It’s beginning to look (and feel!) a lot like Christmas! Are you starting to think about what to get everyone on your list?
Spoil your loved ones this Holiday Season with the gift of health, while supporting local stores in Calgary and Canadian companies!
1. Dr. Segal’s – Energy Socks
Do you have someone special on your list who suffers daily from sore legs? Help to increase their comfort year-round with a pair of Dr. Segal’s compression socks.
Traditionally, compression socks have been perceived to be only worn by the elderly. However, everyday millions of people go home from work after a long day of sitting or standing longing to take off their shoes and finally put their feet up. Dr. Segal’s, the first to market fashionable compression socks, brings effective relief to those people who suffer from tired, achy, swollen legs everyday by improving circulation.
This holiday season, give the gift of energy with Dr. Segal’s Energy Socks. Available in fun and colourful patterns that won’t compromise your style.
Visit www.drsegals.com for more information on their amazing and fashionable products and store locations where you can purchase them!
Dr. Segal’s – socks with benefits!
2. Left Coast Naturals – Hippie Snacks Cauliflower Crisps & Avocado Crisps
One thing that I always enjoy receiving as a gift, are food items – and I love gifting them as well! This year I will be sure to include some Hippie Snacks in my gift baskets (and pick up a bag or two for myself)!!
Hippie Snacks is committed to high quality, non-GMO ingredients, all sourced from sustainable farmers and processors. Its snacks are minimally processed in Burnaby, BC, with nutrient dense ingredients. Hippie Snacks is committed to serving the planet, the community, and its customers, celebrates natural foods and only uses pure, simple, whole-food ingredients. What a radical idea!
Hippie Snacks specializes in premium plant-based foods and has recently added two new products to its lineup: Cauliflower Crisps (in Original and Classic Ranch flavours) and Avocado Crisps (in Guacamole and Sea Salt).
Hippie Snacks’ Avocado Crisps and Cauliflower Crisps are the first crispy snacks to feature avocado and real, whole cauliflower as the first ingredients! The fresh cauliflower and avocado are seasoned with sea salt, seeds, and herbs, and baked for the perfect crunch. Both offerings are made with real ingredients you can pronounce, with five grams of protein in each serving. The cauliflower is actually cut and ground up in Hippie’s production facility in Burnaby, BC—no wonder their tagline is ‘Real Food Tastes Better’!
For more information, please visit www.hippiesnacks.com.
3. Lowen’s Skincare – Super Salve, Vaporub & Make Room – Body Butter
In our cold dry climate, I find that my friends and family always enjoy receiving skincare products to help keep their skin moist. This year I am reaching for Lowen’s Skincare products.
Lowen’s Skincare has been providing evidence based, locally sourced, natural skincare products since 2010. Here are three product ideas to consider adding to your shopping list this year:
Super Salve: Lowen from Lowen’s (Lowen’s father started the company and his daughter’s name inspired the name for their company!) shared that one of their products, their super salve came to be as people wanted smaller “travel sized” versions of their products. At the time they still had “Bum Balm” in the name and that shied people off. So they renamed it Super Salve, after Lowen’s Grandpa who, when she was growing up, used to ask the kids to “get that salve,” referring to any “do all” skin remedy lotion/gel/balm they happened to have at the house.
Vaporub – Vaporub is a non petroleum based alternative to the famous medicated rub (also good for muscle aches and mosquito bites…so great to use year round). Vaporub penetrates your skin and softens and conditions it versus sitting on top of it like petroleum based products.
Make Room – Body Butter: This product is made with with fair trade, unrefined shea and cocoa butters, coconut oil and Three Farmer’s camelina oil. Jam packed with natural skin conditioners, antioxidants and essential fatty acids that will soften rough skin, soothe irritations and provide superior hydration!
Visit www.lowens.ca to order and for more information and products.
4. MegaFood – New Gummy Vitamins – D3 Wellness Mixed Fruit, C Defense Tangy Citrus, B12 Energy Cranberry & B12 Energy Ginger
Do you have someone on your list who would enjoy natural supplements in their gift stocking? Then consider MegaFood.
