Healthy Chocolate for Your Valentine
Debra Lynn Dadd

HEALTHY CHOCOLATE FOR YOUR VALENTINE

Let’s face it. We’re all going to eat chocolate for
Valentine’s Day. But there’s no need to feel guilty!
Chocolate is actually good for youit’s all the things added
to it that are the problem. Here’s how you can choose
delicious healthy chocolates for your Valentine.

HEALTH BENEFITS

The gift of chocolate to a beloved as a token of love is
more than just tradition. Naturally-occurring compounds in
chocolate produce that mild euphoria of being in love and
contribute to enjoyable interpersonal relations by elevating
mood and enhancing sensory perception.

Beyond good feelings, chocolate benefits the body in many
ways. In moderation, chocolate can contribute to heart
health, help you live longer, suppress a chronic cough, and
add needed magnesium to your diet. Chocolate even contains a
high level of chromium, which can help control blood sugar.

Chocolate does NOT cause acne, most headaches, or
hyperactivity, and does not raise cholesterol.

HEALTH PROBLEMS

While chocolate itself is fine to eat, there are some
substances present in chocolate products that you should
watch out for.

Most chocolate products contain tremendous amounts of
refined white sugar, which is harmful to health in many
ways.

Chocolate may also contain pesticides. The EPA allows
various levels of pesticide residue to be present in cocoa
powder, and the FDA Total Diet Study found them in many
chocolate products.

Many chocolates also contain the toxic metals cadminum and
lead. “Significant levels” of these metals were found in 68%
of the common chocolate products tested. There is no safe
level for lead, and it is particularly harmful to children.

HEALTHY CHOCOLATE CHOICES

Here are some guidelines for choosing the healthiest
chocolates.

1. Choose chocolates with the least amount of refined white
sugar or other sweetener. Dark “bittersweet” chocolates with
a high percentage of cocoa solids (usually the label will
state the exact percentage) have less sugar than semisweet
or milk chocolate and also have the greatest health
benefits. Keep in mind that flavor additions, such as dried
fruits and candied ginger may also add sugar to the
chocolate.

2. Choose chocolates sweetened with evaporated cane juice or
barley malt. If the evaporated cane juice used is the
unprocessed whole juice of the cane, it acts in the body
like a whole food and doesn’t give a sugar rush. Barley malt
is also a slow-release sweetener, noted on the label as
“grain-sweetened.”

3. Choose organic chocolates. Certified organic chocolate
ensures there are no harmful pesticide residues.

4. Make your own chocolates. It’s easy to make many
chocolate delights yourself, with the exact ingredients you
want. Start with unsweetened cocoa powder or baking
chocolate and be creative!

SAVOR YOUR CHOCOLATE

Fine chocolate is one of those earthly pleasures to be
savored. When eaten as a special treat, with full
appreciation, a little chocolate can go a long way.

Choose quality over quantity. If you are going to eat
chocolate, eat really good chocolate. Then, for maximum
enjoyment, give the taste of the chocolate your full
attention, eat it at a time when you are not famished or
overly full, and allow the chocolate to melt in your mouth
to make the experience last.

Read more about healthy chocolate at
http://www.debraslist.com.

About the Author

Hailed as “The Queen of Green” by the New York Times,
Debra Lynn Dadd has been a consumer advocate for products
and lifestyle choices that are better for health and the
environment since 1982. Visit her website for 100s of links to
1000s of nontoxic, natural and earthwise products, and to
sign up for her free email newsletters. http://www.dld123.com

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Exercise for a Healthy Heart
Louise Roach

Do you exercise every day? If you want to live a long, healthy life, maybe you should.

A recent study by Timothy Wessel, a physician at the University of Florida, indicates one of the strongest risk factors for developing heart disease is inactivity even more so than being overweight. During the four-year study of 906 women, Dr. Wessel documented those who were moderately active were less likely to develop heart disease than sedentary women, no matter how much they weighed. The study concluded: These results suggest that fitness may be more
important than overweight or obesity for cardiovascular risk in women.

In January, the updated U.S. Dietary Guidelines strongly urged that everyone should take part in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days, above whatever activities they do at home or work. To loose weight or to avoid gaining weight as we age, 60 minutes of daily moderate to vigorous exercise is recommended. And those who have already lost weight and are attempting to keep weight off need 60 to 90 minutes of daily exercise.

A study of 9,611 adults by the University of Michigan Health System, found that people in their 50s and 60s who participated in daily exercise were 35 percent less likely to die within the next eight years than their inactive couch potato counter parts.

Convinced that its time to add exercise to your day?

The Basics — Make Exercise a Life Priority:

– If youre not use to exercising, check with your doctor before beginning any strenuous fitness routine.

– Start slow. If 30 minutes of exercise is too much, start with 15 minutes and add a few minutes each day.

– If you dont have time for 60 minutes of exercise, break it up into two 30-minute sessions throughout the day.

