New Retail Web Site, Devoted to Digestive Health Products and Probiotics, Launches Today. Introducing DigestiveHealth101.com

Featuring competitive prices and hundreds of products that promote a healthy lifestyle

PRESS RELEASE

Highland Park, NJ and Baltimore, MD, Sept. 16, 2015: On the eve of Natural Products Expo East, online health products retailer Lori's Earth Friendly Products today launched DigestiveHealth101.com, a retail web site devoted exclusively to natural products that promote digestive health for adults and children.

When it comes to our health, we often overlook the engine of good health: our digestive tract. Having the right balance of nutrients in our diets is key, but our busy lives often prevent us from eating the balanced diet that will achieve that balance. Therefore, a variety of products have been developed to compensate. The goal of DigestiveHealth101.com, with approximately 500 digestive health products available to order immediately, is to give consumers a one-stop destination to get what they need to keep their bodies running smoothly.

The range of products being sold at DigestiveHealth101.com includes:
• Digestive aids and enzymes
• Cleansing and detox products
• Probiotics
• Fiber products
• Homeopathic digestive aids
• Childrens' digestive products
• Kosher digestive products

"I'm thrilled with DigestiveHealth101, which represents my return to digestive health, an area that is near and dear to me," says owner Lori Resnick. "I sold high-fiber products for nearly ten years, and the most gratifying thing was to see the products I sold help resolve my customers' digestive issues. DigestiveHealth101 covers all areas of digestive health. I look forward to helping my previous and new customers to live healthier, happier lives."

"DigestiveHealth101 is taking a boutique approach, concentrating on one area of the health and wellness industry by focusing exclusively on digestive health," says Marketing Director Mason Resnick. "But we have also worked closely with our suppliers to keep prices competitive."

Lori's Earth Friendly Products has been in business since 1990. It started with natural cleaning products, then moved on to "nutriceuticals" that mostly focused on high-fiber food supplements. In 2014, Lori's Earth Friendly Products' main web site, earth-friendly.com, relaunched as a natural products superstore, with over 10,000 SKUs of natural and organic food products, supplements, home products and more.

For further information, email Lori Resnick at digestivehealth101@gmail.com or call her at 732-221-8749.

A Sweet Year

As the Jewish High Holy Days draw near (Rosh Hashanah begins on Sunday, September 13 at Sundown) we are reminded of a sweet tradition: Dipping apples in honey, to represent the eternal Jewish hope for a sweet year.  Honey has its own eternal aspect: It never spoils (it may crystalize, but it's still good).

Physical benefits of honey

There's another reason honey can be used to represent a good year and life: It is a natural healer. A tablespoon of honey has 64 calories, and contains small amounts of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. More importantly, Honey can alleviate coughs and may reduce allergy symptoms, is a great source of energy with 17 grams per tablespoon of carbs in the form of natural, unprocessed sugar.

According to recent study in Menopause, honey may prevent brain cell damage and loss, and could boost postmenopausal womens' memory. It can cause a rise in insulin and release seratonin, improving mood and happiness. Finally, old-world healers know honey is a natural antibiotic that can treat and disinfects wounds and sores.

Manukaguard Manuka Table Honey is great for daily use (and dipping apples), while medical-grade Manuka Honey is processed for medical use such as treating wounds and internal use for boosting the body's defenses.

Lori's Earth-Friendly Products has several brands of Raw and organic honey, including Honey Gardens Apiaries Raw Honey and Wederspoon Organic Raw Beechwood Honey. They're delicious! Order now to get it by Rosh Hashanah, or for any other occasion!

Herbal Supplements and the NY Attorney General: Our Statement

This morning, the New York state Attorney General asked several retailers to halt sales of specific herbal supplements because DNA marker tests indicated that many supplements did not have the specific ingredients they claimed to have, and other ingredients that were not on the ingredient labels were detected. According to the report, just 21% of the tested supplements had DNA from the plant species listed on the labels.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman says this mislabeling poses an unacceptable health hazard.

We agree.

We also encourage the government to regulate health supplements just as pharmacy drugs are tested and regulated. This could only benefit consumers of herbal supplements as they would know that they are getting what they expect. As AG Schneiderman says, "At the end of the day, American corporations must step up to the plate and ensure that their customers are getting what they pay for, especially when it involves promises of good health.”

The good news? Lori's Earth Friendly Products does not carry any of the specific brands that were tested by the Attorney General's office and found to be missing the ingredients they promise the consumer.

