WELLNESS & BODY CARE
The Co-op offers an incredible selection of vitamins and supplements for every need. We only carry reputable lines and refrain from making unfounded or questionable health claims.
Our Wellness Department promotes household and personal care products that are environmentally sound and that use no animal testing. Our Mercantile Department promotes Fair Trade merchandise and locally made artisan and handcrafted products. These departments bring a variety of products to our store including:
Supplements: Vitamins, tinctures, herbal and homeopathic remedies.
Health and Beauty: Make-up, Shampoos, lotions, facial care, and other personal care items.
Free Online Resources:
Natural Standard: Provides high quality, evidence-based information on dietary supplements (including herbs, vitamins, and minerals), functional foods, diets, complementary practices (modalities), exercises, and medical conditions. Natural Standard is impartial; not supported by any interest group, professional organization or product manufacturer.
Do you have a Los Alamos Public Library Card? If so, Click here and enter your 14 digit library card number for free access.
The Los Alamos Public Library also has many other databases available on their website.
Wellness & Body Care News
March 2013:
New Spring Products
Hello Everyone!
Holding with the spring theme of renewal and change, we have added a variety of gift, beauty, and allergy prevention items. You can now find Brainy Puzzles for all ages as part of the gifts selection, and we have new shirts this month. I am excited to say we will also start carrying blushes in our makeup section.
I hope you have a great time enjoying this excellent spring season, allergy free. We have plenty of great allergy and preventative supplements you can take to ease your allergies this season.
Happy spring everyone!
- Aviv
February 2013:
New Products
Vegan? Now the Wellness Aisle has a vegan friendly supplements section just for you!
I am also excited to say that we have some new Beauty Balm as well as a new Body Butter, both made by Andalou Naturals.
February is also a good time for a detox or an immune system boost, so check out the wellness aisle when you are at the Co-op next, and explore the many choices you have for improving your quality of life.
- Aviv
January 2013:
Starting 2013 on the Right Foot
Happy New Year everyone!
In the Wellness Department, we have what you need to start your new year on the right foot. We carry a variety of body detox options and will be happy to help you choose the one that best fits your needs. I always use some anti stress herbs after the holiday season to get me back to my normal state of mind. Feel free to ask if you want some help picking out supplements.
- Aviv
November 2012:
Reduce Holiday Stress
Hello Co-op Members!
November is a great time to think of ways to reduce holiday stress.
If you would like to supplement your de-stress toolkit, then our wellness department may have the answer. We carry a variety of supplements to help you reduce stress, and here is an article for additional ways to help you have a great holiday: 8 Surprising Ways to De-Stress The Brain.
We expanded our product line to include Vaxa products such as Extress, which increases your body’s ability to handle stress. We also now carry an amino acid complex product by them called Pro-Tec. Vaxa, the Swedish word for growth, is celebrating their 25th anniversary combining homeopathic medicine with other modalities in one supplement.
I wish you a happy holiday season.
-Aviv Stein
October 2012:
Immune System Support
We now carry a item that just came out. For the first time ever, vegans no longer need to compromise on D2 supplementation, because D3 is now available for Vegans! WHAT? Yes you read it correctly, D3. Click here for the product link.
And now for something completely different (read with British accent):
The time has come to build the immune system into perfect shape. Here is an interesting article I found, and I hope you enjoy it.
"Western medicine cannot make money if you don't get sick and visit doctors regularly. So why would a doctor tell you what organic food to buy? For many Americans, if you mention taking medicinal mushrooms, they look at you like you're some kind of witch doctor, or a traveling medicine man with a covered wagon carrying little vials full of potions and concoctions. ..."
"...Japan and China have known about the benefits of mushrooms that grow on trees for thousands of years, especially the Reishi mushroom. Reishi, commonly known as Ling Zhi in Chinese, is the oldest herbal mushroom known to have been used as a medicine. The emperors in ancient times ate them like we eat lettuce and cucumbers.....Medicinal mushrooms build your immunity to common colds, flu, disease, virus, bacteria, and much more." Click here for the source.
-Aviv Stein
September 2012:
Hats and Beer
The weather has already given us a taste of Fall. After one day of colder weather, I found myself gravitating to the deli soups, perusing the warm weather hats, and checking my hot chocolate supply. Luckily, the Wellness Department read my mind and has already stocked beautiful winter hats and ear warmers for all ages. It was easy for me to ponder gift ideas for myself as well as my family while I looked through the different patterns and enjoyed the feel of the warm, soft fabrics.
