SanDanYi.com

Nutritional Information

Nutritional Information covers a wide variety of subject matter and in truth there are always so many new discoveries that this is not an area of knowledge that is easy to apply to our lives. I find in this particular industry a new discovery always seems to invalidate some of the previous discoveries on any given product or issue. However, I believe there is a fundamental knowledge in nutritional information or what I call oldie but goody standards that will always contribute to our overall health and well being.

In my healing practice I have always maintained that no matter what issues you are working on in life, your body is the vessel used to make your journey in life. No matter what your current health status may be, without good health or the aspirations to achieve it, you will not be able to complete our life’s work in this dimension. I personally prescribe to preventative measures as I feel if we are preventing then we do not need to be curative in our approach to physical health. With this in mind you will find many interesting articles and health related topics for your perusal!

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Healthy Chocolate – An Indulgent Way to Deliver the Restorative Power of Antioxidants to your Body

Healthy Chocolate?  Yes it’s true… Your health can benefit from a fairly new concept that many people are just starting to learn about.  I first heard about the availability of healthy chocolate in March of 2009 and since then I have discovered the health benefits of eating ‘raw’ chocolate to be nothing short of amazing.  During this brief period of time, I have not only been able to satisfy my chocolate cravings, which is critical to my happiness, but my body is now naturally more healthy and balanced.

What’s the Difference? Chocolate is Chocolate…

So how does healthy chocolate differ from regular store bought chocolate?  The key word here is ‘raw’ which you will not find on the wrapper of any Hershey, Ghirardelli or Cadbury chocolate bar.  ‘Raw’ chocolate contains significant levels of Cacao which is accepted by many researchers to be the number one super food on the planet today because of its very high antioxidant ratios.

Antioxidants are compounds found in various foods which help to neutralize the free radicals which attack our body every day, all day long.  Out of control free radicals are responsible for causing our body to become unbalanced which can lead to illnesses such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, wrinkled skin and even cancer.  Some of the best sources of antioxidants can be found in tomatoes, blueberries and Acai berry juice.  Compounds found in these foods are now being recognized by the medical world for their restorative powers and doctors are suggesting more and more that we consume foods high and rich in antioxidants in order to repair free radical damage.

Healthy Chocolates are made with raw cold pressed Cacao (the number one super food on the planet), Acai berry (the number one super fruit on the planet) and Blueberries (the number two super fruit on the planet) which are then blended with high quality dark Belgium chocolate.  The mouth watering Belgium chocolate effectively becomes a highly efficient delivery system for assuring your body regularly receives the antioxidant benefits of the world’s top super foods.

Prove It!

Dr. Steve Warren of University of Utah, completed a study titled, “Healthy Chocolate Science Update Report” which scientifically proves how the antioxidants found in Healthy Chocolate allow you to enjoy a guilt free chocolate fix while improving the quality of your life.

So, if you are looking for for more more information on an alternative way to deliver high antioxidant rich foods to your body or are simply tempted by an indulgent guilt free desert, then please visit me at Body By Chocolates.

Your Chocolate Temptress,

Jean Kelsey

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Fennel and Peppermint – These Essential Oils are Culinary additions which can also Improve your Health

Fennel and Peppermint are two of my favorite essential oils which can be used on a daily basis as an addition to almost any of your culinary desires. More importantly when fennel and peppermint are combined they can really help with digestion and relaxing the intestinal tract.

Cooking with Essential Oils for increased health can encompass many aspects of the body as I believe many things that are derived from Nature have curative properties.  While fennel and peppermint can be added to almost any dish, I prefer to use these two oils in my favorite tea. 

Follow these easy steps for improved intestinal health:

1. Place 3 drops of Fennel and 3 drops of Peppermint oil directly onto any tea bag and let it settle into the tea leafs for about 3 minutes.

2. Next take the tea bag and place it in your tea cup with hot water and let it seep for about 5 minutes.

3. Remove the tea bag and sip the tea shortly after you have had a meal. 

If you are having digestive problems this will help alleviate any cramping or the formation of gas in your intestinal tract.

I really like the tea method of delivery because the oils do not mix well with water.  When you let the essential oils absorb into the tea leaves it allows for efficient and effective delivery to your overall system. This method makes it easy to enjoy the benefits of fennel and peppermint without having to prepare more time consuming meals.

One Billion People Can’t Be Wrong…

Many of my friends from India use fennel seeds and then eat them right after a meal to aid in digestion.  If you eat in an Indian restaurant you may notice as you are leaving a dispenser for fennel seeds sits near the cash register.  This is because in Indian culture it is well known that fennel is an effective aid in digestion and a deterrent to the formation of gas.

