just a healthy FYI Chocolate and Kelp

I have been taking kelp to help my hair and nails stay strong, then I looked up additional benefits. Wow!
PLEASE NOTE: I am not a doctor, this is just info and personal observations I have found. most things in moderation are usually ok. and Health benefits of Chocolate, Need I say more.

The Health Benefits of Chocolate

It turns out there's even more to love about one of the most decadent, satisfying foods on the planet. We're talking about chocolate: Heavenly sweet treat, coveted comfort food, and former diet disaster. But now? New studies are proving that chocolate does, in fact, have a place in the health-conscious kitchen.

Research shows that cocoa and dark chocolate with a high cocoa content contain flavonoids, a naturally occurring phytonutrient found in plant foods like cocoa, tea, wine, nuts, and certain fruits and vegetables. The main flavonoids found in cocoa -- flavan-3-ols and procyanidins -- offer a host of cardiovascular benefits, including antioxidant protection and improved blood vessel function. "The flavonoids in chocolate are generally touted for heart health -- they make blood less sticky, keep blood vessels flexible, and there's less plaque formation to prevent heart disease," says Dawn Jackson Blatner, a Chicago-based registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

In fact, a 2007 study from the University of Nottingham Medical School in the United Kingdom suggested that this improved blood flow may also benefit the brain in terms of memory and learning ability.

Flavonoids also help prevent the oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels in the blood, according to a 2006 study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. There is also some evidence that these flavonoids may prevent certain cancers, such as skin cancer. A 2006 study also linked ingestion of flavonoids to increased UV protection, but that doesn't make you invincible. Slathering on the sunscreen and snacking on a mini-Snickers will offer you the best protection.

What Can Kelp Do For You?

There are a large number of sea kelp benefits that have been discovered throughout the years and taking a kelp supplement really can help to keep your body healthy. Some of the main benefits that have been discovered are: 

·        Sea Kelp has been shown to help alleviate arthritis pain

·        Kelp can help to increase energy levels

·        Boost immunity

·        Improve liver function

·        Fight against heart disease and cancer

·        Suppress AIDS

·        Control appetite and can help with weight loss due to its metabolism stimulating properties.Learn more about how to use sea kelp for weight loss.

·        Sea Kelp has been used to treat thyroid problems due to the iodine in kelp which helps under active thyroids which is due to the lack of iodine.More about kelp and thyroid.

·        Helps with poor digestion, flatulence and constipation.

·        Kelp kills the herpes virus

·        Kelp helps to lower cholesterol levels

·        Kelp helps to maintain the health of the mucous membranes

·        Kelp can be used to help reduce hair loss.