Breakouts are a part of life! In Jen’s Top 3 for October, the Rising Tide Wellness guru dishes on her go-to skin solutions for teens and adults.
Mother Dirt: Just brought these amazing new products in and have already had incredible feedback from staff and customers. Based on the idea of nurturing and restoring the skin biome (healthy bacteria = healthy skin), these products are perfect for anyone looking to lose the chemicals in their skincare routine while also enjoying awesome results. Try the Face & Body Cleanser, the Moisturizer and don’t miss the AO + Mist—a probiotic spray that’s magic at reducing oiliness, blotchiness, bumpiness, and dryness. Spray on in the morning and again at night.
Burdock Root: Burdock root is one of the most well-known detoxifying herbs, used in both Western and Chinese herbal medicine. Often recommended as a blood purifier, burdock eliminates the toxins that can cause chronic skin conditions (acne!). Jen recommends Burdock capsules from Oregon’s Wild Harvest. Take three at bedtime.
Evening Primrose Oil: The key ingredient in evening primrose oil is gamma-linolenic acid (GLA)—an omega-6 essential fatty acid that helps strengthen the skin barrier, reduce moisture loss, and reduce the inflammation and redness associated with acne. Our bodies can’t make GLA, but we can get it from other sources, including evening primrose oil. Jen recommends Rising Tide’s own brand of Evening Primrose. For best results, try 1,300mg daily for adults; 650mg for teens.
As always, feel free to talk with Jen about any of your concerns around acne or other skin care issues. And if you try her Top 3, let us know what works for you!
Sea Cliff resident David Shalam left a career in consumer electronics to pursue a dream…and Glen Cove is the luckier for it. Armed with six months of intensive bread and pastry training from NYC’s International Culinary Institute (formerly the French Culinary Institute), and a love for baking homemade popovers that dates back to childhood Thanksgivings, Shalam founded Heritage Bakers in 2014 . He began baking the flaky, buttery rolls—a cross between challah and brioche—out of a kitchen in Eastern Long Island, doing the Farmer’s Market circuit and soon selling to local businesses like Rising Tide Market (we’ve been carrying their Popovers for years and our customers love them). In March 2017, he started a wholesale business, and just this August, opened his welcoming café/bakery down in Garvies Point.
Between the bakery and his wholesale business, Shalam can make up to 1,000 popovers a day on the weekends. They come in three sizes (mini, medium and large) and two flavors: Original and Cinnamon Sugar. In addition to the popovers, Shalam makes a range of cookies, scones (including the DIVINE bacon and cheddar), pastries and breads. As of now, the café—featuring reclaimed wood for a modern feel and complete with a separate area for kids to play—is open Friday-Sunday from 8 am-4 pm, but Shalam has plans to expand to seven days a week.
We sat down with the man behind the popovers, to learn more about the bakery and what it means to be part of the local Glen Cove business community.
RT: What makes Heritage Bakers different than other bakeries?
DS: We use a heritage whole wheat flour, primarily grown in the 1700s-1950s, before they started making more hybridized wheat for greater gains. Modern wheat is filled with stabilizers, enhancers and additives that were not part of the heritage wheat.
After much trial and error, the heritage wheat I use, grown in Western Canada and milled in North Carolina, has great flavor, great nutrition, wonderful taste and is super fresh. I use it in everything we make, in varying degrees, and use organic wheat flour to fill in here and there.
RT: What is your favorite way to eat a popover?
DS: I tell people that it all depends on what you’re into. Eating with honey butter [made in-house] is a classic. For savory, we make a Parmesan popover with meatballs and mozzarella. They’re also good with a nice chicken salad or lobster salad. For breakfast, we do scrambled eggs and cheese with crumbled bacon. For a sweet popover, you can fill with pastry cream or ice cream. Drizzle caramel or chocolate on top.
RT: What’s next for Heritage Bakers? What’s coming around the bend that we can look forward to?
DS: I’d like to do more breads, more pastries, more danish. I want to get the café open every day, selling breakfast and lunch—soup or salad and a popover. I’d love to talk to Jerry [Farrell, owner of Rising Tide Market] about bringing in some of the Rising Tide salads to pair with my popovers, because they’re THAT GOOD.
RT: When you’re not noshing on your own breads and treats… What are you loving to eat right now?
DS: When I get home the last thing I want to do is cook, but I do love to grill. So anything off the grill. I like a good burger or some nice sausage.
RT: So many in our community dream of starting their own local business. What is your one piece of advice for launching a successful local biz?
DS: You need a lot of patience, and support from your family. And a positive attitude. Every day is a new day. Look at the big picture and realize that its one day at a time, and don’t get ahead of yourself.
RT: How has it been to open your business in Glen Cove? Have you felt welcomed by this community?
DS: Overwhelmingly welcomed! Everyone is so friendly and nice and are telling their friends about us. Having the guys next door at Wilson’s Martial Arts and the Garvies Point Craft Brewery has also been great. The Brewery customers love their IPAs, and they’re into ingredients, so we share a similar vibe. We make French Bread pizzas to sell to their customers.
I’m not super religious but I believe in good energy. So a lot of what I do here is take all that energy and focus on the positive. Everyone in Glen Cove has been so positive. And we feed off that energy.
We are pleased to introduce you to our October Charity of the Month: Grassroots Environmental Education’s ChildSafe School initiative
Grassroots is a New York-based non-profit organization founded in 2000 with a mission to educate the public about the links between common environmental exposures and human health, and to empower individuals to act as catalysts for change within their own communities. Their programs are based on science, and their network of environmental experts includes leaders in the fields of environmental toxicology and medicine from Yale, Columbia, Harvard, Tufts and New York Universities, U.C. Berkeley, Mount Sinai School of Medicine and other similar institutions.
Keeping Our Children Safe
As part of our continued efforts to support organizations that work with children and the environment, we will be raising funds for the entire month of October for Grassroots’ ChildSafe School initiative. The ChildSafe School is an award-winning science-based program designed to help you make your child’s school environment as safe as it can be.
Recent increases in rates of asthma, cancer and other childhood illnesses as well as learning and behavioral problems linked to exposure to toxins in the environment have sparked an increased interest in the environmental quality of schools.
The ChildSafe School provides a step-by-step framework to help parents, teachers and administrators make their schools as environmentally safe as they can be, by adopting policies such as:
- prohibiting the idling of school buses and other vehicles
- mandating the use of safe cleaning products
- eliminating the use of pesticides on school grounds and playing fields
North Shore School District Benefits from ChildSafe
Thanks to the hard work and dedication of Patti Wood and others at Grassroots, in 2011, New York State became the first state in the country to pass a law banning all pesticides on school grounds. But they’ve also undertaken initiatives closer to home. In 2016, every school in the North Shore School District switched from toxic rubber crumb playground surfaces to woodchips. Up next: The ChildSafe School is taking on the removal of wireless routers in classrooms, and turf fields and artificial fragrances in schools.
