THURSDAY, June 5 (HealthDay News) -- People who drink alcohol regularly may cut their risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, a new study finds.

Alcohol has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and now this new study shows drinking may also reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis by up to 50 percent. This finding underscores the importance of lifestyle factors in the development of rheumatoid arthritis, the study authors said.

LONDON (Reuters) - Drinking less alcohol, eating more vegetables and exercising can prevent or delay the onset of diabetes, researchers said on Friday in a study showing that lifestyle changes can make a big difference.

Diet and exercise reduced the incidence of diabetes by about 43 percent over 20 years among 577 high-risk Chinese adults, the researchers reported in the journal Lancet.

TUESDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- Drinking and alcohol dependence has increased substantially among women, particularly white and Hispanic women born since 1945, new study finds.

I'd like to hear feedback on the idea of food being an addiction, much as drugs and alcohol are. Can someone be addicted to food - in a physical and psychological sense?

Should some clinics or rehab for food addicts be free, like they are for drug and alcohol patients?

Does an obese person (through over-eating) need therapy to stop, or do they just need more self-control and a change in lifestyle?

My family and I are visiting my parents this week, and I noticed a lot of cute "jokes" around the house, in the form of refrigerator magnets, pot holders, small plaques on bookcases and hanging on walls, that all have a similar message. Here is just a sampling: "I love to cook with wine...sometimes I even put it in the food." "Beer: so much more than a breakfast drink." ...and my favorite... "The problem with the world is everyone is a few drinks behind me."