– Schedule a specific time to exercise everyday then keep to your schedule!

– Take part in more intense activities that can improve your heart health, such as: running, dancing, swimming, cycling, and climbing stairs.

– Find exercise that you enjoy. You will be more likely to continue and improve your daily performance if you look forward to a favorite activity.

– Wear proper clothing and footwear. This has two functions. Clothing and shoes that are suited to your activity will enhance performance and offer the right kind of support for your body and feet. They will also place you in a better frame of mind for exercise. When you wear your favorite running outfit and slide into your special running shoes, your mind says its time to get out the door and put my feet in motion!

– Add everyday activities to increase your overall fitness level, such as gardening, housework, walking to the store, take the stairs instead of the elevator, and raking leaves.

– Always drink lots of water.

– If you feel discomfort or pain after an activity, use ice therapy immediately to reduce swelling and numb pain. Always have a cold pack in your freezer, ready and waiting. Most aches and pains attributed to exercise respond well to icing and will melt away within 24 hours after applying ice for several 20-minute sessions. Using cold therapy reduces down time, getting you back on schedule fast. (If the pain does not lessen within 48 hours after using ice therapy, is intense or becomes worse, see your doctor.)

Exercise every daytake care of your heartlive long!

Disclaimer: This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical treatment or consultation. Always consult with your physician in the event of a serious injury

About the Author

About the Author: Louise Roach: health and fitness editor,
marketing specialist, product development consultant. Helps others find pain relief through the use of SnowPack Cold Therapy products. Learn more about the benefits of cold therapy at http://www.snowpackusa.com/ Sign up for *free* health/fitness e-newsletter at: http://home.netcom.com/~newsflash/

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Many people think if they just eliminate red meat and poultry from their diets, their eating healthier. This is partly true, but there are hazards to eating fish and seafood as well. The harm that humans have done to the environment has had a direct effect on the fish and seafood we eat.

There are elements of fish and shellfish are an important part of a healthy diet. Fish and shellfish contain high-quality protein and other essential nutrients, are low in saturated fat, and contain omega-3 fatty acids. A well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fish and shellfish can contribute to heart health and children’s proper growth and development. So, women and young children in particular should include fish or shellfish in their diets due to the many nutritional benefits.

However, nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury. For most people, the risk from mercury by eating fish and shellfish is not a health concern. Yet, some fish and shellfish contain higher levels of mercury that may harm an unborn baby or young child’s developing nervous system. The risks from mercury in fish and shellfish depend on the amount of fish and shellfish eaten and the levels of mercury in the fish and shellfish. Therefore, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are advising women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children to avoid some types of fish and eat fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.

Is this anyway to eat? In fear of what unhealthy elements are lurking in the food we eat? Eliminating red meat and eating a more vegetarian diet is an excellent start on the road to more healthy eating. Eliminating fish and seafood is one of the final steps towards eating a complete vegetarian diet and the health benefits that are your reward for making that change.

Tags: 3 Fatty Acids, Atkins, Balanced Diet, Eating Habits, Environmental Protection Agency, Essential Nutrients, Fish And Seafood, Food And Drug Administration, Food And Drug Administration Fda, Health Concern, Healthy Diet, Healthy Eating, Heart Health, Meat And Poultry, Mercury In Fish, Nursing Mothers, Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Quality Protein, Red Meat, Types Of Fish, Unborn Baby, Vegetarian Diet —

Many people think of vegetarians as one homogeneous group that just doesn’t eat meat. But nothing could be further from the truth. There are different categories of vegetarians as diverse as the reasons for going vegetarian in the first place.

A vegetarian is generally defined as someone who doesn’t eat meat. But someone who is vegetarian could conceivably eat dairy products such as milk, eggs and cheese. A lacto ovo vegetarian doesn’t eat meat, fish or poultry, but does consume eggs, milk or cheese. A lacto vegetarian consumes milk and cheese products, but doesn’t consume eggs.

A vegan is someone who doesn’t consume any animal product or by-product, including dairy food. They eat only vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains and legumes. They also don’t use animal products, such as leather. Vegans also don’t use white sugar because it’s often processed with a substance derived from animal bones that whitens the sugar.

There are other categories within the vegetarian community. Fruitarians, for example, eat only fruit. Their rationale is that fruits, including fruits such as tomatoes, are self-perpetuating and don’t need to be planted to create the food source. They consider it a way of eating that’s most in balance and harmony with the earth, the most natural.

All of the above will eat cooked vegetables, fruits and legumes. There is also a growing movement towards eating only raw or living foods. This based on the assumption that cooking food processes most of the nutrients out of it, and to get all the nutritional value, vitamins and amino acids from food, it’s best consumed raw, or juiced. If cooked at all, it should only be cooked to slightly over 100 degrees, so the nutrients are still retained.

The more restrictive you become with your diet, however, the more educated you need to become to be sure you’re getting all the necessary proteins and vitamins that you need to maintain good health, especially muscle and heart health.

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