Chocolate Has Health Benefits

There are some studies that found chocolate to contains over 300 chemical elements that are truly beneficial to your health. These studies also found chocolate to hold a large quantity of antioxidants, and is comparatively greater than other high-antioxidant foods. And of course we all know that chocolate taste good as well.

* Cocoa powder the have highest quality and more anti-oxidants.

* Dark chocolate is only 2nd to cocoa powder. It has 8 times the polyphenol antioxidants found in fruits like strawberries.

* Milk chocolate also contains high antioxidant contents.

What is more, in a study done in 2001, the participants who had dark chocolate and high flavonoid-rich cocoa powder included with their diet were found to have higher HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) concentrations in their systems as opposed to other participants. While the study was done with a comparatively small group of merely 23 individuals, it indicated that chocolates have more health benefits than were thought to be in the past.

Later on another study done in 2005, with another small test group the end outcome was the same, indicating that dark chocolate could really lower the blood pressure in people who suffer with hypertension. It found that the LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) levels, drop by more than 10 percent.

With these studies, it can be reasoned that chocolate products contains lots of beneficial chemical elements. This should not be a good arguement for you to indulge on chocolate foods at your own free will.

There are many good health benefits from eating chocolate food products while some can be harmful to your health, peculiarly those that are highly refined like chocolate bars and sweets, which are readily available in any corner stores, and are high in calories and fat content.

This does not necessarily imply that you should stay away from chocolate food products altogether. Just the same, you should eat them wisely.

Never give chocolate products to your pets as they contains theobromine, a kind of stimulus and which your pets can not tolerate. Not even baking chocolate should to be given to your pets. This also true for other processed foods that have chocolate in them like cake, candy bars, cookies, and so on.

The health benefits of chocolate products may no longer be healthful if you have health conditions, therefore it is wise to consult with your physician first to stave off all needless medical problems.

Julie loves chocolate

The Top Benefits Green Roof

A  green roof is one that is covered in plants or vegetation. It can be covered with plants entirely or just partially; but you will know one right away when you see one. Some of these roofs are flat tops at the very top of city buildings, while others might be those that cover the roofs of homes, or sheds. Green roofs are not all too common, but there are some people that know the benefits of them and indulge in taking advantage of these benefits. Continue to read on to learn more about how a green roof can provide benefits for your house.

Believe it or not, the environment around us could benefit from people having green roofs on their home; not just the people. It is always a better option to work with nature rather than work against it. There would be less of a development process involved when choosing to build a green roof as opposed to the average shingle roofs that most people have. Just think of the urban areas that have been built over several years ago now. Most urban areas don’t have very much greenery surrounding them; there are mostly concrete covering surface areas. The environment would be so much healthier if a green roof were built on top of the majority of the buildings in urban areas, whether they are homes, or businesses. All crowded communities could definitely use the benefits of some green roofs here and there. The ecological settings will be restored if the green roofs are continued to be built and increase in popularity. One of the main advantages of green roofs is that they are very effective when it comes to storing water; they provide a wonderful water system for the environment.

As urban areas grow, the loss of nature occurs which reduces less of the natural resources that keep the land healthy. Lots of plants can be grown on top of these green roofs for the improvement of the environment, and it will also give the environment more of the natural look again.

Some of the other benefits that come along with owning a green roof include:

* An energy saving environment.

* Better insulation for buildings/natural insulation

* Roof space makes the area more breathable

* More positive energy from people that are surrounded by the greenery

Let’s discuss the last one listed. Most people don’t think about how greenery can change a person’s mood. Well, it can. When people are surrounded by nature they often drift off and focus on the beauty of it, and even if they are having a bad day, nature has the tendency of changing that mood into a calm, pleasant, and stress free mood. Therefore many people will be much happier with a green roof than they would be with a concrete or shingle lined roof. It is amazing how gardens have such a great impact on the environment as well as the people surrounding it; which is why it’s important to consider constructing more green roofs.

Author Bio: Larry Smith works for Roof.net a roofing company in the Virginia area.

Benefits of Meditation

I    am firmly committed to personal development. Becoming the best person I can be and creating a greater sense of peace in my life is my top priority. While I am certainly not perfect and I have a long way to go on my journey, a journey which really never ends by the way, I have made great strides in becoming a better person, reducing stress and living my life more in line with my values and desires. I have utilized a lot of techniques and tools along the way and all have helped in their own way.

