By Msherman, June 21, 2010

What would it take to change the world?

Rotary International, the world’s first service club organization, with more than 1.2 million members in 33,000 clubs around the world, demands that we begin to search for an answer.

Rotary club members are volunteers who work locally, regionally, and internationally to combat hunger, improve health and sanitation, provide education and job training, promote peace, and, most importantly, focus on Rotary’s central campaign to eradicate polio worldwide.

Rotary International volunteers first began providing polio immunization shots as a step in their PolioPlus campaign in 1979. Now, after more than 30 years of hard work and dedication, Rotary and its partners are on the brink of eradicating this resilient disease, but one last surge of aid is needed to put polio down once and for all.

Polio, a crippling and life-threatening infectious disease still plagues children in many countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Because there is no cure for polio, or the paralysis it causes, the best protection is prevention. Rotary International’s PolioPlus campaign has developed four key strategies for preventing the spread of poliovirus:

• Routine immunization-Infant immunization is essential as primary method through which polio-free countries have protected their children from the threat of imported polio.
• National Immunization Days-For more than 20 years, Rotary International’s PolioPlus program has played a significant role in conducting National Immunization Days (NIDs) and providing funds for the promotion and distribution of millions of vaccines.
• Surveillance-Rotarians work with health worker to find and investigate cases of onset polio. Additionally, the PolioPlus program helps fund containers to preserve the integrity of medical samples during transport to testing laboratories as well as other equipment for the global poliovirus laboratory.
• Targeted mop-up campaigns-Rotarians support local, in-house, “mop-up” campaigns (similar to NID volunteering)

In addition to providing financial and volunteer support through their PolioPlus campaign, Rotary International also works to gain support from other public and private sector campaigns and has teamed up with the World Health Organization, the US Centers for Disease Control and The United Nations Children’s Fund to spearhead The Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

The GPEI has, to date, made significant progress since the launch of its new plan and bivalent oral polio vaccine last year. In India and Nigeria, for example, the sources of all recent poliovirus importations  and the disease declined by 95% between 2009 and 2010 alone. In addition to the progress made in India and Nigeria, the GPEI reported that 15 different countries in Africa have completely stopped outbreaks of the disease and have since declared the total eradication “entirely feasible.”

However, The World Health Organization (WHO), while encouraged by the process, states “the job is not yet finished.” The report above, in addition to containing information on the glowing success of the GPEI campaigns in India and Africa, referred to an estimated $665 million funding gap through 2012 and claimed the gap as the “single biggest threat” to the success of the campaign.

But to fill the gap, Bill and Melinda Gates awarded two grants (totaling $355 million) through the Gates Foundation to the campaign in support of its work. In response, Rotary developed it’s $200 Million Challenge, to match the generous Gates grant. To date, Rotarians have raised more than $173.2 million.

Since spearheading the GPEI campaign, Rotary International has illuminated the world with the Gates Foundation’s End Polio Now message, by using the world’s most iconic monuments as a backdrop for massive, light-up campaign messages. The signs were illuminated on the faces of famous landmarks like the Trevi Fountain in Rome, the Lantern Festival Gate in Taiwan, the parliament building in the Hague, as well as the Front of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation headquarters in Seattle, Washington. This campaign strategy illuminated millions of people on the significance of the End Polio Now and PolioPlus campaigns, but, in the words of Bill Gates, “Ultimately, the most important monument won’t be the one we illuminate. It will be the one we create.”

And Rotary Internal continues to do just that.

Toward the end of March, Rotary created an interactive application to further heighten global awareness of its polio eradication goals. The organization put together the This Close campaign, an application launched on a new microsite that allows visitors to add their faces and names to the campaign by customizing their own This Close advertisements. Visitors can select a silhouette, add their picture to it, and share it with others over email or social networks. The application, designed in the shape of a book, acts as a gallery full of campaign supporter portraits and includes photographs of world leaders, humanitarians, celebrities, and any others who pledge to add their faces to Rotary’s campaign to eradicate polio. This interactive application is visual proof of the power people have to promote a cause and help one another live in health and happiness. To join millions in this fight against polio, the task is simple. Visit www.thisclose.net and create your pledge to eliminate this crippling disease.

All over the country and world, Rotarians are teaming up to find unique ways to raise money for Rotary’s $200 Million Challenge. On April 12, a club member from Virginia completed a quest to visit 200 different Rotary clubs in 200 days to raise awareness of the Challenge and successfully brought in $8,000 to benefit polio eradication efforts.

Also, in Ontario Canada, four Rotarians embarked on a journey to the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro after collecting $8,500 from clubs in support of the polio eradication campaign.

At the May 24 Rotary International Convention Bill Gates praised the organization for reducing the polio rate by more than 99 percent worldwide since the year of 1988.

“You have helped so many people understand that we are ‘this close.’ I challenge you to make your voices louder,” Gates said. “Your work has brought us so far. I’m so proud to be a partner in the work that Rotary has been doing to eradicate polio.”

Despite Rotary International’s progress in this campaign, there is much work to be done. The biggest obstacles in the path to completely eradicate polio are insufficient political initiative from the remaining affected countries and underfunding. While Rotarians believe the primary source of funding should come from governments in polio-free countries, individual contributions will help ensure that the organization is able to keep fighting the tenacious poliovirus.

To donate to Rotary International’s PolioPlus initiative, visit http://www.rotary.org/en/serviceandfellowship/polio/pages/ridefault.aspx and End Polio Now.

By Msherman, June 21, 2010

Who really wants to go to the gym for fun? Gyms are cold, sweaty, competitive, and never, ever, fun. So naturally, it’s hard to get out of bed and go. Right?

Well, not anymore.

There is one gym that makes it easy, and offers a whole lot more than sweaty towels, whirring treadmills, and the typical gym experience. Midtown Athletic Club is not only a fitness club, but a health club, tennis club, spa, social club, and resort. It’s unique neighborhood feel and wide range of wellness services, allows Midtown to accommodate its members and enables each to transform Midtown into whatever club he or she wants it to be. With its state-of the art equipment, endless class offerings, dedicated staff, and a gourmet café that serves up everything from steaming sweet potato fries to wholesome Asian quinoa salads, Midtown Athletic Center is the perfect wellness haven, and a friendly place to bring kids, family, and friends. At the end of the day, it’s not the state-of-the-art equipment or the modern facility, but the Midtown community that keeps members raving about the Midtown experience and coming back for more.

Let’s take a tour of Midtown’s wide offering of services.

To name a few:

Midtown’s  Spa

This elegant spa offers both members and non-members wellness services that range (literally) from head to toe.

Spa services include-

• State-of-the-art hair salon
• Complete nail services
• Massage therapy (including hot stone, deep tissue, sports, and pregnancy massages)
• Body treatments (salt glows, body peels, and scrubs)
• Skin Care (a variety of facials and microdermabrasion treatments)
• Waxing

Midtown’s Personal Training Team

Midtown’s “fitness community” keeps every individual in mind, recognizing that no two members are alike in their health and fitness needs. Minding their mantra, “making fitness personal,” trainers at Midtown exercise a three-level training program designed to meet the fitness goals of any member, whether he or she is a beginner, dedicated athlete, or has special fitness/health concerns.

Three levels of training-

• M1 level-Includes individual program design, core, cable, and band training, ball training, heart rate monitoring, and more.
• M2 level-includes prenatal/postpartum fitness, joint stabilization, obesity, diabetes, and sports performance enhancement.
• M3 level-includes muscle activation therapy, programs for members with degenerative bone conditions, hip and knee replacement therapy, shoulder reconstruction therapy, and cardiac rehabilitation.

Midtown’s Extensive Class Offerings

For no additional fee, members at Midtown can attend a wide range of fitness classes that are offered every day of the week. Some of the offered classes include:

• Pilates
• Yoga, Vinyasa yoga, and Yoga express (a 40-minute class for members in a time crunch)
• Sheanetics
• Zumba and Aqua zumba
• Kickboxing
• Boot camp
• Cardio circuit
• Cycle and Group ride
• Kinesis
• Al Chi (Tai Chi adapted for the water)
• Drums alive and abs
• Ball and Barre

Midtown’s M Café

The café at Midtown is a perfect place to take a break after a tennis match, swimming lesson, or great workout and enjoy a drink, meet for a snack, or grab a healthy meal. In select Midtown clubs, the café menu is available at three different locations within the club, including a poolside eatery, outdoor bistro, and indoor restaurant. All locations boast a colorful menu with breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. Midtown’s gourmet cafes help you top off a great workout with a lite breakfast wrap, homemade organic veggie eggrolls, or a refreshing caprese salad.