For more information on The ChildSafe School, visit www.thechildsafeschool.org. For more on all the amazing work Grassroots is doing for our community and beyond, visit them at www.grassrootsinfo.org.
Welcome to the first edition of our new website series: Jen’s Top 3. We’ll check in once a month with Jen, Rising Tide’s resident Wellness guru, to find out what you need to be taking or doing RIGHT NOW to heal any aspect of your health.
Hard to believe it when you step outside, but cold and flu season is just about here. We asked our resident Wellness guru, Jen, about how best to protect ourselves from the most potent of the season’s bugs.
- Host Defense Comprehensive Immune: Mushrooms may look kooky, but they are actually some of the most powerful natural medicines on the planet. Host Defense’s blend of 17 potent mushroom species encourages resistance to cellular invaders (yuck!) and helps balance the immune system.
- MegaFood Vitamin D3 2,000 IU: Sufficient Vitamin D can reduce your risk of infectious disease by strengthening your innate immune system, allowing you to quickly and effectively fight off invaders before a full-blown infection develops. Jen likes Mega Food’s Vitamin D3; take one 2,000 IU capsule daily; take two or three if you’re under the weather.
- Garden of Life Once Daily Ultra Probiotic: Since 80 % of your immune system is located in your gut, it makes sense that probiotics (“good” bacteria that keep your gut healthy) would help ward off cold and flu viruses. Eat naturally fermented foods (sauerkraut, yogurt, miso, kefir) or take a high-quality probiotic supplement like this one from Garden of Life: 15 diverse strains and 90 billion CFUs of cold-and-flu-fighting probiotics are packed into a once-a-day capsule.
October is Non-GMO month…what better time to talk about Biodynamic Farming—what it is and how it affects the food you eat? Here are the Top 5 things you need to know about biodynamic farming and its potential impact on all our lives:
(Note: all photos for this story are from Rosendals Garden, the amazing Biodynamic Farm Jerry and Ashley biked to during their recent trip to Stockholm. There has been so much talk in recent months of the growing trend in biodynamic farming, they wanted to see what it was all about!)
- Biodynamic and Organic farming practices come from the same place. The organic farm movement grew out of the development of the biodynamic approach to agriculture that started in the 1920s. (The term organic was coined from the biodynamic principle that the farm should be viewed as a self-contained organism).
- In practice, the biodynamic farm is run very much like an organic farm, with a focus on building soil fertility, rotating crops, banning GMOs, and eliminating chemicals and hormones.
- The major difference between organic and biodynamic farming: Biodynamic farms feature a completely closed system and the use of biodynamic preparations. Having livestock on the farm, dedicating at least 10% of the land as a biodiversity preserve, and growing certain herbs and plants on the farm help maintain it as a self-contained and sustainable system.
- The Demeter Biodynamic® Processing Standard (there are 16 categories in all, including oil, wine, cosmetics and body care) fundamentally ensures an unbroken chain of accountability from the farm to the finished product.
- The demand for biodynamic products is increasing in the U.S. (In Europe, there are entire stores that carry only biodynamic products!) Every commercial farm or product must be certified through Demeter International, the oldest ecological certification organization in the world to legally use the term Biodynamic on labeling and promotion.
As of 2016, Demeter USA (the U.S. representative of Demeter International) has almost 200 members and certifies more than 20,000 acres. These numbers are set to increase as they have been experiencing an average of 10% growth in certification in recent years. Why the resurgence now? More and more consumers are alarmed (and fed up!) with the byproducts of conventional farming: erosion of topsoil, increased pesticide usage and run-off, global warming, animal abuses, low value of produce, and GMOs.
Shop Biodynamic at Rising Tide
Rising Tide market has its finger on the pulse of every new biodynamic certified product that enters the marketplace. In store now:
For more on Biodynamic farming, check out this article from Shape magazine.
The U.S. Organic Industry is growing, growing, growing—organic food now accounts for 5.3% of all food sales in the U.S. We don’t need to tell you…across all organic food categories, shoppers are placing high value on freshness and convenience.
Says Laura Batcha, chief executive officer of the Organic Trade Association (OTA), “The organic industry continues to be a real bright spot in the food and agriculture economy, both at the farm gate and the check-out counter.”
Meeting Demand
Good news, right? Yes, if the supply could meet the demand. Even as consumer demand for organic food grows, the percentage of certified organic farmland in the United States stays below 1%. According to the USDA, the annual sales of organic foods has increased by double digits every year since the 1990s. This is great! However this low supply/high demand dichotomy leaves farmers struggling to meet the needs of their customers. Transitioning to organic is a three-year process that can often leave the farmer in an odd limbo between conventional and organic production, which can prove to be very costly. Larger farms have the resources, but many medium and small farms cannot afford the risk.
There is a silver lining…a new program has recently been launched to help mitigate the burden of farm transition. Leading organic certifier Quality Assurance international (QAI), part of the National Sanitation Foundation International (NSF), is working with industry partners to support farmers through the Cettifed Transitional Program. By auditing and verifying each step of the three-year process, the program assures consumers that they are supporting a farm through a challenging transition, and it provides farmers a way to continue to sell their crops as they convert their land to be eligible for organic certification. Programs on the local, state and federal levels will still be needed to support farms in transition, but the Certified Transitional label will go a long way toward helping farmers to join the organic movement.
For more information, visit the QAI website or NSF.
Article courtesy of the Independent Natural Food Retailers Association (INFRA). Rising Tide Market is a proud member of INFRA!
Lots to think about as the kids head back to school…but is head lice one of them? Unfortunately, yes. An estimated 6 to 12 million infestations occur each year in the U.S. among children 3 to 11 years of age.
Don’t worry…we’ve got everything you need to prevent and treat those creeping critters this school year. Long Island-based Fairy Lice Mothers line contains no toxic chemicals, and is safe (and effective!) for children, pregnant women, and those with allergies. (Just a heads up: the new generation of so-called Super Lice have become resistant to toxic chemicals in conventional treatments, anyway, so a natural line of prevention/treatment is most definitely the way to go!)
- MagicHalo Shampoo ($14.99): A registered homeopathic treatment, MagicHalo relieves itching and helps prevent reinfestation.
- MagicHalo Conditioner ($11.99): Moisturizes the hair and scalp, while also preventing lice. Sulfate free.
