Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

I admit it!  I am a chocolate lover!  Almost every night after dinner I want just a little something to satisfy my sweet tooth.  Now I think most health professionals (which I am not) would tell me to break the habit and to not eat dessert at all.  Dessert should be a once in a while, special occasion thing.  Well even though I agree with that for the most part – I still have a sweet tooth to satisfy and life is too short!

So what is my compromise? One or two squares of high quality dark chocolate a night.  A few things to note:  true dark chocolate needs to be of high quality and made up of at least 70% cocoa and portion control is the key.  One or two squares at the most. 

Why is dark chocolate healthy?  Dark chocolate is full of antioxidants, has been shown to help lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol levels, and can help stimulate endorphin production, which makes us feel happy.

But one thing to remember, eating too much of anything, even healthy dark chocolate, can lead to weight gain which would cancel out any of the health benefits chocolate has to offer.  So go ahead – indulge – but just a little!

Healthy Snack Choices

I happen to believe that healthy snacking is an important part of eating a well balanced diet.  Eating healthy snacks between breakfast and lunch and then again between lunch and dinner helps to keep you from becoming too hungry and then either over eating or making poor food choices at meal time.

Starting off you day with a healthy breakfast is the beginning of a great food day.  Add a little protein to your breakfast to help keep you feeling full for a longer period of time.  Skip the sweets like donuts or pastries and opt for Kashi cereals or oatmeal topped with fresh fruit and a few almonds or walnuts and make sure you use skim or low fat milk.

For your morning snack choose low fat yogurt (make sure it does not contain high fructose corn syrup or any artificial sweeteners) and top it with fresh berries, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and a couple of chopped walnuts.

For your afternoon snack I recommend you follow Elvis’s lead and eat a sliced banana with a heaping tablespoon of all natural peanut butter.

Here are a few other healthy snack options:

• Fruit smoothies: Opt to make your own with fresh or frozen fruit, low fat yogurt, a little light vanilla soy milk, and a dash of cinnamon – store bought smoothies may contain high fat yogurts or ice cream.
• Berries: They are sweet, easy to pop into your mouth, and a much healthier choice than a candy bar. Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and blackberries are all anti-inflammatory, rich in flavonoids (compounds to protect cells against damage) and offer immune-boosting antioxidant activity.
• Cut Up Vegetables: The fiber in veggies will help fill you up, and they provide a nice, satisfying crunch. Choose a wide range of colors (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots are good choices). I like to keep baby carrots and cut broccoli on hand to have an easy to reach for snack.
• Nuts: When eaten sparingly, nuts are a great snack. Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.  Nuts can be high in calories and fat (even if it's the healthy monounsaturated kind) so watch your portion control.
• Dark chocolate: An ounce of dark chocolate now and then will satisfy a sweet tooth while providing antioxidant polyphenols (A kind of chemical that may protect against some common health problems and possibly certain effects of aging). Choose high quality dark chocolate with at least 70 percent pure cocoa, and enjoy the rich flavor.

Health Benefits of Broccoli

There are so many great health benefits of broccoli.   In fact, it has been said to be the most nutrient dense vegetable there is.  To name a few, broccoli is loaded with vitamins C and A, calcium, folic acid, and fiber. 

Broccoli contains phytochemicals that have been linked to better health and to the reduction of some cancers.  Broccoli reduces the risk of heart attack by boosting the body's ability to fight off cell damage and prevents the build-up of free radicals to help reduce cancer risk.  The calcium in broccoli assists with building strong bones, helps control high blood pressure, and helps battle against colon cancer.

Broccoli may even help reduce the symptoms of seasonal allergies.  The phytonutrients in broccoli and broccoli sprouts may help protect your nasal passages by activating a natural anti-inflammatory reaction to help reduce the amount of irritants in your airways and to help fight off infection.

So your mom was right...you need to eat all of your broccoli!

