Natural Choices — Health Food, Organic Produce, Gluten Free, Vitamins, Supplements — Columbus, Bartholomew County, Indiana

Archive for the ‘Natural Choices news’ Category

There’s quite a buzz about the new Farmers’ Market in Columbus, Indiana!

Mark your calendar and put a reminder on the steering wheel so you don’t forget to stop on the way home from work!

Fresh produce straight from the farm

Wednesdays

From 4 – 7 p.m.

 Natural Choices Community Market

North parking lot

Fill your basket with farm fresh fruits and vegetables at the Natural Choices Farmers' Market.

Of course, the store will be open during Farmers’ Market hours so you can get all the shopping done at one time.

“At Natural Choices,” owner Carolyn Behrman says, “our No. 1 goal is to provide the Columbus area with high-quality, healthy eating options as we work together to improve the health of our community.”

Carolyn has scouted the area to find local farmers who grow a good variety of produce. Now is the time to bring vegetables and berries home to either can or freeze them. With a little preparation you can be sure your family will enjoy the flavor of summer all through the winter months as well – and there is nothing better than delicious green beans or a tomato sauce made from farm-fresh tomatoes on a cold winter’s night!

Drive, bike or walk over and after making your selections at the market, pop inside the store to find packaged and frozen foods, gluten-free foods, organic and locally grown produce, beef and buffalo meat, as well as a wide selection of dietary supplements, health and body products, pet supplies and cleaning products.

Reduce the toxins in your home and food. Find out how at Natural Choices!

See you at the Farmers’ Market on Wednesday!

–Ellie of the Natural Choices Blog Team

According to Dr. Michael Murphy, high blood pressure kills over 50,000 people in the United States every year. He says it also contributes to the death of many, many more. Controlling high blood pressure is obviously a major concern to the population. Presccription drugs used to do that often have side effects and make patients feel worse.

Fish peptides come from the muscle of the bonito fish.

Dr. Murphy suggests an alternative. He suggests lowering your blood pressure naturally through a new approach using fish peptides. He explains fish peptides:

Fish peptides are composed of a purified mixture of nine small peptides (proteins) derived from muscle of the fish bonito (a member of the tuna family). Fish peptides work to lower blood pressure by inhibiting ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme). This enzyme converts angiotensin I to angiotensin II – a compound that increases both the fluid volume and the degree of constriction of the blood vessels. If  we use a garden hose model to illustrate the pressure in your arteries, the formation of angiotensen II would be similar to pinching off the hose while turning up the faucet full blast. By inhibiting the formation of this compound, Fish peptides relax the arterial walls and reduce fluid volume and exert the strongest inhibition of ACE reported for any naturally occurring substance available.

You will find Fish peptides available in Columbus, Indiana at Natural Choices. If you do not live near Columbus, you can call at (812) 375-1677, place an order and have it shipped directly to your house.

I suppose you could call and have products shipped even if you do live near Columbus! It would save time, but you would miss out on the experience of walking through the aisles. That’s what I love to do because I always find something new and interesting.

–Ellie of the Natural Choices Blog Team

Spring blooms fill the air with pollen.

It is such a wonderful time – spring. The air warms, the sun shines a little brighter, the days get longer and the plants begin to pop out of the soil and buds appear on trees and bushes. Don’t you just love spring?

As the weeks move forward, so does the plant development and all of a sudden one day everything seems to be blooming and it is a lovely sight. What we don’t usually see are the tiny grains of pollen plants emit. For people with hay fever and seasonal allergies, breathing in pollen sends the immune system into overdrive producing antibodies in an attempt to attack the allergens. The resulting histamines produce runny noses, watery and itchy eyes, sneezing, coughing, even dark circles under the eyes. Misery.

Pollen counts vary from place to place and day to day. The pollen count is often included in the daily weather forecast beginning this time of year. However, if you want that information immediately, visit the National Allergy Bureau (NAB): Pollen & Mold Counts page on the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology’s website.

Living with allergies is no fun. But it is possible to get relief.

In his article, Allergies and Hay Fever, Dr. Michael Murray said, “Keep in mind that popular antihistamine drugs whether they are prescription of over-the-counter offer only symptomatic relief – they do not solve the problem.” (Emphasis added.)

Further, in an article on WebMD by Colette Bouchez, natural remedies for seasonal allergies are discussed:

Using nature-based products can be a very useful way to handle mild allergies and a useful adjunct for more significant allergies, and there are many types of treatments  you can safely try,” says Mary Hardy, MD, director of integrative medicine at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. (Emphasis added.)