Midtown’s Social Experience

In addition to its wide range of class, training, spa, and food options, Midtown also provides its members with opportunities to engage and socialize with fellow fitness gurus. With regular events like wine tastings, holiday parties, and kids’ night out, Midtown offers its members a place to have a good time with family and friends.

Clearly, Midtown Athletic Club is more than just a gym. So if you’ve been looking for a place to belong, get fit, and get to know people who care about a healthy, active lifestyle as much as you, you’ve found it.

Welcome to Midtown.

For more information regarding Midtown Athletic Club locations and services, visit http://www.midtown.com/Pages/default.aspx

By Msherman, June 21, 2010

Lifeway Foods is on a mission. One that started in 1986 and continues to dominate the initiatives of this small, but quickly rising, wholesale milk product manufacturer. The mission? To improve the health of all customers, through providing the absolute best in probiotic and nutritious foods.

The Lifeway Foods story, as mentioned above, began in 1986 with a product called “kefir,” a milk-based, cultured drink said to be far more nutritional than yogurt. The founder of Lifeway Foods, a Russian immigrant named Michael Smolyansky, began manufacturing small amounts of kefir in his basement in order to bring a small taste of his native country in the form of a quick and nutritious drink to the ever rushed, yet health-obsessed, U.S. society.  After he passed away in 2002, Smolyansky’s daughter Julie assumed the role of President of the then small Lifeway Foods company and, along with her brother Edward, transformed Michael Smolansky’s initiative into a project that resulted in the creation of this country’s leading manufacturer of kefir, and a leading provider of other probiotic natural and organic dairy products.

Today, Julie Smolyansky, the CEO and director of Lifeway Foods (also the youngest female CEO of a publicly held firm in 10 years) has fostered the growth of the company with her creative product development and marketing and has successfully introduced a Russian product into the volatile U.S. market economy.

In addition to her business aspirations, Smolyansky is also dedicated to involving Lifeway Foods in a series of high-profile philanthropic initiatives, including a powerful campaign to increase education and support for maternal and child health.

Lifeway Foods, while focusing on its big goal to make the world a healthier place through its distribution of nutritional probiotics, also knows how to think small. The company takes pride in remaining connected with small, local farmers and suppliers and continually supports small communities and businesses by purchasing only the best quality, local products for their manufacturing. Lifeway’s partnerships with local businesses also benefits the environment, leading to less packaging, less transportation, and more money spent on purchasing recyclable and biodegradable production materials and office furniture rather than fume-spewing refrigerated trucks.

Lifeway Foods is extremely dedicated to going green. Fostering initiatives that range from using BPA-free packaging (BPA is a hormone-mimicking chemical shown to cause a bevy of health problems like an increase in prostate and breast cancer, birth abnormalities, and metabolic disorders) to purchasing renewable energy credits to offset factory electricity use. The philanthropic projects and green initiative of the company are numerous, but to list a few, Lifeway Foods involves itself in the following:

• Using completely BPA-free packaging- Used in all Lifeway Kefir bottles, Helios bottles, ProBugs pouches, etc.
• Recycling-Lifeway uses 100% recyclable bottles and flexible packaging in Lifeway ProBugs (for kis) products that take 75% less energy to product than rigid packaging and claim 96% less landfill space.
• Using biodegradable/compostable materials-At Lifeway Foods’ Starfruit Cafes, as well as in its community outreach and sponsorship events, the company uses biodegradable serve-ware (including napkins)
• Supporting renewable energy-Lifeway purchases renewable energy credits to ensure that the amount of electricity used in Kefir production is replaced with a renewable source, like wind or solar power.
• Using only farmer pledged milk-Lifeway is concerned with the use of hormones and antibiotics in animal products and uses only milk that is certified by their Farmer’s Pledge and comes from untreated cows.

Clearly, Lifeway Foods has a lot on its plate. However, the company still made time to launch a new circuit of eco-friendly, healthy cafés. Located in Chicago, these cozy eateries, named Starfruit Café, serve probiotic-filled frozen kefir treats: custom kefir parfaits, flavorful smoothies, and frozen soft-serve kefir with fresh fruit and granola toppings are just a few items on the Starfruit menu. The mantra of these quirky cafes is simple: “Good health, good vibes, good desserts.” All a part of the Starfruit journey.

Julie Smolyansky and Lifeway Foods really are on a mission. Not to make a profit, or make an impression, but to genuinely make a difference. By providing the greenest, best quality, healthiest probiotic and nutritious food choices, this once small, niche-market company has transformed into a powerful firm that continues to climb up the mainstream market ladder.

Ultimately, there are many reasons to support Lifeway Foods products; for your health, for the environment, and for the common good.

The Smolyanskys put it best.

“Today, taking charge of your health is so important. Lifeway Kefir is one easy, effective (and happily, delicious) thing you can do to be more proactive.”

For yourself. For your family. For the environment. For the world.

Visit Lifeway Foods’ website to learn more:

http://lifeway.net/LifewayWorld.aspx

By Msherman, June 21, 2010

No more file cabinets. No more messy record piles. With the help of Google, health has gone paperless.

Google Health, a personal health information centralization service (called “personal health record services” by Google) is a new Google initiative, launched in 2006, that allows Google users to volunteer their personal health records into the Google Health system. By entering their health information, users merge their separate records into one centralized profile that is used by Google Health to provide the user with a merged health record, information on conditions, and possible side effects from interactions between different drugs, conditions, and allergies.

Recently, in September of 2010, Google re-launched its Google Health project and created a completely new-and-improved, user-friendly version in which users can organize, track, monitor, and act on their health information.

Google Health’s mantra is simple: “Easy access to your own health information—anytime, anywhere.”

With a Google Health account, users are able to store, manage, and share all their wellness information in one easy-to-find place. Free of charge. All that’s needed to start is an individually chosen username and password.

Google Health offers a few simple features to allow its users to organize and view all their health records. The major components of the management system are as follows:

• Simple management of your health information online-If your health information is in complete disarray, Google Health can help solve your problems by offering one place to organize and store all your information online. You can track your wellness metrics, gather and organize your records, or import your health data directly into your account from connected doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies.
• Personal health goal-setting-Google Health allows users to set personalized goals online (for weight, blood pressure, sleep, gym progress, etc.) and to monitor them regularly.
• Progress tracking-Users can create custom trackers for things they want to monitor daily (like sleep, coffee intake, etc.) Google Health also allows users to take notes or keep an online journal on their progress with a particular condition or personal goal.
• Health information sharing-Google Health helps users better coordinate their care and share their health records with individuals in their care network (family members, friends, doctors).
• Personalized health needs with content and apps-Google Health allows users to access content about health topics from trusted sources and Google search results. Users can also connect to apps that are integrated with Google Health that will help them better manage health needs by using Google’s partner directory.

To complement their array of services and features, Google Health also employs an advisory council, made up of 23 healthcare experts from provider organizations to offer feedback and better ways of helping consumers organize their health information. Additionally, the project is sponsored by several big-name health partners: CVS Caremark, Kmart Pharmacy, RxAmerica, and Walgreens are a few examples.

While some controversy has taken place in the media regarding the privacy bilaws of the project, Google Health has recently revamped its privacy policies, now ensuring that each consumer is in complete control of his or her medical records and data. Google Health offers users secure accounts, inaccessible through any type of Google search, the choice to share information with the option to revoke that choice at any time, as well as write-only status by the service itself, so that users profiles cannot be viewed by any Google partners or members of the advisory council.

Since its most recent security and feature updates, Google Health has had plenty of positive feedback from reviewers who enjoy the easy and instant access to their health information and quick availability of their lab results.

This project is surely onto something, and is certain to continue expanding and finessing its services in the upcoming months and years. The project, aiming to make healthcare easy and accessible for anyone with Internet access, asks its users this: If you become sick or injured and can’t speak for yourself, what kind of care do you want to receive?

By making healthcare decisions now on Google Health, you can organize your own health information, seek health advice from distinguished professionals, and communicate your wishes for advancements in medical care to those who really will act on your behalf.

