7 Steps to Health Foods Supplements and Good Nutrition

In a perfect world you would be able to get all the vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids from our food that our bodies need.
The fact is almost 90 per cent of us do not eat the three servings of wholegrain a day which we should eat.

Good nutrition is very important in achieving an optimal healthy body. With the hectic lifestyle most people lead these days; we never always get to have a proper balanced and healthy diet.

Health certainly is the most crucial aspect of ones life. Dietary supplements when taken properly can help towards having that healthy life.

A list of tips and benefits from health foods supplements are as follow.

• People like body builders, and other such athletes are supposed to take extra intake of recommended nutrients, and where the normal sometimes fails to provide them with the extra amount of vitamins they require, they take health food supplements.

• Pregnant women need supplements also such as iron, and calcium. Children also do not always consume enough iron.

• To-day more than ever supplements are a necessity to providing ones body with the proper minerals including nutrients in order to strengthen the immune system and create healthy cells.

• Dietary supplements such as herbs consist of natural products. They are extracts from plant foods such as seeds, stems, roots, flowers and leaves.

• One should always consult their doctor before starting a supplement routine.

• Never purchase cheap supplements and always purchase in a health food store, not in a supermarket.

• Who benefits from health food supplements mainly? People on diets. Body builders. Athletes. Vegetarians older adults, almost every body when taken properly.

Are you interested in learning more on health foods and supplements?

If so I have just created a free new e-course called "10 Simple Step Guide to Health Foods & Supplements" To get your free e-course go here: http://www.foodhealthsupplements.com

Does Food Affect Our Health?

With the advancement of technology came the ability to generate enormous amounts of food through various methods of processing and packaging. For the last 50 years people have mostly been concerned about taste and convenience. Thus, a lot of energy was spent finding ways to make our food tastier (like adding saturated fat and salt) and making it more convenient (fast food chains).

During this last 50 years as the food industry was evolving down this path, the medical industry paid very little attention to the importance of foods in relation to one's health and well-being.

Our scientists thought they knew it all and concentrated on creating different drugs to combat all the various ailments and diseases.

Big mistake!

It is now commonly known that proteins, vitamins, and minerals are critical to good health. Our bodies manufacture 200 billion red blood cells each day, replacing all the blood in our body every 120 days. Skin is completely replaced every 1 to 3 months. It takes 90 days for old bone to be broken down and replaced by new bone.

Guess what your body uses to regenerate itself? Proteins, minerals and vitamins!

Not drugs.

Without a daily supply of proteins, vitamins, and minerals, no matter how much energy we get in the form of calories, our bodies and minds deteriorate because we are not able to fully replace the dying cells in our internal and external organs.

Did you know that the cause of most ailments and diseases are directly correlated to what we eat?

Food should be considered an offering to your body. You can get everything you need in order to live a very healthy life from good wholesome foods such as plants, nuts, fruits, seeds, grains, etc.

All that processed food that Americans are consuming on a regular basis is doing more harm than what most people can imagine.

It is time for the wellness revolution to take place. You can be one of the wellness entrepreneurs that save many lives and help others live longer, happier lives.

To Great Nutrition and Quality Life!

Crystal Herbelin is a Professional Internet Network Marketer with over 10 years experience in both Traditional Network Marketing and Internet Marketing. She is interested in helping the average network marketer by giving them the knowledge and resources needed to use the power of the internet for the rapid growth of their business.

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How to Give a Health Or Grocery Store Tour to Clients

Nutrition, health, and fitness coaches provide an invaluable service to their clients. Clients who have a coach are much more likely to improve their health on a permanent basis due to the amount of support and motivation they receive from their coach. There is a huge demand for health coaches, and more nutrition and fitness coaches have entered the job market.

As a new health or fitness coach, a popular service is to take clients to the grocery or health food store to demonstrate how to shop for healthy foods, make wise food choice decisions, read a label, and determine the difference between a good choice and choices which don't support a healthy body. A successful and helpful tour requires a few elements.

1. Variety: The health food store tour should cover all the sections of the store, produce, meat, fish, bulk, dairy, condiments, snacks, cereals, sweeteners, flours, bread, cookies, etc.

2. Advice: The client should be advised how to make their own determination between a healthy and not so healthy choice. Illustrate how to read a label and what to look for when making decisions.

3. Choices: Be sure to show the client which healthy foods you and your other clients have found to be both healthy and delicious as alternatives to foods they may be currently eating. Give them tips for transitioning to a healthy diet.

4. Reference: A grocery store tour can be an overwhelming amount of information for a client to digest in one hour. Be sure to have a reference guide to give to clients to refer back to at a later date.

The health food store tour is one of the most enjoyable and effective tools a health coach can utilize to support a client in transitioning to a healthier lifestyle.

Cheryl Heppard is a business and marketing coach to other health and wellness coaching professionals. Visit her website at http://www.MichiganHealthCoach.com to claim your free report "40 Simple Strategies to Make Your Website a Client and Profit Machine" as well as other free resources and tools.

Food for Healthy Nails

Nails are a protective horn at the end of our most sensitive extremities: fingers and
toes. They can often become injured from accidents or crushing weight such as
heavy walking or running. They can also become infected from bacterial or fungal
infections as well as separated from the nail bed or chipped from harsh weather.

The nails are often a reflection of our overall health or nutritional deficiencies. Some
ways to listen to what your nails are trying to tell you are:

o Iron/Protein/Calcium Deficiency = brittle, concave, ridged, white half moons

o Too much salt = external fibrous growths

o Nervousness / hyper thyroid = separation of the nail bed

o Respiratory Difficulties = bluish discoloration

o Bronchial Difficulties = yellowish discoloration

o Anemia = pale nail beds

o Vitamin A Deficiency = peeling nails

o Zinc Deficiency = poor nail growth

o Vegetable Quality Oils Deficiency = thin, brittle nails

o Consumption Extremes in Diet (especially meats and refined foods) = washboard
ridges

What we eat actually does affect the appearance of these external parts of our
bodies. Start paying attention to your hands (and feet!) and feeding your body right.

The food we put IN the body affects the health of our nails, but that doesn't mean to
completely ignore the food we put ON the body either. Contrary to many fabulously
smart marketing campaigns you don't need to spend a lot of money on chemically
enhanced products to experience strength and beauty on your outside.

Natural oils are an excellent way to treat the external condition of the finger and
toenails. Different oils affect the body differently. A great way to determine what oil
would suit your body best is to examine your heritage and connect to the
predominant oil in that part of the world.

Once you have determined which is best for your particular body's need use some
time in the evening to take a "nail bath" (remember ... the skin is our most
absorbent organ ...)

1. Allow your nails to soak in a small bowl of oil or gently rub the oil into the nails

2. Cover with cotton gloves, cotton socks

3. Sleep

Top Three Oils to Treat Your Nails Right

1. Coconut Oil: one of the few significant plant sources of lauric acid. This medium
chain fatty acid, which is also found in human milk, enhances brain function and the
immune system.

2. Palm Kernel: when unrefined, this high saturation oil is the one of the most stable
of oils providing strength and ultimate saturation to the skin.

3. Olive Oil: the most stable vegetable oil, high in vitamin E, provides support to the
liver and gallbladder (yes, no matter how you take it into the body).

Now, take a minute and think about how those chemically enhanced skin and nail
products are affecting your body ...

To your energy and success, Heather

Heather Dominick, “The Energy Expert” is an energy and nutrition specialist with over 10 years of teaching and coaching experience. Heather’s primary focus is in helping others identify sources for increasing physical energy and making permanent lifestyle changes. To sign up to receive your free chapter of the famed e-Book "Get EnergyRICH™", for her freebie how-to articles and no-charge teleclasses on creating your most energized life, visit http://www.individual-health.net [http://www.individual- health.net]

Chocolate- the Newest Health Food?

There are now even more reasons for chocolate lovers to rejoice! As more amazing research news comes in about chocolate, the substance is moving from a bad-for-you candy to an important health food. Those of us who had always continued to indulge in occasional chocolate treats can stop feeling guilty and now easily justify our cravings.

You may have already heard that chocolate contains beneficial flavonoids and antioxidents. Flavonoids are naturally-occurring compounds found in plant foods that are full of recognized health benefits. There are more than 4,000 flavonoid compounds, which are a subgroup of a large class called polyphenols. Phenols are believed to help reduce the risk of heart disease by helping prevent atherosclerosis. The flavanols in chocolate appear to help the body use nitric oxide, which is crucial for healthy blood flow and blood pressure, which means that chocolate might help reduce hypertension as well.

Red wine is know for its high phenol content, but an average bar of dark chocolate contains more phenols than 8 ounces of red wine. Scientists at Cornell University and Seoul National University examined the cancer-fighting antioxidant content of hot cocoa, red wine, and tea, and found that cocoa had nearly double the antioxidants of red wine and four to five times more than tea.

Holland's National Institute of Public Health and Environment found that dark chocolate contains 53.5 mg of catechins per 100 grams. (Catechins are the powerful antioxidants that fight against cancer and help prevent heart disease). By contrast, a cup of black tea contains only about 14 mg of catechins and green tea has about 30 mg of catechins.

A study at University of California Davis found that participants who ate chocolate showed a reduction in platelet activity. This means that chocolate has an anti-clotting, blood-thinning effect that can be compared to aspirin.

A Harvard University study of 8,000, with an average age of 65, revealed that those who consumed chocolate lived almost a year longer than those who did not. Those who ate one to three candy bars per month had a 36 percent lower risk of death (compared to the people who ate no candy), while those who ate three or more candy bars per week had a 16 percent lower risk.

A study of older men in The Netherlands, known for its chocolate, showed that those who ate the most chocolate, an equivalent of one-third of a chocolate bar every day, had lower blood pressure and a 50 percent lower risk of death. The researchers also noted the men eating the most cocoa products were not heavier or bigger eaters than the men who ate less cocoa.

And it's not just dark chocolate that is the only healthy type of chocolate. Most studies talk about the benefits of dark chocolate, but some of the most recent news about chocolate includes good news for milk chocolate lovers, who have been left out in the past.

The Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia did a study that shows that milk chocolate seems to boost brainpower. The groups in the test consumed, on different occasions, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, carob and nothing. Then they were tested for cognitive performance including memory, attention span, reaction time, and problem solving.

According to Dr. Bryan Raudenbush, "Composite scores for verbal and visual memory were significantly higher for milk chocolate than the other conditions." The study also found that consumption of milk and dark chocolate was associated with improved impulse control and reaction time. It seems that by consuming chocolate you get stimulating effects from substances found in chocolate, such as theobromine and phenylethylamine, which then lead to increased mental performance.

Chocolate really does make you feel good, too. It is known to stimulate the secretion of endorphins, producing a pleasurable sensation similar to the "runner's high" a jogger feels after running several miles. Chocolate also contains a neurotransmitter, serotonin that acts as an anti-depressant. Studies in England show that even the aroma of chocolate gives a bout of euphoria and will help lift the spirits.

And now people are looking at chocolate for skin care. According to Marlies Spinale, director of Tru Spa, "Like many other antioxidants, cocoa polyphenols are thought to offer the skin protection from free-radical damage caused by sun, pollution, stress, alcohol consumption and other factors. I believe that we will hear more about the benefits of chocolate in skin care."

Some people have been avoiding chocolate because one of the main ingredients of chocolate is cocoa butter. It was thought that it was an unhealthy fat, but actually cocoa butter is not unhealthy. It is made up of the beneficial fatty acids-- oleic acid (a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat also found in olive oil), stearic and palmitic acids. Stearic and palmitic acids are healthy forms of saturated fat. Plus chocolate contains vitamins A, B1, C, D, and E, as well as potassium, sodium, and iron.

So go ahead and indulge in a little chocolate, in moderation of course. I would recommend that you try to find organic chocolate, and stick with darker chocolate because it has more chocolate flavonoids and less sugar. (Sugar weakens the immune system; so don't consume sugar if you are ill.) And a little bit of milk chocolate is alright when you need an occasional milk chocolate brainpower boost, such as before a test. All you students take note!

Chocolate as a health food-- can life get any better?

By Dianne Ronnow, 2006 Mohave Publishing.

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Making Effective Hoodia Health Food Supplements

Hoodia is a succulent plant from the Kalahari Desert; it is currently taking the diet industry by storm with its appetite suppressant abilities. It has captivated the minds of diet manufacturers who are all keen to leverage its properties.

