Sin ?

There are few topics more controversial than addictive behaviors and the defensiveness an addict or user might display when confronted with his or her behavior. There are many behaviors and substances that people get a habit for and I have written here about gambling, marijuana and some others. Now I think it is time to address a pervasive and misunderstood dependency we all run into in our daily lives. I mean Chocolate.
There are scholarly papers published on the psychoactive, mood altering effects and aphrodisiac properties of the cacao bean. Anandamide is a powerful chemical our brain produces to regulate mood and appetite. It occurs in chocolate. Caffeine is also present. So is tryptophan. The combination of stimulant and sedative effects may produce a unique mental state in a sensitive consumer.
The other effects are from flavonoids which seem to protect the heart and blood vessels. Chocolate, especially the dark variety is not particularly sticky. This means it doesn’t stick well to the surface of teeth. It is not a decay promoter. Phenylethelamine is the chemical that produces the feeling of love in the brain. This may be why the affection for chocolate is so passionate.
There have been a few centenarians who have been fond of chocolate but they seem to prefer the dark variety. The sugary milk chocolate popular in the US may contribute to weight and metabolic problems. Overall though, I would say a daily dose would do most people some good. It isn’t illegal and won’t make driving dangerous.
With Halloween only two months away, it may be time for some of you seniors to start stocking up on trick or treats and begin planning that costume! Don’t be shy, it’s for your health!

movin' on

As regular readers know, I scour the news for information on issues that relate to the seniors in the local community. Problems, solutions and situations to which they will relate. On the other hand… Last month there was a story on one of the news services about a 61 year-old man in Italy who was reportedly misbehaving to the point that his mother, with whom he still lives, cut off his allowance and took away his house keys. When the police were called on to intervene he complained about the food and his meager allowance. Mom complained about the “boy’s” late hours and poor attitude.

In parts of Europe it has become quite the fashion for men to stay in the parents home until they marry in their thirties. I don’t know of too many parallel circumstances in the local population. I know of a few cases where an unmarried son might live with an aging parent to share expenses and enjoy the familiar routine but this is an exception in the U.S.
It was more normal in past generations for the youngest daughter to stay at home to care for the parents in the later years of their lives, and that sacrifice of independence was part of the culture that focused on the family as an ongoing organism. The family was a priority. Mainstream American culture has been more and more concerned with the focus on individual freedoms. The person, not the family is now the central value of the culture. This grew from the framing of the government to serve the people, rather than the people serving the government or crown, as in the old country.

As we grow more diverse, and the assumptions of our culture evolve, we may see an increase in farsighted planning from Asian ancestor/descendant focus, or authority/ responsibility role definition from Middle Eastern influences. Wherever we go from here, one thing seems certain. That Italian guy should’ve moved out a long time ago.