{"id":1842,"date":"2016-02-12T19:18:00","date_gmt":"2016-02-13T00:18:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2016-09-18T15:54:07","modified_gmt":"2016-09-18T19:54:07","slug":"for-valentines-day-chocolate-and-love-on-the-brain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=1842","title":{"rendered":"For Valentines Day, Chocolate and Love on The Brain"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"line-height: 115%; text-align: center;\" align=\"center\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.willclower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Heart-1.jpg?ssl=1\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-4358\"><img data-opt-id=447159428  fetchpriority=\"high\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4358\" src=\"https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:150\/h:150\/q:mauto\/rt:fill\/g:ce\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.willclower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Heart-1-150x150.jpg?resize=150%2C150&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Heart\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">Chocoholics rejoice!! There actually is a right way to love your chocolate, and it\u2019s not just about eating less of it. The key to knowing which is which and why lies inside your mind and brain. <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">Anyone who really loves their chocolate knows that this wonderfully delicious food must contain a raft of psychoactive chemicals because, obviously.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">It turns out that chocolate\u2019s feel-good effects are a direct result of its impact on your neurophysiology and psychology. <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">Knowing what\u2019s going on \u201cunder the hood\u201d can help understand cravings, and make them work for you rather than against you. \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><b><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">This Is Your Brain On Chocolate<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">The cocoa bean contains a wide array of psychoactive properties, each of which nudge your neurons in different ways.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">Its anadamide stimulates the same cannabinoid brain receptors as marijuana.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;\">Chocolate\u2019s theobromine may <\/span><a style=\"line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3672386\/\"><span style=\"color: red;\"><b>act synergistically<\/b><\/span><\/a><span style=\"line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;\"> with its caffeine within the brain to create a sense of pleasure.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">It also contains phenylethylamine, known as the love drug because it is also released naturally when people fall in love or experience intense pleasure.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;\">I<\/span><span style=\"line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;\">n addition to all these other feel good chemicals, chocolate also contains tryptophan, which can be converted into serotonin. The levels of tryptophan and serotonin are both associated with your emotional state:<span style=\"color: red;\"><b> <a href=\"http:\/\/europepmc.org\/abstract\/med\/15131521\"><span style=\"color: red;\">if they\u2019re low, so are you<\/span><\/a><\/b><\/span>.<\/span><span style=\"line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;\"><span style=\"font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\"><a style=\"line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;\" href=\"http:\/\/brain.oxfordjournals.org\/content\/brain\/124\/9\/1720.full.pdf\"><span style=\"color: red;\"><b>Brain PET scans<\/b><\/span><\/a><span style=\"line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;\"> reveal that chocolate consumption light up the pleasure areas of the brain. This is also related to the chocolate-stimulated release of endorphins.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.willclower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Head-Versus-Heart-1.jpg?ssl=1\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-4360\"><img data-opt-id=162722818  fetchpriority=\"high\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4360\" src=\"https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:150\/h:150\/q:mauto\/rt:fill\/g:ce\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.willclower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Head-Versus-Heart-1-150x150.jpg?resize=150%2C150&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Head-Versus-Heart\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a>This is all very suggestive, but just because chocolate is associated with all these neurochemicals linked to positive mood.