Chocolate Every Day!

Nicole Carter

The Wellness Experience

A LITTLE CHOCOLATE IN YOUR DAY!

Would it be hard to convince you to eat a little bit of chocolate every day?  Most people trying to lose weight consider chocolate a serious no-no.  However raw cacao was originally used as a health tonic especially for the digestive system and for the kidneys as well as for health conditions such as anemia, fatigue, fever, low sex drive and respiratory problems.

Cornell University food scientists discovered that cocoa powder has nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine, and up to three times the antioxidants found in green tea.  Raw cocoa has the highest antioxidant value of all the natural foods in the world!

Cacao is one of the highest sources of flavonoids, potent antioxidants that have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and other aging diseases.  The high antioxidant levels have also been shown to have a beneficial and protective affect on the skin and may protect again sun damage and even skin cancers as well as improve skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and burn.

The chemical components in cacao and their effects are impressive and include:

anandamide - a euphoric substance

arginine - a natural aphrodisiac

neurotransmitters - stimulate and balance brain activity

tryptophan - an anti-depressant

antioxidants and other beneficial compounds known to have rejuvenating and anti-ageing elements.

Magnesium- essential for helping the heart to pump blood efficiently, building strong bones, and lowering blood pressure. (may explain the strong desire for chocolate during the female menstrual cycle)

sulphur – a mineral responsible for healthy skin, nails and hair.

Theobromine – may help with coughs

Dark chocolate can also help you lose weight! Because it has appetite-suppressant properties, cocoa is often added to weight loss products to help control hunger.

While you may have been told that chocolate is “fattening”, the truth is that the fats found in cocoa butter are actually healthy fats! Cacao contains oleic acid, a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat which is also found in olive oil and is believed to raise the level of the “good cholesterol” known as HDL cholesterol (the acronym HDL stands for “High Density Lipid”).

When it comes to chocolate, we are talking about the purest, unpolluted form of chocolate called cacao.  This is harder to find and is a far cry from a Hershey bar, however it still is chocolate! Cacao is naturally bitter, when consumed in its raw state cacao nibs.  But you can get all the benefits of cacao in dark chocolate and it only takes a very small amount consumed regularly.

Despite it’s benefits, chocolate is still high in calories so it should be eaten early in the day.  Since cacao naturally contains low levels of caffeine, consuming too late in the evening could potentially interrupt your sleep. Eat small amounts (less then ½ ounce) each day after lunch.  Enjoy this treat daily and known that you are doing something great for your body, guilt free.

Here’s my Fast and Easy Sugar Free Chocolate Recipe

1 c coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup monk fruit power
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1 tsp Himilayan Sea Salt
Sliced raw almonds (0ptional)
Get more info on healthy eating with my FREE MEAL PLAN at www.healthywithnicole.com

Eat Fat to Lose Weight!

For those people thinking that fats are something to eliminate from the diet, consider this…Fat is a major source of energy and aids your body in absorbing vitamins. It's important for proper growth, development and keeping you healthy. Fat provides taste to foods and helps you feel full so you eat less! Fats are an especially important source of calories and nutrients for infants and toddlers. Dietary fat also plays a major role in your cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is important in manufacturing chemicals and hormones in the body and especially the brain.

Somewhere along the way it was decided that eating fat was a bad thing. Why fat was singled out, I can only guess, is because it has more than double the calories as carbohydrate and protein (9 calories per gram vs. 4 calories for carbs and protein). It is true fat is more calorie dense, but it is also naturally occurring in smaller amounts in nature. For example, fruits are often larger and nuts and seeds smaller. So we still eat fats, just not as much.

There are fats we need and fats we should definitely avoid.

Here are the GOOD FATS THAT CAN HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT…

Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) and Omega 3 Fatty acids – These fats are not manufactured by the body, so we need to include those in our diet. They are needed for basic functions in the brain, and eating them can actually help you lose weight.
Omega 3 Fatty acids come from plants and fish that eat plants. I like chia seeds the best, which is a complete protein and has many other health benefits. Omega 3 fats help your body create a hormone called Leptin, which is responsible for telling your body when to stop eating. It also helps the body covert fat to fuel. Omega 3 fats help you to feel full longer, balance the blood sugar, reduce inflammation in the body and help the hair, skin and nails stay strong and supple. Omega 6 and 9 Fatty acids are also good, but the 3’s are the ones we get the least of and need more than the rest!
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) – This potent nutrient is called conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, and the best possible sources of CLA are grass-fed beef and raw (unpasteurized) dairy products that come from grass-fed cattle.

