Chocoholics Take Note - Your Perfect Drug Is Being Created

A medicine long used to treat drug abusers is getting scrutiny at the University of Michigan for - get this - treating chocolate cravers.

“We’re not quite ready to talk about it but, yes, we are doing some very interesting experiments,” says Dr. Adam Drewnowski, who heads U-M’s Program in Human Nutrition.

“We think this has tremendous promise because, frankly, in some people these cravings really do constitute an illness,” says Drewnowski, internationally known for finding that overweight people often prefer fat tastes to sweet ones.

The drug, Naloxone, reduces the euphoria created from some narcotics. Drewnowski hopes it does the same for drugs named Snickers, Godiva and M&Ms.

Heart health

Two talks about heart health are scheduled next Thursday as part of the Heart Institute of Spokane’s ongoing observance of Heart Month.

Dr. P.Z. Pearce will present “Understanding High Blood Pressure,” including ways to reduce risk and options for treatment, from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Valley Hospital and Medical Center, E12606 Mission. Cost is $5, or free for members of Health Access and the Women’s Health Network. Call 459-4995 for information.

Dr. Kevin Heid, a Sacred Heart Medical Center psychologist, and stress management instructor Bruce Spencer will discuss coping with stress in “Fight, Flee or Flow” from 7:30 to 9 p.m. in Sacred Heart’s Providence Auditorium, W101 Eighth. The program is free; for reservations, call 455-3202.

Osteoporosis brochure

A free brochure for women of all ages about osteoporosis, “The Calcium Connection - Healthy Bones from One Generation to Another,” is now available. Write to: The Dairy Farmers of Washington, 4201 198th St. S.W., Suite 101, Lynnwood, WA 98036, or call (206) 545-6763.