The stats say moderate drinking may be good for you

Are you a moderate drinker, consuming on average just over one drink a day?

You have a 15 percent greater chance of developing colon cancer and if you're a woman, a 13 percent greater chance of developing breast cancer.

But the good news is, that's a loss of under 12,000 lives per year. Moderate drinking saves 30,000 lives a year simply by reducing the number of fatal heart attacks.

Of course it's a new numbers ball game if you become an alcoholic. To improve your odds, stick to wine: according to a Danish study wine drinkers have a statistically lower risk of drinking to excess.