Product Reviews
by Jeffrey Schiller • Arizona

The Holiday season is here! In this issue I am reviewing healthy products that tempt our taste buds or help enhance our lifestyle, from snacks to kitchen appliances. Support the companies that have your best interests at heart. Happy Holidays!


KITCHEN

VITA-MIX upgraded its TurboBlend™4500, a well-made, durable, commercial grade blender with a new 2-peak horsepower motor that can emulsify, blend, grind, chop and puree ingredients and run substantially cooler under heavy loads. The two-speed, low and high settings process ingredients to perfect consistency. It can produce a smoothie within seconds or hot soup in just under six minutes. The TurboBlend™4500 includes a book with more than 200 recipes for making: smoothies & beverages; soups and purees; desserts; ice creams & sorbets; and salad dressings & sauces. An upgrade very worthy of mentioning is the plastic container that will not leech chemicals into your food (BPA-free). Vita-Mix is the first company to utilize this material in a kitchen appliance. Our tester was raving about how versatile this machine is. It is so easy to use that everyone should be processing healthy organic foods and drinks with this unit. (877) 848-2699, www.vitamix.com.


WINE/SNACKS

THE ORGANIC WINE WORKS produces organic wines with no additives, preservatives or sulfites. The 2007 Radical Cab California Cabernet Sauvignon is an easy drinking wine with a full, dry, fruity taste that goes well with chicken, beef, root vegetables or marinated tofu. Many other wines to choose from. (800) 699-9463, www.organicwineworks.com.

EDEN FOODS adds Shelled & Dry Roasted Organic Pistachios to its line of 4 oz. healthy snacks. The Pistachios taste fresh and have a very delicious flavor. They are so good that one can eat the package rather quickly. Pistachios are also a good source of protein, dietary fiber, vitamin B1 and manganese. (800) 248-0320, www.edenfoods.com.

ULIMANA launches a line of Date Rolls with Raw Chocolate. All ingredients used are raw, organic and sweetened with agave nectar, a low glycemic natural sweetener. Available in three delicious varieties: Spiced, Chai, and Original. Each date is hand dipped into rich raw chocolate with a unique blend of spices. All flavors are sweet, flavorful and delectable!
(828) 713-3469, www.ulimana.com.


BODY CARE

TROPICAL TRADITIONS offers an extensive line of high quality organic body care products made with organic virgin coconut oil and scented with pure essential oils. Some of the products include: Tea Tree Liquid Soap, Patchouli Shampoo Bar and Lavender Organic Scented Bar Soap. All have a pleasing scent, produce a very rich lather, and leave skin feeling clean and soft. Baby Silk Moisturizing Lotion combines organic virgin coconut oil, virgin palm oil and organic essential oils. It is quick absorbing and packed with antioxidants. Unscented Pure Moisturizing Cream For Hand, Face & Body works well for overnight use and helps with dry skin. Classic All Natural Roll-On Deodorant does a great job eliminating body odor. The ingredients are very pure and free of alcohol, petroleum, and artificial fragrances. All products were found to be exceptional and are recommended very highly by our testers. (866) 311-2626, www.tropicaltraditions.com.


ECO-FRIENDLY FOOTWEAR

DECKERS OUTDOOR CORP manufactures a line of ecoSneaks under the Simple Shoes brand name. One of the new shoes offered for Fall 2008 is EcoS (style 2180). Our tester has sensitive feet that are easily irritated by most shoes on the market. He tried on the EcoS to see how it fit. It has been two months now and he wears them everyday refusing to change off with his previously worn shoes. The product is sturdy and strong, while being lightweight and comfortable. This sneaker is a high-rated product. (866) 896-3708, www.simpleshoes.com.


LIGHTING

FULL SPECTRUM SOLUTIONS makes available BlueMax™ 70W High Definition Floor Lamps. These fully functional floor lamps use naturally balanced light that is beneficial for reading, artwork, sewing and any type of workstation application. With proper lighting one should be able to do detailed work without eye fatigue, dryness or soreness. The energy saving design of these lamps consumes 75% less energy than regular bulbs and lasts up to 10,000 hours. (888) 574-7014, www.fullspectrumsolutions.com.

BEDFAN

TOMPKINS RESEARCH developed the Bedfan Personal Cooling System, designed for women who suffer from hot flashes that cause night sweats, and for people who want a cool night’s rest while saving money on their air conditioning bill. The Bedfan installs on just about any bed. The unit has an aerodynamic ventilation system, two high performance fans and an adjustable comfort dial. It is easy to set up. Place the adjustable breeze about one inch above the top of the mattress and replace the top sheet over it. Once the overlapping sheet is tucked in between the mattress and box springs, the comforter can be placed back on the bed to enjoy a cool, night’s sleep. For best results, it is recommended to use quality sheets with a high thread count. (210) 632-8280, www.bedfan.com.

Jeffrey Schiller is a special feature columnist and writes for health and environmental publications across the nation. He can be reached at: jeffreys@aztecfreenet.org