Ideas by Millan

Valentine's Chocolates

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and most certainly you are bound to receive, or give, chocolates. If you are receiving chocolates remember that Valentine’s day is once every year and you can indulge on this date. If you are giving chocolates opt for buying dark chocolate if you can, they provide the most health benefits. Dark chocolates that have 70% or more cocoa have the most antioxidants where as milk chocolates are only required to have 10% concentration of pure chocolate liquor.

Pros and Cons of giving chocolates to your Valentine.

Nutritional value Pros:
It contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B11, (B12 in white and milk chocolate, due to the milk powder) C, D, E, and minerals such as iron, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. Cocoa’s antioxidant Flavonoids help relax blood pressure. The cocoa butter in chocolate contains oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fat which may raise good cholesterol.

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Healthy Food

Get over the economic crisis and cook with your kids at home. For a family of three or more, eating at restaurants every week can be very expensive and will end up affecting your yearly budget. Get your kids involved in cooking with you, together you can learn new recipes and will share more time together. If your kids are at or near the age where they will be going to college then sharing time with you in the kitchen will teach them to be more aware of their health. If your kids know that there are healthier choices they can easily prepare, then they will not be limited to frozen TV-dinners once they get to college.

Oral Hygiene

Dentistry schools are a great option for keeping with your dentist visits, specially in these times of crisis. As a patient you will be seen by students who take every precaution. The students must follow all steps of every procedure not only because they are graded, but also because they are learning. Experienced Dentists supervise the students during every step and if there is a setback the instructors are there to solve it. Because these clinics are a college, they have the newest gadgets and instruments, and follow a very strict hygiene regiment that, sadly enough, you would not find in private practices. The costs per visit in most cases is 50 per cent less than what you would pay at a dentists office. Many times you save even more than 50 per cent, depending on the college or university school.

Search for a Dental hygiene school here.

SUMMARY OF 10 WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT

Control your weight

1.0 Eat cereal for breakfast

Whole grain cereals, oatmeal and oat bran have high amounts of fiber that help reduce bad cholesterol (LDL). A daily cup-and-a-half of cereal with a bit of fruit have the necessary quantities of soluble fiber to reduce your bad cholesterol (LDL).

 
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Excercise

10 OF 10 WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT

Being active increases the levels of good cholesterol (HDL). Physical exercise helps the body lower the levels of triglycerides and bad cholesterol (LDL). Its recommended doing, at least, 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise three times a week.

Sources: American College of Sports Medicine

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

Control your weight

9 OF 10 WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT

Being overweight can lead to high levels of cholesterol in your body. Losing weight will help reduce your levels of bad cholesterol (LDL), and at the same time increase your levels of good cholesterol (HDL), which helps against having cholesterol deposits in the arteries.

Tip: Thin people can also have high levels of cholesterol.

Tuna

8 OF 10 WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT

Eating tuna, salmon, and sardines helps lower your cholesterol levels and help reduce high blood pressure since these have high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. It is recommended to eat two portions of fish a week in order to maintain its beneficial effects.

Tip: In order to supplement your portions of fish fatty acids, you can take supplements of omega-3.

Tip2: To change things up you can alternate between cooking in the oven or on the grill.

Source: American Heart Association.