Dr. Schulze’s line of wellness products are those that I truly believe in & use.  They have not only helped me but have assisted my own family & friends alike.  From eliminating issues that have plagued a family member for 30 years, to causing grey hair to turn brown again and helping save a marriage…when taken consistently and properly Dr. Schulze’s formulas are truly powerful and effective.  The ingredients are organically grown and/or wild-harvested and one of the biggest differences between them and other supplements is that they are very, very concentrated. 

I just returned from a two-week long business trip out of state and a couple days after my arrival I felt a sore throat coming on.  Good thing I packed my Echinacea Plus because I immediately began a regiment of 60 drops (2 full droppers), three times a daily in 2 ounces of water.  Although I did have watery eyes & nose for about 4 days, that is what my body needed to do to purge itself and most people I know who have come down with it recently, have had it for a good 1-2+ weeks.  The usual accompanying suspects like an achy body, total exhausion, headache and sore throat were no where to be found. 

Over the years, Dr. Schulze treated thousands of patients in his clinics all over the world.  Today, he focuses on and prides himself on offering the best wellness products on the market. He’s a no-nosense man and doesn’t beat around the bush.  He would argue that his Echinacea Plus is the most potent echinacea formula on the market.  In his words “it will stop the flu or cold dead in it’s tracks.  It works in two ways.  First it builds up your immune system by stimulating your body to produce more immune cells and chemicals.  Secondly, it also builds these cells into heightened action and activity levels.  These actions will help you combat any disease or illness more effectively and also protect you from future envasion and illness.”

Take control of your health!  Start by warding off flu bugs & colds as the season changes and back-to-school is in full swing.  

 “Tomorrow is what you believe and do today!”  ~ Dr. Schulze

Living a green life on a budget can sometimes seem like an oxymoron. Often times one must choose quantity over quality in order to make the dollar stretch a little further. Especially in these times of rising costs at the pump and the grocery store (and countless other places too), it’s becoming difficult to balance what’s on your organic wish list with what’s in your wallet. Not to fear, my friends, for I have good news! There are still a few great non-toxic and completely pure products out there that won’t break the bank. One of these products is the time-tested Dr. Bronner’s soap. I have recently been using the Fair Trade Lemongrass & Lime Shikakai Liquid Soap and Shaving Gel and I’m loving it. The smell is refreshingly sweet (kind of like Lemonhead candy) and invigorating, so it’s the perfect start to a new day.

As you would expect from Dr. Bronner’s - there’s nothing on the ingredient list that would make you look twice. You’ll only find organic and fair trade ingredients that are straight from nature and meant to nurture your skin, not strip it. The brown color of both of these products will remind you that you are using a pure product and the luxurious sudzing nature of the soap won’t leave you missing your conventional products for a second. Right now you can get these products for around $5 each through pricegrabber.com, so now there’s two less quality vs. quanity choices you have to make in your life!

Ever since I was introduced to Pangea Organics one year ago, I haven’t stopped raving about their luxuriously pure products. One product in their facial care line especially caught my attention and I’m not the only one. Pangea’s Japanese Matcha Tea & Goji Berry Facial Mask has won several awards and it’s no wonder with an ingredient list that’s good enough to eat and results that are consistent and extraordinary.

Pangea has created a whole line of products that benefit both earth and body and this mask is just the icing on the cake. It’s recommended for use once a week to improve the look, vitality and feel of your skin. This is truly an “all-in-one” product as it deeply cleanses, exfoliates and moisturizes in just 10 minutes. What’s even better is that it is perfect for every skin type, so no matter what you’ve got going on with your skin, you will benefit from this high-performance mask. Even the founder and CEO, Joshua Onysko, has revealed that this is one of his personal favorite products. Pretty impressive!

