Article by John Smith

Father’s Day is a time to celebrate your father’s favourite things and bring them together, along with a huge hug and a few meaningful words of affection. When you’re choosing Father’s Day gifts you’ll need to think up ideas based on his favourite foods and sports and these are two foods and a game which thousands of men seem to love. If your dad lives for football, pizza and chocolate then read on because we’re going to tell you some surprising facts and offer you some truly original ideas for Father’s Day gifts.

Pizza

Pizza has one of the worst reputations when it comes to fast-food. Classified by many people as a junk food because of its high carbohydrate and fat content a lot of health fanatics are practically frightened of the stuff.

Along with a few creative Father’s Day gifts you might be thinking of treating your dad to a meal and if pizza is his favourite food then new studies suggest that by sharing a few slices with him, you could be doing his health a small favour. Along with the aforementioned fat and un-complex carbohydrates pizza has a rich tomato topping which contains: lycopeine, beta carotene, lutein, alpha-carotein and beta-cryptoxanthin and according to a cohort study several years ago which involved 48,000 health care professionals the incidence rate of prostate cancer was significantly reduced in men who ate foods high in these nutrients; especially lycopene.

Pizza contains a lot of lycopene! So whilst you could add inches to your dad’s waistline by encouraging him to eat pizza regularly, he could actually significantly decrease his chances of getting prostate cancer. As well as the tomato topping other common pizza ingredients have health benefits too, in fact one article we found said: “Besides lycopene, multiple other nutrients [are good] for enhanced prostate function… [including] saw palmetto, pygeum and garlic extracts… Vitamin D and zinc.”

Football

Football related Father’s Day gifts are a must buy for footie-mad dads and encouraging his obsession is a good idea for several reasons. Watching football on the telly is never going to make your dad that healthy physically, but the occasional game at the weekends could do him wonders. If he likes a kick about with the boys, he’ll increase his activity level enough to stay moderately healthy and, if he just likes shouting at the telly he’ll keep his mind active by predicting where the ball will go next and following his favourite players.

Dads who like watching live matches at stadiums have the potential to substantially increase their ‘steps’ per day (on the days they see a match) by thousands as they pass through turn stiles and walk to and from the car park, train station or bus stop. Walking and playing football are two easy ways for a dad to stay in shape, so keep these things in mind when he’s going on about his favourite players! Football could be keeping your dad healthier than you’d think.

Chocolate

Everyone knows there are certain chemicals in chocolate which are really good for your mood. That makes chocolate Father’s Day gifts a no-brainer, but did you know that the history of chocolate dates back to about 1000 years BC in a place called Olmec which is now South Eastern Mexico? Or that the ancient Mayans used cacao beans (the beans used to make chocolate) as currency? According to some texts on Mayan culture 10 cacao beans would buy you a rabbit and 100 beans would buy you a human slave. Someone even came up with the idea of making counterfeit beans out of clay!

In ancient times chocolate wasn’t as we know it today though, it wasn’t in solid bars at all. Back then, chocolate was a decadent drink reserved for nobility. Even in the UK when chocolate was first introduced ‘chocolate houses’ sprung up which were literally like bars which served hot chocolate. Yum!

The Perfect Gift

So, to conclude our exploration of chocolate, pizza and football what would be the perfect gift to give a dad who loves all three of these things? It may seem like an impossible task but we think we’ve found just the thing; it’s a pizza in a takeaway pizza box made entirely from chocolate and sweets with a candy topping arranged in to a delicious edible football design.

The Footballer’s Chocoholic Pizza is one of the craziest Father’s Day gifts out there but we love it. Imagine your dad seeing the pizza box and thinking you’ve ordered him a take away and then opening it and realising it’s actually a pizza made out of chocolate and then on top of that seeing that it’s got a football theme. What an incredible present!

Article by Elise M.

Chocolate. For all of us chocoholics, the stuff essentially goes through our own blood. It’s actually astonishing precisely how one tiny type of plant native to Central and South America would be the push behind the multibillion dollar sector!

The world is happy that we possess chocolate, and quite a few of us wouldn’t know very well what we’d do without one. But even if you’re a true chocolates lover, you may not know exactly everything that goes into generating it. Having said that, here are 14 very interesting information about chocolate that you just most likely never knew about!

One. The average U . s . consumes Ten to 14 pounds (Some.5 kilos) of chocolate every year.

That’s a lot of chocolate! If you think that’s a whole lot, you’d be surprised to know about another country containing actually bending that figure! Guess what type? That’s right, Swiss! The average Swiss consumes about 21 weight of chocolates each year. Amazing!

2. Chocolate continues to be linked to having disorders including bulimia, binge consuming, and even obesity.

Chocolate is just about the foods that is certainly most craved simply by women, and it is often sought after as ease and comfort food. Women who are psychological eaters will most likely turn to chocolate bars, which can lead them to develop moderate or severe eating disorders or just basic weight gain any time too much dark chocolate is being taken.

3. Reports show that eating chocolate bars can help you live longer.

There’s already been a lot of analysis done on how our bodies answer eating chocolate, and research has shown that eating moderate amounts of chocolate can actually lengthen our lives over the end because it helps to reduce risk of creating blood clots plus helps protect against bad ldl cholesterol.

4. Chocolate doesn’t cause zits!

The fable that chocolate bars causes zits and pimple still endures amongst several believers. It’s completely false. Also, chocolate can be not literally addictive the way other substances are, such as alcohol as well as cigarettes. These two facts are actually proven through a combination of past medical studies.

5. Chocolate does not contain high levels of caffeinated drinks.

Some people think that chocolate is packed with coffee, when in fact a one-ounce club of whole milk chocolate simply contains with regards to 5 to 6 milligrams of caffeine. This is hardly even similar to the amount of the level of caffeine found in coffee, tea, as well as soda pop.