- MagicMint Detangler ($9.99): Keep lice away! This unique lice fighting tool can be used as a preventative; safe enough to use every day.
- MagicMousse ($14.99): 99% effective in removing lice and easing nit removal.
- MagicBox ($29.99):This kit is the all-in-one way to prevent and eliminate lice. Includes MagicHalo Shampoo, MagicMousse, and the MagicWand for removing nits.
***All Fairy Lice Mothers products will be 15% off in September for Back to School.***
We’re thrilled to bring you the entire EO line of hair and skin care products. What started in Brad Black and Susan Griffin-Black’s garage back in 1995 has grown into a full array of products covering everything from bath, body and hands, to face, hair and baby, and their wildly popular, budget-friendly Everyone line. Everything EO does, including becoming the first personal care company to be certified non-GMO by the Non-GMO Verified Project in 2011, is driven by how Brad and Susan can most authentically impact the personal care industry.
What We Can’t Get Enough Of
We love the top-quality EO products for their gorgeous scents (all essential oil-based, they’re soothing but not overpowering). Plus they are really effective—the conditioner leaves hair super manageable, the hair gel is light (but holds!) and the moisturizing lotion gives us baby-soft skin all over.
**All EO and Everyone products are 20% off for Grateful Card members for the entire month of September**
Start the school season right, with personal care products you can feel grateful about!
We are pleased to introduce you to our September charity of the month: S.A.F.E (Substance Abuse Free Environment).
Since 1981, S.A.F.E has been dedicated to eliminating alcohol and substance abuse in the Glen Cove community. Combining the strengths of the public and private sectors, S.A.F.E provides Glen Cove residents with alcohol and drug intervention, prevention, and educational outreach services.
Executive Director Dr. Sharon Harris, a licensed clinical psychologist, oversees a number of programs through the nonprofit agency, including a free community walk-in program for mental health and substance abuse. S.A.F.E. also works closely with the Department of Social Services to provide housing support, domestic violence intervention, and evidence-based life skills classes for elementary and middle school students and their parents. The annual Family Awareness Day in Morgan Park, aimed at helping kids make good choices surrounding drugs and alcohol, is also a S.A.F.E.-run project.
Educating Glen Cove’s Kids & Teens
S.A.F.E.’s close relationship with the Glen Cove City Schools means excellent substance abuse prevention programming for Glen Cove students. S.A.F.E. pushes into the high school along with the Glen Cove Police Department for pre-prom presentations on alcohol and substance abuse, and has worked with the Nassau County District Attorney’s office to put a “crash car” on the lawn of Glen Cove High School. They also send a Student Athlete Leadership Team (SALT) to HOFTRA for training, then sends these high school juniors and seniors into the middle school to present on healthy decision-making skills, engaging in positive activities, and building individual resilience.
Check out the S.A.F.E. website to see just how many initiatives they’re part of, and how much they are doing to protect and educate our neighbors here in Glen Cove.
Imagine our delight when our new neighbor moved in and it was…a yoga studio?! We can’t think of a better fit. Since Gritty Buddha opened for business in November 2016, we have been blessed to have a partner with a likeminded pursuit of happy customers and healthy living. A full complement of yoga and meditation classes and teacher trainings means there is something for everyone looking to put a little (or a lot!) of zen in their lives. Rising Tide Market sat down with Gritty Buddha’s founder and owner, Regina Smith, to find out what makes the new Glen Cove yoga studio tick.
RT: How did you come by your name?
GB: It was a stroke of insight while leading a retreat in Anguilla. Our yoga studio there is a beautiful second floor space overlooking the sand—it looks like it should be a bar in Thailand. And it came to me like a whisper in my ear: Gritty Buddha.
The name is the culmination of the deepest core values I’ve been working on for the last 16 years. Grit is persistence over time and the ability to see through whatever you’re faced with. Buddha is all things equanimous and centered and love. So Gritty Buddha is the perfect balance of grit, perseverence, strength, love and peace.
RT: What is one thing about Gritty Buddha that most people don’t know?
GB: We have two showers! I’ve never been a person that has had the luxury of staying in my sweaty clothes all day. I had work to do. These showers have not been utilized enough and they’re the best showers you’ll ever be under.
The other thing that most people don’t know is that everything we do comes back to having a sense of being okay on the inside. This opens us up to reaching students not by level or experience, but by willingness or openness. I don’t care if you’re 90 or 9, just did a triathlon or just had a knee replacement. You have a home here.
Our teaching team has a crazy level of acceptance of who you are and what you’re working with. We don’t level our classes; just show up at a time slot that fits your life. You’re going to learn something, and you’ll be over your head no matter what. Yoga is 5,000 years old—you’re never going to catch up! We’re always going to feel like we don’t know what we’re doing for a moment.
RT: How has it been to be part of the Glen Cove business community? Have you felt welcomed?
GB: I was born and raised here and graduated from Glen Cove High School. I left for my first job offer in England less than a year after graduation. I lived throughout Europe and the U.S., working for a company with 120 locations all over the world, and I can tell you this community is really special. To come home and make a contribution to this community that raised me to be who I am feels amazing.
What’s special is my dad doing a daily walk through in the studio. No matter who is in the studio he’ll say hello. What’s special is my daughter being in the preschool I went to 30 years ago. Special is that some of the teachers that taught me through middle school and high school and that formed my view of the world and how I express myself are now students, and I get to see them again and maybe teach them something I’ve learned through time and travel. The depth you get from being somewhere and really seeing and loving people—that’s what I feel here in Glen Cove.
RT: What is the latest news from Gritty Buddha? What’s coming around the bend that we can look forward to?
GB: We believe in opening up people’s worldview whether its between heart and head or physically seeing the world. We had three retreats this year: Bali, Tulum and Tuscany. We are going to Anguilla in November and are offering an extended calendar in 2018-19.
We want to build a global community out of our tiny local home. Students from Berlin, Russia, Canada and more show up at our retreats. We also have a whole series of life enrichment education that relates yoga philosophy in real time. I am equal 50-50 leadership and yoga, and I use yoga philosophy as the platform for how to connect and inspire. Learning how to balance on your hands is a party trick and will fade in time. What won’t fade is how you treat yourself and others.
Our one-year anniversary is on Thanksgiving and this may well not be the only Gritty Buddha in the world in the future.
RT: Living the yoga lifestyle means being conscious about what you put in your body. What are you loving to eat right now? What is your top go-to item from Rising Tide Market?
GB: Anything chocolate and peanut butter! I also live for kale slaw with a spoonful of guacamole. I’m addicted to corn soup over brown rice with a slice of avocado. That [So Delicious] French Vanilla Coconut Creamer should be outlawed. And carrot cake. My (3 year-old) daughter Aalia came over yesterday and said, “Mommy, ask them if they have the carrot cake.”
