In past posts we have talked about the dangers regarding Genetically Modified Organisms which are also known as (GMO)'s. In this video below it does a great job showing why GMO foods are dangerous to our health, and should be avoided at all cost. Be sure to set aside some time to watch this as the value delivered is powerful.

Attention: Be sure you read all the way to the end of the Natures Market Retailer Story! Natures has customized a special offer for Jan 2010 you won't want to miss!. A Special Message By Joy Schrock - President - Berlin Natural Bakery Over the years and throughout my travels, I have been fortunate enough to meet so many wonderful people at natural health food stores across the country. It never ceases to amaze me at the stories that are shared with me as to how retailers got their start in the Natural Health Food business. Stories that are not only heart warming, but that also reveal why the natural health food industry is not a fad. The success of natural and organic products did not happen overnight. These people are the real pioneers in our industry. They are in it for the right reasons. Many of them suffered serious illnesses to find the cure through natural treatments and remedies and have a desire to share their findings with others. It is only appropriate that the first retailer that we feature is Nature's Food Market in our own backyard of Berlin Ohio. Berlin Natural Bakery was founded due to a need for a healthy loaf of "wheat" bread from this ONE store. As crazy as that may sound, it is in fact true. Several years later, Mr. Schlabach the owner and founder of Nature's Food Market, introduced Berlin Natural Bakery to spelt grain. It didn't take long until we completely discontinued our entire wheat line, to focus all of our energies and resources on this truly superior grain called spelt. Howard Graves the founder of Berlin Natural Bakery and Delbert Schlabach the founder of Nature's Food Market will forever be in our hearts. What a difference these gentlemen have made in the lives of us all. We will forever be grateful to them both.

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A Business With Purpose - A Lifestyle With Passion

By: Mark Weaver

A business with a purpose - that's what Zedrick Clark sees in Nature's Food Market. But it's more than a business, it's a lifestyle rooted in an early discovery of Native American blood in his ancestry. That's what started Zedrick down this path. But what compels him to stay in the natural food industry? As a teenager, he studied the lore of a people who knew how to live off the land; he learned about herbs as an alternative to medicine. "When we live our lives according to nature's design," he explains, "it really is better for our bodies and our world." Although his immediate family had a typical meat and potatoes diet, Zedrick chose a mostly vegetarian diet. At 18 years old, Zedrick went to work in a vitamin warehouse, working his way up to managing a retail natural food store a few years later. At a time when the organic food movement was gaining momentum, he saw the natural lifestyle as something to practice for ethical and social reasons. In this environment he learned good eating habits that went beyond vegetables and vitamins. But his curiosity, his desire for knowledge, led him further. He became an agent for one of the country's largest vitamin manufacturers and there Zedrick learned about the science behind vitamins and supplements, and about manufacturing methods. In visiting hundreds of retail stores across the country, his path became clear. He wanted to own a natural food store. One of Zedrick's wholesale customers, Nature's Food Market, was started in the 1970's by a young Amish man working with his parents and siblings. Mr. Schlabach got his start selling vitamins in a renovated chicken house. Moving to downtown Berlin, Ohio, the store thrived in a community that valued natural ways, providing vitamins and a host of other natural products.

Nature's had become Zedrick's favorite stop for his personal shopping. Now married with two young children, he was ready to put down roots. He did what came naturally to a man whose faith is an integrated part of his life; he asked for divine guidance. Within hours found himself in Nature's Food Market, where the owner was offering to sell him the store. "My jaw almost hit the floor," said Zedrick. "I knew this was the one I wanted." In a very short time, a deal was signed and in December 2003 Zedrick had his own natural food store. With the chance to realize his vision at hand, Zedrick poured his heart into taking a business that was already good, and making it great. In two years time he made significant progress in the growth of his business, and that's when opportunity struck in the form of a disaster. An early morning fire destroyed the 100 year old building that housed his business in January, 2006. Orange flames and billowing black smoke coming out of your business would cause many people to despair. But this the ruins still smoking, Zedrick was scouring the village for alternative locations. Within three weeks the store opened in a small temporary space.

