"I'll drink to that!" Another study shows that moderate drinking reduces men's heart attack risk

Doctors may one day prescribe patients that they begin adding moderate amounts of alcohol to their daily regimen (a prescription for a six-pack?). This might seem far-fetched but look at this quote from researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Harvard School of Public Health who just finished a study on the subject:

"...we estimate that approximately 25 percent of the heart attacks that occurred among these healthy individuals might be attributed to abstention [or extremely light drinking]."

The study further added that "those who consumed moderate amounts of alcohol -- defined as between one-half and two drinks daily -- had a 40 to 60 percent reduced risk of heart attack compared with healthy men who didn't drink at all."

The link between alcohol (beer, white wine, red wine, or spirits) consumption and reduced chance of heart attacks isn't new, but what is new is how they've isolated the alcohol consumption from other aspects of a healthy lifestyle.

Yes, going for an easy, stress-free run finished off with a cold beer is just about the most healthy thing a man can do. Sign me up!

Update: If you are still not convinced here is another study showing the potential benefits of moderate alcohol consumption on memory.