Valentines Kids!

Happy Valentines to my family and friends and most of all my wonderful husband Brian!

Valentines Day!

Go ahead-indulge your feminine side. We're featuring RED and PINK intimates from whisper-weight bamboo/organic cotton lingerie a pretty filigree of lace. Nothing's more comfortable next to your skin. Fabric Content: an ultra-soft and fluid blend of 66% rayon from organically grown bamboo, 28% organically grown cotton and 6% spandex.

NOW ON SALE through Valentines Day!

Dr. Oz loves 100% Pure Coffee Bean Eye Cream!

A favorite with Kate Hudson and other celebrities! Dr. Oz calls 100% Pure Coffee bean Eye Creme one of the "Top Anti-Aging Products!"
And it smells heavenly!

ORGANIC COFFEE BEAN
CAFFEINE EYE CREAM 1 oz $19

100% Natural, 100% Vegan, Gluten free

Results of an Independent, Clinical Four Week Study

- 97% saw reduction of puffiness
- 87% saw reduction of dark circles
- 93% say it reduced the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles
- 100% say it improved skin hydration & moisturization
- 93% say it improved skin firmness/elasticity

Anti-inflammatory, caffeine rich green tea and coffee de-puffs while increasing circulation to brighten dark circles. Concentrated with potent anti-aging vitamins, antioxidants, and nourishing rosehip oil to make eye area look more awake and more youthful. Truly, 100% Pure.

Ingredients: Organic Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice1, Organic Rosa Centifolia Flower Water (Rose Hydrosol)2, Organic Rosa Canina (Rosehip Oil) Seed Extract3, Organic Coffea Arabica (Green Coffee) Seed Extract4 Vitamin E (Tocopherol), Vitamin C (Sodium Ascorbate), Extracts of: Coffea Arabica (Coffee Cherry) Seed, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf, Origanum Vulgare (Oregano) Leaf, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Flower/Leaf, Hydrastis Canadensis (Goldenseal), Vanilla Planifolia (Vanilla Absolute) Fruit, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera (Candelilla Wax)

1 Certified Organic by QAI
2 Certified Organic by OTCO
3 Certified Organic by USDA
4 Certified Organic by Hawaii Organic Farmers Association

Net Weight 29 ml / 1 oz

Spin!

Even before New Years Resolution time, everyone is getting on the fitness bandwagon!
In our town there are several great yoga studios and fitness clubs. The hottest thing right now is SPIN! Imagine riding a bike INSIDE so fast that your heart is pumping and you sweat, but you feel fantastic because the teacher has the right music playing. This is SPIN.

Organic Cotton and Organic Bamboo combine for a smooth softness and fit, that is naturally antibacterial and antimicrobial. Our NEW Crop Leggings are PERFECT for Spin Classes!

MOVING to IOWA!

We moved back to Fairfield, IA and are running our retail store, Natural Selections that we started in 1995! It is a wonderful small town community and we can walk to work!

Eating Healthy can be Easy

My daughter Lily and my son Chef Skylar show off how they like to make smoothies! And everyone enjoys them!

Today I received an email from a family member who is concerned as their family is suffering from serious health problems. They wanted to know of any good books that had advice on eating. There are so many now but honestly I think the easiest and most entertaining way to take in information is videos/movies. So I recommend watching these interesting movies. Here is a link to a list of them.

Top Food Movies

You don't have to buy these movies - most are available from Netflix. They are all fascinating, but my favorites were:

Food Matters

Food Inc.

Vegan Gal


Or if you watch more TV than movies, check out Dr. Oz's show. He does a lot of features on eating a varied and healthy diet.

Eating healthy doesn't have to be intimidating. It should be fun, interesting, and exciting! Whether you are trying to cut back on meat consumption, or become completely vegetarian or vegan, there are plenty of healthy foods you will like. There are so many specialized products out there now, for people who are diabetic, sensitive to gluten, or dairy. In our family, no one seems to be sensitive, but I know that nationwide all of these are common issue. Now at regular grocery stores like Safeway, Walmart, and Target you can find lots of items labeled for your convenience. They are making it easier with storewide labeling systems, rather than relying on the items packaging. I think this is more common and will continue. Most grocery stores are expanding that aspect, along with their organic program. I think it is also important to look online for the products and then ask you grocer to carry them. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, so to speak.

