DIY Natural, Nourishing Hair Mask

Stress, cold and dry weather can wreak havoc with your hair. Treat yourself, and your locks, to some home spa care made with ingredients you may already have in your kitchen.

Moisturizing Mask

Avocados have nourishing and hydrating properties, which makes this mask perfect for those with dry, brittle or lackluster hair.

Ingredients:

·                 1 small ripe avocado

·                 1 tbsp olive oil or sweet almond oil

·                 1/2 cup milk – preferably whole milk

Directions:

1. Blend the avocado into a very smooth puree – no lumps.

2. Add the oil and mix very well.

3. Add 1/4 cup of milk at first, then more as needed. You don’t want the mask to be runny.

4. Apply the blend to your hair starting from the roots to the very tips.

5. Cover with a shower cap and wait for at least fifteen minutes.

6. Rinse well with warm water.

P.S. - While your hair is up in that shower cap treat yourself to a soak in a warm bath. The steam will help the mask to soak in better and help you relax.

-Nancy Mayne, Wellness Director

The Skinny Factor

There are a few key factors in successful weight loss goals:

• Good bacteria
• Reducing sugar
• Eating healthy fats, protein and living foods
• Increasing fiber

The bacteria that live in your digestive tract can contribute to optimal weight. By balancing the good and bad bacteria, you may achieve your ideal weight.

Simply reducing sugar and eating more fiber, vegetables and protein may help to balance the gut bacteria.

Fiber is an important step in weight loss. Most people don’t get adequate amounts of fiber in their diet. Eating foods high in fiber helps fill you up which in turn helps to control hunger. Hunger is affected by when you eat and the amount of fats, carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and water content. Fibrous foods can take longer to chew, giving your brain time to get the signal that you have had enough to eat. If you choose high-fiber, water-rich foods (vegetable soups, salads, fruits and vegetables), you can eat the same weight of food but feel full on fewer calories.

Women should get at least 25 grams of fiber each day and men 38 grams each day. Fiber is either soluble or insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water, insoluble does not. Both of these types are fiber are found naturally in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts.

Here are some ways to get more fiber in your diet:

• Eat whole fruits instead of fruit juice.
• Snack on veggies.
• Make vegetables a main course.
• Add a filling vegetable salad instead of a starchy salad as a side dish with meals.
• Enjoy a bowl of vegetable-based broth soup before meals.
• Start the day with a high-fiber cereal topped with fruit and protein.
• Eat more beans.
• Make all your grains whole and limit them to a few servings each day.
• Add nuts and seeds to your weight loss plan, but keep the portions small because they can be high fat.
• Add more fiber.
• Add a protein shake for breakfast or lunch. 

- Mona Claypoole, Director of Marketing & Wellness Support

Staff Picks for January 2015

Hair Care Favorite

Earth Science Hair Masque with olive and avocado oils is perfect for any hair type. With the colder winter days, it is important to remember to maintain those healthy locks. The dry, bitter cold air can be too harsh on hair, especially when wet. So remembering to deep treat those splitting ends will help in the long run.

For someone with oily hair, I struggle terribly with finding a product for my hair that works with my hair type. This product leaves my hair feeling smooth, protects my ends from stripping, and tames fly-aways.

You can use this as an every other day ritual, or like I do, as a treatment 1 to 2 times per week. I often recommend this product to customers and friends who are searching for that awesome hair product to amp up their hair care routine.

-CJ LaRose, Supervisor

Cold and Flu Support

Andrographis is an Indian Ayurvedic herb used for centuries to help with immune boosting, inflammation and respiratory infections. This is one of my personal favorites for the cold and flu season. At the first signs of a cold or cough, just one capsule a day of Nature’s Plus Andrographis seems to help shorten the duration and lessen symptoms. Bronchitis is a thing of the past for our family!

-Mona Claypoole, Director of Marketing and Wellness Support

Too Good to Be True

New to The Healthy Grocer this month is one of the most satisfyingly healthy snacks I have ever encountered! “Hi I’m Skinny Sticks” has a line of whole grain based snack sticks made with all natural ingredients, real vegetables and contain no preservatives, artificial colors or flavors. What more could you ask for? Personally, I would ask if these vegan, non-GMO, too-good-to-be-true snacks were also calorie free. Though they are not calorie free, they are very low in calories and fat with only 120 calories and 6g fat per serving. Victory!

I encourage everyone to treat themselves to one, or all, of the Skinny Stick snacks which come in Sweet Potato, Veggie Tortilla and Sweet Onion flavors. They are crunchy, flavorful and healthy all at the same time. You will not be disappointed!

-Paige Alexander, Assistant Buyer

Happy Juicing

As part of the produce team here at The Healthy Grocer, I’ve learned a lot of different things. One thing that has really stuck with me these past few years is juicing. It’s become a part of my daily routine. I always have customers asking for new ideas for their juice. Recently I have tried something new, the Hamlin orange.

When juicing, I love to add oranges. The Hamlin orange has a wonderful amount of juice and great flavor. It’s perfect to add to green juice, to give you that added Vitamin C or just to help mask those strong green flavors.

It’s definitely something I will keep around for my juicing routine and I recommend trying for any type of juice.

Also, remember, when juicing it’s best to let your citrus reach room temperature to get the most amount of juice!  Happy juicing!

-Kendle Zufall, Produce Manager

Delicious Deli Cookies

After the parties and hubbub of the holiday season, there’s nothing nicer than to slow down, take it easy and enjoy curling up at home with a steaming mug of hot cocoa and a tasty cookie. One of my favorites, our Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, would play an excellent role in such a cozy scenario. These cookies are made without dairy (they do have eggs, so unfortunately they aren’t vegan) and also use gluten-free rolled oats and fresh-ground peanut butter made here in our store. Deliciously dense and chewy, they’re reminiscent of classic winter comfort food and are perfect for dunking. They also keep well in a sealed container and stay fresh-tasting for days. Give yourself the gift of a peanut-buttery, chocolate moment!

-Victoria Brobst, Baker