Attention: Health news can cause you mental damage – part II

It would be good if alarming and confusing health news were found only in The Daily Mail. But it is not, so be aware. According to a study, to take health news too seriously can increase by 60 per cent the risk of getting sick or ill- tempered.

From The Daily Telegraph:

17th November: “Sleep after exercising to reduce cancer risk”

“Taking regular exercise combined with a good night's sleep can reduce the chances of developing cancer by 20 per cent, a new study suggests.”
(The next think they are going to say is that stop smoking can do the same!!)

11th November: “A drink or two is advisable for women who are trying to conceive, says James Le Fanu.” (Doctor's diary)

(The effect here is related exclusively to the presumption that slightly drunk women can have sex easily. It sounds like a joke, doesn’t it?)

From The Times:

9th January: “2½ bottles of wine a week can save your life”

“People who drink up to almost 2½ bottles of wine a week have a lower risk of premature death than those who abstain from alcohol, research has suggested.”
(So... What are you waiting for??)

From The Independent:

5th June: “Regular drinking 'halves risk of arthritis’”

“Drinking alcohol is not only good for the heart – it is good for the joints too. A regular tipple cuts the risk of rheumatoid arthritis by up to 50 per cent – and the more you drink the greater the protective effect.”
(I beg your pardon???)

31st October: “Light drinking when pregnant may lead to calm babies, says study”

“Toddlers born to women who drank lightly during their pregnancy were found to have significantly fewer emotional problems.”

23rd January: “The more successful you are, the more you drink, research finds”

“Chief executives of big companies and public sector organisations are coping with their stressful positions by drinking the equivalent of almost three bottles of wine a week, new research shows.”
(Well, they are not doing so bad... They just need to reduce to 2½ bottles to lower the risks of a premature death, and they'll be fine - according to The Times)

From The Guardian:

9th January: “Help your heart with exercise - and booze”

“Moderate drinkers are at 30% lower risk of heart disease than teetotallers, according to a study of nearly 12,000 people. And those who combine a mild tipple with regular exercise are even less likely to die of the disease.”

04th February: “Doctors warn of alcohol risk to patients facing surgery”

“Patients due for surgery should control the amount of alcohol they drink beforehand, doctors have warned. A new study shows drinking even moderate amounts prior to surgery could slow down recovery and weaken the immune system.”
( If the surgery itself wasn't enought to worry the poor patients...)

Photo: teamsugar.com