Cacao: the superfood for super memory

People normally consume cacao in many ways for its pleasant aroma and tasty flavor. Many of them use it as a lighter alternative to coffee, because of its lower caffeine content. Moreover, there’s a large amount of research suggesting that there are great health benefits of this exotic plant-powder consumption, including both mental ones, as well as physical ones. One of them is its considerable impact on memory, both for healthy people and for people with mild cognitive impairment

There’s a growing body of evidence that blood flow in the brain impacts our memory. It is quite logical: the more blood in the brain, the more oxygen for its cells and, consequently, the more energy for cognitive operations. Harvard neuroimaging study has shown that seniors who drank two cups of hot cacao a day for one month had better blood flow in the brain, especially in the parts associated with memory and cognition (e.g. the dentate gyrus). These study subjects did better on memory and thinking tests than the group who didn’t drink cacao. The authors of the study concluded that cacao may play an important role in preventing diseases like Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia, reversing the cognitive health.

An other study, which included subjects who already suffered from mild cognitive impairment (difficulty with memory, language, thinking, and/or judgement), had as the main variable the amounts of antioxidants in cacao, called flavonols. Namely, 90 elderly people drank a cacao drink that contained low, medium, or high levels of these antioxidants for eight weeks. The subjects who got medium or high amounts of flavonols showed considerably better results on mental skills tests, in comparison with the subjects who consumed low amounts of flavonols. These results suggest that flavonols could have an important impact on maintaining cognitive functions, besides cardiovascular system protecting effects, which were also shown in many studies.

The cacao bean contains more flavonols than, for example, green tea or blueberries. And there are so many sweet and creative ways you can consume it: as a hot drink, as an addition to your oatmeal, pudding, cakes, or in a form of dark chocolate. But be careful with the chocolate with high levels of sugar and fat – it could have a contra-effect on your cognitive, and other mental and physical functions in the body. Besides saving your thinking skills, cacao intake is a great way to balance your mood swings, prevent premature aging, diabetes, skin cancer, improve your metabolism, save your liver and pancreas function, get healthier skin and hair, as well as improve your overall happiness – not only for its tasty flavor, but also for anandamide, or so-called bliss molecule.

4 Ways to Naturally Recover During a Busy Week

A tight schedule is something that can easily wash you out, and considering the lifestyle of a modern man, that might not be as rare of an occurrence as you think. Somehow, the laws of physics seem to bend and 24 hours became shorter, as the pile of tasks grows bigger and bigger. Juggling your partner, kids, work, friends and going to the gym can be exhausting.

After increased psychological stress or tough workouts, your body needs extra nutrients to repair itself, so that you can spring out of bed each morning. Lately there have been more people who turn to natural products that can help them replenish their energy and be able to perform better in all their roles during the day.

This is why we have put together this list of products that can help you naturally recover during a busy week.

Lingonberry

Lingonberries are also known as cow berries and fox berries. They have been used for ages, especially in the Scandinavian region. The medicinal properties of lingonberries are attributed to a wide range of beneficial compounds found in them.They were traditionally used as a natural cure for pain and inflammation, and they can still be used for these purposes. If your job requires you to sit a lot, these super berries can help you with back or neck pain. Lingonberries can also be consumed after a hard workout at the gym, to ease the muscle ache that comes the next day. This is because they contain a high concentration of a flavonoid called Quercetin, that has strong anti-inflammatory properties.

They can be used as an addition to any meal. The healthiest ones are dried, with no added sugars or any kind of preservative. But, you can also try making some of the traditional recipes.

Pea Protein

Pea protein is rich in branched-chain amino acids, which make it an excellent veggie protein source. If you are visiting the gym on a regular basis, pea protein will ensure that if you visit the gym regularly, pea protein will ensure you have enough protein to build and repair muscle. Because it doesn’t contain glutens or lactose, it is very digestible. This means that you can consume it during lunch hours while you are at work, without any fear of bloating. One of benefits you may experience if you start taking pea protein is fat shedding. Consuming pea protein lowers ghrelin levels, a substance responsible for signaling the brain to stimulate hunger. 

Moringa

Moringa is a rising star in the superfoods category. It has tissue-protective, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Every part of this herb is edible, but only leaf powder is used for medicinal purposes.

Recently it was tested as treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. The results were promising and this confirms that Moringa supports brain health and cognitive functions. It helps the brain stay in homeostasis by normalizing levels of serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline, which tend to spike during a busy week, especially if there is stress involved.

Moringa leaf powder can be added to your favourite morning drink. It can be used every day, even in larger doses than normal, because there were not registered side effects. But keep in mind that moringa seed extracts are something you have to avoid, because it harms the white blood cells.

