Staff Picks: Holiday Gifting Edition!

Sharing our favorite products for holiday gifting and bringing to festive gatherings!

Sarah

Baggu Stockings

Do you have a Baggu lover in your life who already owns every possible Baggu bag?  Do simply need to own a big puffy stocking because who doesn't need a big puffy stocking?  Look no further.   We've got you covered.  The infamous strawberry print is my favorite (we have socks to match too), but with four patterns to choose from you have options!  From Stripes to Starry Fish - there's a Baggu stocking for everyone on your list.

Amber

Head & Heal CBN Oil 1:1

The older I get, the more I realize the value of a good night's sleep. Give the gift of rest this holiday season with Head & Heal's hemp oil that blends full-spectrum CBD oil with a relaxing boost of cannabinol (CBN). USDA-Certified organic and grown on a small farm in Cortland, New York, Head & Heal's products are made with the utmost care and attention; there's a reason they're a staff favorite at Cambridge Naturals! 

Nora

Melange Collection - Ornament, Crochet Winter Animals

They are, simply, just little guys. A perfect gift for the weird little guy appreciator in your life (we all know one - if you don't, you may be them). Whether hanging from a rearview mirror, sitting on your desk, or swinging from your handbag, these cozy crocheted friends are sure to brighten your day and emanate immaculate little guy energy.

Brenden

Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp

While I could by someone gloves, or socks or something of that nature, I believe that food is the greatest gift of all, and that's why I chose the Fly by Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp.  This hot sauce is not just an ordinary hot sauce.  It is a mild tempered, warm heat, put on anything you please hot sauce.  I add at as a condiment of sorts to rice, dumplings, and my most recent favorite, Pizza! I will be giving this as a gift because it's not just something the recipient will eat and forget about.  They will have it with them for weeks to come.

Emily

Ghia Le Spritz Lime & Salt Soda

This year I've limited my alcohol consumption even further (from the relatively minimal amount I drank before). Maybe it's getting older and wiser, or perhaps just more tired from all-the-life-things, but I've found myself even less tolerant of a morning hangover from a mere couple glasses of wine! So I'm thrilled with our increasingly excellent selection of mocktails and festive NA beverages. I'm really looking forward to holiday friend gatherings this season, and planning to bring a four-pack of Ghia Le Spritz Lime & Salt Soda to share - it's the perfect balance of crisp, bitter, tart and lightly sweet! Complex enough to feel 'adult' and supremely tasty. Crack one open and enjoy!

Shannon

Soap & Paper Roland Pine Shea Butter Soap Bar

My partner is a big fan of the large Roland Pine candle I gave him last year. He used it all year long because it's his favorite scent! While I do plan on gifting him another candle this year (it's almost out!), I am excited to get him the Roland Pine scented soap bar! I'm sure any fan of our beloved Roland Pine candles will love using this luscious shea butter soap bar with the same scent!

Zach

Hot Dates Chocolate Covered Stuffed Dates - Spicy Sunflower Butter Flavor + Chocolate Covered Stuffed Dates - Coffee Dates Flavor

I'm always big on culinary gifts - because your family and friends deserve those things they just wouldn't know to buy themselves, right?  They've just got to try you're favorite snack/sauce/spice/drink!  For me this year, that's locally-owned-and-made Hot Dates.  Fabulously delicious dates stuffed with delectable fillings coated in top notch chocolate - these are as healthy as they are decadent.  I couldn't choose a flavor so you'll just have to try both

Caleb

Ursa Major Alpine Rich Cream

Love the holidays? Have dry skin? Wish you were walking through an alpine meadow as the sun rises and the autumn leaves in the valley glow crimson and gold? Ursa Major’s newest cream offers high quality moisture that is also light and not too oily. Perfect for dropping temps and winter winds. 

Mike

Winding Road Ornament - Yellow Chick

Life is hard; this we know. We could all use a little pal to deal with the world, and this yellow chick can be that pal! I personally keep mine hanging in my car as a reminder that no matter what happens, there's a little adorable pal to ground me. What more could you want? And, if you don't want them in your car for whatever reason, this fowl friend can hang just as easily off a tree or a little hook at home. Birds fit anywhere, and I'm personally very glad they do.

