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

Posts Tagged ‘best gluten free selection’

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

This book may just change your life.

I was standing in front of the book aisle at Natural Choices in Columbus, Indiana the other day and this book caught my eye. I must confess it was because of the big BREAD on the cover.

I have a love-hate relationship with bread. I would eat bread instead of any other food given the chance, but I have learned that breads, by and large, are high in carbohydrates and, therefore, not good for the blood sugar level and triglycerides. Plus, commercially produced breads are often high in fats, salts, etc.

So when I continued to read “Get Off Gluten And Reclaim Your Health,” well, with a sigh, I picked it up.It is written by Dr. Eydi Bauer, D.C., a doctor who actually lived the process of eliminating gluten from her diet because of health issues and what it meant for her.

At the website for the book, it says,  

Millions of Americans are affected by gluten-related illness and they don’t know it! One in a hundred people has celiac disease, and one out of three is gluten intolerant. When you remove gluten from your diet, you will:

• Reduce pain and inflammation;
• Relieve depression, anxiety, and mental problems;
• Improve digestion and bowel issues;
• Increase your strength and revitalize your energy;
• Restore balance to your biochemistry.

I know that when I reduce breads in my diet, I do feel better – even though bread tastes oh, so good, I am learning to control those desires. But gluten is not only in breads, it is in many, many of the other prepared foods we consume. Start checking labels to see if the foods you are eating and feeding your family contain gluten. I’ve written about gluten before and celiac disease, too. 

Natural Choices has a large selection of gluten-free foods.

Pick up ”Life After Bread” at Natural Choices and do some experiments for yourself. Reduce or eliminate breads and see if you feel differently, not to mention you might just lose some weight in the process!

While you are at Natural Choices you will discover one of the largest selections of gluten-free products in the state! No matter if you are looking for frozen, prepared or ingredients to cook from “scratch,” you will find what you need here! Even moms can find gluten-free products their kids will love at Natural Choices! If you aren’t in the Columbus, Indiana area, call to place an order and we will ship it to you. There’s no need to waste time and energy searching. 

Try something new to see if it makes a difference in how well you feel. You might just be pleasantly surprised in the result. It could change your life!

–Ellie of the Natural Choices Blog Team

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.

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.

Isn’t it wonderful to get out in the fresh air again? We are all eager to hike or garden and set off in short sleeves and shorts to engage in all sorts of out-of-doors activities. Later in the day after you get home, you notice a red bump and the fact that it itches. These are the first signs that you have probably been exposed to poison ivy somewhere during the day. It’s the oils from the plant that are irritating, so if you are quick, you can mitigate the spread and save yourself several days of misery.

Burt's Bees Poison Ivy Soap and other products are available at Natural Choices in Columbus, Indiana.

Burt’s Bees makes a 99.82% natural Poison Ivy Soap. According to the reviews on their website, the product works and is a mainstay in kitchens and bathrooms around the nation!

According to Burt’s Bees:

This mild, cleansing soap contains Jewelweed to help relieve itching and irritation. You’ll also reap the antiseptic benefits of Pine Tar and Tea Tree oil, so you can enjoy the outdoors comfortably.

About Pine Tar, they say:

Pine Tar – Produced by distillation and applied externally, pine tar is used extensively in the treatment of skin afflictions because it is soothing and antiseptic.

Jewelweed sounds like an oxymoron to a gardener like me, so I couldn’t resist finding out more. I’m glad I did because it is much more than I ever would have expected!

According to Steve Brill, author of Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and not so wild) Places,

Impatiens species, delicate jewelweed

it’s a great herb to know about. He says,

Although this isn’t one of my favorite wild foods, it’s one of our most important herbs. I call jewelweed the forageris American Express, because I never leave home without it…It’s common, widespread, easy to recognize and invaluable to anyone venturing out-of-doors, because it’s a virtual panacea for skin irritation.

