Beneficial for your health is chocolate with a cocoa content of 70 percent and above, and not to milk chocolate. The primary reason for chocolate’s many health benefits is that cocoa is a rich source of antioxidants (flavonols). Flavonols appear to have positive effects on the cardiovascular and immune system, improve the function of the blood vessels and reduce blood pressure. The fact that cocoa beans provided health benefits was well recognized by the ancient mesoamericans, including the Maya and Aztecs, who roasted and pulverized them to treat dysentery and jaundice.

Chocolate and the heart
In a study about 500 elderly men, the regular consumption of 5 to 10 grams of chocolate containing 70 percent cocoa was associated with a 50 percent drop in the mortality rate related to the cardiovascular system. A study involving more than 1200 elderly women showed that those who frequently ate dark chocolate enjoyed a drop of almost 40 percent in their risk of cardiovascular disease.
Substances known as proanthocyanidins – also present in cocoa – modify the expression and activity of proteins involved in the transportation of cholesterol, causing an increase in good cholesterol (HDL) and a reduction of bad cholesterol (LDL). Cocoa flavonols also reduce the aggregation of platelets in the blood vessels, and inhibit inflammation of the cells lining the arteries. Both of these actions reduce the likelihood of clotting.
Chocolate and blood pressure
Closely associated with cardiovascular disease is elevated blood pressure or hypertension. The flavonols in dark chocolate have also been shown to help reduce blood pressure. They achieve this by increasing the activity of nitrous oxide in the blood vessels.

Much of chocolate’s appealing taste and texture can be attributed to the combination of fat and sugar. One ounce of chocolate delivers about 9 grams of fat, which is divided into three types:
- stearic acid – a saturated fat that doesn’t increase cholesterol
- oleic acid – the same healthy monosaturated fat that’s in olive oil
- palmitic acid – another saturated fat which does increase cholesterol and therefore heart attack risk
Chocolate is also a source of oxalate (a compound also found in spinach) which inhibits calcium absorption from the digestive tract and increases its excretion in the urine. Those who consumed chocolate every day were found to have lower bone density and strength compared with those who did not have any chocolate.

Although that most newborns sleep 16 to 18 hours a day, they tend to take those rests two to three hours at a time. Gradually, they begin to sleep less, but for longer stretches. By three months, they need about 15 hours of sleep approximately 9 hours at night plus 2 hours daytime naps. And by six months, most babies are sleeping for even longer stretches at night and getting through the day on just two naps of 2 hours each.

If the first site of a cancerous growth or tumour is in the breast, the condition is called breast cancer. You can develop breast cancer, by looking for changes in the size and shape of one or both breasts, unusual pain in the breasts or armpits, swelling under the armpits or below the collarbone and changes in the shape or position of a nipples.There is evidence that women ages 40 to 49 may benefit from mammograms, particularly those at greater risk for developing breast cancer. Women should talk to their doctor about whether they should be screened annually starting at age 40. Discussing with your doctor or pharmacist the long-term use of oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy, which may increase risks. They can weigh the pros and cons.

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fast, meaning they are essential for life and good health. They can not be made by the body, so you have to get them from food in your diet. There are two essential fatty acids: omega-3 (linolenic acid) and omega-6 (linoleic acid). Omega-3 fatty acids are available from certain plant oils, such as flaxseed oil, and from fish oils. Omega-6 fatty acids are found in soybean, sunflower and safflower products. Omega-9 fatty acids, found in avocados, are nonessential.
Studies support the health benefits of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (most commonly found in fish oil) for behaviour, mood, mental function and maintenance of good health. Omega-3 can help treat inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and skin conditions such as psoriasis.
According to the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial, almost 20 per cent of the population may have undetectable levels of omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, and of concern, is the fact that many people have a very high intake of omega-6s and not enough omega-3s. This creates a tendency toward inflammation and can increase the risk of conditions such as high blood pressure. As a result, it is important that people begin to consume additional sources of omega-3 and not rely solely on omega 3-6-9 supplements.
Flaxseed oil and ground flaxseeds have different functions.
Flaxseed oil has a high concentration of omega-3 and helps lower cholesterol and improve cardiovascular health. Ground flaxseeds are an excellent source of healthy fat, dietary fibre and lignans. They also help balance blood glucose levels. Lignan, a type of nutrient, is being studied for its potential health benefits, primarily due to recent studies indicating their potential anti-cancer properties, especially for breast, prostate and colon cancer.