Natural Home Remedies

There are lots of home remedies we can use for minor ailments.  Here are a few I wanted to share:

• Olive Oil for Eczema: Olive Oil is packed with natural anti-inflammatory antioxidants that when rubbed directly on skin can help moisturize.
• Milk to Help You Sleep:  Your mother was right!  Warm low-fat milk before bed can help you relax.  Milk contains tryptophan, an amino acid that can help you to relax.  Just like the after Thanksgiving Slumber.
• Ginger for Stomach Aches: Boil a few pieces of fresh ginger root in water, strain and drink like a tea.  It is a natural way to relieve stomach aches, morning sickness, and motion sickness.
• Soy for Hot Flashes: Soy contains isoflavones - plant based compounds that have natural estrogen like activity.  Some research suggests (and also my Dr.) that soy may help maintain hormone balance during menopause.
• Lemons for Detox: Add lemon juice to your water first thing in the morning for a natural way to detox your liver.  Also considered a diuretic, lemons are  thought to aid in urinay tract infections and to flush out bad toxins in the body.

Healthy Food Cures

We all know that eating healthy is so important.  Eating a healthy diet full of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains has many healthy benefits including reducing our risks of certain cancers, heart disease and diabetes.  But did you know certain foods can help reduce wrinkles, help heal cuts and  bruises and more?  Here are some great tips I read from prevention.com:

Add Red Peppers to Scrambled Eggs: Tossing in 1/2 cup of chopped red peppers delivers more than 100% of your daily Vitamin C needs-which spells good news for your skin.

Add Wheat Germ to Your Smoothie: 1/4 Cup of wheat germ gives you half of your daily need of zinc, which boosts your immune system and can help you heal faster.

Add Sunflower Seeds to Your Cereal: 1/4 Cup of sunflower seeds added to your wholegrain cereal or oatmeal can give you almost 100% of your daily need of vitamin E, an important antioxidant  believed to protect cells against cancer and heart disease.

Add Fresh Spinach to Your Sandwich: Spinach is loaded with vitamin A which helps protect your eyes, helps you see better in the dark, and helps protect your eyes against disease and vision loss.

Healthy Lunch Choices for Mom (and dad)

Now that we have the kids all squared away and back to school it's a good time to make some healthy lunch choices for us moms too. No more chicken nuggets or mac-n-cheese with the kids. Sorry!

In the past I have posted items I thought were good lunch choices so I will continue to add on to that list. Today I tried something new:

Healthy Choice All Natural Sweet Asian Potstickers Frozen Entree. Here is what I thought:

The flavor was good; It was easy to prepare (when putting something in the microwave gets to be too much work than we know we have more to worry about than what we are eating for lunch); It was the right amount of food for lunch.

Here more of the good facts: It provided 50% of our daily whole grains needs and 20% of daily vegetables and was only 380 calories. It was full of antioxidants, was low in saturated fat, and provided 6g of fiber which help to promote digestive health.

So all in all - A good, easy, healthy choice for lunch.

Health Benefits of the Acai Berry

In health food circles, the acai berry is known as one of the most powerful anti-aging super foods.

The acai berry is said to have many health benefits. It is a rich source of protein and dietary fiber and may play a role in protecting the heart and help to lower bad cholesterol. There are reports that the antioxidants in the acai berries may even help to destroy cancer cells.

In addition to these important health benefits, the acai berry is thought to play a vital role in slowing down the aging process. The acai berry is known to contain ten times as many antioxidant vitamins as grapes and twice as many as blueberries. But - I am not giving up my blueberries, just adding the acai berry, or juice to my diet.

I buy Acai Berry Juice from Vitacost.com. Here is the link:

http://www.vitacost.com/Dynamic-Health-Organic-Certified-Acai-Juice-Blend

Blueberries - A Super Food!

Blueberries are one of the foods I will mention several times. They are considered a super food and one that I recommend you include into your regular diet. They are suggested to protect the heart, slow signs of aging, reduce cancer risks, improve nighttime vision, reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer's disease or dementia, lower cholesterol, and so much more. Not too mention they are high in fiber and vitamins.

So add them to cereal or eat as a snack as often as you can!

