Attention Ladies! Valley Natural Foods is hosting a table for the Ladies Night Event at Bodyblast Studio in Eagan, Friday, September 10, 5 p.m.-9 p.m. We’ll be giving away free samples, recipe booklets and the chance to win a Valley Natural Foods gift basket. The event will be a  night full of fun and pampering, and it’s FREE!

DIRECTIONS TO BODYBLAST STUDIO: Click Here

Address: 2020 Silver Bell Road, Suite #26 
Eagan, MN  55122
Email:  classes@bodyblaststudio.com
Phone: 651 365 9800

It’s sometimes surprising to hear that a simple ingredient is actually beneficial to our health. In the case of black pepper it’s no different.

Black pepper can increase the flow of saliva and gastric juices, which can help your body in digestion. It can act as a natural coolant, cooling your body. So spice it up as the weather gets warmer!

A few pinches of pepper in your everyday recipes can also reduce your need for salt, decreasing your sodium intake.

Valley Natural Foods sells fresh whole peppercorns and ground pepper in the bulk spices deparment. Buy as much or as little as you want to keep your spice rack fresh.

Perhaps you’ve been shopping at Valley Natural Foods within the past few weeks and noticed an ominous rumble. Or maybe you’ve stepped outside to enjoy the patio and were greeted by the roar of earth-movers and rock-rollers: landscaping tractors.

Rumors run rampant among staff as they ask one another, “Did something break?” Some believe it is a garden in the making: a community garden or produce garden. The juice bar attendants are most curious since they get to watch the ground-breaking activity as it occurs. “What is it?” asked a deli supervisor.

Our blog readers were the first to get a hint a few weeks ago. Our dirt pile and rumblings will become an outdoor Garden Classroom. The space is intended to teach and demonstrate various gardening techniques, styles and plantings. It ties into our Farm to Market education—a belief that we should know where our food comes from. The Garden Classroom also supports our mission of a healthy community.

Want to get healthy—get dirty! Get dirty gardening, that is. Look for future announcements of classes and community resources on our Co-op Calendar and within this blog.

Tuesday April 6, 2010
7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

Cost: Introductory Class on April 6 is FREE
Full course: $300 per person/$400 for team of two

New Directions is a course to health. Come in for a free introductory class. Are you ready to begin making some changes to achieve a healthier lifestyle?

This is not a step by step answer to your health questions, but an all-inclusive look at your total health such as diet, exercise and stress relief. You’ll receive three personalized private consultations with the course instructor (scheduled outside of class time).

Eileen Johnson, RN, leads the course through a close look at food options, stress relief techniques and exercise habits. In a group setting you’ll have an opportunity to learn healthy lifestyle techniques through demonstrations and discussions.

Come in for a free sneak peak at this 12-week course on April 6. See what it’s like and decide if you’re up for it. (Ask about how partners can save $200.)

New Directions Class Schedule*:
Tuesday April 6 | 7-8:30 p.m. – Free introductory Class
Tuesdays April 20-May 18 | 6-7:30 p.m. – First Semester
Tuesdays June 1-June 22 | 6-7:30 p.m. – Second Semester
*Three private wellness consultations are included in this course. Consultations are scheduled in between semesters.