How do you make an effective Hoodia supplement?

Firstly you need the finest Hoodia Gordonii plants. Phytopharm owns the patent to the P57 extract from Hoodia and as such, they have bought up much of the Hoodia Gordonii and are growing it in massive government run farms in the Kalahari Desert.

Hoodia Gordonii is also a protected plant, which means unless you are government issued you cannot export it. The Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) rarely issues permits.

Secondly the centre of the Hoodia Gordonii plant should be used. The San People of the Kalahari do not eat the skin or the spines of the Hoodia plant. Extracting the pure herbal extract is a really difficult process. It takes about two thousand pounds of Hoodia Gordonii plants to make one hundred pounds of powder. It is expensive, but produces an extremely effective supplement.

Thirdly, there are ethical business practices to consider. The Western drug companies are keen to squeeze every penny of profit out of everything they produce. Sadly, this is at the expense of the indigenous tribes and their rights. As the just way to legally get Hoodia Gordonii from the Kalahari Desert is by the government run farms, it's very easy for the government to track which companies must pay royalties, if the company supplying your Hoodia supplement is not paying any sort royalties to the San People, they are not using genuine Hoodia Gordonii.

You also need to ensure quality control is in place. Many companies may be tempted to dilute the pure extract with a filler in order to conserve the pure extract and maximise their profits. The best way to ensure the extract works and does what it says it on the cover is to test it yourself. Use the supplement and notice the difference, if it is not working then stop using it.

Due to costs there is little chance of finding it in pill form at the moment. However, liquid extracts are accessible and you can buy them from a number of known suppliers online. The nice thing about liquid extract is that it is absorbed by the body quicker, it is more natural, and can be mixed with juice to make it taste better.

If your keen on utilising this revolutionary diet product and would like to know where to buy hoodia, then I suggest you check out: Where To Buy Hoodia or http://www.wheretobuyhoodia.info/

Acai Berry Vs Maqui Berry - Can This New Health Food Beat Acai?

Acai berry has won the coveted place of being the darling of millions for over a decade now. The food is especially favored for the wide range of health positives that it singly delivers. Acai is after all a natural product that counters aging, boosts overall health, improves digestion, counters obesity, improves skin tone and complexion, all at once. But there has been recent buzz that Maqui berry could replace acai as the ultimate "superfood". Does the speculation really hold water? Well, let's find out:

1. About The Maqui Berry First...

If you are a health enthusiast, you would know of acai for sure. Maqui berry being a comparatively recent discovery in the niche, let me explain a bit about it to you. The maqui berry belongs to the same family as acai, gogi and pomegranates.

2. The Maqui Edge

Quite expectantly then, the food has great antioxidant potential too. This Amazonian fruit in fact is touted as the next biggest sensation in the health foods niche on that very basis. The maqui berry scores higher beating even acai berry on the ORAC scale. That is really commendable but does that give this berry the ultimate edge over acai? Keep reading to know the reality.

3. Why Acai Still Occupies The Favored Spot?

Having been acquainted with the maqui berry's advantage of having an ORAC value of 2500 as against 1027 for acai, the fact that the latter still qualifies to give maqui a competition ( and beat it at it too ) cannot be denied either. Let me explain how. Maqui could possess this natural edge over but acai still remains the "most nutritious and powerful foods in the world". This is because it contains omega 3 oils, which are extremely essential for inducing weight loss but are unfortunately amiss in maqui. Acai therefore eliminates the need for additional omega oils supplements consumption for the users.

4. What Makes Acai The Favored Choice?

Apart from the above mentioned positives, there is another aspect that puts acai in a favored position. That pertains to the popularity and easy accessibility which acai is invested with. Needless to mention, the technology for acai processing, handling and marketing is much more advanced than that of the maqui berry and therefore it can be expected to be entailing better positives health wise. As for maqui, maybe it would take another 5-6 years to give acai a cut-throat competition.

It must be clear then that while maqui could technically be labeled superior (courtesy, its ORAC ranking), acai still makes for a better health package.

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Your Morning Cup of Joe - A Health Food?