Drugs destroy millions of lives every year, yet the most disturbing aspect of this problem is the damage drug abuse does to our young people and to the future of our country. With more and more young people being introduced to drugs. Marijuana is the word used to describe the dried flowers, seeds and leaves of the hemp plant. On the street, it is called by many other names, such as: astro turf, bhang, dagga, dope, ganja, grass, hemp, home grown, J, Mary Jane, pot, reefer, roach, Texas tea and weed. Hashish is a related form of the drug, made from the resins of the hemp plant. Also called chocolate, hash, or shit, it is on average six times stronger than marijuana. “Cannabis” describes any of the different drugs that come from hemp, including marijuana and hashish. Regardless of the name, this drug is a hallucinogena substance which distorts how the mind perceives the world you live in. The chemical in cannabis that creates this distortion is delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The amount of THC found in any given batch of marijuana may vary substantially, but overall, the percentage of THC has increased in recent years. Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the world. A survey conducted in 2002 found that 14 million individuals in the United States alone had smoked marijuana at least once during the previous month. In Ontario, a 2005 survey of students from grades 7 to 12 revealed that of all drugs, excluding alcohol and tobacco, cannabis is the most frequently used. One in seven students reported using cannabis six or more times during the previous year. Marijuana is usually smoked as a cigarette (joint), but may also be smoked in a pipe. Less often, it is mixed with food and eaten or brewed as tea. Sometimes, users open up cigars and remove the tobacco, replacing it with pot -called a “blunt.” joints and blunts are sometimes laced with other, more powerful drugs, such as crack cocaine or PCP (phencyclidine). When a person smokes a joint, he usually feels its effect within minutes. The immediate sensations -increased heart rate, lessened coordination and balance, and a “dreamy,” unreal state of mind -peak within the first 30 minutes. These short- term effects usually wear off in two to three hours, but they could last longer, depending on how much the user takes, the potency of THC and the presence of other drugs laced into the mix. As the typical user inhales more smoke and holds it longer than he would with a cigarette, a joint creates a severe impact on one’s lungs. Aside from the discomfort that goes with sore throats and chest colds, it has been found that consuming lone joint gives as much exposure to cancer-producing chemicals as smoking five cigarettes. The mental consequences of marijuana use are equally severe. Marijuana smokers have poorer memories and mental aptitude than do non-users. Animals given marijuana by researchers have even suffered structural damage to the brain. Marijuana is a mixture of dried-out leaves, stems, flowers and seeds of the hemp plant. It is usually green, brown or grey in colour. Hashish is tan, brown or black resin that is dried and pressed into bars, sticks or balls. When smoked, both marijuana and hashish give off a distinctive, sweet odour. The hemp plant (from which cannabis drugs like marijuana and hashish are made) was grown for use as an hallucinogen more than 2000 years ago. Althoug cannabis contains over 400 different chemicals, the main ingredient which affects the mind is THC. The amount of THC in the hemp plant determines the strength of the drug. The weather, soil and other factors determine the percentage of THC found in the plant. But by using modern farming techniques, hemp growers have developed strains of cannabis which have much higher levels of THC than in the past. THC levels used to average 1% in 1974, but by 1994 had risen to 4%. The levels in hashish are even greater. One form of cannabis, called Sinsemilla (Spanish for “without seeds”) may have THC levels from 7.5 to as much as 24%.Is smoking a joint the same as drinking alcohol? Alcohol consists of one substance only: ethanol. Marijuana contains more than 400 known toxins and cancer-causing chemicals. Alcohol is eliminated from the body in a few hours; THC stays in the body fat for months, possibly longer. Thus, a person who smokes two to three joints a week is constantly under the influence of the drug. THC damages the immune system. Alcohol does not. There is no intention here to minimize the dangers of alcohol abuse, which can be equally harmful. Alcohol, however, can be used in moderation without causing severe damage. Cannabis, which is used almost exclusively as an intoxicant, is far more dangerous even when used in small amounts because its active agent continues to build up in body fat. The immediate effects of taking marijuana include rapid heart beat, disorientation, lack of physical coordination, often followed by depression or sleepiness. Some users suffer panic attacks or anxiety. But the problem does not end there. The active ingredient in cannabis, THC, remains deposited in fat cells and organs such as the brain, sex glands (testicles and ovaries), spleen, liver and lungs. What does that mean to you? Even if you stop using