Northwestern Memorial News Blog

Thanks to the quick thinking of a Northwestern Medicine pediatrician, 14,000 silver mylar blankets, the kind typically handed out to runners after a marathon, are headed to Afghanistan to help children in danger of freezing to death this winter in scarcely heated refugee camps. More than 20 Afghan children have already died from the cold in the past month.

Craig Garfield, M.D., well knows the value of the blankets, used by paramedics to warm newborn babies and by mountain climbers who camp overnight in frigid outdoor conditions. An athlete, Garfield also uses the blankets to maintain his body temperature after a triathlon.

It’s the day after Valentine’s Day and if you’re anything like me, you’re still enjoying the abundance of sweet holiday treats. Thankfully, some of those treats may actually support good health. Experts agree that chocolate in moderation can provide certain health benefits for the heart, so we caught up with Northwestern Medicine cardiologist Stephen Devries, MD to learn more. Devries says it’s okay to indulge a bit and explains that dark chocolate may help lower blood pressure and improve blood flow.

“Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, is rich in flavonoids, the same compound that gives plants their vibrant color and reduces cellular damage. Flavonoids are also found in grapes, red wine and tea,” said Devries.

Flavonoids aid in cardiovascular health by reducing LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and plaque formation on the walls of the arteries. It also improves the ability of arteries to deliver oxygen, increase blood flow, and reduce the risk of blood clotting.