NaturalCounselor Health and Wellness Blog For Women

Are you a chocolate lover?  Is it because you appreciate chocolate for its health properties. If you know chocolate can be healthy, did you know that its because of the cacao (cocoa) beans its made from, and that healthy chocolate needs to contain at least 72% cacoa.  Cacao  contains flavonoids that have high levels of antioxidants, which can boost your immune system.  Chocolate can also protect you from heart attack and stroke by lowering blood pressure, reducing inflammation and improving your mood.  Did I mention that chocolate can be used as a homemade beauty recipe to improve your skin?

So if you want to feel healthy and look fabulous, try these two homemade chocolate recipes.

Homemade Chocolate Facial Beauty Remedy Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp cacao
• ½ tsp honey
• 1 tbsp sour cream or yogurt / kefir or 1 tbsp avocado
• 1 tsp oatmeal powder

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Apply on the face, gently massaging it so that oatmeal can start exfoliating the dead skin cell layer. Leave it on for about 20 minutes and rinse off with luke warm water.

Healthy Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound (about 250 grams) of good-quality semisweet chocolate (72% cocoa content)
  
• 1/4 cup all purpose cream (or whipping cream) 
• 1 teaspoon strong coffee
• Cocoa for dusting

Directions:

Melt the chocolate. Warm up whipping cream in a saucepan. Add one teaspoon coffee to cream, stir, and remove from heat. Mix all the ingredients and stir well until thicken. Put into refrigerator for at least for thirty minutes and then form into truffle-sized balls. Roll the truffles in the cocoa. Lay out on waxed paper and refrigerate again before serving, but serve at room temperature.

Don’t forget to breathe, smile and be happy.

Irina Wardas, HHC

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition Counselor and Coach

NaturalCounselorBlog.com

Chocolate…. Mmmmm. Are you smiling already? Chocolate…

We, women, like chocolate so much because like light, exercise, laughter and sex, chocolate triggers the release of endorphins, which leave us with an instant feel good mood. In general women are more sensitive to chocolate than men, and that is why we can use chocolate can boost our serotonin level to fight our moodiness and seasonal depression.

Did you know that chocolate is better and I mean healthier than kissing? When we kiss or eat chocolate our heart rate and brain activity both increase, but with chocolate it lasts longer. We burn 34 calories in 30 min during light kissing.  I am wondering how many calories we burn while eating chocolate. 

Studies show that chocolate  the main ingredient cocoa- contains health beneficial antioxidants flavonoids. They, like in fruits and vegetables, help prevent cancer and heart disease and stroke by protecting our immune system from radical damage and fighting inflammation.

When we talk about healthy benefits of chocolate we mean healthy  dark chocolate, and the more cocoa in chocolate, the darker and healthier it is. 

Dark chocolate is very good for us, but we have to eat it in moderation because of its sugar and fat content. Even if it is made with cocoa butter and has less blood cholesterol, it still has a lot of calories, fat and refined sugar, all which can make us fat.

Good healthy quality chocolate should contain  70-75% cocoa and have cocoa butter as an ingredient. Avoid chocolate with milk solids or with any mention of alkali or Dutching / Dutching cocoa which is known to have no nutrition value.

So instantly feel in a good mood with healthy dark chocolate and a glass of red wine full of antioxidants and toast to us, ladies, while breathing, smiling and being happy!!!

© Irina Wardas, HHC

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition Coach and Counselor

NaturalCounselorBlog.com 

Many people underestimate the value of good old fashioned apples. Apples are one of the best whole fruits; a super food we should eat every day. An apple diet can keep the doctor away!

All whole fruit contains valuable minerals, vitamins, enzymes and fiber. Are you wondering why apples?

1. Healthy Apple Fiber.

Apples are rich in fiber pectin, which we can use to improve our complexion, metabolic balance, and blood pressure. Pectin (soluble fiber) lowers not only cholesterol but also body fats. How great is that?!!  Apples improve digestion, and also help with some digestive concerns (for example, if you have indigestion or diarrhea – have an apple; if you have  constipation – have an apple!).

2. Natural Apple Antioxidants.

Apples are full of antioxidants to fight free radicals and support the heart, immune system, and brain.

3. Apples as an Energy Booster.

Apples are also a perfect healthy snack and natural energy booster.

But remember that apples contain natural sugars, so if you plan to eat many apples a day, don’t forget to pay attention to your weight.

And, unfortunately, apples can contain high levels of pesticides, which means that you should buy them organic, but remember, they should still be washed.

4. Apples as a Detox Food.

Apples and their juice can be used as one of the foods that detox naturally. They can do a natural cleanse of the intestinal tract with fiber, which is very helpful if you want healthy detox weight loss results to lose extra pounds. The pectin in apples can not only reduce cholesterol, but it can also remove certain toxic metals from the liver, such as lead and mercury, and residues of radiation.

P.S. Don’t forget that you can also use apples to make Apple Water that you can use to reduce wrinkles.

Breathe, smile and be happy.

©Irina Wardas, HHC

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition Coach, Counselor, and Relationship Expert