Alcohol and health

[Glenn E.]

Contrary to conventional advice, eating more of some fats may be good for our health, says Michael Mosley.

It really is the sort of news that made me want to weep into my skinny cappuccino and then pour it down the sink. After years of being told, and telling others, that saturated fat clogs your arteries and makes you fat, there is now mounting evidence that eating some saturated fats may actually help you lose weight and be good for the heart.

Earlier this year, for example, a systematic review, funded by the British Heart Foundation and with the rather dry title "Association of dietary, circulating and supplement fatty acids with coronary risk" caused a stir.

Scientists from Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard, amongst others, examined the links between eating saturated fat and heart disease. Despite looking at the results of nearly 80 studies involving more than a half million people they were unable to find convincing evidence that eating saturated fats leads to greater risk of heart disease.

In fact, when they looked at blood results, they found that higher levels of some saturated fats, in particular a type of saturated fat you get in milk and dairy products called margaric acid, were associated with a lower risk of heart disease.

Although there were critics, NHS Choices described this as "an impressively detailed and extensive piece of research, which is likely to prompt further study".

Some academics queried the paper, others worried that this sort of research would confuse people and the message they would get would not be "it's OK to eat more of some forms of fat" but that "it's OK to eat lots more saturated fat, even if it is in pies". We know that current levels of obesity have been fuelled, at least in part, by snacks like muffins, crisps and cakes, all high in fat, sugar and calories.

Lots more saturated fat as found in pies: yum yum yum. Thunderbirds Are Go!

My reading:

"blah blah blah it's OK to eat lots ... pies blah blah blah"

[djewesbury]

I don't think that any of us are on very firm ground on this one.

[DRT]

I don't think that any of us are on very firm ground on this one.

I am. I can't remember the last time I ate a doughnut.

[LGTrotter]

Doughnuts are overrated.

[Alex Bridgeman]

About once every 5 years I make some doughnuts. Home-made doughnuts are absolutely delicious. I fry them in coconut oil and inject them with raspberry jam.

Given the number of doughnuts I make in a session and the number of people who magically appear when I cook doughnuts, I average eating 1 doughnut every 5 years or so. Slightly fewer than the number of glasses of red wine I drink in a five year period.

However, given the recent health advice I clearly need to cook the next batch of doughnuts in butter and inject them with red wine.

[DRT]

The perfect doughnut.

[Glenn E.]

The perfect burger.

[djewesbury]

A new study on middle-class drinking, looking at alcohol use as status symbol. If anyone would like to read it please PM me.

[jdaw1]

Your drinking habits are unlike the average from any country.

[DRT]

Your drinking habits are unlike the average from any country.

+1

[djewesbury]

But your closest match on overall consumption alone is Belarus, the heaviest-drinking country in the world.

[DRT]

But your closest match on overall consumption alone is Belarus, the heaviest-drinking country in the world.

Lightweight.

[djewesbury]

But your closest match on overall consumption alone is Belarus, the heaviest-drinking country in the world.

Lightweight.

No. I got the same first line as you. Did you read beyond that?

[LGTrotter]

I thought it rather unsporting of Auntie to make us calculate our drinking from last week. Most people drink more than usual the week before Christmas.

Signed,

A fellow Belarusian.

[DRT]

But your closest match on overall consumption alone is Belarus, the heaviest-drinking country in the world.

Lightweight.

No. I got the same first line as you. Did you read beyond that?

Ah.

[jdaw1]

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his government to curb rising vodka prices.

Mr Putin, who has been hit by increasing economic woes, said that high prices encouraged the consumption of illegal and possibly unsafe alcohol.

[mpij]

From the Independant "A bottle of wine a day is not bad for you and abstaining is worse than drinking, scientist claims "
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style ... 71010.html

[djewesbury]

I suddenly developed tinnitus today. It's quite disorientating. A noise at the other end of the house sounds deafeningly loud, there's a constant auditory illusion of a radio being on, and in my right ear (down to about 5% hearing) a high pitched constant whine. All sound has lost spatial perspective and become jarring.
What I want to know is, which port is most likely to cure this condition?

[AW77]

I suddenly developed tinnitus today. It's quite disorientating. A noise at the other end of the house sounds deafeningly loud, there's a constant auditory illusion of a radio being on, and in my right ear (down to about 5% hearing) a high pitched constant whine. All sound has lost spatial perspective and become jarring.
What I want to know is, which port is most likely to cure this condition?

I'm sorry to hear that.
I would suggest Sandeman's Old Invalid Port:
http://www.wine-searcher.com/wine-12348 ... t-portugal

[djewesbury]

That was pretty quick André! I must seek out a bottle of this!

[AW77]

That was pretty quick André! I must seek out a bottle of this!

I hope it works.

[djewesbury]

If it tastes horrible I can just warm it up and pour it in my ear.

[AW77]

You know, medicine is not supposed to taste nice, young man!

[djewesbury]

It's official, alcohol is better for you than going to the gym.

[DRT]

Should we lock this thread now that we have the correct answer?

[djewesbury]

For 'doctor' read 'life coach'.

[DRT]

I would never do that.

[djewesbury]

Derek has often told me how much he values Julian's sensitive intervention.
Cue a post from the guru himself, demonstrating the use some of his carefully-judged motivational phrases, like 'ball of lard' and 'going to die'.

[DRT]

I think you will find it is a tub rather than a ball, but you are on the right track.

[djewesbury]

I think you will find it is a tub rather than a ball, but you are on the right track.

See? This level of focused training requires great skill.

[jdaw1]

Russia has cut the minimum price of vodka in order to try and stop people turning to moonshine, it's reported.

