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Top Picks from Our Brand

In a sea of supplements to choose from, it helps to know what brands to trust. We are pleased to offer a brand WE trust and turn to!

Here’s our favorites from our in-house supplements:

With all that we know now about the benefit’s of taking Turmeric, this is our favorite to keep on hand for regular use. It contains a standardized 475 mg. of curcuminoids that come from a clinically studied source, and is delivered in easy-to-swallow capsules.

Let’s face it, we ALL smile when we see this supplement. We could all use some brain support! With the amount of information we are faced with in todays world, there’s no way we can cope without a little help. This formula boosts brain function with Ginko Biloba, Phosphatidyl Serine, L-Carnitine, DHA, Choline and more.

D3 is essential- and we love the fact that ours only requires a single DROP to get 2,000 IU. One bottle lasts a long time, which makes this not only a potent choice, but an excellent value!

Adrenal Support means helping your body balance it’s reactions to the stressors in you life. Whether stress ramps you up or shuts you down, the reaction takes a toll. Basil Bandwagon Brand Adrenal Support contains Rhodiola, Eleuthero, Schizandra and Ashwaganda: Adaptogenic Herbs help control the reaction, and bring balance to your hormones and energy levels. This supplement also has B vitamins, L-Tyrosine (an amino acid known for helping with anxiety) and Gotu Kola.

Basil Bandwagon Brand Supplements are 25% Off until May 31st- stock up on our favorites and yours.

December 12, 2016
All the Best Stocking Stuffers!

Specialty Chocolates:

Look no further! We’ve got the best selection of chocolate around. And with fair trade, raw and pure cacao, vegan, and sugar-free options, there’s something for everyone!

Herbal Teas:

Comfort your loved-one this holiday season with a box of their favorite tea in their stocking. Or better yet – pick them out something new you think they’d like. Ask one of our team members for support making a selection!

Hair & Body Brushes:

New year – new brushes. Help your loved one freshen up their skin or their style with a brand new brush – a perfect stocking stuffer!

Incense:

We have a wide selection of hand-blended, hand-rolled incense cones and sticks. Each stick or cone can provide up to an hour of enjoyable aroma for your loved one.

Gum:

Give the gift of good breath! Just kidding…sort of. Much of our selection of sugar free gum contains xylitol – a great-tasting sugar alcohol that has been found to potentially promote good oral health.

Pet Treats & Toys:

Can’t forget Fido! Give your pet something to wag or purr about. Antlers, treats, canned food and organic toys, they’ll love whatever you choose!

Bar Soap

Bar soap makes a great stocking stuffer. With clean, all-natural ingredients, you can feel great about gifting your loved one and they can too!

Tea Light Candles:

Delight your loved one with delightful aromas and ambiance this holiday. A pack of four tea candles from Way Out Wax will fit neatly into any stocking.

Single Use Facial Masks:

At just the right price, single use facial masks provide soothing comfort and beauty to anyone – young, old, male or female! Let your loved one pamper themselves with a natural treatment.

Nail Polish:

Free of formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate and camphor, Mineral Fusion nail polishes come in gorgeous colors and are a great choice for someone who likes clean cosmetics.

Ginger Candies:

Ginger candies are a favorite of many of our customers. Made with fresh ginger, they soothe bellies and satisfy a sweet tooth.

Lip Balm:

Everyone could use a stick (or 2…or 3) of natural lip balm. Opt for our natural varieties with shea butter and coconut oil rather than petroleum-based products from drug stores.

Perfume Roll-On Sticks:

These pretty little roll-on sticks dispense just the right amount of all-natural perfume and they’re perfect for tucking into a purse when freshening up is in order. Floral, citrus, and earthy scents provide a favorite for everyone.

Pocket-Sized Supplements:

Single protein powder packets, superfood packets, and liquid herbal tinctures are all great stocking stuffers. Support healthful mood, digestion and more. What better gift than the gift of good health?

Personal Essential Oil Diffuser:

Monq diffusers are sleek and offer all the benefits of aromatherapy in a handheld device. With zero nicotine, tobacco or artificial chemicals and seven different varieties, these are perfect for a loved one seeking happy, sleepy, vibrant, active, healthy, sexy, or zen vibes.

December 5, 2016
Bio Dynamic: Above and Beyond Organic
As a conscious consumer, you like to be aware of the quality of all ingredients in your food as well as the labeling that denotes the quality.

A new and important label you may or may not yet be familiar with is taking USDA Organic standards to the next level. “Biodynamic®” is an exciting — yet complex — way of growing crops and here’s what it involves:

Biodynamic farming:
Overall, Biodynamic farmers view their farms as self-contained, self-sustaining organisms. The wellbeing of the farm animals, the farmer, the grounds and the Earth are viewed as integral parts that make up a whole.