We urge our customers to consult with their health care professional concerning herbal supplements and alternative medicine in general and as they relate to their specific needs but honesty is key, and we applaud the AG's efforts. With proper enforcement and truthful labeling, everybody wins.

Via Nature Skin Lotions: Swiss Apple Hydrating & Fragrance Free for Sensitive Skin: Product Reviews

When I was at Natural Products Expo East, I visited the Via Nature booth, and I spoke with Tracy about their products, which use Swiss Apple Stem Cell technology. She explained that their skin lotions and body lotions use Swiss Apple stem cells, which have been proven to work to rejuvenate the skin and offer a natural dry skin, and itchy skin remedy.

Tracy sent me some of their products to try. They have 4 different Hand and Body lotions:

• Swiss Apple Hydrating Skin Lotion with Peptides and Rosehip Oil
  for Sensitive to Normal Skin
• Fragrance Free Sensitive Care Skin Lotion with Argan Oil and Hyaluronic Acid
  for All Skin Types
• Vanilla Coconut Moisturizing Skin Lotion with Argan Oil and Hyaluronic Acid
  for Normal Skin
• Lavender Eucalyptus Soothing Skin Lotion with Antioxidant Omega Essential Complex
  for Sensitive to Normal Skin

My favorite scent is the Swiss Apple. It gives me the feeling of walking through a field of fresh apples. 

The Vanilla Coconut has a very subtle scent, like it is barely there. I find that to be very nice, so that you don't overwhelm everyone as you walk into a room. 

I also really like the Fragrance Free lotion for sensitive skin. As Tracy suggested, I tried it on my face, and it didn't give me any bad reaction, like you might get from a scented product that is not meant for the face. And it has a nice light feel to it.


Tracy told me that one of her customers likes to use the Lavender Eucalyptus lotion on her baby. She finds it to have a calming affect.

All the lotions are nice and light. They do not feel greasy on the skin, and they soak in pretty quickly. Yet they do have a good moisturizing feeling to them.

According to Via Nature, all of the ingredients in their products have functional benefits. For example:

• Plant Stem Cells: Awaken and renew your healthy skin
• Anti-Aging Peptides: Improve structural integrity, epidermal nourishment. Improve skin firmness and smoothness
  
• Rosehip Oil: Rich in Vitamin A & C plus Omega 3 & 6
• Hyaluronic Acid: Helps keep skin moist and agile, aiding in healthy, youthful appearance
• Argan Oil: Conditions and hydrates the skin deeply
• Omega 3,6,7,9 essential complexes: Calms and soothes; Enhances the skin's healing process; improves elasticity, softness, smoothness

I don't know how Via Nature does it, but with all these natural, functional ingredients, they have managed to keep their pricing very reasonable. In January, their products are currently on sale on my website. The sale price for the body lotions is only $5.31 for 8 fl oz, a 41% discount off the retail price of $8.99. Even without the sale, my prices are highly discounted off the retail price.

I definitely plan to order some for myself when my samples run out.

You can see all the Via Nature products here

Something I am really excited about is that Via Nature is coming out with a new skin care line, using the rejuvenating, age-defying properties of plant stem cells. Tracy said they are sending me some samples soon, so I hope to report back to you soon with my review of the new skin care line. Please stay tuned....

King Bio: Acute Pain Relief Cream and Advanced Arnica: Product Reviews

In October of 2014, I went to Natural Products Expo in Baltimore for 2 days. My goal was to visit approximately 150 vendors whose products I carry on my website, 100 vendors I had flagged whose products looked interesting, and many other vendors that caught my fancy as I was walking through the show. For many of the booths that I visited, I picked up literature and samples. By the end of each day, I was carrying several heavy bags of literature and samples, weighing many pounds. At the end of the 2 days, I was experiencing shoulder pain, and needed help. Fortunately, when it came to finding a source of natural relief of back, muscle, and shoulder pain, I was in the right place.

Fortunately, one of the booths I stopped at was King Bio, and they were sympathetic to my plight. They gave me a tube of Acute Pain Relief, and a spray bottle of Advanced Arnica, and suggested that I use these to recover from my soreness.

Over the next week I used the Acute Pain Relief cream on my shoulders twice a day, and took the Arnica spray internally several times a day. The cream had an immediate cooling effect, probably because of the camphor. It gave me an immediate feeling of relief. And when I got a massage, I had the massage therapist use the cream on my shoulders. That really seemed to help. By using the cream and the Arnica spray, my shoulders improved greatly. They probably would have improved on their own, but I felt that the cream and the Arnica helped speed up the process. Thank you, King Bio!

Andalou Naturals Brightening Skin Care Kit: Product Review

I'm always in search of the best skin care product—especially organic skin care and anti-aging products—and was intrigued when I was at Natural Products Expo East a few months ago and visited the  booth. The woman I spoke with told me about their different natural skin care products, which are based on plant stem cell technology. The theory is that the stem cells help your own cells to rejuvenate.

Andalou Naturals has several different regimens, including Age-Defying, Clarifying, and Brightening. I asked which would be the right one for me to try. I told her that I wanted the age-defying properties, to combat aging skin, but that my skin was looking pretty dull—probably from lack of sleep. She told me that all these lines would have age-defying properties, so she suggested that I try the Brightening line.

The company sent me a Get Started Brightening 5-Piece Kit. Each of the lines has a kit like this, and it is great either for traveling or for trying out the product lines.

The Brightening Kit contains the following:
- .8oz Meyer Lemon Creamy Cleanser
- .5oz Pumpkin Honey Glycolic Mask
- 1oz Clementine + C Illuminating Toner
- .4oz Probiotic + C Renewal Cream
- .4oz Purple Carrot + C Luminous Night Cream

When I got the kit, I looked at all the information, and I saw that the Brightening line is recommended for Normal and Combination skin. That used to be my skin type, but as I have gotten a little older, and especially during the colder months, my skin type tends more towards Dry. So this line might not be the ideal line for me, but I wanted to check it out anyway.

I started with the Meyer Lemon Creamy Cleanser, which has a nice fresh lemony scent. I rinsed that off, dried my skin, and applied the Pumpkin Honey Glycolic Mask for 10 minutes. That also has a nice, pleasant scent. I washed off the mask, and dried my face.  I then put some of the Illuminating Toner on a cotton ball. I love a good toner/freshener. It seems that no matter how well I cleanse my face, I always get more dirt off on that cotton ball with a good toner, and this time was no exception. The toner was not at all irritating, and my face felt refreshed and clean afterwards. Finally, I added the Luminous Night Cream. All the products felt nice and light. No heavy thick feel to any of them, and no heavy fragrances.

When I was done, my skin felt clean and smooth. I really liked the way it felt. And, after  using it for a couple of weeks, I think my skin does appear a little brighter, and the circles under my eyes are less noticeable.

I really like that their products are all natural, vegetarian/vegan, fair trade, no animal testing. As they say on their website:

We champion Certified Organic, Natural Origin, BioActive, Fair-Trade, Verified Gluten-Free, Non-GMO Project Verified, Vegetarian and Vegan Ingredients, Eco-Friendly Practices, and a Meaningful No Animal Testing Policy.
We reject GMO's, Petrochemicals, Phthalates, Sulfates, Synthetic Colors, Dyes, Fragrances, Triclosan, PEG, MEA, TEA, DEA, or Paraben Preservatives. 

For long-term use, I'd like to try the Andalou Get Started Age-Defying Kit. I think that would be more appropriate for my skin type, since it is recommended for Dry and Sensitive skin. I hope to do a review of the Andalou Age-Defying skin products at some time in the future. And for people with Active and Oily skin, they recommend the Andalou Get Started Clarifying Kit.

Teeccino Organic Herbal Coffee Alternative (caffeine-free), for those chilly winter months: Product Review

I'm a tea drinker and prefer organic tea and herbal tea. (I've learned from Weight Watchers that it's good to have a nice cup of tea rather than to go for the food.) My husband grew up drinking Postum, which was discontinued years ago. We have one jar left, and serve it on special occasions. We've been searching for a convincing coffee alternative. I recently discovered Teeccino Herbal Coffee. Teeccino has a bolder, more savory taste that is more coffee-like than tea-like, and comes either in tea type bags or loose so it can be brewed like coffee. It even comes in an organic chocolate flavor! Is this the coffee substitute we've been searching for?

The advantage to coffee substitutes is that they have none of the caffeine or the chemicals found in decaffeinated coffee and non-herbal tea (which is really low-caffeine, not no-caffeine).