Cacao

Cacao, or literally “The Food of Gods” in Aztec language, is a powerful superfood that originated in the foothills of the Andes. The fruits of cocoa tree have some incredible benefits for human health. Today it is spread around the globe and the most usual forms you can find it in are raw cacao, cacao nibs, dark chocolate and cacao powder.

Raw cocoa is rich with antioxidants. Scientist have found that cocoa has the highest concentration of antioxidants than any other food known to man. For instance, it has 15 times more antioxidants than red wine and green tea. It also has a high concentration of magnesium and iron.

The benefits of using raw cacao are many. Flavonol found in cocoa is an anti-inflammatory and heart protective antioxidant that reduces the risk of stroke and improve blood circulation. On top of that, you will feel happier with anandamide, also known as the bliss molecule, which is found in raw cocoa.

You can consume it as hot chocolate by adding water and sweetening it with honey. Or add it to your morning power smoothie. Cacao is great for starting a day, or you can take it when you need just a little bit more energy to finish a task. 

All of these products are100% natural. Make use of what nature has given us and feel energized and ready to overcome any challenge.

Pretty From Within: Ingestible Beauty Powders and All of Their Benefits

Luckily for us ladies (and a number of well-groomed gentlemen as well), the concept of beauty supplements has been trending for a couple of years now, with more and more variants of the same nourishing delight available on the market. So far, these health & beauty combos have been packed in ingestible pills and chewable vitamins, but as our allurement routines become more refined with every year, the niche is quick to follow. With beauty powders, our good looks finally come from the inside.

The All-In-One Package for Beauty and Revitalization

Packed with much-needed nutrients and made effortless to include to our daily beautifying regimes (you can simply stir a dose with your favourite smoothie and drink up!), beauty powders seem the most potent cocktails of their sort.

Designed to make us prettier on the outside, they basically heal everything from annoying skin blemishes to weak and choppy hair ends, but that’s not where their list of benefits concludes. Everything begins below the surface, and that’s exactly where beauty powders do their magic – by balancing our metabolism, increasing collagen, renewing cell production and nourishing our very core, these gentle, yet omnipotent products provenly deliver a whole package of beauty, wellness and self-care.

Are They Really So Marvellous?

Straight from those who have tried it, the words of praise dedicated to this beauty supplement mention an envious number of both beauty and health benefits. Beside doing wonders for our metabolism, and since everything is interconnected, beauty powders are said to calm the nerves, firm tissue, boost nutritional profile, help digestion, encourage detoxification and eliminate inflammation, thus promising healthier, stronger and more beautiful skin, hair and nails.

Although notoriously sceptical, beauty experts approve: "Some powders contain high doses of nutrients, antioxidants, and probiotics," says Jessica Weiser MD, a dermatologist at the New York Dermatology Group, concluding that for those with little time for healthy cooking, beauty powders can deliver a fine alternative. And, since these products are in fact designed as supplements to regular nutrition, just imagine benefiting from both!

Lingonberries Are Trending!

While sceptics debate, some of our favourite bloggers from the online galaxy of fashion and natural beauty continue to spread the word of the detoxifying marvel that the beauty powder is. It’s been a couple of months since Lacey Fuller discovered the supplement’s effect; in April, the influencer recommended the Lingonberry Powder, urging the rest of the girls to try it out.

As a powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties, lingonberries have been linked with weight loss, oral health and cancer protection for centuries, and is now finally recognized as a superfood. Transformed into a powder and refined with other, equally beneficial ingredients, these little helpers from the berry world help replenish, rebuild and recover the skin, hence keeping it young, firm and infection-free.

A Source of Vitamins and Minerals for the Whole Body

Apart from lingonberries, our top choice beauty powders are packed with vitamins and minerals obtained from other berries from the family, most commonly goji sort, and refined with ellagic acid that reduces collagen breakdown and prevents inflammation in skin cells. In addition to the much-needed natural collagen infusion, beauty powders also provide a dose of hyaluronic acid responsible for hydration and moisture retention, then lutein, a main source of nutritional support for all of our eye bag problems, all the while protecting our skin from cancer and sun damage with selenium and accelerating cell growth with a drop of coenzyme Q10. The elixir of beauty, indeed.

*

Whatever the unique recipe of your chosen beauty powder, that clear, glowing complexion you’ve been dreaming about your whole girlhood is pretty achievable, usually at a much smaller price, in comparison to that of your entire makeup set. The only additional thing you’ll need once you start leaving the house with no foundation at all is a smoothie glass and a beaming smile.

Pretty From Within: Ingestible Beauty Powders and All of Their Benefits

Luckily for us ladies (and a number of well-groomed gentlemen as well), the concept of beauty supplements has been trending for a couple of years now, with more and more variants of the same nourishing delight available on the market. So far, these health & beauty combos have been packed in ingestible pills and chewable vitamins, but as our allurement routines become more refined with every year, the niche is quick to follow. With beauty powders, our good looks finally come from the inside.

