Healthy Home Newsletter April 2019 - Volume XVll, Issue 4 | Page 2

Get Inspired
Health Corner
Easter is Chocolate Time!
Eat Dark Chocolate, But Not Too Much
Outstanding Client
Of The Month !
Eldon and Ruth Thompson
Thank you for being a great
client!
Every month I choose a very special
Client of The Month. It’s my way of
acknowledging loyal clients and
saying a big “Thank you!” to those
who support me and my business
with referrals and repeat
business…You could be my next
Client of The Month!
See Insert This Issue…
“A Lesson In Savings
This Month!
(see insert)
In the Aztec culture, creation of the cocoa plant on earth was
attributed to Quetzalcoatl, who they believed descended from heaven
carrying a cocoa tree from paradise. Cocoa was combined with spices
to make a frothy drink (they didn't have sugar).
Today, chocolate’s allure lies in its sweet or bittersweet taste, but
chemical reactions are at work. Chocolate stimulates the secretion of
endorphins, which produce a pleasurable sensation, and serotonin,
which acts as an anti-depressant.
Chocolate does more than please the taste buds and make people
feel good. It’s packed with polyphenol antioxidants that reduce the risk
of heart disease. Antioxidants in raw cocoa can dilate blood vessels, a
healthful effect, and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels.
Researchers in Italy have found that eating dark chocolate can
help to control diabetes by increasing the body’s ability to metabolize
sugar. Chocolate is also high in potassium, magnesium, and vitamins
B1, B2, D, and E – but it’s very high in fat and calories.
Be Cautious With Alcohol
While there is evidence that moderate drinking may lower the risk
of heart disease, there is a reason doctors don’t prescribe a drink or
two a day. Alcohol can kill.
“Excessive drinking” (more than two drinks a day) causes some
75,000 deaths a year, making it the third-leading cause of preventable
death. Smoking is first, followed by a combination of poor diet and
inactivity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
About 45 percent of alcohol-related deaths are from chronic
conditions, and 54 percent are from acute conditions including car
crashes.
Quote for April…
“Oh, how fresh the wind is blowing! See! The sky is bright and clear, Oh, how green
the grass is growing! April! April! Are you here?” -Dora R. Goodale (1866-1952)