I definitely recommend their Vitamin Gummies to help support your immune system during the busy holiday season when you are surrounded by people, the weather cools off and you aren’t getting enough rest. I use their vitamin gummies myself and have already purchased some as stocking stuffers.
MegaFood creates premium supplements that support organic and regenerative agriculture for a healthy, sustainable future. Their premium supplements are made with real food from trusted farm partners. MegaFood believes that the more real your supplements are, the better your body can be. That’s why their supplements are made with real foods from trusted farm partners and added nutrients, so you can nourish your body and taste buds with deliciously real gummy vitamins.
Their new gummy vitamins are made with real, whole foods sourced from farm fresh partners to deliver a range of health-promoting compounds. You can even SEE the real bits of food in the gummies (and taste it too of course!). There is no artificial or added colours, flavours, or preservatives and they’re free from gelatin, gluten, dairy, and soy. Plus, they’re easy to chew and swallow, perfect for anyone who has trouble swallowing large pills or tablets. AND they’re available in FOUR different varieties: D3 Wellness Mixed Fruit, C Defense Tangy Citrus, B12 Energy Cranberry and B12 Energy Ginger.
Visit www.megafood.com to learn more about their fresh from farm to tablet products.
5. Botanica – Turmeric Golden Mylk, Chocolate Turmeric Golden Mylk & Reishi Hot Chocolate
I have been shopping at Botanica for years and have many of their products in my home. I also recommend many of Botanica’s ingredients in my gluten, dairy and refined sugar-free recipes to add extra nutrition to bowls and smoothies, by adding hidden ingredients like collagen.
Botanica is a curator of great nutrition, herbal medicine and a mindful lifestyle. They create some of the world’s finest superfoods and herbal products to achieve that goal, while promising three things:
Whole Plant Ingredients
Botanica curates the best ingredients from around the world and always uses the whole herb and ingredient, never isolates or synthetics. They also never add any fillers, artificial ingredients, preservatives, or colours.
A Rigorous Craft Process
Botanica takes pride in every detail – from where their ingredients are sourced, how they’re grown, and how they are made – all to ensure the best absorption, the best bioavailability, the highest concentration and the greatest purity and potency.
Herbal Traditions
They use herbs and superfoods that have seen centuries of traditional use, perfected over time.
Some of my favourite products from Botanica are their three amazing superfood latte blends: Turmeric Golden Mylk, Chocolate Turmeric Golden Mylk, and Reishi Hot Chocolate. All three are made with certified organic ingredients and are also vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free, and non-GMO, while also checking off all three of the Botanica promises. All three are made in small batches and are of course free from any fillers and artificial ingredients.
Learn more about Botanica’s premium herbal and nutrition products at www.botanicahealth.com
6. PUDUS™ – Slipper Socks & Winter Accessories
Spoil a lady on your shopping list with a must-have accessory featured on Oprah’s Favourite Things! Possibly a snood or something for a child in your life from the kids’ line?
Based in beautiful British Columbia, Canada, family-run PUDUS™ has grown from acclaimed slipper socks to include colourful hats, mittens, snoods, slippers and an ever-growing kids’ line.
Designed in-house to reflect their core values of comfort, family, relaxation and positivity, PUDUS™ are a must-have accessory for any winter wardrobe. Worn by A-list celebrities and featured on Good Morning America, Oprah’s Favorite Things, Rachael Ray, The View, Entertainment Tonight and in dozens of other publications, PUDUS™ pamper, snuggle and hug.
Learn more about PUDUS™ at www.www.ilovemypudus.com
7. Prairie Naturals – Hair Care & Enzyme Force
Give the gift of beautiful hair this holiday season. Prairie Naturals offers a wonderful line of hair care products that create the beautiful hair, we all long for and deserve, for all hair types, without the addition of dangerous ingredients.
