Change Is Good For You!

Discover how little things can make a big difference to our health

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Be it lowering your risk of disease, getting faster results at the gym or with your weight-loss plan, or boosting your mood – none of it needs a major life overhaul to achieve success. Check out these seven easy ways to reap big benefits.

THE CHANGE

EAT DARK (NOT MILK) CHOCOLATE WHEN YOU ARE STRESSED

THE BENEFIT

You halve the negative effects on your body.

Many of us reach for a sweet treat when we are having a bad day as the sugar raises endorphins and helps to calm our mood – but if you swap your milk chocolate treat for dark, you will get an extra boost. How? Inflammation in the body triggers a potentially dangerous increase in blood clotting that could raise your risk of heart attack or stroke by as much as 55 per cent. When you make the swap from milk to dark, that risk is lowered. The magic ingredient is the flavonoids in dark chocolate.

“We think that milk interferes with the metabolisation of flavonoids, which is why dark chocolate is a better choice,” say German researchers.

THE CHANGE

MAKE YOUR MEALS LOOK PRETTY

THE BENEFIT

They will taste better.

The more beautiful a dish looks, the better it tastes, as subconsciously, we think more effort has gone into its preparation, say experts. So, how do you pretty things up?

We asked Tony Panette, executive chef at the International Convention Centre in Sydney for his tips: