VitaBlog The Vitacost Blog: Views and News on Vitamins, Supplements and Herbs

Jason Natural Products: Nature at Its Finest

Pure, affordable, quality, trusted. These are just some of the words used to describe Jason Natural Products, a line of premier organic personal care and beauty must-haves. Since 1959, Jason Natural Products have been providing customers with environmentally-friendly alternatives to artificial, potentially harmful, mass-produced merchandise.

With Jason Natural Products, you can find just about everything you need to feel and look naturally beautiful all over. From toothpaste, facial washes and scrubs, to shampoos, conditioners and body washes, Jason Natural Products has you covered from head to toe.   

Another great thing about Jason Natural Products is that the company does not engage in animal testing when developing these products. In addition, Jason Natural Products avoids using artificial colors, fragrances, animal by-products or harmful chemicals in everything they make, summing up the company's philosophy that "it is equally important to pay attention to what you put on your body as well as what you put in your body".

Treat Yourself to Hugo Naturals

Hugo Naturals is a line of quality personal care products that will help you look and feel amazing all over! Indulge your senses with fragrant shampoos and conditioners that leave your hair soft, shiny and smelling great…shower gels that gently cleanse and refresh your skin without stripping away its natural oils…bath salts, body butters, handcrafted soaps and lip balms that leave you feeling pampered and pretty…and more! 
 
Hugo Naturals are infused with fragrances that are equally amazing. You have to experience for yourself Vanilla & Sweet Orange, Lemon Verbena, French Lavender, Geranium, Grapefruit, Mango and Almond. These lush botanical extracts and pure essential oils are all captivating without being overwhelming.

Hugo Naturals are all-vegan, all natural and all proudly made in the USA. Cruelty-free, Hugo Naturals do not contain harsh ingredients known to irritate or harm your skin. Hugo Naturals are also "free of parabens, petroleum products, animal fats, alcohols, artificial colors or artificial fragrances."  Now how great is that…guilt-free indulgences at guilt-free values you can't resist! 

Pure Blueberry Juice Provides a Nutritional Blast!

Consuming blueberries is a delicious, nutritious way to look and feel your best! Rich in vitamins (C and E), minerals (magnesium and potassium) and other health promoting nutrients (antioxidants and amino acids), blueberries help boost energy levels, strengthen the immune system, and promote total body wellness! Also for those interested in keeping their skin youthful looking, the vitamin C in blueberries contributes to the creation of collagen, the main protein found in connective tissue which gives skin structural support.

The blueberry is one of the most potent sources of antioxidants among fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants are vital to your health because they help protect the cells in your body from the damaging effects of free radicals.  If left unchecked, these free radicals can cause health issues affecting the heart, skin, eyes, brain and more, and can also lead to premature aging. In addition, ellagic acid, an antioxidant found in blueberries, has been singled out to effectively support urinary tract health.           

Drinking blueberry juice is one of the most delicious and nutritious ways enjoy the benefits of this powerful little fruit. However, not just any blueberry juice will do. NSI 100% Pure Blueberry Juice Concentrate contains no added sugar, artificial flavors or colors, just pure blueberry goodness. Enjoy this potent juice by itself or add it to your favorite smoothie, yogurt or beverage of choice for a berry enticing nutritional boost!

Bach Flower Remedies Help Relieve Stress

Bach Flower Remedies are homeopathic products offering natural, temporary relief from life's daily stresses. Bach Flower Remedies combine the calming essences of nature's most soothing botanicals to help relieve tension, create calm and promote restful sleep, enabling you to de-stress, relax and rejuvenate both body and mind.  

The origin of Bach Flower Remedies dates back to the early 1930's, when noted British physician, Dr. Edward Bach found that lingering stress in his patients almost always resulted in physical disorders. Not wanting to expose these patients to potentially harmful medications, Dr. Bach researched and found that certain flowers provided safe, effective ways to ease their stress.

Since that time, Bach Flower Remedies have been used in over 66 countries for over 70 years to help lessen the effects of a multitude of common stressors.  To help temporarily relieve naturally-occurring tension, Bach Flower Remedies Rescue Remedy Natural Stress Relief contains a blend of Cherry Plum, Clematis, Impatiens, Rock Rose and Star of Bethlehem, five of Dr. Bach's original 38 flowers essences.
 
Bach Flower Remedies Rescue Sleep Natural Sleep Aid provides a non-habit forming way to gently drift off to sleep so you can wake up rested and ready for the next day. These two homeopathic preparations, along with the entire line of Bach Flower Remedies are trusted alternatives to the many synthetic, questionable stress relief products in the market today.

True Mass Gainer isn't just for Athletes

Muscle gainers are more science than art and done well by only a handful of supplement companies. Standing apart from the rest is BSN True-Mass Gainer, formulated to maximize lean muscle gains and boost your metabolic rate. With 92 percent of the DV of protein per serving and 100 percent of essential vitamins and minerals, True-Mass from BSN may be one of the most effective muscle volumizers available.

