n celebration of Valentine’s Day, our team at The Spark Institute has carefully handpicked three things that we absolutely love, and we think you will love them too!

1) Drinking Chocolate by Affect Health

We love this for so many reasons.  First and foremost, who doesn’t love chocolate ANYTHING?  This magical (sugar-free!) chocolatey drink powder can be used to make your favourite chocolate beverage (hot or cold), or be added to your favourite smoothie for a chocolatey twist.  Secondly, this drink mix has only six ingredients, all of which are familiar and pronounceable; this is rare these days.  And the best part? It tastes good while simultaneously making you feel good!

Cacao, the primary ingredient and source of the chocolate flavour, is not only a superfood, but a great natural source of both magnesium and zinc.  We love magnesium!  Magnesium is a smooth muscle relaxant (which helps reduce cramps!) and also is a powerful anti-anxiety agent, helping to promote relaxation and calmness.  We are a big fan of zinc, as well. Zinc is important for immune health, skin health, digestive health,  mental health, and much more. You name it, zinc does it! Cacao is also a natural source of the amino acid tryptophan, which is the precursor to serotonin.  We need this stuff to make all of our feel good biochemicals!

Mostly we love Drinking Chocolate because you can have it all day, every day – it tastes like a dessert, but isn’t one. Find it HERE. 

2) The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

This book is a work of absolute genius. It is thought-provoking, soul-touching, and tugs on your heartstrings. If you are looking for a light, easy read then this probably isn’t the one (although we have plenty to recommend if that is what you are looking for!). This book requires attention and thoughtfulness, but is infused from cover-to-cover with a subtle and understated beauty. Every person we speak to who has read this book seems to love it for an entirely different reason, and we think that is part of its magic. We love it and think you will too!

3) Fuzzy Reading Socks from Indigo

Armed with your favourite chocolatey drink and a captivating new book, the only thing missing is a cozy pair of socks! Comfy, snuggly, and perfect for winter days spent curled up in your favourite nook, we love these fuzzy reading socks from Indigo. But with plenty of options available, be sure to get whichever ones your heart desires!

If you really want to soak up the February feels, we suggest drinking 1, while reading 2, and wearing 3!  This is the stuff that winter time dreams are made of.