Man Arrested For Punching Wells Fargo ATM: "It Gave Him Too Much Money"

Call it the holiday"s token bizarro incident: according to Florida Today, a 23-year-old man who told police he punched a Wells Fargo ATM because it gave him too much cash, was arrested after bank officials said the attack caused at least $5,000 in damages, which elevated the inexplicable and idiotic temper tantrum into a felony crime.

Michael Oleksik, 23, 5"11", 155lbs, of Rockledge, FL; charges: Criminal mischief >$1000.

Cocoa police charged Michael Joseph Oleksik, of Merritt Island, on Friday with criminal mischief nearly a month into the investigation of a disturbance at the Wells Fargo bank branch at 834 N. Cocoa Boulevard, in Cocoa. According to authorities, Oleksik could be seen on surveillance video standing at the ATM, pummeling the electronic teller’s touch screen on Nov. 29.

A short time later, an apologetic Oleksik called the bank and told a manager that he punched the ATM because he was "angry the ATM was giving him too much money and he did not know what to do," Florida Today reported. Oleksik then explained that he was in a hurry for work and apologized for the damage to the bank"s ATM.

While Oleksik"s behavior may appear irrational at first glance, a quick look at his arrest record, which reveals not only domestic violence charges, but also disorderly drug intoxication and resisting and intimidating a police officer, and suddenly his vendetta with the ATM makes sense.

Wells Fargo - clearly distraught at the treatment one of its ATM machines was subjected to - contacted the Cocoa Police Department and asked to press charges. Oleksik was arrested Friday and booked into the Brevard County Jail Complex in Sharpes.

Chocolate Gives Statins A $29 Billion Run For Their Money

With the blockbuster cholesterol-lowering class of drugs known as statins being widely promoted for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease, despite their having over 300 documented adverse health effects (including heart failure!), how does chocolate sound as a viable, heart-friendly alternative?

We already connect amorously with chocolate (to the tune of 6 billion lbs of cocoa consumed annually worldwide), revealing in heart-felt expressions like “I love it,” and “this is to die for!” how comfortable we are with publicly declaring our affection. But did you know that while it makes our emotional hearts sing, it may actually keep our physical hearts happy, alive and ticking longer, as well?

Indeed, back in 2006, researchers found that for elderly men, eating cocoa intake was inversely associated with blood pressure and 15-year cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. When compared with the lowest tertile (lowest 33%) of cocoa intake, the adjusted relative risk for men in the highest tertile was .50 for cardiovascular mortality, or a 50% reduction, and .53 for all-cause mortality, or a 47% reduction. Not bad considering the median cocoa intake among users was 2.11 grams per day, or just one half an ounce a week. While many people are searching out supplements such as ubiquinol to combat the side effects of statin drugs, they could have been eating chocolate instead.

Anything that can reduce your risk of dying from all causes by 50%, which is not an expensive and potentially dangerous drug, but a food, should be be taken seriously, even if — paradoxically — it is usually found in the candy section of the grocery store.

There is no shortage of solid, human clinical research supporting the consumption of cocoa, the signature ingredient in chocolate, for the reduction of both cardiovascular disease risk factors, and “hard” cardiovascular outcomes, e.g. hypertension, endothelial dysfunction, insulin resistance, low HDL, stroke, heart disease, etc. GreenMedInfo.com has made 30 such studies available to view on its cocoa page.

The remarkable thing about the research on chocolate is that its consumption appears to improve the pathological condition of the blood vessels known as endothelial dysfunction, and which is believed to be at the root of the problem of plaque accumulation in the arteries, as well as elevated blood lipids. Statins may in fact exert their greatly exaggerated health benefits not by suppressing lipids (as popularly advertised), but by acting as a mild vasodilator through enhancing nitric oxide concentrations in the lining of the blood vessels (endothelium). Statins, however, are produced from chemicals, and therefore guarantee a certain degree of collateral poisoning will take place, whereas chocolate has a long history of safe use both as a food and a medicine. Chocolate has also been extensively researched for effectively lowering blood pressure in those who consume it, which is still considered one of the best ways to reduce cardiovascular disease risk, and which drug-based blood pressure medications are notoriously ineffective at, since they may actually raise cardiac mortality even while effectively lowering blood pressure. In a similar way, statins may effectively suppress blood lipids while at the same time weakening the heart muscle.

