Which Chocolate is Good for You?

Which chocolate is good for you? It’s a common question among health-conscious eaters who want to indulge in something tasty while improving their well-being. Chocolate is very healthy for you but only if you eat the right kind. Otherwise, you’re doing your health more harm than good.

What Chocolate is Good for You?

The health benefits include improved circulation, lowered blood pressure, improved cognitive function, decreased anxiety, and better overall mood. Dark chocolate is also rich in free-radical-fighting antioxidants that can help slow the aging process!

When selecting your chocolate, you’re going to have to invest a little bit of money. Those 99 cent dark chocolate bars you see at your grocery store checkout are too processed to be of any real benefit. Instead, select an organic dark chocolate with at least 70% cacao content.

Also, the least amount of preservatives in your chocolate, the better.

Types of Chocolate to Avoid

There are dozens of types of dark chocolate on the market and it’s just as important to know which ones to eat as which ones to avoid.

Be sure to avoid any dark chocolate with these ingredients:

• Soy Lecithin

Despite what you’ve been lead to believe, soy is anything but a health food. It comes from the sludge left over after crude soy oil goes through a type of “de-gumming” process. Plus, 80% of soy is genetically modified, which means every time you eat a food product containing it, you’re eating pesticides.

• High Fructose Corn Syrup

High fructose corn syrup is terrible for your health. It has been scientifically-proven that this common food additive causes obesity. HFCS also causes chronic inflammation and has been associated with the development of autoimmune disease, diabetes, and cancer.

• Partially Hydrogenated Oils

Partially hydrogenated oils are trans fats and they’re terrible for your health. They raise bad cholesterol levels while lowering good, which leaves you at risk for developing heart disease and suffering a stroke.

• Artificial Colors

Artificial colors such as Red 40, Yellow 5, and Blue Lake have been linked to neurological disorders, behavioral problems, mood swings, and chronic inflammation.

• Dipotassium Phosphate

This common food additive has been shown to cause impaired kidney function when consumed over long periods of time.

The Right Drink for Chocolate

You may think that milk is the perfect drink to pair with chocolate but studies have shown that milk blocks the uptake of the beneficial calcium and magnesium in chocolate. Instead, pair your favorite organic dark chocolate with a cup of tea or a nice glass of red wine.

Chocolate is very good for your health. When you eat dark chocolate, you just have to know which chocolate is good for you and which to stay away from. Remember, the best kind is organic and preservative-free. Here’s to your health!

Click to Learn How to Lose Weight with Chocolate!

Improving Health and Wellness

In a world filled with quick fixes and promises, it can be difficult to know the best approach to improving your health and wellness. The health and well-being of millions of people is compromised each day by poor diet, stress, and toxins. The best way to improve your health is to go back to basics and live as naturally as possible, even in a toxic world.

1. Eat Well

The cornerstone of health and wellness is a nutritious, whole-food diet. If your diet consists mostly of junk food, you’re eating empty calories that fill your stomach but don’t nourish your body. Processed foods are laden with chemicals and preservatives that have been linked to the development of diabetes, autoimmune disease, and cancer.

First and foremost, to stay well, you must eat healthy. This means eating as much organic, unprocessed food as possible. Think dark, leafy greens, bright-colored fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, meat, poultry, and wild-caught non-GMO fish.

Your health absolutely depends on it.

Also, if you’re trying to lose weight, you don’t have to steer clear of all types of fat. Trans fats like margarine and vegetable oil are terrible for you and will not only guarantee you stay overweight but will increase your risk for heart disease as well. Saturated fats, however, are excellent for your health. Coconut oil, olive oil, and butter improve your digestion, decrease inflammation, and keep you feeling fuller longer.

2. Exercise

The next step to improving your health and wellness is exercise. There’s no need to do anything drastic but you have to get up and get moving at least three times per week. Even if all you do is take a nice long nature hike or a walk around the block, you’ll be improving your health.

When you get into a new exercise program, go easy on yourself. Overdoing it will guarantee muscle strain and soreness that will make it too easy to quit. Also, change it up so you won’t get bored. Dance, hike, do yoga, lift weights, and go swimming but just keep moving and you’ll live a better life.