The All-In-One Package for Beauty and Revitalization

Packed with much-needed nutrients and made effortless to include to our daily beautifying regimes (you can simply stir a dose with your favourite smoothie and drink up!), beauty powders seem the most potent cocktails of their sort.

Designed to make us prettier on the outside, they basically heal everything from annoying skin blemishes to weak and choppy hair ends, but that’s not where their list of benefits concludes. Everything begins below the surface, and that’s exactly where beauty powders do their magic – by balancing our metabolism, increasing collagen, renewing cell production and nourishing our very core, these gentle, yet omnipotent products provenly deliver a whole package of beauty, wellness and self-care.

Are They Really So Marvellous?

Straight from those who have tried it, the words of praise dedicated to this beauty supplement mention an envious number of both beauty and health benefits. Beside doing wonders for our metabolism, and since everything is interconnected, beauty powders are said to calm the nerves, firm tissue, boost nutritional profile, help digestion, encourage detoxification and eliminate inflammation, thus promising healthier, stronger and more beautiful skin, hair and nails.

Although notoriously sceptical, beauty experts approve: "Some powders contain high doses of nutrients, antioxidants, and probiotics," says Jessica Weiser MD, a dermatologist at the New York Dermatology Group, concluding that for those with little time for healthy cooking, beauty powders can deliver a fine alternative. And, since these products are in fact designed as supplements to regular nutrition, just imagine benefiting from both!

Lingonberries Are Trending!

While sceptics debate, some of our favourite bloggers from the online galaxy of fashion and natural beauty continue to spread the word of the detoxifying marvel that the beauty powder is. It’s been a couple of months since Lacey Fuller discovered the supplement’s effect; in April, the influencer recommended the Lingonberry Powder, urging the rest of the girls to try it out.

As a powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties, lingonberries have been linked with weight loss, oral health and cancer protection for centuries, and is now finally recognized as a superfood. Transformed into a powder and refined with other, equally beneficial ingredients, these little helpers from the berry world help replenish, rebuild and recover the skin, hence keeping it young, firm and infection-free.

A Source of Vitamins and Minerals for the Whole Body

Apart from lingonberries, our top choice beauty powders are packed with vitamins and minerals obtained from other berries from the family, most commonly goji sort, and refined with ellagic acid that reduces collagen breakdown and prevents inflammation in skin cells. In addition to the much-needed natural collagen infusion, beauty powders also provide a dose of hyaluronic acid responsible for hydration and moisture retention, then lutein, a main source of nutritional support for all of our eye bag problems, all the while protecting our skin from cancer and sun damage with selenium and accelerating cell growth with a drop of coenzyme Q10. The elixir of beauty, indeed.

*

Whatever the unique recipe of your chosen beauty powder, that clear, glowing complexion you’ve been dreaming about your whole girlhood is pretty achievable, usually at a much smaller price, in comparison to that of your entire makeup set. The only additional thing you’ll need once you start leaving the house with no foundation at all is a smoothie glass and a beaming smile.

The 'Winter Body' Season: Is your diet climate approriate?

So, what is 'climate appropriate' food?

Well, many people believe that we are much better at digesting and absorbing the nutrients from foods that are grown in a similar climate to the place where we live. That is not to say that these foods have to be native to this area: they just need to be from an area with a similar climate, so they can grow successfully.

We will be discussing this topic over the coming months, so we'd love to know what you think about it. Have you emigrated and found that the change in your diet has had an impact on your physical wellbeing? Are there certain exotic foods that you find don't agree with you?

The idea of food being 'climate appropriate' may all seem a bit far fetched, but if you think about it properly, it makes a lot of sense. Many years ago we weren't able to get food from other countries: we were limited to hunting and foraging in the area where we lived. It wasn't so long ago Europeans considered tomatoes to be poisonous, and many people only laid eyes on a banana for the first time shortly after the second world war.

Plants grow naturally in places with certain climates because they are designed perfectly for those conditions. With that in mind, does it not make logical sense that the animals living in that same area are designed to eat them? Of course we are not suggesting that eating foods grown in other climates are going to do you serious harm, but they may not be as beneficial to your health as locally sourced foods, or foods grown in similar climates to the one where you live.

Here are a few of the reasons why eating climate appropriate food is better for attaining optimum health:

• Strengthens our immunity; making us less prone to local disease

• Better for our digestion 

• Reduces the risk of developing food allergies

• Foods that have to travel long distances are often picked before they are ripe, to stop them becoming bruised and over ripe on their journey; so they often don't reach their full nutrition value

• Imported foods often require chemicals to keep them fresh: some of these toxins may be illegal in our own country, but because this information does not need to be provided, we’ll never know

Next time we're gonna think about occasions when not eating 'climate appropriately' has had a negative impact on people's health ...