Why You Should Eat That Easter Chocolate

There are certain times of year when we can cut ourselves a bit of slack for a little over indulgence. I believe Easter to be one of them.  Dark chocolate is my absolute favourite type so I was pleased to come across this article outlining its benefits.  Read on....and then go ahead, enjoy your Easter egg! 

 

Regarded by many as the tastiest food on Earth, dark chocolate also has many health benefits..

1. It’s loaded with antioxidants

Dark chocolate contains hefty amounts of disease-fighting flavenoids, antioxidants also found in red wine and many fruits and vegetables. In fact, it appears to have more flavenoids than any other food.

2. It helps you through PMS

“There’s a reason we crave certain foods, such as chocolate, at that time of the month,” says Toronto-based raw foods coach Nathalie Lussier. “Chocolate releases calming endorphins that reduce anxiety. Plus, it’s high in magnesium,” which lifts moods and reduces water retention. But overindulging in sugar, salt and caffeine can backfire, causing bloating and fluid retention (not to mention weight gain).

3. It may lower cholesterol

A small study from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that daily consumption of cocoa flavanol-containing dark chocolate lowered cholesterol and improved blood pressure.

While the research was funded by chocolate manufacturer Mars, Inc., the study was double-blinded and peer reviewed.

4. It may prevent pregnancy complications

A new study reports that a chemical (theobromine) found in chocolate may reduce preeclampsia, a major pregnancy complication. The darker the chocolate, the better.

Preeclampsia is primarily noted for raising blood pressure in pregnant women, and eating chocolate helps to lower this risk by up to 69 percent. The study of nearly 2,300 women established greater benefits to those who ate five or more servings per week, especially in their third trimester.

Despite the results from this study, researchers have said that further studies are needed to prove the direct link between chocolate and preeclampsia.

5. It helps prevent heart disease

A recent study shows that people who regularly consume 70% dark chocolate (about 20 g per day) show a marked improvement in blood flow, while no improvement is observed in those who eat “processed” chocolate, which contains very little cocoa paste. It seems that the positive effect of dark chocolate is linked to a property in its polyphenols that releases a chemical messenger, nitric oxide, which increases arterial dilatation, at the same time improving blood flow and reducing platelet aggregation.

However, it is important to note that previous studies have shown that milk prevents the absorption of dark chocolate’s polyphenols, thereby neutralizing its beneficial effects. Milk contains large amounts of casein, a protein that interacts with polyphenols and prevents them from being efficiently absorbed by the intestine. It is therefore always preferable to consume dark chocolate unaccompanied by milk.

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An Alphabetic Guide to SUPERFOODS - Bee Pollen

Superfoods are nature's gift, they're vibrant, nutritionally dense foods that offer us tremendous dietary and healing potential.

Supercharge your health with BEE POLLEN.

As of today more and more people are using bee pollen supplements to help them improve their health. Bee Pollen supplements are not only natural, but they have a host of health benefits. From fatigue to strengthening the immune system, it's an overall great energy booster as well. 

    Bee pollen supplements and bee by-products are not new. These substances have been used by Ancient Civilizations for centuries before modern medicine ever existed. There even exists a type of bee shamanism (religion) that worships the healing and rejuvenating qualities of the bee by-products.

Here is a list of some of the benefits of pollen:


• Boosting the immune system so you don't get sick as often

• Increases your metabolism so you can burn fat and lose weight

• A great antioxidant to help cleanse your body of toxins

• Helps prostate problems, relieving you of pain

• Helps with insomnia and regulating blood pressure

and so much more...

There is simply no way you can ignore this healthy natural supplement!

The question is:

How and where can you buy high quality pollen supplements and start feeling more energized and alive?

To answer this question, we need to know what makes a high quality pollen supplement.

Buy Bee Pollen Supplements That Are Sourced From Pollution Free Locations

When you are looking for a potential brand of pollen, make sure you know where the pollen was sourced from. The source of pollen is extremely important in determining the quality of pollen.

Pollen that is sourced from high pollution areas like high industrialized countries like USA and China, contain many toxins and won't have the health benefits that you are seeking. Sometimes, low quality pollen can actually make you sick.

Sometimes companies in USA would stick on a label saying that their pollen is organic. But that doesn't mean much really. You think that if you're getting something that is organic it would be a healthy product.

But did you know that FDA requirements for labeling anything "organic" is anything that is home grown up to about 30 % percent? Hardly organic right?

In addition, some companies source their pollen from China. China is probably the worst place that you can get your pollen sourced from. China doesn't have any strict regulations when it comes to their air pollution, and because they are a growing economy, more and more factories are being built in the country. This contributes to the overall air pollution of the country.

Do you remember the smog that covered Beijing Olympics before the games even started? Not only that, Chinese companies have been known to not have the highest quality of products. Recently, large number of toys made for Mattel had to be recalled because the Chinese suppliers' toys had an alarming number of lead contamination.

Bee pollen sourced from countries like New Zealand is much better. New Zealand is a country that has strict standards and policies regarding their environment. Also New Zealand is an Island that is separated from most of the world. The Antarctica wind blows across New Zealand. The company that I buy my pollen from also gathers their pollen near a National Park.

Buy Pollen From a Reputable Company You Can Trust

As you can probably tell, buying pollen is not as simple as you may have thought. This makes buying pollen from a reputable company even more important. A reputable company is a company that will answer all of your questions.

