Cocoa Bites

4:30 PM Jackie Mart 0 Comments

Ingredients: 

Extra Virgin Cold Pressed Organic Coconut Oil (I like Dr. Bronner's)
Dark chocolate chips or dark chocolate bar broken into pieces
Hemp seeds

Combine ingredients for a super healthy-fat snack!! Tastes like an Almond Joy candy bar! 

Health Benefits:

Coconut Oil- hundreds of uses and benefits! 

Dark Chocolate- Helps prevent heart disease: Like tea, dark chocolate contains flavonoids, which are compounds that act as antioxidants. Flavonoids protect cells from harmful molecules—called free radicals—that are produced when the body breaks down food or is exposed to sunlight or smoke. Free radicals can cause cell damage that leads to heart disease. Flavonoids can also lower blood pressure and reduce LDL cholesterol (i.e., the bad cholesterol) by up to 10 percent.
Improve your mood: Stimulates the production of endorphins, chemicals in the brain that bring on feelings of pleasure. It also contains the chemical serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant.
Protect your skin: German researchers found that the flavonoids in dark chocolate absorb UV light, help protect and increase blood flow to the skin, and improve skin’s hydration and complexion.


Hemp seeds-Hemp seeds are a high quality complete protein and rich in the vitamin E and essential fatty acids: Omega 3, 6, and 9!!! They are very versitile and can be used on salads, in smoothies, as a crust for fish, in yogurt, and are one of the most nutrient dense of all other nuts and seeds!! 

www.naturalnews.com



Copyright, 2013, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness MN, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.

www.optimumwellnessmn.com

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Olive Oil (Extra Virgin is Best)

1:46 PM Jackie Mart 0 Comments


It seems fitting to write about olive oil since I have been promoting it in the grocery stores!! Extra virgin olive oil is not processed with chemical or solvents like regular olive oil.  Be sure to check the bottle you have in your cupboard! 


Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is generally the best oil for most recipes. It has many benefits, and has a unique flavor. Olive oil is made from the fruit of the olive tree. There are several types of olive oil and the type, in part, determines how the oil was made and what it should be used for in cooking or other genres.Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fats; these healthy fats can help lower cholesterol, improve your immune system, and lower blood pressure. This healthy oil decreases inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis, and has been shown to help improve bone health. 

Please note, olive oil cannot withstand high temperatures. It has a very low smoke point, and when it gets too hot some of its benefits are lost. Be sure to not let olive oil smoke. If you need oil for high temperature cooking, coconut oil is an excellent choice! Purchase extra virgin olive oil in a dark glass bottle because once exposed to light and air it can go rancid.
  

www.mercola.com

Copyright, 2013, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness MN, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.

www.optimumwellnessmn.com





0 comments:

Fearless Friday

8:04 PM Jackie Mart 0 Comments

The Journey- No matter where you are in your life right now remember to NEVER give up!! We are all meant to succeed in our own way. Actually LIVING is tough. We are all continually afraid to venture out and take risks. But why? There is always a solution to everything! If things do not work out get up and try again! I have this photo as the desktop on my laptop and read it every day. I am in charge of my life and the only way to make my dreams come true is to work hard EVERY day!! Cheers to a fearless Friday!!


Copyright, 2013, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness MN, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.

www.optimumwellnessmn.com



0 comments: