If you’re in need of a good stocking stuffer or gift, we’ve found locally-made 100% natural soaps with essential oils and organic ingredients in a base of olive, coconut and palm oils. The latest flavors available are: 
 

 
We’ve personally tried several of these and they are great. We love the fact that they’re gentle, eco-friendly and handcrafted in small batches with a lot of love. Priced out at $4.50 per bar, we do believe they’re worth it. Not to mention, we see her every week supporting the farmers market too so that’s always a good thing. If you’re interested in placing an order, contact info is adelmanwalsh@sbcglobal.net. 

I’m a big olive oil snob. In the future, I’ll post about what to look for in terms of good quality extra virgin olive oils, how to store them, etc. but for now here’s a report from UC Davis that analyzed a variety of different “extra virgin olive oils” and the results are very revealing. Some highlights: 
 

 
UC Davis Olive Oil Report

If any of us have told you to consume more foods that are high on the ORAC index (high in antioxidants), know that culinary herbs and spices are among the highest. Even more than regular vegetables and fruits. So I decided to geek out and put all of the indexed culinary herbs on a spreadsheet to graph out for you. Keep in mind that all fresh herbs are good but note which ones are the highest. I personally like to get my fresh organic herbs from the farmers markets. One of my favorite farms that I don’t get to often because they are only at the Santa Monica market here in LA is Coleman Family Farms. Brandon and I visited their farm years ago and their herbs truly have a lot of… “Qi.” But there are a few stands at the Hollywood market that has excellent herbs as well. Even better would be if you grow them yourself! I always put a ton of fresh herbs in my salads either mixed in with the lettuce or incorporated into a dressing (perhaps a non-dairy green goddess?). I also like to make pesto and pistou with an assortment of fresh herbs. I don’t recommend cooking fresh herbs too much as that will inactivate some of the antioxidant activity. 
 

This year I was only able to go to 1 day of the annual Natural Products Expo in Anaheim to scope out the latest and greatest for all of you folks. Rather than me telling you guys my suggestions during your treatments, I thought I’d save time by posting on our blog. Due to the events that have transpired in my personal life over the past year or so, you’ll see my new slant and why I was only able to attend 1 day of the expo. 
 
We should all be packing our lunches for work as much as we can. Not only is it cheaper to bring your own food but you actually have control over what goes into your food. It’s relatively obvious that Panda Express and McDonalds aren’t the best lunchtime options. But is Subway really that healthy? No. Lots of salt and preservatives in the cold cuts, probably MSG too, their flour (even the whole wheat stuff) is most likely brominated, which over time contributes to low thyroid function, which then slows down metabolism and causes weight gain, depression, dry skin, constipation, etc. Anyway, I digress. Here are some great companies I found that make lunch kits. 
 
Kids Konserve: The thing that really turned me on was the food kozy, which is an awesome reusable alternative to sandwich bags. It’s BPA and phthalate-free and secures the sandwich in with a small velcro enclosure. Seriously guys, this is an awesome product. www.kidskonserve.com 
Eco Lunchbox: Handsome looking stackable stainless steel containers with stainless steel tops, too! Years ago I purchased several stainless steel containers comparable to these at a Chinese housewares store and they work great but these are just so much more aesthetically pleasing. www.ecolunchboxes.com 
Eco Ditty: Really cute reusable sandwich and snack bags made of 100% cotton and low impact inks and dyes. In theory, I do like these better than the Kids Konserve products because it doesn’t have any plastic at all but I think that practically speaking, leakage is a definite possibility. www.ecoditty.com 
 
Looking for a gift for kids that is not only educational but green? Innovative Kids now has a product line called Green Start that features books and puzzles made from 98% post-consumer recycled materials and printed with eco-friendly ink. Each book also delivers a message of interconnectedness and respect for nature. Keep in mind that not ALL of their products are green. Click on the link for Green Start. www.innovativekids.com 
 
I usually use Ecover or Seventh Generation laundry detergent but I found a Vancouver-based company called Nellie’s All Natural that has super concentrated laundry soda. They gave me a sampler that is in a very small bag weighing 1.3 pounds with enough detergent to last 50 loads. 50 loads!!! I always prefer powder over liquid because like regular soap, they must have to add some pretty funky ingredients to make a liquid. They also have laundry “nuggets,” dishwashing powder and PVC-free dryerballs. And the price point is VERY reasonable. www.nelliesallnatural.com 
 
I hate using so many plastic produce bags. I often reuse them but then worry about the plastics. So now there is a reusable produce bag made of 100% recycled polyester called 3B Bags. They’re fantastic for the grocery store or farmers market! www.3bbags.com 
 
And last but not least, the latest kitchen gadget that I must get at some point in time. Handcrafted by a socially responsible Austrian company, Komo, this grain mill is beautiful, quiet, small, so easy to use. And did I mention how BEAUTIFUL these things are? I’ve always dreamed of milling my own fresh flours at home (boy do I sound like a total dork) and now I can. It has an adjustable fineness setting so you can flake your own oats (if you are gluten-intolerant and can’t handle commercially available cross-contaminated rolled oats) or make your own rice powder (for baby food). And just imagine - milling fresh wheat, rye, barley or spelt for breads and cakes. Ooooohhh. Dreamy… For some reason the website they provided for the US doesn’t work so here is their European website. www.frischmahlen.de/en To purchase the product, e-mail KoMoMills@gmail.com.

Back in October, Laura Avery of KCRW interviewed a local farmer named Mario Trevino about the medicinal properties of tomatillo husks. Turns out that he’s been brewing these to help lower his blood sugar! Several of you can surely use this as an adjunct to your current dietary modifications if you have diabetes or pre-diabetes.  
 
Tomatillo Husk Tea
 
10 tomatillo husks  
1 zucchini  
1 nopal cactus  
 
Boil for an hour and a half. Let it sit overnight. Drink the following morning. It supposedly tastes awful but it works for him.