What are catechins and epicatechins??

Catechins and epicatechins are found in a variety of plant sources. The largest source of catechins in the human diet are found in chocolates, wine, teas and vegetables.

Catechins also demonstrate antioxidant activities. Remember antioxidants are needed to remove the toxins from our bodies, but our bodies don't make these so we must find products that are high in antioxidant levels to keep our bodies healthy.

Studies have shown that catechins can reduce atherosclerotic plaques, therefore are beneficial to us for cardiovascular purposes. Epicatechins can reduce the risk of 4 major health problems: stroke, heart failure, cancer and diabetes. A professor named Norman Hollenburg who teaches at Harvard Medical School, did a study of people in Panama who drank 40 cups of cocoa a week and found that the prevalence of the major 4 health problems was less than 10%. He believes that epicatechins should be considered essential to the diet and should be classed as a vitamin.

We can obtain the power of epicatechins and catechins by adding products made from unprocessed cacao to our daily diets. It is true that catechins and epicatechins can also be found in fruits and vegetables, but the body needs to capture as many different types of catechins as possible such as those found in tea and chocolate. Dark chocolate has higher concentrations of catechins due to the higher levels of cocoa.

Be sure to add unprocessed cacao to your daily diets to get the highest levels of catechins and epicatechins in your system needed to prevent the 'Big Four': stroke, heart failure, cancer and diabetes.

Until next time,
Dr. Daisy

Did you eat your veggies today??

Remember growing up and having your mommy ask those famous words, 'Did you eat all your veggies?' I certainly do, but did she really know why veggies were so important?

We have been taught to have a variety of servings of fruits and vegetables daily, but why??

Well, did you know that fruits and vegetables are very high in antioxidants?? Yes, that word again... antioxidants!

Antioxidants are not produced by our bodies but are necessary to remove toxins. Our bodies are attacked by toxins on a daily basis. From the moment we wake up we are bombarded with toxins; from the air that we breathe to the foods that we eat. These toxins age us continuously and we must ingest antioxidants to slow down this process.

Antioxidants fight the free radical produced by the toxins and keep us healthy. Antioxidants have been known to help with the aging process, and various other health concerns such as joint pain, cardiovascular disease, gum disease, skin irritations and so much more.

These wonderful little 'soldiers' better known as antioxidants are found in fruits and vegetables and for those who do not consume enough of these wonderful foods, there are also many other products on the market today....

So, have you eaten your veggies or fruits today to help attack those terrible toxins??? If not, what are you waiting for??

Until next time,
~Dr. Daisy

Can we control the cravings?

I am always asked how do you control the cravings...the answer is not a simple one.

There are times that we crave certain food items and those are signs that our bodies are giving us....for example, you may crave peanuts... your body is probably needing more protein..

Being a vegetarian, it is difficult to get all the daily requirements so when my body is craving a certain food product I try to listen... now I won't go to the extreme and eat a chocolate bar with peanuts or chocolate peanut butter icecream as tempting as that may be at the time. A slice of wheat bread with peanut butter and honey is quite delicious and will satisfy the craving and won't make me feel guilty afterwards..

If you crave lots of sweets, you may be lacking carbohydrates in your diet. Carbohydrates turn into glucose (sugar) in our system, so eating pasta or baked potatoes may satisfy your cravings and not harm your waistline as much..

It is very improtant to drink lots of fluids as well, and soft drinks don't count:)
Our body is 98% water so in order to keep it working properly we must replace all the water that we eliminate on a daily basis. Water is the best to drink, but you can also replace that with many other popular drinks on the market such as green tea, to replenish our bodies.

Remember, the more we drink the more we will eliminate so it is a cycle that must continue. Our bodies are like 'big sponges' that need water to function. We eliminate toxins from our bodies and the liquid will keep our bodies cleansed and our skin looking younger.

So, cravings are not bad unless you give into the temptations of 'bad' food choices. If you eat the appropriate foods you will likely not have as many cravings; but if you do have them, make wise decisions and ones that you will not regret in the morning.

We must take care of our bodies, they are the only ones we have. Unfortunately we can not trade them in as we can with our automobiles, so love your bodies. Exercise, drink lots of fluids and eat appropriately and your body will love you for it:)

Until next time....
~Dr. Daisy

Why would you want to live longer?

Why does it seem that we are obsessed with living longer??

Have you ever watched the infomercials out?? They seem to all be targeted to losing weight, and looking younger!!!

Do we really need the quick fix?? Unfortunately it seems like we do...or one would think so because of all the commercials, informercials and ads out on the market...

What we should be concerned with is our health, not what we look like on the outside but what we are like on the inside...

It may be wonderful to look thin and slim and wrinkle-free but truly how healthy are we??

We need to worry about the food we eat and the amount...the types of food and the amount of exercise...

That is truly the only way to stay healthy!! Sure, we want the quick fix, but honestly how long did it take for us to get to the weight that we are?? How can we possibly lose it over night?? It is actually impossible!!!

