Studies

PISS #3: Alcohol Slows Rheumatoid Arthritis Progression

A 2010 study published online in Arthritis & Rheumatism shows that alcohol consumption reduces your risk for developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and slows its progression if you do have the disease, but only if you drink moderately.
spineuniverse.com

Alcohol may take out your liver, but it may protect your joints in RA (and maybe other types of arthritis?)

Health chiefs attacked over ‘nanny state’ alcohol guide

Chief Medical Officer accused of “scaremongering” in advice about light and moderate consumption
telegraph.co.uk

Political correctness gone wrong: interpreting random scientific data without common sense.

PISS #4: Does smoking protect against osteoarthritis?

Arthritis Rheum. 1989 Feb;32(2):166-72. Comparative Study; Research Support, U.S. Gov’t, P.H.S.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov|By Felson DT , et al.

It appears that smoking may protect against both the development as well as the progression of OA.  So, should we take up therapeutic smoking?  Of course not: “my knees are killing me” is just an expression, while smoking actually kills.