Visit this link for more information on the features and services offered by Google Health:

http://www.google.com/intl/en-US/health/about/

By Msherman, June 21, 2010

This summer’s favorite sport: Tennis. The sport everyone can play. But what if you’ve never learned, or simply don’t have the time?

Luckily, Midtown Athletic Center’s patented Tennis in No Time® pledges to “turn you into a player in just three weeks.” This program offers a variety of convenient lesson times, every day of the week save Friday, and is geared towards novice players who, regardless of their membership to the club, would like to up their tennis game.

Tennis in No Time®, perfect for active people in a hurry, is anything but a hasty program. Classes are taught by the best staff Midtown has to offer, an energetic and expert group of tennis pros, and is held in Midtown’s state-of-the-art tennis courts. Racquets and balls are supplied to all players before they are trained, hustled, and scrimmaged in each 90-minute session.

Each TNT lesson is designed to focus on a different set of tennis skills and is taught on different-sized courts and with a variety of equipment, depending on what is being taught. TNT players are coached in improving their swing (both forehand and backhand), serve, aim, and defense. Lessons are comprised mainly of drill exercises, mixed together with a healthy dose of large group games and scrimmages.

Though TNT only runs for three weeks (players practice 2 days per week) and is completed after six practices, the comprehensive nature of each lesson allows players to gain expertise in multiple skills in a brief amount of time.

Since TNT players are often beginners, they are encouraged to help each other improve and do so through a series of partner-based games and exercises. Additionally, the team feel of the program provides a great social base and opportunities for players to meet others within their same skill and interest level.

So if you want to learn to play, but are buried in a busy schedule, in need of a partner, or both, TNT is an easy, inexpensive (only $115 for the entire program) way to gain both skills to play the game and the friends to play it with.  Becoming “a player in three weeks,” may certainly sound too good to be true, but with Midtown Athletic Club’s Tennis in No Time® program, it’s entirely possible to become a tennis ace.

For more information on Midtown Athletic Center and Tennis in No Time®, visit the following link: http://www.midtownclubs.com/Pages/default.aspx

By Msherman, June 21, 2010

Beauty may not always be skin deep, but protecting and rejuvenating your skin is key to maintaining a youthful and beautiful complexion. The problem is, where do you find skin and beauty products that are not only reasonably priced and high quality, but are also naturally safe for your skin and for the environment?

Derma e® bodycare solutions are formulated to produce powerfully effective, dramatic results and are created from the highest quality natural ingredients that are not only environmentally-friendly, but also possess powerful healing and replenishing properties to give you your most beautiful, healthy, and youthful skin and hair.

Derma e®, for almost 25 years, has dedicated its efforts to pioneering the development of high-performance, natural skincare solutions and has created a distinguished line of advanced treatment products that are paraben-free, cruelty-free, and 100% vegetarian. The line  includes over 90 different products that offer effective solutions for a wide range of skin conditions, like itching, cracked skin, age spots, scars, spider veins, blemishes, redness, inflammation, as well as other common skin problems.

What is most impressive about Derma e® products and distinguishes the brand from the rest of the skincare market is the amount of scientific research Derma e® professionals conduct to ensure that each of the company’s products are comprised of the most effective blend of ingredients that yield noticeable results. Founded when the Stearn family discovered the benefits of vitamin E as a topical solution, Derma e® has since grown into a much large, sophisticated organization that employs an esteemed team of researchers and skincare experts along with the  latest scientific advancements. Committed to thorough research and the best ingredients nature has to offer, the team develops therapeutic products of the highest quality.

The following is a list of Derma e®’s favorite, key ingredients:

• Cranberry-Cranberry seed oil is rich in Omega-6 and healthful Omega-3 essential fatty acids that are crucial for maintaining skin structure and health.
• Ester-C-This stable, water-soluble, non-irritating form of vitamin C penetrates the deeper layers of the skin and stimulates collagen growth to improve skin tone and firmness.
• Green Tea-This strong anti-flammatory helps to slow the signs of aging and protects skin from UVA and UVB radiation to reduce the number of sunburned skin cells.
• Hyaluronic acid-This “moisture magnet” is perfect for rehydrating dry skin and can hold up to 1,000 times its own weight in water, allowing it to bind moisture to tissue to soften, smooth, and tone your skin.
• Pomegranate-This fruit is named a “superfruit” because of its reputation for being rich in nutrients and antioxidants. Extracts of pomegranate contain anti-aging and anti-inflammatory benefits and prevent lines and damage.
• Tamanu oil-This oil helps to repair cuts, scrapes, burns, swelling, sores, acne, rashes, blisters, insect bites, eczema and rosacea and protects skin cells from oxidative damage.
• Tea Tree-Tea tree is a potent antibacterial, antifungal, and strong aniseptic. Recent research has also attributed this herb with antiviral capabilities and the ability to treat problems like fungal infections, athlete’s foot, ringworm, staph infections, canker sores, and dermatitis. It’s also a great natural insect repellent!
• Vitamin A-This is commonly referred to as the “skin vitamin” and is best known for it’s renewal capabilities that speed up exfoliation and reveal younger, plumper skin cells

Derma e® is passionate about using the above natural substances as well as a multitude of other quality raw ingredients that feature proven levels of active healing components. Prior to adding any ingredient to a formula, private laboratories test it and ensure that each batch of product is manufactured with effective quantities of the chosen ingredient. It is then tested for stability, effectiveness, accurate formulation, and its ability to resist microbial and bacterial contamination. The testing ensures that Derma e® provides its customers with a superior product that is sure to visibly improve skin health.

Not all skincare products were created equal. And you’re certain to see and feel that difference when using one of the many natural and powerful solutions from Derma e®.

Derma e® products are available at a variety of natural product retailers including Whole Foods, Vitamin Shoppe, Sprouts Famers Market, Drugstore.com, and many other retailers and pharmacies.

To learn more about the natural products and ingredients offered by Derma e®, visit the link below: http://www.dermae.net/cgi-bin/fccgi.exe?w3exec=dei.portal

By Msherman, June 21, 2010

Mark Spitz, one of the most luminous athletes of all time, is a man who values excellence. A five-time Pan American Gold Medalist, 24-time AAU Champion, 8-time NCAA Champion, the owner of 33 World Records and the winner of eleven Olympic medals (9 gold, one silver and one bronze), Mark Spitz’s unparalleled athleticism and dedication have never failed to set him ahead of and apart from his competition.

In and out of the pool, Spitz is an extremely passionate and successful man. After his retirement from an impressive swimming career, Spitz published his biography, The Extraordinary Life of an Olympic Champion, in the hopes of giving his fans some genuine insight into his journey as both an Olympic swimmer and a man. In addition to the marketing and publishing of his book, Spitz has undertaken several other business endeavors–endorsing commercial products like Xerox, Kodak, Bausch & Lomb, General Motors, General Mills and Swatch as well as spearheading his own successful real-estate company in Beverly Hills.

Spitz’s magnetism, talent, and enthusiasm have made him a highly sought-after motivational speaker and, in combination with his athletic talents, have gained him fame and fans all over the globe.

Currently, Spitz is partnering up with Natural & Organic Sealed bodycare company Derma e® to help launch a premium, natural, and effective skincare line exclusively for men. The line, named STUF, originated when Spitz started sneaking into his wife’s skincare products and was thrilled with the results. Mrs. Spitz, however, was not so enthused by her husbands’ discovery and promptly demanded, “Get your own stuff!” So Spitz, realizing that men also deserve a quality skincare experience that helps them look healthy and youthful, did just that, and gave men like himself the option to get their own STUF.

Although Spitz certainly possesses business prowess, he is not a skincare expert. So, Spitz joined arms with one of the most distinguished natural body care lines in the nation to develop a body care program that’s natural, high in quality, and tailored specifically to men’s skin.

A man of many talents and passions, Mark Spitz has made quite an impression–as an athlete, a businessman, and a humanitarian. He has wowed the world with his success, and continues to do so, engaging in progressive business initiatives and constantly giving back. Spitz’s achievements in a wide range of arenas have transformed this 11-time Olympic medalist into the perfect example of a Jack-of-all-trades and just go to show that with enough heart and motivation, success and victory are never out of reach.

