Hot Chocolate Massage

Hot Chocolate Massage

By Laurence De Conto

Warning to chocolate lovers...this may be addictive. Imagine warm chocolate oozing over your skin, opening your pores to receive the rich minerals, vitamins and antioxidants needed to reduce aging and even prolong your life. The next several mouth-watering minutes will have you melting in your seat and eager to get out and find a chocolate massage.

The Beauty of Chocolate

What if I told you that chocolate could make you beautiful? Put aside the evils that we have been taught throughout the years about chocolate and its negative effects, and get down to some new and innovatively exciting information that gives you every reason to eat, drink, smell and wear Chocolate. Yes, I said wear. Actually I want to take it further than just wearing chocolate, I am suggesting that you smear it all over your body, professionally supervised of course, until you feel like a human chocolate bar.

One of the latest treatments appearing at spas around the world is chocolate massage. Sure it sounds like a gimmick at first, a way to get cocoa lovers into the spa, but it is now being heralded as extremely therapeutic on many levels. One such beneficial claim is that chocolate may actually make you live longer. A study of 8000 people, half eating chocolate and the other half abstaining, showed that the ones that consumed the chocolate recorded a longer lifespan. It is hypothesized that this is due to the presence in chocolate of antioxidants known as polyphenols, which help to reduce heart disease. This study was related to the consumption of chocolate, but it is widely known that the skin, being the largest organ in the body is able to absorb such organic chemicals and enter them into the bloodstream, which would result in the same effect. Polyphenols have also proved to reduce the onset of wrinkles, which is a highlight of anti-aging. Not only can chocolate help you live longer, it will have you looking fabulous along the way.

Chocolate massage is an explosive sensory experience. The creamy cocoa butter, rich in minerals and vitamins, and used as the base ingredient for chocolate massage, has been a favorite emollient in cosmetics and lotions for centuries. It too has antioxidant properties, and feels divine as it soothes tired and dry skin, improving the circulation of oxygen rich blood throughout the body. This increased blood flow has been attributed to flavanol, another amazingly important antioxidant that removes free radicals. Cocoa is one of the best sources in the world for flavanol, so having a chocolate massage will not only leave your skin revived and glowing, but may actually help combat anxiety or depression. That is exactly what a visit to the spa is supposed to provide for you.

The benefits of chocolate massage have proved to help the skin and the cardiovascular system, but did you know that they also have an influence on your hormonal system? Yes, that's right. Cocoa powder and cocoa butter both have mind and hormonal altering agents. It contains two neurochemicals that specifically help in the proper release and distribution of serotonin, the feel-good neurotransmitter.

Feeling good is exactly what hot chocolate massage is designed for. As you lay under the smoothly flowing hands of your therapist, the warm chocolate is gently rubbed into your skin, and you are taken into another world. The pleasure centers of your brain are working overtime, generating pain reducing opiates which melt away your stress. The aroma of chocolate during the massage, mixed with the absorption into the skin increases your endorphin levels, leaving you in a peaceful state of well-being.

It is irrefutably obvious that the skin and major systems of the body are all highly benefitted by the healing properties found in chocolate. No wonder the Greek name for chocolate translates to 'food of the gods'. This gift from Mother Nature will heal you inside and out. I highly suggest that you find a practitioner of chocolate massage in your area, and end your day feeling like a goddess.

http://www.TheSpaTouch.com.au

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laurence_De_Conto


http://EzineArticles.com/?Hot-Chocolate-Massage&id=6580138

Image source: Google

Desserts to Include For a Cheese and Wine Night

Desserts to Include For a Cheese and Wine Night

By Pat Lindle

It is indeed a wonder how the taste of wine can be different when paired with certain foods. When having wine with a meal most people only consider the wine pairing of the main course. They completely overlook pairing a great wine with their dessert dishes. Wines are great with cheeses and dessert dishes and can give the meal a new direction.

When serving wine with cheese, present your guests with a beautiful array of cheeses. French cheeses that range from the very mild to the extremely pungent can be paired with most wines. Start with the mildest cheese and graduate to the stronger varieties. The Camembert is a great beginning and goes extremely well with Champagne. Brie is an excellent creamy and mellow cheese that goes great with a young red wine. If you are serving a Beaujolais try the Morbier and the Bucheron, an aged and pungent goat cheese, paired with Pouilly Fume or the robust Bordeaux.

For dessert pairings it will take a bit of planning but you can pair wines with most any desserts. Creme Brulee, for instance goes well with a crisp Pinot Gris. This will bring the meal to an end on a mellow note. The character that is brought out in the Pinot Gris when it is paired with this dessert will blow you away.

What is not to like about chocolate cake. Pair your favorite chocolate cake with a hearty Port wine. Vintage port is a fine way to end a meal by itself but when paired with chocolate cake the meal ends in orgasmic culinary delight. It may be a bit much for hot summers but this is one dessert and wine pairing that can really make a statement during the cold of winter.

For those who want something light and tasty pair Champagne with a berry dessert. A simple berry tart becomes a dessert fit for royalty when paired with Champagne. This is a simple, yet elegant end to a fantastic spring or summer time meal. If you really want to go for a classic dessert fresh strawberries in cream will do nicely paired with Champagne. Melons are also a perfect match with Champagne.