Alina:

Stainless Steel Gua Sha Tool by Mount Lai

Need a gift for the self care enthusiast or skin care curious someone in your life? Look to Mount Lai! I love using this tool for gua sha, a practice used for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine for promoting blood circulation, firming the skin, lymphatic drainage, and more. The shape is specifically designed to fit the curves of your face and I appreciate the cooling and antibacterial properties of stainless steel. It's also more durable than a tool made of stone (and I have dropped 1 too many jade gua sha tools for my liking). We carry Mount Lai's plant-based skin care range as well which was intentionally created to pair with their gua sha tools and is safe for all skin types! Wonderful gifts all around from this beautiful, planet conscious, Asian-Woman Owned business.

Alexandra

Mo&Co Beeswax Tapers - Bayberry

Mo&Co always offers a variety of unique handmade beeswax candles. This year, they are offering these limited edition bayberry taper candles! The historic magickal attributes of bayberry are known to draw good luck and success. On the company's website, they advise to burn the candles overnight on New Year's Eve to usher good luck into the New Year. In my eyes, this is the perfect holiday gift- a beautifully handcrafted home item with a touch of magick.

Vicki

Brush With Bamboo - Stainless Steel Tongue Cleaner

Give the gift of a super clean mouth this year, for their sake and for your own ;). This stainless steel tongue scraper will last them forever. If you've never tongue scraped before, it is amazing how much gathers on our tongue after a night's sleep. Make sure to be gently when gliding it over your tongue. This is an ancient Ayurvedic practice, that modern dentists are now recommending! Best done in the morning after oil pulling! But honestly, you don't even have to oil pull! What is oil pulling? That's for another day!

Sally

Andes Gifts - Flittens

At some point every Fall I swap out my Summer clothes for my Winter ones. I take inventory of my warm scarves, hats and mittens. This year I must have a new pair of mittens ....or Flittens ! Andes Gifts Flittens would be a perfect gift for me. These fleece lined Flittens - fingerless gloves with a mitten flap option - are fleece lined and this year we have a new beautiful color option of SageBlue and Ochre. These keep your hands warm and your fingers free, until you want to cover them with their very own mitten cap. Andes Gifts is a Fair Trade company , handmade by Aymara and Quechua artisans in the Andes Mountains. There are lots of fun color choices as well as a variety of hats and scarves to match. Happy Winter !

Daisy

Death Valley Nail Polish - Lily of the Swamp, Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker, An Electric Eel in Love & The Whir of Insects

Looking for the perfect stocking stuffer or gift to brighten someone's day? Or nails? Look no further than Death Valley Nail Polish. One of my favorite relaxing activities is painting my nails and either trying out a new color that's out of my comfort zone or even matching my nails to my favorite color scheme of the moment. Death Valley not only has a wonderful selection of colors (ranging from the essentials to more adventurous options), but their color names are equally amazing. With shades such as Lily of the Swamp, Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker, An Electric Eel in Love, and The Whir of Insects, these are sure to be a fantastic choice!

Nick

Counter Culture Rocks Glass - Gnome

There's no place like Gnome for the holdays... 
From mocktail magic to cocktail classics, Counter Culture's Garden Gnome whiskey glass is perfect for festive drinks this holiday season and beyond.

Molly

Cocokind Ceramide Barrier Serum + Travel Sized Ceramide Barrier Serum

Another great option for the skincare lovers in your life: Cocokind's Ceramide Barrier Serum. As I've learned more about taking care of my skin, I've come to realize the importance of a healthy skin barrier in preventing moisture loss and soothing irritation. This product is safe for sensitive and acne-prone skin like mine and leaves my face feeling hydrated, smooth and supple. This is one of my favorite products of the last year, I recommend it all the time and will certainly be gifting a few this holiday season. AND it comes in a mini travel size, perfect for a stocking stuffer!

Nancy

Maggie's Organics Organic Wool Mountain Hiker Socks in Heathered Purple

These are the cutest, warmest, most wonderful merino wool socks I’ve even owned. Perfect to wear for any occasion, grabbing a coffee, grocery shopping, hiking, camping or just to wear them around the house as slippers :) Super plush, softy, cushy, comfy, toasty and made from organically grown merino wool that doesn’t feel harsh on your skin. It is incredibly lightweight and delicate that doesn’t make you feel suffocating. Very breathable. This organic merino wool is produced by humanely raised sheep, and grown by skilled family farmers from southern Argentina. Always knit in the USA. If you are not into purple color, no worries at all, they also come in green and black, you are welcome! Most perfect holiday gift ever for those who suffer from cold feet, brrrrr!!!