A Few Final Words…

Remember not all essential oils are for internal use so please only use peppermint and fennel.  Please ask your doctor for approval, as an extra precautionary measure, if you are under a physician’s care for any conditions where the essential oils may further aggravate your condition.

My intestinal health has always been a challenge for me because as a child my uninformed doctors and parents prescribed too many antibiotics.  I have been successfully using fennel and peppermint for quite some time and I really appreciate the relief I get from using these two very special essential oils.

I hope you do also.

Namaste,

San Dan Yi

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Healthy Chocolate is a Wonderful Way to Reap Long Term Health Benefits by Eating a Delicious Sweet Treat.

Healthy Chocolate can go a long way towards improving your overall health.  This all seems like a dream but did you know eating healthy chocolates three times a day can reap bountiful, long lasting health benefits?  How is this statement possible?  Well…Chocolate, especially raw chocolate, is the number one superfood on the planet.  A superfood is a term used to describe certain types of food with high phytonutrient content.  Phytonutrients are chemical compounds that occur naturally in plants and include familiar compounds such as beta-carotene, lycopene and flavonals.

Healthy Chocolates and the USDA Food Pyramid

The USDA developed a ‘food pyramid’ to help everyone understand which foods and how many of those foods you need to consume each day in order to keep your body healthy and in balance. Many more people would be much healthier if they consumed all of the USDA’s listed daily recommended fruits and vegetables. The world wide epidemics we hear about in the daily news, such as swine flu, would no longer pose a threat to most individuals. So if you are not “tapped into” the USDA’s food pyramid, three healthy chocolates a day can really help fill in the nutritional gaps when your diet doesn’t really meet the needs of your body.

You will Never Look at a Banana the Same Way…

People who engage in unhealthy dietary habits can greatly benefit from eating healthy chocolates. Healthy chocolates systematically deliver the three top superfoods on the planet to your body while blasting your system with potent antioxidants. The high levels of antioxidants begin to repair, restore, detoxify and cleanse the body by neutralizing the multitude of free radicals that regularly attack our bodies each and every day.

Not sure what that means? Imagine the following… Within days of purchasing green bananas they begin to ripen by turning yellow and if not eaten in a timely manner they quickly deteriorate into an unsightly brown color. Now think about your skin… Free radicals are always attacking your skin. When you are young your body has no problem defending itself against the free radicals. However, over time the daily battering of free radicals takes its toll and your skin ripens just like a banana. However, instead of turning brown your skin becomes wrinkled.

What we do not see or cannot wrap our heads around are what those free radicals are doing to the inside of our bodies!

What does Science say?

Scientific studies have proven that by consuming healthy chocolates people are actually experiencing immediate and long term health benefits. Dr. Steve Warren and the University of Utah are conducting studies on the health benefits of eating cocoa rich raw chocolate. Their studies have determined the following:

• Cocoa may delay, or even prevent, dementia.
• Cocoa can help slow the effects of Parkinson’s.
• The Ingestion of cocoa leads to an increase in cerebral blood flow lasting up to four hours after ingestion.
• Increased brain blood flow can contribute to a decreased risk of dementia, stroke, or other vascular cognitive impairment.
• Research points to the fact that unprocessed cocoa powder improves the function of the pancreas and lowers diabetic risk.
• Cocoa has also been observed to be as effective as weight loss, exercise, medications and other dietary supplements in increasing insulin sensitivity.
• The epicatechins in cocoa can protect the heart muscles after a heart attack.
• Cocoa lowers blood pressure by decreasing oxidative stress.
• Cocoa lowers blood pressure through stimulation of nitric oxide levels in the body.
• High levels of flavanols found in chocolate can improve mental acuity when taken in the proper amounts.
• Research proves that flavonoids from ingested cocoa are being utilized by the body, and positively affect the body’s immune system.

These findings are just the start…

These are just ’some’ of his reported findings.  You can learn more about the benefits of healthy chocolate by reading Dr. Warren 2009 Science Report.

So as you can see, the people who eat healthy chocolates on a regular basis reap specific health benefits generated by the chocolate. There is hope to feel like you ‘used to’ and it’s a chocoholics dream to be able to eat chocolate in order to feel better as opposed to drinking a dietary suppliment or popping some pills.

What would you rather put in your body to feel better?  Eating delicious nutritious healthy chocolates are quite satisfying because letting just one melt slowly in your mouth three times a day makes you feel like you have had multiple chocolates.  There is a chocolate party waiting to happen in your mouth and you are invited!!