Where do you stand on caffeine? Like so many other innocent, naturally occurring effects from a food substance, this one has been demonized. Others have been the calming effects of tryptophan in turkey, the endorphin rush from really hot peppers. But I digress, I'm hear to defend your morning cup a joe.

I guess from that first sentence you can tell where I stand. I am firmly on the side of love it, use it, wouldn't live without it. Now I didn't say couldn't. I can, and I have given up coffee, and all other caffeine delivery systems at times. Once I switched to decaf coffee thinking it would help me remain calm while running a 185 seat restaurant in NYC in 80s. Lucky for me I hated the decaf and went right back to my old friend. It seems that I was instinctively pumping up the brain cells with my morning mug and by only having one, I was able to stay calm and alert.

I read this recently in Dr. Julian Whitaker's newsletter and it's pretty funny. He is pro-caffeine too and says, "If coffee were harmful then emergency rooms all over the world would be chocked with people suffering the ill effects of their favorite morning beverage.

Hadn't thought of it that way had you, you anti-caffeine folks?

In recent decades, some 19,000 studies have been done examining coffee's impact on health according to WebMD supporting the idea that caffeine is not the devil and in fact does lots of good for some.

First coffee improves concentration and alertness, and boosts mood. In fact just the smell of coffee can relieve stress in animals. Coffee can also stop a migrain, curb appetite, and increase the effectiveness of aspirin and analgesics. Excedrine and Anacin as well as some prescription meds contain caffeine.

Now here's some really interesting news, drinking coffee reduces the risk of Parkinson's disease as much as 80%!

But wait, there's more.

Compared to those who fear and shun coffee, those who drink at least 2 cups a day are 80% less likely to develop cirrhosis of the liver even if they drink a lot of alcohol.

We are half as likely to get gallstones and 25% less likely to get liver cancer.

Though it is often cited as a risk factor for breast cancer a recent study spanning 22 years and involving 86,000 women found a weak inverse association between the two in postmenopausal women only.

And maybe some of the best news of all for those with type 2 diabetes are at risk of it just came out of Harvard. After analyzing data on 126,000 people for as long as 18 years, Harvard researchers calculate that compared with not partaking in America's favorite morning drink, downing one to three cups of caffeinated coffee daily can reduce diabetes risk by single digits. But having six cups or more each day slashed men's risk by 54% and women's by 30% over java avoiders. Now that's a lot of caffeine and more than many of us can tolerate without getting jittery, not to mention the too much acid being loaded into our systems. The point here is that coffee with caffeine can be a part of a disease prevention meal plan.

What makes coffee so healthful first of all is the protective antioxidants-in the average daily consumption, which is 1.65 cups, coffee provides 1299 mgs of antioxidants. Tea, the second richest source of antioxidants supplied only 294 mgs. And believe it or not, coffee contains 2 mgs fiber per cup. Again, these facts came via Dr. Whitaker's latest newsletter.

On the flip side, it's clear that coffee isn't for everyone. Its legendary jolt in excess doses -- that is, more than whatever your individual body can tolerate -- can increase nervousness, hand trembling, and cause rapid heartbeat. Coffee may also raise cholesterol levels in some people and may contribute to artery clogging. But most recent large studies show no significant adverse effects on most healthy people, although pregnant women, heart patients, and those at risk for osteoporosis may still be advised to limit or avoid coffee.

I didn't even cover the benefits coffee in particular can give your workout-especially those who work out for long periods of time. Suffice to say there is nothing devilish about caffeine or coffee as long as it works for you. My hope here was to give you back a beverage you might have at one time loved but threw under the bus because the food police led you astray.

Now we can wake up, smell the coffee, drink the coffee and bow to the coffee for its health benefits as well as how it makes us feel.

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Health Benefits Of Cucumber

When the cucumber became important as a health food in the eighteenth century, it did not take long for people to forget those medical properties which had been well-known first of all to the Greeks and Romans and then later to the Arab physicians.

Today we see the cucumber as a provider of a very healthy juice beneficial for its properties as an increaser of the flow of urine and as a complement to the effects of celery and carrot juice for rheumatic conditions, while at the same time being a soothing skin lotion.

Japanese research in the first half of this century indicated that there was a valuable substance present in the cucumber juice for the treatment of the whole intestinal tract. Sad to say this work has not been pursued and the active factor still retains the secret of its identity.

