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Chocolate!

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chocolate heartYou have probably heard or read that chocolate can be beneficial for your health. In pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, chocolate was considered a “food for the gods”, was used in religious rituals and cacao beans were such a previous commodity that they were even used as a form of currency.

Today we are fortunate that chocolate is readily available, but the big problem is that a lot of commercial chocolate you buy is full of things that are best avoided… such as hydrogenated vegetable oils, sugar, artificial sweeteners, additives, preservatives, colours, flavour, powdered milk solids, and much more.

There is a lot of exciting research coming to light about raw cacao, and the benefits of the cacao bean and dark chocolate. These benefits extend to the heart, vascular system, brain, aging, mood and energy. This is in some part due to the fact that raw cacao is abundant in antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and many unique properties. Cacao contains twice the antioxidant content of red wine, and up to three times that of green tea. These antioxidants can improve cognitive impairment and produce nitric oxide with some great cardiovascular benefits.

The ORAC Score measures the benefits of antioxidants. Here is a comparison of the ORAC score per 100 grams for some common foods known to have a high antioxidant level, listed in descending order.

  • Dark Chocolate – ORAC 13,120
  • Milk Chocolate – ORAC 6,740
  • Prunes – 5,770
  • Raisins – 2,830
  • Blueberries – 2,400
  • Blackberries – 2036
  • Kale – 1,770
  • Strawberries – 1540
  • Spinach – 1260
  • Raspberries – 1220
  • Brussel Sprouts – 980
  • Broccoli – 890

Another important nutrient found in cacao is theobromine (a chemical related to caffeine). Theobromine was discovered in cacao and a few other plants in the 19th century, by 1916 it had been extracted from the bean and was being used in medical treatment for oedema and angina. In modern medicine the compound theobromine is used as a vasodilator, this means it can dilate smooth muscle such as the blood vessels, bronchial tubes, large intestine. It is also used as a diuretic and heart stimulant. Recent research shows the effects of how theobromine can lower blood pressure as well as help with asthma.

Unlike caffeine, theobromine does not have an addictive nature or have the same strong affects as caffeine has on the nervous system. The cacao bean can have up to 10% of its weight made up of theobromine, the effects of the theobromine on the body can be up to 6 – 10 hours after consumption.

Importantly, as many of you will attest, chocolate enhances the mood and boosts energy.

So what is the best way to obtain the benefits of chocolate without the nasty hydrogenated fats and processed sugars? Raw cacao powder is now readily available in health food stores, along with raw cacao chocolate bars in an amazing variety of flavours.

Or experiment and make your own raw chocolate truffles. These make great Christmas presenters and look great packaged up in a pretty box or cellophane wrap and ribbon.

 

Raw Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup of sunflower seeds (or any other seeds you have on hand)
  • 1/2 cup walnuts (or any other nuts you have on hand – cashews are wonderful too)
  • 1/2 cup dates
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • 4 tablespoons raw cacao powder

Method

  1. Process the nuts in the food processor. Keep processing them until you can’t see the nuts anymore, but stop processing before they get too soft looking.
  2. Add the dates, sea salt and cacao powder. Process again until everything is well mixed and clumped together.
  3. Roll the balls in your hand and form balls. You may also like to roll the completed truffles in goji berries, coconut, cacao powder, etc.

These keep well in the fridge.

 

 

How exercise can improve your health and well being.

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anytime-fitness neutral bayHealth Benefits of Exercise.

Exercise reduces the risk for several diseases including heart disease, adult-onset diabetes, high blood pressure or hypertension, breast cancer, osteoporosis and colon cancer. Exercise may also help prevent, or be effective in treating, some mental illnesses, such as depression. For the greatest overall health benefits, experts recommend that you do 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic activity three or more times a week and some type of muscle strengthening activity and stretching at least twice a week.

 

Other benefits of exercise.

Exercise controls weight:

Exercise can help prevent excess weight gain or help maintain weight loss. When you engage in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn. You don’t need to set aside large chunks of time for exercise to reap weight-loss benefits

Exercise boosts energy:

Winded by grocery shopping or household chores? Regular physical activity can improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance. Exercise and physical activity deliver oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and help your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you have more energy to go about your daily chores

Exercise promotes better sleep:

Many people report having better sleep when they exercise regularly. Typical improvements include falling asleep more quickly, longer periods of deep sleep, and feeling more refreshed in the morning. Because exercise has a positive impact on stress, anxiety, and depression, all of which interfere with sleep, exercise helps improve sleep and reduce emotional health problems.

Exercise improves mood:

Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed. You may also feel better about your appearance and yourself when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem.

 

exercise typesTypes of exercise.

Aerobic Training:

A balanced fitness program should include aerobic exercise. Also known as cardiovascular or endurance training, this type of exercise offers benefits such as increased blood flow, boost in HDL, or “good” cholesterol levels, healthy blood pressure and body weight and an overall sense of well-being. There are many aerobic activities from which to choose, including walking, running, swimming, cycling and rowing.

Resistance Training:

While aerobic training offers many health benefits, it does little to tone your muscles. Resistance training, also known as strength or weight training, can reverse the decline in bone density, muscle mass and strength that occurs as you age. It can help you build muscle and burn fat while lowering your risk for heart disease.

Flexibility Training:

Flexibility training, also known as stretching, is an essential component of your fitness regimen. Through stretching, you can reduce muscle cramps, joint stiffness, injuries and stress. Stretching can also help increase your range of motion in your joints and muscles. There are many types of flexibility exercises to keep your interest.

 

The Importance of Stretching

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Health In The Bay StretchingStretching is a very effective and important activity that has a number of known key benefits for all. These benefits include improved flexibility, a decrease in the likelihood of injury and muscle soreness, and an enhancement in physical performance.

Through stretching, the affected muscles will be lengthened, which helps to improve the body’s normal level of flexibility as well as to reduce general muscle tension. This increase in muscle length will also enable the muscles to contract over a greater distance and hence create a greater level of power. The body is then able to move more freely with increased comfort.

After physical exercise, the muscles can often feel tight, sore or stiff. Such soreness occurs due to minute tears that form within the muscle fibres, as well as an accumulation of blood and waste products, such as lactic acid. Stretching after exercise, therefore, helps to diminish any muscle soreness through improved blood circulation and the removal of waste products.

Exercise also creates fatigue, and results in a decrease in both mental and physical performance. Stretching muscles can help to prevent fatigue by reducing the pressure on the working muscles. For every muscle, there is an opposing muscle, and if these are made more flexible through stretching then the working muscles have to exert less force against them. The movements of the working muscles will, therefore, require less effort, which will result in the enhancement of an individual’s physical performance.

Additional benefits of regular stretching include improvements in posture, body awareness, energy levels, coordination, and stress relief.

Stretching should be carried out before and after any physical activity, and as part of an individual’s daily routine. A typical stretching routine should last for around 5-10 minutes, with each muscle group being stretched 2 or 3 times. Each stretch should be performed gently and slowly, and held for around 20 seconds only to the point where tension is felt in the muscle. Only stretch muscles that are 100% healthy and avoid areas that are recovering from injury. Stretches should never be performed when the muscles are cold. Prior to any stretching, light, physical activity that results in a light sweat should be performed for about 10 minutes.