I have a secret to tell you (no real secret if you could have actually seen me this morning...) I am stressed and I feel worn out. Yes, I know that is totally far from what you read just two days ago (I was well rested and feeling great) but it only takes a day in my world to have a pounding headache and enough stress to break a back! Sorry to be a downer first thing in the morning but this is what my blog is all about.
What am I going to do about my mood??? Well, I am going to FEED it! Now I need to make a thing or two clear. When I say feed your moods that doesn't mean "Oh, gosh I am stressed, tired, angry, sad, I need a tub of ice cream and some cookies to make it all go away." NO WAY!!! What I mean by feeding your mood is to either change or stay the way you feel based on what you actually nourish yourself with. Almost always when I get stressed out or tired I do feel like going for the comfort foods, however I know that it will temporarily make me feel better but then the guilt will set in and worse, the calories. Instead, I do a little researching and find out what I can consume that may boost my mood or steer me in the right direction. Now don't get me wrong, your attitude plays a huge role in this too. I figure though, if you are setting out to find a particular food or nutrient to boost your mood, then you are in the right mindset. With that being said, I say if your attitude is "I want to FEEL better and I want to FEED myself better" then you are on the right track. When I am feeling the way that I do this morning, I am on a mission. The great thing about food is there are SO MANY choices that you are not limited to just a few things that can help you out. If you are not in the MOOD for a particular food that would boost your mood, chances are you have another option.
This morning I knew exactly what I wanted/needed.
DARK Chocolate. I cant think of a morning (except when I was 10 maybe) when I wanted something sweet for breakfast. Usually, I opt for oats, quinoa, toast or maybe a piece of fruit. Never have I wanted a donut, pastry or chocolate. Well folks, there is a first for everything! This morning, I wanted dark chocolate. I thought to myself "Why is this?" Well I will tell you! When you are in the right place (nutrition wise) you will find that you don't crave foods as much as before. I can remember in my Cheetos's days and sugary lucky charm mornings that I would tear some one's arm off for a french fry or strawberry ice cream if I had the craving for it. Now, because I live a balanced life style I find that my cravings are very limited and more often than not it is for a simple piece of fruit. Sorry to say but this morning I had a craving, and it was for chocolate. I payed close attention to this FEELING and thought about why. It was obvious to me once I looked up a bit about chocolate and it's properties towards your mood. I found that chocolate helps with mood boosting and for the exact feelings that I am experiencing this morning. So get on with it Heather! Tell us already!!! Ok, Ok Ok!
How it boosts mood: Just call it the ultimate comfort food. Chocolate has been found in study after study to improve a negative mood. Why? Besides evoking fond memories of holidays and happy occasions, chocolate has the optimal combination of sweet flavor and creamy texture to cause a very effective release of endorphins, which are mood-elevating hormones. Cocoa and dark chocolate contain significant amounts of antioxidant flavanols, which have been shown to improve blood flow in the brain.
Isn’t it great that we can have something that is not only good for us, but fun to use? Yes sir (or ma'am), dark gold, pure happiness! You’ve probably heard the buzz about dark chocolate, and how it’s good for your blood pressure, lowers cholesterol, prevents cancer and can fix nearly anything that is wrong with you, except that expanding waistline. (And for the record — white chocolate is not really chocolate at all. It’s milk solids and fat. No cocoa. Nada.)
The basic ingredients of dark chocolate include cacao beans, sugar, soy lecithin (an emulsifier to preserve texture), and flavorings. This yummy treat, which contains fewer milk solids than its more popular cousin, milk chocolate, often is rated by the percentage of cocoa solids in the bar. The cocoa content of commercial dark chocolate bars can range from 30 percent to above 80 percent.
Some of dark chocolate’s benefits come from resveratrol, an antioxidant (immune system booster) found in red wine, among other products. Its mental health benefits include the ability to boost brain levels of endorphins (natural opiates) as well as serotonin (a mood-altering chemical on which many antidepressants act). Because it can increase serotonin levels in the brain, dark chocolate also may increase serotonin production in the gut, and thus help your immune system.
But before you decide to switch to an all-dark-chocolate diet and throw away the rabbit food, keep this in mind: The recommended dose is one ounce per day. It doesn’t sound like much, but it may help reduce blood pressure and increase arterial blood flow, reduce the chance of blood clots and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Here’s another dietary caution: Downing a glass of milk along with your ounce of dark chocolate negates all the good stuff. Research has shown that milk interferes with the absorption of the antioxidants. So, in that case, all you get are the calories. Bummer.