I was interested to know the plant is actually part of the Impatiens species and to learn where the common name, jewelweed, comes from:

The delicate, long-oval, long-stalked leaves are 1/4 to 1/2 inches long, with a few rounded teeth. The upper leaves are alternate, the lower ones opposite. They’re water-repellent, so they look like they’re covered with tiny jewels (raindrops) after it rains, accounting for the name jewelweed.

Jewelweed is combined with pine tar  in the poison ivy soap. One reviewer said it smelled a little weird, but many said it really worked. I tend to think many things smell a little weird, so that doesn’t matter much to me. The part about it working, now that’s important. You know if you have every been exposed to poison ivy and had that itchy rash to contend with! All you have to do is wash the affected areas with the soap. Easy relief!

You can find Burt’s Bees Poison Ivy soap, as well as other Burt’s Bees products at Natural Choices in Columbus, Indiana.

Don’t be fooled into thinking Natural Choices is only stocked with food, although it has a great selection of organic produce and one of the largest selections of gluten-free products in Indiana, if not the nation! Natural Choices stocks cleaning products for your home, your body and your pets. They even have garden seeds and mineral make-up.

So, before you head to the great out-of-doors stop by and pick up some Poison Ivy Soap and some lip balm and some natural sun screen and some antiseptic as well as some snacks and bottled water. Geez! Maybe you should get a cart and a bigger backpack!

–Ellie of the Natural Choices Blog Team

Natural Choices for Healthful Living – a one-stop-shop featuring local, natural, organic foods and products. Just a stop or phone call away!

After writing about how flaxseed oil is good for dogs in a previous post, I knew I would have to find out why flaxseed was good for people, too.

Indianapolis nutritionist and chef, Wendell Fowler, provided a little history in a recent article in the Southside Times. He said,

Since the dawn of civilization, humans have employed shiny brown flax seeds to weave fibers for clothing and bolster health. Before 5,000 BC, Egyptians carried flaxseed in their medical bags. The father of medecine, Hippocrates, documented flaxseed for the relief of abdominal pains. During the eighth century King Charlemagne passed laws requiring the consumption of faxseed by his subjects to ensure good health.

That’s all interesting, but I was more interested in what he had to say about how it promoted healthy living:

Flaxseeds are rich in alpha linolenic acid (ALA), an Omega-3 fat; a precursor to the form of Omega-3 found in fish oils called

Flaxseed is good for the mind and body!

EPA. The  body gets essential fatty acids, stored in your brain, from the diet. Your best bet is to ingest ground flax seeds, a fish oil capsule and then eat a handful of walnuts daily. (Emphasis added.)

He says flaxseed contains naturally occurring plant estrogens called lignans, which prevent bone loss, reduces risk of colon and estrogen-related breast cancers and diminishes symptoms of menopause.

He also says sufficient intake of Omega-3 fats maintains a balanced production of hormone-like substances called prostaglandins, which help regulate physiological functions including:

• blood pressure
• blood clotting
• nerve transmission
• allergic responses
• functions of the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract
• production of other hormones
• prevention of heart disease
• improving cognitive function
• tempering of inflammatory conditions such as asthma, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine headaches and osteoporosis.

He mentions that high doses of Omega-3s are used to treat and prevent mood disorders and lupus.

Well, flaxseed is not only good for dogs; apparently it is something all of us humans should be interested in, too!

One final bit of information from Fowler:

Gluten-free flax is durable. Upon ingestion, your body can not break it down and when excreted and planted, would grow. Please note the need to grind the fibrous seed in a coffee grinder in small batches then sprinkle it on virtually everything you eat. Two tablespoons a day is sufficient. Once ground, the seeds quickly lose their oomph, so process and store un-ground seeds in the refrigerator.

Natural Choices in Columbus, Indiana is the place to find products like flaxseed, flaxseed oil and fish oil supplements that promote healthful living. Call (812) 375-1677 or stop in the store to check out the wide selection of gluten-free, organic and natural products.

–Ellie of the Natural Choices Blog Team