Ezentials' Notebook

Our blog has moved to Ezentials.ca

2011-07-08T14:16:00.002-04:00

All of our latest posts and news items can be found at www.ezentials.ca/blog/. We'll keep all of the old posts available here, but all future posts will now be on our website.

We'll see you there, and have a cup of tea waiting for you!

Éminence Interview

2011-06-08T10:34:00.000-04:00

2 weeks ago, Roy Prevost (a Marketing Consultant who interviews top professional sales people) sat down on our behalf with Éminence Organics’ Darlene Maillet. Darlene, the Executive Education and Sales Manager out of their Vancouver office, gives an inside look into our signature skin care line – including their humble beginnings, their strict product release guide lines, the even stricter certification process and the new “Organic Beauty” makeup line.
To download the phone interview, visit our website.

Edited Transcript:

Roy Prevost,
Marketing Consultant

ROY PREVOST: Good morning, I’m going to be interviewing Darlene Maillet, who is the representative for the Éminence Organics Skin Care company and I’d like to get some background information about Eminence and also learn about some of the wonderful things that your products do. Can you give me a little background to the company as to how long ago it began, who started it, and how it came to be what it is today?

DARLENE MAILLET: Certainly. Éminence is very unique because it is a Hungarian skin care line. Most skin care/professional skin care products today come from countries such as France and Italy, and not very much come out of Eastern Europe. Éminence Organics is built on Hungary’s reputation as the fruit basket of Europe, supplying much of European’s fruits and vegetables because of their very dense and rich soils, because it used to be a subterranean country at one time. Éminence took a century-old recipe in the family of Boldijarre and Attila Koronczay and turned herbology to remedies for skin care that would alleviate different conditions of the skin that were irritating or threatening to the skin. The recipes were brought over to North America by Boldijarre Koronczay to be used in the professional settings today that they’re in to help with treatments for skin.

Boldijarre and Attila Koronczay,

founders of Éminence Organics.

PREVOST: Is Éminence a Canadian or European company?

MAILLET: It is a European company, however our head office is in Canada and we supply all of the world out of our Vancouver office. However, all the products are still made and bottled in Hungary.

PREVOST: Can you give me an introduction of the types of products that Éminence Orgaincs Skin Care carry?

MAILLET: Sure. It’s a complete professional line. So it includes your cleaners, your toniques, your masques, treatments, etc. It’s a complete spa professional line, meeting the demands of today and the environmental challenges that we face – which are very different then they were 20 years ago. We need top-notch, high-potency and concentrated ingredients that are going to be able to match what we have to deal with environmentally. Éminence has everything, including body treatments and now our new “Organic Beauty” professional makeup line as well.

PREVOST: What makes your products unique as compared to other organic products on the marketplace today?

MAILLET: I would say the most important thing that makes Éminence unique and different than other products is certainly the certification, the fact that all of our products are certified organic. You can buy “organic” anywhere now but there’s no guarantee to the consumer that it has actually been processed and made organically. Éminence has the backing of three of the best organic certifications out there. Demeter, Biocontrol and USDA have all certified our products from the moment that they are actually grown, harvested, made into products, and sold to the consumer. The other important thing that makes Éminence different is that the products are handmade, which makes them very unique. No machinery is used when making our products. All of our products are still farmed with horse and buggy, because there can’t be any be any gas emissions on the properties. They’re all concentrated – we don’t put water in the products – so that when you’re using a small amount and it doesn’t change the consistency of the products. Again, these products are sold professionally; you cannot purchase them anywhere else but through an approved supplier of the product as well.

One of Éminence's farms in Hungary.

Honey traps and insect-resistant herbs

are used instead of pesticides.

PREVOST: Are there any chemicals, dyes, perfumes or anything else used in the products?

MAILLET: No. That’s another unique thing about Éminence, we’re a certified organic company so we stay away from those ingredients such as parabens, sulphates, talcs and petroleums. All of those things in consumer products today is not what Éminence is about. So no, we stay completely away from any synthetic ingredients. Éminence is made purely of herbs, fruits and vegetables.

PREVOST: How do you decide which businesses are going to carry your product and what’s your criteria to choose a business to sell your product? I’m guessing it’s not everywhere, so you have selective clients across the country who are using it and allowed to sell it?