Other health benefits of cucumber is derived from the fact that it is very low in calories, about 4 per ounce (54KJ per 100g) being an average figure. Very high potassium contents have been claimed for the plant which from the most up-to-date analyses available would seem to be an exaggeration. The vitamin content is also generally to be found between low and average for the edible vegetable.

Nevertheless, cucumber juice is certainly beneficial the treatment of rheumatic conditions. It does not matter too much that the reason for this effect is not clear. What is important is that it helps many sufferers.

Although the whole juice is the best skin lotion it is worth remembering that the peel itself, like lemon peel, should always be retained and used on the hands especially after they have been in a strong detergent or in very hot water. It is not necessary to rub hard - indeed skin care with cucumber should be a gentle, fragrant art.

Kevin Pederson has been managing a number of natural home remedies websites which have information on home based natural cures and some guidelines on the benefits of different fruit and vegetables.

What Is Noni Juice - An Ancient Health Food

What is Noni Juice and what makes it work so well? That question has been asked by alternative health professionals for years. There is no simple answer to the question of "What is Noni Juice and what makes it work so well?" but there are many theories floating around that may lead to an answer in this burning debate.

What Is Noni Juice?

The first half of the question is fairly easy to answer. Noni Juice is the juice of the Morinda citrifolia plant grown in many tropical climates like Hawaii, Tahiti, and the Cook Islands. While the plant is native to the South Pacific, it has transplanted quite well to many other warm, moist growth climates. Most companies who sell Noni Juice sell a variety of other Noni based products, including one hundred percent pure Noni Juice, organic Noni Juice, and fresh Noni fruit leather. For the past two thousand years, natives to Southern Pacific Islands have been using the fruit to heal all sorts of ailments. Natives suggest that Noni Juice can be used to keep the infection out of open wounds and prevent more serious illnesses from forming in the body.

What Makes Noni Work So Well?

This is much harder to answer than the simplistic "What is Noni?" question. As with most alternative medicine products, modern science simply hasn't completed enough research yet to answer this question. Dr. Ralph Heinicke suggested that the alkaloid xeronine makes Noni work well, and that could be the case. There are, however, many other possibilities. One idea that has been presented is that Noni works so well because it, like many fruits and vegetables you can find on your local store shelves, is packed with powerful antioxidants that are natural to fruits. These can help your body to fight infection. This is exactly why scientists have been telling you for years to eat a balanced diet. Noni can certainly be a part of that balanced diet. Another idea that has been presented is that Noni works well because of the kinds of soils it naturally grows in. Most Noni grows in climates that are free of pollution. Moreover, most growers have the opportunity to plant it in nutrient-rich soil, increasing its capacity to contain the vitamins and minerals your body needs to thrive.

Figuring out the answer to "What is Noni Juice and what makes it work so well?" is a tough road. Hopefully, scientific research will have a solid answer soon.

Dean Iggo is the webmaster of NoniJuiceAdvisor.com providing unbiased hawaiian noni juice information including noni fruit juice benefits, testimonials and products.

Chocolate - Nature's Own Health Food Treat

Pure, fresh chocolate is one of the healthiest treats on earth! Not the highly processed, mass produced, cheap, sugary junk you find in most supermarkets.

Good, pure chocolate is chock full of flavonoids, which are some of the most powerful antioxidants on earth. And that's the key to their natural goodness. Take a look at these facts:

CHOCOLATE FACT #1: High in antioxidants. Ounce for ounce, chocolate is one of the richest food sources of these crucial substances. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals--rogue oxygen molecules that can accelerate aging and the problems that come with it.

CHOCOLATE FACT #2: Rich in valuable micronutrients. Chocolate supplies meaningful amounts of potassium, zinc, magnesium and iron.

CHOCOLATE FACT #3: As a safe, mild stimulant. Chocolate actually has relatively little caffeine, but many people notice a quick increase in alertness and improvement in mood that can last hours after eating.

CHOCOLATE FACT #4: Cholesterol neutral. Chocolate has been found to help promote healthy cholesterol levels. And, believe it or not, the fat found in chocolate is "cholesterol neutral," meaning that it doesn't have a negative effect on cholesterol levels.