You cleanse, you moisturize, you repair, you visit the dermatologist and read all the labels. You understand the merit of avoiding harmful chemicals and processed ingredients in the food you put into your body. But if you’re still using sunscreen and sun protection products to avoid those nasty summer burns, you may be loading your body with an excess of harmful chemicals.

But this summer, with an abundance of new research and safe skincare products on the market, you can do your body a favor and use any one of a variety of ingredients that are both completely natural and excellent guards against the harsh rays of summer sun.

First, there are a few things you should know about your summer skin:

• Mainstream sun protection products contain harmful chemicals. Many conventional sunscreens contain a variety of chemicals that have been linked to cancer risks, reproductive harm, and organ system damage.
• Chemicals age your skin. You use lotions and moisturizers, and stock up on antioxidants to keep your skin looking fresh and youthful, but every time you rub synthetic oils, artificial colors, and processed preservatives into your skin, you’re damaging its cells and aging it.
• Your skin is sensitive. Since you’re not eating your sunscreen, you may not put as much time into thinking about its effects as you do the effects of cookies, crackers, and chocolate milk. However, anything you apply onto your dermis layer will eventually make its way into your bloodstream.
• The chemicals in most sunscreens block your vitamin D absorption. Vitamin D is one of the most beneficial ingredients in improving the health of your skin, and since is available in few foods, most of us don’t get enough of it and must rely on sunrays to soak up a healthy intake.
• The chemicals in some sunscreens might make you-yes, it’s true-fat. It’s known that some of the chemicals in sunscreens and other skin care products are associated with weight gain. Phthalates, present in most sun care products, activate receptors in your body that can transform stem cells into fat cells and increase fat deposits in existing fat cells.

Now that you know the dirty little secrets hidden inside your sunscreen bottles, you can begin to avoid the types of chemicals that encourage these undesired effects:

• Oxybenzone-this common sunscreen ingredient has been linked by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control to allergies, hormone disruption, cell damage, and reproductive complications.
• Para-amino-benzoic acid (PABA)-this ingredient is widely used in sunscreens and has been linked to DNA damage and an increased risk of skin cancer.
• Retinyl palmitate-this form of vitamin A (added to 30% of all sunscreens), when applied to skin in the presence of sunlight, may speed the development of skin tumors and legions.

According to the Environmental Working Group’s skincare database, very few conventional sunscreens are safe to use or contain none of the above dangerous ingredients. The following is EWG.org’s list of the worst offenders in the sunscreen market:

• Banana Boat Baby Max Protect, SPF 100-This sunscreen offers no UVA protection, and contains both oxybenzone and retinyl palmitate.
• Aveeno Baby Continuous Protection, SPF 55-While the label claims it is “mild as water,” the warning label of this baby skincare product warns to “keep out of reach of children” and contains high levels of oxybenzone.
• Banana Boat Ultra Defense Sunscreen Stick, SPF 50-This sunscreen advertises its lasting properties, but breaks down quickly and offers little UVA protection.
• Hawaiin Tropic Baby Créme Lotion, SPF 50-This product offers no advanced UVA protection (but advertises that it does, on the label) and contains both oxybenzone and retinyl palmitate.

At last, we get to the good news. While picking out a safe sunscreen can be a tricky business, there are natural sun care remedies you can use that are either available in stores or on your kitchen shelf. Here is a list of the best natural ingredients you can use to protect your summer skin:

• Green tea polyphenols-a substance rich in antioxidants, green tea provides excellent internal and external protection from UV radiation and the sun’s aging effects.
• Black tea gels-This ingredient blocks the harmful effects of radiation and prevents the painful reddening of the skin after long-term exposure.
• Broccoli extract-This “superfood,” when applied topically, has been shown to protect against the inflammation and redness caused by UV light and contains anti-cancer properties.
• Natural oils-Oils like jojoba, shea butter, sesame seed, macadamia, hemp seed, and coconut are all rich in moisturizing properties and protect your skin from the drying and aging effects of the sun.
• Red raspberry seed oil-This plant oil provides broad spectrum UV protection because of its exceptionally high levels of alpha, vitamin E, omega-3, and omega-6 fatty acids.

And now for the sunscreen “Hall of Fame.” If you don’t want to spend the time hunting down the above ingredients and storing them in your pantry, here’s EWG’s list of some of the best natural sunscreens. And we’ve added a couple of our favorite natural skin protectors, too.

• Badger Sunscreen for Face and Body, SPF 30
• Loving Natruals Sunscreen, SPF 30+
• Purple Prairie Botanicals Sun Stick, SPF 30
• Soleo Organics All Natural Sunscreen, SPF 30

• Derma e Anti-Aging Moisturizing Complex, SPF 15-With anti-aging antioxidants astaxanthin, green tea, Ester-C® and vitamin E
• Derma e Tropical Solutions Facial Moisturizer, SPF 15-Infused with tropical tamanu oil, green tea, pomegranate, avocado, aloe, and vitamins C and E
• STUF Anti-Aging Moisturizer, SPF 15-Paraben-free, vegan, contains green tea, and vitamin E
  

We all love the golden glow of a good tan, but this summer do your skin a favor and empty out that medicine cabinet. Get rid of your old chemical-laden sunscreens and make a trade for natural, safe, sun care products. Your skin is important, so why not keep it in prime condition?

Go natural. Your skin (and your body) will thank you for it.

Dairy’s next big thing—How about Fro-yo on the go?

Starfruit Café, a subsidiary of Chicago-based Lifeway Foods, Inc., is on the move (literally) this summer, spreading its ever-delicious-and-nutritious pro-biotic love to each of Chicago’s neighborhoods in its Flat Belly Food Truck.

The Flat Belly Food Truck made its debut last week at the annual Taste of Chicago festival, delivering its products to the thousands of sweaty Chicagoans searching for a frosty fix. The truck, in addition to offering Starfruit Café’s rotating collection of flavors (original, strawberry banana, cherry, chocolate truffle, pomegranate, birthday cake and peach) also introduced a brand new summer mango flavor, which was extremely well-received by the festival’s attendants.

Starfruit’s Flat Belly Food Truck, smartly decorated with vibrant images of fresh fruit and the company’s famous kefir swirl treats, will be making brief stops at each of Chicago’s most popular events, including three Cubs Way Festivals at Wrigley Field, the lakeside Dave Matthews Band concert event, the Taste of Randolph, Gold Coast Art Fair, Wicker Park Fest, Taste of Lincoln, Lollapalooza, Renegade Art Festival, as well as the Bucktown 5K race. The truck will also be parked to serve concessions at Wrigley and Ravinia all summer long and is taking catering orders for any party or event.

This flashy health caravan is not to be missed this summer, offering ice-cream loving Chicagoans a healthier and less obnoxious alternative to jingle blasting summer ice-cream trucks.

Chicagoans take note: keep an eye out this summer for Starfruit Café’s pink Flat Belly Food Truck. Or follow the truck’s whereabouts on Twitter and Facebook and make a stop for this smart, frosty treat.

In order to survive in today’s fast-paced, go-go-go world, you’ve got to have energy. And sometimes, a cup of coffee in the morning just doesn’t do the trick. But the energy alternative, store-bought drinks, tends to embody a multitude of health taboos. Pumped up with artificial coloring, unpronounceable chemicals, and strange preservatives—you’ll never know exactly what you’re putting into your body for that quick kick.

And that’s a little scary, right?

Well, thanks to a new market of organic, all-natural energy drinks, it doesn’t have to be. The energy drink market has begun to offer healthier energy alternatives that will give you the jolt you’re looking for without the chemicals, preservatives, and caffeine jitters.

Here is a list of several of the best all-natural energy drinks on the market:

Steaz Energy Drink

• Active ingredients-Organic green tea, organic guarana extract
• Cost per can-$2.09
• Why drink it?-Steaz is a USDA certified organic energy drink that contains, in addition to its natural active ingredients, an ample amount of acai fruit, a superberry and natural anti-oxidant. Steaz is slightly carbonated and boasts a pleasantly sweet berry flavor with hints of mild green tea. This drink is mellow in taste, but thanks to a hefty dose of natural guarana, provides a sharp burst of energy, completely jitter-free.

Hydrive Energy Drink: Acai Berry

• Active ingredients-Caffeine, B vitamins
• Cost per can-$1.99
• Why drink it?-Hydrive Acai Berry contains only 25 calories, with a base made from pure spring water and acai berries. The drink is sugar-free and mild in taste, but its 145 mg of caffeine (as compared to the normal 100 mg in a cup of coffee or 80 mg in a Redbull) ensure a long-lasting kick without a crash.

