More Free Stuff - Your Tax Dollars At Work

This blog is my opportunity to express myself about telecommunications in Montgomery County. However, every so often I just can't help myself - I have to talk about something else. This is just one such occasion. What's today's reason?

Chocolate

Buried in the back of the Gazette this week (I'll read anything when I'm not thinking) was a classified ad asking for clinical research volunteers to eat chocolate. (My first thought: Yes! My second thought: Your tax dollars at work.) The NIH National Center for Complementary And Alternative Medicine is studying the effects of chocolate on blood pressure and insulin levels in an effort to see if it can help people with hypertension and diabetes.

The only catch - you must have high blood pressure (My third thought: Shucks, I may not have HBP now but just wait until my internet service goes down again!) and it must be moderate - between 140/95 and 170/110 off medication. (You can't take your regular meds during the 6-week study.) And, of course, you have to be otherwise reasonably healthy, live near lovely Bethesda, etc.

So if you are 'lucky' enough to meet that profile, call 301 496-3244 and get your free chocolate! (Yes, the chocolate is provided.)

In case you are skeptical, I surfed over to the NIH website and found that this is a bona fide study and it really is looking for volunteers. However, the website itself doesn't solicit volunteers - you have to have seen the classified - or read this blog!

PS: It's dark chocolate. Mmmm. Now where'd I put that Ghirardelli bar?