There is a distinct correlation between moderate alcohol consumption and chronic disease. Having a beer or glass of red wine a day reduces your risk of age related diseases, raises HDL (good) cholesterol, reduces the risk of Type 2 diabetes, improves the lining of blood vessels to reduce the risk of dangerous clots, and reduces one's risk of heart attacks.

And earlier this month researchers at the National Institutes of Health released a study showing that frequent drinking in moderation may protect men from death due to cardiovascular disease. Men who reported drinking 120 to 365 days a year had a 20% lower cardiovascular death rate than those who drank one to 36 days a year.

Studies show that beer improves your brain power, too.

Adults over age 65 who drank one to six alcoholic beverages over the course of the week turned out to have a lower risk of dementia than non-drinkers or heavier drinkers, according to a 2003 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Likewise, a 2006 report that appeared in an American Heart Association journal showed that a drink or two a day might be linked to better cognitive function in women.

Now, time for my night cap.