Health Benefits of Hot Cocoa!

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Yes, that's correct ... drinking a cup or two of hot cocoa a day has health benefits! I always knew (dark) chocolate had its health benefits, but it never dawned on me that drinking hot chocolate also had health benefits! 

Here's what I have learned:

• Chocolate helps to improve your mood.


• Chocolate is good for your heart; it is a rich source of flavonoid antioxidants that are important in protecting against damage to the lining of the arteries.


• Chocolate is associated with weight loss.


• Dark chocolate offers the greatest health benefits.


• Two cups of cocoa a day boost blood flow and oxygen to the brain, thus improving your memory.


• The "hot" in "hot chocolate" is important - more antioxidants are released when it's heated up. 

So lets re-cap ... improved mood and memory, good for your heart and weight loss ... sounds good to me! However, there is one little catch - commercial instant hot cocoa mixes don't count.

Now the fun part, recipes! What are some of your favorite 'healthy' hot chocolate recipes?

Source(s): skinnyms, dairy council of california, mnn, and mindbodygreen.

4 Reasons Why You Should Drink Ginger Tea.

A few years ago, my Homeopath introduced me to Ginger Tea. I am a fussy eater/drinker, and my initial thought about drinking slices of ginger root steeped in hot water was never ever. After being hit with a horrible flu bug/sinus infection, I caved and decided to try this tea... best decision of my life! Now, every time I am feeling something coming on, Ginger Tea is my go-to beverage.

So, if you only do one thing a day to improve your health, try adding ginger tea to the top of your list. Here's a few reasons why...

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1. Fights Common Respiratory Problems. 

Drinking ginger tea is recommended for fighting off common respiratory diseases such as coughs and colds. If you are looking for sinus relief without having to resort to over-the-counter medicine, you should try a cup of ginger tea first - it works wonders!

2. Boosts Your Immune System.

This is one of the amazing benefits! Ginger tea is packed with antioxidants that help improve the immune system. That means you get sick less often and that you recover more quickly when you do become ill.

3. Encourages Blood Circulation.

Drinking a cup of ginger tea can help to improve blood flow; ginger gets the blood in your body flowing, which will give you a feeling of having more energy. It also helps to prevent  chills, fever and excessive sweating.

4. Relieves Stress.

Ginger tea is remarkable in relieving stress because of its comforting and relaxing scent. Taking a whiff of ginger tea can help improve and uplift your mood. It leaves you feeling refreshed and calm.

If you want to give ginger tea a shot, check out my ginger tea recipe that I shared last winter. Enjoy!

Natural Cold Remedy.

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It's that time of year, and I am pretty sure I have been hit with whatever bug is going around. Although I don't feel sick, I am feeling very congested in my throat/chest. Its quite annoying when trying to sleep at night. 

As soon as I felt it coming on, I went and bought some ginger root so that I could make some Honey Ginger Tea. Honey has been known to sooth sore throats while ginger is anti-viral and helps to support the immune system.

The recipe that I follow is quite simple:

1. Small pieces of ginger, about half the amount showed in the above photo.

2. Water, bring to a boil.

3. Pour maybe 1/4 cup of boiling water into your mug with the ginger and let it steep for approximately 2 minutes.

4. Pour in remaining water.

5. Add honey to taste.

I'm not a huge fan of the taste of ginger, so I have a tough time drinking more than one cup per day. But I have been told by my homeopath that the more I can drink, the better. Since I have started drinking this honey ginger tea for the past few nights, I have found my congestion to be more bearable.