Coffee, chocolate and marijuana

Coffee is my one vice, and chocolate is an occasional indulgence. As it turns out, they are both good for you. Although I have used marijuana, I don’t indulge these days. But I do know that it is a far healthier way to be intoxicated than alcohol.

The cool thing is, all three of these turn out to have health benefits.

Here are some of the benefits of coffee:

1. Coffee Can Improve Energy Levels and Make You Smarter

2. Coffee Can Help You Burn Fat

3. The Caffeine Can Drastically Improve Physical Performance

4. There Are Essential Nutrients in Coffee

Coffee is more than just black water. Many of the nutrients in the coffee beans do make it into the final drink.

A single cup of coffee contains (22):

• Riboflavin (Vitamin B2): 11% of the RDA.
• Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5): 6% of the RDA.
• Manganese and Potassium: 3% of the RDA.
• Magnesium and Niacin (B3): 2% of the RDA.

5. Coffee May Lower Your Risk of Type II Diabetes

6. Coffee May Protect You From Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia

7. Caffeine May Lower The Risk of Parkinson’s

8. Coffee Appears to Have Protective Effects on The Liver

9. Coffee Can Fight Depression and Make You Happier

10. Coffee Drinkers Have a Lower Risk of Some Types of Cancer

11. Coffee Does Not Cause Heart Disease and May Lower The Risk of Stroke

12. Coffee May Help You Live Longer

13. Coffee is The Biggest Source of Antioxidants in The Western Diet

source: http://authoritynutrition.com/top-13-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coffee/

Coffee could reduce your chances of getting skin cancer (if you’re a woman).

Coffee can make you a better athlete.

source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/17/coffee-health-benefits_n_4102133.html

Health Benefits of Coffee

“I scoured the internet to find reliable sources of the health benefits of coffee. Type “coffee” into pubmed (the database of medical research) and your get almost 7,000 results back. Below are some of the major findings about health, life expectancy and coffee”.

• Heart Disease (up to 25% reduction in mortality risk (for women))
• Diabetes (up to 60% reduced risk)
• Dementia (up to 65% reduced risk)
• Colon Cancer (up to 25% reduced risk)
• Cirrhosis (up to 80% reduced risk)
• Gallstones (almost 50% reduced risk)
• Parkinson’s Disease (up to 80% reduced risk – probably because of caffeine)
• Headache Relief (because of the caffeine)
• Asthma Relief (caffeine again)

source: http://longevity.about.com/od/lifelongnutrition/a/coffee_health.htm

Here are some health benefits of chocolate:

1. Chocolate decreases stroke risk
2. Chocolate boosts heart health.
3. Chocolate can help you feel full, so you’ll eat less.
4. Chocolate can reduce the risk of diabetes by increasing insulin sensitivity.
5. Chocolate protects your skin from UV damage.
6. Chocolate can calm a cough.
7. Chocolate boosts your mood.
8. Chocolate improves blood flow, so it has has anti-clotting, blood thinning properties.
9. Chocolate may improve vision.
10. Chocolate may make you smarter.

source:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/28/chocolate-health-benefits_n_1383372.html

Here are some health benefits of Marijuana:

1. Cancer
Cannabinoids, the active components of marijuana, inhibit tumor growth in laboratory animals and also kill cancer cells. Western governments have known this for a long time yet they continued to suppress the information so that cannabis prohibition and the profits generated by the drug industry proliferated.

THC that targets cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 is similar in function to endocannabinoids, which are cannabinoids that are naturally produced in the body and activate these receptors. The researchers suggest that THC or other designer agents that activate these receptors might be used in a targeted fashion to treat lung cancer.

2. Tourette’s Syndrome
Tourette’s syndrome is a neurological condition characterized by uncontrollable facial grimaces, tics, and involuntary grunts, snorts and shouts.

Dr. Kirsten Mueller-Vahl of the Hanover Medical College in Germany led a team that investigated the effects of chemicals called cannabinols in 12 adult Tourette’s patients. A single dose of the cannabinol produced a significant reduction in symptoms for several hours compared to placebo, the researchers reported.

3. Seizures
Marijuana is a muscle relaxant and has “antispasmodic” qualities that have proven to be a very effective treatment for seizures. There are actually countless cases of people suffering from seizures that have only been able to function better through the use of marijuana.

4. Migraines 
Since medicinal marijuana was legalized in California, doctors have reported that they have been able to treat more than 300,000 cases of migraines that conventional medicine couldn’t through marijuana.

5. Glaucoma 
Marijuana’s treatment of glaucoma has been one of the best documented. There isn’t a single valid study that exists that disproves marijuana’s very powerful and popular effects on glaucoma patients.

6. Multiple Sclerosis 
Marijuana’s effects on multiple sclerosis patients became better documented when former talk-show host, Montel Williams began to use pot to treat his MS. Marijuana works to stop the neurological effects and muscle spasms that come from the fatal disease.

7. ADD and ADHD 
A well documented USC study done about a year ago showed that marijuana is not only a perfect alternative for Ritalin but treats the disorder without any of the negative side effects of the pharmaceutical.

8. IBS and Crohn’s 
Marijuana has shown that it can help with symptoms of the chronic diseases as it stops nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

9. Alzheimer’s 
Despite what you may have heard about marijuana’s effects on the brain, the Scripps Institute, in 2006, proved that the THC found in marijuana works to prevent Alzheimer’s by blocking the deposits in the brain that cause the disease.

10. Premenstrual Syndrome 
Just like marijuana is used to treat IBS, it can be used to treat the cramps and discomfort that causes PMS symptoms. Using marijuana for PMS actually goes all the way back to Queen Victoria.

Source:  http://www.trueactivist.com/still-believe-nature-got-it-wrong-top-10-health-benefits-of-marijuana/

So to be healthy, have a couple of cups of coffee, eat some dark chocolate, and if you are sick or just want to feel good, don’t drink; smoke pot.

That said, smoke responsibly:

1. Don’t get stoned if your are taking care of kids.

2. Don’t drive stoned.

3. Make sure you are in a safe, friendly environment.

4. Keep Pot away from kids and pets.

5. Don’t mix pot with anything else, like drugs or alcohol. It’s a waste of a good high.

The effect Pot has on you is that it mellows you out, it makes you a bit stupid, it makes you a bit paranoid, and it distorts your perception of time. It also makes you think your ideas are genius, when they are in fact nonsense, and it can make you laugh at everything. Pot can also make you unmotivated. When you’re stoned you are happy to just sit there and be stoned. Pot also makes you feel like eating, so have some good snacks handy.

Another benefit of Pot: It’s a great way to get you in the mood when your are with your sweetie.