The weekend is almost here, and many of us are ready to unwind after a long, stressful work week. There are so many ways to relax, which do you prefer?
Drinks Mixed with Diet Soda Are More Intoxicating
Researchers in Australia found out that when you drink alcohol with diet soda, the artificial sugars in the diet soda caused the drink to empty out of the stomach and into the bloodstream 15 minutes sooner than when consumed with a normal soda.
…alcohol levels surged higher with the low-calorie mixer: to 0.05 percent, on average, versus 0.03 percent with the sugar-sweetened mixer.
In some jurisdictions, this would mean the difference between driving legally and driving drunk, according to the study authors, led by Dr. Christopher K. Rayner of Royal Adelaide Hospital.
The difference in peak blood alcohol levels was “striking,” the researchers write, and it shows that a drink’s alcohol content isn’t the only factor people should consider.
In general, women’s blood alcohol levels soar higher than men’s after drinking the same amount alcohol. And women may be particularly drawn to diet mixers in order to cut calories, the researchers note.
Marijuana May Prevent Alzheimers
New research shows that the active ingredient in marijuana may prevent the progression of the disease by preserving levels of an important neurotransmitter that allows the brain to function.
Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute in California found that marijuana’s active ingredient, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, can prevent the neurotransmitter acetylcholine from breaking down more effectively than commercially marketed drugs.
THC is also more effective at blocking clumps of protein that can inhibit memory and cognition in Alzheimer’s patients, the researchers reported in the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics.
Marijuana is used to relieve glaucoma and can help reduce side effects from cancer and AIDS treatment.
Possessing marijuana for recreational use is illegal in many parts of the world, including the United States, though some states allow possession for medical purposes.
It is currently legal in the city of Denver for adults ages 21 and over to possess under 1 ounce of marijauna, but it is illegal under Colorado state law. However, a group called SAFER is promoting the passage of Amendment 44 on the Colorado ballot in November. Amendment 44 would make it legal for adults in Colorado ages 21 and over to possess under 1 ounce of marijuana.