Some of the natural products Hardy suggests include:immune system

• Butterbur (Petasites hybridus)
• Freeze-dried nettles
• Goldenseal
• Saline nasal spray/wash
• Grape seed extract

Knowing what to use and how to use it can be a challenge. Some products are tablets, but others need to be prepared as tonics, or mixed into a wash.

At Natural Choices in Columbus, Indiana, you can find the supplements and get the information you need to use the products to help your immune system meet the challenges presented by seasonal allergies in a nature-based manner and get relief. If you aren’t in the Columbus area, call (812) 375-1677 for information and to order what you need.

–Ellie of the Natural Choices Blog Team

Pure and natural products to promote healthful living is what you’ll find every day at Natural Choices in Columbus, Indiana.

Carolyn has returned  from the 13th annual lobbying event, Natural Products Day, in Washington, D.C. with good news.

According to the Natural Products Association’s report on the event:

The annual event occurred two weeks after an agreement was announced between Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and industry proponents Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) regarding McCain and Dorgan’s recently introduced Dietary Safety Supplement Act (S. 3002). The original legislation would have radically rewritten the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) resulting in less choice and greater costs for supplement users.

Attendees asked their elected officials to oppose the Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) Abuse Reduction Act of 2009 (S. 641), which amends the Controlled Substances Act to impose civil penalties for knowingly selling products containing DHEA to minors, and to support the Tax Equity for Dietary Supplements (H.R. 3405) bill that amends the IRS code to allow certain dietary supplements and meal replacement products to be eligible for tax exclusion for employer reimbursements of employee medical care expenses.

Only a portion of the supplements available at Natural Choices.

Carolyn and her cohorts were able to attend a reception on Capitol Hill with legislators and staff members. Overall, it was a busy, productive trip for all. I know Carolyn is glad to be back home in Columbus, Indiana. Because of the efforts of people like her, people have a greater choice in what they wish to use for health reasons.

Carolyn is familiar with natural health supplements and can help identify those that may be best for many conditions and health issues. With the results of the above, those supplements will still be available for all who seek them. Just stop by and talk with her at Natural Choices.

–Ellie of the Natural Choices Blog Team

Natural Choices: don’t call it a health food store in Columbus, Indiana. It is really a healthy food store in Columbus, Indiana.

According to a recent Associated Press article:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced a new rule that requires livestock to be grazed on pasture at least four months a year to qualify for an organic meat or dairy label. The animals also must get at least 30 percent of their feed from grazing. Previous rules required only that animals have “access to pasture.” (Emphasis added.)

I know Carolyn Behrman at Natural Choices in Columbus, Indiana pays close attention to these matters. Recently she was saying she opted to change one of the organic dairy products carried at Natural Choices because there was a questions as to whether or not the manufacturer was, in fact, abiding by the product and labeling requirements. She does not leave it to chance.

You may know fresh organic produce and food is always available at Natural Choices. But what you may not know is that Carolyn works with LOCAL organic farmers to get the freshest organic produce and meats available into Natural Choices. She has even established a program to have produce and products delivered on a regular basis to customers.

Just think what it would be like to get a basket of plump, juicy raspberries or crunchy carrots on your doorstep! Or know just when you begin to run low on wheat germ or your favorite herbal supplement a knock on the door replenishes your supply. It’s not everywhere you can get service like that!

Of course, it’s an educational experience to stop by Natural Choices. There is always some new bit of information or something interesting to learn. You can depend on the staples in your deliveries and visits become an adventure looking for new and healthful ideas and products.

Stop in or call Natural Choices to talk to Carolyn about signing up for the delivery program. It’s a great way to keep the pantry and larder filled with organic produce and natural products you know your body will appreciate!

–Ellie of the Natural Choices Blog Team

Our own Carolyn will be traveling to Washington, D.C. later this month in her capacity as a Board Member of the Natural Products Association to lobby against the proposed “Dietary Supplement Safety Act.”

This bill was introduced by Senators John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) on February 4th. Carolyn explains that this legislation would mandate that every dietary supplement would have to go through a brand new process of government review in order to stay on the market.

Carolyn  tells us that if this bill becomes law, your health choices will be drastically reduced and many of the supplements available today will be come illegal. This legislation would affect ALL dietary supplements, including vitamins, minerals, herbs, sports and diet products.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Drug enforcement Administration already have the power to police the market, she explains.