RT: So many in our community dream of starting their own local business. What advice do you have for these folks?
GB: Really see the people in front of you. Look them in the eye and greet them. And you are never off the clock if you believe in something you represent. That’s a heavy responsibility, but it is a no brainer. You live [your business] in every interaction. We’re here to contribute to this community. You can’t just set up shop and put a sign up and expect people to come. You need to draw people in with your enthusiasm and your love, not for what you expect to get from them.
Years ago, Ashley P.’s mom dragged her to the beach in the middle of the winter to view a meteor shower. They brewed their coffee, bundled up, and headed out to take in a not-to-be-missed natural phenomenon. (The shooting stars made it remarkable; the coffee, bearable!)
This weekend (Aug 12-13), you have a shot at experiencing a similar astral explosion –a Perseid Meteor Shower—for yourself. And while it’s summer, the nights still get cool, so bring along your hot tea or coffee in a new 12oz Hydroflask Coffee Cup, with Hydro Flip cap ($19.99). Your brew will stay nice and warm while you bask in the glow of a celestial wonder you’ll remember forever.
Check out these tips to make the most of your pre-dawn star search (hint: the more you minimize moon glow, the more meteors you’ll see!)
We are so excited to announce our August Charity of the Month: the Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor!
Since 1986, the Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor (CSHH), a volunteer, nonprofit organization, has been dedicated to identifying and eliminating environmental threats to Hempstead Harbor and its surrounding communities. Their objective is to advance the public interest in protecting and restoring our local environment to its full ecological and economic potential.
Why We Chose the Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor
We love that the CSHH executes its mission by promoting appreciation of the local environment and getting the public involved in local conservation issues—issues that directly affect the community we call home!
If you would like to donate to the Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor above and beyond your BYOB donations, e-mail Liz at marketing@risingtidemarket.com.
And if you want to help improve the local environment and make a difference in and around Hempstead Harbor, consider becoming a member of the Coalition. No experience necessary. Be part of the change!
Inspired by a customer who, along with her husband, collectively lost more than 20 pounds drinking Apple Cider Vinegar, several of us on staff have joined the ACV craze. We dove into the research around ACV and found the key to the vinegar’s success as weight loss tool: Acetic acid. It seems the acid blocks the absorption of starch, so any starches (read: carbs) you eat are not digested. Hence, the weight loss! An added ascetic acid bi-product: if the starches are not being digested, your blood sugar is not being spiked, which can help control appetite.
Wanna join us?
(Note: much of the research around ACV indicates that you need to be patient if you want to see improvements. This is not an overnight fix…but we would be skeptical of if it was, wouldn’t you?!)
To Shoot or Swig?
There are many ways to take your ACV, but those of us on staff are divided between these two:
- Take a 1oz shot of the stuff 30 minutes prior to each meal. (This can be hard on the gut for some; experiment and see what it does for you.)
- Mix anywhere between a tablespoon and an ounce of ACV with 6-8oz of water and sip it 30 minutes before each meal
If you give it a try, post on Rising Tide’s Facebook or Instagram and let us know how it goes. We can’t wait to hear what ACV does for you!
We’re so proud to introduce our line of Rising Tide branded supplements. Made with only clean ingredients, and meeting the highest standards in the industry, these supplements—some 120 to date—represent 41 years of Rising Tide’s commitment to providing the best possible products for our customers.
Why, you ask, did we get into the supplement business? As you may know, the supplement industry has been going through some changes. One-time innovators like Solgar, Country Life, Twin Labs and others have sold out to larger, publicly held companies, drastically diminishing their standards. Since we have reduced our stock of these products, we sought to fill the gap using a transparent company that lets us bring you third-party tested, researched and affordable supplements we can be proud to label with the Rising Tide name.
We’re offering a full line of supplements, something to meet every one of your health needs:
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Probiotics
- Protein powders
- and More!
**ALL RISING TIDE BRANDED SUPPLEMENTS ARE 20% off ALL THE TIME for our Grateful Card members!**
Come check them out today…and please let us know what you think!
Amityville-based Pleasant Petites is one of Rising Tide’s all-time favorite local vendors. If you haven’t tried them yet, be sure to pick up a Peanut Butter Goji-Berry Brownie, Ultimate Cocoa Krunch, Lovely Lemon Bar or Nicest Nola Bar in the grab-and-go case by the Deli.
For customers who don’t yet know Pleasant Petites, how would you describe your company and your creations? What sets you apart?
Our handmade creations are 100% organic, vegan and gluten-free. We never use refined sugars or preservatives. Our products are nutritious twists on traditional sweets.
Do you source ingredients locally? How important is that to you?
Yes, whenever possible. Most of our ingredients are purchased from a New York supplier, and we try to work with local vendors when possible. Since starting, we have spent time at events and farmer’s markets sharing advice, ideas and personal experiences with other local vendors. There is a communal effort in everything we do.
What is coming around the bend from Pleasant Petites?
We would love to offer Pleasant Petites outside the local area. Shipments will be available directly from our website in the near future.
What is one thing about Pleasant Petites that most people don’t know?
Every one of our creations is carefully crafted by hand. Preparing ingredients, packaging and labeling them is very time consuming. Our company has three partners: Bobby Nagelberg, Jamie Effman and Jesse Effman. Our families have played a large role in our growth. They have contributed emotional support as well as hands-on help. You might meet Bobby’s mom Teresa, brother Matty or Jamie and Jesse’s 8-year-old daughter Olive in the kitchen, a local event, or at a farmer’s market. We are very proud to consider Pleasant Petites a family-based operation.
When you’re not making and eating sweets, what are your latest food addictions? What do you love that we should all know about?
We are participating in our local Organic CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Project and it has been an incredible experience. Each week, we are able to pick up an amazing variety of fruits and vegetables. We are constantly surprised to discover different types of produce that could be missed when shopping in a store. Our culinary horizons are expanded and we are also helping local communities and the environment.
So many in our community dream of starting their own food business. What is your one piece of advice for launching a successful local biz?
It is important to get to know and listen to your customers. We have had many informative conversations since we began and their input has been valuable and instrumental to our growth. We have learned more about our products and our mission while developing some very strong friendships.
For more on Pleasant Petites, check out this article in Edible Long Island. Next time you’re at Rising Tide, pick up one of their amazing creations!
In 1984, President Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday of the month as National Ice Cream Day (this year, it will be celebrated on Sunday, July 16). He was clearly on to something; according to the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), the average American consumes approximately 23 POUNDS of ice cream annually. Yes, Americans love their cold, creamy desserts.