I also recommend their Enzyme Force product if you know someone that could use help with their digestion. Taking an enzyme with your food will help with your digestion and help ease any bloating and discomfort. These are especially handy to have around during the holiday season for holiday indulgences
Prairie Naturals has been helping create beautiful, healthy hair naturally, since the early 1990’s. As a family owned and operated business, health and environmental responsibility has been a primary focus behind product development. Founder and owner, Robert Pierce, recognizes the strong connection between our health and the health of our planet. It is his mission to create clean, non-polluting hair care formulas that do not harm the people who use them or the planet. With more than 40 products for all hair types, Prairie Naturals offers a range of exceptional salon quality formulas made with love in the beautiful Okanagan Valley. Prairie Naturals sources only the finest ingredients and organic botanicals to create glorious, healthy hair with no dangerous ingredients.
Prairie Naturals Hair Care Products contain no: SLS, parabens, phthalates, MEA, DEA, TEA, xenoestrogens, propylene glycol, synthetic colours, artificial fragrances, or mineral oil. Also they are: Non-GMO, Gluten-Free, Vegan and Cruelty-Free.
Enzyme-Force
Everyone knows the saying: “You are what you eat.” More accurately, “You are what you digest!” Digestive enzymes are the keys to healthy digestion. Supplementing our diets with a variety of natural digestive enzymes ensures that we will unlock, break down, and utilize the many complex and nourishing components of our food, including dairy and gluten. And did you know that enzymes have healing power far beyond their use as digestive aids? We can use enzymes to reduce inflammation, improve acid reflux and IBS, relieve constipation, balance pH, increase mineral absorption, reduce intestinal infections and much, much more.
Prairie Naturals Enzyme-Force with FibraZyme™ is a full-spectrum digestive enzyme blend for the optimal digestion of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and fibre. Enzyme-Force does more than treat the symptoms; it helps to correct one of the underlying causes of indigestion – poor enzyme activity! These plant-based enzymes help support and maintain a healthy digestive system by breaking down all the food groups more thoroughly. Noticeable results include less indigestion, gas, bloating, constipation and acid reflux. Along with better digestion, increased energy and alertness are also reported. A full-spectrum vegetarian, plant-based enzyme blend in V-Caps! 100% Vegan. Tested gluten-free. Contains NO soy, dairy, eggs, gluten, flavours, colours, preservatives, sweeteners, GMO ingredients.
Visit www.prairienaturals.ca for more information on all their amazing products and store locations where you can purchase them!
8. Pranic Forest – Beauty Box
Stumped for gift ideas for a special friend or family member? Consider a Beauty Box from Pranic Forest!
A Beauty Box is a wonderful way to introduce a loved one (or yourself!) to an all natural, high quality skin care regime. The box, featuring illustrative designs by Pranic Forest’s owner, Amanda Spicer, contains everything you need for your daily skin care routine – a cleanser, exfoliator, serum, facial oil and blemish treatment.
Pranic Forest’s Veda Cleansing Oil utilizes beautiful emollient oils such as pomegranate seed oil and calendula infused coconut oil to leave your skin feeling smooth, hydrated and glowing.
The Hyaluronic Acid Serum, which is derived from plants, retains moisture and reduces inflammation, helping to combat fine lines and wrinkles.
The Sirius Facial Oil, as seen in British Glamour magazine, is a deeply penetrating and brightening facial oil. It is also formulated to control breakouts, due to the presence of myrrh in the oil. The Sirius Facial Oil also contains cucumber seed oil, which is suitable for a variety of skin types. This formula is loaded with anti-oxidants, which helps keep your skin feeling youthful and to look refreshed.
The last item in the Beauty Box are Aura Cleansing Granules which contain kaolin clay to draw out impurities, tocotrienols which are in the Vitamin E family, Calendula to smooth and sooth the skin, Moringa, Cardamom, Matcha, ground hibiscus flowers, Vitamin E powder and ground oats.
Visit www.pranicforest.com to order and for more information and products.
Happy Shopping!
Here is Amber Romaniuk sharing live her Holiday Gift Guide favorites for 2018 on CTV Calgary.