RE: Re: CFS - The Chocolate Remedy

[Guest guest]

Hi Per,

On another UK list there has been some recent (and not so recent)

discussion about the benefits of choc for pwme. It has largely been a

light-hearted and slightly 'tongue in cheek' consideration, but many on

the list have noted that it really does provide a modest pick-me-up.

Nothing curative you understand. Dr Myhill notes that chocolate

stimulates the same neuro-receptors as cannabis which may explain why

people in general do get a bit of a high from the product. She suggests

using Cacao bits to chew on for the effect without the calories.

I know for me a bit of chocolate can work wonders! It's good to have

some pleasures in this difficult life, though I appreciate we are all

different.

Rosie

Hi

Wish it was that simple, but I cant say chocolate has ever been

beneficial for my CFS, whether it is light or dark. I would rather say

I experience increased stress, jitteryness, joint pain and intestinal

symptoms etc from it.

It is supposedly very healthy and have vascular benefits aswell

something which could be beneficial to CFS patients.

I have never before heard of it being beneficial for CFS.

Per

>

> In a message dated 12/16/2006 7:05:34 PM Eastern Standard Time,

fluks@...

> writes:

>

> Source: Hull Daily Mail

> Date: December 16, 2006

> URL:

>

http://www.thisishu

<http://www.thisishull.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=197370 & command=displ

ayContent & sourceNode=197368 & home=yes & more_nodeId1=136245 & contentPK=16204

319>

ll.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=197370 & command=displayContent & sourceNode

=197368 & home=yes & more_nodeId1=136245 & contentPK=16204319

>

>

> Chocolate's Good for You - It's Official

> ----------------------------------------

>

> It is the news anyone with a sweet tooth has been waiting for -

chocolate

> is officially good for you.

>

> Doctors at Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust have found

eating

> small bars of dark chocolate every day helps stop symptoms of chronic

> fatigue syndrome (CFS).

>

> The illness, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), leaves

sufferers

> with debilitating fatigue and neurological problems. People taking

part in

> a study at Hull Royal Infirmary found they felt better after eating

> specially formulated dark chocolate each day for eight weeks.

However, only

> chocolate made with 85 per cent cocoa was found to have health

benefits.

>

> Professor Steve Atkin, consultant endocrinologist, conducted the

study.

> He said: " No one has examined the effects of chocolate on CFS

before, so

> this is a very exciting result for us. The participants took 45g of

> specially formulated chocolate high in polyphenols for eight weeks.

They

> then had a two-week period of rest before taking a placebo

chocolate, low

> in polyphenols, for another eight weeks. After the first period they

> reported feeling less fatigue and once they moved to the placebo

chocolate

> they began feeling more fatigue again. They didn't experience any

> significant weight gain either, which is an extra positive. "

>

> Chocolate contains a complex mixture of chemicals called

polyphenols, which

> are also reported to reduce the risk of death from coronary heart

disease,

> cancer and strokes. Chocolate also increases serotonin, which

regulates

> mood and sleep.

>

> Denholm, 39, of Beckside Close, west Hull, has suffered from

CFS for

> more than 10 years. She said: " I have really bad attacks, where I

cannot

> see and I cannot use my body properly, like a newborn baby. My

husband Ian

> is my carer and, because I cannot guarantee how well I am going to

feel, I

> cannot work. I am quite cynical, but it did work and I felt much more

> alert. I had more energy and didn't have any attacks. "

>

> The research was funded by the Diabetes Endowment Fund charity, for

which

> Professor Atkin is asking for donations. The trust is now looking for

> people with type two diabetes, linked to age or weight, or polycystic

> ovary syndrome, where many cysts grow on a woman's ovaries, to see if

> chocolate helps.

>

> Professor Atkin said: " I have a large amount of chocolate in the

department

> waiting to be eaten. "

>

> Anyone who is interested, or wants to donate to the fund, should call

> Professor Atkin's research team on (01482) 675387. s.alexander@...

>

>

> Links

>

> Hull and East Yorkshire Hospital NHS Trust

> http://www.hey. <http://www.hey.nhs.uk> nhs.uk

> White Rabbit chocolatier

> http://www.white- <http://www.white-rabbit-chocolate.co.uk>

rabbit-chocolate.co.uk

>

> --------

> © 2006 Hull Daily Mail

>

> ---------------------------------------------

> Send posts to CO-CURE@...

> Unsubscribe at http://www.co- <http://www.co-cure.org/unsub.htm>

cure.org/unsub.htm

> Select list topic options at http://www.co-

<http://www.co-cure.org/topics.htm> cure.org/topics.htm

> ---------------------------------------------

> Co-Cure's purpose is to provide information from across the spectrum

of

> opinion concerning medical, research and political aspects of

ME/CFS and/or

> FMS. We take no position on the validity of any specific scientific or

> political opinion expressed in Co-Cure posts, and we urge readers to

> research the various opinions available before assuming any one

> interpretation is definitive. The Co-Cure website <www.co-cure.org>

has a

> link to our complete archive of posts as well as articles of central

> importance to the issues of our community.

> ---------------------------------------------

>

>

>

>

> mjh

> " The Basil Book "

> http://foxhillfarm. <http://foxhillfarm.us/FireBasil/> us/FireBasil/

>

>

>