Ian
01-21-2003, 08:55 PM
In a post below, Mark Heide makes an error in judgement so serious that I thought it deserves a separate thread to set the record straight. He states: "It's like alcohol. It doesn't hurt you if you only indulge occasionally."
Actually, the medical record is now overwhelming that for most people it is far more healthy to indulge regularly in alchohol rather than just occasionally or not at all. The first studies on the subject concluded that regular consumption of red wine was beneficial. More recent studies (see the latest issue of The New England Journal of Medicine) make it clear that all alchohol consumption -- including, praise the lord, beer -- enhances health for most people.
An interesting note: what little publicity this wonderful news gets usually carries the modifier "in moderation, i.e. no more than two drinks a day." Actually, what the data shows is that the marginal health benefits of drinking are significantly positive up to two drinks a day. The marginal benefits turn slightly negative as you go over two drinks a day due to accidents, violence, etc. But it is important to note that this is a small marginal effect. In fact, it is far more healthy to have seven or eight drinks a day than to consume no alchohol at all.
It seems to me that the overall quality of life among our species can be greatly enhanced if these scientific findings were better understood (I myself have benefited greatly from the latest studies because for years I have felt guilty when having beer or white wine with dinner instead of red wine. Now, no more guilt for occassionally having fish for dinner instead of something that goes with red wine like steak!).
Actually, the medical record is now overwhelming that for most people it is far more healthy to indulge regularly in alchohol rather than just occasionally or not at all. The first studies on the subject concluded that regular consumption of red wine was beneficial. More recent studies (see the latest issue of The New England Journal of Medicine) make it clear that all alchohol consumption -- including, praise the lord, beer -- enhances health for most people.
An interesting note: what little publicity this wonderful news gets usually carries the modifier "in moderation, i.e. no more than two drinks a day." Actually, what the data shows is that the marginal health benefits of drinking are significantly positive up to two drinks a day. The marginal benefits turn slightly negative as you go over two drinks a day due to accidents, violence, etc. But it is important to note that this is a small marginal effect. In fact, it is far more healthy to have seven or eight drinks a day than to consume no alchohol at all.
It seems to me that the overall quality of life among our species can be greatly enhanced if these scientific findings were better understood (I myself have benefited greatly from the latest studies because for years I have felt guilty when having beer or white wine with dinner instead of red wine. Now, no more guilt for occassionally having fish for dinner instead of something that goes with red wine like steak!).