To qualify as a Certified Biodynamic farm or product, it must be certified by Demeter USA- a non-profit formed in 1985 to promote Biodynamic agriculture. Demeter USA is part of Demeter International – the oldest ecological certification organization operating in 45 countries globally.

Check out the products for yourself- look for this tag:

For more information on Biodynamic standards, click here.
December 5, 2016
Allergy Friendly Holiday Classics!

This time of year can wreak havoc on your system. Comfort food is everywhere: scents of baked goods, sugary delights and holiday candles abound. Choosing better ingredients and allergy-friendly options can minimize the side effects of the holidays. Here’s some of our favorite alternatives:

Silk Almond Nog

Can’t have dairy? Can’t have Soy? There’s still a nog option for you!

Kite Hill Cream Cheese Style Spread in Chive

Everyone else is having cheese and crackers- but you can’t do dairy. This spread from Kite Hill makes it easy with their almond-based spread. Pick up some crackers and dip away!

Dandy Blend Instant Beverage

Cold evenings call for warm beverages- and coffee is a favorite! If you can’t drink coffee, or you are looking to cut down, Dandy Blend is an EXCELLENT alternative! It’s rich and smooth and plays well with your favorite creamer and sweetener. The best part is how easy it is- just mix in!

Pascha Organic Chocolate Rice Milk Chips

What’s so amazing about these Chocolate Chips? Check out whats NOT in them! Nut Free, Dairy Free, Wheat & Gluten Free, AND Soy Free. This makes these safe for a crowd!

Aleia’s Savory Stuffing Mix (Gluten Free!)

Don’t miss out on stuffing! Aleia’s makes Gluten Free EASY- and yummy. It’s also dairy free, corn free and non-GMO.

TruJoy Candy Canes

Everyone wants candy canes this time of year- but check out the ingredients! Our candy canes are free of dyes and other junk that you don’t want, but have all the minty goodness you crave.

Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Coconut Sugar

One sprinkle of this, and you’ll find yourself forgetting to use brown sugar! Coconut sugar is low-glycemic and still offers that warm sweetness you look for on top of sweet rolls, and cookies.

November 29, 2016
Taste the Difference!

November 14, 2016
Produce Spotlight: Delicata Squash

While the world turns to the Pumpkin and Butternut Squash to fulfill it’s fall comfort needs, we offer a lesser-known alternative. The Delicata Squash looks like decor, and perhaps doesn’t reach the kitchen as often as it’s more traditional cousins, but theres good reason to try it!

It’s considered a summertime squash, but you’ll still find it on the shelves into late fall. It shares some similarities with Zucchini and Summer Squash in that it’s skin is thin enough to be eaten our peeled with a vegetable peeler.

Delicata squash has a similar flavor profile to Sweet Corn, and some say it’s similar to Pumpkin Pie. The texture is similar to Butternut, and some say it’s even creamier!

Here’s how to make quick work of preparing it:

•Pre-heat oven to 425 Degrees

•Clean the squash by running under warm water and scrubbing gently with your hands.

•Cut end pieces off, then slice the whole squash in half, lengthwise

•Scoop out seeds with a spoon

•Drizzle olive oil on bottom of baking sheet

•Place squash halves face down on the baking sheet

•Bake for 10 minutes, flip and bake 10 minutes more, or until skin can be pierced by a fork

•Salt if desired, then enjoy!

November 7, 2016
Guest Post: Developing Your Personal Health Plan
A Chiropractor’s Guide to Creating Health & Happiness This Fall & Beyond

By Dr. Michele Gardner of Gardner Family Chiropractic, Flemington, NJ

Have you ever attempted to program your GPS and found it searching for satellite? It won’t show your travel route until it first knows where you are… Finding your way in life is incredibly similar! You cannot get to where you want to go without first knowing where you are. In helping you develop your Personal Health Plan, we’ll talk about where you are on your journey to health, different philosophies of health, and actions to ensure your future wellbeing.

Because we are all at different places on our journey to health, we will each have a different plan. You will tailor your own program to suit your lifestyle. The idea behind a Personal Health Plan is that it is a decision to stay healthy and take steps toward insuring your future success. (Madeira, 2006) My favorite definition of health is one that includes physical, social, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing – not merely the absence of disease. (WHO, 1948) Health is a lifelong journey and requires a bigger picture view of life to be in view at all times. With this in mind, know that you are building awareness here. You are defining your interpretation of yourself and getting specific about what you want.

Some of us are healthy and want to stay that way. Some of us are facing a health challenge or crisis that is new. Some of us are managing chronic illness. Whether you have survived a health crisis and want to insure it never comes back, or want to take your current health to new heights, a Personal Health Plan will help you succeed. No matter where you are on your journey, I want to encourage you to make your choices from a place of self-love. A frantic push toward a desired end with a rigid list of to-do’s will not serve you and is not sustainable. Plus, you’ll miss out on the gifts you have the potential to receive – even while in crisis.

