Adding Chocolate (Cacao) To Your Diet — Get the Healthiest Form!

We’ll all cherish the day we learned chocolate was good for us. Maybe a few naysayers still remain skeptical, but study after study is proclaiming the health benefits, both mental and physical, of chocolate. Even the Life Extension Foundation includes chocolate extract in their flagship vitamin formulas. Many folks are switching from their daily dose of coffee to a cup of hot chocolate. It’s an antidepressant, an antioxidant, its full of vitamins and minerals, it improves sex drive, AND it tastes good. Really good. So what is the best way to get the health benefits? Is it as simple as eating cases of your childhood favorite chocolates? As you might have thought, there are considerations when indulging in chocolate as a regular part of your diet. But it can be done! Let’s see how…

Like so many things in our modern world, its the processing of chocolate that makes all the difference. This isn’t just the New Age Hippy types saying this either (as one, the author feels comfortable making this statement). The scientists measuring all the chemicals in our food, telling us which bits are good and which are bad are saying it to. It’s RAW, minimally-processed chocolate that’s the miracle food. Un-roasted, un-cooked plain old powdered chocolate, better known as ‘Cacao’, is far superior in every way for your health. It’s called a ’superfood’ by many, as it’s list of super-good for you super-nutrients is extensive. Note that ‘organic’ does not mean ‘raw’. Even the premium organic hot-chocolate powders found in the high-end health food stores is still roasted and usually processed with alkali (called ‘Dutch Processing’, making it easier to dissolve in water, and destroying most of the antioxidants at the same time). This means that 99% of the chocolate products on the shelves are NOT the superfood you wished they were, but it also points the direction to how to include chocolate in your life on an exceptionally health daily basis. We’ll get to some recipes in a moment, but first a few points to help you remember why raw chocolate is where it’s at.

For lots of folks, and, there’s the question of caffeine. Many are sensitive to caffeine’s effect on their nervous system. And many people find chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, has enough caffeine to make them uncomfortable or keep them awake. Yet research has shown a significant difference in the stimulating effects of chocolate depending on whether it’s been roasted. A drink of roasted chocolate powder caused excitation of the nervous system whereas the raw chocolate powder drink did not. Scientists find that many molecules change shape when heat is applied, and roasting is a pretty hot, lengthy process. Alteration of chemical structure through heat is common, and very likely to occur in the case of chocolate. The roasting process involves heating the beans between two hundred fifty and three hundred fifty degrees Fahrenheit for thirty minutes to two hours. Anecdotal reports of individuals moving from coffee or yerba mate as their morning drink to a cup of hot chocolate report gentle stimulating effects without anxiety, as their other drinks had produced. Even very sensitive people who do not do well with any form of caffeine report positive results with raw chocolate; nothing at all like the effects produced by coffee or caffeinated teas.

The really big news about chocolate has been it’s antioxidant profile. Chocolate contains significant amounts of polyphenols — the same important antioxidants found in green tea, red wine and green apples — but in greater amounts. Dark chocolate contains an impressive 5% of these compounds, yet raw chocolate is made up of an incredible 10% concentration of these possibly life-extending molecules. Both roasting and processing with alkali (to make Dutch cocoa) reduce antioxidant concentration. Further, the increased absorbability of powdered raw cacao (perhaps the most versatile form of raw chocolate) over cacao nibs give them an edge in ORAC value, a measure of Oxidative Radical Absorbance Capacity.

Finally, the question of mood-enhancing neurochemicals and precursors. Chocolate contains significant quantities of the essential amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan intake has recently been collated with neurogenesis, the development of new brain cells, and both long and short term memory. The presence of tryptophan is critical for the production of serotonin, a primary neurotransmitter associated with mood (Prozac works on the principal of enhancing the action of serotonin). Once in the body tryptophan reacts with B-vitamins in the presence of magnesium (all present in raw chocolate) to produce serotonin. Enhanced serotonin function assists in diminishing anxiety and stress – ccording to Dr. Gabriel Cousens, serotonin is literally our “stress-defense shield.” Tryptophan is heat sensitive and is often deficient in many cooked-food diets, even when animal protein intake is high. In addition to tryptophan (but not heat sensitive) chocolate also contains PEA, the ‘love hormone’ and Anandamide the ‘bliss chemical’.

Need more be said? Ready for some recipes? The simplest means of eating raw chocolate is snacking on cacao nibs. These are small pieces of cacao beans that mix well with natural granolas or dried fruit. To really get the most benefits, and for the most delicious raw chocolate creations, find yourself a source of raw organic cacao powder. The powder can be added to any drink, or easily made into bars, drops or other shaped candies. The hands-down most common preparation of cacao powder is the hot chocolate drink: Put one heaping tablespoon raw cacao powder, one teaspoon raw agave nectar, and one teaspoon high quality coconut oil in a blender (note that coconut oil quality varies greatly – a good coconut oil should taste pleasant by itself and have no chemical or rancid flavor which would otherwise be noticed in your chocolate drink). Add eight to twelve ounces of hot (but not boiling water) and blend at low speed for about ten seconds. That’s it; Chocolate magic that’s easily adjusted to your tastes — experimenting in whatever way comes to mind is highly encouraged.

There are many, many recipes available online and in books about raw chocolate. Some favorite additions to the drink are Maca, cinnamon, tocopherols (a form of Vitamin E), and for the truly hard core, blue green algae and spirulina. Your own raw chocolate bars are very easy to make, really just by omitting the water and adjusting the oil and sweetener ratios to make a thick chocolate paste. Add some chopped nuts if you like, press into a casserole dish and put it in the refrigerator long enough to make it firm. Experiment; it’s chocolate! You’re supposed to have fun. And with raw chocolate, it might be the most fun you can have eating while positively benefiting your health.

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Finding Ways For Developing And Maintaining Healthy Skin

So many people are worried about their looks. The older someone gets, the more concerned they are about it. As a person ages, our body starts to degenerate at a slow pace and it ultimately changes the way we look. We all would like to stop time but that is just not realistic. However we are in a time that developing and maintaining healthy skin is possible.

With the help of cosmetic treatments someone can look the way they feel. In fact, they can look the way they do not feel too! You may feel like you are older than you are, but with treatments, you can still look younger.

There are creams, clothing, wrappings and other products advertised to consumers about keeping healthy skin. Unfortunately, they do not work well if at all. Many consumers spend money on trying different products. It would have been more beneficial to them if they saved all that money to developing and maintaining healthy skin with cosmetic treatments.

When you are ready to try these cosmetic treatments you will want to do some research to choose which is best for you. Be sure to talk to a reputable doctor about what they would advise is the best option. They will consider your health, age among other things. There are different types of treatments to help against wrinkles so find what is right for you.

One treatment that is the most popular type is the facelift. Individuals over the age of 40 are able to receive this type of treatment. This surgery entails tightening the skin and reforming the skin to look normal on people who are older. Depending on your doctor, this could be an inpatient operation or an outpatient operation. This operation will usually last between 5 and 10 years.

Botox injections are another type of facelift that a person may opt for when they are caring for their skin. Botox is a common world among the celebrity world. Botox paralyzes the muscles and fixes certain parts in certain positions. In many situations this is used when removing laughter lines.

Eyes are another important feature most noticed when aging. The term crows feet is connected to eye when we age. Crows feet are the lines at the corner of the eyes that make someone look older. Laser surgeries, such as the eye lid surgery, are done to fix and shape the eyes of an individual.

Along with the crow feet near the eyes, as people grow older lines appear around the lips. Someone can reshape their lips and reduce those lines that appear. The recovery after something like this is rather quick. This will provide a younger look also.

Whichever the procedure you choose, maybe it is more than one even, but it is in your best interest to talk to your doctor for information and advice about the different options. Continue to maintain your skin by eating healthy and exercising. These two are the most important for skin that is healthy. Trying these procedures when developing and maintaining healthy skin can start the process of getting the look you want.

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The Keys To Understanding Extrasensory

Understanding extrasensory talents are not as mentally intimidating as many people think. When a person researches these senses in an attempt to strengthen the abilities of the psych, the information can be translated into anyone’s understanding. The first thing that needs to be understood by anyone which is interested in perfecting personal extrasensory is how the brain operates, basically on energy currents coming from the universe.

When mixed company are discussing something which deals with the psych such as extrasensory senses, this allows impostors that in reality are enemies of anyone with these abilities to expose their evil doings.

Next, a person has to learn to train the mind to stay on course of the objective to figuring out personal psych while observing the things that happen. Figuring out why out of the ordinary things happen, cannot be logically explained at the time of the happening. With any extrasensory sense, time will reveal what is needed to be known by the individual.

One example of good is when a terrible situation has happened and a child looks to their mother for guidance, because the child has no idea how to cope. The mother, being older says what her mother said, it will all work out in the end. In reality, the mother is just carrying on advice handed down through the generations, however how many mother actually realize why that advice is so true.

Now once the person has chosen intuition and wants to understand this extrasensory sense better. There has to be a personal protection caused by the aura, or when children are involved, children are most protected while close to their mother. Thus, protected by the mother’s aura. Once an aura cannot be penetrated, the aura does not diminish unless there is a head injury or a sickness that centers around or inside the head.

The intuition extrasensory talent relates to the top of the head. Which explains when thoughts practically come out of nowhere, this is a misconception.

There are so many individuals which possess these god given abilities, but many fears limit these individuals from evolving or perfecting these senses. There are many factors which limit these abilities. One factor is when a head trauma was involved, and the physically injured individual has lost the protection of their own aura, which surrounds the head like a force field.

These force fields are weakened as a result of extreme head injury or some sort of illness such as cancer. When these personal force fields are weakened, the evil from surrounding individuals the injured individual encounters while in the healing stage, can penetrate into the psych and provide false thoughts which diminish the extrasensory sense of intuition and third eye vision. These two extrasensory senses are related to parts of the head for use.

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Laser Hair Removal Treatment: What It Is And What Makes It Effective

Throughout the years, both men and women found ways of ridding themselves of unwanted body hair. From shells used to chop off hair strands in the Stone Age, shaving, plucking, waxing and many others came around. And now, thanks to modern-day technology, laser hear removal treatment is being enjoyed by everyone with issues on unwanted hairs.

It may sound a bit daunting, because obviously the treatment bears the word “laser”. But fret not. The laser used in this treatment is regulated to a safe wavelength. A hand-held device is placed on areas of the skin where the unwanted hairs are located. From this small device, the laser is emitted.

This handheld apparatus is placed right next to the skin with unwanted strands. Then a mild beam of laser is sent out, targeting present hairs. How does that happen? The beam targets anything that has dark coloration due to pigments. In this instance, it targets the hair, without much effect on the surrounding skin.

When the beam strikes the hair, this causes thermal damage to its follicle. The follicle is a tiny sac in the skin where hair grows from. With this damaged by the heat of the laser, growth of new hair is impeded or deactivated. But during the entire process, the surrounding structure, the skin, is spared. Other hair removal means can even cause the skin to swell and develop rashes.

Some people who have undergone the method reported permanence in loss of unwanted hairs. But this is a case to case basis. But even in cases of re-growth, noticeable changes to the color and texture of the strands are present. For instance, they will have a lighter shade and a finer texture.

During the treatment itself, the need for topical anesthetics will vary from client to client. Some may have higher tolerance for pain, so pain relief may no longer be necessary. The truth is, many people find it not really painful at all. They report that it feels like a mildly snapping rubber band on the skin as the beam hits the skin.

Just how safe is the process? The laser hair removal treatment is done by a trained or skilled specialist. Of course it is up to the client to find a reputable establishment or company for the process. Compared to other means like waxing or electrolysis, this is evidently much safer. Burning and irritation of the skin is higher on those two. If you compare to cosmetic surgery, it is much safer.

Results wise, there are many advantages of using laser. Fewer sessions are required, and results can be observed right after the first session. Treatment can be done over large surface areas of skin. This is beneficial for those who wish to rid their legs, chest and backs of unnecessary hairs.

Although relatively more expensive than others, laser hear removal treatment is nonetheless more satisfying. Besides, when all the expenses are added up, this method can save both your money and time. You need to pay for fewer sessions, and the effects last for a long time. That is why more and more clients with unwanted hair issues prefer this method over any other available ones.