If you’re an ice cream lover in this neck of the woods, you’re in luck: Some of the best ice cream spots on Long Island, consistently voted so year after year, are located right here in Nassau County. If you haven’t been yet, this is the perfect month to check out Skipperdee’s L’il Cupcake and Ice Cream Shop in Point Lookout (an old fashioned ice cream parlor and candy shop); Marvel Ice Cream in Lido Beach (soft serve heaven) and Douglas and James in Port Washington (a traditional scoop shop serving homemade flavors in a waterfront setting). For ice cream sandwiches the likes of which you have never seen, hit up Frozen Sin ice cream truck, serving up beautiful treats made with local, seasonal ingredients. (Note: for pure vanilla creaminess right here in Glen Cove, Rising Tide has amazing deals on Alden’s Organic ice cream this month (Mint Chip, Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Vanilla Bean and Vanilla & Chocolate Swirl)…$5.99/48 oz container. Yum!
Non-Dairy Ice Cream
If you’re vegan but still crave some really tasty creamy goodness this summer, here is a list of the best vegan ice cream spots in NYC. Or just come into Rising Tide; we’ve got a few vegans on our team that make sure we carry the good stuff: Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream in Coffee, Salted Caramel, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, $10.99/14oz.
A mild, rainy winter has led to an extra tick-y season here in Long Island and other places around the country. Unfortunately, ticks bring with them the possibility of contracting conditions such as Lyme Disease (which can be treated if caught early) and Powassan virus, which currently has no treatment.
Our resident Wellness guru, Jen, has some important tips to help you stay tick-free this summer.
1. Wear lightly colored clothing to make ticks more visible.
2. Tuck pants into socks to minimize skin exposure.
3. Run a lint roller over your body and clothing before heading outdoors.
4. Take/eat garlic, Brewer’s yeast, and Vitamin B6 to make you less appealing to ticks.
5. Use DEET-free insect repellents. Otherwise known as N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, DEET has been shown in studies of rats to kill off the neurons in the brain that control muscle movement, learning, memory and concentration when treated with a dose equivalent to that a person would use. Children could be at a greater risk here, as their skin absorbs the DEET more readily. Opt instead for essential oil-based repellents containing powerful oils such as lavender, lemongrass, rose geranium, eucalyptus and citronella.
Rising Tide’s TOP PICKS for Avoiding Ticks:
- Nantucket Spider:
Bug Repellant for People, 8 oz., $12.99
Summer Camp Repellant for Kids, 8 oz., $12.99
Extra Strength Bug Repellant for People, 8 oz., $12.99
Tick & Bug Repellant for Dogs, 8 oz., $12.99
- Quantum:
Buzz Away Extreme, 4 oz., $9.99
- COMING SOON: Woodstock Herbals Hikers Guard Spray and Lotion
If you DO find a tick on yourself or someone else, follow these tips for removing it.
See what the Town of North Hempstead is doing to manage their tick situation (naturally!) this summer.
We are so excited to announce our May Charity of the Month: The Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club!
The Club serves more than 600 youth (ages 6 -18) in the Glen Cove community with after-school programs in education, sports, recreation, dance, technology and art—all designed to enrich and enhance learning and build self-esteem. And now that school’s out, the Boys & Girls Club will be providing an amazing and affordable summer program including day trips, lunch and a different fun theme each week.
The Boys & Girls Club mission is to provide a safe and caring environment that will inspire and enable all young people to realize their full potential as productive and responsible citizens.
What could be better than that?
Remember, each time you bring in a reusable bag to Rising Tide Market you’ll be asked if you want to donate your $.10 to the Charity of the Month. Please give to this worthwhile organization!
Note: If you would like to make an additional donation to the Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club, and help impact the lives of children right here in your own neighborhood, please contact us at marketing@risingtidemarket.com.
Now you need look no further than your favorite natural foods store for great prices on cases of premium bottled water.
Stock up this summer when it’s HOT and HUMID out there, and the need for really good hydration is a must. While all fluids count toward your total H2O intake (yes, even your morning cold-brew coffee), nothing beats good old fashioned water for keeping you looking and feeling your best on steamy summer days.
- Mountain Valley Water: 12 1 liter glass bottles, just $24.99
Naturally alkaline, unique blend of minerals, and a remarkably refreshing taste.
- Waiakea Water: 12 1 liter bottles, $19.99; 24 500ml bottles, $24.99
The first Hawaiian volcanic water…and a certified CarbonNeutral company with its eye on people and the planet.
Look for more great deals on cases of water, coming soon!
We are thrilled to report that the first month of our Bring Your Own Bag (BYOB) program was a whopping success. We saved hundreds of paper bags and are set to donate over $600 to our first-ever Charity of the Month: the North Shore INN.
And it is all because of YOU!
Here are the details:
- From April 22-May 31, 2016: 1,939 customers brought in reusable bags
- From April 22-May 31, 2017: 3,861 customers brought in reusable bags….a 50% increase over last year!
- The North Shore INN will receive a check from us for $626.75. The nonprofit soup kitchen was established in 1989 to feed hungry people in the Glen Cove area, and serves hot meals on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from noon to 1:00 p.m. in the First Baptist Church. (In addition to this BYOB donation, Rising Tide Natural Market has a longstanding relationship with the INN, donating food each Friday.)
So, just to recap–we reduced our paper bag usage by HALF during the first month of the BYOB initiative, and are on pace for our overall goal: reducing the number of paper bags by half FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR. So let’s not let up! Researchers say it takes an average of 66 days for a new habit to stick.
Keep bringing those reusable bags!
JUNE CHARITY OF THE MONTH
Our June Charity of the Month is Cove Animal Rescue. It’s mission is another one we can REALLY get behind: to increase the adoptability of homeless dogs and cats through training, socialization and improved surroundings (like it’s amazing cage-free cat wing!) that facilitate transition to a home environment.
Thank you again for jumping on board with this important initiative!
Hemp has long been a darling of the environmentally conscious consumer. What many people DON’T know is that hemp contains no significant amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and as such, it’s impossible to get high from it. Despite this reality (and hemp’s many redeeming features), hemp is still considered a Schedule 1 Narcotic under the Controlled Substances Act.
How archaic!
This year, the 8th annual Hemp History Week celebrates America’s rich history with industrial hemp BEFORE it was outlawed (the Declaration of Independence was written on hemp!), and educates consumers about the barriers to hemp farming in the United States.