Some of cocoa/chocolate’s other potential health benefits include:

• Inhibiting Accelerated Aging – Not only has the preference for chocolate in older age been linked with better health, optimism and better psychological well-being, but it has also been shown in the fruit fly-based experimental model of aging to have antioxidative, pro-oxidative, and metal-chelating effects associated with increased lifespan. Moreover, research in women shows that long-term ingestion of favanol-rich chocolate (raw chocolate is especially rich in these compounds) protects against UV-induced skin redness and improves their skin condition.


• Protecting Against Alzheimers – Cocoa procyanidins attenuate lipid peroxidation associated neuronal cell death in a manner relevant to Alzheimer’s disease.


• Reducing Stress (Elevated Catecholamines) – Daily consumption of 40 grams of chocolate during a 2 week period reduces the urinary excretion of cortisol and catecholamines, while reducing other metabolic indicators of stress, including gut microbial metabolism.

• Inhibiting Cholesterol Oxidation – Rather than fixating on the absolute number of lipoproteins or cholesterol within the blood (quantitiative analysis) it makes sense to ensure that those lipids don’t undergo excessive oxidize (qualitative analysis) which is associated with injury to the blood vessels and the formation of atherosclerotic plaque. More than a few studies have found that chocolate prevents LDL cholesterol oxidation, while also boosting the beneficial HDL cholesterol

• Boosting Cognitive Performance – Chocolate, along with flavonoid-rich red wine and tea, were shown to boost cognitive performance in elderly men and women, with the maximum effect at intacts of 10g/d, or the equivalent of 2 ½ ounces a week.

• Inhibiting Cancer – Llimited, though significant research indicates that cocoa is capable of inhibiting certain types of cancer. The growth of prostate cancer cells have been selectively inhibited with cocoa polyphenols, and animal research indicates that cocoa liquor is capable of inhibiting chemically-induced liver cancer.

• Improving Diabetes – New research from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has revealed that the consumption of chocolate, or its active constituents (cocoa, flavan-3-ols), reduces a broad range of risk factors for cardiovascular disease including insulin resistance. The researchers looked at 42 acute and long-term studies and found a 33% median reduction in insulin resistance following chocolate consumption. What is so unique about this new study is that chocolate consumption is generally believed to elevate blood sugar and blood insulin levels; not only does it disprove this myth but it sheds additional light on why chocolate consumption (especially dark, organic) may be beneficial in both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

• Boosting Sexual Function – Chocolate is an excellent vasodilator, which is one reason why it has been traditionally linked to improved fertility and virility. Research also indicates that chocolate consumption is linked to higher sexual function in women, as well.

This is only a sampling from the research we have gathered on chocolate/cocoa’s potential health benefits, of which there are several dozen.

Lastly, any serious discussion on the medicinal properties of chocolate should be qualified by pointing out that chocolate is often unfairly traded, and has even been linked to child enslavement. Non-organic cocoa may also contain residues of the dangerous herbicide glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup), among many other biocides used in conventional farming, so the consumer must take special care to avoid these moral and physiological pitfalls. Also, because chocolate has complex pharmacologically active properties, it must be consumed in moderation, and with attention paid towards the tendency for using it to self-medicate, especially when the cocoa content is lower and the sugar content higher.

© November 18, 2017 GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here http://www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter.

The post Chocolate Gives Statins A $29 Billion Run For Their Money appeared first on The Sleuth Journal.

Yummy! Weekly Chocolate Snack Protects Against Atrial Fibrillation

If your significant other hands you a box of chocolates, your heart might skip a beat; but that’s pretty much the only time you want to feel your heart flutter. Even sweeter, eating what’s in that box may protect you from a dangerous form of heart palpitations called atrial fibrillation, a study shows.