But with any sensitivity, the important thing to remember is that you are not only trying to SUBTRACT those things from your diet, but you need to ADD healthy, vitamin rich fresh, raw foods to your diet, in order to have the necessary enzymes for your body to be healthy. Juicing is great for this- any fruit or vegetable will work if you have a good juicer. I recommend Champion.

If you are a salad lover (and I am) then it is easy to make that for some of your meals. Some of my salads recently...

My husband likes salads too; here is one he made with vegetarian chicken substitute on top...

I think the easiest thing a person can do to change their diet to include more fresh things is to make a smoothie every day for breakfast, and maybe for a snack as well. There are TONS of recipes out there, but really you don't need them. I buy bananas, strawberries and any other fruit and if I can't use them fast enough, I freeze them. I keep frozen blueberries in my freezer all the time, and when I make smoothies I never use recipes. I just put in a couple of bananas, some liquid (can be juice or a milk substitute) and whatever other fruit I feel like. Sometimes I add some yogurt. Sometimes I add some ice cubes if I am not using any frozen fruit and I want a cold smoothie. And that is it. You have an instant nutritious meal or snack.

Lily and Sky with strawberry - banana smoothies...

I have been doing this for years for my kids and they love it. It is so simple that they can pick out the ingredients and it always tastes good. Just throw some fruits in there and blend! If it isn't sweet enough for you, simply add a squirt of RAW honey or maple syrup or agave, or a couple of dates, or some apple juice. Here are a few of our favorites:

Banana, Blueberry, Almond (or Soy) Milk

Banana, Strawberry, Almond (or Soy) Milk

Banana, Strawberry, Blueberry, Almond (or Soy) Milk

Banana, Dates, Almond (or Soy) Milk


In terms of all the vast array of almond milk out there, my husband (who used to be a huge milk drinker until he watched vegan gal) feels that UNSWEETENED RICE DREAM makes the closest milk substitute for cereal, etc, (as it is thinner and not sweet). Yet for drinking alone, or with cookies, etc, he likes the VANILLA ALMOND SILK (very thick and sweet). All of these are now available at every major grocery store as well as Walmart and Target.

If you have a really good blender, you can throw in a handful of raw (not roasted and salted!) walnuts or almonds and you will never notice a difference but you will get the health benefits. I had been reading so many articles and blogs about "green smoothies" and I finally got brave enough to try it, and the kids liked it! This basically means you are making a regular smoothie, but you throw in some RAW spinach or RAW Kale, or parsley or other greens. It really sounds disgusting, but I swear it works!


My family (with all 4 kids) was at Sam's Club recently and the Vitamix company was their doing a demo with their amazing blenders. I have owned a Vitamix (which is essentially a super powerful blender that can blend almost anything into a liquid - and can grind flour) for 10 years, but as we walked by and they handed all of us samples of "ice cream" they had made in the vitamix in a few seconds, I was shocked. It was a deep purple color and truly delicious! I asked what was in it and was very surprised to hear: "frozen bananas, spinach, kale, blueberries, strawberries..." but I went home and tried it and now I make it all the time without any recipes - it is always an experiment.

Even baby Sofia loves it!

Once in a while I have to add some raw honey or some dates because it isn't quite sweet enough, but this process has changed my idea of what healthy eating is. Keeping frozen bananas in the freezer is essential - I peel them and wrap them in plastic, then freeze them - as this is the easiest way and they never turn brown.

Healthy food is colorful. If you are eating mostly white foods (white bread, processed potato products, white pasta, white sugar, you likely at risk for diabetes or cancer at some point. I always start by telling my children to eat as many colors as possible!