When my first package of Teeccino arrived, I couldn't wait to try the Teeccino Herbal Coffee Chocolate Organic Dark Roast! I dunk a bag in hot water just like preparing tea, then put in sweetener & milk. Bottom line? I think it's delicious! It's soothing and relaxing. It satisfies me and keeps me from eating more dessert. You can use any sweetener you want. To keep down the Weight Watchers PointsPlus values, I like to use Stevia and Skim Plus milk. Some of my favorite Stevias are: Nature's Answer Liquid Stevia, Cid Botanicals Stevia, and  Sweet Leaf Stevia. (Note: if you do use Stevia, make sure not to add too much, or it might have an aftertaste. I add a little at a time until it is sweet enough for me.)

The Teeccino Herbal Coffee Chocolate Organic Dark Roast is a little different in taste from regular hot chocolate, but is definitely chocolatey. Its ingredients are carob, barley, chicory, ramon seeds, natural chocolate flavor, cocoa, and chile flakes. The chile flakes give the drink a nice, subtle kick! All the ingredients are organic except for the natural chocolate flavor.

I served the Teeccino Herbal Coffee Chocolate Organic Dark Roast to my sister-in-law and her friend, and they really liked it. And I served it to my friend who has a discerning palette and tends to like gourmet foods. He liked it so much that he ordered several Teeccino products for himself.

If you're in the mood for something with a coffee-like flavor but want to avoid the caffeine, try the French Roast, a dark roast which is made from organic carob, barley, chicory, ramon seeds, and natural coffee flavor.

Teeccino also offers Vanilla Nut, as well as Medium Roast, Light Roast, Mediterranean Hazelnut, Chocolate Mint, and Mocha. Teeccino herbal coffees are available in "tee" bags or loose so you can brew it in your favorite coffee maker as you would with regular ground coffee.
You can see all the varieties we have in stock.

All Teeccino products are Kosher Parve, certified by Star-K of Baltimore.

Introducing Kendy Actiflora+ with Lactobacillus Bulgaricus

New Product announcement!

Kendy Actiflora+: Probiotic, Prebiotic, Synbiotic

We're proud to announce the latest addition to our extensive line of health-enhancing products: Kendy Aciflora+!

One hundred years ago Dr. Elie Metchnikoff (Nobel Prize Winner -- Medicine, 1908) identified the remarkably good health and long life of Bulgarians as being a result of their consumption of food containing probiotic bacteria found only in Bulgaria. Dr. Metchnikoff christened those bacteria Lactobacillus bulgaricus in honor of their only natural home. This was the birth of the field of Probiotics.

Those health benefits are now available to modern consumers through Actiflora Synbiotics by Kendy. Actiflora is the only probiotic containing the original finest strains of Lac. bulgaricus discovered by Dr. Metchnikoff, blended with Acidophilus, Bifido, Strep. thermophilus & Inulin prebiotic for optimum effect.

Check out this video, provided by Kendy:

Clinical studies show that the regular use of probiotics may:
-Support & strengthen our body's immune system by fighting pathogens & maintaining levels of Immunoglobulins A, M, & G.
-Promote correct digestion & absorption of nutrients from food.
-Help maintain normal blood cholesterol levels.
-Help restore & maintain normal gastro-intestinal microflora especially after illness & antibiotic treatment.
-Improve energy levels & general health.
-Help relieve lactose intolerance, acid reflux & Candida.
-Help fight stress related conditions.
-Prevent constipation, bloating, diarrhea & flatulence.
-Overcome skin problems.

Not All Probiotic Bacteria are the Same
-Actiflora+ is characterized by the presence of Kendy's unique and patented strains of Lactobacillus Bulgaricus.
-All our bacteria strains are especially selected for their higher vitality and ability to survive and multiply in the gastro-intestinal system. They can reproduce themselves once every 20 minutes and colonize on the intestinal mucous membrane thereby synthesizing biologically active substances and vital enzymes for a period of 10-12 days.
-After 12 hours in the GI tract just 1 CFU (Colony Forming Unit) of Kendy L.b. can reproduce itself into over 68 billion bacteria.
-None of our bacteria strains have ever been genetically manipulated.
Selection was made only from strains which have existed for hundreds of years or new strains found mainly in the blossom of wild herbs and trees in ecologically protected areas of Bulgaria.
-Actiflora+ products also contain high concentrations of vitamins A, B, C, D, pectin, minerals & trace elements such as calcium, potassium, iron, copper etc.

