An Ancient cup of Cocoa…

By Krystal Frost

We have been into chocolate for awhile. Cocoa residue has been found in 2,600-year-old Mayan ceramic vessels in northern Belize. This pushes the start of mankind’s chocolate addiction back by 1,000 years. Prior to that discovery, the earliest signs of cocoa use dated back to 400 A.D.  Cocoa is an ancient tradition here in Mexico, highly regarded by the Meso-American nations, and marveled at by the Conquistadores.  The beans were actually used as money in the trade of goods and services.  If you have had the fortune to travel to Oaxaca, you know the importance that cocoa beans still play in the Zapoteca culture.
In modern times, cocoa turns out to be a beneficial antioxidant.  A 2003 study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that a cup of hot cocoa (using pure cocoa powder) had close to double the amount of antioxidants than a glass of red wine, more than double the amount of green tea, and four to five times more than black tea.
However, it’s important to understand the huge difference between raw, unsweetened cocoa powder, which is high in antioxidant flavonols, and commercial cocoa drinks and chocolates that are loaded with sugar, paraffin and low in antioxidant content.
Flavonols are a subclass of flavonoids, which are natural chemicals found in plants, fruits and vegetables. Flavonoids, in turn, are the largest group of several thousand compounds belonging to the antioxidant-rich polyphenol family (also called phytochemicals). While all flavonoids are antioxidants, some have stronger antioxidant properties than others, depending on their chemical structure.
Dark unprocessed chocolate has been sighted in several studies as actually having a positive impact on your health, such as improving your glucose metabolism (diabetic control), blood pressure and cardiovascular system.
It is important to know that raw unprocessed cacao, from which chocolate is made,  is loaded with beneficial elements , is very bitter and not many people enjoy it. If you want the heart-healthy benefits of cocoa you will have to use the bitter, unsweetened cocoa powder. (A far cry from what you long for when a chocolate craving sets in.) Because once you add sugar to your drink, the balance of antioxidant protection is likely outweighed by the damage caused by the insulin push.
Of course one can also enjoy the benefits that cocoa and chocolate provide by consuming fruits and vegetables. Red grapes, apples and tangerines are high in antioxidants, as are most all vegetables, such as spinach, kale and broccoli.  Blueberries are a highly-rated fruit as far as antioxidant capacity is concerned, and they’re also a safer option if you’re diabetic, as they’re low in sugar. They also have other chemicals like anthocyanins that are even more powerful than the flavonols in cocoa in protecting against free-radical damage. But not nearly as much fun as eating chocolate… the food of love.
In light of the recent war on sugar, maybe we could sweeten our bitter unsweetened cocoa with agave nectar?   The Aztecs were said to have spiced up their traditional frothy beverage with honey, cinnamon and almonds.
Sounds good to me.

Technical information source: Journal of the American College of Cardiology June 3, 2008; 51(22):2150-2

Krystal Frost is a long time resident of Puerto Vallarta. Graduate of University of Guadalajara, and specialized in cosmetic acupuncture at Bastyr University in Washington State. She is the owner of Body & Sol for over 10 years where she practices traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, massage therapy, yoga, meditation and nutritional counseling. She has created healing programs for individuals, retreats and spas. Questions and comments may be directed to bodysol@hotmail.com
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SUN SPOTS
By Cia Sun

Metaphysics: “Transcending the physical.” - “The nature of being, in relationship to the structure of the universe.” – Aristotle

