Self Care 101: Indulging with Wei of Chocolate
We asked founder, Lisa Reinhardt of Wei of Chocolate to tell us more about her vegan, organic chocolate as it relates to Better Woman, Better Earth. Here's what she has to say about self-care and the power of chocolate:
Self care for women? Honestly, I can’t think of a more important topic! We’re so habituated to caring for others, that turning that same love and care back toward ourselves is a radical act that in turn unexpectedly expands our capacity. Fill our cup, and when it overflows, we will always nurture others.
One of the best ways I know to nourish yourself — physically, emotionally, mentally and even spiritually — is to create a ritual in your day for chocolate. Because seriously ladies, who doesn’t have 2 minutes to spare for chocolate?! Before you tear into the nearest piece, let me explain how to make this truly transformative …
Key to this experience is slowing ourselves down to the speed of chocolate. That’s melting chocolate - or what happens when you place an exquisite piece of chocolate in your mouth, and let your body heat melt it without chewing. I know your day is busy - mine, too - but allowing yourself the 2 minutes it takes for a bite-size piece to melt gives your mind & body a chance to catch up to each other, and shifts the act of eating chocolate from what may have been at times a guilty, hurried act of emotional neediness — into a simple, beautiful invitation to revel in the full deliciousness of the present moment.
In order to free ourselves forever from guilt by chocolate and enjoy our moment with wild abandon, there are a few things we need to know. Everyone has heard that ‘dark chocolate is better for you than milk chocolate’ — but a key piece of information is missing!
Milk, it turns out, is the dividing line. Grocery-store ‘dark chocolate’ may actually have a lot of milk in it, and when it does, the delivery of the health benefits is sadly impaired. Milk blocks the absorption of flavanol antioxidants and so to receive the most goodness from this gift of nature, look for dairy-free or vegan chocolate.
While you’re reading the label, opt for organic chocolate as well. In my research I’ve found that conventional chocolate can be surprisingly high in pesticides that cause ADHD and headaches (as well as endocrine disruption and impair the microbiome) and the organic status will also eliminate the risk of encountering GMO sugar & soy.
With those 3 key things taken care of (let it melt, make it vegan & choose organic), we’ve done ourselves an enormous favor. Harvard researchers found that a daily piece of chocolate lowers the risk of heart disease by as much as 57% (which means it’s better to eat it daily than not!), while dozens of other studies returned favorable results for everything from brain function to smooth, soft skin to pregnancy complications.
A quick note about chocolate & pregnancy: a Yale study on preeclampsia showed the women who ate one small piece of chocolate per day during the last trimester had 69% less preeclampsia than the women who ate the least chocolate. A study in Finland revealed that babies born to women who ate chocolate during pregnancy were happier, laughed more & were less fearful in new situations than babies whose mothers abstained from chocolate. So for the baby’s sake - eat good chocolate!
Regarding your chocolate ritual itself - remind yourself that your only job for the next 2 minutes is to deeply enjoy your chocolate - reveling in the texture and flavor, while noticing things like your shoulders relaxing, your breath deepening, and perhaps a smile coming over your face as you close your eyes to bring your awareness more fully to your senses.
BONUS
Listen to a special chocolate meditation here, especially if you received your Sage Woman Care Package this month with Wei Gratitude chai spice dark chocolate!
Enjoy your daily peace of chocolate!
xo
Lisa
After traveling in the Himalayas for 11 years, living in monasteries and doing retreat in a cave, Lisa Reinhardt thought she came back to the US to share what she'd learned about meditation. After an a-ha moment eating chocolate, however, things took a delicious turn.
Now, as founder of Wei of Chocolate and Wei Wisdom Meditation, Lisa delights in giving people permission to eat chocolate every day without guilt. After compiling reams of research and distilling what exactly makes healthy chocolate, she knows that a daily piece of chocolate can be a path to health & wellness, as well as a way to bring the benefits of meditation effortlessly into our modern, busy lifestyle.
When she's not pouring over the latest research on the health benefits of cacao, you can find Lisa doing meditation consultations for CEOs and entrepreneurs.
Her latest project - every woman's dream - is a subscription program that brings chocolate to your door every month so you'll always have what you need to support your health & happiness - your daily piece (or two!) of chocolate. Learn more here.