Healthy reasons to indulge in some dark chocolate

Milk chocolate can often be the chocolate of choice, creamy, milky, and just so yummy, it's too easy to gorge on a a whole bar, or two.

But, dark chocolate has proven to be healthier with no toxins. Some studies say get dark chocolate up to at least 65 percent dark chocolate, but then there's some that says 70 percent is better. There are tons of benefits to eating dark chocolate.

The darker the chocolate, the better. It's tough to eat the darker it gets, honestly, but 70 percent dark chocolate by Lindt, or 72 percent from Godiva, both yummy and smooth.

Dark chocolate has lots of fat in it, but it's good fat. Unlike, in milk chocolate, there's a lot of added sugars.

Some benefits: 

- Dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids and antioxidants. It fights free radicals, which could be connected to aging. When there are too many free radicals hanging out in your body, it can cause diseases.

- It also helps to reduce the risk of heart disease. (That's a plus!)

- According to EveryDayHealth.com, a recent study explained that in women, those who ate at least two dark chocolate bars a week had a lower risk in getting a stroke.

Now, these are just three reasons why eating dark chocolate can be beneficial. Check out more at EveryDay Health's website.

Foods to cut

Sorry it's been so long! Crazy semester...anyway, posts are coming back!
My mom sent me this email about several"frankenfoods" to avoid, from care2.com.

This is interesting because I have been reading more and more about these foods the last few months they shouldn't be part of your diet...some might be harder to cut out or reduce.

And these are GMO foods now, or genetically modified. Try to Google that one.

These foods include: (Not in any particular order)

1. Wheat: Wheat now is heavily processed. It's not quite what our ancestors ate, so to speak.
 Wheat, as we know, is found in so many foods (baked goods, pastries, thickeners for gravy, chicken pot pie) you name it, and it's probably in it.

2. Gluten: Often found in pasta and breads. Now days, if you read labels in places like Whole Foods, you'll find that more and more products say "gluten-free," whether it's bread or salad dressing. They even have cake mixes, and cookies that are gluten free. Keep in mind, a gluten free diet is prescribed to those with celiac disease. Gluten is not good for the body.

3. Canola oil: Interestingly enough, majority of things have canola oil as a recipe. But, it's so close to industrial oil now. It's genetically modified. Opt for something else, like extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil. Both good!

There's several more, but these are just a few that have gone under the radar!

Thanks! Happy holidays:)

Flu season has landed

Wash your hands! 

Throughout the world, the flu always comes around at some point in the year, during this time. We all are worn out from school, long hours at work and just always going.

Our immune systems weaken with lack of sleep, perhaps a lack in healthy diet, and binge eating or not eating at all! So many things come into play.

To keep yourself protected from the flu, try to get the flu shot, but if you're not comfortable or just don't want to get it, there's many ways you can keep safe from the flu.

FIRST AND FOREMOST: WASH YOUR HANDS!! always wash your hands and wipe down surfaces that you've touched or those that someone who is sick touches.

1.) Rest
Try to get as much sleep as you can a night. Try to keep a routine schedule of when you go to bed and when you get up. If you need to catch up on work, try to hit the hay a bit earlier and wake up a hour before you usually do. That way, you still get a good amount of rest.

2.) Lay off the sugar
Every so often when you're tired, you hear sugar calling our your name. Oh, don't those donuts look nice and warm? Mmm, freshly baked cookies? Stay away! Be strong, you can do it. Sugar won't benefit you and give you energy...The infamous sugar crash...Yes. Be on the look out for that one.

3.) Stay active
If you can, try to work in 15-30 minutes of physical activity a day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk the long way from your car to your office. Or even park your car farther away. Just keep those muscles working and your heart pumping.

4.) Drink lots of fluids
Besides the fact that drinking lots of water can help the lining in your throat and nose stay moist, which makes it easier for those pesky bugs to clear out, your body functions better on being hydrated. Your skin will be healthier, and sometimes, when you think you're hungry, you're actually just thirsty!

5.) Find some echinecea and zinc
It can be in a cough drop form or even a spray. There's no proof that these to products PREVENT a cold, but they can help calm symptoms down. Also, echinecea has been shown to reduce upper respiratory symptoms.

Good luck! Stay healthy and have fun!

Decaf coffee ... is it what it's brewed up to be?

Screen shot of the website. 

So, I was curious as to what decaffeinated coffee really is.  I know the common thought is, duh, coffee without the kick of caffeine. Well, to my surprise, as I searched around Google, I came across some interesting findings.

According to Science Daily,  users who quit drinking caffeine for health reasons, and switch to decaf, they aren't as safe as they think they are. Drinking up to 4 cups of decaf coffee, can sometimes equal out to as much caffeine as one or two cups of caffeinated coffee. What??? really? Caffeine in decaf coffee? Yup.

Caffeine is a mold inhibitor. Majority of the coffee that is consumed has mycotoxins, or mold. 
In the Bulletproof diet, the coffee produced is significantly healthier. According to the Bulletproof Executive website, 50 to 91.7% of coffee has mycotoxins, and 50% of brewed coffee beans are moldy. 

Now, keep in mind, this website also explains that caffeine protects coffee beans from mold. So, decaf coffee is higher in ochratoxin, which is also a fungal product, and is also high in aflatoxin, also a fungus. Weird, right?

Anyhow, the site goes on to explain that coffee that is not processed soon after being harvested gets moldy faster.

Just keep in mind some facts and if you really like drinking coffee or not. It's not bad for you, nor is it the best thing in the world. Nothing can beat water, haha. Besides the point.