Amanda, Healthy Living Manager

When somebody says something about being healthy, or wanting to be healthier, probably the first thought is about food. What food is this person going to be consuming? To put a spin on things, what about keeping our Earth healthy? Well, Go Green, right? Okay, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, yes! But what about the cleaners we are using in our homes? Let me ask you this, is the dish soap you have on your kitchen sink right now environmentally-friendly? What about human friendly? Does it contain phosphates, bleaching agents, perfumes, petroleum or dyes? Yes?

I don’t want to be the barer of bad news, but you may want to rethink your dish soap.

You would assume that dish-washing liquids are fine for the environment. They’ve got to be non-toxic, because we eat from things washed in it, so how could it be harmful at all?

Looking at some brands, they don’t really do a great job disclosing their ingredients. Apparently they are not required to by law. They say the ingredients are “Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Silicate, and Enzymes”. But then elsewhere on the bottle they say “** averages no more than 4.5% phosphorus in the form of phosphates.” So phosphates would be another ingredient, right? Is that an enzyme?

Apparently in cleaning products of all sorts there are lots of possibly toxic/polluting substances to watch out for. In dishwasher liquid, the two environmentally-impacting culprits are 1. Phosphates and 2. Petroleum distillates.

Phosphates
Phosphates help make hard water softer, allowing the cleaning ingredients to work better and faster. When put into waterways, phosphates also create huge algae blooms, starving the ocean of oxygen, killing sea life, and creating “dead zones”.

Washington was the first state to pass a law requiring the reduction of phosphate in detergents to 0.5% by 2010. Several other states have followed, and now it seems the detergent industry is committed to subbing out phosphates with a synthetic ingredient by 2010. Good news!

Petroleum Distillates
I’m not sure if they all do, but many soaps and detergents use petroleum distillates or other petroleum-based ingredients. Not only can these be toxic in large amounts, but you’re using oil!

Well . . . Allow me to introduce you to Earth Friendly Products. Since we are on the topic of dishwashing liquid (Earth Friendly Products have many other products to offer, and Harmons carries many of them) I’ll tell you about theirs; its powerful, smells great, works hard, is gentle on skin, can be used on hand washable clothes, and can be used as a liquid hand soap and/or bath/shower soap.

• Non-polluting
• 100% biodegradable
• Non-toxic
• No harsh vapors or fumes
• Ultra-concentrated-can clean over 1900 dishes per bottle
• No ammonia, phosphates, or petrochemicals
• Septic tank and gray-water system safe.

Available in: Lavender, Pear, Grapefruit, Almond, and Free & Clear

• Lavender – Purified water, 100% natural anionic coconut kernel oil-based surfactants (A substance that tends to reduce the surface tension of a liquid in which it is dissolved.) {Think, because oil & water don’t mix well}, salt, N.O.P. (National Organic Program) lavender oil.
• Pear- Purified water, 100% natural anionic coconut kernel oil-based surfactant, salt, pear essential oils.
• Grapefruit – Purified water, 100% natural anionic coconut kernel oil-based surfactant, salt, N.O.P. certified organic grapefruit essential oil.
• Almond – Purified water, 100% natural anionic coconut kernel oil-based surfactant, salt, almond and cherry oil.
• Free & Clear – Water, coconut oil derived surfactants.
  * Does not contain SLS. (sodium lauryl sulfate)

Best of all, they are on sale! Normally I don’t advertise that, however, I love this product, and also want to save my customers money! I hope you love this product as much as I do! And also try more of Earth Friendly Products! What else do they offer? Look here-  www.ecos.com

Amanda, Healthy Living Manager

I’ll be honest; I haven’t exactly hopped on the coconut water/juice craze that is happening everywhere, because I haven’t found one that I really enjoy . . . that is, until now.