3. De-Stress

Stress kills. Even if you burn the candle at both ends you still need to find time to rest and relax. At the end of the day try sitting in a quiet room for 20-30 minutes to do some deep-breathing exercises.

Something as simple as this can help cut down on chronic pain, mood swings, and episodes of insomnia. If stress becomes too much for you to handle on your own, join a support group or talk with a therapist.

Just knowing someone is there to listen to you can boost your sense of health and well-being.

4. Eliminate Toxins

You’d be amazed how many toxins you come in contact with in a single day. Everything from the cleaning products in your kitchen to the make-up in your bathroom is loaded with toxic poisons that can wreck havoc with your health. Each time you clean your home or take a shower, you’re exposed to neurotoxins such as bleach, formaldehyde, phenol, and kerosene.

The best way to eliminate these toxins is to get rid of them and start over with natural, organic substitutes. You can make your own cleaning products at home with baking soda, peroxide, castile soap, vinegar, and lemon juice.

Castile soap also doubles as a shampoo, laundry detergent, and dish soap and pure virgin coconut oil can be used as a toxin-free skin cream. Mineral make-up contains no parabens and is gentle on even the most sensitive skin.

5. Sleep

If you’re not getting enough sleep it won’t matter how healthy your diet or how toxin-free your home. Most people need at least 7 hours of deep, uninterrupted sleep each night for full muscle recovery and cellular repair. Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to obesity, heart disease, erectile dysfunction, adrenal fatigue, and autoimmune disease.

The key to health and well-being is within your grasp. You just have to make the commitment to these lifestyle choices. Eventually, they will become a part of your routine, as natural as breathing, and you’ll be amazed at how much better you look and feel!

Click to Learn How to Get Better Sleep Naturally 

Why Women Develop Autoimmune Disease

Millions of women struggle with autoimmune disease and their doctors are shaking their heads, wondering what’s going on. If you’re a woman with an autoimmune disorder, you may be frustrated by the conventional medical community’s approach to your illness.

What is Autoimmune Disease?

Under ordinary circumstances, the immune system only reacts when the body is threatened by injury or disease. An autoimmune disease is characterized by the body attacking its own healthy tissues.

Common Causes of Autoimmune Disorder

Conventional doctors often claim they have no idea what causes autoimmune disorders. Most naturopathic and osteopathic physicians have a different viewpoint.

They believe autoimmune disorders are caused by the following:

• Poor Diet

Poor diet is one of the leading causes of all health problems among women. Processed foods, fast food, donuts, cookies, candy, and soda are not only completely devoid of nutrients, they contain a bunch of chemicals that can really wreck havoc on your immune system.

Some of these chemicals include:

• Aspartame – Aspartame is a proven neurotoxin that can cause your immune system to malfunction.

• High Fructose Corn Syrup – Scientifically-proven to cause obesity, HFCS can also decrease your body’s ability to fight off disease.

• Food Dyes – Food dyes have been linked to the development of autoimmune disease, mental health problems, and cancer.

• Lead – Many brands of soda contain lead, which can lead to learning disorders and autoimmune disease.


• BPA – Bisphenol A (BPA) is a powerful endocrine disruptor commonly found in canned food.

• MSG – Monosodium glutamate has been known to cause allergic reaction, brain damage, headaches, obesity, and hormonal imbalances.

• Trans Fats – These are the worst. Not only do they cause extreme weight gain and heart disease, they also do serious damage to your immune system.

If you want to improve your immune system health, ditch the junk food and load up on organic produce, meat, fish, and dairy products. Become a label-reader and make it a rule that if you can’t pronounce it, you won’t eat it. Unless it’s organic yogurt containing lactobacillus acidophilus. You need more of that in your diet as it boosts your immune system in a serious way!

• Environmental Toxins

Autoimmune disease can also develop on account of constant exposure to environmental toxins. Conventional household cleaners, make-up, laundry detergent, shampoo, conditioner, and air fresheners all contain a potent cocktail of dangerous chemicals designed to do serious damage to your health.

Some of these chemicals include:

• Parabens – These dangerous chemicals have been linked to infertility, developmental disorders, autoimmune disease, and cancer.

• Propylene Glycol – These endocrine disruptors mimic the effect of estrogen on the body and can lead to cancer and decreased immune system function.