Go Girl Glo Energy Drink

• Active ingredients-Caffeine, B vitamins, vitamin E, taurine
• Cost per can-$1.65
• Why drink it?-Go Girl Glo, awarded Best Women’s Energy Drink in 2008 by ScreamingEnergy.com, contains only 35 calories and is low on sugar and light on caffeine. The formula contains aloe and CoQ10, and even a mild appetite suppressant, allowing you to remain on the go, all day long. Additionally, Go Girl Glo donates a portion of its proceeds toward breast-cancer research.

Guru Energy Drink

• Active ingredients-caffeine, guarana, cchinacca, panax, ginseng, ginkgo biloba
• Cost per can-$2.00
• Why drink it?-Guru contains a blend of fruit juices and sparkling water with an herbal blend of natural energy ingredients. The drinks come in six different flavors: Full On Lemonade, Iced Tea Green Tea, Honey Lemon, Superfuit, Juicy Tangerine, and a Lite version of its original flavor. The drinks contain about 150 calories per can and approximately 125 mg of caffeine that provide a robust energy boost.

Guru Lite

• Active ingredients-caffeine, guarana, cchinacca, panax, ginseng, ginkgo biloba
• Cost per can-$2.00
• Why drink it?-Guru lite, unlike most sugar-free energy drinks on the market, contains no artificial sweeteners. Instead, its pleasantly sweet flavor comes from a combination of natural cane and luo han guo juice conentrates. The Taurine Rules blog commends the taste of this lite energy beverage as well as its lack of sodium benzoate or any other artificial preservatives. Guru lite contains a mere 15 calories per can and only 3 grams of carbs.

Her Pink Lemonade Energy for Women

• Active ingredients-Caffeine, taurine, ginseng
• Cost per can-$2.00
• Why drink it?-Her Pink Lemonade is the first energy drink marketed specifically toward women. It embodies a lightly sweet taste and contains beneficial ingredients like calcium, antioxidants and ginseng. Her Energy donates 5% of its profits to women’s charities like the Susan Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Avon’s Run/Walk events, and The Nicole Brown foundation against domestic violence.

Hype Organic

• Active ingredients-Guarana, taurine
• Cost per can-$1.50
• Why drink it?-Hype organic contains no preservatives, no artificial caffeine, and is full of vitamins, ginseng, anti-oxidants, and natural fruit juices which result in a great tasting energy drink with a pleasant, mild kick.

With so much to do in a day and only 24 hours to get it done, maintaining energy is essential. And with the help of any of the beverages above, you can get that daily boost without any artificial chemicals and preservatives. The drinks listed here are chock-full of vitamins, anti-oxidants, and herbal remedies that are sure to keep your eyes open and mind alert throughout the course of any chaotic day.

See http://www.screamingenergy.com/ for reviews on the best energy drinks the market has to offer!

Read the back of your tomato paste label. What do you see? Sugar, high fructose corn syrup, potassium chloride, the list goes on and on. Does a simple can of tomato paste really have to be this complicated and this unnatural?

Thanks to Vegetable Juices, Inc. The answer is certainly not.

For more than 70 years, Vegetable Juices, Inc. has been an important player in converting fresh, natural produce into tasty, high-quality products for industrial use. In other words, with products manufactured by Vegetable Juices, Inc., the fresh fruits and vegetables you’d expect to show up in your can of tomato sauce or strawberry jam will actually be there, in their purest state.

VJI offers a variety of fruit and vegetable products including minimally processed concentrates, unique culinary blends, premium, fire-roasted purees, filtered juices, and frozen products.

Additionally, Vegetable Juices, Inc. has announced a new beverage production initiative, Essentia® Beverages Concentrates, that provides beverage makers with opportunities to produce beverages that preserve the natural essence of fruits and vegetables. This preservation, according to VJI, attributes four different benefits:

• Greater health-Essentia® production allows beverages to retain their natural minerals and vitamins, preserve their antioxidants, and maintain low sodium levels.
• Better taste-The technology behind the beverage-making allows the drink to taste cleaner, purer, and clearer.
• Higher quality-Because the company’s process locks in the natural essence of fruits and vegetables, it provides beverage brands with cleaner labels, the opportunity to include more fruit and vegetable servings, and the ability to tell consumers that their products are made from the absolute best ingredients.
• Improved receptivity-Manufacturers understand the importance of a products smell, taste, and appearance, and can receive the best quality aroma and color from an Essentia® product.

Vegetable Juices, Inc. is passionate about supplying ingredients to manufacturers that both deliver an unmatched, hearty flavor as well as significant health benefits to each consumer. The company has obtained both an organic and kosher certification and continues to expand its production base through research conducted at its new innovation center. VJI is consistently developing new production methods and seeks to produce even better, healthier products to enhance the health and wellness of every customer.

So the next time you’re out browsing for a healthier tomato paste, look for Vegetable Juices Inc. on the label of the can, and buy in peace, knowing the spaghetti sauce you and your family are about to enjoy is the absolute purest, freshest, and healthiest purchase you could have made.

Visit http://www.vegetablejuices.com/ for more information.

In a consumer food culture dominated by the fast food industry, quick-‘n-easy TV dinners, and a smorgasbord of processed food options, it can be more than challenging to maintain both a busy schedule and a natural, healthy diet. Especially for parents, providing a newborn or small child with food choices that are tasty, safe, and natural can be a daunting responsibility. Luckily, just a few years ago, HappyBaby Foods established a premium baby brand that promised to offer a reprieve in the chaotic lives of new parents.

HappyBaby, rather than offering the ever-popular, cheaply-produced cans of processed bananas and peas, launched a complete food line that is overflowing with innovative, healthy meal options that offer the highest quality natural baby food ingredients and a sustainable alternative for America’s standard, sodium and pesticide-laden cans of mushy carrots.

HappyBaby, in just the past few years, has grown into a leading brand of baby and toddler meals in the United States, and is now sold in over 10,000 stores with 5 different lines of quality organic food for a growing, on-the-go family.

The ingredients in HappyBaby products include organic fruits and vegetables, water, organic milk, probiotic cultures, and are produced without a trace of chemical fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, or artificial flavorings. The following is a list of some of the most popular products HappyBaby has to offer:

• HappyBaby pouches: These organic baby meals, enclosed in BPA and phthalate free, eco-friendly sealed pouches offer a variety of healthy food options for babies of all ages. The pouches naturally preserve all HappyBaby’s 1. Starting solids, 2. Simple combos, 2. Balanced meals, and 4. Organic superfoods for tots and tykes. The pouches are lightweight, innovative, and the perfect green alternative for the common glass jar.
• HappyTot products: This is the first and only baby food fortified with HappyBaby’s super-grain, Salba®, a whole food source fortified with omega 3, protein, fiber, antioxidants, and plenty of vitamins and minerals. HappyTot products come in a variety of flavor combinations, ranging from the popular sweet potato, apple, carrots & cinnamon to spinach, mango & pear. HappyTot snacks also support eco-friendly packaging and are certified non-GMO, vegan, kosher, and gluten-free.
• HappyMelts: A creamy, nutritious treat for babies and toddlers, HappyMelts are the only organic freeze-dried yogurt snack on the market. Even more, these pouches are jam-packed with prebiotics and probiotics, offering a tasty snack with plenty of protein, low-sugar, that is preservative and gluten free. HappyMelts organic yogurt snacks are specially designed to melt in your child’s mouth, making for a safe and healthy baby treat.
• HappyPuffs: HappyBaby’s premier line of melt-in-your-mouth organic finger foods, these snacks are great for teaching your baby self-feeding and tactility. These puffs are made with whole grains, packaged in BPA and PVC free recyclable containers, and come in five different flavors—apple, banana, greens, strawberry, and sweet potato—to match the taste preferences of any baby.
• HappyMunchies: HappyBaby’s baked organic cheese and veggie snacks, HappyMunchies contain 25 mg of choline per serving to aid healthy brain development in your child. They are made with whole grain corn, and contain 60% less sodium than other toddler cheese snacks. These snacks, slightly larger and thicker than HappyBaby’s other food products, are perfect for children who have just begun to crawl, chew, and pick up food on their own.
• HappyBellies: These organic cereals are the first in the market to incorporate hearty amounts of DHA for young brain and eye development as well as digestion-friendly probiotics. The cereals come in three different flavors-brown rice, oatmeal, and multi-grain and are kosher certified and doctor-endorsed as one of the healthiest baby breakfast options on the market.
• HappyBaby frozen meals: Each box of frozen meals contains 12 individual cubes of baby food, eliminating waste and the need to heat meals in plastic. HappyBaby offers 8 different frozen meal packages and contains 15 varieties of food, including grains, fruits, vegetables, and meat. The products come in three stages, differentiated for each level of developing eaters, and use green packaging made of 40% recycled content.
• HappyBites frozen meals: HappyBaby’s comprehensive line of nutrition for toddlers and young children is packaged in 100% recycled fibers and is available in 5 flavors—mac + cheese, veggie tots, salmon stix, chicken bites, and a new breakfast pocket—each packed with hidden veggies. These balanced meals are popular with kids for their great flavors as well as with parents for their secretly nutritious properties.

