The Great FRONTIER

Last week I had the great honor of visiting the operations behind Frontier Natural Products Co-op in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and I was blown away!  What an amazing company!  Frontier was established  in 1976 (the same year as our Co-op), and they have been cranking out wonderful products and doing great things for our world ever since.  Frontier is a cooperative, just like our store, but instead of individual owners, the stores that order from them are the owners.  Therefore, we, the Cook County Whole Foods Co-op, is an owner of Frontier Natural Products Co-op.  So just as owners of our Co-op receive a patronage check based on our sales and their contribution to those sales, we also receive a patronage check from Frontier.

I could go on and on, I saw so many amazing things, but I'll just stick with the highlights.  Frontier has three facilities in the Cedar Rapids area and I was lucky  to visit all three.  What was fun for me was observing how all the herbs, spices and Aura Cacia products are bottled.  I actually witnessed those little bath salt packets being filled and boxed, vanilla extract and essential oils being bottled and packed, and herbs and spices bottled or placed in their 1# bulk packaging.  It was so cool to see!  And the vanilla bottling room smelled so nice.

What really hit me as spectacular about this company is how close they are to the products they source and the full transparency with that sourcing.  Several employees who talked with our group travel often to the countries they source materials from to ensure healthy product.  Even so, every single product runs through some pretty heavy testing when it enters the Frontier warehouse.  It was a lesson in chemistry to learn the process, you wouldn't believe the testing involved in that tiny bottle of Aura Cacia essential oil!  It's extensive and thorough, and the result is a very high quality product.

They also do a lot to give back to the communities where these products are sourced.  Frontier was one of the first U.S. companies to offer Fair Trade spices, but in addition to this they have started their own Well Earth sustainable sourcing program.  Although Fair Trade certification is important, it only pertains to third world countries.  Frontier does source from these countries, but they also source from the U.S. and Europe.  With their Well Earth program they are able to give back to all communities, not just those in the third world.

It was such an amazing trip.  In this world of big corporations only concerned with the bottom line, it is so refreshing to see a company getting it right.

                                         And I got to see the biggest frying pan in the world!

Dreams in Alaska

I recently returned from a wonderful trip to the beautiful state of Alaska.  I've heard stories of places that might have more challenging weather conditions than Minnesota, but I didn't believe any of them.  But it's true!  There are places that have longer, darker winters, cloudier days, and colder lakes than northern Minnesota!  I know it's hard to believe but it's really true.  In fact, I feel like I've come home to a tropical paradise! 

So I've been thinking of some of the products I brought along from the wellness department at the Co-op, which ones really helped, that I found myself needing.  I would have to say that the most important product I brought, the one that helped the most, was Natural Factors Tranquil Sleep.

We had to catch a 9:30 a.m. flight from Minneapolis to Anchorage, which means we left Cook County at 2 a.m.  So by the time we reached Alaska and their 3 hour time difference and longer summer nights, not to mention the fact that I was on vacation and wanted to really soak up those gorgeous mountains, my sleep patterns were a wreck.  Tranquil Sleep with its mix of melatonin, L-theanine and 5 H-T-P was my savior.

 Melatonin is commonly known for its work as a sleep aid, but what makes this supplement so unique is the addition of L-theanine and 5 H-T-P, both known for their serotonin (that splendid mood enhancing neurotransmitter) boosting properties.  I felt that it helped balance my sleep cycle without making me too drowsy to enjoy my vacation.  I only brought the small travel size, so I ended up taking half the dose the bottle suggested, but it still did the trick.
I don't know what kind of vacation I enjoy the most: those where I never want to leave, or those that make me appreciate where I live.  All I know is that I'm happy to be home.  Now I just need to figure out what to do with all my zucchini!

Camping Essentials 2013

It has been a very busy summer and I didn't think my family would ever find time to get a camping trip in, but we finally did!, and it was beautiful.  As I reflect on that trip I  think mostly of blueberries, but also of some great items from our Wellness Department that helped me through some of the challenges of camping life.  Here are my top three camping essentials this year:

My all-time favorite item this year was the Alba Hawaiin 3-in-1 Towelettes.  At the end of the day I want to get all that sunscreen and bug spray off of my face and this product is perfect for that.  It works as a cleanser, toner and you can also use it to remove sticky s'more residue off of small children.  And it's biodegradable!

Next in line would be the Skinfare Thunder Cake coconut oil stick.  I'm assuming everyone already packed their deet-free, all-natural bug spray, but even the best bug spray had a challenge against the bugs this year.  So for those mosquito's that made it through the bug spray fog to your ankles there is this wonderful "salve-in-a-stick" as I like to call it.  This particular stick contains clove to help numb the affected area as well as nourishing oils such as coconut and palm fruit to help nourish the skin and aid in healing.  Let's hope you don't need to use the entire stick on one camping trip (but if you go into the Boundary Waters this year you may), but if this is the case, the packaging is made of cardboard so you can just throw it in your campfire when finished.

And last but not least we have a product to help with the camping bathroom situation (or lack thereof): EO's Lavender Sanitizing Gel (currently on Co-op Deals!).  We were car camping this year, so there were bathrooms at our campground, but they didn't flush and there was no sink.  I've had a bottle of this sanitizing gel all summer to survive all those port-o-potty's at Little League games and it came in very handy at the campground bathrooms as well.  This is a nice, clean way to sanitize (no harsh chemicals!) with organic lavender oil known for its antibacterial properties.

I hope you all get a chance to get a camping trip in, it has been a beautiful summer!  Have Fun!