The Mystery of Vitamin F

By Amber T, Supplements Buyer & Amateur Sleuth

I am a creature of virtually infinite curiosity. For me, there's no subject matter I don't want to know about (which probably leads to the vast scope of topics I blog about for CN). I've always had a keen interest in the history of medicine in particular (as a kid, I used to read my mother's pharmacy textbooks for fun), which dovetails nicely with my adult career as a supplements buyer for Cambridge Naturals. 

Recently, while organizing the store shelves, a question popped into my brain for which I had to ready answer. We've got Vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K, but what happened to the letters between E and K? Was there ever a Vitamin F? What about G, H, I, and J? The absurdity of it struck me, and I knew I needed to know what the deal was with those missing letters. 

The answer, it turns out, makes surprising sense. In short, there once were these other vitamins, but repeated reclassifications gave them new identities. (And if you've ever wondered why there are so many different B vitamins, the answer to that question ties into that gap in the alphabet.) 

The early 20th century was a hotbed of activity for the field of chemistry. The (excellently-named) Polish scientist Casimir Funk is credited with coining the term 'vitamin' (from 'vital amine') around the year 1912, using it to mean nutrients essential for life. Over the next thirty years, driven in part by the destructive effects of two World Wars, the arenas of chemistry and medicine saw intense growth. Vitamins were originally classified as either fat-soluble or water-soluble, a distinction that still remains today (and in fact influences Cambridge Naturals' shelving preferences); as more vitamins were discovered, they received new letter identities corresponding roughly to the order of their discovery. But as the field of chemistry progressed, scientists realized that simple letter identities weren't quite accurate for some of their newly-discovered compounds, and began to reclassify them in categories that better fit their uses. 

Vitamin F, as it turns out, eventually became the Omega Fatty Acids (specifically 3 and 6). In 1939, Hungarian scientist Paul Gyorgy classified another substance as Vitamin H (from the German words haar und haut, meaning 'hair and skin'), though it was later renamed due to its similarity to the B vitamins. Which one, exactly? Well, if you've ever taken it,  you probably won't be surprised to learn that Vitamin H became Vitamin B7, or what we commonly call Biotin. Vitamins G and M also once existed, but were later reclassified as B vitamins (riboflavin, also called B2; and folic acid, also known as B9). Vitamin J was deemed necessary in too small of quantities to warrant the 'vitamin' label; it was renamed choline. 

And as for Vitamin I? There's actually no record of it ever existing. 

Science has always been an evolving discipline, so it stands to reason that we adjust it as we learn new things. Categories get tweaked, names adjusted, unsung discoverers given long-belated credit for their work. Part of my enduring appreciation for science is its adaptability, its willingness to change as the situation requires. 

(I feel it's appropriate to close this post by mentioning that I sit here writing this while munching Bjorn Qorn, grateful indeed for the riboflavin, niacin, and thiamine that make its nutritional yeast topping so delicious. B Vitamins are truly magic.) 



,

Staying Healthy This Season!

,

By Amber, CN Supplements Buyer & Turkey Tail Enthusiast

It feels like summer has only just left us, but at Cambridge Naturals, our eyes are already on fall and winter. Here in New England, we rarely know what to expect from the weather - only that it will be unpredictable. Long experience has taught us, however, that winter brings with it cold and flu season, and its accompanying sniffles, coughs, and sneezes. Couple that with a global pandemic now in its fourth year, and it spells an extra-special focus on caring for our immune systems. Here's a guide to the most common ingredients you'll find in immune supporting formulas. 

Elderberry (sambucus nigra) is one of the most commonly-used immune boosters, and for good reason. It's loaded with beneficial phytochemicals like quercetin, Vitamin C, and antioxidants, all of which stimulate the body's immune system. It's also, unlike many other remedies, tasty: you can take it as a syrup, lozenge, or tea (as well as in the more traditional capsules and tinctures). The flowers of the elder plant also make a delicious addition to teas!  