More Facts About Hemp:
* Hemp seeds are an amazing source of sustainable protein (more protein than even chia or flax seeds…add to smoothies, or sprinkle on cereals, yogurt and salads), are anti-inflammatory, great for your skin (thank you, amino acids!), can balance hormones and even reduce pain. And hemp seed oil–the oil derived from pressed hemp seeds–contains the most heart-friendly essential fatty acids of any nut or seed oil.
* The cultivation of environmentally-friendly hemp yields more protein while requiring significantly less of each natural resource (land, water, fossil fuel) and producing fewer emissions than protein that comes from animal sources.
* Hemp crops pay. In Canada, hemp nets $200-$400 per acre, while just across the border, U.S. soy and corn typically net less than $160 an acre, according to the USDA.
* Millions of U.S. cars made by Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, and Tesla Motors are already being built with interior hemp-composite panels. If these companies could source U.S. grown hemp it would create long-term jobs in all sectors, strengthen regional economies, and maximize supply chain efficiencies. It’s a win-win-win!
At Rising Tide, we’re getting behind hemp all week by discounting hemp products from one of our favorite vendors: Nutiva. Check out the end cap all week and add some hemp into your life!
For more information about hemp and what you can do to help change Federal policy on hemp farming in the U.S., click here, and join Hemp History Week on Facebook.
If you’re already a Farmer’s Market devotee (like we are!), then you know that markets are a great place to get the freshest local produce, dairy, breads and other artisanal items (and the perfect spot to spend a few quiet hours on a summer Saturday). Supporting small local farms is imperative in this era of GMOs and Big Food; our farmer’s market purchases gives them the cash they need to provide a healthy, sustainable alternative to mass-produced foods.
Here are some more great reasons to make a stop at your local Farmer’s Market a regular part of your week.
Lucky for us, the Sea Cliff Farmer’s Market is about to open for the season. From June through October, each Saturday from 9-1, the market offers just-picked organic produce, all grown on Long Island, most from Nassau and Western Suffolk County. The farms represented are Restoration Farm (Old Bethpage), Beagan Gooth (Old Brookville), Youngs Farm (Old Brookville), Fox Hollow Farm (S. Huntington), Three Castles Gardens (Old Westbury), Pietro’s Farm (Old Westbury) and Orient Organics (Orient Point).
In addition to produce, the Sea Cliff market will have:
- Eggs and honey from Raleigh Poultry Farm in Kings Park
- Delicious breads, popovers and other sweet treats from Heritage Bakers in Glen Cove
- Jams, jellies, soups and other goodies from Gourmet Your Way
Plus, if you time it right, sometimes you can get amazing small-batch olive oil from Casale Sonnino, direct from Roma, Italy…che buono!
The Sea Cliff Market is scheduled to open for the year on June 17. It’s located at St. Luke’s Church at the corner of Glen and Roslyn Aves. in Sea Cliff, and takes place rain or shine (when it rains, they are indoors at the Parish Hall).
For market updates, follow them on Facebook.
We love that there are local organizations so closely aligned to our mission. One such group is Slow Food North Shore, one of two Long Island chapters of the nonprofit group Slow Food USA, headed up by chef, food activist, and our good friend Bhavani Jaroff of ieatgreen.com.
Two exciting Slow Food events in June will introduce you to what Slow Food North Shore is all about: getting together to share good ideas and delicious, clean, local food. On June 16, enjoy a tour of the Brooklyn Grange Rooftop Farm in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, plus a wine tasting at the rooftop vineyard, Rooftop Reds. The evening is capped off with gourmet pizza you don’t want to miss.
And don’t miss Slow Food North Shore’s Summer Solstice Potluck Party on Sat., June 17, featuring great food (Rising Tide will be providing the Cocktail Hour munchies!), live music, and a beautiful setting at Restoration Farm in Old Bethpage. A bunch of us will be there…hope to see you!
Click here for more on both events. Hope to see you at one/both!
Kicking off on Mother’s Day (May 14), the 18th annual Women’s Health Week is led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health. The goal? To empower women to make their health a priority, and to encourage women to take steps to engage in radical self care. Now that’s something we can get behind.
Studies show that women who exercise regularly, eat right, get sufficient sleep and find satisfaction in their work and personal lives have a lower incidence of depression, anxiety and illnesses, such as heart disease.
But where to start? Most women we know are busy working, caring for their families, looking after their homes and finances…the list goes on.
The good news is that even the simplest of activities can go a long way toward caring for #1:
* Exercise: Do whatever feels good to you. Even 10 minutes of stretching can have amazing benefits for your body and mind. According to the experts, we should be gunning for 30 minutes of physical activity most days–more if you want/need to lose weight.
* Sleep: Seven to eight hours/night is considered optimal. Signs your not getting enough sleep? You’re always hungry, your memory is shot, you’re more impulsive/easily irritated, your emotions are all over the place, and you catch every cold that blows your way. To set yourself up for a good night’s sleep, avoid ALL screens for at least an hour before bedtime.
* Breathe: Spend 5 minutes a day, inhaling and exhaling, slowly and deeply. It’s amazing how something so simple can make you feel SO much more relaxed.
* Eat more real, whole foods: Shoot for an 80/20 style of eating. You don’t have to be good all of the time; just most of the time! (While you’re tweaking habits, why not try something new altogether. If you’re a meat eater, start planning Meatless Mondays. If you don’t eat meat, tweak some other area of your diet–swap coffee for matcha; start the day with an antioxidant-rich drink or a plant-based protein packed smoothie.)
Get Your Check up
And don’t overlook perhaps the most basic of all self-care activities: your annual well-woman check up, one good way to ensure you stay healthy and disease free. May 15 is National Women’s Check Up Day. If you can’t see your doctor by then, at least schedule your appointment for a month or two down the road. And take this checklist when you go; it’s a good reminder of the kinds of things to share and/or ask of your doc.
Once you’ve tackled your medical physical, look at some other ways to prioritize yourself, and feel great, body, mind and spirit. Check out this blog post on www.tinybuddha.com for a whole bunch of ways to kick start a new self-care regime. Ease into it by picking one activity from each category. When you get really good at those, add another three. Before you know it, true self care will be part of everything you do.
May is all about the WOMEN. Women’s Health Week kicks off on May 14th, which is (not coincidentally!) also Mother’s Day. What a great time to show the moms in your life how much you care.
At Rising Tide, our whole mission is to nourish our community with the products we sell and the knowledge we share. Who better to nourish than the mamas in the community we love? Here are our Top Picks for Mother’s Day gifts this year, many of which we’ve put on sale just for the moms:
1. GIVE A PLANT. Fresh from L.I.’s North Fork, Marion Gardens organic plants are the perfect gift for anyone with a green thumb. (Get extra props for doing the actual planting with your mom…the gift of quality time!). We’ve got all kinds of herbs ($5.99-$7.99) and veggie/fruit plants ($3.99).
