The benefits of all natural

Not too long ago I became aware of just how sensitive the human body can be. Years ago I developed lactose intolerance and lost my gall bladder to a prescription medication. Since then my awareness for what I put into and onto my body has grown considerably. The lesson seems to be, as we as a society solve more of life's annoyances with new pills and products, often we aren't aware of the potential dangers we create at the same time. BPA anyone?

I no longer cook on Teflon coated pans (want to know why? Google "Teflon" and "safety concerns"). You won't find me eating ground beef... ever. Meat, in general, is not something I consume frequently, but if I have to, I prefer free-range, vegetarian-fed sources. I take my shoes off at the door so as not to track in the chemicals sprayed onto neighborhood lawns & ground into my home. And now I'm going one step further, making each and every meal I eat at home from scratch.

I was first inspired to begin this by a brief trip to South Korea back in September. The food there was amazing. So fresh, so good. When I returned home, it was obvious to my taste buds that my food here was laden with preservatives and "flavor-enhancing" chemicals. Here in the US we push the limits of what we consider food. Since when is it ok to have a carton of egg whites that will easily last 2-3 months? Nature makes THE BEST storage container for eggs, not some box manufacturer!

Since early September I've been cooking diligently from scratch. I can't go as far as growing my own vegetables (I have the brownest thumb known), but at least I know better now than I did what I'm putting into my body. I'm not always the best cook, but I get no complaints.


Homemade waffles (waffle-house style)


Homemade buttermilk biscuits

Want recipes? Let me know, maybe I'll start posting some of my better culinary adventures to share.

Customer Service: A Lost Art?

Customer service has become a luxury as of late in a world where so many of our interactions are digital and automated.The last time I tried to contact my local cable company to update my service I spent a frustrating afternoon attempting to get through their phone system to a human being. Once I did, I was immediately cut off before finishing my sentence and transferred over to yet another automated system. That is not service. And all too often, even the day-to-day human interactions are less than stellar. A cashier hands me my change, I say "Thank you." and they say "No problem." Where's their gratitude for my business? Shouldn't they be thanking me? How would handling my business be a problem for them?

That said, here at Absolutely Natural, we appreciate each and every one of our supporters. We constantly receive rave reviews from our customers for the way we handle orders, shipping, disputes and the way we treat our clients and do business.

Our phone system does have one of those automated mail box features, but we chose purposely not to use it. From 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. EST the phone is answered by a human. Yes, a human. The rest of the time it is an old fashioned answering machine extolling you to leave a message; the message is then returned by a human. Yes, human - one of us here at the main office. You get personal, one-on-one interaction with the very same people who develop the products you use. Who else can say that?

Beyond our daily personal interactions with our customers, we ship products the same day we get an order (next day if we get it after 3pm). We make sure you get all you ask for and take full responsibility for any problems ... even when it's not our fault.

I could go on and on but for 18 years we have had a simple philosophy ... we service our customers! Want to know more. Call us; I might even answer the phone and we'll answer all of your questions and take care of all of your needs.

Best regards,
Charley

New Sandals Deal Announced

For more than a year now we have been supplying Sandals Resorts with a small selection of spa products and a few items for their in-room program.

We are now pleased to announce a major deal with the Caribbean's premier resort destination company and starting as early as next month for spa products and the end of the year for retail, we will have a dominating presence at the world's best all inclusive resorts in the Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, Jamaica and Antigua.

Our talented formulators have put together a fantastic line for the resorts that feature Sandals signature fragrance, Island Tea Ginger. We are using white tea, black tea, red tea and green tea (all indigenous to the Caribbean) along with Jamaican Red Ginger. The result is a sophisticated fragrance that is at the same time light and refreshing.

We are supplying the following products with the Island Tea Ginger:

Shampoo
Shower Gel
Body Lotion
Sugar Scrubs
Salt Scrubs
Mineral Bath Salts
Body Butters
Organic Face & Body Lotion
Massage Oils

The aforementioned products will be used in spa treatments and offered for retail as well. The retail will feature Sandals spa logo, Red Lane.

In addition, each of the products will be in three other fragrances, Arnica (also excellent for sore muscles), Cranberry/Pomegranate (fresh and fruity)and Calming & Comfort blend.

We are also co-branding our 100% natural sun care line with Red Lane and will bring that out this spring at their locations.

I have been to all the properties except the Beaches Turks & Caicos and they are top notch. Not only are they the best physical plants in the Caribbean, the staff at each are excellent. You WILL have a great time visiting any of the Sandals locations (couples) or the Beaches (families).

The locations:

Jamaica
Montego Bay
Royal Caribbean
Grande Ocho Rios
Dunn's River
Negril
Whitehouse
Sandals Inn

St. Lucia
St. Lucia Regency
St. Lucia Halcyon Beach
Grande St. Lucian

Bahamas
Royal Bahamian
Emerald Bay

Antigua
The Grande Antigua

Beaches
Negril
Sandy Bay
Boscobel
Turks & Caicos

Let me know if you want any more information on the hotels.

Best regards,
Charley