Harmons Healthy Living departments just brought in Coco Exposed. Pure Coconut Water + Real Aloe Vera. I have really enjoyed the aloe drinks that I’ve tried previously, so I figured, why not try it? I bought one, tried it, and now my fridge at home is filled with them! The first one I tried was the Peach+Kiwi. Only having 60 calories per container, I really had nothing to lose! CoCo Exposed line of uniquely refreshing drinks is made with pure water from young coconuts, real Aloe Vera juice and pulp, and all natural fruit juices. Coconut water, a great source of potassium to support your active lifestyle, combines with all the goodness of real Aloe juice and bits of Aloe pulp straight from the Aloe Vera plant (never from powder!) for something totally different, super revitalizing and immensely hydrating!’ Continue Reading »

Amanda, Healthy Living Manager

Do you know what is in your deodorant or antiperspirant? I’ll give you a minute to go grab yours so you can check . . .

Alright, it probably goes something like this; (I am assuming majority of you haven’t looked until now) Propylene Glycol, Fragrance, Water, Sodium Stearate, Steareth-n . . . etc. I am not going to list them all, but what is my point exactly? Give me a moment and I’ll get there.

Common ingredients in a lot of deodorants/antiperspirants (also ones you should be avoiding) are:

Aluminum Chlorohydrate, Aluminum Zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly or Aluminum Compounds. Why? Aluminum is absorbed through the skin and accumulates in the body. It has been suggested that there is an association between aluminum and Alzheimer’s disease.
Parabens (methyl, ethyl, propyl, benzyl and butyl). Why? They are all derived from toluene, a toxic petrochemical derivative. Toluene is toxic if swallowed or inhaled. It is also harmful in contact with the skin. (Whaaa? We put this on our underarms!) There is also some evidence that repeated exposure to toluene may cause reproductive harm. (Hmm . . . since none of us use deodorant every day, we’re totally fine! *sense the sarcasm*) Since 2000, 13 research studies have shown that various types of parabens act like estrogen in animals and in tissue culture. Estrogen is known to drive the growth of cancerous cells. Continue Reading »

Amanda, Healthy Living Manager

The position I’m in at Harmons brings me such wonderful opportunities to try a lot of great products. When I get asked for a flax oil or fish oil, my first question is if they want an oil or a gel cap. Regardless of their answer, I take them to Barlean’s and it just depends on which part of the department I take them to.

Their organic oils provide the highest quality flax & borage oil products at the best value, anywhere! Last week marked my 3rd year being the manager of the Healthy Living Department. There is never a dull moment for me, and always something new for me to learn. I remember when we brought Barlean’s into our stores, it was the end of December 2008 – beginning of January 2009, and I remember thinking, “Flavored flax & fish oils? What a novel idea!” We get to sample a lot of the products we carry. It’s great because I get to learn so much more, and make it more personal for my customers. I use Barlean’s all the time and with my last order I got in they sent me a ton of samples, so I decided I would give some to my sister-in-law so she could try them and receive the amazing benefits from these great products that are simple to take.

I gave her the Lemon Zest Omega Swirl Fish Oil. The swirls are fabulous simply because they taste great and you get the benefits of Omega-3, without the gross oily taste and texture of liquids. The Omega Swirl Flax & Fish Oil Supplements are the freshest, best tasting and the most nutritious Omega-3 products, naturally. I can even get my 1 ½ year old and my extremely picky 5 year old to take these, no problem! They love it! Continue Reading »

Amanda, Healthy Living Manager

Can I just tell you how much I love nice, new beauty products? I really do! Anywhere from trying something new on your face, soaking your feet in something that smells yummy, washing your hair with something different, or a new body cleanser. Finding nice products can sometimes be a challenge. I as much as possible avoid harmful ingredients and chemicals, at the same time look for products that really do what they claim to do. You never know, unless its been recommended by someone you know personally, you always have that chance of wasting your money and it ends up being a hit or miss, and you take that gamble and spend money without ever knowing for sure. I don’t like to take that risk, especially when it comes to my body, face and hair.