There is no right or wrong way to go about personal development and different strategies will work for different people. If something makes you feel good, it will work for you. But, with that being said, I do believe that no personal development regimen would be complete or nearly as effective without throwing meditation into the mix. It is one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful tools, for getting at the root of all our problems—our messed up mind and ways of thinking.

Helps Change Perspective

It is not what happens to us in life that causes all our issues, it is how we react to it. We always have a choice on how to react. Being imperfect humans, we often make the not-so-great choice, we are prone to negative emotions. That is all fine, the goal is not perfection. But, with meditation, we gain clarity into our lives and our thought processes. We can learn to separate our true self, which is just pure awareness from the thoughts, feelings, emotions and situations of our lives. By creating this space, we can begin to look at the circumstances of our lives differently; we adopt more empowering perspectives that help us deal with challenges better and lead us to make decisions that will improve our lives.

Helps us Respond and Not React

One of our biggest problems is that our minds operate on autopilot; we have a raging river of thoughts that consume us. We act mainly out of habit without ever thinking about what we are saying, doing, thinking or feeling. Meditation expands our awareness of all these things and again, helps strengthen that space between the real us and all that stuff that we are just experiencing. With this greater awareness, you will respond to life and not just react—it can help you avoid saying things you will regret, doing things you will regret, getting unnecessarily angry or frustrated and making destructive choices.

Reduces Stress and Anxiety

A major cause of our stress and anxiety is our out-of-control thoughts. They tend to snowball and we blow our worries out of proportion. We start imagining all the bad things that may happen. It can get a little crazy up there. Meditation is an amazing tool to reduce stress and anxiety because it helps us gain greater awareness of our thoughts. We can examine from a more neutral perspective and realize when

we are getting a little nutty. We can observe them without judgment and just let them run their course. The thoughts and feelings may not go away but we take away some of their power and they will dissipate more quickly.

Kelli Cooper is a freelance writer with a focus on health and wellness content. If you are interested in creating a healthier home, check out http://www.erikorganic.com for a selection of beautiful organically produced furniture.

The Benefits Of Volunteering

All of us have some desire to connect to something outside of ourselves, to feel like our life has a deeper meaning. There are lots of ways to go about that, but when we take a profounder look, at the root, they are all accomplishing a similar goal: helping others in some way. Volunteering is a superb way to accomplish this goal.

The ways we can volunteer our time our endless, ranging from working one day a week at the soup kitchen to longer commitments, such as the Peace Corps. You may be interested in the vacation-like experience where you offer your time in another country, for a week or two. You can work for kids, the elderly, the homeless, animals or the environment, to name a few possible causes. There are plenty of organizations in need of help in your backyard and all over the world. There are a great deal of volunteer programs , who can arrange specific trips in your areas of interest, both nationally and internationally.

Regardless of how or where you volunteer, there are several benefits to the process. Helping others overall helps us and there is nothing wrong with reaping rewards from our good works. Thus, if your motivation to help others is not completely altruistic, that is okay.
Connect with Others

A sense of isolation and disconnect from others can have a negative emotional impact; for many of us, we are losing face-to-face contact and conducting a good portion of our relationships via the internet. Volunteering is an outlet to make that vital human connection; it’s an especially powerful way, since we are not only connecting with other people, but we are also helping to improve their life. You will also meet new, interesting and like-minded people.
Improved Health

As Western medicine is finally starting to take a deeper look at the connection between our minds and our bodies, it is becoming evident that our mental state has a heavy influence on our physical health. Volunteering makes us feel good upstairs and can be a powerful tool in your health arsenal. According to Helpguide.org, research has shown elderly people who volunteer had lower mortality rates, even when accounting for other health problems; they also note research which suggests it may reduce symptoms of heart disease and chronic pain.

Professional Advantages

Volunteering can also benefit your professional life. Showcasing your charitable works may give your resume an edge and get you that interview call; some may think that is a bad reason to volunteer but if another person is reaping the benefits of you giving your time, but does it really matter the reason? Often, particular life experiences help us develop skills, perspectives and insights that are applicable to all areas of our life; volunteering can teach us about organization, time management, problem-solving and working with others, to name some. It may also be a good way to test the waters if we are considering changing our career path.

These are just a few of the myriad of possible benefits. If you have been feeling stuck in life, try volunteering, even if it is only an hour a month. Focusing on others can help take your mind off your own problems; you will feel a greater sense of fulfillment and contribute positively to your own mental and physical health.

