Posted by Viola Woolcott

Once again researchers stress the health benefits of eating dark chocolate. Maybe the study adds new meaning to those many heart-shaped boxes that we are given on special occasions. And sorry to all you milk-lovers, I’m ONLY talking about DARK chocolate here, as that’s the one with the health benefits.

It is believed that small amounts of dark chocolate on a daily basis can reduce inflammation that leads to heart disease. It is also believed that people who consume dark chocolate on a regular basis enjoy lower levels of C-reactive protein in their blood, which is an indication of low levels of inflammation.

Now the question is, how much dark chocolate can we eat? How much can we get away with? Unfortunately it is only about 0.23 ounces in a day.

Statistics say that 50% of people who consume dark chocolate on a daily basis stop seeing a therapist for their depression.

Posted by Viola Woolcott

Thought the ’summary’ of 2009 made an interesting read and decided to share it with you.

Barack Hussein Obama was sworn in as the forty-fourth
president of the United States and ordered the detention
center at Guantanamo Bay closed within a year. George
W. Bush gave his final press conference. “Abu Ghraib was a
huge disappointment,” he said. “Not having weapons of mass
destruction was a significant disappointment.” A federal
appeals court in Texas ruled to permit the sacrifice of
goats. Republican National Committee Chairman Michael
Steele announced an “off the hook” Republican publicity
campaign, targeting “urban-suburban hip-hop settings.” “We
need to uptick our image with everyone,” Steele said,
“including one-armed midgets.” When asked about the state
of the Republican party, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty
said, “It’s kind of like asking whether the stock market
has bottomed out.” Thirty-nine million Americans were on
food stamps, 54 percent of graduating U.S. business majors
lacked job offers, and two gunmen robbed a man of one
dollar in the parking lot of an Ohio Wendy’s. A top
Pentagon official said that “cutbacks at Best Buy” made it
easier to recruit better-qualified young people for the
military. The war in Iraq turned six; the war in
Afghanistan turned eight; SpongeBob SquarePants turned
ten. In Afghanistan, where the Taliban threatened to chop
off the fingers of anyone who votes, the government passed
a law allowing men to starve wives who refuse sex.

Sea levels continued to rise, and a 40-yard-wide asteroid
just missed the earth. The Mediterranean Sea was plagued
by blobs. Pope Benedict XVI visited Africa; in Angola he
warned against witchcraft, corruption, and condoms. Papal
archaeologists in Rome authenticated the bones of Saint
Paul the Apostle, and Jesus Christ was dismissed from jury
duty in Alabama. Toxic-mining wastes in Idaho were killing
tundra swans; a man in Munich received a two-year
suspended sentence for beating another man with a
swan. Highly aggressive supersquirrels were menacing gray
squirrels in England, where the Law Lords were replaced
with a new Supreme Court whose justices wear no wigs, and
where cosmetic nipple surgery was increasingly popular. A
London taxi driver tied one end of a rope around a post
and the other around his neck and drove away, launching
his head from the car. Anglican hymns were sung at
Darwin’s tomb. Two Yellowstone National Park workers were
fired for peeing into Old Faithful. Sarah Palin published
a book, and Sylvia Plath’s son hanged himself in
Alaska. Scientists in San Diego made a robot head study
itself in a mirror until it learned to smile.

Newspaper circulation in the United States declined to its
lowest level in 70 years. It was revealed via Twitter that
President Obama called Kanye West a “jackass” and that a
coyote ran off with Jessica Simpson’s maltipoo. The Taco
Bell chihuahua died of a stroke, and Sonia Sotomayor was
sworn in as a Supreme Court justice. Walter Cronkite,
Merce Cunningham, and Senator Edward M. Kennedy died, as
did Michael Jackson. Ariel Sharon was still alive. Hamas
and Fatah held peace talks in Cairo. Israel approved the
construction of 900 more settler homes in East Jerusalem,
and ten Florida middle schoolers were suspended for
participating in Kick a Jew Day. Chicago rats fed a diet
of bacon, cheesecake, Ho Hos, pound cake, and sausage
began to behave like rats addicted to heroin, and a
Minnesota man pleaded guilty to driving a La-Z-Boy while
intoxicated. China created a small black hole, and NASA
revealed that a mysterious streak of light spotted by
onlookers in the night sky above North America was a
fortnight’s worth of astronaut urine. Physicists said
that the aural jitters picked up by a German
gravitational-wave detector may indicate that we all live
in a giant and blurry cosmic hologram. The United States,
searching for water, bombed the moon.

Permanent URL for this column:
http://www.harpers.org/archive/2009/12/hbc-900063177

…. and there is also Mike Adam’s review. Mike is one of my biggest hero’s. Don’t you just love him

Check his review here:

2009 in review: A year of FDA censorship, Big Pharma crimes and celebrity drug deaths
2009 in review: A year of FDA censorship, Big Pharma crimes and celebrity drug deaths

Posted by Viola Woolcott

Don’t you realise that it takes a lot of research and planning to get you to spend more when you walk into a store? Don’t you realise that retail outlets are experts at playing on your emotions? They are also playing with your perceptions and of course your lack of critical reasoning.

Does’nt it surprise you when I tell you that it is often the “little” things we never think would influence us that actually do? Beware of the simple added word “only” or “just” before the price RATHER than the price. The ’added’ words “just” and “only” will get you to buy more. Or how about that “3 for 2“? “Buy 1 get 1 Free”? Or 10 for $10? The so said “offers” will get you to buy a lot more of something rather than listing the price as $1 each. And what most don’t realise, the price in most cases is exactly the same. So don’t be fooled.