Half a litre of the spirit can now cost as little as 185 roubles ($2.70; £1.80), a reduction of 16% on the previous minimum price of 220 roubles, The Moscow Times website reports. Authorities are hoping the move will stop people consuming illegally distilled spirits, which often have a higher alcohol content. Russia first introduced a minimum price for vodka in 2010, in an attempt to cut binge drinking. But as the economy worsened and prices rose in 2014, more people took to buying illegal alcohol, the website says. Russia's economic woes continue despite government efforts to stabilise the currency. The rouble's value plummeted 41% against the dollar during 2014, pushing inflation up to 11.4%.

[jdaw1]

The issue of alcohol and health is far more nuanced than either the drinks industry or the health lobby would have us believe. As the UK heads into January detox, medical expert Dr Erik Skovenborg puts some of the common myths on the subject under the microscope

[jdaw1]

Earlier studies contained flaws that exaggerated the health benefits of booze, according to a report in the British Medical Journal. Once corrected, significant positive results were seen in only one group: women over 65 who drank sparingly. And even that result may be problematic, the authors said.
…
The researchers attempted to improve upon studies that compared the health of drinkers to non-drinkers. Earlier work skewed results in favor of moderate drinking because the studies didn’t distinguish between abstainers and less healthy former drinkers in the “non-drinker” group. The researchers also adjusted for the age of drinkers and other factors such as obesity and tobacco use.

The new analysis showed a possible “minimal” benefit for men between 50 and 64, and a larger benefit for women over 65 who were light drinkers. That result may stem from selection bias, lead researcher Craig Knott of University College London wrote in an e-mail.

“Individuals who participate in studies tend to be particularly healthy relative to comparative individuals in the general population,” he said.

[djewesbury]

The entire thread is effectively a 'study of studies'. Shouldn't we send the link to the BMA?

[PhilW]

The entire thread is effectively a 'study of studies'. Shouldn't we send the link to the BMA?

You're right, we shouldn't.

[djewesbury]

The entire thread is effectively a 'study of studies'. Shouldn't we send the link to the BMA?

You're right, we shouldn't.

Ignorance is blish {hic}

[jdaw1]

Binge-drinking among young adults in Britain is continuing to fall, figures from the Office for National Statistics show.

The proportion of this group bingeing at least once a week is now down from 29% in 2005 to 18% in 2013.

It is thought that fewer adults are choosing to drink alcohol and also drinking less when they do.

More than a fifth of UK adults now say they do not drink alcohol at all - a slight increase on 2005.

Men drinking more than eight units of alcohol on their heaviest drinking day in one week are considered to have binged.

[DRT]

This appeared on my Facebook feed today. I decided not to follow the link on the basis that (a) I never do, and (b) I had seen enough evidence to be convinced...

Screen Shot 2015-04-04 at 15.44.27.png (318.71 KiB) Viewed 38147 times

Should we be grumbling about the use of "may" or should we just consider that by reading this we have collectively given bacon the permission it deserves?

[djewesbury]

"Good show bacon. Do your job."

[mannye]

Bacon is the food used to make other food better.

So... Bacon good. Alcohol also good now. How long before Woody Allen's "bananas" becomes prophetic and we declare smoking good?


Sent from my TARDIS at the restaurant at the end of the universe while eating Phil.

[DRT]

Bacon is the food used to make other food better.

So... Bacon good. Alcohol also good now. How long before Woody Allen's "bananas" becomes prophetic and we declare smoking good?


Sent from my TARDIS at the restaurant at the end of the universe while eating Phil.

Whilst I agree on the bacon, alcohol and, at a stretch, the smoking, I can't agree that "eating Phil" is a good idea

[mannye]

Bacon is the food used to make other food better.

So... Bacon good. Alcohol also good now. How long before Woody Allen's "bananas" becomes prophetic and we declare smoking good?


Sent from my TARDIS at the restaurant at the end of the universe while eating Phil.

Whilst I agree on the bacon, alcohol and, at a stretch, the smoking, I can't agree that "eating Phil" is a good idea

Well that's not what Phil said. He specifically recommended the short ribs. He was right.


Sent from my TARDIS at the restaurant at the end of the universe while eating Phil.

[PhilW]

Hi, I'm Phil. May I interest you in parts of my body?

[DRT]

Hi, I'm Phil. May I interest you in parts of my body?

Keep it clean, this is a family forum

[jdaw1]

Hi, I'm Phil. May I interest you in parts of my body?

No.

[djewesbury]

Are there any parts you've been fattening up for weeks...?

[mannye]

Haha. That made me shoot wine out of my nose.


Sent from my TARDIS at the restaurant at the end of the universe while eating Phil.

[PhilW]

Are there any parts you've been fattening up for weeks...?

No, but my tongue is thoroughly steeped in port.

[jdaw1]

The European Parliament is set to vote on whether calorie labels should be put on all alcoholic drinks.

Mandatory labelling is needed to inform consumers and help halt rising rates of obesity, say public health experts.

MEPs will decide later if proposals to introduce calorie labelling for alcohol should be ditched or moved to the next stage.

Food already has calorie information, but most alcohol is exempt.

Alcoholic drinks that contain more than 1.2% alcohol by volume are exempt from EU regulations on nutritional labelling that came in to force in 2011 covering all food and soft drink.

If MEPs vote in favour, it will still take many months or even years before the proposals become law.

[jdaw1]

BBC: First Minister Peter Robinson blames lifestyle for heart attack.

Except that the video doesn’t mention VP, nor even alcohol. It does mention working late.