The folks at Pangea believe that our planet is worth protecting, so they use ingredients that will start to biodegrade in just 48 hours after you use them. “Always beneficial, never artificial” - they use only whole organic herbal extracts and essential oils so they leave all the nasty chemicals where they belong (in a lab) and not on your face. Pangea also believes that great things come in cool packages, that’s why they’ve brilliantly placed all of their products in 100% post-consumer recycled paper that actually has seeds inside of it - all you have to do is add water! They really have thought of everything (and everyone.)

It’s no secret that I’m a bit (okay, a lot) obsessive about what I put on my skin, because I know that what goes on goes in and if I wouldn’t put it in my mouth, I’m not about to slather it on my face or body.  You may have heard by now that up to 60% of what you put on your skin is absorbed.  If you are skeptical about that statement, think for a moment about where the products go that you apply to your skin.  Let’s take lotion for instance.  It doesn’t evaporate into thin air…your skin as the largest organ in your body absorbs it.  If you’re still not sure, then contemplate the nicotine or birth control patch and how powerful they can be when applied to skin.   

With that said it’s not everyday I run across a skincare product that I love, that nourishes, that makes skin feel hydrated, soft and cleansed yet is without all the toxic nasties that are lurking in the majority of skincare on the market today (natural or not). 

The Stem Organics Gentle Cleansing Milk is less like milk and more like gel.  No foaming action here, but it smells like juicy oranges, is fabulously refreshing and removes makeup (big bonus).  It’s completely gentle and didn’t throw my finicky skin out of balance, cause breakouts or irritate whatsoever.  My skin isnt’ tight or dry after washing, it feels soothed & properly cleansed. 

The Fresh Start Serum is awesome!  It’s a very lightweight creamy moisturizer that makes my skin feel like silk!  I only need a small amount to massage into my entire face, neck and chest.  It absolutely did not sit on top of my skin, but soaked right in and my skin feels amazing all day!  This is mildly scented (absolutely no synthetic perfumes/fragrance) with it’s fresh botanical and essential oil content. 

If you’re looking for a new skin regiment, one that contains pure, organic ingredients to feed your skin health food rather than junk food…give it a try and let me know how you like it!  

What started out two decades ago as an experiment, became the inspiration and vision behind what MATT & NAT’S fashion-forward, design-centric and animal-free handbag line is today.  The experiment was to embrace a vegan diet for just 30 days, but little did Creative Director, Inder Bedi know that it would set off a series of events that would lead to the birth of a super chic handbag line influenced by modern design and architecture. 

Serious, structured, edgy & incredibly modish describes the brand new Fall ‘08 handbag collection from this widely popular Montreal-based company.  Taking its cues from menswear this season, its heavy on hardware and boasts a deep color palette.  The Feutre series is made of recycled plastic bottles that have been transformed into felt.  Absolutely perfect for that Fall getaway!       

Harry Barker Organic Dog Bed

I love the stripes on this!!! The cover is made with thick organic hemp and can be easily removed for washing. It’s pre-washed & made with earth-friendly, non-toxic dyes. The hypo-allergenic insert is made of a green fiber made out of recycled plastic. Feel good knowing your pet is sleeping safe & sound. 

Wagatha’s Organic Dog Treats

For starters I just love their name…it makes me smile.  They are USDA Certified Organic, made in Vermont and don’t include any animal by-products, nasty fake flavors, or corn (not good for dogs) or preservatives. The only thing you find in these is organic whole-wheat flour, organic extra virgin olive oil, organic eggs, organic milk, organic wheat bran, organic garlic, organic honey, and sea salt. What a great treat for your furry friend!

Natural Hemp Adjustable Collar

Made with hemp webbing with release hardware, these come in bright colors and are naturally hypo-allergenic. Unlike nylon and other synthetics, hemp softens with wear making these collars extremely comfortable for your dog.  

It’s no secret that purchasing reusable containers will help reduce the amount thrown into a landfill.  Whether you’re the one who’s going back to school or the one packing the lunches (or both) with a few cool tools, you can save time and money.    

To-Go Ware Stainless Steel Food Carrier

Great for hot or cold foods, this comes with a removable plate and 2-tiers so you can separate foods.  Stainless steel is highly durable, won’t leach toxins like plastics can and is very easy to clean. 

