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Yes, its true. Its the Dark Chocolate. Ive noticed that more women love Dark Chocolates, I really dont know why but its good to know that Dark Chocolate has its benefits.
Why is Dark Chocolate Healthy?
Source: http://longevity.about.com/od/lifelongnutrition/p/chocolate.htm
Chocolate is made from plants, which means it contains many of the health benefits of dark vegetables. These benefits are from flavonoids, which act as antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the body from aging caused by free radicals, which can cause damage that leads to heart disease. Dark chocolate contains a large number of antioxidants (nearly 8 times the number found in strawberries). Flavonoids also help relax blood pressure through the production of nitric oxide, and balance certain hormones in the body.
Heart Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate:
Dark chocolate is good for your heart. A small bar of it everyday can help keep your heart and cardiovascular system running well. Two heart health benefits of dark chocolate are:
* Lower Blood Pressure: Studies have shown that consuming a small bar of dark chocolate everyday can reduce blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure.
* Lower Cholesterol: Dark chocolate has also been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) by up to 10 percent.
Source: http://hubpages.com/hub/Healthy-Fruits-To-Eat
#1) The Apple that luscious fruit that we all have taken a bite of and it has been dubbed with the famous phase "An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away." But Why?
It contains phosphorus, which is an essential mineral that is acquired by every cell in the body for normal function and this is what individuals were told in the past.
The apple contains a larger percentage of phosphorus than any other fruit or vegetable. For this reason it is an invaluable nerve and brain food. Sufferers from nerve and brain exhaustion should eat at least two apples at the beginning of each meal. At the same time they should
avoid tea and coffee, and supply their place with barley water or bran tea flavored with lemon juice, or even apple tea.
Apples will afford much relief to sufferers from gout. The malic acid contained in them neutralizes the chalky matter which causes the gouty patient's sufferings.
Apples, when eaten ripe and without the addition of sugar, diminish acidity in the stomach. Certain vegetable salts are converted into alkaline carbonates, and thus correct the acidity.
The apple and it's many cures...
#2) The Banana was used for inflammation of all types as well as for typhoid fever, gastritis and peritonitis. Bananas are excellent food for anemic persons on account of the iron they contain.
A comparatively old-fashioned remedy, for sprained or bruised places that show a tendency to become inflamed is to apply a plaster of banana skin.
#3) The Cherry that has become known as the Super Fruit of all the Healthy Fruits To Eat and this is why.
Cherries are packed with antioxidants including anthocyanins and melatonin. Research indicates cherries may help maintain healthy joint function and supports a healthy cardiovascular system. This makes the cherry the great remedy for Gout, High Blood Pressure and Heart Attacks.
Source: http://feeds.health.com/health/cold-flu-sinus
Whether or not you get a flu shot, try these tricks to lower your chances of getting grounded by the flu, as well as to prevent colds and other infections.
Wash, over and over Your hands need attention. Use plain old soap and water, and make sure to rub vigorously for 15 to 20 seconds.
Avoid crowds The flu virus thrives on socializing. Do more shopping online than at the mall, and try to cover your face if someone sneezes near you.
Keep hydrated Membranes in your nose and throat trap viruses and move them back out in the form of mucus. Drink lots of fluids and gargle to keep your membranes in fighting shape, says Neil Schachter, MD, author of The Good Doctor’s Guide to Colds and Flu. But avoid humidifiers; they can spread germs.
Do vitamins Vitamin C may not fight off colds, but several experts still recommend it for keeping you healthy during flu season. Vitamin D and selenium may guard against the flu, too. Foods like orange juice or yogurt are usually fortified with vitamin D. And OJ has plenty of C. Brazil nuts and beef have loads of selenium.
Source: http://feeds.health.com/health/cold-flu-sinus
No matter where you go in life, somebody’s sneezing, and possibly spreading colds, the flu, or other infections. Strangers on the elevator, kids at day care, even those self-important colleagues who refuse to take sick days—they all pose a risk. Avoiding germy people is your best defense, but boosting your immunity is just as important for preventing colds, flus, and infections. And because your immune system naturally weakens as you age, charging it up is crucial during cold-and-flu season. Here, an age-specific plan for optimum protection.Your 30sLimit sugar and alcoholLife in your 30s often means fast-tracking a career, starting a family, and keeping up with an active social life—all at the same time. That can mean meals on the fly, sugary snacks for energy, and some social drinking on the weekends. As a result, your immunity can suffer, says Mark Moyad, MD, director of preventive and alternative medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center. “The sugar in just one can of soda can compromise immune system function by 30% for up to three hours,” he explains. How? By immobilizing some immunity cells and hurting their ability to surround and ultimately destroy bacteria. In addition, anything more than a few alcoholic drinks per week reduces the number of immunity-providing cells your body produces.
