Eating Chocolate 'Can Help Relieve Pain', Study Claims

By Andrew Hough, The Daily Telegraph
7:00AM BST, 14 Oct 2009

The distraction of eating and drinking water for pleasure acts as a natural way of beating pain, the researchers discovered.

The natural painkiller, discovered during testing in rats, is the first to demonstrate such a powerful effect, said the study published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

While the study was carried out in animals, the team, from the University of Chicago, believe the same effects can be seen in humans.

"It's a strong, strong effect, but it's not about hunger or appetite," said lead author Peggy Mason, a professor of neurobiology.

"If you have all this food in front of you that's easily available to reach out and get, you're not going to stop eating, for basically almost any reason."

In the experiments, the researchers gave rats either a chocolate chip to eat or sugar water to drink as they lit a light bulb underneath their cages.

The heat from the bulb normally caused the rodents to lift their paws.

But when the rats ate chocolate or drank water, their pain response to the heat was dulled.

They did not lift their paws as quickly as when they were not eating. They also kept on eating.

Dr Mason said eating stimulated a system in the part of the brain that controls subconscious responses, which was known to blunt pain.

"This really shows it has nothing to do with calories," she said.

"Water has no calories, saccharine has no sugar, but both have the same effect as a chocolate chip.

"It's really shocking."

The natural form of pain relief may help animals in the wild avoid distraction while eating scarce food, but in modern-day humans, it could be contributing to over-eating and obesity, she said.

Previous studies have indicated that only sugary substances had a pain-dulling effect, but the latest study found the same regardless of whether they were nibbling chocolate or drinking water.

Dr Mason suggested doctors change the way they calm patients' nerves.

"Stop giving patients lollipops," she said.

"Ingestion is a painkiller but we don't need the sugar. Water blunts pain, too.”

October 14-21 is Silicon Valley Restaurant Week

This week, 85 restaurants in the Valley will feature special $35 three-course fixed price dinner menus. It's a great way to explore Silicon Valley's eclectic culinary landscape.

More info here.

Water Drinkers May Have Better Diets

By Amy Norton, Reuters
Tue Oct 13, 2:38 pm ET

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – People who get much of their daily liquids from plain water rather than other beverages may have healthier diets overall, a study suggests.

Using data from a national health survey of more than 12,000 Americans, researchers found that people who drank more "plain water" tended to eat more fiber, less sugar and fewer calorie-dense foods.

The reverse was true of people who got much of their fluids from other beverages, according to a report of the study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The findings do not prove that drinking water makes for healthier eaters, said lead researcher Dr. Ashima K. Kant, a professor at Queens College of the City University of New York.

But, she told Reuters Health, they do suggest a connection -- and a reason to encourage people to choose water over beverages.

The findings are based on 12,283 Americans age 20 and older who took part in a government health and nutrition survey between 1999 and 2006. On average, respondents got one-third of their daily fluids from water, 48 percent from other beverages and the rest from food.

In general, the more water people drank, the more fiber and the less sugar they consumed. They also had a lower intake of calorie-dense foods -- a general marker of a healthier diet. Calorie density refers to the amount of calories in a food in relation to its weight; fruits and vegetables, for instance, tend to have a low calorie density.

From a "purely physiological" standpoint, Kant noted, people can get their fluid needs from any source. Drinking plain water, therefore, is not necessary, but it may be preferable, she said.

As for how much water a person should drink, there is no straightforward answer -- despite the popular belief that people need 8 glasses of water per day.

As a general rule of thumb, Kant said, sedentary healthy adults can let their thirst be their guide on when to drink.

Week 8 Agenda

Orange and Almond Biscotti with Figs and Bleu Cheese rom Mark Gardner and Ben O’Donoghue's Surfing the Menu New Zealand (ABC, Australia)

Week 8

M 10.12
Read: CR—“Waiting for Asparagus” by Barbara Kingsolver, “Feast of Burden” by Sara Deseren, “All You Can’t Eat” by Crystal Allen; eR—“Central Valley Disconnect: Rich Land, Poor Nutrition”
In-Class: Book discussion; Presentations; Lecture—“Effective Persuasive Techniques”

For Sec. 5 Only: No class on Monday, Oct 12th.

Note: Sec. 60 meets on Monday as usual.

W 10.14
Read: CR—“Organicize Me” by Michael A. Stusser, “Is Local Food Really Miles Better?” by Roberta Kwok, “Organic Food is No Healthier, Study Finds” by Ben Hirschler, “Don’t Write Off Organic Food” by Molly Conisbee
In-Class: Watch—Food Inc. (2009)

Note: Journal 4 is pushed back to Wednesday the 21st AND is a new prompt.

UPCOMING:

Week 9

M 10.19

NO CLASS—Mandated Furlough Day: University-wide

W 10.21
In-Class: Writer’s workshop
Journal 4 Prompt: It is said that the Buddha once proclaimed, “There is no joy in eating alone.” Today, that seems to be a sentiment shared by many Americans. In “Is Eating Alone an Act of Bravery?,” (eR) Ariel Leve explores the real stigma that is attached to eating on one’s own. She says, “I’ve never understood why eating alone is so disturbing. I think it’s far more depressing to see a couple sharing a meal—in silence.” After reading Leve’s article, you must have one meal, in public, alone. As you do so, consider: Are you enjoying it? Are you uncomfortable? What, if anything, do you do in addition to eating? Finally, explore why are Americans are so averse to eating by themselves.
Due: Persuasive essay (Draft 1; bring three copies); Journal 4