MAILLET: Yes, qualifying a customer is very important to us too because we want somebody who is going to maintain the integrity that we have about our product too, so it’s something that we take very seriously. We need to see the locations and see where it’s going to be presented so that it represents Éminence appropriately. We also need to see their qualifications. We need copies of diplomas, accredited certificates, and that they have gone to accredited schools. We do background checks as well. We also don’t release it everywhere – we don’t want to mass-market this product. It’s a special product and it needs to be represented in a smaller locale. I think that’s probably what’s most important and we probably would say no to more people than we say yes to. You won’t find these products in any beauty salon, supply places, or home-based businesses, or certainly mass-market/multi-level marketing. That’s just not our plan, it’s meant to stay humble and in the right hands.

PREVOST: What is it about Éminence that you’re most passionate about?

MAILLET: Well, I’m always looking for something that I can use on my own skin that I feel good about knowing where it came from. At the end of the day, I have to have results. If I’m not seeing results, then it’s pointless to be using the product. I think any consumer would want to know that they are going to get those results as well.

PREVOST: Ultimately it comes down to if you believe in the product, then you can become passionate about it and I can tell by the way you’re speaking you believe very highly in the products. What is the average shelf life of the products?

MAILLET: On average the products last a year, and that year starts the day the products are actually made, not the date that you actually open up the jar. For a lot of people, that’s a big misconception. That year, however, can be extended if the products are looked after properly. They do need to stay out of heat and sun light, they need to have their lids put back on, and spatulas should be used so that the product doesn’t become contaminated. But outside of that, if you take good care of your products, they will last probably even longer than that. However, to me a jar should not last a year anyways if you’re using it properly, so it’s never been a problem for us.

PREVOST: Oh, good. I understand you also have sun care products, could you share with us how the sun care products work and how they’re different than the ones currently sold in pharmacies?

Éminence Sun Defense

MAILLET: Yes, absolutely. We have two different types of sun care products. We have what’s known as “chemical sun protection” that absorb UV radiation, and we have “physical sun protection” which reflects and shields UV radiation off the skin. It really is important to be vigilant when it comes to choosing your sun protection because of the harmful chemicals that are in a lot of the over-the-counter products today, which ours do not contain. We have a liquid-type sun protection that you can use which is based on high vitamin-C, which is even better than vitamin-E at protecting against UV damage. We also use zinc oxide, which protects and heals the skin as well as reflects the sunlight. We also have what we call powder or mineral sun protection, which is quite unique and different in the fact that it works as a physical shield and reflects the UV radiation away from the skin. Therefore, UV radiation can’t even come into contact with the skin, which then will not age the skin rapidly. It’s been our most popular product to date, and I think that the best part about that too is that’s also is best for oily skins, as well as it keeps the skin much cooler too. I think the most important thing when you’re looking for sun protection to be sure it’s not full of fillers, things like talcs and petroleums which are often used in sun protections. These ingredients can’t be homeogenic and can also have some negative effects on the skin’s sensitivity.

PREVOST: Now I understand you also have a new makeup line. Can you briefly tell us about what products you offer there and what’s unique about them?

"Organic Beauty" Makeup Line

MAILLET: Yes, it’s our long awaited “Organic Beauty” makeup line. It’s actually very simple, which is one thing I love about Éminence and this product as well. There’s only five products in the line. Typically if you’ve been to any beauty counter in a mall you’ll see many, many different products out there – very confusing to the consumer. What we wanted to do was keep it as simple as possible and celebrate women’s natural look, so this is what we call “everyday women’s makeup”. It is not a high-fashion makeup, it’s meant to enhance what you already have. It’s very see-through, very transparent, but it’s meant to highlight and contour one’s own natural skin so that their own beauty is still there, not to cover it up. We have tinted moisturizers, which works to enhance one’s own natural skin condition and tone. We have an illuminator, which if there’s something that you want to bring up in your skin and make it look really bright, you would use the beautiful illuminator, which is in a nice coal colour. We also have a bronzer, so if you want to have that sun-kissed look, that would be something you can use. And of course, last but not least, we can’t forget the lips. We have the cinnamon kiss lip plumper, which is meant to gently boost the size of the lips using cinnamon oil and castor seed oil, but also to bring colour to your own natural lips by not using a regular dye, but by stimulating the blood in your own lips makes your own natural colour come out. It’s a beautiful, beautiful product. And best of all, it tastes just like cinnamon candy hearts, which I think a lot of people will love.