6. Chocolate can take in other flavours and aromas.

This is why chocolate is one of the nearly all versatile food. It comes in a number of different forms, with all of sorts of distinct flavors in order to tickle your tastebuds. To store dark chocolate properly, it should be kept separate from other family chemicals in order to avoid absorption.

Consequently, there you have it; six very interesting as well as true info about one of the world’s the majority of beloved foods. Stay tuned for part 2 of this article, where six far more very interesting info about chocolate will likely be revealed once more!

Article by Melissa Marcy

Here is my list of 101 things that make life worth living for me. Should you find yourself having a bad day, either read through this list or create one of your own. Sometimes the simplest things in life can be the best and most important things on earth.

A hug from your parents.

Puppy paws.

Tea with lemon.

The perfect day at the beach.

Freshly cut grass.

The smell of spring flowers.

Friends.

Cold water on a hot day.

The sound of a rainstorm.

Movie nights.

Cake frosting.

Summer nights.

Palapas.

Dancing.

Fruit smoothies.

Palm trees.

Hot shower on a cold day.

Snowflakes.

Bare feet.

Reiki.

Walks through the forest.

Music.

Doggie kisses, hugs and smiles.

Road trips.

Early summer days when you can open all the windows.

Crickets.

Dreams.

Snow covered pine trees.

The feeling of cool grass beneath your feet.

Outdoor café’s.

Pancakes with maple syrup.

Sleeping until noon.

Art.

Big fuzzy sweatshirts.

Fountains.

Sunny days.

Quaint shops.

Surfers.

Christmas trees on top of cars.

Violins.

Fresh fruit.

Family.

Hot soup on a cold night.

Kitten purrs.

Hot coffee.

Snowmen.

The holidays.

Warm bed on a cold night.

Girls (or boys) nights out.

The sound of the wind through the trees.

Sand.

Meditation.

Photography.

The color of leaves in the fall.

Hot apple cider.

Goldfish (the fish, not the cracker).

Summer sun.

Starry skies.

Swimming pools.

Pranks.

Perfume.

Halloween pumpkins.

Ocean Waves.

Yoga.

Long walks with my dog.

The way leaves swirl in the wind.

My Mom and Dad.

Freedom.

Pristine wilderness.

Babies.

Pumpkin pie.

Apple picking.

Parties.

Fields of tall grass.

Horses.

Water tubing.

The Nutcracker.

Guacamole.

New places.

Candles.

Egg Nog.

Ski towns in winter.

Shadow puppets.

Laughter.

Fireworks.

Chocolate.

Muddy paws.

Santa Claus.

Picnics.

Mountain Bikes.

Hugs.

Butterflies.

The sound of birds chirping.

Stormy days.

A roaring fireplace.

Smiles.

Helping others.

Fun.

New experiences.

Life itself.

The most important of all – love.

Disclaimer: this article is intended for inspirational purposes only and the techniques and ideas described herein are not to be used as a substitute for professional medical or psychological treatment or without prior consultation with, approval of, and under the supervision of your physician or therapist. Application of the information, techniques and ideas in this article is at the sole risk and discretion of the reader.

Find More Chocolate 101 Articles

Article by George Morrison

Life is for living. But exactly how ‘living’ is justified varies from person to person. This series of articles looks some of the weird, wacky and wonderful things that you could try to do in your lifetime, to get the most out of the precious time we have.

1) Design your own chocolate bar

Who doesn’t love chocolate? Even people who exercise regularly are more than likely to confess to enjoying just a little bit of chocolate. So why not take your favourite chocolate flavours and design a bar that’s personalised to you.

2) Learn a musical instrument

Musicians would argue that playing their instrument gives them the ultimate feeling of satisfaction. Learning a new instrument can help you pick up a variety of skills, and why stop there? Join a band or orchestra to carry on your passion with like-minded people.

3) Race the Stig in a Citroen 2CV

The ultimate racing driver, the identity of Top Gear’s The Stig has baffled people for years until very recently. Taking him on in the classic Citroen 2CV would definitely be among many motor enthusiasts ‘to-do’ lists, and several would probably even fancy their chances!

4) Write a book

Whether you pen a work of fiction, or the story of your life, writing a book is achievable for the vast majority of people. Even if it doesn’t end up getting published, the sense of accomplishment would be enormous when it’s complete.

5) Watch the sunrise with someone you love

The world has a number of beautiful spots to watch the sunrise, and it is certainly a magical moment. It makes it more magical when you share the event with someone you love – it’s sure to be something you never forget.

6) Throw a surprise party

Throwing a surprise party for a friend or family member really shows how much you care for them. They will really appreciate the effort you went to to get everyone they know there, and you will get massive enjoyment from seeing their face when they realise what you have done for them.

7) Hug a Koala

Seeing a Koala in its natural habitat would be very rare – only 80,000 are estimated to be left in the wild. If you get the chance to be up close to a Koala, it is definitely a moment you should try and saviour.

Try out a foreign language on a native speaker

Us Brits are all too quick to assume that when we visit a country that the locals will speak English anyway. Making the effort to learn a bit of the native language when going abroad is a great way of fitting into a new country and culture, and you’ll gain a lot more respect from the locals.

9) Teach someone a skill you have

Many would agree that life is all about learning. Passing your knowledge onto others will help spread it further and further. Whether you can play an instrument, a sport, can write or simply have a strange party trick, the person you teach is bound to be grateful.

10) Make fire the old fashioned way

Take a step back in time and learn to live how our ancient ancestors survived. Making fire by creating friction will give you a sense of how they used to cook meat and keep warm in the cold weather.

More Chocolate 101 Articles