Cabin Fever!

I've held it together all winter.  Usually I start complaining the day the temperature hits below zero and I don't stop until spring. But not this winter, I've been embracing the cold and the snow like a champ. Until March 1st....

I just couldn't take it anymore. All the endless snow and more days when the temperature fell far below zero (-28 degrees F at my house!)- I began to wonder if I was completely insane for living in such a place. So needless to say I have a serious case of Cabin Fever!  

In the past, I mostly just suffer through.  I take my multivitamin, try to get enough Vitamin D and sleep.  Exercise has always been a great help. But this winter, since it seemed to hit me so hard, I decided to look in to some different solutions for lifting my mood and alleviating some my symptoms of Seasonal Effective Disorder.

Typically I use Passionflower tincture for mood support, but the old tried and true St. John's Wort seems to

be winning out after a winter such as this one. After further research I found these other products that may help with symptoms of Seasonal Effective Disorder:

*Melatonin. This natural hormone helps regulate mood yet seasonal changes may reduce natural levels.

*Omega-3. Another name for Omega-3's is essential fatty acids. Note the word essential. We require these essential fatty acids for optimal functioning of our bodies. For mood, they help transmission of nerve impulses.

*5 HTP. This amino acid helps increase the body's natural production of serotonin.

*Florida. I here it's sunny and warm there, sun and warm weather will eliminate all of your symptoms.

Early Winter Favorites

It's that time of year where it seems as if EVERYONE! is coughing. Maybe not everyone, but it feels like that when your child is waking up in the middle of the night with a cough.  To remedy that persistent cough I've been favoring Herb Pharm's Herbal Respiratory Relief. I like it because it not only helps support you through a nasty cold by promoting a productive cough, reducing irritation and enhancing immunity, it can also offer relief for that otherwise healthy person who has a lingering cough. I like making my own cough syrup out of it by mixing 1 TBLS. of honey with the recommended dosage.  For children simply divide their weight by 4 to get the proper dose.

This winter I'm also liking the Sambucol Black Elderberry Original Formula.  I've been using ALOT of this product this winter and so far (I'm knocking on wood) I haven't even had a minor cold. Elderberry is known for it's support of the immune system, so I'm using it mostly as a preventative, but I'm also giving it to the kids when they are sick just to help strengthen their immune systems to better fight the colds and coughs.

Chicken Soup for the Common Cold

The winter season is upon us, and with that: the common cold.  We know we need to wash our hands, try to keep our immune systems functioning properly, but it is destined to befall all of us as we spend most of our time in enclosed places during these cold months.

Reputable sources discount the effectiveness of everything from antibiotics to over-the-counter  medicines as a cure for the common cold.  Alternative medicine is full of natural remedies, everything from zinc and vitamin C to echinacea and other herbal remedies.  But the answer to relief from the common cold may have been stewing on our kitchen stove all along: chicken soup!

In a recent study out of the University of Nebraska, Dr. Stephen Rennard showed that chicken soup actually has medicinal value.  Using his wife's recipe, passed down from her Lithuanian grandmother, Rennard's study demonstrated the soup's ability to slow down the movement of neutrophils.  Neutrophils are immune system cells that help the body's response to inflammation.  It was also shown to, "temporarily speed up the movement of mucus through the nose, helping relieve congestion and limiting the time viruses are in contact with the nasal lining," according to the Mayo Clinic. 

Results are out as to what exactly in the soup produces these reactions.  They believe it may be the workings of both the vegetables and the chicken together.  Yet more proof that our food can actually cure.

Here is the actual chicken soup used in the study:

Grandma's Recipe:
1 5-to 6-pound Stewing hen or baking chicken
1 package of chicken wings
3 large onions
1 large sweet potato
3 parsnips
2 turnips
11-12 large carrots
5-6 celery stems
1 bunch of parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Clean the chicken, put it in a large pot and cover it with cold water.  Bring the

 water to a boil.  Add chicken wings, onions, sweet potato, parsnips, turnips and 

carrots.  Boil about 1 1/2 hours.  Remove fat from the surface as it accumulates. 

Add the parsley and celery.  Cook the mixture about 45 minutes longer.  Remove the

 chicken.  The chicken is not used further for the soup.  (The meat makes excellent

 chicken parmesan.)  Put the vegetables in a food processor until they are chopped 

fine or pass through a strainer.  Both were performed in the present study.  Add

 salt and pepper to taste.

Las Vegas Essentials

I recently returned from a fabulous getaway to Las Vegas.  Whenever I return from a trip I like to ponder what item from our Wellness Department helped me the most.  I didn't have to think long on this one because without a doubt the product that saved me was the Urban Moonshine Digestive Bitters. 

Digestive Bitters are great for so many things, not just digestion.  These are mentioned by Urban Moonshine as aided by Digestive Bitters:        
*Soothes gas and bloating
*Relieves occasional heartburn

*Strengthens digestive health
*Maintains healthy blood sugar levels
*Balances appetite
*Supports liver and healthy skin

But the "ailment" I needed it for was overindulgence.  Las Vegas is all about overindulgence, so it was so nice to have something to help while I ate too much, stayed up way past my bedtime, and imbibed a drink or two (or three).

Speaking of drinks, this is the one that saved me from excess and helped keep my digestion in shape. This may be an actual drink but today I'm going to call it Kim's Las Vegas Tonic:
             1 ounce whiskey (optional)
             ginger ale
             1tsp. Urban Moonshine Bitters
             slice of lemon or lime
Start with a small glass of ice.  Pour in whiskey if using, top with ginger ale and bitters.  Garnish with slice of lemon, lime, or both.  I prefer the Citrus Bitters, but the Maple Bitters are just as nice-especially for the holidays.

And speaking of the holidays, Digestive Bitters are a great accompaniment to your holiday table.  Because, like Las Vegas, we all know we are going to overindulge.  All it takes is a little bitters in some sparkling water before or after a meal to get those digestive juices flowing! 

 

Children's Health: Head Lice

I know no one wants to think about this, but we all know it's coming: that letter from school informing us head lice abounds.  Or, if we are one of the unfortunate: your child begins to itch their scalp furiously.  Not to worry!  The Co-op has the solution for both prevention and extermination in our Wellness aisle!

Ladibugs Inc. is a Minnesota-based company formed by two registered nurses/ Moms who were concerned when their children contracted head lice.  They found that most over-the-counter head lice remedies were full of dangerous chemicals that burned their kids eyes and smelled awful.  They decided to change this, and Ladibugs, Inc. was formed.

For years, the common treatment for head lice had been a chemical-laden brew of chemical derivatives, pesticides and petroleum.  These kinds of ingredients can be very toxic to a young child because they are still growing and developing.  Ladibugs Inc. products are an all-natural mix of yeast-based enzymes, olive oil and peppermint (a natural lice repellent), to help rid the hair of lice safely.

At the Co-op we currently carry Ladibugs products for both prevention and elimination.  For prevention we have the shampoo, conditioner and mint spray.  The mint spray is great because you can spray it on their backpacks, the back of their neck, anywhere to keep the lice away.  For elimination we have the Elimination Kit that contains a mint serum, mousse and metal microgrooved comb.  I'm sorry if you ever have to buy one,  but at least through all the turmoil of dealing with head lice you can breath easy that your child is safe from harsh chemical exposure.

I just wish I lived in the Twin Cities because Ladibugs Inc. not only has a 24-hour hotline, they actually make house calls! 

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!