In September of that year, Nature's Food Market re-opened in a new building. "We doubled our size and doubled our expenses, but fortunately, we also doubled the number of people we could serve," Zedrick said. He takes seriously the people he serves. "The community we support is made up of people who are changing the world." Zedrick's passion is obvious when talking about his products. "Without a doubt, the locally made products are my favorites. This community produces some of the best quality natural products such as locally made cheese, chemical free spelt bread from Berlin Natural Bakery, puffed grain, and even a local herbal extract company." On top of carrying the best quality vitamins and supplements, Nature's carries a full line of natural and organic foods and an impressive array of bulk foods. The fresh ground peanut butter and bulk honey are customer favorites. Zedrick serves as a board member of the Independent Natural Food Retailers Association, he has visited, consulted or trained over 500 retail stores in his career. It was his passion for living life according to nature's design that got Zedrick Clark into his business. But it's the stories from people whose lives are changed that keep him there. After all, he says, "Wellness is contagious."

************Nature's Food Market Special Offer************

Berlin Natural Bakery Product Specials Buy 1 of any Berlin Natural Bakery "FRESH" spelt baked goods and receive 50% off a second Berlin Natural Bakery item of equal or lesser value. Limit 3 per customer per visit. Offer NOT valid on frozen breads Vitamins and Supplement Specials Buy 1 bottle of any vitamin/herbal supplement and receive a 2nd bottle of vitamins/herbal supplements at 50% off equal or lesser value. Limit ONE special vitamin/herbal supplement purchase per household per visit. Valid only on items in stock...no rain checks. Take advantage of these offers today by saying to the cashier "I saw the retailer story on Natures at Berlin Natural Bakery's Website I would like to take advantage of the [bread/supplement] discount" Special Offers Expires January 30th, 2010

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A Final Quick Question For You... Would you like to see your local natural health food store retailer featured on our site like Natures? If so send us your nomination by e-mail to joy [at] berlinnaturalbakery [dot] com with the subject line "Retailer Story Nomination." In the body of the message be sure to put the store and the exact location. Thank you in advance for your willingness to help!

As the holidays come to a close and as we transition into the new year, we all can agree that with all the shopping, cooking and wrapping gifts we all took part in the past month our bodies are in a serious state of wanting to get back on track! Here are six things to keep in mind to help you stay more alert and energized as we move into a very prosperous 2010.

1. Take 1000 to 5000 mg of vitamin C a day.

2. Be sure to always get a good amount of extra sleep.

3. Keep a regular exercise program going.

4. Drink 2 liters of water a day.

5. Take vitamins and minerals especially at night when the body repairs itself.

6. Take acidophilus and antioxidants daily.

Re-Posted With Permission By Dr. Barbara Custer Share

By: Cindy Wider, General Manager of Berlin Natural Bakery

With Christmas fast approaching, I am sharing a recipe for Pumpkin Streusel Trifle. This dessert looks so elegant and although it may give the impression otherwise, it is actually a very easy dessert to make. It can be made a day or two ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. Trifles are typically assembled in a big glass bowl or container in order to display the various layers. I am including a recipe for homemade vanilla pudding, but if you prefer and you have no dietary restrictions that prevent you from eating it, you may make a 4.6 ounce box of vanilla pudding mix instead. But, I must say…the homemade vanilla pudding is much easier to make than I had imagined. It tastes so good and I really liked the idea of knowing exactly what it contains.