While she is going to Washington to share her view with congressmen and women, she suggests that anyone concerned about the passage of this bill go to www.saveoursupplements.org to send a note directly to your two senators, or use the information on the website to write a personal letter. Whichever you choose, please act immediately to voice your opinion before the legislation is presented for a vote.

If you want more information, visit the website, or stop by Natural Choices and talk with Carolyn.

–Ellie of the Natural Choices Blog Team

Natural Choices is THE place to find fresh, organic foods and natural supplements and herbs in Columbus, Indiana.

As I noted in my last post, February is “American Heart Month.”

There are many vitamins and other supplements that are good for your heart. Of course, nutrition and health practices that are good for the body as a whole are also good for the heart. We are fully ready to support you in that regard here at Natural Choices with healthful foods and supplements of every variety.

One herb that has been in use for over a thousand years is hawthorn (Wikipedia article). The ancient Chinese recognized hawthorn as essential in the treatment of various ailments, and modern studies bear out their wisdom. According to the Wikipedia link above,

Several pilot studies have assessed the ability of hawthorn to help improve exercise tolerance in people with NYHA class II cardiac insufficiency compared to placebo. One experiment, at (300 mg/day) for 4 to 8 weeks, found no difference from placebo. The second study, including 78 subjects (600 mg/day) for 8 weeks, found “significant improvement in exercise tolerance” and lower blood pressure and heart rate during exercise. The third, including 32 subjects (900 mg/day) for 8 weeks, found improved exercise tolerance as well as a reduction in the “incidence and severity of symptoms such as dyspnea” and fatigue decreased by approximately 50%.^[13]

In the HERB-CHF (Hawthorn Extract Randomized Blinded Chronic HF Study) clinical study, 120 patients took 450 mg of hawthorn extract twice daily for 6 months in combination with standard therapy and a standardized exercise program. “No effects of hawthorn were seen on either quality-of-life endpoint (Tables 1 and 2), or when adjusted for LVEF“.^[14]

One research program, consisting of 1011 patients taking one tablet (standardized to 84.3 mg procyanidin) twice daily for 24 weeks, found “improvements in clinical symptoms (such as fatigue, palpitations, and exercise dyspnea), performance and exercise tolerance test, and ejection fraction“.^[15]

As is usual, Wikipedia tends to be on the skeptical side and underemphasize the potential benefits. You can find plenty of websites and blog posts on the Internet raving about hawthorn.

The important thing is whether it can work for you as an individual. When it comes to heart health, hawthorn definitely will come up close to No. 1 in any herbalist’s book. We invite you to discuss this important herb with your doctor or herbalist and come to your own conclusion.

As in every case, we will be happy to answer questions about our supplements containing hawthorn–or about any of our products!

–Matt

As you know, one of our focuses here at Natural Choices in Columbus, Indiana, is providing gluten-free products. In fact, we have what we believe to be the best selection of gluten-free foods in the US.

People need these foods because they have either a wheat allergy or celiac disease. About celiac disease, Wikipedia says the following,

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine that occurs in genetically predisposed people of all ages from middle infancy onward. Symptoms include chronic diarrhoea, failure to thrive (in children), and fatigue, but these may be absent, and symptoms in other organ systems have been described. A growing portion of diagnoses are being made in asymptomatic persons as a result of increased screening. Celiac disease is caused by a reaction to gliadin, a prolamin (gluten protein) found in wheat, and similar proteins found in the crops of the tribe Triticeae (which includes other cultivars such as barley and rye). Upon exposure to gliadin, and certain other prolamins, the enzyme tissue transglutaminase modifies the protein, and the immune system cross-reacts with the small-bowel tissue, causing an inflammatory reaction. That leads to a truncating of the villi lining the small intestine (called villous atrophy). This interferes with the absorption of nutrients, because the intestinal villi are responsible for absorption. The only known effective treatment is a lifelong gluten-free diet.While the disease is caused by a reaction to wheat proteins, it is not the same as wheat allergy.

As the above paragraph indicates, some people with celiac disease show no symptoms. At the other end of the spectrum, some people have horrendous symptoms and are in big trouble with just a small taste of gluten-containing food.

In the middle is everyone else. Some people can feel pretty bad after eating gluten-containing food, but they might not put 2 + 2 together and notice that eating wheat/rye/barley is the cause.

The upshot is that there are a lot of people out there who have celiac disease but are undiagnosed. I ran across this interesting article by Irene Berman-Levine dealing with this issue. Says Dr. Berman-Levine,

Imagine a life with chronic diarrhea, gas and/or abdominal pain. Another person may have chronic anemia, irritability or depression. Another just can’t seem to gain weight or get rid of a rash. All of these individuals may suffer from the same problem: celiac disease.

