To your good health! - Thomas Stuttaford

Well over a million readers of The Times turn to Dr Stuttaford daily for advice on the latest medical matters. In this book he sets out a balanced view on drinking and health: taken in moderation alcohol is good for you - taken to excess it can be disastrous.

Dr Stuttaford proceeds through history to the latest research. It is now well known that a moderate amount of alcohol is good for the coronary arteries: but it also helps to prevent strokes, lessens the likelihood of late-onset diabetes, acts as an anti-oxidant and also improves the sperm count. It even has a beneficial effect on the intellect, especially amongst the elderly. And it does matter what form the alcohol takes: a wine from France, for example, is likely to be more health-giving than the same grape variety grown in Chile. In the past the Ministry of Health has erred on the side of caution. Dr Stuttaford shows that the average man can benefit if he takes four units of alcohol a day, and although women will show the effects of over-indulgence more readily, their life-expectancy will equally benefit from moderate drinking.