PREVOST:What certifications does Éminence have that can offer assurances to any customers, or to anyone listening to this, that the products they’re purchasing that are in fact organic, natural, and non toxic?

Éminence Organics Certifications,

including Demeter, Biocontrol, FSC and USDA.

MAILLET: We’re very pound of our certifications. Our certification bodies are not easy to get. It’s taken us years to get this kind of backing behind us and it’s very, very strict. One of them is Demider USA, which is probably the most difficult certification in the world to get. It’s also the only company that certifies in Europe and the United States, which is very important because products grown in Europe cannot be certified by American certification companies. Demider is the only company that can do that. Not only is it difficult to get that certification but they have to actually come to see our properties, they have to weigh the seed that we use, they have to watch us plant them, they also have to weigh the yield of the crop to ensure that the amount of seeds that we started with produced the correct amount of fruits and vegetables – it’s incredible! They also have to watch us through out the bottling process to ensure that we are bottling, and not cooking our products and then right into selling them as well. Another certification we have is USDA, because we do have three products that are made in the US. So we do have the USDA organic certification, which is the industry standard in North America and probably the most respected. Last but not least, the one we had since the very beginning, which is Biocontrol Hungary. It is a European only certification body and again one of the highest and largest certification agencies in Europe. All of these again are non-profit organizations, so I think that is important to say as well.

PREVOST: Well, thank you for all of this good information! How long have you worked with the company now?

MAILLET: I’ve worked with the company since the very start when it was launched in North America, which was 12 years ago.

PREVOST: Oh my gosh, you’ve seen it grow to what it is today. Good for you!

MAILLET: Roy, I love it! It has not stopped growing and it’s been a ride for sure. And I love to see that people are being very conscious about what they’re using and the excitement has not died.

PREVOST: Well, I want to thank you for taking the time to do this interview, and all the best with Éminence. I’m sure just by what you told us and to any potential customers who are listening to this, you’d be well served to get this excellent product. Thank you again, and all the best to you.

MAILLET: Thank you very much, Roy. I really appreciate it.

Spring Cleaning for your Body.

2011-05-09T11:41:00.001-04:00

Once you’re done spring cleaning your home, it’s time to start spring cleaning yourself! The spring is the perfect time to start a full-body, detoxifying cleanse to remove toxins built up in your body. Removing toxins with a full-body cleanse can help alleviate chronic fatigue, irritated skin, menstrual difficulties and mental confusion.

There are many different ways you can detoxify your body, but in every program the first and most important step is drinking plenty of water.

Water dilutes the toxins and flushes them out of the body. Each day of your cleanse, you should drink half of your weight in ounces. For example: if you weight 150 pounds, drink 75 ounces of pure water (that’s about 9 glasses, or 2.2 litres).

If you need to do some calculations, 1 ounce = 0.0295735296 litres.

If you would like to learn more about other parts of a detoxification program, visit our website.

all things being eco. accidentally.

2011-04-05T10:06:00.000-04:00

Recently, Jen at gronicktales.blogspot.com (one of our online customers) wrote a blog post reviewing the Lunchbots we sell at ezentials-natural-products.com. Not only was it a sparkling review of our online store and Lunchbots, but it was a great story about just simply trying to be green and making those small changes around the house for you and your family.

"never in a million years would i have cast myself in the role of the environmentalist but it is sort of the place i have landed. by accident. but to be fair - i do use the term environmentalist very loosely.

i distinctly remember 6 years ago standing in line at the IGA and the woman in front of me had canvas bags and was also stuffing her food in her backpack. i remember thinking to myself at the time - what's her deal? how pretentious is she? - like many others now i find myself in her boat. would i plan to go to the store without my bags? no. do i feel ridiculously guilty when i forget them? yes."

Metropolitan Tea following Japan's Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami

2011-03-25T15:35:00.000-04:00

We recently received a letter from Metropolitan Tea,our supplier of our loose leaf teas. Due to the natural disasters in Japan and the current issues with the Fukushima I nuclear power plant, Metro Tea hasbeen flooded with questions about the safety of their teas. We decided weshould share the information with our customers to help answer any questions theymay have.

To paraphrase the letter, Metro Tea explains that they holdsufficient amounts of tea to last 18 months or more of anticipated sales,currently harvested from the 2010 crop year. Premium quality tea is onlyavailable at the garden level once per year, and the tea is stored in ahigh-vacuum, nitrogen atmosphere, ensuring an extremely long shelf life.