Digestive Bitters: Not just a digestive aide

As we evolved as humans our bodies were used to eating lots of bitter foods.  At this time, a bitter tasting food sent a warning signal to the brain that you were consuming something toxic.  This activated the digestive enzymes enabling the food to be broken down and digested effectively.  These days our diets are composed of primarily sweet and salty, not so much the bitter.  This leads to the sluggish digestion, and its side effects (i.e. gas, bloating, heartburn) that is so prevalent today.  The solution?  Digestive Bitters.

Digestive Bitters have been around for a long time.  Used early on as a healing tonic, it evolved into the very definition of the "cocktail" as bartenders discovered its ability to mellow out the harsh flavor of certain liquors.  A digestive bitter is usually formulated of a blend of roots, herbs, barks, fruit peels, seeds, spices and flowers infused in a high-proof alcohol.  It works as a kind of all-purpose digestive aide as it not only helps with problems of gas and bloating, but can also restore a hydrochloric acid balance in your stomach.

Bitters are a trigger for the digestive system, like a work-out.  They challenge it, help keep it toned.  And you don't even have to injest it to achieve the benefits, simply swishing a digestive bitter around in your mouth will stimulate your digestive enzymes.  But this is not all a digestive bitter can accomplish.  Taken internally bitters can also work as a mild detox, maintain healthy liver fiction, healthy skin, and blood sugar balance.

At the Co-op we carry Urban Moonshine's wonderful line of digestive bitters, all USDA certified organic.  I put about a dropper full in a glass of sparkling water and drink this before or after meals to stimulate digestion.  But there are many other ways to use bitters, here is my favorite:

Bitters Vinaigrette

3/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup white wine, cider, or balsamic vinegar

1 TBLS. lemon juice

1 TBLS. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. Urban Moonshine bitters
1 tsp. fresh thyme

                         Salt & pepper to taste

                         Combine all ingredients, shake to emulsify.

Sunscreen: Water Resistance

Because no sunscreen is 100% impervious to moisture, the FDA no longer allows a product to claim itself “waterproof” or “sweat proof” without proper testing.  Sunscreens on the U.S. market today can now only claim “Water Resistant (40 minutes)” or “Water Resistant (80 minutes)” after conducting this 3rd party test:  the appropriate amount of sunscreen is applied to a person’s arm then submerged in Jacuzzi-like conditions for 40 or 80 minutes (in intervals of 10 minutes in and 10 minutes out), then the SPF levels are measured.  If the amount of sunscreen left on the arm still protects at the SPF listed for the product, it is allowed the water resistant claim.

This does not mean you can stay in the water for 40 or 80 minutes, it simply means that after 40 minutes (or 80 minutes) the SPF may start to decline and you need to reapply to maintain that SPF.  It is always recommended that you reapply after swimming, sweating or towel drying.

Enjoy the sun!

Sunscreen and Nanoparticles

Summer is finally here!  At least I think it's here.  This is the time of year that summer happens, but it hasn't been feeling much like it.  Nevertheless, I have been spending all my free time in the garden.  And even if it's cold or cloudy, sunscreen is necessary.

I was not blessed with naturally tan skin, I am one of those people that burn within minutes of sun exposure. Rain or shine I have to apply lots of sunscreen and by a landslide my favorite sunscreen this summer is Badger's SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion.   I love Badger sunscreens because they are one of the safest sunscreen on the market today.  They are biodegradable, reef-safe, broad spectrum, hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic and made of non-nano uncoated zinc oxide.

Nanoparticles are defined as particles smaller than 100 nanometers, or 100 billionths of a meter.  The controversy surrounding these particles of late stems from their small size and their possible potential for absorption through the skin into the bloodstream.

Chemical sunscreen ingredients are molecular in size and therefore significantly smaller than nanoparticles. They are designed to be absorbed by the skin, so they can get into the blood.  I love Badger sunscreens because all of their sunscreens are composed of non-nano uncoated zinc oxide which sits atop the skin, scattering and absorbing UVA & UVB rays.  According to all known studies pertaining to zinc oxide (nano or non-nano), this naturally occurring mineral has never been known to penetrate healthy human skin!

Sweet Orange Oil

I live deep in the woods, so as we head into bug season I am always on the lookout for a new, natural way to keep bugs out of my house.  I recently ran across an article in Mother Earth Living on how to repel pests naturally in your home.  What struck me was a recipe for a natural window cleaner that can repel insects.  I like this recipe because if you notice: all those pesky flying bugs (i.e. mosquito's, cluster flies, etc..) all flock to the windows.  This works very well at keeping them at bay:

Natural Insect-repellent Glass Cleaner

2 cups white vinegar

10 drops sweet orange essential oil

Add to a labeled spray bottle and use to clean windows and mirrors.  Shake well before each use.

I decided to do some research on the aromatherapy aspects of orange oil and discovered a lot of other great uses for it.  I won't list them all here (because there are many), but what I found the most interesting to all of us up here trying to survive this very long winter is that it helps alleviate: chronic fatique syndrome, depression, fear, mental exhaustion, nervous tension, stress, premenstrual syndrome, seasonal effective disorder and it inspires creativity!  

According to "Aromatherapy for Everyone" by PJ Pierson and Mary Shipley, they recommend 2-3 drops in a diffuser, or 8-10 drops in your bath to help alleviate these conditions.  I was thinking that if you are already cleaning your windows with this versatile oil it seems you would still be gaining the aromatherapeutic properties while ridding your house of pesky insects!