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January 2002
Second Wind
Lomita, California
Dear Friends:
As
we enter the New Year and are coming up on Valentine's day pretty soon, let's
consider the benefits of chocolate. Simply stated, chocolate can make you feel
better. The reason probably that chocolate may trigger the release of
endorphins, so called brain chemicals that provide a feeling of calm relaxation
and reduced stress and pain. These are natural opioids that nature has given us
to deal with stress. Chocolate is also full of antioxidants like red wine and
blueberries. Accordingly, it provides a defense against air pollution, smoking
and ultra violet radiation. Weight for weight, chocolate has twice the
antioxidants of blueberries. Dark chocolate has five times as many, and white
chocolate does not have this same protective value.
Chocolate also raises good
cholesterol, known as HDL, but doesn't raise the bad cholesterol, known as LDL.
It is thought to guard against stroke and heart attack by opposing clotting
factors very much like aspirin does.
Chocolate certainly tastes a
lot better than aspirin and is probably better for you. Chocolate milk,
chocolate pudding or chocolate ice cream cones. Why not benefit from nature's
remedy which comes from cocoa? Hershey bar, anyone?
I'll be in touch next month.
Your friend,
Thomas Petty, MD
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