Their matcha tea is made in Canada, using authentic Japaneseequipment. They only keep a 4 week supply of matcha for distribution, but theyhave large inventory to continue producing Japanese matcha.

Metro Tea also explained that this isn’t the first threat ofnuclear calamity that has stricken their growers. The Chernobylaccident of 1986 endangered their tea gardens in Turkey,Russia and

Iran

, but they had measures inplace to protect their products and deal with the incident. Based on theirexperience, Metro Tea is carefully assessing and reviewing their options forfuture supplies of tea.

If you would like more information about Metropolitan Teaand their contingency plan for the future, their contact information can befound in the original letter.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T09:36:00.000-04:00

If green beer is in your schedule for today, we have another "green" drink for you to try - Nux vomica.

Nux vomica is a homeopathic remedy that is extremely beneficial for hangovers symptoms, like headaches, nausea, fatigue and indigestion. It's helpful for symptoms of overeating too.

Like the warmth of the sun
And the light of the day,
May the luck of the Irish
Shine bright on your way!

Ezentials Named One of Constant Contact’s 2010 All Stars

2011-03-16T11:28:00.000-04:00

Ezentials was just recently named one of Constant Contact's 2010 All Stars for top performance with the e-mail marketing of our monthly e-newsletters. We appreciate the award and thank all of our loyal readers for their support!

Here is an excerpt from Constant Contact's Press Release:

Ezentials Natural Health Centre & Spa has received the 2010 All Star Award from Constant Contact, Inc., the trusted marketing advisor to more than 400,000 small organizations worldwide. Ezentials is one of Constant Contact’s 2010 top performers and most prolific user of its tools, whether within Constant Contact’s email marketing, event marketing, social media marketing, or survey products – or a combination of all four.

Constant Contact looked at criteria including the following when selecting this year’s All Stars:

Frequency of campaigns, events and surveys
Open, bounce and click through rates
Usage of social features
Mailing list sign up tools
Use of reporting tools

"Kiss Me, I'm Green" contest is back!

2011-03-03T10:40:00.000-05:00

Our green-themed contest is back and bigger than ever! This year's gift basket is worth over $95.00, full of green-living products. All you have to do to enter is buy ANYTHING in the store or online with the colour green on the packaging - no matter the price.

The product can have a green label, a green logo, even be green in colour. As long as you see green on the product, it counts. Visit the website for details or visit http://www.ezentials-natural-products.com/ to start hunting (trust us, you won't have to look hard!).

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T09:58:00.000-05:00

It’s that special time of the year for everyone to celebrate love and loved ones. If you’re a woman and experience low libido, here’s an important tip to help boost your sex drive:

Check your adrenal glands - Adrenal glands sit above your kidneys, pumping stress-coping hormones into your body. If you experience constant, chronic stress, these gland can become exhausted and cause problems including low libido, irritability, fatigue, weight gain, PMS and/or menopausal symptoms, and a lot of other problems. A Naturopathic doctor can check to see if your adrenals are a problem with just a simple urine test – the Koenisburg Test.

For other tips and suggestions to boost libido in women, visit our website or sign up for our monthly e-newsletter.

Tips for New Years Resolutions

2011-01-19T23:25:00.000-05:00

It's day 19 of your New Years Resolution - how are you doing so far? Here's a simple trick to stay on track:

Write down your goals - Studies show that just writing your New Years Resolutions help increase your chances of reaching your goals. Post them somewhere easily seen to help keep you on track.

Here's a few more tips for New Years Resolutions.

Boost your Happiness

2011-01-13T15:13:00.000-05:00

Looking for ways to improve your mood? Get up and exercise!

Regular, sweat-breaking exercise boosts morale, energy and your overall mood. As you exercise, you release endorphins into your blood stream. It's the endorphins that make you feel happy!

Learn more about how to boost happiness at our website.

What it REALLY Takes to be Certified Organic

2011-01-04T10:01:00.000-05:00

Another reason why we love Earth Mama Angel Baby - they're proud of their organic certification enough to show how they pass inspection.

"It’s that time of the year again. Oh sure, you’re probably thinking I reference cheerful, festive preparations with tinsels and bows, lights and carols. But no, it’s time for Earth Mama’s annual organic inspection, and believe me, the process is no holiday. With so many companies blithely tossing around the “O” word, we think it’s important to show what being a certified organic manufacturing company really entails. Welcome to the Annual Organic Inspection!