Your Chocolate Temptress,

Jean Kelsey

Follow me on Twitter! @ImmaChocoholic

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Raw Chocolate Is Powerful… Embrace Its Antioxidant Properties!

Raw Chocolate is Powerful?  Yes this statement is true, but what does it really mean?  First, let’s take a look at what various media such as television, radio, internet, magazines and newspapers are saying about the benefits of antioxidants.

Alton Brown of the Food Network often talks about antioxidants during his show Good Eats (now celebrating its 10th season on air) and recently he can be seen in a commercial walking through a field of Concord grapes talking about polyphenols.  Polyphenols are powerful antioxidants found in plant based foods but what is the big deal about them anyway?

Well… recent Polyphenol research reports indicate quite strongly that they help prevent disease and cancer while helping to improve cardio vascular health.

Let me explain… Each time we breathe we create free radicals.  Oxidative stress is uncontrollable yet it does damage cells through free radicals.  We can help neutralize free radicals by consuming foods high in antioxidants which help reduce cell damage and oxidative stress.   So it’s nice to see more of these informative commercials and ads using words like antioxidants and polyphenols.  I feel it’s about time people become familiar with important antioxidant terminology!

Here are just a few popular polyphenol infused foods: Grapes, Cacao, Legumes, Blueberries, Strawberries, Olive Oil.

Follow the Lead of The Baby Boomers…

As baby boomers mature, they are becoming more health conscious.  Most baby boomers want to feel better than they did yesterday or they just want to feel more like the way they ‘used’ to feel when they were younger.  In order to achieve these results, many individuals resort to drastic changes in their diet.  This is one of the primary reasons so many people are now embracing a balanced vegetarian or vegan lifestyle.  These lifestyle changes inherently incorporate high amounts of naturally occurring antioxidants into a person’s daily diet.  As a result, vegetarians and vegans often achieve excellent results with respect to improving their quality of life and extending their individual longevity.

Others just can’t wrap their heads around going Vegetarian or Vegan because they love meat and carbohydrates.  As a result, positive dietary changes may never happen until a person is faced with a life threatening illness.  Often time is against these people because too much accumulated damage has been done to their bodies.  My question is, “Why wait until you are dealt that card?”   A more enjoyable quality of life is attainable now by eating better foods and getting as many antioxidants as possible delivered to your body on a daily basis.

Antioxidant Foods… The List Is Long, The Choice Is Yours!

Ok, this all sounds great but where can I get these nutrients?  Looking at that list above, what item sounds most appealing?  My choice is without a doubt… Cacao! Why? Because it’s chocolate!  More importantly, it’s a great way to add a powerful antioxidant to your diet without having to initially make drastic changes to your daily eating habits. In addition, if you are Vegetarian or Vegan it is a great way to supplement which ever lifestyle you are currently embracing.

RAW Cacao… A Wonderful Superfood!

Cacao is a very high source of polyphenols and contains the flavoid Epicatechin.  Epicathechin is pronounced ‘epi  CAT a Kin’ and is a powerful antioxidant that helps blood flow by dilation of veins and arteries thus helping with cardiovascular disease.  It also is a great help for those with diabetes. “Studies show that epicatechin and other flavonoids exert a protective role on osmotic fragility of cells, similar to that of insulin.” (Top Cultures) For more information on Epicathechin please visit: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition where you can read many more articles regarding chocolate research findings.

Farmers who harvest these giant pods of gold remove the beans and the pulp and let them ferment for a few days in the sun. They then prepare them for shipping to giant chocolate companies.  During the process these beans turn to a wonderful hue of earth tones from brown to red.

Beware of Store Bought Chocolate!

Unfortunately, most store bought chocolate loses a significant amount of its potency during processing because the heating process destroys the naturally occurring antioxidants.  You will find the ORAC levels of many mainstream chocolate bars to be significantly lower than what is found in RAW Chocolate.  The important thing here is to remember that you are looking for at least 70% cacao in your chocolate of choice.

Read the label and see if you can pronounce every ingredient listed on there and if you can’t then I would have to ask, why put it into your body?  Taking time to find the good stuff will give you these powerful antioxidants that everyone needs every day.

Raw chocolate is certainly powerful!   Watch for new studies from the medical world which will certainly be covered by the various media concerning the POWER OF CHOCOLATE! Chocoholics and their friends around the world will now have an excuse to eat raw chocolate and not feel guilty any more.

I Love Chocolate…Tell me about your Favorites!

I am always interested in learning about people’s favorite chocolates. My favorites are called, ”Healthy Chocolates!” They are raw cold pressed so I know I am getting 100% of these wonderful nutrients because they are not cooked.  What is your favorite raw chocolate?