Plastic Bag Dryer

I never knew these existed until very recently.  Way back in Elementary school I had a friend who would save all her Ziplocs she used for snacks & lunch in a day and bring them home with her after school and gave them to her mother who would wash, dry and reuse them as many times as she could.  Back then I  thought it very strange (because no one else I knew was doing it).  Little did I know back then that it would be considered “eco-friendly” today. 

SIGG Water Bottle

According to Fast Company, Americans use 50 billion water bottles each year.  Most are not recycled.  Find a reusable water bottle that looks good (so you’ll be more inclined to use it) and help keep your share of water bottle waste out of the trash.  They come in an assortment of colors and sizes for kids and adults alike. 

Not officially or medically-speaking, but Jack Johnson seems to have a way of lowering ones blood pressure (if you happen to like mellow, yet upbeat folksy/surfer tunes).  As a Hawaiian native, and surfer-turned-songwriter, much of his melodic imagery is inspired by nature and his tropical surroundings.  This year Jack Johnson & his crew are taking steps to reduce their environmental impact on their world tour. 

Greening Actions Include:

-Providing onsite water stations, waste management and recycling services.

-Reducing waste with the use of biodegradable food service items and reusable water bottles that can be refilled onsite.

-Fueling tour vehicles and/or generators with sustainable biodiesel (where available) to help reduce CO2 emmisions by up to 78% percent. 

-Offering eco-friendly tour merchandise including organic cotton clothing, reusable water bottles and tote bags.

-Minimizing distribution of paper at shows and using 100% recycled paper and soy-based inks for all printed materials.

-Selecting environmentally-conscious travel and hotel options.

-Procuring locally grown and organic foods for backstage catering

-Offsetting all remaining CO2 emissions from the tour and for each night’s show.

If you’re a fan (or want to be), check for tour dates here.  To learn more about Jack Johnson’s All At Once campaign, click here.  To buy his latest Sleep Through The Static CD, click here. 

With a national movement underway to bring organic food to college dining halls, Colgate University senior, Nina Merrill discovered that there was very little online documenting and discussing it.  She gives college students a voice and a platform to discuss what’s happening on their own campuses.  Her goal is to encourage the development of organic good programs on college campuses nationwide.  Her theory is that by facilitating a round-table discussion where students can share their successes and pitfalls of their organic campus initiatives, others will be empowered to take proactive steps in improving the quality of their campus dining.  Her blog, titled Organic on the Green, gives students the opportunity to network with others from around the country who have similar goals and concerns.  It features essays from students on the front lines of making college dining more sustainable. 
 
She’s also working on a “How To” dining guide for students who hope to bring more organic food to their university or college.  This guide will call upon the topics discussed on the blog as well as highlight the initiatives of some of the most influential students on the sustainable campus circuit.

Additional organic food resources:

How To Go Organic

Slow Food USA

Prep your dorm room desk with items you love to look at and ones you feel good about, because you’ll likely be spending a lot of time there.  Stay organized in the midst of a crammed class load to help keep you on track.  Check out these essentials for your in-room study area: 

Foray 5-Subject Recycled Notebook  

It’s unavoidable, you’ll be using lots of paper to take lots of notes so why not use recycled paper to reduce your contribution to cutting down trees.  Make a statement with this notebook made completely from used paper.   

Pendaflex Recycled Multi-Color File Folders 

Forego the standard (and boring) manilla folders!  Spice up your desk with some color and a touch of organization with these recycled folders. 

‘We Are Happy To Serve You’ Mug

Whether you a NYC native, admirer or transplant, you know that ‘We Are Happy To Serve You’ cups are everywhere.  This ceramic version is the brain-child of TreeHugger founder Graham Hill who wanted people to realize just how many paper cups they were throwing away each day/week/month and who is also a New York resident.  Rest (not) assured that you will be cramming for finals and staying up all night, so be sure to keep this cup filled with some fair-trade organic coffee!