Tag: chocolate

The Past Year: What Worked, What Didn’t

 

 

I’m always up for trying new things.  And those things usually involve my health in some way.  Be it trying new healthy recipes, herbs/supplements/diets or lifestyle changes, I want to be the best person I can be.  If I’m the healthiest I can be, that’s a good start.

Over the past year I’ve blogged about many of my adventures.  In the long run, some worked and some not so much.  Here’s what I’ve found.

Lemon Water – I blogged about this in Sept 2012.  The purported benefits of drinking water infused with lemon juice include weight loss, improved digestion, boosts immune system, balances pH (reduces acidity in your body), clears your skin, acts as a diuretic, relieves respiratory problems, freshens breath, reduces stress, helps kick the coffee habit, hydrates the lymph system, boosts energy, flushes toxins from your liver and kidneys, suppresses appetite, reduces cellulite (because it increases blood flow to the skin and helps your body flush out waste), boosts your body’s ability to metabolize fat, and lowers your risk for heart disease, strokes, cataracts and gout because of the high amount of vitamin C.  If drinking lemon water allowed me even one or two of these benefits, I had to try it.  A year later, I still like it.  I went off the wagon for a few weeks.  Got lazy I guess.  But I found that I actually look forward to my lemon water in the morning.  The idea is to drink it first thing upon waking, and not put anything else into your stomach for at least half an hour.  Easy enough.  I bought a pitcher which has an infuser attachment.  I chop up a peeled lemon (organic if possible) and put it in my infuser pitcher with filtered water.  It lasts a week (adding more water as needed).  Even throughout the day, I find I grab the lemon water pitcher before I grab my iced green tea if I want a quick drink.  If nothing else, this means I’m consuming less sugar.  And I seem to make better food choices throughout the day when I’m ‘on’ the lemon water.  Whether the benefits are psychological or physical, the lemon water thing gets an A+.

Juicing – I don’t think I’ve blogged about this yet.  This past summer, I bought a Vitamix.  I know I need to get more fresh fruits and veggies into my diet and, opting for the method of least resistance, thought “why not smash them up and drink them”?  My intentions were good.  And the Vitamix is awesome.  It even makes hot soup!  But back to my point.  I went to the farmers market and stocked up on lots of fresh fruit (berries and bananas mostly).  I also ‘bravely’ added kale, carrots (which I hate) and chia to my morning smoothies.  However, I was overly ambitious.  Using my American ‘the bigger the better’ mindset, I would juice a LOT of fruit and wind up with 30-40 ounces, which I would drink down throughout the morning.  This lead to a very bloated belly.  And too much sugar.  Being the blonde that I am, it took me a month to figure out that while my intentions were good, my methodology sucked.  So I stopped juicing.  Also bad.  Now that I’ve got my head out of my butt, I am going to make better juicing choices (less sugar, more veggies, smaller quantities) and see how that goes.  There is not doubt in my mind that moving to a more plant-based alkaline diet is better for the human body.  I just need to find a better way to make it work for me.

Yoga – I used to be a gym rat.  For about 5 years or so, I would be at the gym five or more days a week.  And not just to socialize.  I actually worked out.  And I liked the results.  Was I as thin as I wanted to be?  Will I EVER be?  But I did have good muscle tone which I knew was healthy.  And then I made some big changes in my personal life and wound up dropping the gym membership.  Just quit cold turkey.  In reality, my body needed a break.  And surprisingly, I didn’t gain weight.  But I lost muscle tone.  Having strong muscles is sexier (and healthier) than overall body weight in my opinion.  I needed to get it back, but was still mentally done with the gym.  Enter yoga.  If you haven’t done it before, you’ve got to try it.  There’s something for everyone, be it stretchy yoga, hot yoga, Barre yoga (which almost killed me!) or power yoga.  It works.  It can be a surprisingly difficult workout, a therapeutic muscle relaxer, a flexibility creator or a mental healer.  Yoga has so much to offer and I can’t say enough good things about it.  Try it.

Coconut Oil – I wrote about this wonder ingredient in December 2012.  One of our Facebook fans mentioned using it as a make up remover, so I tried it.  And then I read more about it and started using it daily.  Not only is it the best make up remover, but it’s a superior moisturizer and excellent cleanser.  If you missed my December blog article, go back and check it out for details.  I will never go another day without using coconut oil. 