Kelli Cooper is a freelance writer currently traveling long-term throughout SE Asia. To learn more about international volunteer opportunities, check out Isvolunteers.org.

The Benefits Of Cinnamon And Honey

The following was an email from Bob. You might want to share this information with a friend, kinfolks and loved ones. Everyone needs healthy help information ~ share with your email buddies…

Honey is the only food on the planet that will not spoil or rot. It will do what some call turning to sugar. In reality honey is always honey.. However, when left in a cool dark place for a long time it will do what I rather call “crystallizing” . When this happens I loosen the lid, boil some water, and sit the honey container in the hot water,turn off the heat and let it liquefy. It is then as good as it ever was. Never boil honey or put it in a microwave. To do so will kill the enzymes in the honey.

Bet the drug companies won’t like this one getting around. Facts on Honey and Cinnamon: It is found that a mixture of honey and Cinnamon cures most diseases.. Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a ‘Ram Ban’ (very effective) medicine for all kinds of diseases. Honey can be used without any side effects for any kind of diseases.

Today’s science says that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients. Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada , in its issue dated 17 January,1995 has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon as researched by western scientists:

HEART DISEASES:

Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, instead of jelly and jam, and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also, those who have already had an attack, if they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat. In America and Canada , various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as you age, the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins.

ARTHRITIS:

Arthritis patients may take daily, morning and night, one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week, out of the 200 people so treated, practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain, and within a month, mostly all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis started walking without pain.

BLADDER INFECTIONS:

Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.

CHOLESTEROL:

Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water, given to a cholesterol patient, was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, if taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured. According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

COLDS:

Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and clear the sinuses.

UPSET STOMACH:

Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears stomach ulcers from the root.

GAS:

According to the studies done in India and Japan , it is revealed that if Honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

IMMUNE SYSTEM:

Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks.. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacterial and viral diseases.

INDIGESTION:

Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.

INFLUENZA:

A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural ‘ Ingredient’ which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu..

LONGEVITY:

Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age. Take four spoons of honey, one spoon of cinnamon powder, and three cups of water and boil to make like tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life spans also increase and even a 100 year old, starts performing the chores of a 20-year-old..

PIMPLES:

Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with warm water. If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root..

SKIN INFECTIONS:

Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.

WEIGHT LOSS:

Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. If taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.

CANCER:

Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder for one month three times a day.

FATIGUE:

Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens, who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts, are more alert and flexible. Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M. when the vitality of the body starts to decrease, increases the vitality of the body within a week.

BAD BREATH:

People of South America , first thing in the morning, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water, so their breath stays fresh throughout the day.

HEARING LOSS:

Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts restores hearing.

Remember when we were kids? We had toast with real butter and cinnamon sprinkled on it!

The Benefits Of Drinking Green Tea

The drinking of green tea in China has been a family gatherings for thousands of years and part of every day lives. Apart from its superior taste, there are health benefits from drinking green tea as well. Today the medical communities have recognized these benefits, and wherefore you should drink tea too.

Majority of Americans drink coffee several times everyday and since it contains a larger amount of caffeine, many people are looking into substituting green tea instead. You will surely savor the tea’s nutty aroma and its sweet grassy flavor. Whilst some studies show that green tea also has caffeine, there are now decaffeinated green tea sold in the food market.

All the same, whenever you want to go for the traditional green tea, it would help to know that the caffeine content is lesser as compared to coffee. Some people get jitters and you can avoid this by taking green tea in moderate amounts. Those who plan to stay late or those who work at night should drink green tea instead of coffee to help them stay awake.

Green tea is made up of antioxidants which can help to improve the overall health of a person. If you lack energy to carry out the day’s tasks and chores, drink tea will give you a burst of energy especially if you drink it everyday.

The body cells are also promoted by drinking tea. Other health benefits include the prevention of heart diseases, cancer, and many other health illness. Drink tea to boost the immune system for better health. Take green tea instead of water and juices to reduce weight as the tea can suppress appetite. Tea can taking anytime you like, before meals, during, and after meals.

There is no other beverage that can give you all these health benefits. There are now bottled ready to drink green tea which you can purchase. Green tea supplements are also available, talk to your physician first. Seek his advice before taking any health supplement, and especially for a pregnant woman or if you have certain allergies and illnesses.