Your Chocolate Temptress,

Jean Kelsey

Follow Me On Twitter!

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Tea Party Anyone? Explore the Amazing Healing Aspects of Kukicha, Essiac and Green Teas!

Green, Kukicha and Essiac Teas possess amazing positive self healing properties. While I do not consider myself a master of tea knowledge, I have seen these three teas have very positive effects on various health issues, including cancer, weight loss, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.  So let’s take a look at what I call the Three Wonders of Nature.

Green Tea… The Antioxidant Powerhouse!

Green Tea is largely indigenous to regions within China and Japan and its real healing benefits arise from the fact that it contains very high anti-oxidant levels.  This tea can be taken cold or hot and over the past 5 years it has become more common in the Western World, so much so, that now you can find it in many sport drinks and various Starbuck’s products.  Just remember, many of these drinks lose their potency when the Green Tea is mixed with other unhealthy ingredients containing sugars.

Green Tea has been used in Asian cultures for over 3 thousand years to assist with weight loss. The National Cancer Institute has also published results saying that Green Tea was shown to reduce the onset of esophageal cancer in Chinese Men and Women by as much as 60%. Now that is an impressive finding! Green Tea is also beneficial in helping lower cholesterol by bringing greater balance to your blood’s LDL and HDL levels.  These are just a few of the benefits of this tea!

There is one drawback to Green Tea… It contains very high levels of caffeine (although less than a regular cup of coffee).  So make sure to check with your personal medical professional before consuming this tea in large quantities over an extended period of time.

Kukicha… Bringing Balance to your Everyday Life

Kukicha this is generically referred to in the healing industry as Japanese Twig Tea because it is made from the bark of the tea plant. In Japan, Kukicha is known as the poor man’s tea because all the other parts of the tea plant are sold and exported to other countries.  Tea farmers would cut the tea stems and leaf branches into small sections, then soak and dry them in the sun. Afterwards, the stems are stored up to three years in paper bags where they are slowly consumed over time.

I drink this tea quite frequently, even more than green tea, because it balances the body’s PH levels.  Acid Alkaline Imbalance is often intensified by other negative dietary factors such the consumption of too much meat, eggs, processed foods and simplistic sugars.  These dietary choices lead to an overly acidic bodily environment prone to common disease.

Acidic systems are conducive to the formation of cancer cells.  Cancer cannot survive in an alkaline enriched environment so when there is little or no alkaline found in the body you become exposed the possibility of experiencing degenerative health issues.  Alkaline forming foods such as grains, fruits and vegetables are necessary to offset the negative effects of bad eating habits.

In truth, most people with poor diets don’t eat vegetables, grains or fruits and their entire system is out of balance.  Kukicha is also very high in vitamins and minerals such as calcium, zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, and fluoride. So you see, this tea is a very valuable ally when trying to bring into equilibrium what is usually a self induced condition of the body.  Without a doubt, Kukicha is a must have for your at home tea selection.

Essiac Tea…The Cancer Fighting Tea!

Essiac Tea is mostly known in the world of herbal medicine and natural remedies as a powerful ally to the body when fighting various types of cancers.  In natural remedy circles it is simply referred to as the “Cancer Tea”.

This tea was discovered by Rene (pronounced Reen) M. Caisse, a Canadian nurse. A prospector’s wife told Caisse of this tea concoction which she brewed to help her fight breast cancer. Over time, Caisse created her own variation of Essiac tea and used it on patients during the early 20^th century.  It is now believed to be quite beneficial in the fight against cancer.

Much is written on this subject and many Canadians feel her formula is still the best when it comes to potency and effectiveness.  Unfortunately, quite a few companies have jumped on the Essiac bandwagon in order to cash in on the tea’s cancer fighting properties and there are now many different formulas available.

Essiac Tea is not actually one specific tea leaf but rather a blending of natural elements (Burdock Root, Sheep Sorrel Herb, Slippery Elm Bark and Turkish Rhubarb Root) that when brewed in a tea form have profound healing effects. I use this tea occasionally as my “physical body’s personal tuning fork” to balance my system and keep any future maladies from attacking me.

Please remember, as with any tea or herb it is best to consult your physician before embarking on dietary changes utilizing such powerful natural healing products.  Essiac Tea should especially be taken under the direction of a qualified health care practitioner because it can have negative effects when not used properly.  When treating cancer, its use should also be varied according the type and stage of cancer being treated.

Well this completes my viewpoints on these wondrous healing gifts of nature and hope you enjoyed my rendition of the real Tea Party.  The one that is thrown by nature and has been around for thousands of years!

Namaste,

SanDanYi

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