• Formaldehyde – This highly-toxic cancer-causing substance can do a serious number on your immune system, especially with chronic exposure.

• Phthalates – These chemicals have been proven to cause lupus.

To improve your health and decrease your chances of developing an autoimmune disorder, get rid of all of the toxic chemicals in your home. You can use pure castile soap in place of bar soap, shampoo, shaving cream, and laundry detergent as it contains no harmful chemicals. Switch your store-bought cosmetics for mineral make-up and you’re one step closer to leading a more natural, chemical-free life!

• Stress

When doctors tell you stress can kill you, they’re not making it up. Stress taxes the adrenal glands. Your adrenal glands are small glands that sit on top of your kidneys. When something stressful happens in your life, those glands release cortisol, testosterone, epinephrine, and  norepinephrine so you’re able to protect yourself or get out of the situation.

However, your adrenal glands were never meant to produce these chemicals on a daily basis. If they do, you can develop a condition called adrenal fatigue. Women with adrenal fatigue are often chronically tired, emotional, pale, and weak in their muscles.

Even if you’re the burn-the-candle at both ends type of woman, it’s important to make time for yourself. Even twenty minutes a day of quiet reflection in a darkened room can do wonders for your health. You can also take up a relaxing hobby such as hiking or yoga to get your stress levels down and your immune system up.

Autoimmune disease is not often successfully treated by conventional medicine. Because of this, many frustrated women turn to natural medicine to get the care they need. Beat your autoimmune disease by making healthy changes in your life and consulting a doctor who acts as a partner in your care. 

Click to Learn Inexpensive Ways to Treat Autoimmune Disease

How to Maintain Weight Naturally

After months or even years of struggle, you’ve finally reached your weight-loss goal. If you’re one of millions of people who shed pounds using any type of “fad” diet program, pill, shake, or pre-packaged meal, it’s especially important for you to know how to maintain weight now that you’re no longer using the product.

1. Keep Moving

If you want to maintain weight, you have to keep moving. There’s no reason to overdo exercise but it’s important to make sure you get at least 30 minutes of cardio and strength training three times per week. Whether you like to walk around the block, go hiking or take up a dance class, just keep moving and it will be much easier for you to maintain your new body.

2. Resist Temptation

If you starved yourself while on your diet, it can be very tempting to want to gobble up every cookie, candy, and cupcake put in front of you. Resist the temptation to binge. Now is the time to get acquainted with the healthy fats your body has been craving. Instead of hitting the vending machine, visit the grocery store and pick up some organic coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, avocados, and organic butter. These are the types of fats you want to maintain weight and keep cravings down.

3. Beware Hidden Calories

Just because you can’t put it on a plate doesn’t mean it won’t pack on the pounds. Don’t undo all those months of sacrifice by having too many drinks. A light beer will only cost you about 110 calories but a frozen margarita contains a whopping 740 calories per serving!

4. Decrease Your Portions

Just because you want to maintain your weight doesn’t mean you have to starve yourself. There’s no reason to avoid pizza and pasta, you just have to know how to control your portions. Eat slowly and chew your food carefully. Before going for seconds, wait 10-20 minutes for the food to reach your stomach.

5. Eat More Protein

You may crave carbohydrates and sugar when you’re hungry but real hunger satisfaction is in protein. Dining on eggs, meat, nuts, cheese, legumes, beans, and Greek yogurt fills your body with slow-burning fuel that helps you stay full longer and avoid vending machine or fast-food temptation.

6. Drink More Water

If you really want to maintain your weight, put down the soda can and pick up a glass of pure, unfiltered water. Soda is not only filled with empty calories, it also contains high fructose corn syrup, which is virtually guaranteed to pack the pound you just lost right back on. To maintain weight, 6-8 glasses each day is best.

7. Add Supplements

You can also help maintain your weight by adding some supplements to your diet. Probiotics are the live, active cultures found in yogurt and sauerkraut. Adding a high-quality probiotic supplement to your diet helps your digestive system better break down nutrients from food.

Psyllium is a bulk fiber that can be taken in pill or whole husk form to flush unnecessary waste from your body and cut down on belly bloat. Ginseng is an herb that helps maintain energy while cayenne pepper improves digestion and metabolism.

Click to Learn Why Diet Soda Keeps You Fat