Four Healthy Snacks

Berries: They are sweet, easy to pop into your mouth, and a much healthier choice than a candy bar. Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and blackberries are all anti-inflammatory, rich in flavonoids (compounds to protect cells against damage) and offer immune-boosting antioxidant activity.

Cut Up Vegetables: The fiber in veggies will help fill you up, and they provide a nice, satisfying crunch. Choose a wide range of colors (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots are good choices). I like to keep baby carrots and cut broccoli on hand to have an easy to reach for snack.

Nuts: When eaten sparingly, nuts are a terrific snack. Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Almonds are my favorite and roasted soy nuts are also a good choice. Nuts can be high in calories and fat (even if it's the healthy monounsaturated kind) so don’t overindulge.

Dark chocolate: An ounce of dark chocolate now and then will satisfy a sweet tooth while providing antioxidant polyphenols (A kind of chemical that may protect against some common health problems and possibly certain effects of aging). Choose high quality dark chocolate with at least 70 percent pure cocoa, and enjoy the rich flavor.


**Information based on an article from dr.weil.com**

Why are Sweet Potatoes Good for You?

Most of us only eat sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving and they are usually covered in mini marshmallows, butter, and nuts. You can hardly tell there is even a vegetable in there. But sweet potatoes on their own are actually one of the best, nutrient-packed vegetables you can eat.

In a Study by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, sweet potatoes are ranked number one in nutrition of all vegetables. They have almost twice the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A, 42 percent of the recommendation for vitamin C, four times the RDA for beta carotene, and, when eaten with the skin, sweet potatoes have more fiber than oatmeal.

Another study showed that eating just two sweet potatoes a week may cut your risks of suffering a heart attack by as much as 86%.

Sweet potatoes are one of the best sources of dietary fiber available. Fiber helps you maintain a healthy weight because it fills you up and keeps you feeling satisfied longer.

Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, manganese, fiber, vitamin B9 (Folate) and iron. Vitamin C, Folate and beta carotene (vitamin A) are three of the top cancer-fighting nutrients, and fiber is also a cancer-fighting agent.

Sweet potatoes have also been linked to help maintain insulin levels and regulate blood sugar.

So with all of these great benefits next time you want potatoes as a side (or main) dish, try the sweet potato for something new. Don’t wait until next Thanksgiving!

Recipes to follow

3 Reasons to Drink Green Tea

1. High in antioxidants, which can promote stronger bones, lower cholesterol levels, and lower rates of heart disease and some types of cancer.

2. A good source of EGCG, a polyphenol that may help to reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol, prevent cancer, and boost the immune system.

3. Antibacterial - a 2008 study from Egypt suggests that drinking green tea enhances the effects of antibiotics, even against drug-resistant bacteria and “superbugs.”

Introduce yourself by substituting a cup of coffee for a cup of green tea, and you will soon be enjoying the health benefits of this delicious beverage!

One of my favorite teas in Stash Chai Green Tea.
http://cjgo.stores.yahoo.net/stteagrprch.html

article from www.drweil.com

What Foods Give You Healthy Skin?

We always hear how certain foods are good for your inner health. Well I thought it would be good to know what foods are good for our outer beauty as well. So I took some time to find out what foods are good for your skin and this is what I found:

Low-Fat Dairy Products: One of the most important components of healthy skin is vitamin A. One of the best places to get it is low-fat dairy products. Low-fat yogurt is not only high in vitamin A, but also acidophilus, the "live" bacteria that is good for intestinal health so it may also have an impact on the skin.

Spinach, Kale and Broccoli: Packed with antioxidants and vitamins A, C, E and iron, they keep your body healthy and your skin radiant.

Blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and plums: In a recent study, these four fruits weighed in with the highest "total antioxidant capacity" of any food. Antioxidants in these fruits help protect the cells from damage which can guard against pre-mature aging.

Oranges, Lemons, Limes, and Grapefruits: These citrus fruits keep skin’s vitamin C levels high and help keep collagen strong and resilient.

