Bigger It’s not just pets that are getting fatter. Humans are, too. And though the US ranks 49th in the world in lifespan, our nation is number one in body mass index, a major index of obesity. Sixty eight percent of Americans are now classified as obese or overweight. However, beyond the headlines of Finucane […]
Lazy Cakes – waiting for a new non-prescription drug disaster (2/18/11)
Relaxation Brownies? Lazy Cakes is two ounces of sleeping medication masquerading as a chocolate brownie – an attempt at a “natural pot” brownie, as it’s advertising implies. It contains a warning on the back, four separate lines within a bracket of one quarter of an inch, lines small enough that children will not see them […]
Booze disrupts sleep – and you’re surprised? (2/16/11)
A Different Kind of Nightcap A study on alcohol and sleep from the University of Michigan has gained much press attention – though much of the news is not new. Yes, alcohol powerfully disrupts sleep. It disrupts lots of healthy processes necessary for body regeneration. The real news may be that media people find the […]
Who’s flying your plane? (2/7/11)
When Your Pilot Falls Asleep – and Locks the Door Sometimes folks fall asleep and you can’t wake them up – not for quite a while. When it’s your SAS pilot flying you from Copenhagen to Stockholm, it does provoke comment. Last year, as reported by Fran Golden in AOL Health, a short hop, one […]
When chocolate brownies are sleeping pills, people can die (2/2/11)
Kids Who Can’t Wake Up Want to bite into a savory chocolate brownie laced with hormones? “Grab a box today and let your problems melt away,” promises “Lazy Cakes,” a new “relaxation brownie” containing 4 mg of melatonin plus valerian root. One writer for Phoenix News ate the chewy cake and fell asleep for twelve […]