Please allow me to introduce myself

Hi. Let me introduce myself. I'm Lori. The Lori in Lori's Earth Friendly Products. My husband Mason and I are the team behind Lori's Earth Friendly Products. How did we get into this type of business? We are vegetarians and are interested in promoting a healthy lifestyle for our family, our community, and our followers. And we want to do our part in saving the planet. I have been a vegetarian for 30 years. But even before that, my Mom raised me on big salads with wheat germ and lecithin.

Mason is the writer, photographer (he took that picture of me over there on the right), and marketing director. I am the programmer of the website and the kid in the candy store. What do I mean by that? I just launched a website with over 10,000 natural products. I'm so excited I can't decide which one to try next!

Should I try a natural skincare system? How about some volumizing shampoos and conditioners? Look at all these great nutrition bars and snacks that can support my weight-loss journey with Weight Watchers. Or protein bars and protein powders to have before a workout. Maybe we can find some healthy treats for our dog. Look--biodegradable doggie poop bags! Yum--hemp hearts on my salad. It has a great nutty flavor and is packed with nutrients. Let's get some luscious pampering soaps for our friends. I want to try a cutting board and a colander made from recycled food containers. Why don't we plant some edible flowers? Perhaps our kids would like this tasty vitamin powder. Do you get the idea? This just scratches the surface of all the cool products I get to play with.

So even though Mason is the writer and I am the techno geek, I'm going to try lots of products and tell you all about them. Stay tuned....

"Taking vitamins doesn't have to be a hard pill to swallow."

Lori's Stories: alternaVites

alternaVites easy to swallow multivitamins are available from Lori's Earth Friendly Products.

Being the third generation of vitamin formulators, manufacturers, and marketers, Hallie Rich (photo, right) was regularly asked one question: "What vitamins do you take?"

Her surprising answer? "None. I can't swallow pills."

This put her in an awkward position. She had to admit to everyone that she couldn’t benefit from the vitamins that she not only spent years promoting, but also passionately believed in. While she wasn’t experiencing any of the benefits of taking vitamins, she was also very aware that vitamins can’t help if you can’t take them.

For many years, Hallie worked alongside her father and grandmother, where she learned all aspects of their business. Sadly, her father was diagnosed with cancer and despite a heroic fight, he passed away in 2008. Shortly after that, the company's doors shut.

Following her father's passing, Hallie entered a vitamin store as a consumer for the first time and acknowledged the fact that her body needed nutritional support. But since she was unable to swallow pills, her options were limited. Hallie couldn't find a product that had all the nutritional aspects she needed in non-pill form. It suddenly hit Hallie that there was a huge need for a daily vitamin for people just like her.

It turns out she has plenty of company: Over 40% of Americans have difficulty swallowing pills (according to the Society for the Advancement of Education). Hallie was motivated to create a new product, made for those who want to take vitamins, but can't because of the limited options available.

In 2010, she introduced alternaVites, a comprehensive Kosher multivitamin and mineral in crystal powder form that melts quickly in your mouth – the first of its kind. alternaVites quickly became the definitive "non pill" vitamin option and filled an unnecessary void in the market. It was awarded Best New Product 2012 by Vitamin Retailer. 

With its success, it became clear to Hallie that alternaVites is a product that’s great for everybody, not just those of us who have difficulty swallowing pills. Its convenience, delicious taste, portability, and high potency formula give it much broader appeal.

While a children’s product was always part of the plan, Hallie and her team were overwhelmed with requests to develop an alternaVites formula that would be suitable for kids. Understandably, parents were equally as unhappy with the choices available for their children as they were for themselves. They were disappointed in products with high sugar content, incomplete formulas, and artificial ingredients. She developed alternaVites Kids, a children’s multivitamin and mineral supplement that has awesome kid-approved flavors while maintaining the integrity, quality and versatility associated with the original alternaVites formula.

With alternaVites, Hallie has eliminated the excuses of adults and children not to take the daily dosage of vitamins, even if they don't swallow pills. Rich Vitamins, LLC, the parent company of alternaVites, donates a portion of every box that's sold to cancer charities in memory of Hallie's father.

Lori's Earth Friendly Products is proud to carry alternaVites.

7 Delicious Ways To Add Fiber To Your Diet

Note: For the last 10 years our most popular product at Lori's Earth Friendly Products was a juice that was filled with soluble dietary fiber. Unfortunately, that product is currently unavailable. It may return eventually but we wanted you to know about other fiber products that we now carry and which are available now so you can get enough fiber for yourself or your child! Read on to learn more.

Most Americans simply don't consume enough dietary fiber. Children are especially at risk. A low-fiber diet can cause Irritable Bowel Syndrome, weight problems, constipation, and other intestinal tract health issues. We know you want to enjoy the healthy benefits of a high-fiber diet for yourself or your child. Fortunately, there are many sources of fiber available through Lori's Earth Friendly Products, and you can find them all here

Read on as we highlight seven ways to add essential fiber to your diet, including several choices that kids will love!

FoodScience of Vermont Clearly Fiber: No Grit, No Taste

Sugar-free and low-calorie, Clearly Fiber has 5 grams of soluble dietary fiber per serving with no grit or lumps and no flavor, and can be added to any hot or cold liquid, such as tea or fruit juice, without affecting its taste or texture. Fiber is from Maltodextron.

Sunsweet Naturals SupraFiber: 5 Grams of Fiber, and Kosher Certified

Using fiber derived from whole food fruits rather than from grain husks, SupraFiber combines prunes, acai berries, pomegranate and blueberry for a combination of soluble and insoluble fiber totalling 5 grams per serving. It is Kosher, vegan, non-GMO, and has no added sugar, high-fructose corn syrup or sugar substitutes, preservatives or artificial color.

Smarty Pants Multivitamin: Kids Fiber Complete Gummy

Let's face it, most kids get enough sugar so if you want fiber but not sugar for your child, Smarty Pants gummy vitamins are made with organic and eco-friendly ingredients. In addition to containing 4 grams of soluble dietary fiber, these also contain vitamins A, C, D, E, B6, B12 and more. Even better: For every purchase, SmartyPants will make a 1-for-1 matching nutrient grant to a child in need through our partnership with Vitamin Angels.

Rainbow Light Fiber Garden Gummies

These sugar-free sour fruit gummies are made with NutraFlora FOS (fructo-oligosaccharides), a prebiotic fiber that strengthens the immune and digestion systems. Xylitol, which may reduce the risk of dental problems, has been added. Designed for children ages 4 and up, Rainbow Light Fiber Garden Gummies have 3 grams of dietary fiber in each gummie.

 Schiff Vitamins Digestive Advantage: Probiotic Gummies

Kids love gummies! These offer Probiotic BC30, which delivers good bacteria to aid digestion, and also have 3 grams of dietary fiber.

Ultra Fiber DX: BarnDads German Chocolate Shake

Packing a powerful 14 grams of dietary fiber, BDFX's German Chocolate Shake is said to reduce hunger and support healthy weight management, lean muscle and a healthy digestive system.

ThinkThin Chocolate Peanut Butter Toffee Protein Plus

Primarily designed as a protein supplement, each bar packs 5 grams of fiber (along with 13 grams of protein). If you can handle peanuts, these Kosher bars are a delicious way to add fiber to your diet!