the causation's all screwed with this article. i drink to numb the pain of high cognitive function.

it went from one drink to two november 2004.

I am quite alright with the moderate drink number rising.

Thank you very much!

So if a little is good for you then a lot must be GREAT for you!!!

C-Bird, i think you've hit the nail on the head (and now it's got a splitting headache).

How come nobody is doing this kind of study at the University of Texas? Get on it, scientists! I need some free booze!

YES!

Has anyone seen the washington post article from a few days ago that says not only does marijuana (even in very high amounts) NOT give you lung cancer but actually might help prevent many forms of cancer.

i knew i was on to something with all this drinking and whatnot

And all these years they've been telling us booze kills brain cells...

I guess Cliff was right on Cheers:

"Well ya see, Norm, it's like this....A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members."

"In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. That's why you always feel smarter after a few beers."

C-bird, you beat me to it!

Sorry Jane:) That quote has always stuck with me though, because in some warped way it's completely logical, heh!

Wow, that may explain why I am a senile, blathering idiot at the ripe old age of 30: I'm one of those non-drinkers. Although The Village Voice recently wrote that the real rebel hipsters these days are the sober one. First, I gotta get to be a hipster, though...

Suzanne, all you need to do to be a hipster is just make fun of other hipsters!

I hate to be a wet blanket, but according to The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochurewomen/women.htm):

"An estimated 5.3 million women in the United States drink in a way that threatens their health, safety, and general well-being. A strong case can be made that heavy drinking is more risky for women than men:

* Heavy drinking increases a woman’s risk of becoming a victim of violence and sexual assault.

* Drinking over the long term is more likely to damage a woman’s health than a man’s, even if the woman has been drinking less alcohol or for a shorter length of time than the man."

As a recovering alcoholic who has been fighting this illness for over 17 years, and as a doctoral psychology student with an emphasis in neuropsychology and substance abuse research, I would like to warn ya'll that even moderate drinking is not for everyone. Same goes for pot. Be careful, friends.

Okay, I'm starting the "Buy Traci a damn six pack already" Fund, who's donating?

Funny, C'mon now... guess you haven't ever been impacted by a loved one's substance abuse.

whether or not this particular effect of alcohol is in fact an effect, or merely a correlate without causal link...

it has been known for some time that alcohol, in moderation, has many benefits. in fact, it is pretty clear that moderate alcohol consumption is *healthier* than abstention.

medical "authorities" have downplayed, or even denied this (but are doing so less and less) out of fear that admitting health effects of alcohol could increase alcoholism - which of course is NOT healthy.

again, this is nannystate denial of scientific reality done with the intent of protecting us from ourselves. reminds me of some other issues... :)

in regards to the male female sports differences, it is also well known that excessive alcohol decreases testosterone levels, as well as having other deleterious effects. this is not true of small amounts of alcohol. small amounts of alcohol are a benefit to trainees, and to people in general

"The causation's all screwed with this article. i drink to numb the pain of high cognitive function."

hahahah Jami, that was funny!

Every New Year's Eve I vow to drink more on principle.

A caveat: Alchol is very dehydrating, and can cause an inflammatory response in your body (bloating, rosacea flareups, bad digestion, etc.). Health concerns don't keep me from drinking because I never drank to excess anyway. However, my VANITY keeps me straight most of the time, because hangovers ain't "pretty!"

traci,
you tell it. it's definitely funny to talk about drinking - it's a party thing. it's also extremely important to think about the consequences of alcohol abuse. i, for one, appreciate you bringing that up (especially in light of the neurological problems my dad is now suffer from as a result of years of alcohol abuse).

and that's awesome... 17 years of sobriety? that's fucking awesome. a doctorate? dang... you go.

c'mon now, whoever wrote that, is a complete asshole (not the whole ass, just the stinky part from whence the shit spills), and you should think before you type next time, 'cos i could think of more hurtful things to say in this thread, but not many.

peace and blessings

Obviously you were joking Jami :), but something similar was actually the first thing that occurred to me when I read this -- the more intelligent a woman is, the more she will feel the pain of gender-related societal pressures, and the more dissatisfied she is likely to be with her life on the whole. Therefore, the more likely she is to drink more frequently. I also suspect that smarter women are more likely to engage in social drinking, because they're more likely to disregard the stereotype that drinking is a masculine activity, something that women don't or aren't supposed to enjoy. Very broad generalizations, and I'm sure there are a lot of other factors, but it really seems to me that it's much more likely that intelligent women drink more, rather than women who drink more become more intelligent.

(Love the site, by the way. This is my first comment but I've been lurking for a while and I'm a big fan.)

fwiw, i know one (national level) bodybuilder whose favorite post workout meal is tuna fish salad (no bread), beer, and smarties (pure dextrose).

Thank you, Puck. I really appreciate your comments. To clarify, I have been in and out of recovery for 17 years. The last time was after 6 years without using/drinking, and I am only a few weeks sober right now. I feel fortunate to be back. Part of what makes abstaining hard is people that make comments like "C'mon now" did. At first that really pissed me off and I had the same reaction-- what an asshole. Then I realized that s/he probably either a) just doesn't get it, or b) has some issue that s/he doesn't want to face. Luckily, there are plenty of supportive normies (i.e., true social drinkers and non-drinkers) out there. :)

I'm sorry to hear about your dad's problems. Both my rents are alcoholics, so I have an idea how much it sucks to watch what happens.

I truly did not mean to offend anyone. Just wanted to put a reality check out there, because some people are at risk for substance abuse problems.

Take Care.