Green Tea: Green Tea is high in EGCG. EGCG puts a damper on inflammatory chemicals involved in acne and sun-related skin aging and it also helps prevent skin cancer.

Water: Water helps keep you hydrated and prevents moisture loss from the body keeping your skin looking healthy.

Almonds: Almonds are high in vitamin E which helps to moisturize your skin from within. It also protects your skin from damage and early signs of aging.

Why Blueberries are So Good For You

I love blueberries. Even if I didn’t I would try to eat them everyday just because they are so good for you. Blueberries have made “Super Food” status and I encourage you to add them to your diet every day. I am still shocked every time I buy a pint because they are expensive but they are one food that the benefits are worth the expense. I don’t do anything fancy with them. I wash them and put them in my cereal or oatmeal every day. I also snack on them. I love to mix them with craisins and sliced almonds for a great afternoon snack. You can also add them to your smoothies. Here are several reasons blueberries are so good for you:

Blueberries are low in calories, high in antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins C and E. Eating blueberries may help fight cancer, diabetes, reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease and lower bad cholesterol levels.

Consumption of blueberries may also improve eyesight, sharpen memory and help prevent Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.

A recent study at Tufts University analyzed more than 50 fruits and vegetables for their antibiotic capabilities and blueberries came out on top, having the highest capacity to destroy free radicals, molecules that cause aging, tissue damage and disease.

With all this goodness, blueberries are considered a superfood, helping to lower cholesterol, and deliver Vitamin C, potassium, folate and fiber to the body.

Great Foods For a Healthy Body

Today I went to lunch with a bunch of great women at Babe’s Chicken. For those of you not familiar with Babe's, it is a family style friend chicken, mashed potato, chocolate pie kind of place. And that does not even cover the other foods I managed to delightlfully cram into one meal. So it goes to show you we are all human. We all deserve a great, hide the scale, pass the biscuits kind of meal.

So in honor of my lunch ladies I decided to give a list of super healthy foods that I will eat for the next two days to make up for it! In all seriousness, it is okay to indulge now and then. Food should be delicious and fun. Eating should be a great experience. We are a society that eats on the go, in front of the TV, in the car. We have lost our relationship with food, and the concept of meals with family, friends and neighbors.

They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity Acts 2:46

Here are a few great tips to “health up” a normal meal:

1. Tossing in 1/2 cup of chopped red peppers in your scrambled eggs delivers more than 100% of your daily vitamin C.

2. Stacking only three small leaves of spinach on your sandwich satisfies at least 20% of your day's vitamin A requirements.

3. Topping a pasta dish with just six sprigs of parsley offers a fresh boost of flavor and delivers a full day's supply of vitamin K.

4. Adding 1/2 cup of pinto beans to soup lowers both total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol.

5. Add lemon to your green tea. Green tea is already rich in antioxidants, but a study from Purdue University found that adding citrus juice led to a fourfold increase in disease-fighting catechins, antioxidants that may selectively inhibit the growth of cancer.

6. Add Wheat Germ to your smoothie. One-quarter cup of wheat germ packs nearly half of your day's requirements for zinc, an essential mineral that helps repair cells and strengthens the immune system.

**The List is from an article in prevention.com**

Even if you are eating a healthy, natural diet, you do not have to give up your chocolate. In fact, the antioxidants in dark chocolate offer a number of health benefits and may be good for the heart. Small quantities of dark chocolate have been shown to lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and stimulate endorphin production, which gives a feeling of pleasure.

We do know, however, that eating too much chocolate can lead to weight gain, which might cancel out any beneficial effects that chocolate offers. So the good news about chocolate isn't a license to overindulge. They key is that the chocolate must be high quality and made up of at least 70% cocoa. Limit yourself to an ounce several times a week.

My favorite brand is Endangered Species. They offer several varieties of dark chocolate, are 100% ethically traded, and also give 10% of their net profits to help support species, habitat and humanity. I have included a link to their website but I have been able to find their chocolate at Market Street and Super Target.

http://www.chocolatebar.com/index.asp