Massage – I don’t think I wrote about this either, but it’s something I firmly believe in.  Now I’m weird.  We’ve probably already established that.  But one of my quirks is that I don’t like people touching me.  Between that and having had my back broken in a car accident when I was 19, you might say I’m NOT a good candidate for massage.  The trick to is finding out what works best for you.  Studies have found that massage can benefit the following disorders: 

  • Anxiety
  • Digestive disorders
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Headaches
  • Insomnia related to stress
  • Myofascial pain syndrome
  • Paresthesias and nerve pain
  • Soft tissue strains or injuries
  • Sports injuries
  • Temporomandibular joint pain

Beyond the benefits for specific conditions or diseases, some people enjoy massage because it often involves caring, comfort, a sense of empowerment and creating deep connections with the individual performing the massage.  If you are looking to strengthen your intimate relationship, I highly suggest massage.  You don’t have to go to school and become a massage therapist to make this work.  Pick up a book, or go on line to learn about a handful of techniques, and go from there.  I personally like using a massage bar instead of massage oil because it’s moisturizing, not messy and allows the hands to flow more easily along the body.  Honeybee will be coming out with our own massage bar very soon.  But you don’t need anything other than a comfortable quiet space, time and patience.  Give and receive.  Even if it’s just 15 minutes with your partner (or try self massage) before you go to sleep.  The physical and psychological benefits are amazing. 

Reducing Sugar and Dairy – This is a daily struggle, but one I truly believe in for overall health.  Sugar seems to be in EVERYTHING from the obvious coffee additive to the seemingly harmless banana.  Recognizing all the sources of sugar in your diet is step one.  Step two is either eliminating or finding substitutions.  And sugar is incredibly addictive: The more you eat, the more addictive it becomes.  Studies show that all the sugar in our diets either directly or indirectly contributes to diseases like osteoporosis, obesity, heart disease, and cancer.  I am NOT a fan of sugar substitutes in any form (xylitol, stevia, etc.)  There are articles on line you can read about recognizing sugar in foods (especially hidden sugar) and steps you can take to reduce it in your diet.  Same goes with dairy.  We are the only species that drinks another mammals milk.  That thought kind of grosses me out.    Our bodies weren’t made to digest milk on a regular basis. Instead, most scientists agree that it’s better for us to get calcium, potassium, protein and fats from other food sources, like whole plant foods: vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds and seaweed.  And let’s not forget all the  pesticides, hormones, antibiotics found in conventional milk CAN’T be good for you.  Will I give up cheese?  Nope, probably never.  But I will have very small amounts and only on the rare occasion. 

So what DIDN’T work for me over the past year?  A few things.

Dry Brushing – I wrote about this in January of this year.  Dry brushing is supposed to have several benefits, but I couldn’t find hard scientific evidence to back any of them up.  At least it will exfoliate your skin, if nothing else.  I have a dry brush.  I do it occasionally (more so in winter when my skin is ugly and dry).  But getting my butt into the shower in the morning is difficult enough.  Stopping to dry brush my entire body first just isn’t going to happen on most days.

Oil Pulling – I wrote about this unusual practice in April of this year.  I had read a few articles about it and again found a myriad of conditions is was supposed to help from arthritis to PMS.  It involves swishing oil around in your mouth for 20 minutes or so, and spitting it out.  The oil is supposed to ‘pull’ the toxins from your body.  Again, I didn’t find a whole lot of good scientific evidence to back up the claims.  And as with dry brushing, I don’t have the patience or energy to deal with this first thing in the morning. 

Dark Chocolate – I experimented with dark chocolate because 1) I love it, and 2) like everything else, it’s supposed to cure almost anything.  What I was really hoping is that it would cure my sweet tooth.  I thought if I could eat a small square of dark chocolate a day, I would eliminate my desire for sweets forever.  It didn’t quite work out that way.  While I still LOVE dark chocolate and think it’s a healthier alternative than having a donut, I don’t think it will ever be found as a cure for cancer, nor will it ever keep me from still craving a slice of cake. 

