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Showing posts from January, 2017

The Proof is in the Pudding… or in the Mousse? The top 6 Benefits (and excuses) of eating DARK Chocolate and 1 Healthy Recipe for Chocolate Mousse.

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Photo courtesy of rakratchada torsap- FreeDigitalPhotos.net Talking about heart health month, it only seems appropriate to talk about CHOCOLATE!   Though recommended to eat sparingly, the health benefits of dark chocolate are widely known.   The secret of healthy dark chocolate resides in the levels of cocoa.  The higher the amount the better!  To get all the health benefits of dark chocolate, nutritionist recommend chocolate that contains 70% or more of cocoa. From famous pastry Chef François Payard, this Chocolate Tofu Mousse is as healthy as dessert can get! Ingredients: 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped 1 cup soy milk 1/2 vanilla bean, scraped 10-ounce silken tofu, drained 1/4 cup raspberries 1/4 cup blueberries Preparation: Place chopped bittersweet chocolate in a bowl.  In a saucepan, combine soy milk and scraped vanilla bean. Bring to a boil; pour over chocolate. Let stand 1 minute. Remove vanilla bean and whisk until smooth.  In a blender, process d

Chocolate and Cardiovascular Disease: The "Bitter" Truth

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Heart disease is hard to digest.  We all pretty much know by now the facts on women and heart disease:  1 in 3 women will die of heat failure every year; compared to 1 in 31 american women who loose their battle to breast cancer.  But do we know what steps to take to take care of our heart?  Join us at our next Howell Luncheon Series "Chocolate and Heart Disease: The Bitter Truth" with Dr. Pam Taud , who will be discussing  cardiovascular disease in women, the risk factors for heart disease, preventive measures for heart disease and the story of chocolate. The idea that chocolate has beneficial effects and the mechanisms behind those beneficial effects derive from Dr.Taub's own research. How better to prepare for Valentine's Day than to hear some good news about chocolate (dark chocolate, that is)! When: Friday, February 3, 2017 Time:   11:30 - Registration and Networking              1200 - Presentation and Lunch Cost:    $50.00 Location:  La Jo

The hidden disease that no one talks about: from clutter to dealing with the stigma of hoarding.

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Let's face it: how many times, at the beginning of the year, we promise ourselves to clean out the clutter in our closet/garage/storage room/office?  One's new year resolutions might be a bigger problem than we think...  There are a lot of hidden reasons why we clutter, and justify it. Understanding our behavior is only a part of the strategy to tackle the task of decluttering head on.  But at what point does an individual go from clutter to hoarding? How does it affect the life of those around a hoarder? And most importantly, how does the health of a person who is hoarding? There should't be a way to sugar-coat hoarding. It is as valid a disease as OCD and other anxiety and psychological disorders.  Dr. Sanjaya Saxena, speaker at the Howell Health and Happiness Symposium on January 21st, sheds light on the compulsive behavior called hoarding.  According to Dr. Sanjaya Saxena, (quoted in  this article  from the Washington Post last year), "Hoarding is '