The authentic risks of fake pot

ProCon.org says that 1,246,170 people are card-carrying medical marijuana users. A 2017 Yahoo News/Marist poll found that 52 percent of Americans over 18 have ...

The authentic risks of fake pot

ProCon.org says that 1,246,170 people are card-carrying medical marijuana users. A 2017 Yahoo News/Marist poll found that 52 percent of Americans over 18 have tried marijuana. Furthermore, 44 percent of those who tried it once still use it today.

So, it shouldn't come as a surprise that with the cost of 1 ounce of legal pot in Colorado going for around $160, synthetic weed costing around $30 an ounce is becoming increasingly popular.

Unfortunately, we don't know exactly what's in artificial pot (the toxic "get you high" chemicals put on random vegetation change all the time) - and nothing proves that more than the recent rash of medical emergencies in Illinois, including bleeding from the eyes and ears, and deaths that are associated with smoking a batch of the synthetic stuff.

Add to that a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that says kids who use synthetic marijuana are far more likely to inflict or become victims of violence, engage in risky sex and have mental health issues than kids who use just marijuana or neither. And if teens vape the fake weed, they also may have three times more evidence of toxic chemicals like acrylonitrile, acrolein, propylene oxide and crotonaldehyde in their system than nonusers.

If adults are going to make marijuana legal, they must take responsibility for educating children about the health risks associated with synthetic (and real) pot and vaping, or we're creating a public health crisis of enormous cost to individuals and society at large.

© 2018 Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

Turn over a new leaf: Leafy greens can improve your health

Ever wondered why a dish prepared with spinach is said to be "Florentine"? Well, it's because Catherine de Medici, who was...

Turn over a new leaf: Leafy greens can improve your health

Ever wondered why a dish prepared with spinach is said to be "Florentine"? Well, it's because Catherine de Medici, who was from Florence, was a super fan of this super green. She liked it so much that in 1533, after she had married Henry II and become queen of France, she decreed that every meal in the palace be served with spinach.

In the 1500s, anyone who survived childhood (around 40 percent did not) might live to be 50 or even 60. But clever Catherine lived to the age of 70 - and you can bet the spinach helped!

Recent research published in Neurology reveals that eating a serving of leafy greens a day is associated with a sharper memory and a slower rate of cognitive decline. The other benefits are equally impressive: Greens like spinach are rich in fiber, which is linked to a lower risk of coronary heart disease. They also help fight certain cancers. In a study that tested eight common vegetables for their anti-cancer properties, a nutrient found in leafy greens was the strongest when it came to inhibiting human cancer cell proliferation. A diet rich in collards, kale and other greens also is associated with a reduced risk for Type 2 diabetes. Plus, those leafy powerhouses are low-cal, but keep you feeling full.

So turn over a new leaf! Try arugula, Swiss chard or spicy mustard greens tossed into a salad, mixed into a smoothie or sauteed with garlic and lemon juice. You'll be royally rewarded with better health.

© 2018 Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

Block out light at night

Chances are you've spent more than one night tossing and turning. Up to 70 million U.S. adults have a sleep disorder. But if you're rapper Eminem and a tour means yo...

Block out light at night

Chances are you've spent more than one night tossing and turning. Up to 70 million U.S. adults have a sleep disorder. But if you're rapper Eminem and a tour means you're not in the same time zone for more than a night or two, getting a good night's sleep is an extra challenge. His solution (odd, but the right impulse) is to put tinfoil on his hotel room windows to make sure not a ray of light gets through.

Studies confirm that darkness is linked to better sleep quality, and to a happier outlook. But in the United States and Europe, 99 percent of the public can't experience a natural dark night! So, whether you have insomnia or not, you may want to adopt Eminem's strategy of light-blocking (but use something more permanent than tinfoil).

For a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, researchers measured the bedroom light of over 800 older Japanese people. Participants kept sleep diaries and were followed for two years. At the end of that time, people who were exposed to more than 5 lux of light (a 100-watt lightbulb gives off 60 lux) when trying to sleep at night were more likely to have symptoms of depression than those who slept in total darkness.

Why? Light at night might interfere with your body's internal clock and release of the sleep hormone melatonin, throwing off your brain chemistry.

Whether you're a homebody or a world traveler, invest in effective eyeshades and lobby your local government to adjust your town's illumination to reduce light pollution.

© 2018 Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.