Published in May of 2017 in the journal Heart, the study found that adults who ate chocolate 1-3 times per month were 10-20% less likely to suffer from atrial fibrillation, or AFib, than those who snacked on chocolate once a month or less. [1]

Discovering the Heart-Healthy Properties of Chocolate

Researchers looked at long-term data regarding the diets of more than 55,500 men and women aged 50-64 years old in Denmark. The participants submitted information relating to their eating habits upon entering the study, between 1993 and 1997.

The researchers then used data from Denmark’s national health registry to determine which participants had been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation since the start of the study. The data revealed that 3,350 people had been diagnosed with AFib over an average of 13.5 years.

They found that:

• People who ate approximately 1 oz. of chocolate per week had a 17% lower risk of developing atrial fibrillation by the end of the study compared to those who ate less than an ounce of chocolate a month.

• Participants who consumed 2-6 oz. of chocolate a week were 20% less likely to develop AFib by the end of the study.

• Women who ate just one serving of chocolate a week were found to be the least likely to be diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. The biggest risk reduction for men was associated with eating 2-6 servings of chocolate per week. [1]

Many of the health benefits associated with chocolate are found in dark chocolate, but most people in Denmark consume milk chocolate. The researchers said they weren’t sure they’d find such a large reduction in AFib risk among the population. [2]

Elizabeth Mostofsky, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and one of the leaders of the study, said:

“We were pleasantly surprised that — despite the fact that most of the chocolate may have [had] relatively low cocoa concentrations — we were still able to see robust findings.” [2]

However, the amount of cocoa in chocolate varies significantly between the U.S. and Denmark. In the United States, milk chocolate must contain 10% cocoa solids – the suspected beneficial ingredient, compared to Denmark, where the sweet treat is required to contain 30%. [3]

The study’s authors note in an editorial published alongside the research that chocolate lovers had fewer cases of hypertension and diabetes, and had overall lower blood pressure – all factors that could help explain why those same individuals were less likely to develop atrial fibrillation. [2]

Read: 10+ Healthful Reasons to Consume Chocolate

Atrial fibrillation is believed to be caused by the release of certain molecules that damage heart tissue. Chocolate contains flavanols that can ward off the type of inflammation that can lead to tissue damage. Furthermore, flavanols may counteract the clots that could form when an irregular heartbeat allows blood to pool in the heart. [3]

Past studies have shown that eating chocolate can reduce the risk of suffering a heart attack, as well as lower blood pressure and even prevent obesity.

Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is a quivering or irregular heartbeat, according to the American Heart Association. The condition can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure, and other heart-related complications.

Read: Know the Causes and Symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation

A healthy heart normally contracts and relaxes to a regular beat. However, in people with AFib, the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) beat irregularly (quiver) instead of maintaining a regular beat to effectively move blood into the ventricles. [4]

Many people with atrial fibrillation are unaware that they have it; yet it affects more than 33 million people worldwide, and an estimated 25% of adults will develop the heart condition sometime in their lifetime, the accompanying editorial states.

Sources:

[1] Newsweek

[2] NPR

[3] Los Angeles Times

[4] American Heart Association

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"You Afraid Of A Dead Body?" Boys Who Laughed While Man Drowned Will Face Charges

In a news story that sounds like something from Mad Max, a group of Florida teenagers who filmed themselves laughing and cracking jokes while a disabled man drowned, and then left the scene without telling anybody, will face criminal charges after all – but there’s a catch.

The teenagers, each between the ages of 14 and 16, will be charged with not reporting a death, a misdemeanor offense under Florida law. Authorities initially said there didn’t appear to be grounds to prosecute the teens, who were caught on camera mocking 32-year-old Jamel Dunn as he drowned in Cocoa, Florida, according to the New York Post.

The callous crime, which is vaguely reminiscent of the infamous Kitty Genovese slaying in New York City, is indicative of a trend tht has been bothering older Americans since the first signs began emerging in the early 90s. The contemporary breakdown in communal responsibility, fostered by smartphones and digitization of daily life, where violent videos inure children to death and violence. The boys can be heard in the video discussing Dunn’s impending death. One of the boys teased another about being scared to see a dead body, the boy replies “I ain’t scared to see no dead person.”

