We live in an age of sound bites. Pieces of information – or advice – easily encapsulated into a few words, which appear to simplify a potentially complicated – and confusing – matter into one that’s easily understood. Although it doesn’t automatically mean the information or advice is correct, let alone put into practice! 

 

The one we’d like to look at today has been a mainstay of conventional health advice since the 1960’s, particularly for those with high blood pressure and other heart related conditions. To adopt a low salt diet. And, with the part salt plays in helping the body regulate blood pressure, it sounds like a very sensible – and scientific – piece of advice. We wrote about salt back in 2017 and the part it plays in helping regulate blood pressure. If you’d like a quick reminder click here. 

While we don’t like to think of ourselves as part of the animal kingdom, we are, and social animals at that. In other words, we naturally live in groups, whether large or small. While the degree of sociability varies a huge amount from person to person (!) interaction with others – ideally face to face – is an important part of our lives, which has been made very apparent during the last couple of years… 

 

However, just as important, is time spent alone. Or, to be completely accurate, voluntarily alone. To recharge our batteries, have some quiet time away from the hurly burly of modern lives and be ourselves without any pressure – or expectations – from those around us. 

With the chocolate fuelled madness that marks the first bank holiday weekend of the year rapidly approaching (!), we thought this blog post would get your attention. However, as so often is the case, it isn’t quite that simple. 

 

True, cocoa beans do have a myriad of health benefits, as confirmed by many different studies. More on this in a moment. Hurrah! 

 

Unfortunately, the majority of these are lost during the manufacturing process, to produce the chocolate we’re so familiar with. And not forgetting the huge amounts of sugar most chocolate products contain. 

Happiness is one of those things that’s almost impossible to describe in words, even though we instantly know whether we’re feeling happy – or not (!). 

 

Have you ever wondered why this is? 

 

For a start, happiness is unique. What makes me happy is different than for you.