Medium Chain Triglycerides (MTC) – coconut oil, palm kernel oil (non hydrogenated)
These fats increase the metabolism, help the body use fat for energy instead of storage (body fat) and curb the appetite. Medium chain triglycerides are a form of fat that the body prefers to burn immediately, rather than store. Unrefined coconut oil is a very large source of MCTs, on average about 66% of it is MCT oil. This oil is great for cooking because it has a high smoking point, and can be used in all forms of baking and cooking where oil is needed. In addition to helping with weight loss, coconut oil has been used to prevent heart disease, cancer and diabetes as well as strengthen the immune system and improve skin and hair.

Some of the foods you might want to include over the holidays include those with Omega 3 Fatty Acids: Chia seeds, sardines, salmon, flax seeds and walnuts are excellent food sources of omega-3 fatty acids. For the CLA sources include grass fed beef in your recipes as well as cheese plates made with raw cheese and maybe some raw milk or creamer in your coffee. The last one is easy, MTC is best in pure coconut oil. This you can get my just replacing any oil you normally bake with.
Learn more about healthy weight loss by taking the Six Week Slim Down!

Nicole Carter is a Holistic Health Educator with 15 years of teaching and public speaking experience in wellness.  To book her for a presentation or learn about online learning opportunities please visit www.mywellnessexperience.org

Essential Oils For Women

Essential Oils for Women
Nicole Carter – The Wellness Experience

 Women have so much to deal with in our bodies. We have crazy hormones, PMS, pregnancy, births, menopause and countless other things along with way.  Thankfully we have an arsenal of natural products now available to help us with everything we encounter. My favorite is using essential oils, because they are multi-faceted for women with many needs! They help us on a chemical level, on a mental level, on a cellular level, on a spiritual level. So many ways to use and enjoy oils!  It can be overwhelming, or it can be an extremely fun and empowering adventure! I hope for you it is the latter! To make it simple to start, here are 10 easy oils to start with. I promise you its totally addicting! To learn more about using essential oils TAKE THE ONLINE PROGRAM ESSENTIAL OILS FOR WELLNESS!
The following TOP 10 Women’s Oils offer something special that women often need. Each oil is unique in its benefits!

1. Clary Sage

• anti-depressant
• soothing properties
• beneficial during women’s menstrual cycles and mood swings, eases discomfort

You can add a few drops into an Epsom-salt bath or, if the oil is labeled safe for topical use, you can massage a few drops directly onto your abdomen to ease cramps and discomfort.

2. Lemon

• energizing and de-stressing properties
• wonderful for cleaning and cooking

I add a drop of lemon essential oil into a glass of cold water each day. It is so refreshing, and I believe it is the reason I have been able to stay so healthy the last few months.

3. Lavender

• reduces stress and calms nerves
• helps with sleeping problems
• aids with skin irritations

This is probably the most-used oil in our home. We diffuse it aromatically before bedtime, add it to our baths, and apply it to the soles of our feet before bed.

4. Geranium

• balances oil
• aids with skin irritation
• conditions skin

Add a drop to your facial or body moisturizer, and to your shampoo or conditioner to help balance oil production and moisturize your skin.

5. Basil

• soothes sore and tired muscles
• can be used in cooking
• helps memory function and focus
• soothes insect bites

Apply directly to an insect bite or sting, and if you are feeling sore from an extra hard workout, add a few drops into a massage oil and massage tired muscles.

6. Wild Orange

• invigorating, mood lifter

Add a few drops into your body scrub and feel refreshed and awake as you step out of the shower each day.

7. Oregano

• boosts immunity
• works like a natural antibiotic

You can diffuse oregano aromatically to purify the air, or add a drop into a teaspoon of honey to soothe a sore throat.

8. Melaleuca

• contributes to healthy skin and nails
• antibacterial

Add a few drops to your laundry detergent for its antibacterial benefits.

9. Frankincense

• mood lifter
• helps with skin injuries and irritation

Add a drop to your moisturizer if you have sensitive skin or diffuse it aromatically for a boost in mood.

10. Ginger

• aids digestion
• helps eliminate motion sickness, nausea
• alleviates joint discomfort

Apply a drop to the bottom of your feet after a meal to help aid digestion, or add a drop to a glass of water to tame nausea.

To learn more about using essential oils TAKE THE ONLINE PROGRAM ESSENTIAL OILS FOR WELLNESS!