In addition to offering a wide range of food products that boast plenty of nutrients, eco-friendly packaging, as well as a variety of wonderful flavor combinations, HappyBaby dedicates a significant amount of time and hard work to giving back to the young community. The company is heavily involved in partnerships with the SPOON Foundation, Healthy Child Healthy World, March of Dimes, Recycle Bank, Double Impact, and See Momy Run, organizations that share the HappyBaby goal of sustainably improving the health and wellness of children.

Most recently, HappyBaby embarked on a mission with Project Peanut Butter, a non-profit organization that provides food for underprivileged children in Africa. The organization seeks to curb malnutrition in Africa by providing children with ample amounts of protein, fiber, and other valuable vitamins and minerals, many of which are found in peanut butter. HappyBaby has pledged that for every package of HappyBaby products purchased, one day will be spent by the organization working with Project Peanut Butter to feed a starving child for one whole day.

Feeding one’s child is an important task for many reasons. Nutrition in the first stages of life is crucial for proper brain development, physical growth and strength, as well as mental wellness and stability. HappyBaby not only provides busy parents with a multitude of balanced, healthy meal alternatives for growing babies and toddlers, but also feels passionate enough about child health to selflessly turn business profits over to other children in need. In both quality and integrity, the leading baby food brands fall terribly short of the mark HappyBaby has proudly set.

The time has come for consumers to begin to make purchasing choices in good conscience, choices that both improve the well being of the consumer’s family as well as less fortunate families around the world.

To make the right choice for child health and nutrition today, visit http://www.happybabyfood.com/ and learn more about the nation’s premium organic baby meal line!

HappyBaby products are also sold in select Target stores, Whole Foods Markets, Shop Rite stores, Publix stores, Sprouts Farmers Markets, as well as other food retailers.

Do you believe in magic? How about magic soap?

We’ve all heard the tales, of giants in the clouds, glowing fountains of youth, spinning wheels that turn straw into gold, but when do these fantastical stories ever come to life in reality?

Well, we may not be able to purchase gold-making spinning wheels, but believe it or not, Dr. Bronner’s Magic All-One soaps are the next best thing. In creating something incredible from the barest natural ingredients, Dr. Bronner is this world’s own Rumpelstiltskin, creating classic soaps that are unlike any you’ve ever used. A unique product, created from pure and simple organic coconut, olive, jojoba, and hemp oils, Dr. Bronner’s Magic All-One soap may seem like a bare-bones skin product, but its effective cleaning potential, velvety lather, and ability to leave one’s skin smooth as silk makes it a purchase worth its weight in gold.

After 5 generations and more than 150 years of soap making excellence, Dr. Bronner’s magic soaps have acquired incredible success in the skin care market and have received certifications under the USDA National Organic Program as well as Fair Trade commendations. Dr. Bronner offers a revolutionary line of high-quality, natural products that are both safe and sustainable.

Dr. Bronner’s Magic All-One soaps come in a variety of forms and scents, all of which are completely biodegradable and vegetable-based, made with certified fair trade and organic oils, and produced without any synthetic foaming agents, thickeners, or preservatives.

Dr. Bronner’s soap offerings come in the following forms:

• Classic liquid & bar soaps: A combination of organic coconut, olive, hemp, and jojoba oil, these Castile products (castile meaning made with vegetable oils rather than animal fat oils) clean effectively without being too harsh on sensitive skin. The soaps come in many different natural scents including almond, lavender, citrus, eucalyptus, peppermint, rose, and tea tree.
• Organic hand & body soaps: These pump soaps contain no synthetic detergents or preservatives. They are filled with organic shikakai, a gentle conditioning cleanser made from the seedpods of small trees in South Asia. Dr. Bronner’s organic soaps contain natural ingredients like organic white grape juice, organic sucrose, organic coconut oil, and organic hemp oil that leave your skin feeling fresh and smooth.
• Hair conditioning rinse & crème: Dr. Bronner’s organic conditioners are effective without the use of any synthetic ingredients. They utilize organic shikakai powder as well as organic coconut, and olive & hemp fatty acids as deep moisturizers for thick, lustrous hair.
• Organic lip & body balms: These balms are based on pure organic oils and beeswax and are free of any modified ingredients or chemicals. Ingredients like organic avocado oil, organic jojoba, and organic citrus provide excellent lip and body protection and refreshing fragrances.
• Organic lotions: Dr. Bronner’s lotions are new-and-improved with the best quality organic oils and moisturize even the driest skin while tightening and smoothing the surface, to prevent aging.
• Organic shaving gels: Certified by the National Organic Program, Dr. Bronner’s organic shaving gels lack any synthetic ingredients and are infused with shikakai, organic grape juice, organic sucrose, and essential oils to keep shaved skin hydrated and smooth.
• Organic hand sanitizer: Free of gmo-alcohol and petro-carbomer thickener, these hand sanitizers are composed of organic ethanol, water, organic glycerin, and organic lavender oil, to keep bacteria at bay without adding long-term damage to the sensitive skin on the palms.
• Baby & sensitive skin care: This smaller product line, developed specifically for children and adults with sensitive skin, is full of soaps, lotions, and cleansers that are unscented and full of mild essential oils to provide an effective, but non-aggressive clean.
• Sal suds cleaner: Dr. Bronner’s sal suds cleaner is not soap, but rather an all-purpose hard-surface cleaner. It is made of plant-based surfactants with natural spruce and fir-needle oils. This cleaner works with incredible power and is gentle on the skin. Sal suds is 100% cruelty-free, and biodegrades rapidly after it cleans.
• Organic virgin coconut oil: This aromatic oil is cold-pressed from fresh dried coconuts and can be used for stir-frying, in sauces, and for body care. Virgin coconut oil is scientifically proven to improve blood cholesterol and cardiovascular health. Dr. Bronner’s VCO is certified organic, fair trade, and the perfect multi-purpose oil to have around the house.

In addition to providing skin care products that are safe, sustainable, and made from the freshest organic ingredients, the Bronner family gives generously to social and environmental causes, matching the company’s after-tax income in donations. The organization is involved in several pro fair trade projects overseas and proudly sponsors World Fair Trade Day, supporting not only the people who make raw goods, but also the environment, women’s rights, children’s rights, cultural dignity, and peace-building. Dr. Bronner’s company also supports industrial hemp as a sustainable alternative to other raw materials that pollute our land and air and consistently supports Vote Hemp and the Hemp Industries Association’s grassroots efforts to re-commercialize this eco-friendly product.

Dr. Bronner’s Magic All-One soaps provide a unique array of eco-friendly products that are sure to work magic on any skin type. The Bronner family is dedicated to environmental and social causes and consistently gives back to the community. While Dr. Bronner’s Magic soaps may not offer quite the same reward as Rumpelstiltskin’s magic spinning wheel, the results from using these all-natural, organic skin care items will prove to be just as fantastic.

To learn more about Dr. Bronner’s Magic All-One products, visit http://www.drbronner.com/index.html

Author Roald Dahl once advised, “Never mind about William the Conqueror, William the Second, such things are not going to affect one’s life…but the Mars Bar, Maltesers, and the Kit Kat…these dates are milestones in history and should be seared into the memory of every person in the country.”