Many chocolates can be high in calories, sugar, and saturated fat. To maximize the health benefits of chocolate, avoid eating processed chocolate products that have refined sugar and milk fat.
Instead, choose the purest dark chocolate you can find – the more raw and unprocessed, the higher the flavonoid content. The best dark chocolate to eat has at least 60% cocoa solids.
If that is not enough to convince you not to go wild in the candy aisle, try this: Eating too much chocolate each day can cause complications including migraines, weight gain, digestive tract problems (such as diarrhea), kidney stones and heartburn. Dark chocolate seems to have less of an impact on heartburn than milk chocolate and it may also be less of a problem in gallbladder disease, but no promises there. And all chocolate contains caffeine, which is a problem for some as well. As always, if you have any dietary restrictions, talk with your primary care physician before making any big changes.
Isn’t it great that we can have something that is not only good for us, but fun to use? Yes sir (or ma'am), dark gold, pure happiness! You’ve probably heard the buzz about dark chocolate, and how it’s good for your blood pressure, lowers cholesterol, prevents cancer and can fix nearly anything that is wrong with you, except that expanding waistline. (And for the record — white chocolate is not really chocolate at all. It’s milk solids and fat. No cocoa. Nada.)
The basic ingredients of dark chocolate include cacao beans, sugar, soy lecithin (an emulsifier to preserve texture), and flavorings. This yummy treat, which contains fewer milk solids than its more popular cousin, milk chocolate, often is rated by the percentage of cocoa solids in the bar. The cocoa content of commercial dark chocolate bars can range from 30 percent to above 80 percent.
Some of dark chocolate’s benefits come from resveratrol, an antioxidant (immune system booster) found in red wine, among other products. Its mental health benefits include the ability to boost brain levels of endorphins (natural opiates) as well as serotonin (a mood-altering chemical on which many antidepressants act). Because it can increase serotonin levels in the brain, dark chocolate also may increase serotonin production in the gut, and thus help your immune system.
But before you decide to switch to an all-dark-chocolate diet and throw away the rabbit food, keep this in mind: The recommended dose is one ounce per day. It doesn’t sound like much, but it may help reduce blood pressure and increase arterial blood flow, reduce the chance of blood clots and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Here’s another dietary caution: Downing a glass of milk along with your ounce of dark chocolate negates all the good stuff. Research has shown that milk interferes with the absorption of the antioxidants. So, in that case, all you get are the calories. Bummer.
Many chocolates can be high in calories, sugar, and saturated fat. To maximize the health benefits of chocolate, avoid eating processed chocolate products that have refined sugar and milk fat.
Instead, choose the purest dark chocolate you can find – the more raw and unprocessed, the higher the flavonoid content. The best dark chocolate to eat has at least 60% cocoa solids.
If that is not enough to convince you not to go wild in the candy aisle, try this: Eating too much chocolate each day can cause complications including migraines, weight gain, digestive tract problems (such as diarrhea), kidney stones and heartburn. Dark chocolate seems to have less of an impact on heartburn than milk chocolate and it may also be less of a problem in gallbladder disease, but no promises there. And all chocolate contains caffeine, which is a problem for some as well. As always, if you have any dietary restrictions, talk with your primary care physician before making any big changes.
Last night, when I got home I went to the mail box and found a UPS package waiting for me. What was inside, made me SMILE.
I was delighted to see that I had not one, not two, but THREE bars of NibMor dark chocolate!!! It also had a lovely card in it telling me that the folks there hope I enjoy it and are looking forward to my review. Well, first I would like to state, never have I gotten a hand written gorgeous card from a company saying so. What amazing customer service! I mean it, it made my evening after a VERY stressful day. It made me feel like I had gotten a gift and it was personal. Let me tell you a bit about the company first, then we will get into the good stuff!
At NibMor they believe that the food we eat should be as simple as possible. That means using ingredients made by Mother Nature, not someone in a lab coat.
What happens their kitchen? They combine the best of it all. Their ingredients are All Natural and Organic, plus they work in small batches to meticulously create artisan perfection.
This bar to me looked fantastic! I loved the packaging. When I saw that it was RAW, VEGAN and ORGANIC, I was sold! I opened the package and took a bite (last night). My first thought was "OH MY!!! This is love at first bite!" The chocolate was smooth, dark and semi sweet. Perfection in a package in my mind. Here is the bar it's self and the nutritonal info:
I give this bar a 10, no kidding!
