I enjoy chocolate, and love all of the health benefits that chocolate possesses. Unfortunately I've run into a catch twenty two when it comes to chocolate: the stuff I like isn't healthy and the stuff that is healthy I'm not thrilled with. Dark chocolate I buy in stores just doesn't do it for me like the Hershey's bars of my childhood. But of course Hershey's bars are not going to do my health any good. So, I decided why not try and make my own chocolate?  

One of my favorite books that I’ve read this year has undoubtedly been Health at Every Size by Linda Bacon. Her main message in the book is that body fat and those who have a lot of it have been unfairly demonized by society. The book is not perfect, and when she talks about nutrition I definitely have a few bones to pick, but taken as a whole I think Health at Every Size is spot on and could help a lot of folks with their health. Besides talking about the unfortunate stigma around body fat, Bacon gives a number of interesting and useful tidbits regarding eating habits and how they relate to nutrient absorption, satiety, and overeating. Here are seven of my favorites:

Many people in our modern, advanced civilization are sick. There is a lot of preventable ill, both mental and physical. This is in spite of all of the money and brains put towards preventing and curing disease. Even with all of our intelligent doctors, expensive pills, and nutrition research, our people are not nearly as healthy as many groups of people who live societies that are less wealthy and educated.

The following statistics illustrate the well-being of Americans, but other modern societies follow similar patterns. The large amount of room for improvement in our world’s well-being gives me inspiration to study health in hopes of changing these numbers for the better.

This is a picture of Jim Fixx. Fixx is largely credited with the popularity of running and fitness in the United States due to his bestselling book Complete Book of Running. He was an incredibly fit man, able to run eighty miles per week and complete marathons. Fixx also had an excellent body composition, appearing lean and muscularly defined. Unfortunately, Fixx was not in good health and died while running at age 52, suffering from a heart attack. An autopsy revealed that three of his coronary arteries were more than 70% obstructed, and one of his arteries was 99% blocked.

Many of us who live in modern societies spend too much time being sedentary. We sit at work, we sit at school, we sit during our commute, and we sit during our leisure time when we read, watch TV, and use the computer. The last one is my Achilles heel, as it is not uncommon for me to spend hours at a time in front of a computer screen. There are two free computer applications that I use which mitigate the consequences of my computer use.

I am not the strictest paleo diet adherent. I make an effort (not that it's very hard!) to eat tasty paleo foods often, but I also make an effort not to restrict myself. As a result of this, I have gotten in the habit of making primal treats, making sure that I don't restrict myself from the foods I love, but also making sure to put nourishing things in my body. In the past several months, I have fallen for paleo ice cream. Summers in Seattle aren't quite hot like the desert, but ice cream hits the spot when the thermometer is anywhere above 70 degrees and sunny. I became such a fan of paleo ice cream that I ended up making my own recipe book.

If you want to learn how to make Bulletproof Coffee please check out my video How to make Bulletproof Coffee; and if you want to learn more about the drink itself please read on : )

Prior to six months ago, I had only sipped on coffee once. The taste was bitter, and I'd heard all about the negative health consequences that came along with drinking coffee. Coffee supposedly stunted children's growth, was addicting, and increased the likelihood of contracting several diseases. David Asprey of BulletproofExec.com inspired me to give the black drink another chance, and I am so glad that I did.

If you want to learn more about the details of why Bulletproof Coffee is beneficial please visit my article detailing Bulletproof Coffee; and if you want to learn how to make the wonderful drink please watch the video : )

This is my first ever video, showing you how to make Bulletproof Coffee. David Asprey from BulletproofExec.com came up with the recipe and I am a huge fan. The video will be followed by a detailed look at Bulletproof Coffee and its ingredients. Cheers!

Women and men that sit for six or more hours a day are 40% and 20% more likely to die within 15 years than their brothers and sisters who sit for less than three hours a day, independent of whether they exercise or not. People with sitting jobs have twice the rate of cardiovascular disease as people with non-sitting jobs. People who sit most of the day are 54% more likely to die of a heat attack.

Some foods taste great raw, like blueberries and carrots. However, many foods taste better and are digested easier when cooked, like chicken and sweet potatoes. There are many different ways to cook these foods, but they are not all equally conducive to good health.