2. GIVE GOOD SOAK. We’ve got amaaaaaazing Himalayan Salt soaks (and a Coconut Salt Scrub) from Evolution Salt Co. (ON SALE $10.19-$12.79). Himalayan Salt is said to be the cleanest salt on the Earth, with the most health benefits (among them: promoting healthy pH balance in the cells, regulating sleep, preventing muscle cramps, and supporting respiratory health…all great stuff.) We’ve also got Evolution Salt Lamps (ON SALE $33.99), perfect for Mom’s bedroom or anyplace she could benefit from improved air quality (and a warm, orange glow!).
Equally delicious, EO Products makes an Epsom Soak (in lovely scents like Eucalyptus & Citrus, Geranium & Sweet Orange and Juniper & Cedarwood, all with the healing power of Epsom Salt to help mom relax and unwind. (ON SALE $10.59)
3. GIVE GOOD SCENTS. Diffusing essential oils will transform a mom’s very surroundings. The SpaRoom AromaMist aromatherapy diffusers (ON SALE $50.99) pair perfectly with and Body Care blends (Renew, Comfort, Freshen, Love Potion) by essential oil masters Aura Cacia (ON SALE $7.69-$9.39).
4. GIVE THE GIFT OF YOUTH. We all want to look as young as we feel, and to get there using the cleanest ingredients. The Age Defying Kit by Andalou Naturals–the first Non-GMO Project Verified beauty brand–is packed with super antioxidants to support skin wellbeing and give skin a softer, smoother appearance. Contains 5 skin essentials: Apricot Probiotic Cleansing Milk, Blossom + Leaf Toning Refresher, BioActive 8 Berry Fruit Enzyme Mask, Super Goji Peptide Perfecting Cream and Resveratrol Q10 Night Repair Cream. (ON SALE $16.99/kit)
5. GIVE A GIFT CARD. A Rising Tide gift card will gift your mom access to all the healthy foods, supplements, and clean personal care products she needs to look, feel and BE great. There’s no better gift for every mom in your life.
Our GRATEFUL CARD PROGRAM is Here!
On May 15, 2017, Rising Tide Market will launch our brand-new Grateful Card Program, featuring:
- Exclusive, members-only discounts on some of our HOTTEST items (look for the blue tags!). We’ll be discounting approximately 130 products in the first month alone!
- A monthly e-newsletter to keep you abreast of the latest sales
- A $5 Rising Tide coupon, to be used on the day you enroll
Come down to the store, fill out a quick form and you’re IN! Were can’t wait to welcome you to the program.
Here in the first world we take our bananas, chocolate and coffee (oh yes, especially our coffee!) for granted. But many people in other countries are not so lucky. Each day, tens of thousands of people in various Asian, African and South American countries—men, women and even children—work themselves to the bone in unbearable conditions for pennies so we can continue to enjoy the things we love.
The Fair Trade movement seeks to level the playing field for workers around the world, ensuring that everyone enjoys decent wages and working conditions, regardless of where they live. Other principles of the Fair Trade movement: no child or forced labor, environmental sustainability, workplace non-discrimination, and investment in community development projects.
Set on the second Saturday of May each year since 2004, World Fair Trade Day is a global event designed to draw attention to the objectives of the Fair Trade movement. This is a great time to consider choosing Fair Trade alternatives for some of your favorite products.
How Do I Shop Fair Trade?
More than just chocolate, coffee and bananas, the Fair Trade designation can refer to any of the following:
* a variety of agricultural and handcrafted goods, including baskets
* clothing
* cotton
* coconuts
* home and kitchen decor
* jewelry
* rice
* soap
* tea
* toys
* wine
How Do You Know If It’s Really Fair Trade?
There are different third-party certifications for Fair Trade products. Depending on the certification, they may inspect fields, processing plants, and sometimes trading operations to ensure fair trade standards are met. Check the websites of your favorite fair trade brands to learn more about what they are doing to empower workers to organize and tend to what matters the most to them (and to us!): their families, their communities and the environment.
Today, in honor of World Fair Trade Day (and why not make it the rest of the month?), choose products from some of our favorite Fair Trade brands committed to working with small-scale farmers within the framework of the Fair Trade movement. Theo, Dr. Bronner’s, Alter Eco, Alaffia and Guayaki are all ON SALE this month at Rising Tide Market.
Happy World Fair Trade Day!
We’re excited we’ll soon be carrying the latest in eco-entertaining products from Preserve: compostable Cups and Straws. These single-use products—ideal for picnics, birthday parties and special occasions of all kinds—are made from plants and return to the soil when the party is over.
Preserve 12 oz cups come in packs of 8, and are suitable for hot and cold beverages, are non-toxic, manufactured in the U.S. from renewable resources (can be composted in a commercial composting facility). The Straws (come in packs of 50) are also made from plants, completely non-toxic and can actually be disposed of in a backyard composter—right next to all your veggie scraps and grass cuttings! Both Cups and Straws come in bright colors and stylish patterns and will be the eco-friendly star of any gathering.
This Earth Day (April 22), we’re launching a green initiative that’ll be a game changer (and a no-brainer!) for us and our customers. In order to reduce the number of paper bags we’re using (and the trees we’re destroying in the process), we’re committing 100% to a Bring Your Own Bag (B.Y.O.B.) policy at Rising Tide Market.
Here’s how it works: While we’ve always rewarded customers for bringing in reusable bags, now we will ask you if you would like that reward ($.10/bag) to be donated to a local charity instead.
In addition, for every paper grocery bag we give out, we will CHARGE $.10, which will—you guessed it—be donated to a local charity as well. The charity will change every month and will be clearly posted above the registers for you to read all about.
In 2016, we gave out 101,000 paper grocery bags. Through this B.Y.O.B. initiative, we’re hoping to cut that number in HALF in 2017! (To help the cause we’re also selling our reusable Rising Tide grocery bags AT COST: 2 for $3.)
This eco-partnership with our customers is a win-win: our customers develop new, greener, planet-saving habits around grocery shopping (B.Y.O.B.!), and we give a hand to the folks living in our community that need it the most. The first charity we will contribute to is the North Shore INN, a nonprofit, volunteer-based soup kitchen formed in 1989 to feed hungry people living in the Glen Cove area.
If you have any questions about this program, feel free to ask any staff member. Thanks, as always, for your support! We know you’ll help make this initiate a great success!
If Mother’s Day (May 14) is the best time to start planting outdoors, then April is when you lay the groundwork for all the growing that’ll happen in May. We’ve got everything you need to get started.