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">But the real question is intensely practical and personal. When you eat chocolate, does your mood actually improve? Are real world measures of anxiety changed, and in what direction? <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">The answer turns out to be yes and no. While that non-answer isn\u2019t interesting, what is very interesting is the fact that chocolate \u201cbrings the happy\u201d under specific conditions, but not in others. So once you know what those two conditions are, you can make sure all those upbeat brain chemicals work for you, not against you. <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><b><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">The Wrong Way: <i>Chocolate Used As Treatment<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/b><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.willclower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/chocolate2Bon2Bskin2Bof2Bface.jpg?ssl=1\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-3904\"><img data-opt-id=205482044  data-opt-src=\"https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:150\/h:150\/q:mauto\/rt:fill\/g:ce\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.willclower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/chocolate2Bon2Bskin2Bof2Bface-150x150.jpg\"  data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-3904\" src=\"data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20150%20150%22%20width%3D%22150%22%20height%3D%22150%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%22150%22%20height%3D%22150%22%20fill%3D%22transparent%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E?resize=150%2C150&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"chocolate%2Bon%2Bskin%2Bof%2Bface.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">Taking chocolate in response to emotions is a bad idea. This is what that looks like. \u201cI had an incredibly awful day, I\u2019m going to console myself with chocolate\u201d, or \u201cI had an incredibly awesome day, I\u2019m going to celebrate with chocolate.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">One research group found that emotional eaters who used chocolate to treat their bad mood were actually <a href=\"http:\/\/diyhpl.us\/~bryan\/papers2\/neuro\/Mood%20state%20effects%20of%20chocolate.pdf\"><span style=\"color: red;\"><b>more likely to have those negative feelings persist<\/b><\/span><\/a> than those who didn\u2019t use chocolate in this way.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">In other words, when used <i>as a treatment<\/i> for existing anxiety or stress, chocolate made the negative feelings persist even longer. <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">And think about how this condition can very quickly slip out of control. If a person continues this strategy (eating chocolate to fix an emotional state), the mood doesn\u2019t actually improve. This can increase anxiety and\/or depression, which increases the chances of self-medicating even more. At that point, you\u2019re sliding down a slippery chocolate slope straight into a bog of emotional awfulness. <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><b><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">The Right Way:<i>Chocolate As Prevention<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/b><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.willclower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/chocolate-bite.jpe\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-4364\"><img data-opt-id=666272777  data-opt-src=\"https:\/\/www.willclower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/chocolate-bite-150x149.jpe\"  decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4364\" src=\"data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20150%20149%22%20width%3D%22150%22%20height%3D%22149%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%22150%22%20height%3D%22149%22%20fill%3D%22transparent%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"chocolate bite\" width=\"150\" height=\"149\" \/><\/a><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">On the other hand, eating 40 grams of high cocoa chocolate (about 8 thumb-size pieces, or 1 ounce) every day for 2 weeks can <a href=\"http:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/abs\/10.1021\/pr900607v\"><span style=\"color: red;\"><b>help lower stress levels<\/b><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">How? Consuming this amount of chocolate for this long is actually associated with a decrease in the stress hormone cortisol that floods your blood, can trigger fatty deposits, adrenal exhaustion, and<span style=\"color: red;\"><b> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/23806868\">even muscle wasting<\/a><\/b><\/span>. <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">But does the statistical decrease in cortisol actually translate into you feeling less crappy? Less stressed? Less anxious? It\u2019s one thing to measure a hormone in the context of some research study and show that the cortisol level in your blood stream moves up or down. But the real question is whether eating chocolate results in improved feelings in the long term. <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">As the continual bearer of good news, let me just tell you that the answer is a big, chocolaty yes. A <a href=\"http:\/\/download.springer.com\/static\/pdf\/819\/art%253A10.1186%252F1475-2891-9-55.pdf?originUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fnutritionj.biomedcentral.com%2Farticle%2F10.1186%2F1475-2891-9-55&amp;token2=exp=1454859927~acl=%2Fstatic%2Fpdf%2F819%2Fart%25253A10.1186%25252F1475-2891-9-55.pdf\"><span style=\"color: red;\"><b>2010 study<\/b><\/span><\/a> looked at the impact of cocoa polyphenols on two groups of people over an 8-week period. They gave one group 85% cocoa chocolate and the second group something that tasted just the same (it even had the same number of calories). <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">By the way, if you\u2019re wondering how eating the equivalent of 9 thumb-size pieces of 85% cocoa chocolate daily impacted their weight, there was no weight gain at all after 8 weeks of eating this amount. Zero. Just one more reason to be happy!