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

Archive for May, 2010

Gluten-free EnviroKidz cereals make Mom say, "Okay."

I saw a mother in the local ‘mega-store’ engrossed in one of those teachable moments with her son of about age eight or nine. She was calmly explaining that just because she says, “No” to some request doesn’t mean he should treat her badly. He agreed and said, “Sorry” and not in an angry tone at all. Obviously she puts great effort into her parenting.

After that, I was in Natural Choices in Columbus, Indiana perusing the latest healthy eating options and I saw a display of EnviroKidz cold cereals. This is a gluten-free product that’s brightly packaged and looks yummy. All I could think was “Thank goodness.”

So many more people, and kids, have allergies and health issues now than ever before. Wheat and gluten allergies are especially troublesome. I can’t imagine trying to explain to a youngster why he can’t have all the foods he sees everyone else’s children eat. The packaging of so many products in the cereal aisle of the local grocery makes every kid grab them and run to Mom or Dad squealing, “I want this!” Now, with this cereal, they can grab it, run squealing and actually have Mom say, “Okay!”

The gluten-free selection at Natural Choices is one of the best in the state of Indiana. It is worth a trip to check it out. You will find packaged foods, ingredients to cook from scratch yourself, snacks, even frozen foods. Or, make a list of the kinds of products you would like to have, call the store and have it all shipped right to you. Wouldn’t it be a treat for your child to open a box and find snacks and foods they can open and eat without you worrying about it?

–Ellie of the Natural Choices Blog Team

My own baby has long grown up and I have few babies in my life (I have a grandpuppy instead) but the great diaper debate continues. My baby grew up with mostly cloth diapers – primarily because that was what was available. The disposable diaper market was just beginning. That is definitely no longer the case.

Hawaiian landfill, paradise preserving used diapers for at least 450 years.

Now, that industry has mega-bucks in sales and doesn’t appear to be going anywhere but up. But what about the environment? The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is still reporting that in the United States alone, we dispose of 16 billion disposable diapers a year. Yes that is BILLION. Yikes!

The EPA also reports in a marine setting (like the Gulf of Mexico) it takes 450 years for a disposable diaper to decompose. Some say that the plastic liner never degrades.

There is also the water issue. The amount of water to wash cloth diapers isn’t anything compared to the amount of water used to produce the 16 billion diapers thrown away each year in America.

New products are being developed and now, flushable, biodegradable diapers are available. gdiapers makes these eco-friendly diapers that are plastic-free and use a cover with liners.

Flushable gdiapers on the shelf at Natural Choices.

They actually suggest you flush them – their website gives two reasons:

First, you’re putting poop where it belongs, down the toilet. Second, you’re sending the biodegradable gRefill to a place where it can still do some good. Once the contents of your diapers arrive at the wastewater treatment plant, valuable nutrients can be recovered and turned into biosolids, which are then used for fertilizer. So, then the gRefill is making a complete loop back to nature.

What was a surprise to me was that the gdiaper refills could also be composted! They say,

Believe it or not, there are beneficial nutrients in those wet flushable diaper refills. And the soil in your garden will love you for sharing the contents of your eco-friendly diapers. A wet refill breaks down in 50 -1 50 days. Poopy ones should never go in compost. The poop should always be flushed.

Once I heard about these, I checked to see if they were available locally and sure enough, the flushable gdiapers are on the shelves in the Columbus, Indiana store, Natural Choices.

I think if I had to care for a baby now, I would opt for a product like gdiapers. It makes sense, for a busy caretaker and for the environment!

–Ellie of the Natural Choices Blog Team

Natural Choices owner Carolyn Behrman stocks products for an environmentally safe home in addition to natural and organic foods, herbal supplements and the area’s best selection of gluten-free foods. Call today to order by phone. It will be shipped directly to your front door.

Argh!!!! … or … Ahhh???

Badger anti-bug balm convenient tins fit easily in your purse or tote.

Along with the all the little pleasures of summer time come all the little annoyances – like mosquitoes and gnats. I don’t know which I dislike more. We all understand the bites and itches of mosquitoes, but gnats, well, one in my nose or ear can just about drive me insane, especially so in the midst of an otherwise peaceful night’s sleep.