Echinacea (e. angustifolia and e. purpurea) is a type of plant in the daisy family which has a long history of medicinal use by Indigenous American communities. All parts of it are used for their immune-system stimulating properties. You'll find it as an ingredient in teas, capsules, and tinctures. (It's also commonly grown as an ornamental plant for its large purple flowers -- I recently found some growing outside my local library!) 

Often paired with Echinacea, Goldenseal (hydrastis canadensis) is another native North American plant, known for its bright-yellow, strongly-scented roots. Because it takes 4-5 years to reach maturity and is difficult to cultivate, it is often overharvested in the wild and is classified as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It shows promise as a natural antibacterial, but many supplement companies have been reducing their use of it in their formulas due to its endangered nature. 

If medicinal mushrooms are more your style, Turkey Tail (Trametes Versicolor) is definitely something you'll want to acquaint yourself with. Packed with antioxidants, studies have shown it stimulates the production of monocytes (a type of cell that fights infection). It comes in a variety of forms and is easy to add to your wellness routine. If you're still curious about Turkey Tail, you can also check out my previous exploration of it for Cambridge Naturals here. 

Vitamin C is one of the best-known vitamins, and for a good reason. For centuries, Vitamin-C loaded citrus fruits were eaten by sailors on long voyages to prevent scurvy, and the scientist who isolated it won a Nobel Prize in Medicine for the discovery. It's present in delicious fruits like oranges, lemons, and pomegranates, as well as bell peppers and tomatoes. It's also a water-soluble vitamin, meaning that any excess is quickly excreted from your body through urine. Because of that, it has a very low toxicity level. It often comes in citrus-flavored chewables, but you can also find it in capsules, drink powders, and even liquid form! 

Zinc is well-known for its role in immune health, prostate health, and wound healing. It's primarily found in animal products like beef and chicken, although also present in many types of nuts and seeds. If you aren't getting enough of it in your diet, it's easy enough to supplement it with capsules or lozenges. (Some people do find the lozenges make them nauseous, so if that's your experience, consider trying a lower dose, a capsule formulation, or taking it on a full stomach.) 

Immune Boosters are formulations of herbs and minerals that, combined, serve to bolster the immune system during cold and flu season. My personal favorite is Source Naturals Wellness Formula, which blends ingredients like Vitamin D-3, andrographis, garlic, and mullein for a wide-reaching spectrum of immune boosters. 

There are so many incredible ways to support your immune system when cold and flu season sets in, and we've got tons of products to help you out at Cambridge Naturals. Check out our full stock of immune health care HERE! 

Cultivating Kindness As A Muscle

By Amber, Supplements Buyer & Tomato Enthusiast

I find myself thinking, quite often these days, about the state of the world. To be honest, it's hard not to. Our obsession with reading about the myriad current tragedies is so novel that the COVID-19 pandemic granted us a new word for it: doomscrolling. There's a fine line between being informed about the state of the world and feeling helpless to do anything about it, and it's all too easy to cross that line. 

One thing that gives me comfort amidst all the chaos is to simply focus on putting a bit more good out into the world, however I can. I've found kindness to be more and more a carefully cultivated act, one that must be initiated with intention. To be nice may be inherent, but to be kind takes work. Kindness is a muscle, one we have to consciously exercise. And like a muscle, the more we use it, the stronger it becomes. 

During the heart of the COVID lockdown in 2020, I embarked upon a mission of conscious kindness -- doing things expressly for the purpose of making other people happy. One of my earliest acts of cultivated kindness was to tie a small note onto the thriving tomato plants my downstairs neighbors were growing on their fire escape, remarking on how beautiful their plants were. A few days later, I discovered a note on my back doorstep: "Your note made our day, thanks so much!", weighted down with a gorgeously heavy, ruby-red tomato. That note hangs on my refrigerator to this day, a small, potent reminder of the delight that can come from simply saying something kind. (The tomato, as you might expect, has long since been devoured.) 