Be wary of websites that sell pollen without any information about the company. Make sure you can find a physical address of the company and a telephone number.

Before you even think about buying the supplement, you should call the company and ask them about their refund policy.

Any reputable company selling pollen will have a no-questions-asked money back guaranteed. Some companies have a 30-day money back guarantee, I've found a company that has a 6 month guarantee.

If a company doesn't have a money-back guarantee, DO NOT BUY from them. Either their pollen is of low quality or worse it's full of toxins.

Your health is more important than saving a few bucks.

Buy Freeze-Dried Bee Pollen Capsules For Convenience

Some people say that buying fresh pollen granules from local farms is the best way to get pollen. This may be true, but fresh pollen granules from local farms have some issues. First granules must be consumed and used as soon as possible. Because pollen granules are a natural food, it goes bad just like any other food. Granules must be refrigerated once bought, and should be used within a couple of weeks.

Granules also may not be the best way to digest this wonderful supplement. Granules nutrients may be absorbed by the throat lining, which is not ideal to get the full benefits of pollen. Some people have overcome this problem by soaking pollen in water overnight to let the nutrients seep out of the granules. This is a good idea, but make sure to drink the water too.

One minor disadvantage of granules is that fact that it taste like dirt. I've personally tried to mix them with smoothies and shakes, but the taste of dirt doesn't really go away. Try to avoid cooking granules with hot food, as the heat destroys most of the nutrients in pollen.

If you don't want the hassle associated with granules, then bee pollen capsules are an effective convenient solution. Pollen capsules are similar to antibiotics, as all pollen is air tight and sealed into capsules. The capsule is great because you will only digest it in your stomach. This will ensure that you get most of all the nutrients that pollen has to offer.

Make sure you actually buy pollen capsules that are freeze-dried. This means that the company that harvests the pollen freeze-dries their pollen at the source. This ensures that the pollen nutrients are retained from collection to processing at the manufacturing plant.

Some companies heat-dry their pollen that at the source because it helps preserve the pollen for longer periods of time. They then take this pollen and compress it into small pollen tablets. These tablets have a very long shelf life. However, the major disadvantage is that it eliminates about half of the nutrients in pollen.

Because of this, always make sure you get freeze-dried pollen to ensure that you get the full energy inducing benefits of pollen.



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An Alphabetic Guide To SUPERFOODS - Astragalus

Superfoods are nature's gift, they're vibrant, nutritionally dense foods that offer us tremendous dietary and healing potential.

The Benefits of ASTRAGALUS  

In Chinese Medicine, this is considered to be one of the best tonics for immune health.    

The key benefits are:

Increase in Heart Wellness

The compounds contained within the root, known as saponins, protect and strengthen the heart by preventing blood vessels from sticking together. These cleansing chemicals also keep plaque from forming on artery walls, allowing for proper blood flow. These properties make the root function like fiber for the blood, keeping circulation going and veins clear and open. Astragalus is also rumored to help correct heart arrhythmia and improve overall cardiac functions.

Regulate Blood Pressure

A number of factors contribute to the root's supposed ability to regulate blood pressure. The root of the herb is said to help relieve chest pains and breathlessness. Additionally, the plant deters the retention of salt and water and helps keep clots from forming within veins and arteries. It may even regulate cholesterol levels. Astragalus also promotes vasodilation, the necessary relaxation of the smooth muscles around arterial blood cells. This critical regulatory process is another part of increasing blood flow and relieving high blood pressure.

Studies in Blood Pressure Regulation

The kidneys help regulate blood volume. As such, their impairment is a great factor in the development unnatural blood pressure. Several studies in China found that injections of the extract, when combined with another hypertensive drug, greatly reduced the blood pressure of diabetic patients who had problems with their kidney functions. Another study run in January, 2005, showed that daily administrations of extract helped repair the damaged organ in patients suffering from chronic kidney diseases.

Boost the Immune System

The number one reason people have been going insane over astragalus is because of its abilities to super-charge the immune system. Flavonoids, antioxidant chemicals, are just one of the active chemicals that comprise the root. The polysaccharides found within the root boost the production of white blood cells and increase the activity of T-cells. They even promote production of interferon, a critical chemical for producing essential proteins. The result is that the root greatly increases a person's ability to fight off viral infections and bacterial infection, including cancer and HIV.

Studies in Immune System Effects

Several animal-based studies were conducted to test the effects of astragalus root. One study was conducted where mice were injected with astragalus extract. Scientists found that the injected mice had improved activity of macrophages, their version of white blood cells that fight various infections. Additionally, an experiment was created where several Chinese heart disease and immune deficiency patients were given injections of the herb extract. Surprisingly, the immune system functions of all of the participants improved dramatically.

Reverse the Aging Process

Some early studies suggest that the herb may help stimulate the growth of telomeres. Telomeres are the ends of DNA strands on chromosomes, which protect against deterioration. This means that they help reduce the likelihood of DNA strand shortening that happens as a result of replication. As a person grows older, they lose the ability to create new telomeres as the DNA breaks down. This is important, because it's this damage and shortening from strand replication that promotes growing old. Put simply, astragalus root is theorized to slow, and possibly reverse, the human aging process.

Other Benefits

Astragalus root extract can be used to treat night sweats for women undergoing menopause. It can also treat alzheimer's, as the extract has a proven ability to eliminate the artificial memory gaps. The root can also be used to treat diarrhea and stomach ulcers.

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