People who smoke and drink coffee have a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease. In a study by Harvard researchers, drinking coffee was associated with a 30% lower risk of Parkinson?s disease and there was a 60% lower risk of the disorder among smokers. In general, each additional cup of coffee lowered the likelihood of having Parkinson’s by 10%, although the effects differed by gender. In women, moderate coffee drinking gave the greatest protection, while larger amounts of coffee were the most protective in men.
Some scientists think the same genetic characteristics may underlie both Parkinson’s and the tendency to smoke. Dr. Karen Marder of Columbia University says, “It is unlikely that either smoking or coffee alone protect against the development of Parkinson’s disease. However, that they play a role in the complex gene environment interaction that result in Parkinson’s disease appears to be quite plausible.”
In other research, it?s been shown that smoking helps alleviate some of the symptoms of schizophrenia. However, for most of us (including cats), it?s a death sentence. See Sept. 10 story ?Smoking Kills Your Pets?,click here.
Trying to quit? The right music really can heal. Listen to ?Inner Peace? and Perfect Alignment? by Steven Halpern,click here.
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