While his words may seem a bit over-the-top (after all, the man did write about the incredible feeding habits of wangdoodles and hornswogglers), one topic about which Mr. Dahl is never wrong is chocolate. Soft, sweet, simple, and full of endorphin and serotonin-activating ingredients, chocolate is undoubtedly one of the best feel-good snacks on the market.

But what if, in addition to containing powers that release those happy chemicals in your brain, there existed a bar of chocolate that possessed beneficial qualities for the world outside your own head?

Lucky for you and me, there is such a treat. Bloomsberry & Co. Chocolate, launched as a tiny, but happy designer chocolate bar company in New Zealand, offers chocolate-loving consumers a milky snack that not only keeps our stomachs and brains in tip-top shape, but also benefits the environment and society.

Bloomsberry & Co., in its initial planning stages, made a pledge to only produce chocolate bars made of the best quality, all-natural, kosher certified premium chocolate. Bloomsberry’s milk and dark chocolate in the United States is blended with 34% cocoa, and includes no artificial sugars, preservatives or coloring. Compared to the average Hershey’s bar, which contains somewhere between 4%-10% real chocolate and is loaded with sugars, emulsifiers, milk solids, artificial flavor, and other fillers, Bloomsberry and Co.’s designer chocolate is completely organic and contains only seven simple ingredients: sugar, milk, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, butter oil, soy, and vanilla, making for a perfect, guilt-free piece of chocolaty heaven.

Beyond its organic nature and high-quality ingredients, Bloomsberry and Co. chocolate bars also set themselves apart in appearance. Each candy is packaged with a different theme, catered directly to its consumer. Bloomsberry offers chocolates for each holiday (Christmas bars with images of gleaming bulbs or annoying relatives, Easter chocolates wrapped in rabbit quotes, etc.) as well as for any occasion that might lead a person to crave a nice piece of comfort candy (break-ups, work stress, holiday chaos, extreme hunger, falling in love, etc.).

Possibly, Bloomsberry’s most innovative chocolate line is its “Emergency” line. This collection of rescue chocolate contains bars produced specifically for challenging situations, and comes complete with a list of possible effects and directions for use. For example, Bloomsberry & Co.’s Emergency Holiday bar expresses the following:

• For immediate relief of: Over-cooked turkeys, mistletoe mishaps, out-of-town relatives and too much eggnog.
• Directions for use: Enough with the fruitcake and candy canes! It’s just you and this little red package of perfection! Who says the best gift is to give? The best gift is to eat! Once you’ve consumed the whole bar you will be sure to deck the halls and your stomach! (And now would be a good time to check off who’s been naughty or nice).

In addition to their delectable taste and humor, Bloomsberry chocolate bars also provide their consumer’s with the opportunity to support different societal causes and non-profit groups. Currently, the company’s two biggest projects support breast cancer research and climate change prevention. Bloomsberry and Co.’s newest designer chocolate, the Emergency Pink bar, is wrapped in bright pink paper, emblazoned with the breast cancer support ribbon. A generous portion of all the proceeds made from these bars benefit breast cancer research, screening, education, and treatment.

The second socially-responsible chocolate line Bloomsberry offers, Climate Change milk and dark, comes with a verified TerraPass offset of 133 pounds of carbon dioxide reductions, which amounts to the average American’s daily carbon impact. Essentially, by eating this bar, a consumer can effectively (and tastily) balance out his/her carbon footprint for the day.

Saving the world one candy fix at a time…Bloomsberry and Co. just might be onto something. We’re all aware of the importance of social responsibility, but who knew doing the world a solid could be so…. delicious?

So the next time you’re in need of sugary reprieve, whether it be due to the imminent arrival of relatives, a stressful upcoming meeting, or your basic primal craving, take a visit to http://www.bloomsberryusa.com/ and check out Bloomsberry and Co.’s fine selection of all-natural, socially responsible gourmet chocolates!

“To provide value in products and services that empower people to lead healthier lives.”

This is the Now Foods mission. In 1948, when the natural food and supplement industry was just beginning to thrive, businessman Paul Richard purchased a Chicago-based grand and legume product manufacturer called Fearn Soya Foods. This small purchase, only a $900 expenditure at the time, launched a 60-year (and counting) legacy of manufacturing and providing high-quality, affordable, and natural products to health-wise consumers.

Today, Now Foods is at the top of the health food pyramid, providing top-selling products in health food stores around the country. Also, an award winning manufacturer, an esteemed advocate of natural health, and a leading brand in nutritional science and product development, Now Foods has grown and matured considerably over the past few decades. However, while the company is bigger and better than ever before, one Now Foods characteristic remains ever-constant: the brand’s commitment to provide products and services that always empower people to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.

Now Foods believes that natural products are much better than synthetic chemicals for supporting optimal health. The company carries only the best natural and nature-identical products, differentiating itself from many supplement companies who claim to sell natural products, but carry labels crammed with synthetic ingredients and strange additives. Health and wellness, to Now Foods experts, begins with products that are as natural as possible. The following are a few of the natural ingredients found in Now Foods health products:

• Bovine Chondroitin-Chondroitin sulfate is a key ingredient used to support joint strength. The best, healthiest Chondroitin is bovine (coming from cow), and is used in Now Foods products. Most supplement products contain Chondroitin more cheaply available from porcine (pig).
• CoQ10-This chemical, an extremely important antioxidant is naturally produced from the trans-form, which can be found in the body. Many supplements use synthetic, cheap, cis-form of CoQ10, but Now Foods sells only the natural antioxidant.
• Natural vitamin E-As opposed to the commonly used synthetic vitamin E, Now Foods sells only natural forms of this ingredient, which helps to support cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
• Fish Oil Purification-Now Foods fish oils are molecularly distilled, producing the best quality oil, free of harmful levels of heavy metal contamination and pesticides. Additionally, Now fish oil is mercury-free.

Now Foods operates in a massive, 263,000 square foot facility, regarded as one of the most scientifically advanced production sites in the entire industry. The Now Foods warehouse is temperature sensitive, contains several in-house laboratories, and operates with on an intense level of precision, to ensure that each product produced is of the absolute highest quality. Now Food products undergo microbial testing to ensure their safety and cleanliness, and undergo testing in-house, which allows for optimum control standards. The organization continues to expand its facilities, employing new people, developing new advancements, and meeting the needs of all its retailers and consumers driven to live healthier lives.

Now Foods is bent on remaining sustainable and has, for three consecutive years, been awarded with the Illinois Governor’s Sustainability Award as well as the Herbal Industry Leader Award, The Best of Supplements Award, and continues to receive honors as one of the 100 companies voted by the Chicago Tribune as a “Top Workplace.”

The Now facility consistently conserves over 1.3 million gallons of water per year, saves over 600,000 k Wh/hrs, recycles 400 tons of material, and utilizes 100% recycled content in its shipping boxes to save over 12,000 trees every year.

We get it. Now Foods, unlike many supplement manufacturers, is totally green. But what’s even greater is that these sustainable, morally produced supplements are also much more affordable than their competitors. Having been in business for decades, Now Foods owners and employees have seen the lean financial years along with the plentiful ones. Because of this, the company remains grounded in what really matters—helping others. Now Foods graciously shares its good fortune with many different charities, donating to non-profit causes and organizations like People’s Resource Center, Meal-A-Day Fund, Feeding America, The Smile Train, and the World Wildlife Fund.

Now Foods is clearly one step ahead in the natural health products game, not only selling great quality, affordable products, but also remaining committed to scientific advancement, eco-friendly operations, and giving back to both the environment and society. Now Foods products are highly recommended by natural food stores (like Whole Foods) and can be found and purchased online at https://www.nowfoods.com/index.htm

Check out the site to learn more about Now Foods and your health & wellness needs!

Want to learn a few quick, easy, and foolproof ways to speed up your metabolism? Here is a list of 10 simple ideas you can keep in mind to ensure that your metabolism is keeping up with you.

Water

• Drink one pint of cold water every morning when you wake up. This sudden rush of electrolytes gives your metabolism a big morning boost, speeding it up by as much as 28% in an hour.

Spice

• Eating spicy foods with ingredients like chili powder, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, cumin, red pepper, or hot mustard are reported to increase your metabolism and fat-burning rate by up to 25% (also, spicy food increases the need for water which is the perfect appetite suppressant, minus the calories).

Mornings

• Your metabolism is always at its fastest in the mornings, so working out and eating your biggest meal before you jump into the rest of the day keeps your body burning fat and calories at top-notch speed.