Luckily with Sibu Beauty, there is no worry.

Founded in 2003 by Bruce McMullin, he crossed paths with an ayurvedic specialist in Chinese plant and herbs, where this expert mentioned a powerful holy fruit, the sea buckthorn berry. Bruce traveled to remote locations of the Himalayas to find the superior source of sea buckthorn that is the foundation for all Sibu products.

Bruce is a great guy, I have personally met him, and he actually comes into my location often to check on how the product is doing. Oh? I didn’t mention Sibu is a Utah Own company? Believe it or not, it is, right here in Utah – actually right here in Midvale, Utah! That alone makes me that more proud that Harmons offers these products for consumers. Especially considering Sibu has been featured in Elle Magazine as well as on Dr. Oz.

There are so many testimonials about Sibu Beauty product, from removing water proof mascara without drying out skin, treating eczema, helping with lesions due to shingles – the swelling and leaving no scaring, helping with depression and vitamin deficiency, Crohns disease, healthier skin, nails, and hair. The list goes on and on. Even Dr. Oz has introduced Sibu as “The New Miracle Berry”. Watch it here: http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/new-miracle-berry-pt-1 Continue Reading »

Amanda, Healthy Living Manager

Getting out, camping, hiking, fishing, swimming, running – yep, sounds like summer to me! Also, sounds like needing quick snacks and needing nutrition to fuel you. Like the ones packed with a ton of chemicals and refined sugar right? NO!!!!

Larabars, made out of (believe it or not) 100% real, delicious food! There are a variety of flavors; Apple Pie, Cashew Cookie, Cherry Pie, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, just to name a few. Every delicious bar is made from very few ingredients. For example, the Cherry Pie Larabar ingredients are: Dates, Almonds, Unsweetened Cherries. Wait? Period? Just 3 ingredients? Yep! You read it right! That is right off the package! Okay, okay, let’s do it again . . . let’s go with the Lemon flavor: Dates, Cashews, Almonds, Lemon Juice Concentrate. These bars are REAL flavor, REAL ingredients and not loaded with sugars or preservatives! So with such little deliciousness going into these bars you get no soy, no dairy, no gluten, and they are kosher and vegan (with the exception of the chocolate chip flavors.) Though the vast majority of chocolate chips in the world are made with dairy, soy or both, Larabars specifically asked their supplier to provide them with chocolate chips which are vegan and contain no dairy. While no dairy or soy is used to make their chocolate chips, they are made on a line which also produces chocolate chips made with dairy and soy. Due to possible cross-contact between types of chocolate chips made at the facility, the chips they use may contain trace amounts of dairy or soy from those other chips, thus they cannot claim these chocolate chip flavors are dairy free, soy free or vegan.

• They are between 190-230 calories per bar (dependent on flavor), 9-14 grams of fat (from nuts), 23-24 grams total carbs, 4-6 grams of fiber (all from natural fruits and nuts), 4-6 grams of protein.
• Each flavor has no more than 9 ingredients. They are pure, simple & delicious!!
• One thing though, if you are trying to cut back on or out sugar, I would not suggest these as they still have natural sugars in them from the fruits. Start with one flavor that sounds too good to be true, then venture out and try them all!
• Now would be the perfect time to try them and stock up, they are on sale at your local Harmons this week!
• I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Amanda, Healthy Living Manager

Welcome to summer: BBQ’s, family get-togethers, and time with friends, etc! Well, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I know for me these things all mean bringing something for the gathering – drinks, veggies, fruit, chips, or a salad. I always choose to bring my absolutely delicious spaghetti salad! We had a family reunion on Memorial Day, so I made my salad the night before, but I changed it up just a bit this time. I wanted my salad to contain no high fructose corn syrup, and as little sodium as possible, and also it needed to be healthy. I succeed, and my salad was a hit!