But True-Mass isn't just for athletes and bodybuilder's. It's for anyone looking to boost their calorie intake with a nutrient-dense alternative to whole foods. This means True-Mass is an exceptional meal replacement and, with numerous flavors to choose from, True-Mass makes for a nutritious, great-tasting breakfast shake or mid-day smoothie.

What is there to gain from the Medium-Chain-Triglycerides and Essential Fatty Acids in True-Mass? If six different ultra-premium proteins along with 20 percent of the DV of fiber, glutamine peptides and glutamine AKG for sustained energy release aren't enough, True-Mass may even help you lose a few pounds, putting you on the path to a more lean physique.

Toothpaste: Things to Know about Fluoride

Some of you may remember when fluoride was the biggest thing to happen to toothpaste since the tube. Colgate, Crest and others aggressively advertised adding fluoride to toothpaste to boost its cavity-preventing qualities. While small amounts of fluoride have been proven to prevent tooth decay, excessive amounts may lead to the irreversible discoloration of teeth and more severe health issue such as a reduction in bone density and a weakening of the skeletal structure.

Because communities across America add fluoride to drinking water, and this water is used in the making of common food products such as baby formula and cereal, juices, soda, wine and beer, we Americans may be consuming more fluoride than we think – especially if it's in our toothpaste as well! Will your teeth fall out if you stop using fluoride toothpaste? Absolutely not!

There are many effective and safe natural toothpaste products available that contain no fluoride and work to keep teeth and gums healthy. Try Tom's of Maine, Jason or Nature's Gate to see what you think. Or, take a little Arm & Hammer baking soda and make toothpaste by adding water. It won't taste as good, but it'll do the trick.

Tiger Balm Soothes Minor Aches and Pains

All too often, we reach for the ibuprofen or Tylenol because we've been trained to think of these OTC medications as a sole means to treat everyday hurt. Tiger Balm is a powerful external analgesic ointment and a superb alternative to pills and capsules that may lead to stomach upset, ulcers and liver damage.

Tiger Balm relies on all natural cajuput, cassia and clove oils to stimulate the circulation around the source of pain and to reduce muscle inflammation and swelling. The compound has been around for nearly a 100 years and is proven to temporarily relieve aches and pains associated with overexertion, backache, arthritis and joint pains.

Proper nutrition and muscle maintenance can play a vital role in avoiding common strains and ailments. Getting adequate amounts of protein, calcium and vitamin D in diet will contribute to muscle and skeletal wellness, along with a warm-up of simple stretching exercises prior to exertion. 

Coconut Diet May Promote Weight Loss

Believe it or not, there is such a thing as good fat. It's not the fat in most fried food and it's not the marbling in ribeye or sirloin that results in the steaks sizzling flavor. Nope, it's the fat in coconut oil which, if you substitute in place of all other cooking and salad oils in your diet, may help you lose weight effortlessly – the main tenet of the coconut diet.

Unlike the long-chain triglycerides in other oils, the medium-chain triglycerides found in coconut oil are metabolized more quickly by the body and are less likely to be stored as fat, or so say promoters of the coconut diet and nutritionists who swear by it. So as not to be misled, understand that coconut oil is high in saturated fat and when consumed in excess will get your cholesterol cranking just like other oils do. In fact, ounce for ounce, coconut oil delivers more saturated fat than butter, lard or margarine, and feeding studies conducted on humans, monkeys and rabbits show that coconut oil substantially elevates LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Then there's the research that indicates, when followed closely, the coconut diet may keep blood lipid levels low and benefit your thyroid and metabolism by helping you manage weight better. Support for coconut diet benefits stem from the fact that coconut oil is non-hydrogenated, contains zero cholesterol (as is the case with all plant-based oils) and has no trans-fat. That being said, coconut oil may present fewer cardiovascular risks than animal-based fats, and oils such as peanut, canola, vegetable and sunflower when used in moderation.

Stevia Leaf is Heart Healthier

Stevia leaf is a natural sweetener relatively new to the U.S. and sold only as a dietary supplement, as the FDA has yet to approve its use as a sweetener or food additive. Stevia leaf is 300 times sweeter than sugar, contains no calories or carbohydrates and is just as tasty when added to coffee or your favorite beverage.

Stevia leaf comes from a perennial shrub native to South America and has been incorporated in food and beverages in Paraguay, Brazil, South Korea, China and Japan. To some, the heart healthy benefits of stevia leaf may seem clear. It contains none of the useless calories of processed granular sugar and may even reduce your cravings for sweet and fatty foods, helping you manage weight better.

After use by millions of consumers, it's rather uncanny that the FDA still refuses to let manufacturers use it in place of sugar in food products. Don't let this stop you, though.  Study after study indicates that stevia leaf may do more good than harm and some research suggest that a component of stevia leaf helps to lower post-meal blood sugar and reduce blood pressure.