Health Tip: Does That Make Scents?
|
|
A rose by any other name would still reduce stress.
 Whether or not you think aromatherapy is a hoax, something fresh
and aromatic on your desk can lighten the mood. Fresh flowers have been
shown to help reduce stress levels, much in the same way a pet does.
On top of bringing a much-needed sense of humor into your office space,
fresh flowers can help ease the mind while plants help oxygenate. Not everyone has the time or money refresh the vase every week. So, try
placing dried flowers, like a bouquet of dried lavender, next to your
desktop. Research shows that lavender, for one, can lower stress levels
and create calming effect. And, (we're sorry) potpourri doesn't count.
Yoga also reduces stress. Bring it to work today! »
|
Showing Employees Some Love
|
|
In tough times, give a Valentine that lasts
US Workers put in the longest hours on the job in industrialized nations, clocking up nearly 2,000 hours per capita in 1997, the equivalent of almost two working weeks more than their counterparts in Japan, where annual hours worked have been declining since 1980.
Don't they deserve a little Recess?
Bringing a weekly or bi-weekly office stretch or yoga class to work is safe, fun, and an extremely cost-effective way to help you and your co-workers stay healthy.
Why wait? Get started today! »
|
Is Chocolate for Lovers?
|
|
This Valentine's Day get to the bottom of the hype.
What have you heard about chocolate?
That it staves off certain kinds of cancer? That it's an aphrodisiac? Well
whatever you have heard about chocolate it's time to get a few things straight.
First of all, chocolate does indeed
have some wonderful health benefits. In a study conducted by Dirk Taubert, MD, PhD, and
colleagues at the University of Cologne, researchers found that that dark
chocolate, not milk, not white, lowers high blood pressure. However, Taubert
says, chocolate is only effective in this way if you've reached a certain age
and have mildly high blood pressure. In addition to that, calories should be
taken away from your normal diet to compensate for the extra calories you take
in when eating chocolate.
Secondly, chocolate does have a wealth of
antioxidants, but in order to get even half the antioxidants in chocolate to
absorb into your body you have to eat very particularly. Dark, not milk or
white, chocolate is a strong antioxidant. In a study conducted in Nature, Dr. Mauro Serafini, PhD, of
Italy's National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research in Rome, claims that
"milk may interfere with the absorption of antioxidants from chocolate ... and
may therefore negate the potential health benefits that can be derived from
eating moderate amounts of dark chocolate." Even consuming dairy products
in conjunction with dark chocolate can negate its health effects.
Dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids, the
compound that causes the antioxidizing reaction in the body. Processing
chocolate and cocoa powered reduces the flavonoids drastically. Traditional
roasting and fermentation methods are thought to destroy up to three-quarters
of these compounds. This has encouraged chocolate manufacturers, such as Mars,
to develop methods of processing cocoa beans that would ultimately preserve
flavonoid content.
Truthfully, the best way to eat chocolate is in
the raw. Raw cocoa powder, and raw cocoa beans, which can be purchased at
health foods stores, contain the most flavonoids of any chocolate product on
the market. Cocoa powder, which is low fat, would surely be a healthier way to
get both our chocolate fix and our dose of flavanoids. Processed chocolate
often contains high levels of "bad fats." One-third of the fat in chocolate comes
in the forms of a saturated fat called stearic acid. However, unlike other
saturated fats, stearic acid does not raise levels of LDL cholesterol in the
bloodstream.
As good as a kiss? Better!
As for chocolate's hotly debated aphrodisiac
effect, researchers have found promising news. In the first place, chocolate's
sweet and fatty nature may stimulate the hypothalamus, inducing pleasurable
sensations as well as affecting the brain's level of serotonin. In the second
place, researchers at the University of Sussex have found that chocolate also
causes a chemical reaction in the brain very similar to that of a passionate
kiss.
Couples in their 20s had their heart rates and brains monitored while
kissing, and then while melting chocolate in their mouths. Melting chocolate in
the mouth caused a more intense and longer lasting "buzz" than
kissing, and doubled volunteers' heart rates.
"There is no doubt that
chocolate beats kissing hands down when it comes to providing a long-lasting
body and brain buzz," said Dr. David Lewis, leader of the University's research
team. "A buzz that, in many cases, lasted four times as long as the most
passionate kiss."
No date this Valentine's Day? Why bother? Grab a bar of dark chocolate and enjoy!
Want healthy ways to bond with your sweetie? »
|
|