If you owned a million-dollar race horse, what would you feed it? Would you exercise it? Would you keep its environment clean? Would you give it plenty of rest, sunshine, and fresh air? Of course you would! The reason you would is because this isn’t just any horse… this is a million dollar race horse! (Madeira, 2006) Have you guessed it already? Yes, you are the million-dollar race horse! Why would you do any less for yourself? For the parents reading this, I know you want the best for your children and you know they learn through observation. Lead by example. Love yourself enough to treat yourself as you would your children so they can learn to do this for themselves. Our ability to love is infinite. I promise you, if you love yourself more you won’t be taking anything away from them. You’ll be giving them more than you can imagine.

For some of you, the following will be a big ah-ha moment. There are three different philosophies of health.
1. Mechanistic Philosophy: This is the one our culture is most familiar. The belief inherent in this philosophy is that living things are like complicated machines, composed of many parts lacking any intrinsic relationship to each other.
2. Holistic Philosophy: This is the one most familiar to Eastern cultures. This philosophy values the idea that living things should be viewed as wholes- not as collections of parts. Functioning cannot be fully understood solely in terms of component parts.
3. Vitalism Philosophy: The basic principle of this philosophy is that living things have an innate intelligence which animates, motivates, heals, coordinates and inspires them. (Glassey, 2010)
Our culture’s medical model is based in the mechanistic philosophy. It is the most beneficial in emergency scenarios. If your kidney if failing or you’ve broken a bone, this is the approach best utilized. However, when faced with chronic illness, the modalities steeped in holism may fair better. And vitalistic philosophy can help us choose to add actions and traditions to be utilized whether we’re sick or well. There really isn’t necessarily one right answer. It is what is right for you right now. And, that may change too. Life and growth are a dynamic evolution.

Directions for Creating Your Personal Health Plan:

Once you’ve chosen your primary philosophy of health, you’ll develop your personal health wheel. Some examples of a health wheel are shown here along with a blank one you can print to create your own.

You’ll notice there is a center circle on this wheel.

Out of your health philosophy, choose up to three traditions that support your philosophy.

Some examples are: Acupuncture, Aromatherapy, Ayurveda, Biofeedback, Chinese Medicine, Chiropractic, Energy Medicine, Faith Healing, Feldenkrais Method, Functional Medicine, Gestalt Therapy, Herbalism, Homeopathy, Hydrotherapy, Hypnotherapy, Iridology, Kampo Medicine, Massage Therapy, Meditation, Naturopathic Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine, Polarity Therapy, Pranic Healing, Prayer, Qigong, Rebirthing, Traditional Medicine, or Yoga Therapy.

Next you’ll choose facets of health that are important to you.

The most common are physical, spiritual, recreational, professional, social, emotional, mental, financial, romantic, creative, relational, environmental, and family. Within each category you can get specific and detailed.You have the ability to know what area of your life needs your attention to reach health goals. Simply evaluate yourself on the wheel. There is an example wheel that is multi-colored with tick marks to help quantify the level of health achieved in that category. (Baker, 2013) What do you want your life to be?

After you have chosen which areas to work on, you can decide what or who will help you with your action steps.

You are not meant to do this alone. Find practitioners within that can walk with you along your journey. They will help hold you accountable while giving you the support you need.

Get started right now:

Print one of the sample wheels. When thoughts come to you about what you want for yourself, journal them or use a voice recorder on your phone. You’ll build upon this with time and allow the specifics to unfold.

If you’d like support from me, don’t hesitate to reach out. Visit my website for more information on how to reach me. I can help you find a practitioner you are looking for or guide you through some choices. Lastly, I’ll leave you with a quote I like:

“If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.” – Jim Rohn

No matter where you are on your journey toward health, you can make choices today that will lead you where you want to go. Surround yourself with people who help you passionately move toward self-actualization!

Works Cited

Baker, B. (2013, September). Retrieved from http://www.startofhappiness.com/wheel-of-life-a-self-assessment-tool/

Glassey, D. (2010, September). The Vitalistic Healing Model. Retrieved from Pathways to Family Wellness: http://pathwaystofamilywellness.org/Holistic-Healthcare/the-vitalistic-healing-model.html

Madeira, J. (2006). Developing Your Personal Wellness Plan. Setting Things Straight (p. 1). Madeira Success Strategies.

