You don’t want to miss our Holiday Preview on Saturday, November 7th! Come to Valley Natural Foods anytime between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m.  to:

• Preview holiday items from the co-op
• Get the latest edition of Holiday Traditions Catering
• Sample delicious, succulent holiday food and recipes
• Kids decorate cookies with kits for take-home
• Order your fresh turkey from Ferndale Market

by Eileen Johnson, RN

What supplements might boost your immune system?

Supplementing the previous lifestyle suggestions (click here for last weeks post) can be helpful in preventing cold and flu viruses from taking hold and shortening the duration and ameliorating symptoms if they do take hold in the body. These suggestions come from our wellness department – The first place to head for if you have questions about using supplementation. For this article, I am focusing on prevention, although some products mentioned can be used once something takes hold.

• Oscillococcinum, Newton’s Flu Formula, and Hyland’s Flu Care are homeopathic formulas that work best when taken at the onset of flu, but also can be used once a week or once a day to prevent flu and colds.
• Colostrum helps strengthen the immune system by actually providing antibodies and immune factors that boost the immune system. It also fortifies the intestinal lining – an often forgotten key player in protecting the body from pathogens and creating immune factors. Best if taken as a preventative.
• Vitamin D studies have flourished in the last five years, strongly establishing the link between adequate Vitamin D blood levels and a strong immune system. Your medical practitioner can run a blood test to check your levels and recommend an amount to take. Generally, 1000-2000 iu of D3 have been a safe level to take, especially in the winter and spring when we get little sunshine.
• Zinc plays an integral part in the strength of the immune system. There are practitioners who can measure your blood level and maintain the balance between zinc and copper levels. It is great for prevention and also can be increased during illness
• Elderberry Extract, found in “Sambu Wild Grown Elderberry Concentrate” from Dr. Dunner and “Immunity Take Care” from New Chapter both rely on Elderberry’s natural  ability to stimulate the immune system both in a preventive and therapeutic manner.
• Wellness Formula from Source Naturals is a long-time product in the wellness area that combines a number of herbs and vitamins that help boost immune surveillance during the flu and cold season.

Antioxidants can be found in supplement formulas, fruits, vegetables and green tea. Noni juice, Mangosteen, Acai and green powders are all easy ways to drink your fill of antioxidants.

The holidays are quickly approaching  and our deli kitchen is now busy planning and creating delicious holiday fare for November and December. Therefore, our deli team will be taking a break from Tuesday Night Family Budget Meals for the remainder of 2009.

Stay tuned after the New Year – the deli will be offering new “Value Meals” for dining in or for take-away.

We would love your feedback as to what you might like to see for our new “Value Meals” coming in January. Send your ideas by posting your comments to this blog, or e-mail marketing@valleynaturalfoods.com with your suggestions.

Impress the family at Thanksgiving!

Fresh, local cranberries are here and if you’re like me, you don’t exactly know what to do with them. This isn’t exactly the type of berry you hand to the kids in a little baggie to snack on after school. So, what do you do with it?

I found a quick recipe in healthnotes that you can access through our Web site http://www.valleynaturalfoods.com/resources.shtml. Now you can impress the family with fresh and not canned cranberry sauce this Thanksgiving.

Cranberry Sauce

3 cups of cranberries

1 1/2 cups of sugar

3/4 cup of water

Simmer cranberries and water together. While simmering, mash with potato masher. Add sugar; simmer for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Put into container and refrigerate. Makes about 2 cups of sauce.

Learn more about our local Wisconsin Sand Hill Cranberry bogs and find more recipes on http://www.sandhillcranberry.com/

What do you do with fresh cranberries? Share with us!

Why not  do some of your holiday shopping early! Check out our gift items area, right across from the wellness area. You will find an assortment of colorful,  fair trade mittens, hats, scarves and socks - great for one-of-a-kind gifts! These hand-knitted fair trade items are from AndesGifts, a west coast US company and a certified member of the Fair Trade Federation which means they respect the rights of those who work for them and make sure that they earn a fair price for what they produce. When you puchase these fair trade items, you are supporting the skilled artisans and knitters who work for AndesGifts to receive at least three times the regional average in wages in South America.  And that is the beauty of fair trade.  

The quality of the alpaca wool used to make the clothing is outstanding. Come early for best selection. Check back at our gift area as the holidays approach for new items coming in every couple of weeks.

On Saturday, October 17, Valley Natural Foods hosted its annual Visual Arts Achievement Awards Breakfast to recognize the talented youth in our community. Various awards were distributed, such as Best of Show, Peer Choice, People’s Choice and Merit in several  categories including Paintings, Portrait, Batik and Photography to students of Apple Valley High School. Board members, teachers, students, parents and Valley Natural Foods staff mingled over breakfast graciously prepared by the Deli department.