But, once again, as with so many things, the way to repel the little nippers is to confront them with chemical repellents. But putting those chemicals on my skin – or the skin of those I love – just makes me cringe. So I am declaring this a DEET-free summer! I have found the perfect product at Natural Choices to get me through the summer DEET-free.

Badger anti-bug balm contains no chemicals and is – wait for it – USDA certified organic!! The active ingredients listed are citronella oil, cedar oil, lemongrass oil, rosemary oil and geranium oil. Just rub it on and you’ll smell much better than the exhaust from a city bus (which is what bug repellents smell like to me) AND you won’t be scratching and itching all night either.

With all the rain, and now hot temperatures here in the Midwest, I know the insects are just days away. I know we’ll be ready with a natural insect repellent. The handy little tins can go in my purse or pool bag and I am set to spend time outdoors – bug and DEET-free!

–Ellie of the Natural Choices Blog Team

Natural Choices in Columbus, Indiana is the place for organic products – produce, packaged food, cleaning supplies and personal care items. Stop in or call us today!

Natural Choices has cards for all occasions.

I got an excited phone call from my niece this week. In this age of email and instant everything, I took a little different tack for her birthday. I used the good, old-fashioned U.S. Postal Service to send her a birthday greeting card with a little something “extra” in it. No, not money.

I sent her a Growing Expressions seed card that I picked up at Natural Choices in Columbus, Indiana. She followed the directions, soaking and planting the card in a sunny spot in her yard, and with all the spring warmth and rain lately, the wildflowers seeds embedded in the handmade paper were coming up.

You know, it’s a small gift that keeps on giving – and could for years to come! I mean, if she collects the seeds from the flowers this summer and plants them next year, well, she will be reminded that I took the time to think of her as time passes. Some of the seeds in the cards are perennials so she won’t even have to collect those seeds for them to come back next year. In any event, every time she sees them, she’s going to think of someone who cares about her.

It’s a beautiful sentiment and the cards are equally as beautiful.

Having these cards available at Natural Choices makes it an easy shop when I’m already there getting the fresh, organic produce, gluten-free snacks or herbal supplements. That just makes me realize that Natural Choices isn’t just an organic or natural food store, it is my home store! Food, cleaning supplies, pet supplies, make-up, garden supplies, first aid supplies – I can even find resource books and cookbooks there. Stop in and just peruse the offerings, you’ll be inspired, I’m sure!

–Ellie of the Natural Choices Blog Team

Natural choices shouldn’t be called a health food store, it’s a healthy living store!!

May is Celiac Disease Awareness Month. I find it difficult to be aware of something when I don’t know what it is. Celiac disease is sometimes also called celiac sprue, nontropical sprue, gluten-sensitive enteropathy and gluten intolerance.

The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC) is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and this is what they say about Celiac disease:

Celiac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, a protein in wheat, rye and barley. Gluten is found mainly in foods but may also be found in everyday products such as medicines, vitamins and lip balms.

For those of you who want to know what actually happens in the body with a disease, the NDDIC explains that, too:

When people with celiac disease eat foods or use products containing gluten, their immune system responds by damaging or destroying villi – the tiny, fingerlike protrusions lining the small instestine. Villi normally allow nutrients from food to be absorbed through the walls of the small intestine into the bloodstream. Without healthy villi, a person becomes malnourished, no matter how much food one eats.

There are a whole host of symptoms, some of which are symptoms of many maladies. Only a physician can diagnose the disease with appropriate tests.

A portion of the gluten-free selection at Natural Choices.

Restricting or eliminating foods and products containing gluten is the key to healthy living for those who have celiac disease.

Natural Choices has one of the largest selections of gluten-free products in Indiana. Not only will you find flour and grain substitutes, but you will find prepared foods that are gluten-free. Check out the refrigerated section and the frozen foods. People who need to stay on a strict gluten-free diet can still have the convenience of those who don’t!

The staff at Natural Choices is always happy to point you in the right direction, or answer any questions you might have.

Now that you are aware of what Celiac disease is and what gluten in your diet can do if you have a sensitivity to it, spread the word. Living gluten-free may just change the life of someone you know!

–Ellie of the Natural Choices Blog Team

Natural Choices in Columbus, Indiana is your local, organic and gluten-free market. Stop in or call (812) 375-1677 to place an order to have vitamins, herbal supplements or foods shipped directly to your door.

