The Checkup: Beer Is Good for Your Heart

• Add this to the pro column of beer drinking: In a study of 200,000 people, researchers found that beer lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease by as much as 42 percent. And get this, beer even beat out wine, which has been shown to lower risk for the same disease by only 31 percent. Of course, you’ll only get the beer benefits if you drink it in moderation—a little more than a pint a day. So those weekend benders? No, they don’t count. Read more about the study over here on the Los Angeles Times.

• If you’re one to reach for coffee to help ward off the dreaded afternoon slump, you might want to rethink your routine. New research shows that protein is actually a better energy booster. The Huffington Post has more.

• Here’s how a Runner’s World staffer, who ran the Philly Half Marathon over the weekend, chose to carbo-load before the race (spoiler: it involves Cheez Whiz). The meal’s probably not something I would try, but he credits it for his 1:23:07 time.