I am a hider of small encouraging notes under bus stop seats and in the knots of trees, a sticker-on of googly eyes to public trashcans, a complimenter of strangers. For a decade now I've kept a jar of spare change on my hallway table, adding to it whenever my pockets chime with coin, and when it's full I take the subway into Downtown Boston and spread my coins into the instrument cases of buskers in the Public Garden. (I've always believed that to create music in public is its own form of magic.) At a concert I attended recently, I noticed a couple taking pictures of each other in the venue's elaborately-decorated lobby; I stepped in and offered to take a photo of them together. A genuinely delightful conversation followed, during which I learned that they were Austrian tourists visiting the US for the first time, and that their mutual appreciation for this musician was what had actually brought them together years ago. 

More than anything, I've found that cultivated kindness gives me a sense of control in this all-too-chaotic world. It's so easy to feel overwhelmed and isolated, especially when so much feels like it's out of our hands. But to deliberately create connection and community where there was none before - there's a gentle power to that like nothing I've ever experienced in my life. To be consciously and deliberately kind without expecting anything in return. There is strength in kindness. It is quiet, but it is a fierce and unstoppable force. 

Panneer Rose Mocha with Lavender and Pomegranate Molasses 

By Dev, CN Manager and Mocha Latte Enthusiast

Leaves are turning, there’s a faint chill in the air, and textbooks are being cracked open once more… little is better in life to greet this seasonal change – and increased study hours – than a delicious coffee! 

After a rebrand, Diaspora Co. has made a long-anticipated reappearance on our shelves with beautiful, colorful packaging! It seemed only natural to utilize their fantastic and flavor-packed offerings in this next post. Their Panneer Rose petals have been described as “ambrosial” and I couldn’t agree more.

This delicious mocha can be made hot or iced. The custom ice cube pairing can help a cold drink stay cool for even longer without watering it down, and the cubes can also be popped into a hot mocha (or hot chocolate) to cool it down enough for immediate sipping. 

For this particular recipe I utilized the following products from our shelves:

In a small cooking pot, combine 2-3 tablespoons of cacao powder with 2 cups of oat mylk (or milk / mylk of your choice). Stir until boiling, when the powder has fully dissolved into creamy richness. This makes roughly enough for one cup of cocoa and enough to also use as the base for several ice cubes to match. 

In a second small pot, combine 1 cup of cane sugar, 1 cup of water, and ½ cup of Panneer rose petals. Bring to a boil and simmer together for around 10 minutes, and then carefully strain / remove the petals to produce a lovely rose simple syrup. Your syrup should have some thickness to it without being gooey. 

You can now add the rose simple syrup to the cocoa pot, one ounce at a time until you’ve reached a desirable floral flavor. This rose cocoa can be poured straight into ice cube molds; I garnished all cubes with a sprinkle of dried lavender and rose, as well. Let the cubes solidify in your freezer for a few hours, pop them out, and they’re good to go!  

(If you’re ready for some delicate rose flavor but aren’t able to make a simple syrup, a spritz or two of Starwest Botanicals’ food grade rose water will also do! I added it into the mix with my own mocha as well. As far as I’m concerned, ‘too much rose’ doesn’t exist!)

The rest is a choose-your-own coffee adventure. You can chill this rose-cocoa mixture in the fridge and add it to cold brew coffee at a 1:1 ratio for a refreshing floral iced drink. You can add in a shot or two of espresso and make a standard iced mocha latte, which is what I did while making this particular recipe. You can also enjoy it hot, or leave out the espresso or coffee entirely for a floral hot chocolate. 

Any way you choose, your tastebuds will thank you, and your friends and family will be impressed with your delicately garnished cocoa cubes with gorgeous and colorful flower petals. I also enjoy a slightly tart and fruity depth to my coffee, so I added a small amount of Just Date Syrup’s pomegranate molasses to my mocha latte as well. So good!

In other highly important fall coffee news…..Diaspora Co.’s pumpkin spice mix has also just hit our shelves! It’s that time again, and a great way to treat yourself to a fall favorite with unique single-origin sourcing! 