<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>So what happened?<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.willclower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/chocolate-happy.jpe\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-4366\"><img data-opt-id=72496152  data-opt-src=\"https:\/\/www.willclower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/chocolate-happy-150x150.jpe\"  decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4366\" src=\"data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20150%20150%22%20width%3D%22150%22%20height%3D%22150%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%22150%22%20height%3D%22150%22%20fill%3D%22transparent%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"chocolate happy\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">Those eating the 85% cocoa chocolate reported a 35% reduction in fatigue, a 37% reduction in anxiety, and a 45% reduction in depression.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">By comparison, those who ate the very same product without cocoa\u2019s polyphenols reported slight increases in every one of those measures. <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">So<b> <\/b>if you\u2019re responding to these stressors by using chocolate to basically self-medicate, your very best case scenario is that you\u2019d just be treating symptoms. At worst, you are making the problem worse. The better solution is to have a little high-cocoa chocolate each and every day. <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"line-height: 115%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">After all, it is good for your heart and mind when you take it slow, make it last, and think about it more as a One-A-Day than a Band-Aid. <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">For more information: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.willclower.com\/\"> Click here to visit Will Clower&#8217;s website<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"border-radius: 2px; text-indent: 20px; width: auto; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; text-align: center; font: bold 11px\/20px 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; color: #ffffff; background: #bd081c no-repeat scroll 3px 50% \/ 14px 14px; position: absolute; opacity: 0.85; z-index: 8675309; display: none; cursor: pointer; top: 38px; left: 20px;\">Save<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"border-radius: 2px; text-indent: 20px; width: auto; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; text-align: center; font: bold 11px\/20px 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; color: #ffffff; background: #bd081c no-repeat scroll 3px 50% \/ 14px 14px; position: absolute; opacity: 1; z-index: 8675309; display: none; cursor: pointer;\">Save<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"border-radius: 2px; text-indent: 20px; width: auto; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; text-align: center; font: bold 11px\/20px 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; color: #ffffff; background: #bd081c no-repeat scroll 3px 50% \/ 14px 14px; position: absolute; opacity: 1; z-index: 8675309; display: none; cursor: pointer;\">Save<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"border-radius: 2px; text-indent: 20px; width: auto; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; text-align: center; font: bold 11px\/20px 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; color: #ffffff; background: #bd081c no-repeat scroll 3px 50% \/ 14px 14px; position: absolute; opacity: 1; z-index: 8675309; display: none; cursor: pointer;\">Save<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"border-radius: 2px; text-indent: 20px; width: auto; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; text-align: center; font: bold 11px\/20px 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; color: #ffffff; background: #bd081c no-repeat scroll 3px 50% \/ 14px 14px; position: absolute; opacity: 1; z-index: 8675309; display: none; cursor: pointer;\">Save<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"border-radius: 2px; text-indent: 20px; width: auto; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; text-align: center; font: bold 11px\/20px 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; color: #ffffff; background: #bd081c no-repeat scroll 3px 50% \/ 14px 14px; position: absolute; opacity: 1; z-index: 8675309; display: none; cursor: pointer;\">Save<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"border-radius: 2px; text-indent: 20px; width: auto; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; text-align: center; font: bold 11px\/20px 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; color: #ffffff; background: #bd081c  no-repeat scroll 3px 50% \/ 14px 14px; position: absolute; opacity: 1; z-index: 8675309; display: none; cursor: pointer;\">Save<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chocoholics rejoice!! There actually is a right way to love your chocolate, and it\u2019s not just about eating less of it. The key to knowing which is which and why &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4358,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[494],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1842","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7Qv5g-tI","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2213,"url":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=2213","url_meta":{"origin":1842,"position":0},"title":"Chocolate Is a Health Food For Your Brain. Here&#8217;s why.","author":"Will Clower","date":"December 13, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Great article by Kristen Coveleskie on Chocolate ... and the ways that this wonderful food (isn't it its own food group??) acts like a drug that is actually very, very good for your brain!!