I am someone who always thought I ate healthy (and I did- in terms of comparison to the average person). But when my husband and I watched the documentary Food Matters,
it really amazed me to hear that the human body needs to have at the very least 51% raw food in order to create health in the body. It said that if you eat even 51 % COOKED (not raw) food, then your body treats the cooked food like a toxin and begins sending out white blood cells, which runs down your body. However, if you eat at least 51% RAW food, the body starts healing itself. I immediately tried to implement this in our family, and fortunately with the smoothies it is possible.

We also started putting salads on our kids plates (next to the entree I had made) and just telling them that they had to eat that too, in addition to the vegetables that were already there. I think they grumbled the first day, but now they are used to it. But... I found that what worked even better was putting little bowls with raw veggies like baby carrots, snap peas in the pods, cucumber slices, radish slices, red pepper slices, or avocado slices on the table before I served everyone was the easiest way (besides the smoothies) to get everyone to eat more raw.

When you are hungry you grab what is in front of you, and surprisingly my family wasn't even asking for salad dressing or dip to use! They were just crunching away on naturally delicious veggies! You honestly cannot taste the true flavor when they are dipped in onion and garlic laden dressings anyway (so most kids don't even know that peppers are sweet until they try them!)

If you keep in mind eating in color it can be fun to try so many new things.... you may have thought you knew what they tasted like, but trying them without dressing is a new experience! And every new experience can lead to more good things!

Skylar and Alexis eating carrots from our garden!

Awesome lunch Brian made today!

I came home at lunch to find Caprese! Layers of fresh mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, and basil leaves atop french bread, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and dusted with salt and pepper. My favorite ever! In this case, my husband Brian had taken it a step further and actually made several different versions on this plate with a few varying ingredients - like different types of vinegar. So creative and fun! I Love Him!

Wake up and smell the Organic Coffee!

Ok, so I don't really drink coffee, but I do put it on my face!

This morning we had a customer request the Coffee Bean Eye Cream that we sell.
She said her bottle lasted her a year - at only $18.95 that is a great deal! The anti-inflammatory, caffeine rich green tea and coffee de-puffs and reduces swelling while increasing circulation to alleviate and brighten dark circles. The all natural 100% pure ingredients are concentrated with potent anti-aging vitamins, antioxidants, and nourishing rosehip oil.
With these Ingredients, how could it NOT smell delicious?
Organic Green Tea1, Organic Calendula Hydrosol1, Organic Rosehip Oil1, Organic Green Coffee2 Vitamin E (a-tocopherol), Vitamin C (ascorbyl palmitate), Extracts of Coffee Cherry, Organic Rosemary3, Organic Oregano3, Organic Thyme3, Organic Grapefruit Seed3 and Organic Goldenseal4, Organic Vanilla Absolute3, Candelilla Wax

1 Certified Organic by Oregon Tilth Certified Organic
2 Certified Organic by Hawaii Organic Farmers Association
3 Certified Organic by QAI
4 Certified Organic by Maryland Department of Agriculture

If you want to know what others thought: ** Results of an independent clinical 4 week study

• GOOD BYE TO PUFFY EYES!
- 83% saw immediate reduction of puffiness
- 97% saw reduction of puffiness with continued use

• SAY NO TO DARK CIRCLES!
-73% saw an immediate reduction of dark circles
-87% saw reduction of dark circles with continued use

• SAY YES TO MORE HEALTHY, BEAUTIFUL, YOUTHFUL LOOKING EYES!
-87% say they look more 'awake, rested and refreshed'
-80% say that it instantly helped reduce the look of lines and wrinkles around the eye area
-97% say skin around their eyes softer and smoother
-93% say it reduced the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles with continued use
-100% say it improved skin hydration and moisturization
-93% say it improved skin firmness/elasticity
-93% say that the eye cream absorbs well


She also told us that she loved the way it smells so much, that she was hoping we have a body cream for her.... and we have some very delicious ones....

Cocoa Kona Coffee Body Cream $14.95

Answering Your Questions.... Is Spandex OK to Use in Green Products?

We LOVE helping people and we receive a lot of questions on Organic products and Organic Living. Here is one answered recently by my husband and business partner, Brian.

