[TOPIC 01] 5 Steps To Improve Your Mood Instantly
1. Listening to Music
One of the most instant stress relieving techniques could be listening to your favorite music. Music not only calms you down but also acts as an instant mood changer. It can entertain you and divert the mind from the thought that is bothering you.
2. Cup of Coffee/Tea
There are times you do not wish to sit at home when you've had a terrible fight with a friend/parents. You should immediately step out for a cup of coffee or tea at your favorite hang out spot. Redirecting your mind to lighter issues can brighten up your mood.
3. Chat with your best friend
The moment you are frustrated and your mood is spoilt, pick up the phone or run to your best friend and vent out your anger or sorrow. This technique will not only make your heart feel lighter but will also improve your mood quickly. Friends prove to be your best companions when in need.
4. Chocolate
Grab a bar of your preferred chocolate to ease you off the stress and make you feel like a child all over again. Scientifically chocolate, especially dark chocolate is known to reduce the level of stress hormones in the body resulting into improvement of your mood immediately.
5. Bond with Nature
Taking a stroll down the park or on the beach can instantly freshen your mind. Breathing fresh oxygen and bonding with elements of nature can prove to be absolutely relaxing for the mind and body.
<Questions>
1. Do you agree with all the steps in the article? Why or why not?
2. Which of the 5 steps to do you agree with the most? Why?
3. Which of the 5 steps does not apply to you? Why?
4. What do you usually do when you are not in a good mood? Please explain.
5. What are the things that stress you out?
[TOPIC 02] Chocolate: A Superfood for Teeth
A dentist recommending CHOCOLATE? Yes, that's right, you read correctly.
Recent studies emerging from Japan, England, and the U.S. support the fact that chocolate is effective at fighting cavities, plaque, and tooth decay in the mouth. In fact, it's better than fluoride according to some.
Dark chocolate (I can't speak for sugary milk chocolate) doesn't deserve its bad rap as a cavity-causing treat. It may actually help prevent cavities! And here's where the gauntlet gets thrown down. Compounds in chocolate may be more effective at fighting decay than fluoride. Researchers are predicting that one day, the compound found in chocolate called CBH will be used in mouthwashes and toothpaste.
Tooth decay occurs when bacteria in the mouth turn sugar into acids, which eat away at the tooth's surface and cause cavities. Compounds in the cocoa bean husk have an anti-bacterial effect and also fight against plaque. This makes chocolate less harmful than many other sweet foods your dentist might warn you against because the antibacterial agents in cocoa beans offset its high sugar levels.
This research has even revealed that the cocoa extract is more effective than fluoride in fighting cavities. To many, this is shocking news, but for me that's not saying much. I'm not a big fan of ingesting fluoride, and I think it has long been over-hyped (more on that in future posts).
The compound CBH, a white crystalline powder whose chemical makeup is similar to caffeine, helps harden tooth enamel, making users less susceptible to tooth decay. This specific compound has been proven effective in the animal model, but it will it will take another two to four years before the product is approved for human use and available for sale (in the form of mouthwashes and toothpastes).
In the mean time, however, one can "administer" this compound via the ingestion of chocolate. Eating 3-4 oz of chocolate a day is a great way to take advantage of this wonder compound and lower your chance of getting cavities. What an easy and fun recommendation a doctor can make; it's been called the food of the gods, a supposed aphrodisiac, and the drink that Casanova favored.
Now, this isn't an excuse to binge on bonbons, nor ditch your floss and toothbrush.
> For the best therapeutic effect (yes, I'm still talking about chocolate), it's best to chew on cacao nibs. Most will find this option unpalatable.
> The second best choice, is dark chocolate with less than 6-8 grams of sugar per serving - organic if possible. Be aware that chocolate is a calorie-rich food, so modify your calorie intake accordingly.
> Raw chocolate is even a better choice, as it it less processed, and more of the antioxidants are left intact.
Do all of this for your teeth, but enjoy the other benefits of mood elevation and better blood flow as well!
With the recent findings, it's now more true than ever, that chocolate is a superfood. Chocolate has over 300 chemical compounds in it, making it one of the most complex foods we know of, and I predict that many new compounds in chocolate beneficial to us will surface over time and cement its nutritional star rating.
<Questons>
1. Were you surprised that chocolate is actually a superfood for teeth?
2. How do you take care of your teeth?
3. Do you like chocolates? Why or why not? How often do you eat chocolates?
4. What is your favorite brand of chocolate?
5. Aside from chocolates, what other sweets do you like?
첫댓글 안.젼.놀.ㅇㅣ.ㅌㅓ. 추.천.합.니다.
Z. M. M. 6 .9 닸.켬 (추,천,인 1234)
회,원ㄱㅏ입ㅅㅣ 3000원ㅈㅣ급, ㅁㅐ일 첫.충.전5%추ㄱㅏㅈㅣ급.
올킬, 올ㄷㅏ이, ㅇㅣ벤.트.중입ㄴㅣㄷㅏ. 단/폴 ( 50 ) 모ㅂㅏ~일ㄱㅏ~능
365일 연~중~무.휴 24ㅅㅣ간.(해/외.운/영) 온ㄹㅏ인 고~객ㅅㅓ~ㅂㅣ스!
믿,음,과 신,뢰,는 MUSIC의 전~부,입ㄴㅣ다.