The time is now to re-evaluate our lives and if we truly want to live longer and healthier, look at how we live...

It is impossible to live longer and healthier if we:

1. eat fast foods
2. smoke
3. drink alcohol
4. don't exercise
5. don't sleep enough hours (at least 7-8 hours per night)
6. don't reduce stress in our lives
7. don't take action today!!!

It isn't as hard as you may think!! Make the right choices, choose fruit instead of candy, or veggies instead of potato chips...

Make the effort to plan your meals ahead of time and shop accordingly...

It's amazing how this works and it will also save you money:)

The time is now to make the change in your life!! No one else will do it, but you!!!

I have all the confidence in the world that if you truly want to live your life healthy you can do it!!!


Until next time,
~Dr. Daisy

Don't be fooled....

Don't be fooled by the other products on the market claiming to be healthy chocolate!!

There are no others like Xocai... for instance,

Xocai contains unprocessed cacao
Xocai combines the power of unprocessed cacao with the acai berry
Xocai also adds other fruits high in antioxidants such as blueberries and concord grapes
Xocai contains - all natural ingredients, no caeffine and no refined sugars
Xocai is diabetic friendly
Xocai is great for all ages from infants to adults

Best yet, Xocai is made with a cold process and we have the world-wide exclusive patent on this process....

Even better, it is rich, dark belgian chocolate and it's good for you!!!

Mmmmm, Healthy Chocolate!!! You can now have the decadence without the guilt!!!

Until next time,
~Dr. Daisy

Lose weight with chocolate???

Did you know that you could actually lose weight with chocolate??

It's true!! Dark chocolate is known to be a natural appetite suppressant. Unfortunately, the dark chocolate on the market is either too bitter or loaded with fats, sugars and fillers.

Xocai - Healthy Chocolate does not contain sugars, waxes or fillers. It is made with a cold process that retains the natural nutrients of the cacao bean. Because we use the bean and not the shell, this chocolate does not contain caeffine, either!!!

The best part is that you can lose weight!! The Power House Cookie contains 7 grams of fiber!!

If you eat 2 cookies a day and consume at least 16 ounces of water with them, you will definitely lose weight!! There were studies done with 3 different groups of women who were asked to sample the cookies and were told to consume 2 cookies a day along with 16 oz of water. Nothing else was told to them. Not to change their diet or increase their exercise, just eat these wonderful cookies!!

After 1 month, all 3 groups reported weight loss. They all loved the cookies and claimed that, they were not tempted to eat other junk food, because the cookies were very filling!!! Amazing!!!

My personal testimony is also one of weight loss!! I lost 20 lbs in 2 months and have kept it off. I enjoy all the Xocai Healthy Chocolate products and have also found myself not consuming the regular junk food I once craved, such as chips and brownies!!

So, now you can actually lose weight and still enjoy the delicious, richness of Belgian Chocolate without the guilt!!!

For more info visit: http://www.dchealthychocolate.com

Until next time,

Dr. Daisy

The First Antioxidant Cookie

The First Antioxidant Cookie is now available!!!

It is absolutely delicious and good for you too!! Who knew that chocolate could be good for you. We have been endocrinated to believe and think that chocolate is bad for you, but research now shows that it indeed has health benefits!

Americans tend to snack more than they should and in fact, Americans eat about 50lbs of unhealthy cookies and 12lbs of unhealthy chocolate every year. The average American eats about 100 pounds of sugar yearly, and much of that consists of snacks!!

Now is the time to take hold of your health....replace the bad with the good!!!

This wonderful Powerhouse Cookie provides you with a healthy alternative to the traditional unhealthy snacks. Not only is this cookie tasty, but it is rich in antioxidants, flavonoids and fiber!
It combines the nutrients of cacao and the acai berry to satisfy your sweet tooth and provide your body with nutrients.

The Powerhouse Cookie is equal to:

• 12.8 lbs of tomatoes
• 1.9 lbs spinach
• 2 lbs of raspberries

The ORAC value (how antioxidants are measured) is an astounding 11,115 and is certified by Brunswick Labs, an independent, third party lab that provides analytical services for some of the world's finest institutions, corporations and public organizations.

Ingredients:

• whole wheat flour
• no shortening or butter
• sweetened with brown rice syrup, raw can juice and fructose
• healthy sunflower oil
• no artificial flavors or ingredients
• cinnamon and nutmeg
• chocolate - cold processed, non-alkalized, whole cacao bean, natural cocoa butter, no milk fats or waxes
• no trans-fatty acids
• high source of dietary fiber (7 grams)
• high source of antioxidants and flavonoids

Interested in trying these delicious cookies??? Contact me at dcchocolatelovers@verizon.net

**Testimonial: My little boy (4 yo) has always had difficulty with bowel movements. There were times that he would not go for 3 days or more. I began giving him 1/4 of this wonderful cookie daily with 8oz of water each time and he no longer has problems. The natural alternative of this great product is a life saver!! I tried raisins, apples, and any other alternative available, but nothing ever worked until he started eating the Powerhouse Cookie!!!!**