Tanning – I’ll admit it.  I tanned.  For around two years, about once or twice a week.  My husband convinced me that I looked better tan.  I was also convinced that cellulite would be less noticeable if my skin was darker.  Being naturally fair-skinned and therefore more susceptible to skin cancer, fast-forward three years and five skin cancer biopsies (two basal cell carcinomas).  Not to mention that it aged my skin incredibly.  I regret having done it.  Did I like the way I looked when tan?  Yes.  Is the skin damage worth it?  No.  Will I avoid the sun completely?  Nope.  But I will wear sunscreen, still tan naturally, but never burn.  I could use self tanners I suppose, but don’t have the patience to slather my body with something every day (not to mention the ingredients some self tanners contain).  So I will be pale most of the year.  Deal with it. 

Take Care of Your Heart



Looking great on the outside is not nearly as important as looking great on the INSIDE. February is American Heart Health month, a great time educate Americans on what we can do to live heart-healthy lives. Heart disease, including stroke, is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. These diseases, the nation’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers, claim more than 865,000 American lives a year.

Cutting your risk for cardiovascular disease doesn’t necessarily require a total lifestyle overhaul. Many heart-healthy habits are surprisingly easy to adopt. Here are some simple quick fixes that can help your heart:

1. Yoga

Medical research shows that yoga promotes heart health and decreases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Of note, one study presented at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association in Orlando reports transcendental meditation (TM) could potentially lower the risk of heart attack and death by up to 47 percent in patients with heart disease. Transcendental meditation (TM) is a form of yoga meditation introduced by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the 1960s.

2. Togetherness

Having a close relationship with another person, be it a friend, lover or relative is so heartwarming it can halve the risk of a heart attack in someone who has already had a heart attack, a 2004 heart study suggests. And one State University of New York at Oswego investigation found that blood pressure dropped when one spent time with a spouse or partner. While researchers can’t pinpoint exactly why this is the case, it could be that having a close relationship with someone else may lead to better health habits and less depression.

Toxic relationships, on the other hand, do the heart no favors, though. In one 12-year study, British civil servants in bad relationships were 34 percent more likely to have heart attacks or heart trouble than those in happier relationships.

3. Chocolate anyone?

Dark chocolate contains high concentrations of cocoa. Intake of this anti-oxidant rich substance appears to relax blood vessels, lower blood pressure and control blood sugar. But don’t go nuts. A single 1.5 ounce serving will do the trick without adding an overabundance of fat, sugar or calories to your diet.

4. I like to Move it, Move It

When researchers from the University of South Carolina analyzed the daily movement patterns of adult men, they found that those who were the least active throughout the day had a 64 percent greater risk of dying from heart disease compared with men who reported living a less sedentary lifestyle.

Spending too much time rooted to the couch or chair may pack on unhealthy fat around the heart and lead to less desirable levels of cholesterol, blood sugar, triglycerides and waist size, research suggests. This appears to be true even for people who maintain a regular exercise routine.

5. Don’t forget your veggies

Leafy greens are an excellent source of vitamins and phytochemicals associated with a lower risk of heart disease and depression. Make a salad and toss in a half cup of steamed asparagus or a couple of slices of avocado. These are two veggies packed with folate, a vitamin that helps head off blood-vessel inflammation. To lower LDL, or “bad cholesterol,” swap out the croutons for a handful of almonds or cranberries. Finally, top it all off with a vinaigrette dressing. Harvard research suggests two tablespoons daily can cut the risk of heart disease in women.

6. Get your zzzzz’s

Findings released last year by Chicago Medical School suggest that people who catch fewer than six hours of sleep a night are twice as likely to have a stroke or heart attack, and one-and-a-half times more likely to have congestive heart failure, whereas people who slumber more than eight hours a night are more likely to experience chest pain and coronary artery disease.

“Somewhere around eight hours seems optimal,” Becker acknowledged. “But sleep alone won’t necessarily impact heart health unless it’s put in context with nutrition, activity, stress management and all of your other health habits.”

Why Dieting is the Worst Idea Ever



Many of my friends choose to start diets on January 1. There are varying opinions on this philosophy, some saying it’s good to have comradery since everyone else is doing it, others saying it’s not a good idea. But I found this article and thought the author’s perspective was unique. I hope you enjoy it.

BY Amanda Christian
Published on MindBodyGreen January 3, 2013

For a solid decade of my life, I dieted, lost weight, gained it back, tried a new diet, hated myself, became body obsessive and completely lost my intuitive sense of when I was actually hungry. When I finally tried what felt like every diet, and lower self-esteem was the only consistent result, I knew there had to be a better way.

I reached the point where the thought of a diet was more painful than the thought of getting honest with myself. This is when I stopped dieting.

