A Great Reason to Drink Cocoa

"A new study from the Yale School of Medicine found that people who sipped 2 cups of sugar-free cocoa daily improved blood flow by 5% and cut their blood pressure by 3-4 points, which can lower their cardiovascular disease risk. Skip packets with added sugar; the sweetener raises insulin and restricts blood flow, say researchers, limiting the benefits you'd get from the antioxidants in cocoa."



Source: Shape

Preventing Alzheimer's

Beth Reardon, R.D, an integrative nutritionist at Duke Integrative Medicine says, " Alzheimer's begins when a protein in the brain, called CD40, sends out stress signals trigerring an inflammatory response that ultimately kill brain cells." A new study from the University of Illinois found that green peppers and celery are packed with a flavonoid called luteolin. Luteolin diminishes CD40's signals and inhibits inflammation in the brain, which protects the cells from dying.


Source: Natural Solutions

Improve Your Posture

iPosture is a new device that can help improve your posture. The device (found at http://www.iposture.com/) is just bigger than a bottle cap and can worn on your bra, shirt, pendant, or directly on your chest. You record your posture sitting up nice and tall and throughout the day it will vibrate when you slouch for a minute or more. iPosture retails at $64.95 and it can help decrease pain from poor posture. It also helps you make good posture a part of your daily routine. Eventually, it will come naturally and you won't need the device.

Trans Fats = Colon Cancer

"New research from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill links high trans fat intake with increased growth of polyps that can lead to colorectal cancer. Study participants who ate 6.5 grams of trans fats daily were 86 percent more likely to have polyps than those who took in only half that amount."


Source: Natural Solutions

Teaching Children to Cope with Stress

Author Linda Lantieri (of Building Emotional Intelligence) has developed a curriculum to help children cope with stress in a healthy and productive manner. The following exercises are recommended for children 5 years of age and older.

1. Check in - help your child recognize some of the signs of stress (tense muscles, fast breathing, upset stomach, jumpiness, etc.) as a step in teaching them how to release it.


2. Make room for silence - try to make silent breaks a part of your daily routine. It could simply be a few minutes at the beginning or end of a car ride or before a meal. Then ask your child(ren) what they hear, see or feel during the quiet time.


3. Create a peace corner - this should be a special area where the child can go to be quiet. The space can include calming elements, such as chimes, a coloring book or journal, peaceful pictures or quiet instrumental music.


4. Honor nature - being out in nature connects us to "a sense of something larger than ourselves and lets us disengage from day-to-day preoccupations."

Source: Natural Solutions

Decrease Your Risk of Developing Gout

The British Medical Journal found that men who drink two soft drinks per day (sweetened with fructose) have an 85% chance of developing gout, which is a painful uric acid buildup that usually occurs in the big toe.

Reducing the Appearance of Cellulite

Cellulite occurs when fat storage chambers swell from connective tissues between the skin and muscle becoming loose. Denise Fuller, aesthetician, says you can temporarily "erase this cottage cheese" look. Try the following:

1. Exercise - do regular cardiovascular exercise and strength training to burn excess fat and strengthen your connective tissues


2. A seaweed compression wrap - helps you sweat out excess water and burn more fat because kelp increases body temperature and metabolism; the compression from the wrap smoothes out bumps for approximately 10 days; avoid seaweed wraps if you take thyroid medication or are allergic to shellfish or iodine


3. Dry brushing - use a natural bristle brush to brush upward on your legs, buttocks, and hips for five minutes per day; dry brushing helps to encourage circulation and improve the appearance of your skin


4. Take a coffee bath - soak in a bath filled with coffee several inches high (with pantyhose on); the coffee increases the flow of fluids and the bath is essentially a do-it-yourself wrap; if you don't have time for a bath, use coffee grounds to exfoliate your hips and butt

Source: Natural Solutions