And there are also the stores that like to play the games such as “good, better, best” with the goods in store, knowing for a fact that buyers that see similar items for a higher price and a lower price will most probably go for the middle priced goods.

Or have you noticed how often you see a high priced item placed with a lot of far lower cost related items around? It is called the “halo effect” and used to sell those lower priced items. They make you think of a “good deal”, where in reality it’s just a very good sales gimmick.

There is only one way to avoid falling for these tricks. KNOW that they exist. Realize when the store is trying to manipulate you. They are trying to “fool” you into purchasing something that you don’t really need.

Some of you may not like to watch this, but I find it absolutely beautiful. It’s awesome. In my days water birth wasn’t as common as it is these days. If I had the choice now, I would definately choose a water birth.

Natural Water Birth at Home

Posted by Viola Woolcott

ALL drivers should see this. Most children don’t listen - maybe it is best to let them watch it too.

Have you ever done it? I’m sure most of us have - the texting and driving.

Yes, texting can be fun, but it’s not only illegal, it can be ‘deadly’.

Having teenage children (an older) myself, I find this quite upsetting to watch, but we should all watch it and be aware of the consequences. I know, most would think ‘this wouldn’t happen to me’, JUST like the girls in the car before it cost them their lifes. A high price to pay, don’t you think?

WARNING!!!! NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED!!

FOOTNOTE:
This is real and happened in the UK

Posted by Viola Woolcott

1. DO NOT give away your power to people:
Take responsibility for your life. If things aren’t going as hoped in your life, re-examine your deepest beliefs and ‘swap’ limiting beliefs for ones that empower you.

2. DO NOT watch movies that drag you down:
This is actually most films according to Power vs Force. Watch films that lift your spirit, that will make you feel good. Also, listen to music that fills you with positive emotions and read books that empower you. Remember: If you control the input to your brain, you’ll also control your output.

3. DO NOT watch the news on television:
TV is filled with negativity which lowers your vibrations. Just ask yourself, why is 95% of all news all the time focused on bad news? If you want to keep up to date with what’s going on, search the internet for independent, unbiased news. Always seek the truth and trust your intuition. Get a more balanced view of reality. Remember: There’s lots of good news out there if you’re looking for it.

4. Focus on what you want in your life and NOT what you don’t want:
Remember the law of attraction! You alone have the power to create the life of your dreams. DO NOT lose focus, even if the world around you seems messed up.

5. Imagine that what you dream of is already in your life:
Feel grateful for it now. And think of 10 more things to be grateful for. Remember: The Law of Attraction.

6. Help other people:
Forgiveness, compassion and understanding are such good vibrations. Learn to spread love. Heal people from a distance with the power of your mind.

7. Seek to discover the truth about the meaning of your life:
You will find the answers, they are there if you look for them. Awareness and peace of mind are high vibrations.

8. Get a pet! :
According to Power vs Force, a purring cat vibrates at 500. I‘m sure that my Dalmatian puppy ‘Shadow’ vibrates at least 800 with his love and devotion!

9. Use tools and strategies:
They help you achieve higher levels of consciousness. Do you meditate?

10. Have fun:
Life is about being happy. Do not wait until you have this, that or the other. Do not put off happiness Live now and enjoy it.

Posted by Viola Woolcott

If it wasn’t so sad what we allow ‘them’ to do to us, it be quite funny.

My friend Brian shared this brilliant video with me. It’s so good to know that people slowly take charge. That they finally wake up. ENJOY and pass it on to your friends!!!

Modern Medicine (a spoof)

Posted by Viola Woolcott

Read about the 10 facts about the ‘incorrect’ truth about human nature.

Ten Politically Incorrect Truths About Human Nature

1. Men like blond bombshells (and women want to look like them)
2. Humans are naturally polygamous
3. Most women benefit from polygyny, while most men benefit from monogamy
4. Most suicide bombers are Muslim
5. Having sons reduces the likelihood of divorce
6. Beautiful people have more daughters
7. What Bill Gates and Paul McCartney have in common with criminals
8. The midlife crisis is a myth—sort of
9. It’s natural for politicians to risk everything for an affair (but only if they’re male)
10.Men sexually harass women because they are not sexist

To read the whole article, click here: www.PsychologyToday.com

By Viola Woolcott

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble Vitamin. Consisting of two major forms of Vitamin D:

D2 - ergocalciferol

D3 - cholecalciferol

As it is a fat-soluble Vitamin, you do not need to take it on a daily basis. Your body stores what it does not need for the future.

The biological function of Vitamin D is maintaining the normal blood levels and promoting the absorption of calcium and phosphate found in food and is necessary for the development to bones and teeth, as well as keeping them healthy.

Vitamin D supports in the maintenance of a healthy immune system as well as controlling cell growth and differentiation. This is the action that influences what a cell is to become.

It is now believed that Vitamin D is responsible in controlling the production of cells. Research states that this regulating factor is missing in cancer.

Vitamin D deficiency can result in failure in the development of bone growth as well as causing rickets (bone-softening disease) in children and osteomalacia (bone disease) in adults occurring mainly in women.

Studies are suggesting that Vitamin D may have positive effects in reducing some types of cancer such as prostate and colon as well as breast cancer.

Should you take high doses of vitamin D for long periods of time, you may suffer reverse effects which could weaken your bones.

You should be able to get all the Vitamin you need from a healthy, balanced diet and it can also be made in your body after exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. Sunshine is a very important source of Vitamin D. But remember, it is still necessary to use (organic, without chemicals) sunscreen to prevent skin cancer as well as other negative consequences.

There is only a small number of good sources for Vitamin D which are oily fish and eggs, and of course sun light.