Zero-Waste Halloween! 🎃

By Amber, CN Supplements Buyer & Old Hallows Eve Enthusiast

Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday. I love the colorful costumes, the candy, the bright jack-o-lanterns illuminating doorsteps and windows. But in recent years, I've become uncomfortably aware of how wasteful it can be. So much energy is dedicated to a single night, only for the decorations and bits of costume to wind up in the trash as November dawns the next morning. So figuring out how to make my celebrations more eco-friendly has been something of a project this year. Here's a couple of ideas I'm incorporating into my life to make my own Halloween festivities a bit more sustainable:

Beware of microplastics. Many Halloween costumes involve microplastics (like glitter or sequins) that can easily find their way into the environment. Consider using eco-friendly glitter (such as this mica-based one from Natural Earth Paints), or this face paint made with natural pigments! 

Be mindful of your costume. Instead of buying a prepackaged costume that you'll wear once and then throw away, consider searching your local thrift store for clothes you can turn into a costume. (It's a bonus if you can repurpose certain items, like scarves or dresses, into your wardrobe after the holiday is over!) I personally love shopping at the Garment District for unusual costume pieces! And crafting your own costume can be a blast. Invite some friends over, mull some hot cider, and work on your costumes together for a delightful pre-Halloween get-together. 

Compost your carvings. After your jack-o-lanterns have had their big night, consider adding them to your compost bin (or checking with your neighbors if they have one!). Many towns and cities also host compost drop-offs or have communal compost bins; check out what's available near you. (Also: save the seeds from your pumpkin and roast them with a bit of butter and some sea salt. They're delicious.) 

Put the 'eco' in 'decor'. Instead of buying premade decorations, consider making your own out of materials you already have around. Recycled paper pumpkin garlands, cheesecloth ghosts -- there are so many cool things you can create! I'm obsessed with Sibster's simple DIY decor. A scarecrow made out of old clothes stuffed with newspaper was always traditional in my household growing up, along with hanging paper bats and ghosts. Making these crafts is also a great activity to do with the kids in your life! 

Consider your candy. You don't need to be the person that hands out toothbrushes on Halloween to have a wholesome holiday. Try getting your candy from a local or minority-owned business, and consider having a non-food option for trick-or-treaters with food allergies! 

Having a green Halloween doesn't have to be hard. There are so many ways to cut down on waste and let your creativity shine! 

,

When you can’t give the gift of sleep, give the next best thing!

,

By Rose, CN Director of People Operations & Mother of Two Kids Under Four

​​New babies are an absolute joy. The warmth, love, excitement, and happy tears that are shed. It’s a feeling quite like none other. And as many know, it’s not all sunshine and roses. Lack of sleep, physical pain and recovery after labor and delivery, limited opportunities for taking care of oneself… the list goes on. The simplest things like eating, drinking water, and even showering can feel and be impossible.

I’ve had two babies, and have experienced quite a bit in my own birth and postpartum journeys including some difficult physical challenges and emotional hurdles. I consider myself lucky to have been able to carry those pregnancies, and despite two not so straightforward births or postpartum periods (I’m talking to you 2020 Covid shut down with a newborn!) it's been a wonderful and wild ride.

When I think about the early days of having an infant at home and the amazing gifts that people dropped off for me, I think about the thoughtful and generous care packages I received from friends and family. Here at Cambridge Naturals, we have a robust selection of items to help support during the postpartum period. Below are a selection of products that I believe make excellent gifts for new moms and parents!

Image courtesy of The New Yorker, Becky Barnicoat.

Post-birth Recovery:

  • Motherlove Sitz Bath Spray

  • Motherlove Rhoid Balm

  • Motherlove C-Section Cream - while the scar from a c-section will never go away, it is generally recommended that the scar is massaged to help aid in blood flow, reduce itchiness, and help with healing. On a purely emotional level, some women experience complicated and negative feelings about their c-section, stemming from societal messages, rhetoric from friends and family, or simply from within. It’s my strong belief that birth is birth and c-section recovery is- to be frank- pretty bad a**! (Picture this: You have major surgery and within just a few hours you’re typically up and at it caring for an infant, contorting your body to try breastfeeding and/or pumping, mixing bottles, changing diapers, etc.) C-section massage can be one small step in trying to get more comfortable with and proud of this amazing feat!

Breastfeeding:

  • Silverettes - In the hospital with my second baby, the lactation consultant recommended these to me over any other product. Honestly I was skeptical, but they truly did wonders for me in those first weeks and months of marathon breastfeeding sessions.

  • Mother Love- Nipple Cream - helpful in combating sore, cracked, and dry nipples. Does not need to be removed prior to breastfeeding or pumping.

