In the movie "Sleeper" Woody Allen woke after hundreds of years in cold storage and was told cigarettes pastries and alcohol promoted good health " We used to think these were unhealthy" said the doctor " Now we know they are the best things for you". Could it be that - with respect to beer, anyway - all of us are coming out of cold storage? Beer is heart healthy - it reduces the risk of coronary artery disease and the risk of heart failure m the elderly and it improves blood fats lowers blood insulin and reduces blood clotting (the leading cause of heart attacks). Also beer drinkers have more HDL the good cholesterol Beer also decreases homocysteine levels - another marker of heart disease. Beer contains polyphenols which protect you against free radical damage a kind of biological rust linked to disease and aging. Moderate beer consumption also prevents mental deterioration with aging. Don"t use this information as an excuse to get sloshed every day Drinking one or two beers a day is good for you drinking more than that is not.