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Beauty Enhancing Tips for the Application of Your Foundation

To be sure, ladies depend on foundation make up to lessen lines on the face, wrinkles and to even out skin tone. So, it\’s easy to comprehend why foundation is accepted as an exceedingly essential element of the makeup procedure.

Liquid foundation products are the most popular but there are lots of cremes, mousse and powder options. But even though liquid facial foundation are the biggest sellers, it is still very common for them to not be applied properly.

A very common but improper means to apply foundation is to put it on with your fingers. It is important to not fall into that habit. The proper and more sanitary way to apply your makeup is with high-quality makeup brushes and sponges. By utilizing these cosmetic tools you will without a doubt discover that it will aid you get a more even and smooth application.

As well as being a more sanitized way to apply your makeup, you will discover that by utilizing these basic cosmetic tools they are outstanding for those harder to cover areas like directly under your lower eyelashes.

And it is crucial to keep in mind that using your fingers can introduce your body oils as well as dirt into your pores of your skin and increase the odds of initiating a huge unsightly zit or a bout of acne. And of course you can maintain healthier skin if you can control your diet and lessen your fat and sugar intake and drink a lot of water.

Remember to apply makeup on the front of your nose around the nostrils. This is a common area that is forgotten and not done by women. Forgetting this part can be important, depending on how skillful a job you do with matching your skin tone with your facial foundation and the shape and curve of your nose.

One of the most key aspects of your makeup routine is to make sure to properly blend your makeup. A big blunder women make is to not do a good job in the blending process. Important areas to pay specific attention to are around the ears, your hairline and your jawline.

It is common to see a women abruptly discontinue her makeup at her jawline so she ends up with a two-tone skin color look due to the fact that she didn\’t blend her makeup from her face to her neck. If this happens you get the mask look. And of course you want to look natural and not appear like you are wearing a mask.

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Trying To Conceive A Baby Requires Patience And Relaxation

Couples who are Trying To Conceive A Baby may experience times of frustration, stress and anxiety. All of these could be direct results of the difficulty in getting pregnant. Utilizing the various methods available could assist in conception.

Both of you should remain as relaxed as possible. Being stressed out can interfere with hormone production in both males and females. There are breathing exercises that will help with stressful situations or try to spend some relaxing moments together prior to having sex. When you become overwhelmed and discuss the subject it could be making you anxious, try to avoid talking about the subject when you are on a relaxing day out.

Many old wives tales include keeping your legs in the air following sex to ensure pregnancy. This is an extreme measure and you do not have to do this. In order to achieve the same benefit simply lay flat on your back for approximately thirty minutes afterward and do not go to the bathroom right away.

Having a healthy diet could also be beneficial in building up the nutrients your body needs. Try eating foods such as plenty of fruits and vegetables that do not contain pesticides. Organically grown are the purest and will not contain the pesticides that could be producing infertility. Include foods such as dark greens that are rich in vitamins to promote a pregnancy that is healthy. Apples and blueberries are great sources of nutrients and antioxidants.

It is important to maintain a healthy weight when trying to get pregnant. Often times women will lose excessive amounts of weight in a quick time. This confuses the body and will disrupt the menstrual cycle which in turn will cause disruption to the ovulation times. Also being overweight could be affecting the fertility. This is also true for men as being overweight for them could be affecting the sperm.

If you take medications that are prescription or over the counter they could be interfering with the conception. Should you be concerned over what medications you or your spouse takes, visit your doctor and they will be able to determine if the medications could prevent immediate pregnancy.

It is also necessary to discontinue the use of substances that could be harmful such as alcohol, drugs and tobacco. They will affect the hormones and could prevent pregnancy. It is also unhealthy for your body and could be harmful when you do become pregnant. Taking medications for birth control may take a while to be completely out of your system so if you were on these prior to trying to conceive, it may be they are not completely out of the body yet.

Trying To Conceive A Baby is easier when you are aware of the time of ovulation. The majority of women are most fertile during the middle of a twenty eight day cycle, however, if you are normally irregular it may be difficult to determine the best time. Purchasing one of the kits available will help you know when you are ovulating. They are very beneficial for those who have no idea when they are ovulating. Also helpful is visiting your physician to get additional information on things to do for help in getting pregnant. Remember to remain relaxed and calm during your attempts to become pregnant

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