  • Fenugreek - this tea has a combination of fennel, fenugreek, and other herbs which can help to support and promote lactation.

Bodycare:

  • Acure Dry Shampoo and Ursa Major Face Wipes - for when showers just aren’t happening!

  • Deodorant - after childbirth, it’s common to experience significant postpartum sweating due to hormonal shift. While deodorant choices can be quite personal, we have so many great ones to choose from!

Supplements:

  • Iron*- can help combat low iron levels due to blood loss during labor and/or low iron levels during pregnancy.

  • Ashwagandha*- can help with mood and anxiety.

*While generally the above supplements are considered safe to take while breastfeeding, there is limited testing done on these and how much passes through milk. Please consult with a doctor before taking any of these to ensure they are safe and won’t interact with any medications.

Snacks:

My first attempt at a long walk, two weeks post birth.

Miscellaneous:

For Baby:

For fur babies that are getting neglected because of the new human baby:

Sea Moss FAQ: Everything you want to know!

By Amber, Supplements Buyer & Algae Enthusiast

Of all the hot new products hitting the wellness scene lately, perhaps none is more hyped than sea moss. This gooey, gelatinous wonder has been all over social media. Its users tout effects like increased libido, clearer skin, and more energy. But what's the science behind it? And why does it have so many different names?

So, what exactly is sea moss?

Simply put, sea moss is a form of red algae (a seaweed) that's been used all over the globe for centuries as a food source and health product. The nomenclature, however, can get a bit complicated -- let's get into that next.

Irish Moss? Sea Moss? Jamaican Moss? What's with all the different names? 

While the terms 'Irish moss' and 'sea moss' are often used interchangeably, Irish moss generally refers to seaweed belonging to the variety of chondrus crispus. The word for this type of algae in Gaelic is 'carraigín', anglicized as 'carrageen'. It's where we get the English word 'carrageenan', a type of carbohydrate often added to improve the texture of products like ice cream, yogurt, and toothpaste. Chondrus crispus is a thick-leafed, dark purple plant that grows in the cold waters of the Northern Atlantic ocean, and is capable of surviving with minimal sunlight. 

Sea moss (also called Jamaican moss or Caribbean moss) is also a type of red algae, but it belongs to the genus gracilaria or eucheuma. It's generally thinner and yellow or pale gold in color, and it lives in warmer waters (especially in the Caribbean, hence the name), southern Africa, and Asia.

A lot of confusion occurs because the two types, once prepared into gel, look similar and have almost identical health properties. To put it simply, all Irish moss is sea moss, but not all sea moss is Irish moss. If you're unsure about what exactly you're getting, just verify the species of the algae -- it's usually printed on the package. 

What are the health benefits?

Sea vegetables in general are known for their high concentrations of phytonutrients. Both gracilaria and chondrus crispus contain high levels of minerals including potassium and magnesium, as well as vitamins like folate (B9) and beta carotene (a form of Vitamin A). It also contains prebiotic fiber, which may improve gut health by contributing to a healthy microbiome. Its high sulfur content may contribute to skin health, and the high levels of B vitamins may provide an energy boost. 

How do I use it? 

Sea moss is an incredibly versatile product -- you can add it to juice or smoothies, take it in capsule form, or even apply it topically as a refreshing skin treatment! 

So, does it matter which one I take?

At the end of the day, the short answer is this: not really. Because both Irish moss and sea moss have tons of beneficial nutrients, the differences between them are going to be minimal. The key is to make sure you use sea moss that's been wild-harvested (rather than commercially grown in tanks), because tank-grown sea moss lacks many of the nutrients that make sea moss so healthy.

What kinds of sea moss do you offer at Cambridge Naturals?

We stock two brands of sea moss gel, Ocean's Promise and Herbal Vineyards. Both are Black-Owned brands; Herbal Vineyards is also Woman-Owned! We also stock capsules of dried powdered sea moss from Ocean's Promise. Ocean's Promise also offers sea moss blended with bladderwrack (another beneficial form of seaweed) and burdock root (a member of the genius Arctium used for its detoxifying benefits). 

No matter your budget or lifestyle, there's sure to be a form of sea moss that works for you. Check out our full section of products online, or come in to chat with us about this amazing algae! 