"The purpose of an organic inspection is to have an objective third party examine a manufacturer’s facility. An independent inspector is hired by Quality Assurance International, Earth Mama’s certifier. Together they tell you if your processes are compliant with the USDA NOP and NSF organic standards. But not to tell you HOW to comply with them. Translation – while our inspector, John was fantastic, he can’t “consult” with you. That means he is happy to tell you if you’re doing something wrong, but he can’t tell you exactly how to do it right. You’re on your own for that."

Inside Rocky Mountian Soap - How Soap is Made

2010-12-13T12:35:00.000-05:00

Interested in how hand-made, natural soap is created? Watch the mixing process and learn the science behind making Rocky Mountain Soap's famous organic soap bars.

Steve Kelly of TALKCalgary finds out how natural, organic soap is made when he visits The Rocky Mountain Soap Company, Canadas leader in 100% Natural Bath and Body products.

Soap v Detergent – What’s In Those Bubbles?

2010-11-19T09:53:00.000-05:00

Earth Mama Angel Baby's Blog - "Mama's Herb Garden" - posted a great article about what goes into soap. Interesting stuff!

Soap v Detergent – What’s In Those Bubbles?

If you’re a parent you’d probably love a dime for every time you’ve prodded your kids to wash their hands, WITH soap! Since washing hands with soap is the best way to prevent spreading germs and disease, you’d think we’d all be clear about what that simple thing called “soap” is. But bar or liquid, your soap may not be so simple. And before you find out “you’re soaking in it” you may want to find out why!

Soap is pretty cool stuff. And it’s very simply made. In fact, the very first soaps were made by boiling oils, blending them with ashes and, voila! Cave mamas could clean their pelts! Soap is the end product of blending pure fats or oils with an alkaline (like potassium or sodium hydroxide) solution. That’s it. The oils are acids, the alkali is a base. Allow this acid/base solution to sit and stew for a while and the acids and bases neutralize each other. The oils are saponified, the scary-sounding stuff no longer exists, leaving a balanced, sudsy soap, with a natural pH high enough that it doesn’t require the addition of synthetic preservatives.
Detergent, on the other hand, is a synthetic surfactant originally made to do a better job of cleaning laundry and dishes than natural soap. Detergents started being used in some personal care products like shampoos and body washes because the blend of synthetic chemicals is a less costly way to achieve lathering and cleaning properties. Some detergents are benign and useful, but some can add up to a worrisome toxic soup!

What Is a Surfactant?
Stay with us, it’s simple. Natural soap is a surfactant, or surface acting agent. When you put a drop of water on a counter, it holds its shape. If you add a surfactant to it and reduce the surface tension, the water spreads out evenly and the droplet disappears. Surfactants help break surface tension, making water more effective at washing the dirt away. Soap acts as a surfactant – detergents contain synthetic surfactants.

Are All Synthetic Surfactants Toxic?
No! But many of the synthetic surfactants found in detergent personal care products are under scrutiny for their toxicity to humans. These include common surfactants and emulsifiers like cocomidopropyl betaine, sodium laureth sulfate, cocamide DEA, TEA (Triethanolamine), and ethoxylated alcohols like ceteareth-12 alcohol, many of which are responsible for releasing carcinogenic formaldehyde and 1,4 Dioxane. On the other hand, decyl glucoside may sound scary, but is a gentle surfactant produced from a reaction between glucose (aka: sugar) from cornstarch and a fatty alcohol from coconuts.
How can you not be confused?! Sometimes something that sounds suspicious will be safe, and sometimes something that sounds natural will prove scary. A great resource is the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database, where you can look up products by name, or look up individual ingredients.

What Else is in Detergents?
Detergents usually also contain thickening agents like Polyethylene glycol (PEG) that make the detergent feel thick, even with the addition of up to 90% water. This group of agents has some of the highest toxicity ratings on the Skin Deep site, and carry serious concerns about organ system toxicity and carcinogenic cell mutation. And to help detergent shampoos “moisturize” many contain humectants or additives such as propylene glycol. Propylene glycol is a very common additive in personal care products and skin and respiratory irritant which can cause liver and kidney damage and is also found in paint, wallpaper removers and de-greasers. Yikes!

Does Soap or Detergent Need a Preservative?
Because soap has a high enough pH to deter bacterial or mold growth, it does not need to be preserved. But detergent type shampoos and body washes do need to be preserved to keep them free of mold, bacteria and other goo. Common preservatives include methyl-, butyl-, ethyl- and proply- parabens, methylisothiazolinone, phenoxyethanol, diazolidinyl urea, Quaternium 15 and even formaldehyde, all of which have serious safety concerns.

“Fragrance” is no Bed of Roses
You’ll often see the word “fragrance” or “fragrance oil” in soaps and shampoos (and lotions, and oils). If an ingredient list includes the word “fragrance” it is not disclosing the source of the artificial fragrance. Avoid products that list the word “fragrance” in their ingredient panel because “fragrance” can contain carcinogenic phthalates and mask the addition of undisclosed and potentially toxic preservatives.

Read the Labels!
Click on at least a few of the above links – or better yet, for your health and well being, read the labels of the personal care products you use on yourself, your babies and your whole family. Look up the brand, the product, or the ingredients on the Skin Deep database. If you see something that makes you worried, don’t use it. If you want to let the company know why you aren’t using it, write them a letter. That’s how change happens. The consumer is queen, and knowledge is power!

So that’s the dirt on Soap vs. Detergent. We like to keep it simple, and save the detergent for the dirty diapers!

New Online Store Address

2010-10-28T16:21:00.000-04:00

Ezentials' online store keeps growing and growing, so we decided to give it a better web address. You can still follow the same link from http://www.ezentials.ca/, or you can go to http://www.ezentials-natural-products.com/.

We've also made a few improvements to make it easier to navigate around the categories. We now have over 1000 natural and organic health products available online. Even if there is something you don't see, let us know and we can order it for you!

Benefits of Mineral Makeup

2010-08-27T11:57:00.002-04:00

A fabulous alternative to traditional make-up products, La Bella Donna Mineral Makeup not only looks good, but it is truely good for your skin!

Mineral pigments are derived from rock, micro-pulverized and jet milled for an incredibly smooth consistency. La Bella Donna Loose Mineral Foundation applies with the flawless finish of a cream base. Mineral pigments, a natural alternative to chemical makeup, do not contain any FD&C dyes, oils, talc, alcohol or fragrance.

The Benefits of Minerals

Minerals are natural
Ideal for all ages and skin types
Waterproof
Covers, corrects, colours, and beautifies better than chemical cosmetics
Long-lasting colour that does not crease, fade or wear away
Lightweight like you are not wearing makeup at all
Light-refractive quality that diminishes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
Superior natural-looking coverage that allows skin to breathe
Does not clog pores
Nearly zero allergy rate
Natural sun protection
Balances moisture content in the skin
Ideal for sensitive, acne, or problem skin
Soothing, does not irritate
Safe for post-op coverage
Anti-aging

What Minerals are used and why?

Micronized Titanium Dioxide is used as a non-chemical sun block (SPF 20)
Iron Oxides provide the source of colour
Bismuth Oxychloride & Zinc Oxide contain anti-inflammatory properties, making the makeup soothing to the skin.

Minerals as Sun Protection?

Micronized titanium dioxide is the key. It is found naturally in minerals and does not clog pores or dry out the skin. Basically, it allows light to pass through the visible ray region (light that is needed for healthy development of skin) while intercepting the ultraviolet rays. Micronized titanium dioxide guards against the damaging effects of ultraviolet rays, yet gives the skin a natural looking finish. Reasearch shows micronized titanium dioxide provides a natural barrier to UVA and UVB radiation without irritation, burning or stinging.

The La Bella Donna line of mineral make-up includes Lip Sheer, Mascara, Eye Shadow, Foundation, Brushes and much more. Visit Ezentials Online Store to learn more.

Source: www.labelladonna.com

Vision Therapy and the Bates Method

2010-08-23T09:28:00.001-04:00

For forty years since 1891, Dr. William Bates, a renowned ophthalmologist, researched deeply into the root causes of vision problems such as myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia, astigmatism, and strabismus (lazy eye).

Dr. Bates, stopped prescribing glasses to his clients after noticing that their eye problems got progressively worse after wearing glasses. He discovered that the glasses actually prevent the eyes from healing itself naturally. Inn his research, Dr. Bates discovered that vision fluctuates. The eyes, just like any part of the body, are subjected to stress, emotions, mind-body interaction, and physical habits.

The Pinhole Scientific Principle

Vision Therapy Eyewear, or pinhole glasses, uses the scientific principle that light travels in straight lines to create the pin-hole effect. Images are sharpened without the use of lenses or prescription glasses.

Benefits of Vision Therapy Eyewear:

1. Vision Therapy Eyewear helps you go without glasses (if lens diopter is less than 3.0) painlessly for far or near work such as reading, computer, movies or copying notes off the board or slides.

2. Since there are no glasses or prescription, there is no 20 times over-powered lenses to worry about.

3. Now you can read your papers (presbyopia or longsighted) or watch your favourite movies (myopia, shortsighted) without glasses!

4. There is no strain or headaches caused by over-powered glasses especially when performing near work such as reading, computer or writing.

5. You grow to be less dependent on your eye-crutches.

6. You are using your natural vision ability to see, an ability you have forgotten or neglected to use for a long time.

7. It even helps you to develop good vision habits – relaxed central vision which is a key to natural eyesight improvement.

Vision Therapy Eyewear is available in store and online at http://www.ezentials.ca/

Source: www.naturalvisiontherapy.com/batesmethod.html

Grocery shopping for the health of it

2010-08-20T18:06:00.000-04:00

Naturopathic doctors Tracy Gilbert, Carine Lafrance and Sylvia Marasco, all from Ezentials Natural Health Centre and Spa,
offer guided grocery tours to help shoppers make healthier choices. Photo by Jenny Jelen.

By: Jenny Jelen - Sudbury Northern Life Staff

If your cupboards are filled with processed foods and you are lacking energy, it may be time to reconsider how you shop at the grocery store.Tips from the naturopathic doctors at Ezentials Natural Health Centre and Spa might be able to help.

Guided grocery store tours are one of the services offered at the health centre. "The tour is really about education," Tracy Gilbert, owner of Ezentials and a naturopathic doctor, said. "It's really to help (shoppers) become more aware of what they're buying." During tours, Gilbert or another naturopathic doctor from the clinic, Carine Lafrance or Sylvia Marasco, will take clients to a grocery store, and spend time going through the aisles with them, picking out the healthiest options for their lifestyle.

Lafrance said most shoppers she takes on tours are introduced to new foods that they haven't bought before.
Since Lafrance and the other naturopathic doctors eat the way they tell others to, they are able to point out the best-tasting foods that still meet their health standards. "Having experience eating (healthy foods) ourselves, its nice to be able to say, 'this is a really good tasting alternative,'" Gilbert said. Although each tour is designed to meet the individual shopper's needs, Gilbert said there are some things everyone can benefit from. "We're recommending people follow a whole foods diet." Gilbert said. "If (food) no longer resembles how it grew in the ground, it's probably not the best choice."

She suggested people concentrate on filling their shopping carts with fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans, lentils and raw nuts and seeds. Filling a cart with goods from the perimeter of a grocery store helps people stock up on more of the foods they should be eating. Making a stop in the health food section helps too. Lafrance said this doesn't mean you can't go through all the aisles though. "I don't necessarily skip any aisles," she said. "I might point at some aisles and say, 'there probably aren't a lot of good options here, but let's go through it quickly.'"
Paying attention to labels can help shoppers pick healthier food too. The naturopathic doctors help people learn what to look for on labels.

"Once people understand how to read the labels, it makes it much easier for them to make informed decisions about their food choices," Gilbert said. "People are looking for natural and organic alternatives. A lot of times, companies use those types of words in their product names, so it will lead people to think they are better choices."
It's not always the case though. Gilbert recommended customers be aware of marketing techniques some companies use to make their products more appealing. She suggested reading all the information in the ingredient list.

Some shoppers may be concerned that eating healthy will cost more, but Gilbert dispelled the myth that healthy food is more expensive. "If you eat whole foods, its actually cheaper than a lot of your pre-packaged foods," she said. "One of the biggest items, in terms of your grocery bill, is meat. If you start to reduce some of your meat intake, and replace it more with your fresh fruits and vegetables, there's not a price difference."

She said as far as organic food goes, she has seen it cost the same, more, or less than non-organic food, depending on the grocery store and season.

For more information about guided grocery store tours, phone 969-0043 or visit http://www.ezentials.ca/.