What followed was a journey back to my true self, freedom, and a connection with my inner guide.

Below are some reasons to hop on an inner journey this year instead of another diet:

1. They are not based on your intuition.

Why would you want anyone else to tell you what and when to eat over your own intuitive knowing? Don’t look to anyone else to tell you what is right for you. When you really take note of how you feel after eating certain foods, you will naturally gravitate towards ones that nourish you. Let your intuition shine here.

2. They are often used as punishments for what you have eaten .

Food is not supposed to be stressful. Telling yourself you will start to eat “healthy” on January 1st implies an all-or-nothing mentality. There is no such thing as “good” eating days and “bad” eating days; it’s just food.

Since when did food have the power to dictate a good or bad day? You are giving that slice of cake all the meaning it has for you. No matter what you eat, make a firm decision that you will not punish yourself for it.

3. They are often very complicated .

Who really wants to count calories or weigh out portions? Eating is simple; eat what your body wants when you are hungry, and stop when you are satisfied. When you want to eat when you are not hungry, chances are there is a feeling or thought to look at and release instead.

I spent years using food to suppress my feelings, but what I have realized is that to feel them instead is not nearly as scary as we tell ourselves it will be.

4. They breed feelings of deprivation, which frequently leads to overeating .

And then the overeating leads right into some serious self-loathing and feelings of failure. All the sudden you find yourself back at #2 above. The good news is this is just a mental pattern you can change! You are innocent, beautiful and deserving of peace and happiness no matter what you do, say, eat or think.

Do not listen to the voice that tells you otherwise. Tell yourself often that you deserve happiness and love. You don’t even have to believe it. Just repeat it, but with enough repetition, eventually you will believe it.

5. Constantly doing things you don’t enjoy causes stress .

Planning out what and how much you are going to eat everyday can be stressful. I used to feel like I was in a food prison. I was scared to do anything out of my routine in case I would not be able to stay on my diet.

I often skipped social activities with my friends because I didn’t want to be tempted. This is not love; this is fear.

The truth is, you are not your body, you just have one. The body is a limit and you are limitless. Don’t wait for the promise of a diet to compel you towards change. The outer is a result of your thoughts. Set the intention to change your mind, and the body will follow. We give diets and food all the power they have for us, so this year, lets practice taking it back.

Dive into your thought system and look at the web of illusions you tell yourself about yourself. This is when our inner guides come forward and show us how to release these beliefs.

Just be willing, and the resources that you need will come to you. It might seem uncomfortable at first, but trust me; the freedom on the other side is more than a diet will ever offer you.

41 Yummy Pumpkin Recipes



Chocolate-glazed pumpkin pie cheesecake, pumpkin pecan tassies, pumpkin latte coffee cake….the all sound so delicious. But how about pumpkin mac and cheese? Or pumpkin shrimp bruschetta? Better Homes and Gardens has compiled a list of 41 mouthwatering pumpkin recipes to tempt even the most finicky of taste buds. Enjoy!

http://www.bhg.com/thanksgiving/recipes/pumpkin-recipes/

Alternative Halloween Treats for Kids



(from Parent Magazine)

You don’t need doctors to tell you that all the candy corn, chocolate, and other high-calorie goodies your kids collect at Halloween aren’t healthy — but they’re happy to remind you. “Given our nation’s alarming rates of obesity and hyperactivity, gorging on candy isn’t smart and sends the wrong message,” says Jessica Grant, M.D., of West Care Pediatrics in New York City. To stop the sweets overload this Halloween, consider handing out healthy snacks and nonedible treats like crackers, miniature toys, and temporary tattoos — items you might find in a typical goody bag. Even if you risk provoking an eye-roll or two from trick-or-treaters, these alternative Halloween treats are creative ways for kids to celebrate the holiday without adding to the sugar rush.

Playful Plastic Jewelry
We’re not talking Tiffany sparklers but plastic jewelry featuring cartoonish ghosts, black cats, pumpkins, and other creepy creatures. You can purchase them in bulk from Oriental Trading Company (144 necklaces for $10; 144 rings for $5.25). Looking for something a little less scary? Party City also sells colorful baubles in bulk. Pick up spiky woolly rings ($3 per dozen) or value packs that include rings adorned with butterflies, hearts, and rhinestones (48 pieces for $8). Some jewelry even pulls double duty: Kids can blow bubbles with bubble rings ($6 per dozen) or play dress-up with lip gloss rings ($10 per dozen). Or you can always buy packs of the ever-popular Silly Bandz from Amazon.com (24 for $2).