Dr. Roger McGaughey, retired art teacher from Apple Valley High School coordinated the event. The student’s art that is on display throughout the year at Valley Natural Foods, not only embellishes the co-op but also allows the co-op to share the beautiful art pieces with the rest of the community. Valley Natural Foods is committed to promoting and encouraging the youth in our community and this occasion provided a perfect opportunity towards this objective.

 The Jack O Lanterns are going fast here at Valley Natural Foods. We received a batch of local, nice-quality, naturally-grown pumpkins this year in a variety of sizes.

After carving your pumpkin, don’t throw away the seeds, save them for roasting! Remove the pulp by placing the seeds in a colander and rubbing them clean with your hands under cold running water. Drain and pick seeds out of remaining pulp. Then place in bowl, add some vegetable oil and stir until coated.  Sprinkle with your favorite seasoning. Salt is usually best, though some folks like to use a just a little pinch of cayenne pepper to add some zip. Place the seeds in a single layer on a cookie sheet or shallow roasting pan, place in the oven and bake at 325 Degrees F until toasted, about 25 minutes. Check them after 10 minutes and give them a stir to help with even roasting. Let cool and store in an air-tight container.

by Eileen Johnson, RN

How can healthy lifestyle habits help build a strong immune system?

Pay Attention to Diet -

• Cut back, or cut out the sugar. Sugar can depress T Cells making up the immune system for as long as 7-8 hours.
• Visit the produce department regularly. The more colors of fruits and veggies the better! Antioxidants and minerals from produce are crucial in keeping the immune system strong.
• Protein. A variety of “clean” proteins including antibiotic and hormone free meats, legumes, and fresh, raw nuts helps to supply building blocks to the immune system and stabilize blood sugar levels that can indirectly deplete immune cells.
• Green and white teas. Rich in antioxidants, these teas help give the immune system a big boost.
• Anti-inflammatory oils. A chronic inflammatory condition in the body will use up immune cells. Choose olive, walnut and coconut oils in food prep and take fish or flax oil daily
• Probiotics help the intestines to product their own immune cells
• Whole grains and dark green leafy vegetables provide magnesium to balance the body’s pH and B Vitamins to ignite the energy producing krebs cycle of each cell. 

Time to exercise – Exercise stimulates relaxing endorphins, plus builds muscle that the body actually uses during times of illness to bring energy to body cells in order to fight virus and bacteria

Stress relief – Stress hormones set up a situation in the body that “distracts” and depletes the immune system.

Strong, happy relationships – Carolyn Myss, author of Anatomy of the Spirit, points out that certain emotional and mental issues are strongly correlated with physical dysfunction. She feels immune strength is affected specifically by:

• Feelings of security with group and family
• Feeling “at home”
• One’s ability to stand up for oneself
• Our feelings of social and familial “law and order” that we live under.

Time to rest – You’re worth it! Rest periods and relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation and deep breathing during the day help clear the body of stress hormones that tax the immune system. Adequate sleep at night helps the body build up its supply of DHEA, a hormone crucial to body repair.

For all member-owners who were not at the annual meeting on October 12 to pick up patronage-refund vouchers, they are now available in the store. On your next shopping trip, stop by the customer service counter and let them know you would like to pick up your voucher. Cashiers are also reminding each member-owner when they come through the registers about vouchers.You can also ask any Valley Natural Foods staff to assist you.

Patronage refunds are one of several benefits member-owners enjoy. To learn more about how to qualify for one each fiscal year, please check out our previous blog on patronage refunds.

A message from DIVINE CHOCOLATE:

We’re kicking off Fair Trade Month by asking chocolate lovers everywhere to enter our Share the Love Recipe Story contest.  In this unique twist on the traditional recipe contest, you’ll be judged based on the personal story you submit (200 words or less) describing your favorite chocolate recipe that you love to share with others. 

As part of the fun, we’ve also enlisted renowned comfort food bakers and cookbook authors Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito of Baked to serve as celebrity judges for the contest.

You’ll be able to compete in one of four distinct categories: Best Chocolate Cookie Recipe Story; Best Chocolate Cake Recipe Story; Best Chocolate Drink Recipe Story; and Best Chocolate Pastry Recipe Story.  One winning story will be selected from each category.

As part of the online submission process, you will also be asked to identify and describe the person(s) you’d most like to share your favorite chocolate recipe with (in 50 words or less).

Winners in each category will receive $250 in cash, a year’s supply of Divine Chocolate — and a special goodie bag featuring gifts from Baked, The Body Shop, Putumayo World Music and Ten Thousand Villages.  Category winners will also have Divine Chocolate versions of their recipes brought to life by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito.

Please visit  www.divinechocolateusa.com and upload your story today!

Thanks for Sharing the Love!

You can find six delicious varieties of Divine Chocolate bars on sale for the entire month of October here at Valley Natural Foods.