I erg you to PLEASE go to their site to see what they have to offer in the chocolate department....You wont be sorry you did!
I came up with the following ten reasons why you need to consume more chocolate.
1. Reduces high blood pressure – flavonoids in cocoa (procyanids) help balance blood pressure and reduce blood clotting. Researchers from Germany’s University Hospital of Cologne found that cocoa consumption lowered blood pressure by an average of 4.7/2.8 mm Hg. The New York Times reported that dark chocolate is almost as effective at lowering blood pressure as common antihypertensive drugs.
2. Improves blood flow to brain – a University of Nottingham professor found that drinking cocoa drinks rich in flavanols improves blood flow to key areas of the brain for two to three hours. Flavanols in the cocoa drink are a key ingredient of dark chocolate. Professor Macdonald’s study also suggested that cocoa flavanols in chocolate may enhance brain function to help fight sleep deprivation, fatigue, and the effects of ageing.
3. Boosts mood – MSNBC reported that caffeine and other chemicals in dark chocolate can improve your mood and ease premenstrual symptoms. Mark’s Daily Apple wrote that the chemical phenylethylamine in chocolate has been found to trigger feelings similar to “falling in love.”
4. Prevents cell damage and 5. Improves blood sugar levels – Lisa C. Cohn, R.D., President of the Park Avenue Nutrition Spa in NYC, wrote that flavonoids in pure dark chocolate are responsible for these added benefits. Cohn said, “if you’re going to indulge on Feb. 14 or any other day, go for the purest dark chocolate you can find. That’s the kind loaded with flavonoids…”
6. Reduces risk of heart attack – a researcher from the John Hopkins University School of Medicine said that eating a few squares of dark chocolate every day may reduce your risk of dying from a heart attack by almost 50%. The study found that blood platelets clotted slower in people who eat chocolate.
7. Helps ease chronic fatigue syndrome – a study found that adults with chronic fatigue syndrome who eat 1.5 ounces of 85% cocoa dark chocolate were less fatigued after they eat chocolate.
8. Raises HDL cholesterol and lowers LDL cholesterol – a Penn State study found that diets high in cocoa powder and dark chocolate (with high flavonoid content) are related to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels when compared with diets low in flavonoids such as tea, wine, coffee, and onions.
9. Improves processing of blood sugar – an Italian study found that dark chocolate consumption increased the body’s metabolism of blood sugar and may reduce the risk of diabetes.
10. Eases a persistent cough – a UK study found that theobromine, a component in cocoa, may be more effective as a cough medicine than standard drug treatments. The research showed that “theobromine acts on the sensory nerve endings of the vagus nerve, which runs through the airways in the lungs to the brain.”
Ok, so I have completely went off on a chocolate tangent this morning. Maybe I was craving this dark goodness because it was the last thing that I ate last night and it sent me into a chocolaty dream land. Or maybe my stress tired body needed another small dose of it to start my day in the right direction. What ever it may be...I am listening and going to eat intuitively. Now, instead of going for that bar and eating half of it for breakfast I am doing what my body wants but in moderation. I am having this baby for my starter. 
Chocolate Covered Pretzel Oat Bran!
I made my oat bran as usual
-1/3 cup of Bob Mills Breakfast Oat Bran
-1/2 cup of Unsweetened Almond Milk
-2 egg whites (makes it so fluffy)
-1 table spoon of Salba
-ONE ONCE of NibMor dark chocolate
Mix all together after it is hot and then crushed up two Newman's Own pretzels.
NOM!
It was just what I needed this morning to give me more energy, get my chocolate fix and more importantly BOOST my mood! It did the trick and I am thankful to Jennifer for sending me the package my way. NibMor was so thoughtful with the card and very generous to give me more than one bar. Because you did so, I am sharing it and screaming from the roof tops about this chocolate. It is 100% awesome.
So, next time you are feeling not so great (and maybe that time of the month, shhhhh) go for a PIECE (not the whole bar lady) of wonderful dark chocolate. Incorporate it into a meal and make it extra special!
I will be talking more about chocolate in up coming posts so keep your eyes out. I have another company that is sending some my way and we will see what they have to offer as well. All in all, chocolate is not just chocolate. If you are going to go for the "gold" go for it. Get a fantastic bar and SLOWLY enjoy it!
I know that I am!
See you soon, with more reviews and moods!
-Heather
