Baker's Best of Health

The next time you pop open a cold brewski, give a little toast to good health. Wine may get all the headlines, but beer – from the lowest-calorie lites to the creamiest of stouts – is full of these healthy benefits:

• Improved circulation. Studies have shown that quaffing one or two beers a day can reduce your likelihood of having a stroke, heart problems, or other vascular diseases.
• No more flaky stuff. Hops is the herb that flavors beer, and Native Americans have used it as a cure for dandruff (among other things) for generations. There’s no need to comb the fields and woods for hops, however – just shampoo your hair with beer, or add a squirt or two of the “suds” to your regular shampoo.
• Less stress. After a long, hard day, relax in a soothing beer bath to boost your spirits and soften your skin. Just pour three bottles of inexpensive brew into a tub full of water, settle in, and think dreamy thoughts!