Usually, I just grab the cheapest spaghetti noodles I can find, then also the cheapest Italian salad dressing, and all my other ingredients needed (no worries, I’ll give you my recipe at the end!) I go home and make it, and that’s that. Not even thinking about it not being the best for my family or friends. This year I decided I am going to make a change for myself and my family, without compromising taste. When I was asked to bring something to the reunion, already knowing I was bringing my salad, I thought to myself that I will have to do a bit of label reading this time around. Working in the Healthy Living Department has made this task a bit easier, because I really enjoy what I do, and I’ve always been a label reader so I usually find myself reading part of the nutrition label as I am stocking my shelves. With that being said, I already knew that I wanted to use the delicious Ancient Harvest Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) Spaghetti Pasta, which by the way is Gluten Free! Continue Reading »

Amanda, Healthy Living Manager

I think I’m addicted! Bragg’s! Heard of it? Well you’re about to.

To start off, Bragg Natural Apple Cider Vinegar, what is it? It’s different from refined and distilled vinegars you usually purchase at supermarkets. Natural Apple Cider Vinegar is made from fresh, crushed, organically grown apples that mature in wood barrels, which boosts its natural fermentation qualities. When mature, it contains a web like substance called “mother” that becomes visible when the rich brownish liquid is held to the light. The mother can be used to add to other vinegar to hasten maturity for more Apple Cider Vinegar. What does it do?

“An apple a day may keep the doctor away.” It cleanses and restores nutrients to the body so that the body can heal itself.

• Helps and removes body toxins
• Helps promote a youthful body
• Helps support a healthy immune system
• Helps maintain healthy skin
• Helps control weight
• Improves digestion and assimilation
• Soothes tight and aching joints and sore muscles from exercise
• Soothes irritated skin Continue Reading »

Amanda, Healthy Living Manager

So, I am not one for energy drinks, however, when this product was brought in to Healthy Living something about it caught my attention and I just had to try it! Now, I purchase one daily, not only for the energy that I need to get me through my busy days, but also for the protein.

As they say ‘Here’s To You’
CalNaturale Svelte

Their secret, which really is no secret at all, is each of their 4 delicious flavors contains 16g of organic protein from fresh organic soy milk to fill you up, and organic complex carbs for sustained energy.

So for those active and busy days that we all have, you can get the lasting nutrition you need-all from a delicious drink! There is not a flavor I don’t enjoy, it just depends on my mood. Svelte comes in French Vanilla, Cappuccino, Chocolate, and Spiced Chai. Continue Reading »

Amanda, Healthy Living Manager

Heart disease is the number one killer of women. In fact, most think cancer (mainly breast cancer) is their number one health concern. But, did you know that 1 out of 3 women will develop heart disease in her lifetime!

YIKES! Let me introduce you to a heart healthy and delicious snack.

EDAMAME (ED-AH-MAH-MAY) – known as “The Wonder Veggie”

It’s a specialty soybean that is harvested when the bean is 80-90% mature. Edamame is a complete protein that has all the essential Amino Acids. It’s not only a great source of protein, but also a great source of fiber, essential fatty acids and isoflavones (only found in soy). You can find delicious edamame in Harmons Healthy Living Departments – in the pods or already shelled. Edamame is also served as an appetizer at all my favorite sushi restaurants. The brand of edamame I enjoy the most is Seapoint Farms because they have such a great selection. They make shelled edamame, regular pods or lightly salted in pods, and organic shelled or in pods. There is a veggie/garden blend with broccoli, carrots, green beans, asparagus & cauliflower. Also available is veggie/oriental blend with pea pods, baby corn carrots, mushrooms, water chestnuts and bamboo shoots. And even on the go dry try roasted edamame in lightly salted, wasabi (for those who like to add some spice to their life), or goji blend. A serving of Seapoint Farms edamame provides 8grams of soy protein.

Seapoint Farms Edamame has even been recently featured on the today show!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Continue Reading »