Organic Seeds: Rising Tide is proud to carry Certified Organic, non-GMO Project Verified seeds from Vermont’s own High Mowing Seeds.What started in 1996 as a one-man operation is now a thriving business making available to home gardeners over 600 heirloom, open-pollinated and hybrid varieties of vegetable, fruit, herb and flower seed. Each variety of seed has been evaluated for flavor, yield, resistance and uniqueness, and we’ve got some 140 varieties in the store.
Organic Plants: Each spring, we look forward to the arrival of our beautiful herb, vegetables, fruit and flower plants from Marion Gardens, family-owned growers located on the North Fork of Long Island. In business since 1987, Marion Gardens grows more than 250 varieties of plants, and sells to many of Long Island’s best garden centers. The best part? All Marion Gardens plants are locally grown, Certified Organic and non-GMO. Once we get the plants, we’ll be carrying receive a new selection each week…check Facebook and Instagram often for details!).
Beautiful Bulbs: For when you can’t wait for spring blossoms, we’ve got Tulips, Hyacinths and Daffodils in gorgeous shades of spring—the perfect gift when visiting friends and family for Easter/Passover.
The new star of our Meat department is the Certified Organic Beef from Bartels Farms. Raised on ranches in seven western states on a 100% organic diet, all Bartels beef is raised WITHOUT ANY:
- GMOs
- herbicides or pesticides
- artificial hormones or antibiotics
Plus, Bartels meats are processed in a facility using designs created by world-renowned expert on animal behavior, Temple Grandin. The result is tender, more flavorful meat.
Rising Tide’s new Bartels Farms organic meat offerings:
- Organic Domestic Grass-Fed NY Strip Steak $13.99/10oz.
- Organic Grass-Fed Tenderloin Filet Steak: $17.99/8oz.
- Organic Ground Beef: $8.99/lb.
Come check it out, and see what all the buzz is about!
Please help us welcome Jennifer Musgrove to the Rising Tide staff! A Nutritional Consultant and Supplement Buyer for over 15 years, Jennifer is extremely knowledgeable about holistic wellness, and passionate about sharing what she knows with our customers.
Jennifer is also a certified Holistic Health Counselor, a licensed Massage Therapist for 17 years, a certified Labor Doula, and the proud mom of an awesome 12-year old girl.
Welcome her aboard…we’re so happy to have her!
With all those well-fed cows and sheep roaming the Irish countryside, it’s no surprise that tangy artisanal cheeses are a staple of the Irish diet. Kerrygold cheese is made in Ireland from grass-fed, pasture-raised cows, each one with proprietary Irish flavors—perfect for a St. Paddy’s Day cheese plate. Serve like they do in Ireland alongside some good chutney, toasted nuts, and a bit of fresh or dried fruit.
We’ve got the sharp, distinct flavor of Kerrygold Cheddar in our Dairy Case and will be sampling it this month. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay abreast of sample days….
This is serious business. We have found the creamiest, most delicious vegan yogurt alternative from Forager Project (the same guys who brought us those amazing organic veggie chips we were raving about this summer—and are STILL addicted to). We promise you do NOT have to be Vegan to enjoy this.
Available in 5 delicious flavors (plain, vanilla, lemon, strawberry and blueberry) with a mouth feel that is…well you have to try it to believe it. Organic, non-GMO and made from cashews, this “cashewgurt” , as they call it, is the BEST dairy-free yogurt alternative we’ve tasted (and we’ve tasted a LOT). Plus it’s got a whole bunch of probiotics, so you’re doing a good thing for your gut while you’re making the rest of you super happy.
Try it today, and let us know what you think…
February is all about HEARTS: the ones that say “I love you,” and the ones that let us live a life we love. In honor of American Heart Month, our focus is on what we can all do to reduce our risk of developing heart disease, still the No. 1 killer of both men and women in the United States.
That’s the bad news. The good (we think GREAT) news is that research increasingly shows that with the exception of a small genetic component, heart disease can largely be prevented by changes to your LIFESTYLE…and these are changes you can easily implement. One step at a time…
Here are 5 heart-friendly lifestyle fixes to choose from in 2017, adapted from a blog post by Dr. Mark Hyman, one of our favorite functional medicine doctors. For the complete post, click here.
1. Eat a Healthy, Whole Foods Diet. Aim for 8-10 servings of colorful fruits and veggies each day.
2. Steady Your Blood Sugar. Stabilize blood sugar by eating protein, healthy fats and healthy carbohydrates at every meal. Avoid processed sugars.
3. Increase Your Fiber Intake. Work your way up to 50g of fiber (veggies, nuts, seeds, and low-sugar fruits like berries) per day.
4. Avoid processed, junk foods. That includes sodas, juices and diet drinks.
5. Get Out and Move! Research shows 30-45 minutes of cardiovascular exercise at least five times/week can benefit your heart.
To go along with these lifestyle hacks, there are also a few supplements that are naturally good for your most vital organ. One of our favorites at Rising Tide is Ubiquinol (the reduced form of CoQ10, and the form your body naturally uses). Studies show that supplementing with CoQ10/Ubiquinol plays a critical role in the creation of cellular energy needed by important organs like the heart and brain. It’s also super important if you’re taking statins, which are known to lower natural levels of ubiquinol in the body and heart. We love the ubiquinol products by Bluebonnet, now in smaller vegetarian softgels for easier swallowing.
Another great heart-healthy supplement is the mighty Pomegranate, shown to prevent—and in some cases reverse—cardiovascular disease. A growing body of evidence suggests that the compounds in pomegranate known as punicalagins are cardioprotective due to their powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. We like Pomegranate Complete by LifeExtension, which includes aspects of the whole pomegranate plant—even the seeds and the flowers! Just one softgel provides equivalent antioxidant content of approximately 24-30 pomegranates!
Make 2017 the year you get serious about your heart. We promise, any changes you make to help your heart will be beneficial for the rest of your parts, too!
We’re going back to where it all started! The organic, health food movement had its origins out West, and California is still at the cutting edge of everything new and exciting in the natural foods world.
That’s why we’re so excited every year to attend the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California, THE world’s largest natural, organic and healthy products event and THE defining natural products show of the year. (This show is HUGE; it actually takes a full five days to get through everything!)
Jerry, Ashley P., Ashley C. and Alyson will all be in attendance this year, and they’ll be on the look out for the hot, new trends, and all the products we know you guys will love. Once we select the items to bring into the store, it will take some time for us to access them here on the East coast. By the Fall we’ll have all the goodies on the shelves.
The Expo is next month, March 8-12. Stay tuned to
Facebook and
Instagram—we’ll be posting our adventures along the way!