Question:

Since you have experience with organic material, do you have any comments on spandex being that it is a synthetic right?
How safe is spandex in regards to the “organic green era”? I was just wondering about your thoughts on this as I try to live a more “green lifestyle".
Thanks very much for your time and all of your information.
I look forward to future business with your company.
Thanks again
C

Our super popular Organic Cotton Bikini (available in 8 colors!), click for more info

The Organic Company's Answer:
Hello,

My wife is more the fabric expert, but I can tell you the gist of it. If you would like it further explained I can ask her to add to it.

There are companies out there, not many (most have gone out of business), but a couple who make underwear garments with no spandex or Lycra and we have tested and even sold a few brands in the past. While yes, it is best to have no synthetics in a garment, unfortunately it comes down to the public and what they prefer and are actually willing to pay money for. It comes down to more form, function, and design, than materials, and most people are willing to give up that 5 or so percent of synthetic that will make the garment more appealing visually and sometimes more comfy as well.

The garments we once sold that had no synthetics were returned more than half the time or if tried on in our store never bought to begin with. (For some reason most of these companies products looked like something only our grandparents would consider wearing.) After wearing certain clothes for 20 plus years that fit a certain way and hold to your body a certain way it's very hard for people to transition to clothing that is usually frumpier and that you would never want to actually be seen in.

Our best selling boxer shorts, mens briefs, tees and lounge pants are able to be 100% organic cotton because these items are supposed to have a looser fit and are cut and designed to still look nice. But when people try on a pair of socks that are 99.9% organic cotton and they keep falling down all the time they won't be happy.

The same can be said for the mens boxer briefs and most of the womens underwear that are supposed to stay put or cling to the persons body a certain way. If it helps to hold the garment in place and doesn't bunch up it's going to be more appealing to the mass public. Ultimately it's left up to the public and what they're willing to sacrifice. A little bit of synthetic is still more appealing and healthier than a non-organic garment that has pesticides, bleach, flame retardants, formaldehyde, and other finishing agents.

A lot of people care more about the fact that the organic cotton is used to make the fabric softer, has a much more positive effect on the earth and the workers on the farms and knowing that we only sell Fair Trade goods with no child labor.

The truth is every little bit helps. I know Sam's Club sells some socks that have only 8% organic cotton and at first thought it's like what's the point? The amount of chemicals in the sock won't be that much less, they are of course not Fair Trade at the price points they have, they may be a bit softer, but what is 8% really going to do? Well when you consider the magnitude of that 8% times every Sam's Club in America and how many they actually sell a day they are doing more for the earth in a month than we could hope to do by selling what we do in a year. It's still helping the earth and soil to some extent and the farmers, but has little effect on the final consumer. But ultimately it's up to the demands and wants of the consumers.

Unfortunately there is no government subsidizing of organic cotton or other fibers to keep the costs down and make the price of always buying organic feasible for most people. Organic cotton costs a lot more to grow and produce and the clothing actually has way less mark up to make a profit on, so the cost, especially if made using fair trade labor, is going to be higher. As long as garments are being made with organic cotton it's a benefit to everyone and the environment...whether it be 8% or 100%.

We feel the more organic the better of course and all of items we sell that are not blends with bamboo or hemp and excluding socks has at least 90% organic cotton. If a company makes products selling only 100% organic cotton and nobody want the product because it's not comfortable or looks too frumpy then they won't last long and in the end nobody benefits. Sometimes a person finally decides to buy their first organic piece of clothing and it just so happens to be a company like this and after trying it for the first time say they couldn't stand it or didn't like it and go around saying they don't like organic cotton and may choose to never buy it again.

We feel that 10 companies selling 95% organic cotton clothing and actually succeeding is better for everyone than 1 company selling 100% organic and failing. Hope that helps.