Finally, for a taste treat that is a tad on the adventurous side pair a fine Madeira with a dessert like vanilla ice cream with caramel topping. Serve the Madeira at or near room temperature for optimal effect.

Mr. Lindle is a wine broker and a wine aficionado. When he buys wine, he makes sure to always a buy wine online at his favorite stores.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pat_Lindle


http://EzineArticles.com/?Desserts-to-Include-For-a-Cheese-and-Wine-Night&id=6270828

Image source: google

Chocolate - What's Not to Love?

Author: Cathy H. Jones

For centuries, chocolate has been linked to love, romance and aphrodisiacs. Certainly these associations were not coined without particular reasons. The love of chocolate that people have always shown has made scientists wonder what exactly is behind this small piece of dark brown food that makes it so addictive. The centuries long chocolate love affair may have well started in South America. Here the Cacao Tree, which is where chocolate is from, was at some time worshipped by the people. They devoted themselves in prayer and adoration for what they considered a divine tree and known to be the food of gods.

Since they considered emperors to be close to a Godly person, emperors were the first ones to take the Cacao from the Cacao tree. They then found great use for it as something that enhances sexual abilities. Of course this discovery could be what started the extreme fondness for chocolate! As people learned about the effects of Cacao, now commonly known as chocolate, the wide spread demand for it boomed and it is now seen as a symbol of love. For scientists, there is much more behind chocolate that has caused chocolate to appeal so strongly to so many people. So of course they are determined to find out what that is.

After years of trying to unlock the secrets behind the love of chocolates, they finally came up with a concrete analysis behind it. As they observed the effects that chocolate has on human behavior, they found out that they contain substances called Serotonin and Phenyl-ethylamine. These two substances have great effects on stimulating a person's mood. We are aware that as the mood rises, it causes an increase in blood pressure. This, leading to an increased heart rate will cause the same euphoric, passionate and lust feelings you feel when in love.

Aside from these effects, chocolate can also increase your energy as well as stamina. Women however, are known to be more vulnerable to the effects of Phenyl-ethylamine and Serotonin compared to men. This gives us a concrete reason as to why women are considered to be more your stereotypical chocolate lover instead of compared to men.

So the next time you receive a box of chocolate and decide to indulge in the luscious and creamy feeling with every bite, try to see where the love of chocolate in your life comes from. Or, you can just enjoy the simple pleasure of a delicious treat!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/chocolate-articles/chocolate-whats-not-to-love-3293506.html

About the Author

Cathy is a true chocoholic! She enjoys anything made of chocolate. She also loves to spend time with her family, enjoying a great cup of cocoa made with her hot cocoa machine. She really enjoys her Keurig hot beverage maker and the great cocoa you can make with hot chocolate K cups, they are great for a perfect cup of cocoa every time!

ShesDaily.com

The above publication is for entertainment purposes only and it is courtesy of articlebase.com. Image source google.

Rescue Chocolate

Rescue Chocolate: a company with a simple motto:" The Sweetest Way to Save a Life". 100% of their net profits are donated to save animals nationwide. Founded in January 2010 with headquarters in Brooklyn, NY, Rescue Chocolate bars are made with 100% Belgium chocolate and are 100% vegan.
Sarah featured in the above picture, has combined her love for dogs and chocolate to help rescue pets nationwide from an over epidemic population.







The company offers a variety of mouthwatering chocolates: the Peanut Butter Pitbull (crispy peanut butter and chocolate), Pick Me! Pepper (sweet and spicy dark chocolate with peepers), Foster- riffic Peppermint ( dark chocolate with peppermint), the popular The Fix (dark chocolate bar) , Forever Mocha (chocolate and coffee).









Each individual chocolate bar has a purpose and cause for the animals. As an example, "The Fix" chocolate bar proceeds go to help spay and neuter the animals. In honor of Mother's Day The Fix bar can easily compliment the new "Wild at Hearts Truffles". These raspberry ganache filled chocolate hearts available in a box of 2,6,16. The wild at hearts are named to help bring love and affection to all circus animals, abandoned exotic pets and their caregivers, whom give them the deserved attention. Rescue chocolate is available in retail stores nationwide and also available online at rescuechocolate.com.

ShesDaily.com

Disclosure: the above publication is for entertainment purposes only. Photos source Google.

Better Than Nutella

From Food and Wine Friday's - Better than Nutella

Nutella, Ferrero’s universally popular hazelnut and chocolate spread is perhaps one of the more unusual Italian products to have attained worldwide fame.
There are even quite a number of Nutella fan groups on Facebook, and a quick search on the name of this well loved spread on Google.com reveals around 5 million results. Nutella even has its very own Wikipedia entry. Not a bad achievement for a spread made in a country which is not really famed for its chocolate products. I don’t think many would disagree if I say that Nutella is something of a ‘cult’ product. There’s even a World Nutella Day, for heavens sake! February the 5th 2009!
Read More


He's Daily from Italy
Alex Roe for ShesDaily.com