Want to Reduce Rheumatoid? Drink more alcohol! New Research

Ooh, I absolutely had to post this.
A new study has found that drinking alcohol may reduce the severity of rheumatoid arthritis.

This is the first time that this effect has been shown in humans (so I'm guessing rabbits & mice showed it too.). The study also showed that alcohol consumption reduces the risk of developing the disease.

The study which compared 873 patients with RA and 1004 people without RA (the control group), included a detailed questionnaire, x-rays, blood tests, physical examination of joints.

The researchers, led by Gerry Wilson, Professor of Rheumatology at the University of Sheffield (Sheffield, UK), asked the two groups how frequently they had drunk alcohol in the month preceding their inclusion in the study.

First author,Dr James Maxwell, consultant rheumatologist at the Rotherham Foundation NHS Trust, said: "We found that patients who had drunk alcohol most frequently had symptoms that were less severe than those who had never drunk alcohol or only drunk it infrequently.
X-rays showed there was less damage to joints, blood tests showed lower levels of inflammation, and there was less joint pain, swelling and disability.
This is the first time that a dose dependent inverse association between frequency of alcohol consumption and severity of RA has been shown in humans."

Maxwell and his colleagues also found that non-drinkers were four times more likely to develop RA than people who drank alcohol on more than ten days a month.

"This finding agrees with the results from previous studies that have shown a decreased susceptibility to developing RA among alcohol drinkers," said Maxwell.

Writing in their paper, the study authors concluded: "While there are a number of limitations to the methodology of this study, the results do suggest that the consumption of alcohol may modify RA, influencing both risk and severity."

 The study has been published online in the journal Rheumatology & is excerpted from DC

I am linking this to Mommy needs a Cocktail, because well, I think its terribly funny.

Why PMS = More Chocolate & How to not let it sabotage Weight Loss Goals

Its that time of the month, again!
And the quantity of chocolate I gobble up from my kids stores' makes me wonder about my self control.

I dunno if anyone ever wanted a scientific reason for something so badly as I did-

SO HERE IT IS

This is what the doctor calls PMS-C, a type of PMS characterized by cravings for sweets, increased appetite, fatigue, headaches, and hypoglycemic episodes that may lead to dizziness, lightheadedness, or- in severe cases- fainting.

It is suggested that those suffering from PMS-C respond to hormonal fluctuations that affect blood sugar, making cells more insulin-sensitive leading to blood sugar crashes that trigger cravings to candy and potato chips.

However, after you stuff your face with Ho Ho’s, your insulin levels spike, causing your blood sugar to drop yet again. And so the cycle closes.

One reason could be magnesium, needed to help insulin bind to cell receptors. Magnesium deficiency may worsen chocolate cravings because chocolate contains magnesium.
Doc says that supplementing with 300-400 mg of magnesium may help. Evening primrose oil, chaste tree berry, and natural progesterone may also alleviate PMS symptoms.


For those of us with long-term weight loss goals, much of our ambitions are sabotaged by our own bodies - we're up (or lowering weight steadily & feeling great) and then down (stuffing it & feeling bad) on a rather rythmic & regular basis. But theres help.


To avoid weight gain during the second half of your menstrual cycle, resist the urge to indulge in sweets and carbs and stabilize your blood sugar with low glycemic index foods that don’t bump up your insulin levels much.

Healthy choices include lean proteins (fish, chicken breast, eggs), veggies, and whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, or barley. For even more effective blood sugar stabilization, drink green vegetable juice.
Keep healthy snacks, such as almonds, olives, or carrot sticks, on hand to combat cravings.

This kind of diet will knock out most of your cravings, so that, even if PMS hunger leads you to consume more food, you should still be on track for your weight loss goals. 

Personally, every time, I stick to reasonably good eating choices in those days, I reward myself with a piece of indulgent chocolate for dessert.




Pic from Divine Fairtrade chocolate on Flickr