Dr. Moyad recommends that you not only limit drinking but also replace sweets with high-fiber snacks like oatmeal, whole-wheat muffins, or apples. Fiber is actually a prebiotic—a food source for probiotics, the friendly bacteria in yogurt and other products that help keep your gut strong enough to fend off invading bacteria and viruses. Also, try starting your day with cereals containing buckwheat (try Arrowhead Mills Organic Maple Buckwheat Flakes) or wheat germ (Kretschmer Wheat Germ); both are high in polyphenols, natural compounds linked to longer life and increased immunity.
Work out smarter, not harder
Robo-routines that get you a hard body in a few weeks may boost your physical confidence, but they actually slow down your immune system, says Len Horovitz, MD, a pulmonary specialist and flu expert at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Studies show that moderate exercise, however, helps immune cells circulate through the bloodstream at a more rapid pace, making it less likely that bacteria or viruses will slip through unnoticed. And the effect is cumulative over time. Aim for about 20 minutes of aerobic exercise (walking or running, for instance) plus 15 to 20 minutes of strength training three times a week. Then try some yoga for an extra boost: A Washington State University study suggests that doing yoga three times weekly—the equivalent of a moderate-intensity exercise program—reduces a key marker for stress inside the body, helping to increase immunity.
Your 40sGo to bed earlierYou may relish your downtime before bed—who doesn’t want an hour to read or watch TV after the evening rigors of helping with homework, doing the dishes or laundry, and whipping the household budget into shape? But if you relax at the expense of getting real sleep, fighting off colds gets harder. As little as 30 to 60 minutes of additional sack time per night is enough to up your immunity, Dr. Moyad says. “Sleep is a restorative process, and it’s necessary for the immune system to function properly,” he explains. Even a nap can help. “When you feel tired don’t fight it,” Dr. Moyad adds. “It’s your body’s way of telling you that you need to recharge.”
Learn new ways to relax
Chronic stress—whether it’s from a frustrating daily commute or problems on the job—slows down your immune system, making it react less efficiently to a threat like the flu virus, for instance. To fight back, try new forms of heavy-duty relaxation, says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, medical director of the nationwide Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers; he recommends transcendental meditation.
Your 50s and beyond
Amp up antioxidants
In your 50s, your risk of disease rises fast. To pump up your immunity, add more antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies to your diet. Research from the University of California, Berkeley, suggests that broccoli, cabbage, and kale offer the biggest immune system boost because they contain an important cancer-fighting compound. You hated kale the last time you tried it 10 years ago? Some evidence suggests that taste buds can “mature” in a way that can turn foods you’ve never liked into pleasurable adventures.
Another smart choice, according to pharmacist Suzy Cohen, RPh, author of Drug Muggers: How to Keep Your Medicine From Stealing the Life Out of You, is a cup of tea—but not just any cup. Her favorite is matcha, a powdered form of ground-up green tea leaves sold under many brand names and found in most health-food stores as well as online. One cup of matcha will net you the antioxidant protection found in 10 cups of brewed green tea and up to 100 times the antioxidant power of vitamins C and E, she says. Dr. Moyad suggests adding a spoonful of honey to your tea for extra protection: “It has incredible antibacterial powers.”
Follow your dreams
Pay a little more attention to those long-lost goals that help define the meaning of life—and your immune system’s natural killer cells may multiply, according to a University of California, Los Angeles, study. While researchers aren’t sure why, one theory suggests that focusing on what you really want to do reduces the immunity-robbing impact of everyday stress. Dr. Moyad says volunteering in your community can pump up your germ-fighting powers even more. Studies show that those who volunteer not only are healthier but actually live longer than folks who don’t. Stress reduction may be the hidden link.
Get your groove back
Now that the kids may be out of the house for long periods, make more time for sex. A study from Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., found that men and women who had one to two sexual encounters per week had a 30% increase in IgA, antibodies found in saliva and mucous membranes that are considered the first line of defense against cold and flu viruses. Exactly how or why sex causes the increase is not well understood—but sometimes science is just there to enjoy!
Source: http://feeds.health.com/health/cold-flu-sinus
Are you sniffling, sneezing, and coughing? If you’re like most people, you probably don’t relish the thought of lacing up your sneakers and hitting the road (or the gym) when you have a coldflu. But those who persevere when they're sick and don’t break their exercise routine may be on to something. Some experts argue that moderate exercise can actually have a beneficial effect on cold symptoms, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.
Exercisers in general tend to catch fewer colds than their sedentary counterparts, research suggests. If done regularly, moderate exercise can halve the number of days you spend with cold symptoms, according to a series of studies conducted in the 1990s. While working out may help fend off viruses, even the most dedicated gymgoer will come down with a cold at some point.
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