The Wellness Department never bores me. I find new and interesting products nearly every time I shop. This month Aviv has a new line of beer shampoo and conditioner from Broo. Turns out what is good for the pallet is also good for my hair and I can choose from unscented or citrus. Please only use these products on your hair. If you are craving beer, then please sign up for our Beer Dinner.
~Sandra West, Outreach Coordinator and Co-op Member
August 2012:
Emu Oil Benefits
I am happy to say that we now carry emu oil tincture as well as other skin care products with Emu Oil . here are some Q&A about Emu Oil :
“• Isn’t emu oil greasy?
No. Emu oil is a superior skin moisturizer; it is absorbed into the skin quickly and there should be no residue left behind.
• But since it is oil, won’t it clog my pores?
Not emu oil. The Department of Dermatology, at University of Texas Medical School, showed that emu oil in concentrations of up to 100% is non-comedogenic (will not clog pores). This is one reason it is so popular in cosmetic applications.
• I heard that Emu Oil has anti-inflammatory properties. What does this mean and how does it affect me?
When inflammation is reduced, pressure is relieved and there is relief from pain. In some cases, wounds heal quicker. In research conducted by Dr. Robert Nicolosi, Director of the Center for Chronic Disease Control and Prevention at the University of Massachusetts, it was concluded that topically applied emu oil has anti-inflammatory properties. Antagonism of croton oil inflammation by topical emu oil in CD-1 mice was published in Lipids. 2003 June.
• I heard that Emu Oil has “transdermal properties”. What is that and how does it affect me?
This means that emu oil transports products quickly through the skin, getting ingredients to the source of the problem, allowing over-the-counter (OTC) and cosmetic products to work better. Many products contain phospholipids, which make absorption more difficult. Absence of phospholipids makes emu oil highly penetrating and allows it to absorb through the skin more easily. Studies by Dr. Robert Nicolosi, Director of The Center for Chronic Disease Control and Prevention, University of Massachusetts, suggest that the delivery of nutrient properties directly into the blood stream might be greater with emu oil than other oils currently being utilized daily within hundreds of current across-the-counter remedies.
• Does emu oil really lower cholesterol?
AEA sponsored research at the University of Massachusetts revealed that emu oil not only lowered LDL it raised HDL in hamsters. Comparative Effects of emu and olive oil on aortic early atherosclerosis and associated risk factors in hypercholesterolemic hamsters”
( Source: www.montanaemuranch.com )
-Aviv Stein
July 2012:
Your Summer Wellness Needs
Summer days are here, but don’t you sweat about it. In the wellness department, we carry everything you need to make your life easier:
• A variety of foot lotions as well as heel balm
• A variety of both facial and body moisturizers
• A variety of sunscreens and SPF lip balms as well as after sun Aloe gel
• Swimmer's Shampoo and Conditioner
• Natural bug repellent
Hope that your summer will be a great one!
-Aviv Stein
June 2012:
Summer is coming! We are ready to put on some sunblock, but there are so many options. The frequent question is: Is there a chemically safe, effective sunscreen out there? It is a question important to everyone that goes more than skin deep, so here is a little intro to sunblock education brought to you by the Sightline Daily News:
Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide:
• Best protection from the sun
• Endorsed by a well-regarded, scientifically oriented nonprofit
• Health safety lambasted by a second environmental nonprofit
Chemical sunscreens:
• Less protection from the sun, particularly UVA
• Health/environmental risks from chemicals (namely potential hormone disruption)
• Easier application
At the Co-op, we carry a variety of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide sunscreens and lip balms. Our selection includes options for sensitive skin, kids, as well as water resistant and fragrance free options. You can find these and more items on our wellness aisle. Have a safe and enchanted new mexican summer!
-Aviv Stein
May 2012:
May is Arthritis Awareness Month. In the Wellness Department, we carry many supplement options for both types of Arthritis: Rheumatoid and Osteo Arthritis. We also carry creams and gels specifically made to relieve Arthritis pain. If you have any questions about the difference between the many different Arthritis products we carry, feel free to ask me or email me at wellness@losalamos.coop.
-Aviv Stein