We welcome 2011 with a STRESS-BUSTING series!  Stress is a well-known contributor to many health problems and is one of the primary reasons that people visit their doctors today.  Some people feel stress in their shoulders, some in their stomachs.  Stress can contribute to headaches & hives, acne & asthma.  It can be a mental and emotional challenge as well as a physical one.  And while much stress cannot be avoided, our reactions to stress are within our control.  It's really simple - when we manage stress effectively, we will improve our health overall.  

On February 9, join us for a look into Mindfulness Meditation with Karen Clark, MA, LLP.  Karen studied at the Stress Reduction Clinic of the University of Massachusetts Medical Center and in Jon Kabat-Zinn's program and has been teaching Mindfulness Meditation for Stress Reduction in Midland for 10 years. 
   Studies show meditation lowers blood pressure, helps with chronic pain, migraines and other stress-related physical ailments.  It also helps the brain focus and it creates joy!  Who couldn't use a bit more of that!?!  In fact, there is another new study published in the January issue of Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging that shows participation in just 8 weeks of Mindfulness Meditation actually changes the brain!  Read about this at this link:  Meditation Changes Brains
   You do not have to be able to sit on the floor or sit cross-legged to meditate.  It is not an activity of any particular religion - there are no requirements in that regard.  You can be absolutely anyone at absolutely any moment of your life.  Meditation must be experienced, however - so get ready to try a bit! 

New Night Class.  Tracy adds her second 8 week class session beginning Wednesday, February 2.  This Core Yoga class focuses on strengthening the core muscles (generally navel to buttocks).  This work is great for digestion and self-confidence!  Drop in for $10/class or call Tracy directly for more information - 630-729-4380. 

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Kim Z's Yoga Classes on Monday, February 7 and Wednesday, February 9 are canceled, but will resume the following week. 

 

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Our Complete Yoga Schedule continues and is available by following this link:  WellSpring Yoga Classes  We love our regular students and always welcome newcomers and guests.  Each of our instructors is happy to answer questions about their classes and each has punchcards available for multiple class use.  Come give it a try!

Finally in 2011, after 2 years of avoidance, I'm caving in to the obvious topic for a February Of the Month column - and we'll talk about chocolate.  Yes, you might learn something new about this somewhat emotionally charged food and no, you will not receive eternal permission to eat unlimited quantities of it!  If that's what you're hoping for, you can skip the rest of the article!
History of Cacao.  Chocolate as we know it today is a fairly recent invention.  Native to the warmer climates of the Americas and West Indies, cacao was considered food of the gods by the Mayans over 2000 years ago.  The Aztecs highly prized the beans, and a special drink made from them.   The Spanish explorer Hernando Cortez took the beans back to Spain in the 1500s where the drink became a treat reserved for primarily for nobility.  In another 100 years, however, the secret had escaped Spain and the chocolate drink became more available in England and other parts of Europe.  It was still very expensive and remained accessible only to the wealthy, and still only as a drink.  It wasn't until 1847 that the first chocolate bar was made - but we haven't stopped since!  Milk chocolate made its debut in 1875 and Milton S. Hershey changed the face of chocolate forever opening his chocolate company in Pennsylvania in 1894.
Botany of Cacao.  Theobroma cacao is native to the Andes, and is a small evergreen tree that needs partial shade, warm temperatures and a good amount of rain.  The bean pods come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors.  Inside the pod is creamy white, not chocolate brown, and where you'll find the cacao beans.  Cacao has hundreds of chemical constituents, including some minerals and many different polyphenols and flavenoids.  These have anti-oxidant properties that are making them the subject of a fair amount of study recently.
From Cacao to Chocolate.  This is quite a lengthy process that will just be touched on here.  The tree is fairly fragile and the pods must be harvested carefully.  They are opened, covered and left to ferment.  The beans are then gathered and dried.  Then they're ready for the transformation into chocolate which involves roasting, grinding, separating into powders and liquors (not the alcohol kind) and nibs, adding new ingredients, conching (not the seafood kind) and other things that any good chocolatier knows and your average naturopathic doctor does not!
Recent Studies.  A quick search of published literature shows 1896 published studies on cacao alone, and 266 specifically relating cacao to health.  The biggest area of health research has been into cacao's effects on cardiovascular health (165 studies) and there are 50 studies published about cacao and cancer.  There are a few studies about cacao with menopause, Alzheimer's disease and other health concerns.
   A March 2010 study showed daily chocolate intake to lower blood pressure.  And a September 2010 study showed that women who ate chocolate twice a week had a lowered risk of heart failure.  Other studies have shown lowering of lipid levels and decreases in vascular inflammation - both known contributors to cardiovascular disease.
Studies related to cancer are also looking at the polyphenols and find similar chemical activity to that found in green tea and red wine.  There also seems to be a benefit to combining nuts with the chocolate, as nuts have extremely healthy profiles in their own right.
Yes, buts....  Remember, this is not permission for a chocolate free-for-all!  In fact, the 2 recent studies noted above specifically note that more is not better!  The March study used 6 grams a day (about 1/4 ounce) and found the group using 25 grams a day got no better results.  Same with the September study - those eating chocolate more than twice a week fared no better than those only eating it twice. 
   Also, the chocolate used in many studies like these is NOT your average Hershey candy bar with all the added milk, sugar, nougat, caramel, and all the rest.  They often use specially prepared chocolate that has few added ingredients AND has been processed in a special way to preserve the flavonoids and polyphenols.  High heat destroys most of these in processing.  That said, however, the September study did track just the intake of plain chocolate - not a specially prepared kind - so who really knows?! 
   There are some companies out there starting to use varieties of cacao that may start out higher in these desired chemical contents and gentler processing methods, thereby ending up with more of the good stuff in the finished product.  Look at your labels and see if they're specifying a flavanol content.  That's expected to be a big marketing strategy to start happening soon. 
   In any case, if you're blessed with chocolates this Valentine's Day, enjoy them and consider that in prudent doses, they might actually be doing more for your heart than just being a token from someone who loves you! 
  And, in a shameless plug, if you're wanting to try some lovely, handmade chocolates, my cousin is a fabulous chocolatier who ships across the US.  Find him at this link:  Carter's Chocolates