dsego »

_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…

Works wonders for my depression.

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

#43

Post by palebluedot »

freecodyx wrote: post #36
matwood wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

5 small cups... i don't think it's excess. but maybe because it was my first time, i was worried of losing control (i remember i did 40 pushups to prove to my friend i still in control). Anyway never tried again. i hate it

5 small cups... i don't think it's excess.

That sounds like a lot of vodka, especially for a first-time drinker! Depending on the size of the cup, that was likely at least 5 drinks, and likely more (1 drink of spirits is usually less than you think, and almost always less than what you see poured on TV).

Given that it is also easier to drink liquor faster than something like beer, you likely had quite a bit of alcohol in a pretty short time. I'd be sick, too.

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

#44

Post by vinay427 »

isaac_is_goat wrote: post #41
slobotron wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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)

Isn't this a given though...? Exercise and eating right will improve outcomes no matter what genetics you have.

Yes, which is why you might consider caring, as the original comment asked.

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

#45

Post by _m8fo »

dsego wrote: post #42
_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…

Works wonders for my depression.

I'm sorry to hear that you're depressed. If you don't mind sharing, what else have you tried? Isn't alcohol a depressant? I'm no psychiatrist but it seems paradoxical that alcohol would help with depression

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

#46

Post by _m8fo »

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.

There's no point to be made: it's just a question. Though, your logic doesn't seem to make sense to me: would you encourage people to try everything to find out for themselves as opposed to asking people who've tried it before? That sounds like a recipe for disaster.

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

#47

Post by Symbiote »

freecodyx wrote: post #36
matwood wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

5 small cups... i don't think it's excess. but maybe because it was my first time, i was worried of losing control (i remember i did 40 pushups to prove to my friend i still in control). Anyway never tried again. i hate it

In a bar in Britain, 5 single vodkas (35ml each) is half the maximum recommended weekly consumption of alcohol. One additional vodka takes you over the official amount for "binge drinking", drinking a lot in a short period in order to get drunk -- and that's for someone who probably consumes alcohol regularly.

Measures poured at someone's home tend to be more than 35ml.

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

#48

Post by bcrescimanno »

The great Lewis Black has some wonderfully relevant commentary:

"The people who told us about sun block were the same people who told us, when I was a kid, that eggs were good. So I ate a lot of eggs. Ten years later they said they were bad. I went, "Well, I just ate the eggs!" So I stopped eating eggs, and ten years later they said they were good again! Well, then I ate twice as many, and then they said they were bad. Well, now I'm really fucked! Then they said they're good, they're bad, they're good, the whites are good, th-the yellows - make up your mind! It's breakfast I've gotta eat!"

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

#49

Post by aoeuasdf1 »

_m8fo wrote: post #45
dsego wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Works wonders for my depression.

I'm sorry to hear that you're depressed. If you don't mind sharing, what else have you tried? Isn't alcohol a depressant? I'm no psychiatrist but it seems paradoxical that alcohol would help with depression

Isn't depressant just the opposite of stimulant? I don't think it has anything to do with depression the syndrome.

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

#50

Post by Tycho »

_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…

Beer has good health benefits. It doesn't have sugar in it, so it's something you can drink without damaging your teeth. It doesn't have caffeine, so it's not going to stop you sleeping (hence why people meet for a coffee during the day and a 'drink' in the evening). Apparently it helps your cholesterol. It also kills germs/bacteria - when I was in India I tried to drink beer every day and I never got sick.

In terms of taste, I think it becomes much more appealing in hot weather, as a chilled beer is very refreshing. Also, it's something you tend to sip gradually, which lends itself to situations where you are sitting with friends for extended periods. Similarly with wine.

It does seem to cause people to lower their inhibitions which leads to easier conversation. Drunk people are very tiresome though.

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