Brian

Brian and Lonica Eisenbraun, owners
The Organic Company / Natural Selections / Organic Selections www.TheOrganicCompany.com


My favorite of all! Our Organic Cotton Bikini with Lace! (Available in colors!), click for info

Sleeping on Organic Cotton Towels

This is a picture of my son asleep with our organic cotton towels... one summer he came in from swimming in the kiddie pool in the yard, and he couldn't even make it upstairs to his room, he just crashed right on top of the clean laundry!

Our favorites are the super thick, (seriously- the bath sheet size is actually heavy like a blanket!) incredibly luxurious 900 gsm 100% Organic Cotton towels!

Answering Your Questions.... Is Bleach Used to Make Organic Cotton White?

We LOVE helping people and we receive a lot of questions on Organic products and Organic Living. Here is one answered recently by my husband and business partner, Brian.
Question:

Hello,

Can you tell me if this supplier specifies whether bleach is used and if dyes, is it low impact dyes to make the colors other than natural? Also, is the spandex blended throughout the shorts or is it just at the top elastic band? Thanks in advance for all your help!

J

Our popular Organic Cotton Boy Short (available in White, Natural, or Black), click for more info

The Organic Company's Answer:

Hi,

No organic manufacturer we sell uses bleach. Whites are usually obtained using Peroxide and bgreen only uses low impact dyes for all their colors. The 5-8% spandex in the boy shorts is actually a blend for this style so they fit more snugly.

Thanks Again,

Brian

Chemicals in Victoria's Secret Bras!

Today we had customers complaining of the welts and rashes caused by their bras purchased from Victoria's Secret. They alerted us to this story by ABC NEWS... see link below.

These ladies then chose Organic Cotton Bras to be comfortable and beautiful without harmful chemicals! You can see many of them as well as organic cotton panties, makeup and bodycare on our website The Organic Company


For the full article, see this link:
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=6225503&page=1

Last Fall Days

The last Fall days are here and we have been spending lots of time outside walking in the woods and playing at the park. This is a picture of my daughter, and her golden hair! (Being 10 years old, she is FINALLY interested in taking care of her hair! I think it is because I bought her a very nice Widu Wooden Hair Brush. So for now she has stopped asking me to get her hair cut very short!)

For all of us, it is time to prepare our bodies for Winter! The dry, cold Winter air can wreak havoc on your hair, leaving you with little option but to cut it shorter.... before you do that, try pure organic hair care that nourishes. Here are some of my favorite organic hair treats....

I got Inspired by strawberry bubble bath...

It must me a spillover from summer swimming, but suddenly my children want to take baths ALL the time, instead of the usual showers. Lately I have been really into the Yummy Ice Cream Strawberry Bubble Bath. Every time I give my babies a bath in it, I feel like we are in the middle of that beautiful part of summer that you want to go on forever! The best part is that it smells heavenly (not fakey like other brands) - and it smells this way because it has REAL ORGANIC STRAWBERRY EXTRACT! It is totally safe since it has no synthetic chemicals or harsh detergents so it is actually soothing to my children's skin. It is really gentle but yet is still actually makes bubbles! (Which is more than I can say for some other brands I have had.)


The girls and I have REALLY been wanting to eat the bubble bath, but instead got inspired to make a delicious dessert!



Yellow Cake with Fresh Strawberries and Bananas & Whipped Cream!

What is "ALL COTTON"?

Here is an email I received recently...

Hi Lonica!

I bought a couple of inexpensive t-shirts that say they are 100% cotton. But it feels stretchy, which makes me think there is something else in there.

Can 100% cotton be stretchy??????

Well, this is a GOOD question- technically there can be ANY synthetic in a garment- up to about 12% or so before they have to disclose it. I know this because one of our manufacturers / suppliers handed me a sample of a beautifully soft fleece, and the label said 100% organic cotton. I said "Wow, how did you get such a great fabric without synthetics- I heard it wasn't possible!"

To which he replied, "well there is of course SOME synthetic - you can't make this fabric without it- so it has about 4.5 percent lycra/spandex."

I handed it back to him and I said, "well I will not buy it until it is labeled accurately. My customers expect complete honesty in labeling."
So he labeled it correctly, and we have sold it for a few years, really well.

