To your health, Valentine
Heart-shaped boxes stuffed full of calories and guilt. Not very romantic, and I'm sure that's not the message your Valentine is trying to convey, or you're trying to convey to your Valentine. And you can't expect me not to point out something I say all the time: reduce - or even better, cut out altogether - sugar. Not only does it suppress your immune system, making it harder for your body to fight off viruses, but it can pack on pounds that become a risk factor in a host of other debilitating diseases.
Now before you start saying I'm being a spoil-sport and ruining all of your fun, let's take a look at some ways to avoid ruining your - and your loved ones - health. Good eating takes a little planning, so put together a little basket of the following.
1) Chocolate Research supports the benefits of premium dark chocolate, which is full of healthful antioxidants. More and more quality dark chocolates are coming onto the market all the time. Avoid the typical checkout line display of overly processed candy, which research does not support as being healthful. Even though chocolate has health benefits, you have to remember that a little goes a long way. Tip too much on the other side of moderation, and you'll be tipping the scales. As a general rule, look for dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa content.
2) Cocoa Nibs If you have already cut sugar out, or know someone who can't eat any sugar, try these tasty little sugar-free snacks. These are cocoa beans that have been roasted and then broken into small bits (or, "nibs") and can be eaten directly or used in baking. They're also a great addition to a fruit smoothie or for sprinkling on your cereal. Scharffen-Berger is a widely available brand I like, which you can find in health food and gourmet shops, or poke around on the Internet.
3) Berries A healthy, naturally sweet snack that also adds fiber and some more of those healthful antioxidants.You could even experiment with dipping strawberries in melted dark chocolate and giving someone a heart-healthy homemade treat.
4) Red Wine A bottle of red wine provides beneficial protection against strokes, thanks to resveratrol, a compound concentrated in red wine during the fermentation process. It increases brain levels of an enzyme that protects nerve cells from damage. Wine is also a rich source of health promoting flavanol antioxidants, similar to what you find in both dark chocolate and tea. Of course, if you have any specific health or alcohol dependency issues, this isn't the green light to drink wine. For those who can partake, do so in moderation. A glass up to six times a week, not the whole bottle at once. Spice it up (behind closed doors) So you have wooed or been wooed with healthy dark chocolates and antioxidant-rich berries. But spicing it up in the bedroom begins at the table with what you eat for dinner.
What you want to aim for are those foods that are heart-healthy, because they keep your circulation moving. And when your circulation is doing what it is supposed to do, a positive side effect is healthier sexual function.
Now you are probably chomping at the bit to find out what to eat to get that circulation flowing. The best foods to eat to accomplish this are those that are high in Omega-3 and l-arginine, such as salmon, nuts, and olive oil. Some other foods that keep your circulation moving are green vegetables, soybeans, garlic and ginseng.
And now my gentle reminder: Get your circulation moving by getting you moving. Exercise will get your blood pumping. Think of the message that marketers use: Buy our product, and you'll be sexier/more popular and more attractive. I just offered you something that will do the same thing, and you don't even need to go to the mall. Unless you go there for your walk to stay out of the elements, of course.