What makes ACTIFLORA+ so special?
+ All ACTIFLORA products are characterized by the useof Kendy's unique and patented strains of Lac. bulgaricus & Streptococcus thermophilus as their primary probiotic ingredients plus Inulin prebiotic.
+ Kendy products use a patented blend of bacteriaformulated for the fastest possible reproduction in the GI system where they colonize on the intestinal mucousmembrane and synthesize biologically active substances andvital enzymes.
+ After fermentation Kendy do not separate thesupernatant from the live bacteria so there is no filtration or centrifugal separation process. As the supernatant is rich in amino acids, metabolites, vitamins, immuno-stimulators, bacteriocins and other substances beneficial to human health this gives better results than consuming bacteria alone as offered by other probiotic manufacturers .
+ Enteric coating is a compensation for using unsuitable bacteria. Kendy do not enteric coat their probiotic capsules so the bacteria are released into a much larger area of the GI system.

Learn more and order Actiflora+ now!

Recipe: Oatmeal Pancake, sweetened with Stevia. Bonus Stevia Buying Guide!

I have been a member of Weight Watchers for a number of years. I think it is a great program! I get great ideas and lots of support every time I go to a meeting.

I like the Simply Filling plan on Weight Watchers. On this plan,  you eat Power Foods. These are mainly fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins. Things that fill you up without triggering you to eat too much.

Some people on Weight Watchers use a lot of artificial sweeteners, to avoid the carbs in sugar. I prefer to use Stevia, which comes from the naturally sweet Stevia plant. I'm going to tell you about 3 different ways that I use Stevia, which is available at Lori's Earth Friendly Products. The first is a recipe, and the others are simple ideas.

Oatmeal Pancake

In our Weight Watchers meetings, our leader Val has given us ideas on how to make an Oatmeal Pancake. I have come up with my own variation, which is made up of Power Foods, and is very filling and satisfying. Here is my recipe:

Ingredients:
1 egg
a small piece of banana, mashed up (less than 1/4 banana)
a small amount of Skim Plus or skim milk (less than 1/4 cup)
a few shakes of cinnamon
a few shakes of Stevia
1/3 to 1/2 cup of plain old fashioned oats

Optional Toppings:
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (I use the 6-packs of 4 oz unsweetened applesauce from Target)
1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese
Blueberries, cut up strawberries, any other fruit you like

Directions:

• Mix the egg, mashed banana, and Skim Plus in a measuring cup.
• Add the oats, cinnamon, and Stevia, and mix well.
• Let it sit for a few minutes.
• Meanwhile, spray a non-stick pan with oil, and heat it to medium heat.
• When it is hot enough, give the mixture one more mix, and add to the pan.
• Shake the pan to evenly spread out the mixture.
• Cover, and let it cook until you see some bubbles, and the edges look a little browned.
• Flip over, and cook uncovered for a few minutes.
• Put on a plate, and add any of the optional toppings. When I am really hungry, I add all three.

I find that this keeps me satisfied for at least 2 hours.

Other ideas for Stevia:

Coffee:
To go with the oatmeal pancake in the morning, on days when I haven't had enough sleep (too many days in recent times), I will have a cup of coffee. I sweeten it with Stevia, and then add Skim Plus.

Yogurt:
And finally, for an afternoon snack:
I take 1/2 cup of fat free Greek yogurt, mix with a few shakes of Stevia, and add fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, peaches, or whatever you like). 

Limitations of Stevia in baking:
You can't always replace sugar with Stevia. It doesn't brown the same way sugar does. If you try to bake with Stevia instead of sugar, your cookies will come out more like munchkins.

Stevia Product Guide

• Sweet Leaf: Many Sweet Leaf products are Kosher (Shaker and packets are Apple K). Convenient shaker, or individual bags equivalent to 2 tsp each
• Nature's Answer liquid stevia is kosher (Kof-K)
• Stevita: also high quality, although not kosher certified.
• You can search for Stevia to find all the different types of Stevia that we carry.

These Hemp Hearts Make a Yummy Salad Topping

Today I was in the mood for a salad. But when I have a salad, it's not just lettuce and cucumbers. I like my salad with lots of goodies, including strawberries, quinoa, low-fat cheese, and my special garlic dressing. (If you ask nicely, I might even give you my family recipe.) And my latest treat to sprinkle on my salad is Hemp Hearts (also known as hemp seed).

What's so great about Hemp Hearts? They are packed with nutrition, like Omegas 3 and 6, fiber, protein, and iron. They have a rich nutty flavor and a tender crunch. And a tablespoon is only 1 PointsPlus on Weight Watchers. You can sprinkle them on salad, cereal, and yogurt. Yum!

Note: Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts are O-U Kosher Pareve.

Photo © Mason Resnick/Lori's Earth Friendly Products