the drug, you can continue to experience harmful physical and mental side effects from it for months or even years. Smoking marijuana and hashish causes more lung damage than smoking tobacco. The risk of lung cancer is many times higher for joint smokers than for cigarette smokers. Marijuana smoke contains 50% to 70% more cancer-causing hydrocarbons than cigarettes and one joint is equal to five tobacco cigarettes. Chronic joint smokers often suffer from bronchitis, an inflammation of the respiratory tract. Marijuana changes the structure of sperm cells, deforming them. Thus even small amounts of marijuana can cause temporary sterility in men. Marijuana use can upset a woman’s menstrual cycle. A pregnant woman who regularly smokes marijuana or hashish may give birth prematurely to an undersized, underweight body. Studies show that the mental functions of people who have smoked a lot of marijuana tend to be impaired or diminished. The THC in cannabis disrupts nerve cells in the brain affecting the memory. Cannabis is one of the few drugs which causes abnormal cell division which leads to severe hereditary defects. Over the last 10 years, many children of marijuana users have been born with reduced initiative and lessened abilities to concentrate and pursue life goals. Studies also suggest that prenatal use of the drug may result in birth defects, mental abnormalities and increased risk of leukaemia in children. Short-term effects: Sensory distortion, Panic, Anxiety, Poor coordination of movement, Lowered reaction time, After an initial “up,” the user feels sleepy or depressed, Increased heartbeat (an risk of heart attack).Long-term effects: Reduced resistance to common illnesses (colds. bronchitis. etc.), Suppression of the immune system, Growth disorders, Increase of abnormally structured cells in the body, Reduction of male sex hormones, Rapid destruction of lung fibers and lesions (injuries) to the brain could be permanent, Reduced sexual capacity, Study difficulties: reduced ability to learn and retain information, Apathy, drowsiness, lack of motivation, Personality and mood changes, Inability to understand things clearly. Because a tolerance builds up, marijuana can lead users to consume stronger drugs to achieve the same high. When the effects start to wear off, the person may turn to more potent drugs to rid himself of the unwanted conditions that prompted him to take marijuana in the first place. Marijuana itself does not lead the person to the other drugs; people take drugs to get rid of unwanted situations or feelings. The drug (marijuana) masks the problem for a time (while the user is high). When the “high” fades, the problem, unwanted condition or situation returns more intensely than before. The user may then turn to stronger drugs since marijuana no longer “works.” The vast majority of cocaine users (99.9%) began by first using a “gateway drug” like marijuana, cigarettes or alcohol. Of course, not everyone who smokes marijuana and hashish goes on to use harder drugs. Some never do. Others quit using marijuana altogether. But some do turn to harder drugs. One study found that youth (12-17 years old) who use marijuana, are 85 times more likely to use cocaine than kids that do not use pot, and that 60% of the kids who smoke pot before the age of 15 move on to cocaine. Marijuana is sometimes combined with harder drugs. Joints are sometimes dipped in PCP, a powerful hallucinogen. PCP is a white powder, also available in liquid form, and often used with cannabis. PCP is known for causing violent behavior and creating severe physical reactions including seizures, coma and even death. The use of marijuana is not only harmful to the pot smoker himself. He can also become a risk to society. A study in the United Kingdom found that 74% of cannabis-smoking drivers had driven on the road while stoned. And 70% of those who drove admitted that it had a bad effect on their driving. Yet many pot smokers interviewed during that study insisted it was OK to smoke and drive. Even when they were “very high.” In Australia, a study found that cannabis intoxication was responsible for 4.3% of driver fatalities. It is almost impossible to grow up today and not be exposed to drugs. Peer pressure to do drugs is high and honest information about the dangers of drugs is not always available. Many people will tell you marijuana is not dangerous. Consider who is telling you that. Are these the same people who are trying to sell you some pot? Marijuana can harm a person’s memory – and this impact can last for days or weeks after the immediate effects of the drug wear off. In one study, a group of heavy marijuana users were asked to recall words from a list. Their ability to correctly remember the words did not return to normal until as long as four weeks after they stopped smoking. Students who use marijuana have lower grades and are less likely to get into college than non-smokers. They simply do not have the same abilities to remember and organize information compared to those who do not use these substances. Smoking can cause increased nasal congestion. Increases your risk for many health problems, heart disease, stroke, emphysema, cancers and mucous in the throat area, which can lead to greater snoring.