PASSION

To me, passion is being wildly in love. When we think of being wildly in love, we think of a person, but it doesn’t have to be a person. It can be anything, anything at all that “turns us on, grabs us and won’t let go, pops in our heads at odd moments, captures us, enraptures us.” I really hadn’t thought of passion as such, until something captured me and I realized what I hadn’t had in my life for quite a while. I wasn’t aware of what was missing until it wasn’t missing anymore…passion. What nailed me, threw me to the ground, tossed me in the air and left me soaring, made me smile at odd moments, saved me when life got difficult, lifted me when I was down was… the Spanish language. When I came to Mexico I never thought I would find the current love of my life. I never get tired of studying, of practicing on everyone I meet, of reading dual language books, of listening to tapes every morning for two hours. I’m proud of every new phrase or conjugation I’m able to use. A friend or family member gets a call every time I have even a twenty minute conversation with a waiter or cab driver and actually know what we were talking about. I’m wild about this language.
Webster says of passion: “Passion implies a strong emotion that has an overpowering effect. It is extreme, impelling, emotional drive or excitement.” He goes on to list these synonyms: “Fervor… a constant glowing feeling, Ardor… flame-like emotion, and Enthusiasm… eagerness in the pursuit of something.” Well, all these certainly fit my relationship with Spanish.
When passion leaps for us, let’s leap back, right into its arms. Yes, it may possess us as much as be possessed by us, but is that a bad thing? We can get our feet so firmly planted on the ground that we can’t even dance, much less fly. In comparison to the French, the Spanish, the Italians and probably to some degree most other peoples, we Americans can be a dry bunch. Listen to the music of these countries, the rhythm and cadence of the language. One doesn’t need to understand the words to hear the passion, the lust for life. (Can you imagine a Parisian or a Guatemalan saying, “What would people think?”)
The passion that finds you might be anything… an idea (Bell and the telephone), a dream (Ford and the car), a hobby (Fulton and the steamboat), a vision (Michelangelo and the Sistine chapel.) Yes, these are Grand examples, but I believe all passion is Grand. Without passion life is like a hot dog without mustard, French bread without butter, a new car with no gas in it. Life is to be lived, and to be alive is to be able to embrace passion, whether it be a person, place, thing, idea, dream, hobby, our work, art, whatever. And, we don’t have to be great at something to be passionate about it. I have a friend whose passion is singing. He doesn’t really have a great voice, but it is an absolute pleasure to listen to him sing around the house, while working on the lawn, or driving downtown. His pleasure, gusto and passion carry me away every time I get to hear him. Similarly, one of my sisters’ passion is the piano. She doesn’t read music and still, magic happens when she sits down at the piano. She is swept away when she plays and so is anyone listening. When she has a family crisis, the piano comforts her. When she is sad, the piano consoles her. When she is contented the piano expresses it and fills the house with heaven. One of the great thrills of her life was finally, in her 50s, to be able to buy a baby grand… and oh, the music she can coax out of it.
Let’s live our ordinary lives in extraordinary ways. Let’s be always on “passion alert” and not let that love get away when it shows up. I don’t remember where I first heard or read this statement, but I do my best to live by it…”When my time here is up, I would rather regret the things I’ve done than the things I didn’t do.” Let’s be willing to try just about anything once because we never know where or when we’ll encounter our next passion. A student once announced, “Passion is for the young.” Of course I had to reply, “Passion is what KEEPS us young.” Here’s to being young at ninety, like my friend Esther. Thank you, Esther, for letting me see your passion.

Media veteran Cia Sun, D. Min., C. Hpt., developed, produced and hosted the number one week-end talk show in Phoenix, AZ for two years. Since 1975 she has facilitated classes, workshops and seminars throughout the U.S., and contributed articles to many publications. Cia’s clients call her readings and regressions life expanding. To schedule live readings, phone readings, regressions or group sessions, contact Cia at 044-(322)-141-0785 in Mex. or (541)921-1055 in U.S. or ciasunspots@yahoo.com If you are in Vallarta, please CALL to make appointments or with questions. To access past columns go to…http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sunspots/  © 2008, Cia Sun
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Experience JOY!

By the time you read this I will have embarked on my next walkabout (spirit-led journey with no fixed time or destination.) It's time for grander adventures on different shores.
I've had a number of people ask if I will continue writing my column while I am away. This is a good time to point out something you may not know: No-one who writes for the Tribune gets paid! We may or may not ever get any business out of it; we do it for love and as a community service. It's not always easy to come up with a column every week, and I want to take this opportunity to honour my fellow contributors.
Not only do we not get paid, but we are all too rarely acknowledged in a positive way.  I see 'how dare you' reader retorts for columns like the one Krystal wrote to inform people on the very real danger of Aspartame, and I get the occasional hate mail from people who don't like my thoughts, and at times like these I wonder why we bother.
Then, once in a blue moon, I have someone tell me that something I wrote made a difference in their life. THAT is what keeps me going - but not enough to write when I'm not here.
I'm telling you this because the people who work so hard to provide something interesting / helpful / relevant for you to read every week deserve some appreciation!
There are many more contributors than the following, but my mind is a fuddle with packing and preparing to leave, so please know that each and every one of you are honoured and appreciated whether or not you are mentioned.
Cia, Krystal and Marcia, it's been a privilege sharing a page with you, I couldn't have kept finer company. Ron, you are an inspiration, BLESS YOU for all you do. Stan; I've been so grateful for the support you've been offering the firefighters recently. Thank you, Polly and Twila, for keeping your fingers on Vallarta's pulse. Paul, I have been delighted to learn about Vallarta's flowers through you. Thank you, Joe, for your movie madness. Pamela, for the important health information you provide. Max, who would've imagined I'd look forward to reading the thoughts of a parrot, but I do! Thanks Ron for helping me stay safe on the internet. Lucero your horoscopes are FREAKILY accurate! Randal, good to see you join the writers ranks officially. And last, but never least, Anna, who, in addition to her column, keeps the whole paper running. You're a legend, mate, goodonya.
I wish you all a wonderful summer filled with inspiration and the gift of unexpected feedback from readers who just had to tell you how great they thought your column was.
And thank you to our readers, the reason we sit down every week to wrack our brains in the hopes that something we offer will trigger something that helps you in some way. If it does, take a moment to tell us, it makes all the difference in the world.
If you need me just email. Most of my sessions are done remotely so I'm only ever a phone call away. Keep in touch! joy@experiencejoy.com