Hair Loss PreventionWritten by Karen Brown
Most of time, hair loss occurs due to heredity. Therefore, it may not be possible to prevent hair loss. However, there are a few things in which individuals can do to prevent hair loss or further hair damage, in event that hair is lost due to heredity and other means. In preventing hair loss, it is important to know what causes it. Knowing cause allows individuals to avoid those circumstances, unless it is related to genes. Sometimes hair loss occurs because of high stress or chemicals and hair dyes. In these instances, individuals may choose not to use hair chemicals or avoid high stress situations so that hair loss may be prevented. Although it may be difficult to know exactly why hair
| | Chocolate and heart health – fact or fallacy?Written by Nicholas Webb
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if chocolate and heart health went hand in hand. However, there is so much information lately about health benefits of chocolate that it is only natural that people get confused.It is true, that if people only ate pure cocoa, then there might be heart health benefits. The problem is that most people eat processed chocolate bars containing sugar, corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, dairy cream not to mention other “baddies” contained in some of those tasty fillings. Some of these added ingredients can clog up arteries and create havoc to your waistline. That said, you might be surprised to find out that chocolate isn’t all that bad. In fact, fat content in chocolate, contained in premium grade dark chocolate, is comprised of equal amounts of oleic acid (a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat also found in olive oil), stearic and palmitic acids. Stearic and palmitic acids are forms of saturated fat – not so good. Saturated fats are linked to increases in LDL-cholesterol and risk of developing heart disease. Research indicates that stearic acid appears to have a neutral effect on cholesterol; neither raising nor lowering LDL-cholesterol levels. Palmitic acid on other hand, does affect cholesterol levels but only comprises one-third of fat calories in chocolate. Therefore, if we base our chocolate eating habits on latest research, fat issue isn’t so worrying. Beware milk chocolate may not be so heart healthy As with mist things in life, there is also a down-side to chocolate. When we eat milk chocolate or lower grade chocolate, part of total fat content comes from milk fat or various other types of fat contained in processed chocolate, and not from pure cocoa, which do adversely affect cholesterol levels.
|