A unique combination of natural fibres that can prevent or correct something that affects almost everyone to some degree: insulin resistance. You probably remember being taught in school about the different food groups and the importance of eating a balanced diet. That is because different foods affect the amount of sugar (or glucose) in our blood. And it is important not to cause blood sugar levels to rise or fall too dramatically or too frequently over the course of the day. But poor eating habits and genetic disposition can cause blood sugar levels to spike out of control, eventually causing insulin resistance, a condition where the body can no longer properly regulate the amount of sugar in the blood. This can lead to a variety of health problems including obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, type II diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

A survey recently conducted by Lavalife and McNeil Consumer Healthcare has found that 45 per cent of singles would not consider dating a smoker. There are many diseases linked to smoking – cancer, heart disease, stroke, emphysema, impotence, mouth diseases which can provoke greater snoring.

Using the stairs at work instead of taking elevators could be a lifesaver. A small Swiss study released that walking up and down stairs for three months, without recourse to the lift, increased levels of fitness, reduction in waist size, body fat, blood pressure and cholesterol.

Allergy is an abnormal reaction that comes in many forms as by sneezing, runny, stuffy and itchy nose, to substances or situations harmless to most people. The most common causes of allergies are particles in the air.
Aromatherapy is a healing treatment that utilizes the aromatic essential oil of both cultivated and wild plants. Essential oils can assist in the treatment of almost every type of ache and pain, as well as soothe away stress and emotional strain.
Arthritis refers to a variety of joint problems that cause pain, swelling and stiffness. Arthritis can occur at any age, but it affects older people the most.
Back Care – A spinal disc that ruptures or bulges and puts pressure on a nerve, causing pain. Generalized pain is pain that occurs in more than half of the abdomen, occur with many different illnesses, most of which will go away without medical treatment. Any abdominal pain that lasts more than a few days needs to be evaluated by a health professional.
Beauty – Many women have found a variety of methods to treat minor, common beauty problems on their own. These include diet, exercise, herbs, aromatherapy, and an assortment of other natural therapies. Most men are about as comfortable dealing with skin care, hair care, or any subject related to beauty. Shaving can cause red, irritated spots, and ingrown hair, so men should care as much as women do about taking care of their skin.
Depression an act of depressing, a state of being depressed. Most major depressions involve problems with the chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) in the brain. The amount of stress in a person’s life, and the way a person copes with stress also contribute to depression.
Ear is an organ of hearing, consisting of three sections, the external, middle, and internal ear. Damage or any type of destruction of the internal ear or any part of it, or of the auditory center in the brain, result in deafness. Earaches to earwax, your ears can cause you trouble. Children sometimes put small objects in their ears.
Eye is an organ of sight typically consisting in vertebrates of a globular structure that is located in a socket of the skull. Which is lined with a sensitive retina. From dry eyes (not having enough moisture) to pinkeye, your eyes can cause you trouble. A speck of dirt or small object in the eye will often wash out with your tears. If the object is not removed, it may scratch the eye (corneal abrasion), emergency care will be needed. Every one in five children have a vision disorder. It is very important to complete an eye exam by the age of three.
Energy Healing and spiritual transformation that bridges ancient Eastern and Western teachings with recent scientific discoveries. Allow us to explore energy, consciousness, and healing in terms of human multidimensional anatomy, physiology, pathology, as well as emotional, mental and spiritual concepts. Key practices to becoming healthy.
Herbal supplements and massage, chiropractic cares were the most commonly used alternative cares, followed by mind, body practices, energy therapies and naturopathy.
Sleep Apnea OSAS – (obstructive sleep apnea syndrome) is a sleeping disorder that is usually caused by the blockage of airways, when airflow’s through the back of the throat. This airflow blockage can reduce the amount of oxygen.
Sleep is a natural, easily reversible, recurrent, and spontaneous state of decreased and less efficient responsiveness to external stimulation. The most complete rest can be attained during sleep, at which time the conscious activities of the mind cease, the heart beats more slowly, blood pressure is lowered, respiratory movements are lees frequent, and muscles are relaxed, and the waking organism is capable.
Snoring is rough, vibratory and disagreeable sound made in breading during sleep. The noise is caused by the blockage of airways in the back of the throat and may indicate some obstruction to nasal breathing.
Therapy is a treatment of the bodily, mental, or behavioral disorders. These wide ranges of Therapy information can help you and your family to understand the cause of health problems and assist you in making appropriate health care treatment before consultation with doctors, or other health professionals.
Vitamins are good for your body, retention to help enhance your immune strength, and are also healthy. Staying healthy and energized is an ongoing challenge, and it is easy to become trapped in negative patterns of eating, sleeping, thinking and living.
Healthy weight loss right now helps your body to eliminate many problems, to reverse hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis), high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Help prevent heart attack, stroke, snoring, sleep apnea, asthma, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritic complications, Alzheimer’s disease, predisposition to cancer of the breast, colon and prostate.

WHAT CAN I DO? PREVENTING, AND TREATING PEOPLE TO STOP SNORING, OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA, AND MORE HEALTH DISORDERS

4 percent of men and 2 percent of women between the ages of 30, and 60 have obstructive sleep apnea.
The most common symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea are:

1. Repeadly stop breathing for 10 to 15 seconds or longer during sleep.
2. Usualy snore loudly.
3. Very tired during the day.
4. Difficulty concentrating, poor memory.
5. Irritability or personality change.
6. Sleep apnea can affect children, and adults.