You know one of the things I like best about the neighborhood I live in is the fact that there are so many families. I especially like seeing all the babies – all shapes, sizes, boys and girls alike. The joy the parents have when you talk to them is infectious!!

One of the mothers was telling me that she was making all her own baby food. She said it took time and was not easy, but she wanted the best for her little one. I remembered doing that when my (now adult) son was a baby. I understand what she is talking about.

Maybe it is my age – I like to think, wisdom (!) – that makes me think, well, I would just go to Natural Choices and get baby food. It’s already prepared AND it is made from organic foods AND, should I say it again, it’s already prepared! Knowing the care that Earth’s Best puts into their product, makes me feel like it would be better than the food I make from the produce at the local store!

Earth’s Best even has pediatricians who vouch for the product:

Dr. (David) Helft believes that children who eat healthier, all-natural foods have better health in the future. He is always happy to recommend Earth’s Best organic baby food to his patients. “Organic foods are great for infants and toddlers because they help minimize the amount of hormones and pesticides children are exposed to. We really don’t know the long term effects of those chemicals on children.”

People are thinking more and more about the food they consume and the effect it has on their bodies. Can you imagine the effect on a baby if he ate the same sorts of prepared foods with the high levels of chemicals in them that we avoid?

Earth's Best organic baby food is a "natural choice" for parents at Natural Choices!

I suspect I know why Carolyn Behrman at Natural Choices in Columbus stocks Earth’s Best products – all I have to do is read statements like these from the Earth’s Best website:

Earth’s Best organic infant formula contains no toxic chemicals or heavy metals.

Earth’s Best organic infant cereals provide an excellent source of iron to aid early physical and neurological development and restore the iron depletion that results after birth.

Earth’s Best organic jarred fruits provide an excellent source of vitamin C to aid the absorption of iron and fight infections.

I think next time I talk to that mother, I will tell her about Earth’s Best at Natural Choices. If it saves her some time and she can still feel good about her baby’s food, she might want to take a ride with me the next time I go!

–Ellie of the Natural Choice Blog Team

Natural Choices in Columbus, Indiana is your local, natural community market!

The sun's rays are brighter and stronger during summer in the northern hemisphere.

Ahh, spring! Gardens are beginning to take shape, and bodies are feeling better because people are getting out and active. But getting out and active means more exposure to the sun. Which means sunscreen!

I was in the local super-store and picked up a sunscreen and turned it over to read the list of ingredients. Water was the first ingredient listed, which was a good thing compared to the rest! Of the 23 listed, the only ones I could accurately pronounce and identify were water, cocoa butter, aloe extract and jojoba oil. That means 19 were, basically, chemicals.

There have been studies that show parabens have been found in breast cancer tumors, but they don’t go so far as to say the parabens cause cancer. The FDA acknowledges the studies, but won’t say low-levels of parabens are a danger. The Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative (LDDI) is a working group of the Collaborative on Health and Environment (CHE). In their published fact sheet on Endocrine-disrupting Chemicals, they give us some information we should probably take into serious consideration:

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) … interfere with the body’s ability to regulate its growth, development, metabolism and other functions.

Higher exposures may overwhelm the endocrine system and cause less response to the chemical. This is a concern because safety testing of chemicals assumes that low doses are not harmful if higher doses do not show effects. Most EDCs have not been thoroughly tested for health effects at very low exposures.

EDCs can be found in many personal care products including creams, gels, powders, deodorants and other cosmetics.

Known or suspected EDCs in these products include parabens. Several studies have shown that EDCs can be absorbed through skin from these products, and intact paraben esters (which are EDCs) have been found in human tissue.

Check ingredients on products. Unfortunately, manufacturers don’t have to list inert chemicals, so EDCs may still be present even though not listed in the ingredients. Look for items marked “paraben-free” for greater assurance there are no hidden parabens.

You'll find paraben-free Alba Botanical sunscreen for the entire family at Natural Choices!

Although the use of parabens in personal care products has not been banned, there are many who feel that there has not been enough research undertaken to definitively say low doses of parabens are safe. I guess I am of the “better safe than sorry” mindset because, having read this information, I put that sunscreen back on the shelf and went to Natural Choices. There I found paraben-free Alba Botanical Sunscreens for the entire family. They included natural ingredients like sunflower oil, lavender and chamomile flower extracts and natural titamium dioxide.

Consuming the chemicals and preservatives in prepared foods has repercussions for our bodies and health. But we don’t often think about all the creams and lotions we slather on our skin. We should. Those ingredients are absorbed through our skin and into our systems. Think twice before you squeeze that next bottle of sunscreen.

The staff at Natural Choices will answer any questions you have about sunscreen and point you down the correct aisle to find natural, paraben-free products to protect you from the sun – and so many chemicals!!

–Ellie of the Natural Choices Blog Team

Natural Choices, the place to go in Columbus, Indiana for organic produce and meat, natural personal and home care products, herbal supplements and all sorts of fresh and packaged healthy food!!

In prior posts I’ve given you some background and explained the usefulness and applicability of the Glycemic Index to agave nectar, it’s time to talk about using agave nectar. I know you’re saying, finally!!

Because agave nectar is a liquid, it is most easily substituted for liquid sugars such as:

Agave nectar is available at Natural Choices.

• Honey
• Maple syrup
• Brown rice syrup
• Corn syrup

Honey and maple syrup both have strong flavors that can interfere with delicate flavors of other foods. Agave nectar has a more neutral taste so it is less likely to mask other flavors. Also, agave nectar has a longer shelf life and does not crystallize like other syrups. But one of the things I like best – it is not as thick as other sweeteners so it is much easier to pour.

For parents of new babies, agave nectar is not known to cause botulism in babies like honey has been shown to cause due to a bacteria that may be present in honey.

This is what All About Agave recommends in substituting agave nectar for liquid sweeteners:

• Honey – Replace each cup of honey with one cup of agave syrup.
• Maple Syrup – Replace each cup of maple syrup with one cup of agave syrup.
• Brown Rice Syrup - When replacing a cup of brown rice syrup, use 1/2 to 1/3 as much agave, and increase other liquids in the recipe by up to 1/2 a cup.
• Corn Syrup – When replacing a cup of light corn syrup, use 1/2 as much agave, and increase other liquids by up to 1/3 of a cup.

Because agave nectar is a liquid, substituting it for granular sugars may take a little experimentation. It is more calorie-dense, but you will use less because it is sweeter. All About Agave says agave nectar retains many of the great features of cooking with a little sugar: browning, moisture retention, softening and food preservation. This is what they say about substituting agave nectar for granular sugars:

• White Sugar – For each cup of white sugar replaced, use 2/3 of a cup of agave and reduce other liquids by 1/4 to 1/3 cup. This substitution will also work for Demerara Sugar, Turbinado Sugar, Evaporated Cane Juice, or Sucanat.
• Brown Sugar – For each cup of brown sugar replaced, use 2/3 of a cup of agave and reduce other liquids by 1/4 cup. Because the moisture content of Brown Sugar is higher than that of white sugar, liquids may not have to be reduced as much when substituting agave nectar.

Because agave nectar is natural and retains many of the positive cooking features, it can be more beneficial for use than many artifical sweeteners. For diabetics and others with blood sugar issues, it is not a free food. It does contain calories and carbohydrates must be considered, but with it having a low Glycemic Index rating, it can be used in the diet to make food and life a little more palatable!

Check out the selection at Natural Choices in Columbus, Indiana. There are a variety of brands and package sizes available. It’s just one more reason that Natural Choices shouldn’t be called a health food store – it is a real food store!

–Ellie of the Natural Choices Blog Team

The All About Agave website says agave nectar has been found to effectively treat Staph aureus on the skin and enteric (intestinal) bacteria. But I think its greatest health benefit might be its favorable glycemic profile. I am learning that understanding the relative impact foods have on blood sugar requires an understanding of the Glycemic Index.

According to The Glycemic Index website,

The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar levels after eating. Foods with a high GI are those which are rapidly digested and absorbed and result in marked fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Low-GI foods, by virture of their slow digestion and absorption, produce gradual rises in blood sugar and insulin levels, and have proven benefits for health. (Emphasis added.)

Nutrition Data serves up a little more information:

Potatoes have a higher GI than honey!

Pure glucose serves as a reference point and is given a Glycemic Index of 100. Nutritionists used to believe that all simple sugars digested quickly and caused a rapid rise in blood sugar, and that the opposite was true for “complex carbohydrates”. But that’s not always the case. While many sweet and sugary foods do have high GIs, some starchy foods like potatoes or white bread score even higher than honey or table sugar (sucrose)! (Emphasis added.)

At first, this all seemed confusing, but understanding that controlling glycemic response (blood sugar levels) can be achieved by restricting high GI foods makes me see identifying low GI foods and eating those in appropriate portions will get me on the right track.

Nutrition Data gives me a point of reference:

Apples are a healthy food with a low GI.

GIs of 55 or below are considered low, and 70 or above are considered high. Here are some examples:

• 1 cup lowfat yogurt – GI 33 (low)
• 1 medium apple – GI 38 (low)
• 1 Snickers Bar – GI 55 (low)
• 1 cup oatmeal – GI 58 (medium)
• 1 cup white rice – GI 64 (medium)
• 1 slice white bread – GI 70 (high)
• 1 small box raisins – GI 64 (medium)

Agave nectar is a natural and healthy food.

While the Glycemic Index is a good tool to have in your nutrition toolbox, it alone cannot guide all your food choices. The combination of different foods result in a variety of interactions and each human body’s functions are unique. That being said, the difference between the GI of a tablespoon of refined sugar (68) and two tablespoons of agave nectar (30) indicates to me that as a sweetener, agave nectar is better for me, and my health!

I can venture into Columbus, Indiana and go to Natural Choices for a good selection of agave nectar on the shelves. Finding organic, healthy food and natural supplements can be a challenge in some towns, but Natural Choices is available by phone from wherever you are located. Just call (812) 375-1677, place an order and they will ship it right to your door. Ding, dong! Health supplements and natural foods delivered from Natural Choices to your doorstep. Don’t forget to include agave nectar!

–Ellie of the Natural Choices Blog Team

Controlling sugars, starches and carbohydrates in my diet is a very, very complicated thing I am learning! Refined white sugar is something I try to avoid altogether in my diet. I am constantly on the lookout for ways to satisfy my sweet tooth or at least trick it into being satisfied. When I heard about agave nectar, I just had to find out more.

I found out a lot and discovered a whole new arena of healthful living ideas and information – not just about agave nectar, but about how to actually adjust my diet overall for a more natural, healthy lifestyle.

Today I am just going to give you some basic information about agave nectar. But stay tuned because over the next few posts, we’re going to explore how to satisfy that sweet tooth and still maintain a healthy blood sugar level! Neat stuff – for me and, if you have the same sugar issues, for you, too!

A few finger strokes got me to the All About Agave website. There the history buff in my heart learned the Aztecs, once again, had far-reaching wisdom. This is what All About Agave had to say:

Blue Agave grows in the volcanic soils of Southern Mexico.

While agave (pronounced Ah-GAH-vay) is most recognized as the plant from which tequila is made, it has also been used for thousands of years as an ingredient in food. The nectar made from the plant is known in Mexico as aguamiel, or “honey water.”

The Aztecs prized the agave as a gift from the gods and used the liquid from its core to flavor food and drinks. Now, due to increasing awareness of agave nectar’s many beneficial properties, it is becoming the preferred sweetener of health conscious consumers, doctors and natural foods cooks alike. (Emphasis added.)

Agave nectar (sometimes called agave syrup) is most often produced from the Blue Agaves that thrive in the volcanic soils of Southern Mexico. Agaves are large, spiky plants that resemble cactus or yuccas in both form and habitat, but they are actually succulents similar to the familiar Aloe Vera.

They report there are over 100 species but because the carbohydrate content of the Blue Agave, it is the preferred species for producing nectar. The premium nectars are made from 100% Weber Blue Agave.

Agave nectar is available at Natural Choices.

I wouldn’t bother you with all this information, except after learning that agave nectar may be substituted for part or all the sugars and sweeteners in many recipes, this may well be the answer to my sugar-sweetening search! Therefore, starting from the beginning and giving you all the information about this produce seems important so you can make a good decision about it, too.

Agave nectar is available in a variety of brands from Natural Choices in Columbus, Indiana. The owner, Carolyn Behrman, keeps the shelves stocked so everyone with a sweet tooth (and isn’t that most of us?) has options. Because when we don’t feel deprived, life is easier on our hips, hearts, organs, etc., don’t you think?

Make life a little sweeter – check agave nectar out at Natural Choices!

–Ellie of the Natural Choices Blog Team

Natural Choices is your healthful living, natural market in Columbus, Indiana.