The same rule applies for socks- it only has to be part cotton to be called "all cotton" - and can still have a large percentage of synthetic. Sad, isn't it?

At least I am sure what we are getting from our manufacturers! Of course you need a tiny bit of stretchy fibers to get the sock to stay on your foot - to be a sock! 100% cotton is NOT stretchy. In our experience the amount of stretchy fibers needed is usually between 1% - 15% at the most. We invite you to check out our wonderful socks...

http://www.theorganiccompany.com/store/c/34-Socks.aspx

MSG in Morningstar Farms Vegetarian Chik Patties, Sausage Patties, etc...

This posting deserves a yucky face...


My 10 year old daughter recently had severe migraines. MSG can cause migraines, among other bad things.

The following ingredients ALWAYS contain MSG:
Hydrolyzed protein,
Sodium caseinate
Yeast extract, Maltodextrin
Autolyzed yeast
Textured protein
Calcium caseinate
Yeast food
Hydrolyzed oat flour
Spice Extractives

These two OFTEN contain MSG:
Natural flavorings
Food seasonings

If MSG is contained in an ingredient that is listed on a food label, it doesn't have to be labeled by itself.

My daughter is vegetarian like me and she likes eating products like Chik Patties and Sausage Patties from Morningstar Farms. I contacted Morningstar Farms to ask about MSG in their products... such as the Chik Patties and Sausage Patties... here is their response. Notice how they say "small amounts". That is interesting because you always need only a small amount of MSG, a sprinkle, and that is still enough to be unhealthy. My 10 year old daughter recently suffered a horrible migraine, and there is some evidence that linked it to MSG.
If you want to avoid MSG in processed soy products, buy Lightlife products.

Morningstar Farms® Consumer Affairs 020901656A ...
From: "kellogg@casupport.com" ... Add to Contacts To: lonicaeisenbraun@yahoo.com

KELLOGG'S

Hello Lonica,

Thank-you for contacting us concerning the monosodium glutamate (MSG) used in some of our products. Our nutritionists and food scientists work very hard to develop products that are acceptable for our consumers. Small amounts of MSG are used in the product to achieve the desired taste and texture. We would never use an ingredient that is unsafe for our consumers. The Food and Drug Administration, the National Academy of Science, and the American Medical Association all have affirmed the safety of MSG. Even so we understand there is a limited population who have shown a sensitivity to it. Glutamate occurs naturally in protein-containing foods such as cheese, milk, mushrooms, meat, fish, and many vegetables. Glutamate is also produced by the human body and is vital for metabolism and brain function. We are sorry to learn that this ingredient has caused concern for you. We will share your comments with our food development teams. We do have many other products that do not contain MSG that you might enjoy. Thanks, again, for your inquiry. We hope you will find this information helpful.

Best of health,
Mark A. Suriano Consumer Specialist Consumer Affairs

TLXMAS01/cl 020901656A

Breast is Best: Study: Lack of breastfeeding costs lives, billions of dollars

This is me nursing my third baby, Alexis Arianna Ceylon Eisenbraun. She is turning 2 this week! (But I have 8 month old baby Sofia as my avid nurser now... )

It is good to see that women who breastfeed their babies are truly doing the best possible thing for them. Breastfeeding exclusively for the first 6 months in not "crazy" or "weird". It is sane, smart, and healthy.

For many women, it is exactly as the article says...

"...if a new mom is struggling with breastfeeding, she may end up in a situation where "grandmother suggests to stop the silliness and give formula instead."

Fortunately, I had a great mom for a role model! I encourage everyone to read this article in CNN HEALTH...


http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/04/05/breastfeeding.costs/index.html?hpt=Sbin

Target pays $600,000 fine for LEAD in toys

Everyone should see this... and really is $600,000 enough? How many children will continue to play with the dangerous toxic toys because their parents never saw the recall? Probably most of them. Here is the link to the full article...

TARGET has LEAD Toys

Or if you just want to see the toys:

PICTURES

Next time, we should all buy natural toys made from non-toxic materials and non toxic paint.

www.theorganiccompany.com