The Wellness of YOU!! — # 26
posted in Nutrition and Weight Loss |Some Great News for Valentine’s Day!
Yesterday we talked about a very important test you need to do with your doctor that will tell you more about your wellness, fitness and weight loss goals.
Today I want to stay in that same train of thought, but I also don’t want you to forget that not only is February National Heart Health Month, it is also the month where Valentine’s Day makes its appearance.
Somewhere along the way our society here in the USA has associated Valentine’s Day as a day when we give the one we love some sort of token of our feelings. It might be a nice bottle of wine — or a dozen roses — or a heart-shaped box of gourmet chocolates.
Even the children get involved — they have all those little Valentine’s Day cards that they have to give to every one of their classmates. And those little candy hearts that have all the goofy sayings on them — oh boy, dentist here I come — talk about pure sugar!
But, that’s not where I was going with this today.
I want to talk about your heart. As I mentioned this month is National Heart Health Month, and there’s actually some good news for all of you chocolate lovers out there. The American Heart Association had done a “heart-warming” study — the results of which show that there is some solid evidence that dark chocolate may reduce heart disease.
It turns out that DARK chocolate (notice the emphasis on the word “DARK” — that does not mean “Milk” chocolate — there is a difference!) — anyway — DARK chocolate contains an abundant dose of flavonoids.
And you’re probably saying, “Whoopee — what the heck is a “flavonoid?” — Am I right?
Flavonoids are those antioxidants that are found in red wine, green tea, fruits and vegetables. You know, all those other food items that are connected with a decreased risk of coronary heart disease and stroke — and are also good for you.
Look at this…
“Previous studies suggest flavonoid-rich foods, including fruits, vegetables, tea, red wine and chocolate, might offer cardiovascular benefits, but this is the first clinical trial to look specifically at dark chocolate’s effect on lowering blood pressure among people with hypertension,” reported Jeffrey Bloomberg of Tufts University in Boston, who led the study. (Source: CNN.com)
Now be careful here … now that you know that dark chocolate has some health benefits — that doesn’t mean you should go out and eat a whole box of it. Don’t forget that any chocolate is high in fat, sugar and calories. So, once again, moderation is key. What this study shows is that it’s okay to have some dark chocolate, just not too much, okay?
And for all you white chocolate and milk chocolate lovers, there’s some bad news. While both white and milk chocolate contain the same fat, sugar and calories as dark chocolate, it provides none of the healthful benefits. You also want to try to find the dark chocolate with a high amount of cocoa content. I found some once that had a 70 percent cocoa content. Most health food stores carry dark chocolate with good cocoa content.
And here’s something else I found that was interesting:
There’s a product called the Wine Lover’s Chocolate from The San Francisco Chocolate Factory. This decadent after-dinner treat comes with suggestions for pairing different wines with varying degrees of cocoa.
The chocolate is available in six varieties along with suggested wine pairings. A Zinfandel, for example, is best paired with the 72 per cent chocolate variety, while a heavier port is better suited for a lighter 54 per cent pastilles.
Wow! Now you know what to get your lover for Valentine’s Day, right?
Remember to be careful of what you eat and stay with your regular exercise. Here is some information about the nutritional supplements I add to my wellness, fitness and weight loss program.
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You can find out more about the supplements that I take and highly recommend by looking at these pages: — My Health Products – Testimonials — and Uses for My Products. Read through those pages and then contact me with your questions. I’m here to help you to achieve your health and fitness goals. My contact information can be found at this site: |
Have a great day. I’ll be back tomorrow with some more wellness, fitness and weight loss thoughts for you. Remember, get that blood test done so you know what you need to do to keep your hearth healthy. And have a piece of nice dark chocolate!
Shanti,
Ron
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