Chocolate can help lower blood pressure
Q. A lot of press attention has been given recently to the benefits of dark chocolate for lowering blood pressure. A banner at the bottom of the television screen said that eating chocolate is as good as some blood pressure medicines.
However, in the studies from which this conclusion was drawn, the average systolic pressure was only lowered 5 points and the diastolic pressure by about 3 points.
While this is in the right direction, these numbers are hardly anything to get excited about. Why are people so enthusiastic about such limited results?
A. No one is suggesting that people eat chocolate instead of taking blood pressure medicine. You might be surprised to learn, however, that even standard blood pressure pills don’t lower blood pressure much more. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Nov. 10, 2004) found the popular medications Norvasc (amlopidine) and Vasotec (enalapril) lowered systolic pressure by 5 points and diastolic by about 2.5 points.
Q. I am a 35-year-old woman who lives a very active and busy life. I work three jobs and have a family with three teenage boys.
The problem is that within the past two years my sexual drive has dwindled down to nothing. I love my man, and I used to love having sex at least twice a week. Now it’s maybe once or twice a month.
My husband has never once complained to me about it. He too says he has noticed a drop in our sex life, but when we do make love our time together is most wonderful and breathtaking.
I’ve been on Wellbutrin XL for two years now for stress and anxiety. I’ve also been taking Adipex (phentermine) to lose weight. It has helped me lose 40 pounds. (I exercise and eat right, too.) So why hasn’t my sex drive increased? I wish I could get my libido back.
A. It is possible that your weight-loss drug could have affected your sex drive. Changes in libido are reported with phentermine.
We are sending you our Guides to Female Sexuality and Treating Sexual Dysfunction with information about testosterone and other approaches to increasing desire. Anyone who would like copies, please send $2 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (63 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. PZ-9, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.
Sexual interest may be one of the first casualties of stress, anxiety and overwork. You and your husband might need to talk about this issue and see if there is some way to carve out a little time to relax together.
Q. I read about the person who ate ice all the time. I too ate ice excessively. When I started taking an iron tablet every day, the craving stopped.
Eating ice can ruin your teeth. After eating ice I had two caps come loose. Now I have five teeth that require major dental work and a bridge because of crunching ice.
A. Thanks for the word of warning. We suggest anyone with strange cravings, whether for ice, laundry starch or popcorn, be tested for iron or zinc deficiency. Correcting the deficiency may ease the craving.
Q. I take 600 mg to 1,200 mg of Motrin every day for headaches. My doctor wants me to take aspirin for my heart. Is there a conflict?
A. The ibuprofen (Motrin) you take may counteract the heart-protecting power of aspirin. What’s more, so much ibuprofen can create a vicious cycle of headaches. Please discuss this with a headache specialist.