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BOOK OF THE MONTH – NATURAL NOTES

March 6, 2012 8:02 pm / Leave a comment

NATURAL NOTES

It’s the beginning of a new month, and that means it’s time for another Book of the Month blog post! As I look forward to the coming spring and summer, in spite of the snow this morning, I am excited to bring your attention to this new publication. Natural Notes are quick reference guides on a range of subjects relating to alternative health and wellness.
As the days grow longer and the promise of good weather becomes more real, I find myself re-inspired to make good on those New Year’s resolutions. This last bout with winter can be discouraging, but these colorful and easy-to-use guides are exactly what is needed to remind me that my goals are achievable and worthwhile!
With information at a glance and durable construction, Natural Notes are perfect to carry along with you throughout the day, or keep by your kitchen sink.
Whether you are wanting to learn more about pH Balancing, Sprouting Seeds, Genetically Modified Food, Aromatherapy, or more, Natural Notes are a great way to start your inquiry and support your healthy lifestyle decisions along the way!

suki

May 12, 2010 8:36 pm / Leave a comment

Health and Beauty Department

Have you ever wondered where you can get a toner, cleanser, lotion or salve that is cruelty free, free of synthetic and toxic ingredients, and packaged in glass? Such products do exist!

Here at the Kiva, we sell a line of such products, from suki. Suki products are a great fit here. They appeal to our customers because they are free of synthetics of any kind (including genetically manipulated ingredients), free of petrochemicals, and free of synthetic fragrances (they use essential oils). Suki never tests on animals, and they are free of animal ingredients (with the exception of cruelty-free bee products).

Suki products are packaged in clear glass; though plastic may be cheaper, it is known to leach. The paper that suki uses is 100% recycled, printed with vegetable-based inks, and free of UV coatings which would make it unrecyclable. Suki products will also vary a bit in color, as the various crops of rose petals, mint, willow bark, lavender, rosemary, and other fine herbal ingredients are sourced from small organic farms.

So, we’ve covered what suki doesn’t use, and how they package the goods. Now let’s look at suki’s ingredients (by the way, as you’ve doubtless noticed, they charmingly insist on spelling their name with a lower-case “s”): suki’s vision is to provide a product line which is both completely natural and scientifically validated in its activity and potency. Their complex, targeted formulas consist of standardized botanical medicinal extracts and concentrates, liposomes, essential oils, and natural oils such as evening primrose and shea butter. Suki promises that everything used is 100% pure.

Further, their ingredients are not only food grade, but organic, biodynamic, and fairly traded. As if all of this weren’t enough, they handmake everything in small batches.

Please feel free to come and ask an employee to open the suki case so that you can sample a product or two! We expect you’ll appreciate the exceptional level of care and skill that has gone into the making of the suki line.

To visit suki’s website and learn more about them and their products, you can click here.

–Isaac

Veriditas Botanicals

April 7, 2010 5:46 pm / 5 Comments on Veriditas Botanicals

Health & Beauty Post: Veriditas Botanicals

brought to you by
Isaac Boatright

I am excited about a new organic essential oil company I recently learned about: Veriditas Botanicals, founded by Melissa Farris, offers a wide assortment of high quality-organic essential oils, and therapeutic blends, imported directly from organically certified farmers and distillers — independents and co-ops. Melissa is part owner of one of the cooperatives in France, and about 65% of the pharmaceutical grade essential oils that Veriditas offers come from this cooperative.

Visit the Veriditas Botanicals photo gallery.

When Melissa came to the Kiva to introduce herself, her company, and the products, she shared that she’d previously founded and owned the Simplers Botanical Company, LLC essential oil and bulk tincture line. Having started the company at a young age, she started out grass roots, but ended up selling the first organic EO line in the Whole Foods Markets and chain stores nationally. After selling Simplers, Melissa’s goal was to come back to her roots; to only buy from independents and co-ops and sell to independents and coops, “where quality, organic, and fair-trade are not only priorities, but the mission of our work” Farris says.

Melissa has been studying herbalism and medical aromatherapy for nearly 18 years. She has studied in both France and in England since the age of 17. Melissa has studied at University level, as well as with MD’s, Herbalists, and French traditional country folk (folk herbalism). She holds the distinction of having the first manual on the marketplace (1996) discussing internal use of essential oils, and citing the extremely different chemical makeup between conventional vs. organic essential oils. She exposes oils that are sold as “therapeutic” but are actually synthetic or oils made for the food and fragrance industry.

I personally consider France to be the world leader in the sane and grounded, yet progressive and intelligent, use of essential oils; the best book that I own regarding therapeutic use of essential oils is written by a French doctor, and practicing MDs in France actually prescribe essential oils. The French government regulates the sale of essential oils, dispensing only pharmaceutical grade oils, and only through pharmacies.

I was significantly impressed with Melissa’s knowledge of essential oils, and consider her to be a leader in the field, particularly for the U.S.A., where knowledge and use of essential oils has been slow to develop.

It’s been my experience that essential oils have an extraordinary wealth of little realized and little known therapeutic uses, ranging far beyond the antimicrobial value of ancient formulae such as “Four Thieves” and the analgesic uses of clove oil, to the uplifting and heart-opening effects of oil of rose and the liver and lung cleansing properties of oil of lemon. I’m happy to see that Melissa has created a pragmatic line of essential oil blends geared towards common needs and concerns, and I’m confident that our customers will appreciate them.

Did you know that it takes 10,000 ounces of roses to produce one ounce of rose essential oil? How precious! Obviously, at this level of plant usage, our choice of whether to buy organic or conventional has an appreciable impact on our world. It also has a readily appreciable impact upon ourselves, as conventional and organic essential oils differ markedly in their chemical composition!

We will be carrying twelve organic essential oils, and twelve organic essential oil formulas. As always, we’ll be happy to accommodate special orders for oils and blends which aren’t in stock. For example, pure oil of rose, as well as pure oil of jasmine, can be special ordered. Feel free to inquire directly.

FORMULAS:

Acne

Athlete’s Foot

Cold Sore

Men’s Deodorant

Women’s Deodorant

Gingivitis

Menstrual

Mental Clarity

Rose Regenerative

Sinus

Sleep

Yeast

BASICS/SINGLES:

Chamomile, Moroccan Blue

Clary Sage

Clove

Cocoa (in jojoba oil)

Eucalyptus (globulus)

Grapefruit

Jasmine (in jojoba oil)

Lavender, Highland (a very nice lavender!)

Lemongrass

Peppermint

Rose (in jojoba oil)

Sandalwood, Australian

With Care,

Isaac Boatright