Pumpkin Streusel Bread Trifle

For Homemade Vanilla Pudding: 1/3 cup white spelt flour 2/3 cup sugar Pinch of salt 1 tsp. vanilla 2 cups milk 2 eggs, beaten 1 ½ teaspoons butter In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, flour and salt. Gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Stir about ½ cup hot filling into the beaten eggs to incorporate eggs. Return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 1 minute longer. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in butter and vanilla. Cool, stirring occasionally. (Will probably take about an hour to really cool). To make Pumpkin pudding for trifle: 1 – 30 oz can pumpkin puree ½ cups packed brown sugar 1/3 tsp. ground cinnamon or cardamom In a bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, the brown sugar and the cardamom or cinnamon. Stir in cooled pudding. Reserve in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap until assembling the trifle. To make Homemade Sweetened Whipped Cream: 1 pint heavy whipping cream ¼ cup granulated or powdered sugar ¼ teaspoon vanilla Whip whipping cream on high speed of mixer until begins to thicken. Turn mixer to lower speed and add sugar and vanilla. Once mixed in, return mixer to high speed and continue whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until assembling the trifle. Note: My husband loves homemade whipped cream, so to make sure I have enough for a thick layer; I usually make a double batch. To Assemble Trifle: One or two loaves of Berlin Natural Bakery Pumpkin Streusel Tea Bread, broken up into bite sized pieces. Layer half of the Pumpkin bread pieces on the bottom of a large clear bowl. Pour half of the pumpkin pudding mixture over the pumpkin bread and then add a layer of whipping cream. Repeat with the remaining pumpkin bread, pudding and whipping cream. Refrigerate overnight. For our next recipe, I will be sharing a delectable Raspberry Cheesecake recipe. For the crust, I will be using Berlin Natural Bakery Oatmeal Gem cookies. You will also need five 8 oz pkgs of cream cheese, 7 extra large eggs, sour cream, 2 lemons, 1 cup raspberry jelly or preserves, and 1 ½ to 2 cups red raspberries. (Instead of raspberries for the topping, you can use any fruit you prefer or use no topping at all). Until next time, may you and your loved ones experience true joy and happiness throughout this Christmas season. And may you get all your shopping done early!! Happy baking!

By: Dr. Barbara Custer Do you fear the H1N1 flu virus? To put the flu virus into perspective for you, I hope this post creates greater peace and a better understanding for you about what is happening, so that you don’t have to be overwhelmed by fear based on what you have heard in the news recently. Knowledge, preparation, a healthy lifestyle and an understanding of how the body works can help us to eliminate these very fears about this vaccination.

The SARS, Asian and Bird Flu Pandemics

Do you remember the SARS, Asian and Bird Flu pandemics? Every few years there is a new pandemic flu virus that has the potential to cause illness and death. Every winter people are scared and terrorized by the possibilities of the consequences of these viruses. For example, 3 years ago many people felt that the Bird Flu could turn into a pandemic, and that they will have to live in retreats without contact of the outside world. For months it had a negative impact on the psyche of the general public. The poultry market sales also plummeted during this time of panic and it was very scary. A few years earlier it was SARS. Travelers going to and from Asia were even quarantined and detained.

H1N1 Flu Virus

Now we are dealing with the H1N1 flu virus and in reality, every year there are many flu viruses that medicine has to combat. Each type of virus can have severe symptoms such as (high fever, body aches, chills, vomiting) or just symptoms of a common cold. The problem in the society that we live in today is that the media makes these virus’s seem more worse than they realistically are. I do not want to discount the existence and severity of these flu viruses, but instead help you understand that we just need to have a clearer picture about how to take care of ourselves throughout the cold and flu seasons…if we want to stay and function as healthy human beings.

Do You Need the H1N1 Vaccine?

You might consider the vaccine as your best option this year if: -You are a soon to be mother pregnant with a child -Your immune system is already compromised and you have health problems -You work in an environment where you will have a lot of exposure to many individuals on a consistent daily basis… such as in hospitals and schools. Now… If you live a healthy lifestyle you will have a naturally strong immune system that will be able to defend itself. There are also many natural cold and flu preventive and immune tonic formulas that are extremely effective and safe for children as well.

How To Use Chinese Herbal Remedies and Supplements

Herbs and herbal formulas have been used and perfected for thousands of years. Even “Ice Men” had antibiotics and anti viral herbs in their pouches! As someone who specializes in alternative medicine, I suggest that you should support your immune system on a daily basis with Chinese herbs, and high doses of Vitamin C and D throughout the winter. Prevention is always your best medicine. At the first sign of a sore throat, flu or cold symptoms, you can choose to take Chinese herbal formulas. These formulas have been scientifically proven to have a natural antibiotic and anti-viral effect. These products can be purchased at any Health Food Store. Dr. Barbara Custer, L.A.C., O.M.D. was acknowledged by San Francisco Focus Magazine as one of the “Top Alternative Medical Doctors” in the San Francisco Bay Area. She was also voted the “Best of Marin for Oriental Medicine” by the Pacific Sun. Dr. Custer is currently in private practice in Mill Valley California.