Duke University (2014). Retrieved from Duke Integrative Medicine: http://triadintegrativehealthcoaches.com/

Unknown. (n.d.). Retrieved from Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/11892386492434313/

WHO. (1948). WHO definition of health. Retrieved from WHO International: http://www.who.int/about/definition/en/print.html

Wikipedia. (2016, August). Holism Philosophy. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holism

Wikipedia. (2016, June). Mechanism Philosophy. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanism_(philosophy)
October 20, 2016
Sweet Potato Toast 6 Ways

October 18, 2016
Food Choices: Organic vs. Non Organic and GMOs
Before agriculture became part of the industrial revolution, plants grown for humans and animals contained a wide range of diversity. Nursery catalogs were filled with numerous varieties of each plant. Today, most crops are grown in large single-variety plots to improve consistency of product, tolerance to drought and shipping. In some instance these single varieties have increased the vulnerability to certain pests and necessitated the increased use of pesticides.

Heirloom gardening has taken over the diversity niche around the world to help preserve the history and variety available to gardeners. Many communities are coming together to help preserve old orchards and other plant varieties before they are lost to time. Heirloom seeds are available through several companies and are growing in popularity.

The term Organic Farming was invented by an English agriculturalist, Lord Northbourne, in 1939. In his book Look to the Land, he introduced his concept of “the farm as an organism”, to describe a holistic, ecological approach to farming in place of the use of chemicals. Today, organic foods are grown using certain specific farming standards. The details vary worldwide but share common principles and include certain restrictions.

Encourage:
- Reduce and recycle natural resources
- Conserve biodiversity
- Promote the balance of ecosystems
Restrict use of:
- Certain pesticides and fertilizers
- Radiation
- Solvents
- Synthetic additives
The National Organic Program (NOP) regulates and oversees organic food products in the United States. Twenty-one additional foreign agencies manage certification including: Canada, Mexico, the European Union, and Japan. While anyone can grow using organic practices, only those farms who obtain governmental certification can market their products with a certified organic label.

The top GMO crops today include corn, canola, cottonseed, soybeans, sugar beets, alfalfa, Hawaiian papaya, zucchini, and yellow squash. Many of these foods are processed to create shelf stable products. It’s important to look for non-GMO labeling when shopping.

The Danger’s of GMOs

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are food crops that have their genetic material altered either by changing their existing genes or by substituting genes from organisms. This is not the same as cross-breeding plants that have a natural affinity for one other. We don’t yet know the full extent of the risk involved in eating GMOs or feeding them to livestock. Since the introduction of GMO soy, twice as many people are now allergic to it. Modification often blends proteins from other animal and plant species which can trigger unforeseen reactions. For example, certain crops have genetic material inserted from bacteria.

The GMO seed market is wholly controlled by six companies. Farmers cannot plant GMO crops without paying royalties and fees. This raises issues for nearby non-GMO farmers, whose crops may inadvertently be contaminated by cross pollination. Non-GMO farmers face legal battles to fight the infiltration. This is a daunting undertaking considering the wealth behind the big six. Wild areas are also threatened with no recourse for damages. Insect-resistant GMO corn is threatening the monarch butterfly population in North America.

The loss of diversity pressures the natural relationship between plants and the environment. Each microcosm relies on a delicate balance of microorganisms, plants and animals, along with chemical and physical properties such as the amount of rainfall. Shifting the balance of and ecosystem threatens its very existence. Narrowing the natural genetic diversity of plants also makes them more vulnerable to the forces of nature.

What can we do?
- Demand consumer choice and require GMO labeling
- Support non-GMO and heirloom variety crops and products
- Read labels and insist on transparency
October 11, 2016
October is NON-GMO Month!

Many of our customers have questions about the difference between “organic” and “non-GMO”. So let’s go over this important distinction:

Organic:

To qualify as a Certified Organic product, contents must be 95% or more free of synthetic additives (pesticides, chemical fertilizers, dyes) and must not be processed using industrial solvents, irradiation or genetic engineering. The remaining 5% may only be processed with additives from an approved list.

Certified Organic products are ALWAYS also Non-GMO.

Look for this official seal on Certified Organic products:

Non-GMO:

To qualify as Non-GMO, a product must be free of any plants or animals that have been genetically modified.

Non-GMO products are NOT necessarily also Organic.

Look for this official seal on Certified Non-GMO products:

With this understanding, many folks question whether or not GMOs (or genetically-modified organisms) are safe to use or consume. This question is certainly stirring the pot these days! In researching this topic, you may find a number of studies suggesting that this technology is safe for humans and our planet. However, it is important to note who conducted and funded the studies in order to fully understand biases and motives that color the research.

Ultimately, it is up to you to decide what you want to put in and on your body. And we’re here to support you with your choices. Come see one of our friendly team members for help choosing products that are right for you – we are happy to help!

Our Flyer is FULL of Non-GMO products on sale this month- check it out here.

And be sure to stick with us this month as we highlight some of our favorite non-GMO products and shopping tips!

October 3, 2016