Bitters 101

By Mary, CN Blog Contributor and digestive health enthusiast

Remember when your parents would give you a dropper full of digestive bitters before dinner when you were a kid? Neither do I. But Guido Masé, chief herbalist at Urban Moonshine, sure does and he and the UM team are steadily bringing this long forgotten tradition back.

A group of us recently had a chance to meet Guido and the rest of the Urban Moonshine team, including founder Jovial King, for an amazing dinner and training session in Boston. While we shared edamame and rosé with our new friends, we learned exactly how bitters work and why they’ve been a focal point for the brand since its inception.

Monthly Muse: Steph Zabel

As part of an ever-growing community of individuals that continue to push the envelope in the natural health world, we’re happy to introduce this new monthly series highlighting locals who continually inspire us.

The bulk herb wall at Cambridge Naturals is often the most bustling section of the store. I love seeing and hearing the connections made between herbal enthusiasts, cooks, and DIY-beauty makers over the table. One of those frequent visitors is local herbalist Steph Zabel. She teaches classes on the art and science of herbal medicine practice and local plants. You may have noticed her very informative blog posts highlighting a different plant each month right here on our blog. Steph is also the founder of Herbstalk, an annual marketplace and herbal education event in Somerville, now going on its sixth year. Steph credits the help and support of fellow herbalists, friends, and neighborhood volunteers to getting Herbstalk started. As they say, it takes a village. And without her knowledge and grace bringing it all together, who knows how long we would have waited for such a brilliant idea to come to fruition! Read on for an interview to learn more about Steph and her work.

Partners in Wellness: Nordic Naturals!

This post was written by Zach, our Supplements Department Lead and one of our store managers. He is passionate about Omega-3's and especially Nordic Naturals brand! Select Nordic Naturals products are on sale through the month of August - ask us in store for details!

Often people come into the store and ask me about what they can do to be healthy besides just exercising or eating well.  In the face of so much conflicting advice on diet, lifestyle, and even what it means to be healthy, it can be tough to know which supplements to choose.  

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Not Just Skin Deep: Five Favorite Sunscreens For Glowing Summer Skin

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By Mary, Customer Service Specialist & CN Blog Contributor

If the last heat wave was any indication, the sun remains strong even as summer’s end looms ever near. Like most health conscious consumers, we at Cambridge Naturals are especially careful what products we use on our body’s largest organ: our SKIN! I don’t think I’m alone when I say the scent of SPF-laden sunscreens I remember from my childhood has no place in my current beach bag. I guess with age comes a higher standard for skincare, among other things.

A fully stocked shelf of sunscreen can be intimidating when all you want is one bottle to get the job done. I’ve narrowed down our collection to a few favorites from skin-brightening to toddler-approved.

Not Just Skin Deep: Introducing Pacifica Beauty

This post is written by Caitlin, our Body Care Department Lead:

Cambridge Naturals is bursting with color! This week, we introduced Pacifica Beauty to our Body Care Department.

Pacifica was formed in 2008 by Brook Harvey-Taylor and her husband, Billy Taylor. The couple cultivated the idea for Pacifica while taking a drive home from a surfing trip and applied their mutual love for fragrance & perfumes along with their passion for the arts & outdoors. Pacifica was originally born as a natural perfume and candle company and has since grown into a wildly successful cosmetic, beauty and body care leader.

Hibiscus: Relief for Summer Heat

By Steph Zabel
Herbalist, Ethnobotanist and Educator

As we move through the changing seasons of the year, so do our bodies change, along with what we need and crave. In the summertime, obviously, most of us are looking for ways to stay cool, refreshed and hydrated in the sometimes-unbearable heat. Especially with our recent tropical-like weather, it is important to balance out the heat of the season with foods and herbs that help to cool and rejuvenate the body.

Summer Camp Survival!

This blog post was written by Mary, the newest addition to our team! Mary recently graduated from UVM Burlington with a degree in Nutrition & Food Science, and is a major camping enthusiast. She has fond childhood memories of packing up her trunk for several weeks in the woods!

It's that time of year again. Time to pack a bag, or if you're like me pack a trunk, and GO CAMPING! Summer camp is one of my fondest memories from my childhood and I'm happy to see the tradition of overnight camp still holding strong. We've had so many visits from parents anxious to collect all of the products required to keep campers happy that we decided it was time to share our favorites. Whether you're looking for the right sunscreen or sunburn relief, Cambridge Naturals has you covered.

RegActiv Probiotics: Immune, Heart and Liver Wellness through Antioxidant Support

This post was originally published back in December of last year. We have RegActiv probiotics on sale in the month of July - save 20% off!!

By Miles Sarill
Supplements Buyer and M.S. Candidate - Experimental Medicine

In the last thirty years, the market for probiotics has evolved and grown greatly. No longer is the sole capsule of Lactobacillus acidophilus the only option; rather, the aisles are populated with a multitude of products each touting “more than 10 bacterial strains” with anywhere between 5 and 150 billion cells per capsule. This boom in the probiotic market is partially fueled by both consumer interest as well as novel research into the microbiome.

Read more in the original post: http://www.cambridgenaturals.com/blog/regactiv-probiotics

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DIY Natural Whitening Toothpaste by Jenn

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This blog post was written by Jenn, who is a Customer Service Specialist at the store by day and an Industrial Design student by night! She also designs and handcrafts some beautiful wooden necklaces that we carry. She has a passion for herbs and DIY body care. Read her tips for making your own natural and effective toothpaste below!

Natural & Whitening?! What kind of witchcraft is this?! For most of us, when we think of a whitening toothpaste, our first thought isn’t necessarily "natural" - but with a little help from an unlikely source it can be! Like most of you, I am a huge proponent of all things natural, and if I can make it myself - well, that's even better!

Herb of the Month: Chamomile

CHAMOMILE: Matricaria recutita and Chamaemelum nobile (Anthemis nobilis) Asteraceae

By Steph Zabel
Herbalist, Ethnobotanist and Educator

The Greeks call it earth apple, Germans call it mother’s herb, and in Mexico it is known as manzanilla, or little apple. No matter the name, no matter the language, chamomile is a culturally important plant known and loved around the world.