Asian people benefited from green tea for centuries, there is no reason why you shouldn’t do it yourself, so join others who have discovered the health benefits of drinking tea

Walking For Mental Health

When you work your muscles and joints, it induces blood to flow freely to the brain. The blood moves from the central areas down to the central nervous system, spinal cord and finally to the brain. This benefits you in a lot of ways like aiding to prevent heart attacks as well as strokes. Walking will forestall depression as well. Walking help to release stress. If you suffering too much stress, walking will help, you find relaxation. Nonetheless, you don’t want to walk before going to bed. Try walking a few hours prior to bed time.

Therefore start walking for your physical health as well as your mental health. When you start a walking to fitness program, check with your doctor to make sure your health will permit you to walk the distance. Most doctors will not discourage you from seeking good health.

Start walking by taking the right steps and start slowly. You want to make sure that you take the proper steps to avoid injury. Do not overburden the joints. The joints when overloaded will cause serious injuries and pain as well.

You want to protect your feet when walking to fitness by wearing the appropriate shoes. Your shoes should fit well. Buy shoes used for walking. There are many choices of cross-training, walking shoes and runner shoes. Runner shoes are not optional really, since it will not give you the support you need to walk.

When walking wear low heel shoes. You want firm shoes that hold its shape, yet give you flexibility.

Start your walk by starting out slowly, take about 20 to 30 minutes to warm up. Learn proper stretch exercises to relax the muscles and joints. Warm ups will help you avoid injuries.

Begin your warm up by using the ankles and move each side in full motion. Make a circle. The legs will follow. You need to move the legs in full motion also starting from the hip. Make another circle, using the hips. This will work your pelvis. Stand with your feet at shoulder width and apart. Put the hands, resting them on the hip. Next, use the arms and make a circle. Use the hands first to make your circle and then the arm starting at the shoulder and down.

Cool down after your walk. Take a few moments to stretch the muscles and joints.

To heighten mental health while walking ask friends and family to join you. Participate in socializing so that you start to feel good inside and outside. When you have others joining you, it also keeps things interesting. You will feel inspired while you walk to fitness.

When you are working the muscles and joints, you are promoting flexibility. By promoting flexibility, you increase blood flow, which channels to the brain. Your self-esteem and confidence builds as well when you walk. This is great for improving mental awareness and loose weight.

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Coffee is addictive and has side-effects. Energy drinks have calories, acids and are expensive.

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The Benefits and Side Effects Of Caffeine

Exactly what is caffeine?

Caffeine is a colorless, slightly bitter substance that is found in coffee, tea, chocolate and cola. You can find it in many over-the-counter medicines and also in many weight loss supplements. It is a stimulant and it is considered a mind-altering drug. It is the most widely consumed. The caffeine that is taken out of coffee beans to produce decaffeinated coffee is then sold to pharmaceutical company and soft drink makers.

Caffeine can be a inviting wake upper in the morning taken in your morning cup of coffee. It can also give you a boost to stay awake and stay alert when you need it. It stimulates the central nervous system. All the same, that boost Is not necessarily instant as it takes about an hour for the effects of caffeine to make it’s way through the body’s system. It has benefits and side effects.

Some believe caffeine improves physical and mental performance. It a mood elevator, and a pain reliever. Because of the increased alertness levels of those who consume caffeine, some improved performance in physical activities and problem solving.

Some side effects of caffeine are insomnia, nervousness, increased stress and anxiety panic attacks. The amount that causes these side effects vary in each individual, however, minors have a lower tolerance because of their smaller body weight.

The FDA suggests pregnant women to avoid caffeine altogether. For those people that take it on a regular basis each day, going without it can cause withdrawal symptoms such as, headaches, irritability, a lack of energy and of course, sleepiness. These withdrawal symptoms usually last a short time.

The following chart list the amount of caffeine in products you use and consume daily;

– 6 ounce cup of coffee – 64 mg to 150 mg

- 5 ounce cup of tea – 40 mg

- 12 ounce can of cola- 40 mg

- 1 cup of hot cocoa – 4 mg

- 6 ounce chocolate bar – 25 mg

- 2 Excedrin tablets – 130 mg

In addition to weight loss and dieting products, stay awake products and Energy drinks, caffeine is being tested for pesticide uses. It has been entwined in women’s panty hose for its supposed constrictive effects to shrink thighs.?? Love it or hate it, caffeine is and always has been a big part of human culture and will probably be here to stay.

Need More All-Day Natural Energy?

Coffee is addictive and has side-effects. Discover a clinically proven, all natural way for increasing all day energy, WITHOUT stimulants, caffeine, drugs, calories or negative side-effects! Go to http://www.hflsolutions.com/ne/