Good in the News: Eat more chocolate!

OK, so sometimes "good news" comes in varying levels of seriousness. This one isn't a matter of national security, but it's certainly good news to me!

Researchers have come out with excellent news that chocolates are AN ESSENTIAL FOOD FOR HEALTH!

(Quote is from this article, I added the bold and capitalization since, if you ask me, it's the most critical point in the article.)

All chocoholics know that chocolate brightens your mood, but did you know that it can also help to prevent tooth decay? Chocolate builds brainpower? Chocolate can help curb your appetite?

I'd spend more time writing about why I think this is all such good news, but I have to go get a Hershey Bar now....

You can read the full article here: http://www.propeller.com/viewstory/2008/07/02/chocolate-benefits-and-health-factors/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailyhealthtips.org.uk%2Fchocolate-benefits-and-health-factors%2F&frame=true

~*~*~ May you always remember to dance in the rain, and may you have plenty of ladybugs beside you! ~*~*~

Blessings,
Kat

Live United

I love organizations that have a simple mission, a simple principle, and a great plan to put it into action. The United Way is one of these organizations. Big thanks to my friend Mel for bringing this one to my attention! It’s likely you’ve heard of them before, but do you know what they’re all about? I encourage you to read more here, then visit their website for additional information on how you can help them help our local communities.

In this post, the items in italics are pilfered straight from their website, and though I’m not a fan of using other people’s words to tell the story, who better than The United Way to tell you what they’re all about?

The theme: Live United.

The mission: To improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities.

That’s right, it’s about putting people (us!) into action to make our own communities stronger, safer and better. Who can’t get on board with that?

So who is the United Way, exactly? United Way is a national network of nearly 1,300 local organizations that work to advance the common good by focusing on education, income and health. These are the building blocks for a good life: a quality education that leads to a stable job, enough income to support a family through retirement, and good health.

There are three different ways you can get involved:

1. First, you can give. If you can afford to, you can make a charitable donation. The United Way website offers advice on giving, what to look out for, and how to track your donations.
2. Second, you can advocate. Even if you can’t afford to give, anyone can champion the cause. Whether you’re speaking out to improve education, income and health, reaching out to members of Congress, or wearing the LIVE UNITED shirt to show your support, you can help inspire hope and create opportunities for a better tomorrow. So go ahead and advocate in a LIVE UNITED world. Do it in public. Be visible. Be loud.
3. Third, you can volunteer. Give an hour. Give a Saturday. Give your best. We all have special talents. Things we can do to help. And when we reach out a hand to one, we influence the condition of all. Whether it’s reading to children, or leading financial literacy classes for hard-working families, or delivering meals to homebound seniors, there are hundreds of volunteer options available every day. Give the gift of you. Volunteer.

I ordered a Live United t-shirt (gotta love a t-shirt with a strong, positive message!) and I’m looking at volunteer opportunities in my local community. Even if you don’t have a lot of money or a lot of time, you sure have a lot of YOU! I encourage you to take a few minutes to get to know more about this organization, to see how you can also make a difference in your local community and become a part of the Live United movement.

~*~*~ May you always remember to dance in the rain, and may you have plenty of ladybugs beside you! ~*~*~

Blessings,
Kat