The disturbing footage, recorded by one of the boys, shows Dunn, who is disabled, struggling and screaming for help in the pondIn response, the boys urge him to get out of the water – “Get out the water you’re going to die!”  Another boy shouts. “We’re not finna help you!”

The recommended charges will be given to the Florida State Attorney’s Office, which will determine whether to prosecute the teens, according to Cocoa Police Chief Mike Cantaloupe.

Even if the boys are charged, misdemeanors typically carry sentences of less than a year, leaving the boys free of criminal records, unless they commit more crimes as adults Cocoa Police Department spokesperson Yvonne Martinez said the teens, ages 14 to 16, had The department didn’t disclose the number of teens involved, or their names.

“He started to struggle and scream for help and they just laughed,” Martinez said. “They didn’t call the police. They just laughed the whole time. He was just screaming … for someone to help him.” The teenagers didn’t stop joking about Dunn when he failed to surface in the water.

“Oh, he just died,” said one as the others laughed.

The teens left the Cocoa park without notifying anyone about Dunn’s death. Three days later, his body was discovered in the pond.

“We are deeply saddened and shocked at both the manner in which Mr. Dunn lost his life and the actions of the witnesses to this tragedy,” State Attorney Phil Archer said in a statememt, according to NBC News.

Dunn’s sister Simone McIntosh started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for his funeral and to help his two daughters.t Dunn’s death. Three days later, his body was discovered in the pond.

Suppress Coughs by Coating the Throat in…Chocolate?

If you’re dealing with a nasty cough, forget about codeine and even honey and lemon (ok, maybe not honey). One of the easiest and undeniably tastiest way to quiet that hack is by eating chocolate, according to a Hull University professor.

Professor Alyn Morice, head of cardiovascular and respiratory studies at Hull, said there’s a lot of truth to a new study that tested the efficacy of a chocolate-based cough medicine. The study will be published later this year.

Morice was not involved in the study, but he is “an international authority on cough and the mechanism of cough.” He is also a founding member of the International Society for the Study of Cough.

The study, ROCOCO, involved 163 patients who were randomly given either linctus (a cough medicine in syrup form) or a chocolate-based cough syrup called Unicough.

Participants’ cold and cough symptoms improved dramatically after just two days of using Unicough. The study also found that Unicough worked better than conventional cough medications. Twice as many patients were able to stop treatment early because their cough had improved so much. [1]

The power of the cocoa-based concoction seems to lie in the demulcent properties of cocoa. The texture of chocolate makes it more viscous than traditional cough medicines, which allows it to coat the throat and soothe the urge to cough.

While the combination of honey and lemon does basically the same thing, Morice said chocolate likely has a “pharmacological activity, some sort of inhibitory effect on the nerve endings themselves.”

Morice wrote in the Daily Mail:

“We have just seen the results of the largest real-world study of an over-the-counter cough remedy ever undertaken in Europe. This proves that a new medicine which contains cocoa is better than standard linctus. The head-to-head comparison found that patients taking the chocolate-based medicine had a significant improvement in symptoms within two days.” [2]

Morice also said:

“I know that might sound like something out of Mary Poppins, but as an independent clinician who has spent years researching the mechanism of cough, I can assure you the evidence is actually as solid a bar of Fruit and Nut.”

Previous studies have shown that chocolate is effective at treating coughs. One study conducted by researchers at Imperial College in London showed that theobromine, an alkaloid in cocoa, suppresses cough better than codeine.

If the idea of any cough medicine turns you off, Morice said that slowly sucking on a piece of chocolate may provide some relief, although the syrup is more effective because of “other cough-fighting compounds.”

And sipping hot cocoa won’t do much to help a cough because you swallow it too quickly and it doesn’t have a chance to adhere to the interior of your throat and protect the nerve endings. [3]

Sources:

[1] Daily Mail

[2] HNGN

[3] Vice

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About Julie Fidler:
	Julie Fidler is a freelance writer, legal blogger, and the author of Adventures in Holy Matrimony: For Better or the Absolute Worst. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two ridiculously spoiled cats. She occasionally pontificates on her blog.