Many people have celiac disease that is not diagnosed. In fact, the average time between symptoms and diagnosis is 10 years! One reason is that many people (including doctors) assume celiac disease is relatively rare.It is NOT rare and is considerably under-diagnosed, according to an independent consensus panel report just released by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The panel confirms evidence that celiac disease is present in 0.5% to 1% of the U.S. population, ten times higher than previous estimates. This means it may affect 3 million Americans.

Diagnosis is usually a two-step process. A blood test can measure levels of antibodies to gluten. IgA tissue transglutaminase (tTG) and IgA anti-endomysial (EMA) antibodies are the most specific and sensitive for celiac disease but other antibody tests may also be needed. If the blood test is positive, a biopsy of the small intestine will help determine if it is celiac disease.

The writer cautions that the reader should not diagnose him- or herself. We don’t encourage that either. Also, the symptoms of celiac disease can be quite complex (please see the Wikipedia article for details). If, however, you have doubts, it’s better to gain the proper understanding of your condition and deal with it effectively.

The good news is that, once you get the knack of avoiding gluten (and make it a habit to do so), celiac disease is not so horrible. There is a gluten-free substitute for just about any food you can imagine.

We are here to help with all of your gluten-free needs. Stop in, take a look, and chat with us about our products!

–Matt

We are tentatively planning our “Thyroid Seminar” for March 31, 2010. We’ll have more on the exact time in the coming weeks.

Terry Lemerond will be giving this seminar. According to Terry’s website, www.europharmausa.com,

Terry has 40 years experience in the health food industry having owned several health food stores and nutritional manufacturing companies. He has researched and developed over 300 nutritional and botanical formulations that continue to be top selling products on the market today. He is credited to be the first to introduce to the U.S. health food market glucosamine sulfate, IP6, black cohosh for menopause, the concept of botanical standardization and the introduction of complex formulations for specific health indications.He is the author of two books, Seven Keys to Vibrant Health and Seven Keys to Unlimited Personal Achievement, and for 4 years he hosted a nationwide radio show, “Prescription for Health”. He currently resides in Green Bay Wisconsin and is the President and owner of EuroPharma. Terry’s mission is to introduce revolutionary natural products that will improve the health of America. He continues to lecture on personal and spiritual growth and conducts educational seminars on the benefits of natural medicines.

Check out the link above for the complete bio–it’s amazing. In any case, this giant in the field of natural remedies will be visiting Columbus!

In my meeting with our president Carolyn Behrman last week, we discussed thyroid issues, which affect a very large number of people. As you may know, the thyroid is a big gland in the neck. According to Wikipedia,

The thyroid is one of the largest endocrine glands in the body. This gland is found in the neck inferior to (below) the thyroid cartilage (also known as the Adam’s apple in men) and at approximately the same level as the cricoid cartilage. The thyroid controls how quickly the body uses energy, makes proteins, and controls how sensitive the body should be to other hormones. Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) and hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) are the most common problems of the thyroid gland.

Please read the “hyperthyroidism” and “hypothyroidism” link above for the types of symptoms one may encounter if the thyroid is too active or not active enough.

There are many natural products to support thyroid health, and Natural Choices offers a full range. Of course, it’s not just about supplements–there are many other do’s and don’t’s when it comes to thyroid health. Terry will be discussing these, too.

Natural Choices is proud to carry many EuroPharma products–both for thyroid health and other purposes, too. Please stop by, and we’ll be happy to introduce you to them!

–Matt

Thank you very much for visiting our new blog! Here we'll be presenting the following:

• The latest news about Natural Choices.
• News and information about our products.
• News about upcoming events and information about event presenters.
• Information about establishing and maintaining a healthful lifestyle.

We know that many of you have made New Year's resolutions about losing weight, getting in shape, and being healthier overall. Our own resolution is to help you in your goals as much as we possibly can!

First, we offer an incredible array of foods, supplements, and other products–all right here at your fingertips in Columbus, Indiana! Just as important as our products, however, is the information we can provide to you in your quest for health! We are always here for you, so please stop in and tell us what you're thinking about!

If you live in Columbus, Indiana, and are interested in healthful food and health, please RSS this blog. We will be detailing upcoming events here–information you won't want to miss. We'll also be talking about a lot of great products, so please stay tuned!

Wishing you the best in 2010!

–Matt