(please share this with anyone who loves chocolate ... yeah right!)\u00a0\u00a0While thinking of things to put in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Articles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?cat=494"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/_HAl9r2q_-j0\/TQWFAPjL9QI\/AAAAAAAAC08\/hmJo9cmDBQs\/s320\/ChocolateStrawberry.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":8023,"url":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=8023","url_meta":{"origin":1842,"position":1},"title":"Chocolate For Your Emotional Health","author":"Will Clower","date":"February 17, 2020","format":"image","excerpt":"If you\u2019ve ever wondered if\u00a0your love affair with chocolate is a one-sided relationship,\u00a0don\u2019t worry.\u00a0The latest\u00a0nutritional\u00a0research has some\u00a0very\u00a0good news. Because February is \"Heart Month\" as well as the month for Valentines Day, we will give you all the reasons why this delicious food is so good for you! Your Brain\u00a0On\u00a0Chocolate The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Articles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?cat=494"},"img":{"alt_text":"Mother and Daughter cooking with chocolate","src":"https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Mother-and-daughter-cooking-with-chocolate.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Mother-and-daughter-cooking-with-chocolate.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Mother-and-daughter-cooking-with-chocolate.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Mother-and-daughter-cooking-with-chocolate.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Mother-and-daughter-cooking-with-chocolate.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2168,"url":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=2168","url_meta":{"origin":1842,"position":2},"title":"The Chemistry of Love, Sex, and Chocolate: Radio Program Posted","author":"Will Clower","date":"January 31, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"The Radio Show from this weekend had a great guest, talking about the chemistry that goes on in your brain and body in association with amorous feelings and, of course, chocolate.\u00a0It's Valentines Day after all.\u00a0CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE SHOWWould love to get your thoughts on this show!!For more\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Articles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?cat=494"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_HAl9r2q_-j0\/TUb6v3c56jI\/AAAAAAAAC4I\/Pi8IzKUgFAU\/s320\/Heart.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":334,"url":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=334","url_meta":{"origin":1842,"position":3},"title":"Strawberries, Chocolate-Kissed, with Infused Ganache","author":"Will Clower","date":"April 4, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"What a great surprise to pull out of the refrigerator for your romantic dinner for two. Even a tender nibble brings the sweet juices of cherry, strawberry, or raspberry, encased in the thin waiting sheath of dark chocolate.\u00a0 \u00a0 What is it about chocolate and red fruit that seems so\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Recipes&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Recipes","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?cat=380"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1881,"url":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=1881","url_meta":{"origin":1842,"position":4},"title":"Chocolate Countdown, Number 5 Reason To Eat Chocolate That You Never Saw Coming","author":"Will Clower","date":"June 22, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Because it's such a pain ... reliever.Follow @willclowerYou love chocolate, and it totally loves you back. Its cocoa creates a birthday party in your brain, with neuroactive agents to boost endorphin levels (natural opiates), stimulate your brain\u2019s cannabis receptors, light up the brain\u2019s pleasure centers, increase serotonin levels, and provide\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Articles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?cat=494"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.willclower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/woman2Beating2Bchocolate.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":8415,"url":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=8415","url_meta":{"origin":1842,"position":5},"title":"The Most Important Part of Your Brain That You Never Think of","author":"Will Clower","date":"August 31, 2020","format":"image","excerpt":"Your blood vessels (arteries, capillaries, and veins) carry oxygen and nutrients into your brain cells to keep them healthy. If your blood vessels are unhealthy, they can break open. This is called a stroke and can lead to permanent impairment or death. It is critical to keep blood vessels healthy.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Articles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?cat=494"},"img":{"alt_text":"Torn vein on a blue background with blood. The concept of medical diseases. 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