Outrageous Accessories
Horrifying accessories are terrific treats, and boys will also appreciate them. Skull key chains with jeweled eyes ($4 per dozen) are available from BuyCostumes.com, and Oriental Trading Company has cool pirate eye patches ($5 per dozen), gruesome glow-in-the-dark Martian fingers (72 for $7), and even fang whistles (48 for $8). Girls may prefer tamer options, like fancy Asian folding fans ($3.50 per dozen), cute animal masks ($6 per dozen), plastic Halloween clappers (72 for $18), or glow-in-the-dark light-sticks (50 for $35).

Bizarre Body Decorations
Temporary tattoos are always a hit with kids. Stick with a Halloween theme and hand out vampire bite (8 for $3) or Pirates of the Caribbean tattoos (8 for $4), both from BuyCostumes.com. At Oriental Trading Company, there are girly and glittery pirate tattoos (72 for $5) and Disney Princesses (72 for $10). Makeup is popular with tween girls, so consider two-tone lip gloss ($10 per dozen); for boys, there are glow-in-the-dark (72 for $5) or neon (144 pieces for $8) vampire fangs, also from Oriental Trading Company.

Awesome Arts & Crafts Materials
Stickers are always fun to collect and trade. At Party City, you can find items like black glitter Halloween stickers, character stickers (Sesame Street, Harry Potter), and generic sports and animal stickers, all for just a couple of bucks. The Hello Kitty sticker dispenser is a good choice for giving out individual stickers instead of sheets ($2.29 for the dispenser and six-foot roll of stickers). Oriental Trading Company has Halloween coloring books ($10 for 72), small boxes of crayons ($8.50 for 48 six-crayon boxes), and big bug stencils ($5.25 per dozen).

You can even make your own beading kits by combining nylon string with foam Halloween beads (500 for $6), packed in sandwich bags. At Amazon.com, you can pick up tiny containers of Play-Doh (24 for $17) or animal ink stamps (24 for $7).

Spooky School Supplies
Even though school’s in session, kids will love showing off brand-new Halloween-themed supplies. Oriental Trading Company has skull-and-crossbones pencil cases ($8 per dozen), cute candy corn notepads (24 for $5), and eyeball pens and notepad sets ($7 per dozen). Or pick up pencil sharpeners (24 for $6), pencil top erasers (144 for $5.25), syringe pens ($11 per dozen), and rulers (48 for $5.25) with ghosts, witches, black cats, and other creepy creatures. U.S. School Supply has bat and ghost pencils (144 for $21.45) and Halloween sets filled with pencils, erasers, and stickers (24 for $10.45).

Terrifying Pocket Toys and Games
Hand out miniature playthings that will entertain kids in the car or on the playground. “Boo Bunch” mini yo-yos ($3 per dozen), tiny pinball games ($6 per dozen), jacks and ball sets ($5 per dozen), and knockoff Rubik’s cubes ($15 per dozen) are all available at Oriental Trading Company. Inspire outdoor fun with bubble sets (48 for $6), sidewalk chalk (20 for $4.50), inflatable mini balls (25 for $10), and squirting fish toys ($5.99 per dozen). Find mini Uno games ($8 for four decks of cards) and safari-themed finger puppets (24 for $6.45) at Amazon.com.

Hauntingly Healthy Snacks
Cut down on the empty calories and sugar by giving out sensible snacks, like candy’s close cousin, sugarless chewing gum. “It’s a natural cavity fighter,” explains Philip Schnall, D.D.S., of Schnall & Farkas, a dental care practice in New York City. “Chewing stimulates saliva, which fights tooth decay.” Mini boxes, bags, and packages of raisins, apple slices, pretzels, string cheese, cereal bars, Goldfish crackers, and Pirate’s Booty are easy to find at the local supermarket — and are well-liked by kids. Or hand out Halloween-themed bags of baby carrots (BabyCarrots.com has packaged them as Scarrots) or Angie’s Kettle Corn, which is gluten-free.

To reduce or keep away the amount of candy in your home, Dr. Schnall encourages kids to participate in Halloween Candy Buy Back, a national program that pays kids $1 per pound of sweets that are shipped to U.S. troops overseas.