Summer is coming, and while you may be excited for sun, sea and holidays, the hotter months can take a toll on your health. Here are some tried and tested tips to get your mind, body and soul ready for summer and beyond.
Healthy Chocolate
Cacao is more than simply a delicious energy boosting cup of goodness. It gives your body's organs the essential nutrition they need to operate optimally. Research shows cacao provides fibre, monounsaturated ("good") fats, minerals such as potassium, magnesium, and copper, and vitamin D, an essential nutrient supporting calcium absorption.
Cacao is also rich in polyphenols, making it a potent antioxidant that protects cells against free radicals, heart disease and other diseases. Raw organic cacao boasts over 40 times the antioxidants of blueberries with an ORAC score (i.e. the ability of antioxidants to absorb free radicals) of 98,000 per 100g, vs blueberries at 2,400. It’s fantastic for strengthening the immune system, particularly the inflammatory innate and systemic and intestinal adaptive immune responses.
Cacao is also a rich source of four scientifically proven bliss chemicals – serotonin, tryptophan, tyrosine and phenylethylamine - associated with making us feel happy, vital and buzzing for summer.
Drink more H02
Drinking water daily is essential for the health and well-being of many of our body's functions, such as protecting joints and organs, delivering essential nutrients to cells, improving focus and digestion, minimising headaches, plumping skin, and speeding up muscle recovery.
Experts recommend drinking at least 2.1 litres of water daily, and if you're exercising, even more as it helps maintain your body temperature. Be eco-friendly and drink your water from a reusable bottle which significantly reduces the amount of plastic waste in landfills and oceans.
Prime your gut
Research shows the importance of gut bacteria for overall body and brain. health. A healthy gut helps prevent mood swings, heart diseases, autoimmune diseases, arthritis, and weight gain.
Cacao contains flavonoids that act as a prebiotic, which supports and promotes good gut bacteria, assists digestion and helps prevent constipation and other digestive issues.
A change in season can see changes in our gut health, including dehydration and inconsistent eating habits. Now is the time to revisit your diet and ensure it is full of plant-based goodness and nourishing cacao for a happy, healthy gut ready to take on summer!
Stress Less
With summer comes changes in melatonin that can affect your daily circadian rhythms, leading to trouble sleeping. As temperatures increase, so too can our cortisol levels, with symptoms similar to a panic attack, making us feel stressed and anxious.
For centuries, Cacao has been used as a natural heart opener that helps facilitate a deeper connection with ourselves and others. Cacao powder is packed with flavonoids, which help lower blood pressure and improve blood flow to the brain and heart, and help prevent blood clots. Ceremonial Cacao is also believed to promote feelings of love, compassion, and unity, which helps us release emotional blockages and cultivate a sense of inner peace.
Be party-ready
With summer comes the festive season and demands of our home life, work life and those end-of-year parties. This can lead to excess food and alcohol and less physical activity.
It's more important than ever to keep up your workout routine. When time is short, plan workouts but break them into shorter blocks. Take a brisk walk for 20 minutes or practice some stretching. Regular movement and exercise release happy hormones that help smash those post-party blues and recharge you for the next one. Constant movement also keeps your joints and muscles nimble. It takes some effort, but for mind and body, it's a win-win.
Cacao helps boost metabolism so your body can metabolise fat more efficiently, which is why many fitness pros add it to their pre-workout protein shakes. Try this protein-rich workout shake made with Creation Cacao and see and feel the difference!
Summer Iced Ceremonial Cacao
Keep on track with daily ceremonial cacao for its rich nutritional benefits and mood-enhancing qualities, and feel ready for summer. Our Summer Iced Ceremonial Cacao is just the tonic for body, mind and soul.
Click Here to watch this quick and easy way to make your Iced cacao
Ingredients
- 30 gr of Creation Cacao
- 10 gr of honey, raw sugar or healthy sweetener
- 150 ml of boiling water
- 150 ml of your fav milk (try almond, oat or cow’s milk)
- Ice
Method
- Add 30 gr of Creation Cacao and 10 gr of your preferred sweetener into a metal or glass jug.
- Add 150 ml of hot water from the kettle and let sit for 30 seconds.
- Add 150 ml of desired milk. We love plant-based versions like almond and oat (so does our gut microbiome!)
- Pour contents into a bullet blender and blend on high for 10 seconds.
- Pour directly into a large glass filled 2/3 with Ice and enjoy.