If all goes well for those who are working for legalized pot, there will be at least one but as many as three measures on the California ballot in 2010, with the goal of legalizing it in the state. The federal government would not be happy, but could they do anything about it?

Legalized medicinal marijuana is already a reality in California, although the federal government hasn’t been too cooperative with even that. But, if it’s legalized overall, then the federal agencies may find it impossible to impose their order on Californians because they wouldn’t be able to depend on the State to help uphold their law.

You can read more about this issue in this article, Pot Legalization Gains Momentum In California. What do you think? Do you think it should be legalized overall, kept only for medicinal purposes, or not legal at all?

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Image: PhotoXpress.com

Post from: Healthbolt

Queensland Health’s new doctor fatigue policy, soon to take affect in public hospitals around Queensland, Australia, suggests the antidote for sleep-deprived doctors is …. six cups of coffee.

This will, apparently, prevent them from harming their patients while in state of exhaustion.

Honestly. I’m not making this up. The policy document claims that the standard solution of ‘more staff’ really isn’t feasible. Therefore, the doctors need to find a way to work effectively on little sleep.

And that way is caffeine. The document suggests recommends a dose of 400 mg of caffeine (about 5 to 6 cups of coffee) as the doctor’s fatigue fighter.

And if they can’t drink coffee, then perhaps, the document goes on to say, they should try caffeine tablets instead.

For more on this, read the full story at the Courier Mail

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If so, you might be happy to know that you are not alone. A recent National Sleep Foundation poll has found that 1 in 4 Americans say that concerns and worries over personal finances, fear of job loss, and the economy is keeping them up at night. 

Instead of sleeping, we are spending more time tossing and turning and watching late night television shows.

We are also taking more drugs. 

Prescriptions for sleep medications has also grown, topping 56 million in 2008. Good news, I guess, for the pharmaceutical companies selling GABA-enhancing  ‘Z drugs’  (Ambien, Lunesta, Rozerem) that  promote sleep, decrease anxiety or relax muscles.

But while these pills may have their upside in that they help you sleep, there is also a  downside -  a whole list of adverse reactions ranging from next-day drowsiness to memory loss and drug dependence.

A National Institutes of Health-funded analysis,  published in 2005,  even indicates that the upside might not even be all that great. Their study reported that these ‘Z drugs’ only reduced the average time it took to fall asleep by around 18 minutes. Worse yet, the total increased sleeping time was only about 28 minutes.

Which should really make you ask, ‘are the adverse reactions worth it?’

So what’s the answer?

 What’s the best way to deal with insomnia?

Well, many sleep experts skipping the pills and trying to fall asleep on our own. But that might be easier said than done.

But a good place to start is by checking out these sleep tips from Gayle Greene, a bona fide insomniac and author of the book Insomniac.

(image source)

Post from: Healthbolt

According to this study, sponsored by the Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority and published in Toxicology Letters,  just one ‘sugar coated’ tablet of an easy to obtain over-the-counter medication ‘can raise the levels of phthalates in the body by 100 fold before being quickly eliminated.’  Apparently, it’s quickly eliminated, but the fact that it even gets into the body at all is concerning.

And you have to wonder, does it really go away all together in someone who is taking the medication for long term use?

Or will the phthalates level remain elevated and cause the patient to be at increased risk of endocrine related health illnesses?

The simple solution – take the phthalates out of medicines.

But what seems obvious to us will probably require many more studies to be determined by the scientific community.

Post from: Healthbolt

Apparently a study on identical twins, conducted by researchers at the University Hospitals Case Medical Center, found that the use of antidepressants can contribute to faster aging.

Of course, the reasons that people are on the antidepressants in the first place are also probably contributing to the faster aging as well.

But because antidepressants function as muscle relaxants, their continued use might well lead to decreased facial muscle tone, resulting in a face that sags.

Read the full study here…

(image from sxc.hu)

Post from: Healthbolt

September is National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recover Month and in recognition of this, the bloggers at b5Media’s Health and Wellness Channel have put together their interpretation of the 12 Steps, looking at each step not just from it’s orginal intent but also in relation to their own blog topic. The result is an interesting and informative group of posting that provides ‘food for thought’ in own lives.

We’ve all heard of the 12 Step Program, but most of us won’t be able to recite what each step was. That’s because we are lucky enough not to need to. But for thousands of people around the world, the 12 steps is their world.

Mark over at A Dozen Steps lists the 12 Steps  that he believes are designed to bring the person who practices them to a spiritual awakening and a psychic change sufficient enough to bring about a radical change in thinking.

Angelique from Breaking the Mirror starts off with Step 1 and finds that this step could just as easily apply to many addictions and disorders.

