Bad news for wine lovers: a major new study has suggested that older drinkers who enjoy just one large 250ml glass of wine a day are increasing their risk of having a stroke by a third. The research, based on data from a Swedish study which tracked 11,644 twins over 43 years, found that these drinkers, who were in their 50s and 60s, were 34% more likely to have a stroke than their contemporaries who consumed under half that amount. Although otherwise healthy, they were also more likely to suffer a stroke than people with conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. “For middle-aged adults, avoiding more than two drinks a day could be a way to prevent stroke in later productive age,” said Pavla Kadlecová, of St Anne’s University Hospital in the Czech Republic.

You know what Epicurus would have said about this? “Living kills us all eventually. Just enjoy it and drink what you like, in moderation (of course)”. People who take to heart every single study like this (and there seems to be one a day) must have a dismal life. A more important consideration might be, “What are you staying in pristine health for?” Just to survive? Or in order to give the world some great gift – a great novel or a year serving for nothing with Medecins sans Frontieres in the Middle East? No, I thought not. So just ignore it. A glass of wine a night is just fine. It makes you better company.