CHOCOLATE FACT #5: Good for blood pressure! People who ate just over 3 ounces of premium quality dark chocolate each day for two straight weeks had an easier time maintaining healthy blood pressure, according to one study. And, according to a 2003 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, chocolate helped promote healthy blood pressure levels in the subjects studied. Chocolate helps relax blood vessels so blood can flow through them easier.

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Budget Friendly Tips For The Health Food Shopper

It's really strange how all the healthy items at fast food places and in grocery stores are more expensive than the junk food or unhealthy items. Well, regardless of how it happened we can no longer use this as an excuse for not eating right. Eating healthy and staying on a budget may seem difficult in this economy, but if you keep a few simple rules in mind it can be done.

• Eat before you go shopping
• Shop the perimeter of the grocery store
• Stick to your budget

I know, these rules seem too simple right. Well it's easy to fall off track if you don't practice them each and every time you go shopping. Let's look at number one for example. I forgot to eat before I went to the grocery store one day and I came home with so much junk food, microwave meals and box dinners it wasn't even funny. I started planning my meals the next day and when I read the nutrition labels on the boxes I was floored at how much sodium and sugar was in the products that I bought! Needless to say, some of those meals made me sick and I gained a lot of water weight that week. Surveys have shown that people who don't eat before they shop tend to impulse shop more that people who eat before a shopping trip. After my experience, I make sure I eat before any shopping trip, even when I got to buy clothes. This tip really works.

Next I make sure to shop the perimeter of the store. Let's take a look at what products are on the outside of the store; fresh bread, produce, meat, and dairy products. These items are on the outside because they have a shorter shelf life and have to be changed out more often if not purchase in time. Shopping in these areas every week will guarantee that you'll be eating foods that are fresh and healthy, but they can be expensive if you decide to buy the organic items. This is where the last rule comes into play. Stick to your budget. If the steak looks good, but you have chicken in your budget this week, then get the chicken and put steak in your budget for next week. If you ate a little something before you went shopping, then the steak shouldn't temp your taste buds that much. Try just one of these rules for a month and watch what happens. You'll save a little money, start to eat healthier and lose weight all at the same time.

Felicia B. White is a photographer, song writer and poet. She graduated from the Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale and moved to Georgia with her husband 12 years ago. Felicia and her husband found a church home at Berean Christian Church in 2005 and they have been using their ever growing faith in God to lose weight and build a better marriage. Felicia is writing poetry and weight loss articles to help her win her battle with weight. Hope you enjoy the articles. To read other articles please visit http://healthylivingdietplans.com/

Bananas Are a Great Health Food

If you're looking for something that is easy to eat that also tastes good and is good for you, you can't go wrong eating a banana! Every banana is naturally packaged with the peel, so they are easy to store or take with you on the go, then you can just peel and eat one when you're ready.

One of the best things about bananas is the fact they have lots of potassium. This mineral is important to help maintain proper functioning of all the body's cells, tissues and organs. Potassium not only helps maintain cell health, but it is also an important electrolyte in the human body. That means potassium will conduct electricity in the human body, along with other minerals like calcium, chloride, magnesium, and sodium.

Potassium works hard to provide good muscle functions too. It is downright vital to heart function. It also plays a major role in other muscle contractions, both smooth and skeletal. That means potassium plays a role in both normal digestive function, which uses smooth muscles, and body movement using skeletal muscles.

But bananas are full of more healthy substance than just potassium! They are also a good source of vitamins B6 and C, plus they have a lot of fiber. And if that isn't enough, bananas are also full of antioxidants. Since the level of antioxidants increases as a banana ripens, that means the riper the banana, the more antioxidants it has.

Besides eating this healthy fruit fresh, bananas can also be used for cooking and baking. They can be combined with all kinds of other foods. For instance, lots of people add bananas to smoothies to add more nutrition and give the drink a fuller body and texture. Bananas can be sliced over a bowl of cereal, cut up and put in fruit salads, or baked in muffins or other quick breads. There are just a diverse number of ways to eat bananas.

Bananas are just a super healthy food! Isn't it great they also taste good?

By the way, you can learn lots more about healthy foods at http://www.healthycookbook.org site. Discover all kinds of great tips for a healthy diet right now!