Alicia from Mental Health Notes addresses Step 2, asking Can A Power Greater Than Yourself Restore You To Sanity’?

Karen from Pink Ribbon Review looks at Step 3 as it relates to her and her life as a breast cancer survivor.

Kelly from Grounded Fitness tackles Step 4, saying she believes everyone can benefit from doing a little honest soul searching.

Kendra from A Hearty Life dicusses Step 5, saying we need to stop hiding behind our own excuses, problems and shortcomings and take responsibility for our own actions.

Grace from Kids Health Notes contemplates Step 6, saying that while “defect of character” seems little to do with nurturing healthy children, in reality our weaknesses have a lot to do with keeping our children healthy and productive.

At Diabetes Notes, Kendra moves on to Step 7, saying humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less.

Breaking the Mirror, looks at Step 8, saying if she was to make a list, she would probably start with herself, to be perfectly honest. Then, she’d move on to her immediate family, and from there, branch out to friends.

Alicia from Mental Health Notes further explores the twelve steps, this time looking at Step 9, asking ‘Should You Make Amends With Those You’ve Wronged?

Kristina from AutismVox focuses on Step 10, find that the call to self-scrutiny and to reexamination of oneself has always been important to her as an aid in figuring out how to help her son Charlie who is autistic.

Grace from Kids Health Notes looks into Step 11, saying she believes words can either bring life or death, curse or blessing, and that when we speak, or pray, specific words then something tangible takes place: Hope.

And for Step 12, the final step, Breaking the Mirror addresses ways that anyone can carry the message about their addiction or illness.

Post from: Healthbolt

Ready for yet another possible medicinal use for marijuana? How about fighting MRSA, the staph infection resistant to most antibiotics.

Indeed, researchers in Italy and the UK tested five of marijuana’s major chemicals (called cannabinoids) on different strains of MRSA, and all five proved to be germ destroyers in lab tests. In addition, some synthetic cannabinoids showed that same capability. Interesting.

So why does marijuana work when traditional antibiotics don’t? Because the cannabinoids kill bacteria in a different way, and they are possibly able to bypass that bacterial resistance.

And what about marijuana’s trademark “high”? So far it’s been found that at least two of the cannabinoids don’t possess mood-altering effects. A drawback for some of you, but a benefit for most, wink-wink.

Can’t wait to see what becomes of this finding…

Post from: Healthbolt

Many athletes believe that taking Viagra will help improve their performance in the field. And preliminary studies, showing a 40% performance improvement for cyclists taking Viagra, support this believe.

But experts aren’t convinced. They argue that even though Viagra works on the nitric oxide in the body and causes blood vessels to expand resulting in increased heart function and more oxygen in the lungs, it’s not a guarantee that it will improve an athlete’s performance.

In fact some doctors suggest that it’s actually Viagra’s more well-known effects on men’s sex lives that might be the reason for an athlete’s improved performance on the field. Here’s what Dr. Gerard Varlotta, director of sports rehabilitation at New York University’s Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, has to say …

“If athletes are euphoric after sex after taking Viagra, they may be euphoric about their athletic endeavors,” Varlotta said. “That may make them a better athlete.”

Meanwhile, the World Anti-Doping Agency ain’t happy. They are currently studying Viagra’s effects in athletes. If they decide that it is a performance inducing drug, they may look at banning Viagra. And that would be a performance in itself.

(source)

Post from: Healthbolt

Image details: Frog served by picapp.com

Okay, this is one of those stories that sounds funny at first, but when you dig into the meat of it, it is soooo not funny. At all.

If you’re in the New York City area and you’re feeling a little frisky, please do not try your hand at ingesting toad venom – a supposed aphrodisiac. This kind of sexual adventure actually killed a 35-year-old man recently, and as I see it, death is not at all worth a few moments in the sack. Agreed?

This toad venom, sold illegally under the names Piedra, Love Stone, Jamaican Stone, Black Stone and Chinese Rock is being sold at sex shops and neighborhood stores. And oh, by the way, it is totally banned by the Food and Drug Administration. Good plan.

True, the fella mentioned above ingested the venom, rather than applying it to his skin (as is the “right” way to use it), but nontheless, authorities say there is no safe way to use this poison. In fact, it contains chemicals that can disrupt heart rhythms. And that’s not cool.

So once again, I say: Watch out. Keep away from the toads. And all will be well.

Make this a sexy Saturday, y’all. Naturally.

Read the whole scoop here.

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Source: Dr. Bonkers presents
The Nearly Genuine and Truly Marvelous
Psychoneuropharmacological Mental Medicine Show

Post from: Healthbolt