Bedtime

• Make sure you stop eating at least 3 hours before you fall asleep. If you eat directly before going to bed, your body will struggle to burn off those nighttime calories when your metabolism is slow.

Tea

• The different herbs in green tea have slight thermogenic effects, meaning they cause the amount of energy used for heat production n the body to increase by about 4 percent, which raises the metabolism and allows your body to burn fat more efficiently. Drink a cup of green tea before bed or directly before your biggest meal.

Stretch

• Sitting at a desk or computer all day makes it easy for your metabolism to drop into a lull. Get up from your chair often, every 30 minutes or so, and stand beside your desk and stretch. Even walking around your desk or office a few times will kick your metabolism back into action.

Lift

• Too many gym-goers spend all or most of their workout time focusing on cardio, but most don’t realize that weight training is the real key to speeding up the metabolism and losing weight. Muscle burns more calories than fat does per minute. Therefore, preserving and gaining muscle mass not only burns calories during the time of the workout, but long after, until your next trip to the gym.

Protein

• It’s essential to eat a little bit of protein with every meal. Complementing a meal with a small portion of lean meat like chicken or fish is guaranteed to stabilize your blood sugar, control hunger, and build muscle.

Gum

• Believe it or not, chewing gum boosts your metabolism—a whopping 19% in fact (for those who chew gum all or nearly all day).

CoQ10

• Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10, is similar to a vitamin. It is found in every cell of the body and is used to product the energy needed for cell growth and maintenance. CoQ10 also helps enzymes work to digest food and help protect the heart and skeletal muscles. Taking a capsule of this helpful supplement will boost your energy levels and allow you to exercise longer and harder.

On days you really, really just can’t force yourself off the couch and to the treadmill, consider the tips above and the various ways you can keep your metabolism moving, whether or not you are.

The temperature is dropping, but your immune system does not have to do the same! In light of the holiday season, I Imagine Studio would like to share with you a few healthy recipes, developed by Lifeway Foods and featuring probiotic and nutrient-filled kefir, that are sure to keep you warm, full, healthy, and happy all winter long. Enjoy!

Healthy Holiday Recipes from I Imagine Studio and Lifeway Foods:

1. Apple Pancakes with Burnt Sugar Sauce

Ingredients:

For pancakes

2 1/2 cups wheat flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup Lifeway Lowfat
Plain Kefir
10 tsp sugar
2 apples, peeled
Vegetable Oil

For sauce
6 tbsp sugar
90 ml boiling water
100ml milk
1 tsp starch

Directions:

For pancakes
Make batter of eggs, sugar, vanilla sugar, flour, and Lifeway Lowfat Plain Kefir, adding flour and Lifeway Lowfat Plain Kefir gradually. Stir until well-blended. Cook pancakes on a low to medium heat with vegetable oil.

For sauce
Take a small saucepan of stainless steel or any other material resistant to burning sugar. Heat the sugar until medium brown (or light brown if you don’t like it strong). Add boiling water and keep boiling gently until all lumps have melted. Dissolve starch in approximately a tablespoon cold water and pour it into the burnt sugar syrup while stirring vigorously. Finally, add milk and simmer for 5 minutes. Chill the sauce before serving.

2. Hot Cross Kefir Buns

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water
1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup Lifeway Nonfat Plain Kefir at room temperature
2 tbsp white sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup margarine, melted
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup raisins
1/2 (16 once) container
prepared vanilla frosting

Directions:

Measure the water into a large bowl and sprinkle the yeast over the top. Let stand about 5 minutes to dissolve the yeast. Stir in Lifeway Nonfat Plain Kefir, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and margarine. Mix in 1 cup of flour until well blended, then stir in the raisins. Gradually mix in the remaining flour until the dough is stiff enough to take out of the bowl and knead on a floured surface. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning to coat and cover with a towel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and divide into 18 pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and place in a greased 9×13 inch baking dish. Cover loosely with a towel and allow to rise again until your finger leaves an impression when you poke the dough gently, about 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the towel from the buns. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Spoon the frosting into a small sandwich bag or pastry bag. Snip off  the corner and squeeze out frosting to make a cross on top of the buns when cool.

3. Spicy Jamaican Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

2 cups canned or fresh pumpkin,
cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups potatoes, peeled and cut
into 1-inch cubes
1 onion, minced
6 cups chicken broth
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 cup minced, fresh
cilantro for garnish
1/4 cup Lifeway
Nonfat Plain Kefir
2 tsp minced jalapeño
Freshly ground nutmeg,
to taste

Directions:

Bring the chicken broth to a simmer in a big pot over medium heat.
Add everything else except the Lifeway Nonfat Plain Kefir and cilantro and simmer for 20 minutes or until the pumpkin and potatoes are tender. (When combined, the broth should cover the other ingredients by at least a couple of inches. If not, add a bit more broth.)
Remove the bay leaf and puree the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour the pumpkin soup back into the pot and heat through, stirring in the Lifeway Nonfat Plain Kefir. Divide between serving bowls, then garnish with the cilantro.

4. Classic Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground turkey
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 sweet onion, chopped
1/4 cup canned
diced chilies
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp Lifeway
Nonfat Plain Kefir

Directions:

In large nonstick skillet, cook turkey and garlic over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up meat, until browned; drain. Add chili powder and cumin; stir to combine.
Combine tomatoes, beans, onion, chilies, and tomato paste in a large pot. Stir in beef mixture. Cover and simmer for about an hour, until the flavors are blended.
(Our suggestion) Top with Lifeway Nonfat Plain Kefir and sprinkle with diced avocado.

5. Kefir Egg Nog

Ingredients:

6 eggs
4 cups (1 32 oz bottle) Lifeway Lowfat Plain Kefir
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt, if desired

Directions:

In a large saucepan, beat together eggs, sugar and salt, if desired. Stir in 2 cups of Lifeway Lowfat Plain Kefir.
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 160 degrees. Remove from heat. Stir in an additional 2 cups of kefir and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, several hours or overnight. Just before serving, pour into a pitcher. Garnish with cinnamon sticks or a sprinkling of ground nutmeg and serve immediately.

“Authentic, authorized, accessible.”

After a decade of cultivating and nurturing a relationship with Cuba and its citizens, Insight Cuba has become the largest and most trusted provider of authentic, authorized, and totally accessible people-to-people cultural travel between the U.S. and our neighbor, Cuba.

At the end of 2003, due to Cuba policy changes, travel operations to Cuba, including educational exchange programs, were completely suspended. However, recent changes have made travel opportunities possible again, and Insight Cuba has re-fired up its engines and is offering a variety of unique, personalized programs to U.S. citizens who wish to travel as welcomed guests to Cuba.

Insight Cuba program participants are given the unique opportunity to gain a real perspective on the culture of the country and are encouraged to develop personal relationships with the country, its culture, and its people. A trip through Insight Cuba takes its participants, led by Cuban hosts, on a journey deep into the heart of the country, with days filled with individualized experiences and nights of dining and dancing in a variety of famous destinations and intimate settings.

Insight Cuba is now offering several trips, so whether travelers are seeking a quick weekend getaway or a weeklong cultural immersion, Insight Cuba has a trip to meet the wants and needs of every traveler. The following are some examples of Insight Cuba’s most popular vacation programs:

• The Cuban Music and Art Experience—This tour takes participants on a journey through Cuba’s thriving music and arts scene, from Havana to Santiago de Cuba, for 9 days and 8 nights.
• Havana and Colonial Trinidad—On this tour, travelers gain insight and a genuine perspective of the people and places of Havana and the quaint colonial town of Trinidad, for 8 days and 7 nights.
• Weekend in Havana—This 4 day, 3 night tour is jam-packed with cultural highlights and authentic Cuban experience’s in the country’s lively capital.
• Havana Jazz Experience—This trip is a wonderful opportunity for music lovers and travelers alike to take a personal, up-close view of Havana’s vibrant Jazz scene. Participants can discover how Jazz was popularized and meet many of the people behind this iconic musical genre, for 8 days and 7 nights.

Insight Cuba is undoubtedly the perfect opportunity for travel to Cuba that is authentic, authorized, accessible, and always a unique cultural experience and personalized adventure.

To learn more about Insight Cuba as well as the trips it offers and their costs, visit the company’s website at www.insightcuba.org