Blueberry An“tea”oxidant Smoothie!

By Dev, CN Manager and Antioxidant Pun Enthusiast

Professionally and personally, I’ve probably made no less than thousands of smoothies, so I’m always on the lookout for flavorful and nutritious ingredients to enhance the ones I make at home. 

Enter: Millennia Tea cubes!

Millennia Tea, out of Canada, is a relatively new product for Cambridge Naturals in 2023. We're the first U.S. location to offer these delightful little squares. They're a bit different from what most people are probably expecting of green tea; they're raw, fresh green tea leaves that have been washed and frozen into cubes. That's right, fresh! Not dried tea leaves. They're wonderful, antioxidant-rich additions to smoothies / smoothie bowls, and they can also just be dropped into hot or cold water to steep as regular tea.

Today’s an“tea”oxidant smoothie recipe features Millennia tea cubes and several other antioxidant-rich friends of green tea that can be found on our store shelves or in our freezer.

Why are antioxidants important? When consciously and diversely integrated into a whole food diet, they can support the body’s defense against free radicals, which are chemical compounds that, in high levels, can damage cells and genetic material like DNA strands.

Free radicals are produced naturally as the body breaks down food for cellular energy, but they also can be found in environmental pollutants and smoke. An excessive amount of free radicals in the body may lead to higher susceptibility to chronic health issues and disease–what’s also known as “oxidative stress.”

Fortunately, our bodies have developed ways of combating free radicals on a molecular level, and we can give it a little boost of support by enhancing our diets with a diverse selection of foods high in antioxidants.

Blend until smooth, and enjoy! This recipe makes roughly 3 cups, or 24 ounces of smoothie. It’s a refreshing combination of berry and coconut flavor; summer might be behind us now, but this one's good year round! 

Stuffed Southwest Sweet Potatoes

By Dev, CN Manager & Food Styling Enthusiast

Looking for a stand-out dish for a small gathering? Or even just something hearty that isn’t super time intensive for weekly meal prepping? If you’ve got an hour, look no further! This one’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser for vegetarians and anyone gluten free. It can also easily be made vegan by substituting a non-dairy cheese. 

Ingredients from our shelves: 

Fresh ingredients:

  • Sweet potatoes (this recipe makes 8-12, depending on potato size and desired level of stuffing)

  • 1 Bell pepper (~1 cup, diced)

  • 1 Red Onion (~1 cup, diced)

  • Avocado (1 fruit, sliced)

  • Lime juice

Rinse whole sweet potatoes and pierce them a few times each with a knife. Place them on a foil-lined baking sheet in the oven and let them bake for 45 minutes at 425 F, or until soft enough to easily re-pierce with a fork. Fortunately, this leaves quite a lot of time in the middle for the rest of prep!

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly before preparing, for around 3-4 minutes under cool water. Bring 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of lightly salted water to a boil together, and simmer afterwards for 15 minutes, stirring regularly. This should produce roughly 2 cups of cooked quinoa. (If you’d like even more flavorful quinoa, it can be cooked in your choice of broth.)

Dice one cup of bell peppers and one cup of red onions. Toss both in an oiled skillet with a pinch of our flavorful taco seasoning, sprinkle of crushed rainbow peppercorns, and a dash of lime juice. This is all imprecise and to taste, so use as little or as much as you’d like for desired flavor boldness.

Add the drained can of Cadia’s black beans to your skillet in addition to the 2 cups of cooked quinoa. Mix together and sautee thoroughly on the stovetop until browned, roughly 10 minutes or so over medium heat.

Once the potatoes are fully baked, remove them from the oven and split them open slightly with a knife. Spoon in and mix the quinoa, onions, peppers, black beans, and spices with the meat of the sweet potato. Add freshly grated pepperjack cheese until melted, and drizzle spicy coconut yogurt sauce on top of the potato. 

To make the coconut yogurt sauce, simply mix around 1/2 cup of Cocojune's coconut yogurt with lime juice and taco seasoning, also to taste.

For an extra crunch of protein, you can throw on a small handful of Louisville Jerky’s vegan bacon bits. I also garnished my potatoes with fresh sliced avocado and even more lime juice for a final tart kick. Deliciousness awaits!