UnSymmetrical

After reading numerous reviews on different humidifiers and their downfalls, (white dust, bacteria growth, frequency and difficulty of cleaning) I stumbled on this “gem”. On paper it looked impressive. No cleaning, good design for water tanks, low noise, infrequent filter changes and many more, small but “useful” features. On top, not only did it promise to humidify but it was also a purifier. What a great concept! So, I forked out $200 large for the promise.

Upon receiving Air-O-Swiss 2071, I was a bit shocked by the size of the box. Granted the specs are listed on the site, it seemed bigger then I anticipated. But not to worry! I usually like to fill up my bedroom with huge, plastic, robot-like things regardless of the fact that they take away more and more of the useful space, leaving you crammed in your tiny bed (no space for a big bed) wondering about the real definition of claustrophobia.

Continue reading "Air-O-Swiss 2071 Hepa Air Filter / Humidifier Combination" »

Posted by Vitamin Z at 04:13 PM | Permalink

Clean, refreshing water. That is what you might think about the water coming out of your shower head. Think again! Have you ever heard of Chlorine?

“It's no secret that much of our water supply comes from polluted sources. As a result, most municipalities use chlorine to kill bacteria. High chlorine levels are not healthy for any living organism, including humans; in fact, chlorine is the primary ingredient in household bleach which is not only highly-corrosive, but is designed to kill organisms it contacts.

A Health Canada Position Paper entitled Safe Drinking Water: A Public Health Challenge, states: "14-16% of bladder cancers may be attributable to water containing CBPs. There is an urgent need to resolve this ... In fact, given the prolonged exposure to CBPs and the epidemiologic evidence of associations with several cancer sites, future research may establish CBPs as the most important environmental carcinogens in terms of the number of attributable cancers per year." The paper links CBPs with spontaneous abortions, low sperm count, birth defects, respiratory problems and spina bifida.

Continue reading "Aquasana Shower Water Filter" »

Posted by Vitamin Z at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Publix stores are now carrying Organic Wine amongst other organic products. The price is pretty reasonable compare to non organic wines. Don't know about the taste though. I don't fancy white wines too much. Maybe I can try some later, since it is a Chardonnay. Or someone could by it and let me know how good (or bad) it was. $14.99 for a bottle of Organically grown wine is certainly not a bank breaker.

The profile for this one is available from the Bonterra vineyard in PDF format. Click to visit Bonterra’s home page.

Posted by Vitamin Z at 04:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When I started to look for a Protein Powder, I’ve ruled out Whey protein right away (see the article on milk). That did not leave me with much choice because of the popularity of Whey. Rice protein was one of the choices but I’ve decided to avoid it since too much rice is not necessarily a good thing. Soy protein had a questionable taste. And on and on and on... Then I found something almost too good to be true. Hemp Protein Powder by Manitoba Harvest. This powder has all the nutritional values that my diet was lacking (not that it isn't lacking it right now). It is 100% raw, 100% plant based with no additives or preservatives and is GMO free. The taste is quite pleasant as well. Reminds me of dry peas mixed with grass. Now, giving that peas and grass does not taste like candy, the powder is still far from being unpleasant. I scoop the powder with the spoon and eat it with out mixing it with any liquids. Simply chasing it with water does the trick. No containers to clean or utensils to wash.

Here are some more interesting facts. "Hemp's overall protein content of 34.6% is comparable to soy beans and is higher than that found in nuts, other seeds, meats, dairy products and fish or poultry. Hemp protein contains all of the essential amino acids in more nutritionally significant amounts and at a ratio closer to "complete" sources of protein (like meat, milk and eggs) than all other seeds except soy. 66% of the proteins in hemp are "edestin," which are easily digestible and act as pre-cursors to such vital body components as hormones, hemoglobin, en2ymes and antibodies. Hemp's edestin structure is the highest in the plant kingdom. Hemp also contains a healthy 35% of dietary fiber, the highest of all commercial flour grains, and it is high in the natural antioxidants Vitamin E, Vitamin C and chlorophyll."

Posted by Vitamin Z at 02:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When it comes to snack bars most, think of Snickers and Three Musketeers. But those bars are full of refined sugars, partially hydrogenated oils and artificial flavors. Not a very healthy combination. However, recently a few companies have emerged with revolutionary products that are healthy and taste great.

Meet LARABAR – raw natural food in a small wrapper and an unexpectedly big punch. With one glance at the ingredients it becomes clear why this bar, in my opinion, is a winner. Let’s take a look at the Cherry Pie LARABAR. Here is the list of ingredients. Are you ready?

Dates, Almonds, Unsweetened Cherries.

That’s it. That completes the list. No artificial flavors, no fillings or preservatives. Just pure, raw foods packaged in a bar that’s ready to go (pun intended). According to the package, these bars contain one and a half servings of fruit (based on the USDA Food Guide Pyramid).
In addition, it is rich in: fiber, antioxidants, heart-healthy Omega 3 & 6 essential fatty acids, beneficial carbohydrates. Dates and almonds add pleasing texture along with Vitamin E and 16 essential vitamins and minerals. Each bar helps the heart with 2.7 grams of Omega-6 fatty acids and tantalizes the taste buds with off-the-chart flavor. There are carbs and sugar present, but they are naturally occurring in fruit. Fat comes from nuts only and as you know, it is the good kind of fat.

That sounds wonderful, but what about the taste, you might ask? Well, not to worry. Your taste buds will jump for joy once they feel the pleasant flavor of LARABAR. Simply put, the taste is outstanding. That just proves once again that you don’t need to add sweeteners and artificial flavors to get an excellent tasting product. And to top it all off, there are 7 different flavors to discover. Apple Pie and Cherry Pie are my favorites. I eat one bar a day to satisfy my snack cravings. You should definitely give this product a chance. If you see it in the store, go ahead and try one. You will be forever grateful.
Happy snacking!

LARABAR

Posted by Vitamin Z at 11:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)