Have you tried...

—by Katharine Holden, HPC Member

Hampden Park Co-op is packed with products you may not have tried before. Here’s the squeal on one:

NOW Foods of Bloomingdale, Illinois, produces a full line of vitamins, minerals, and other natural products. For those of us with allergies, sensitivities, or diabetes, the NOW line is free of salt, yeast, sugar, corn, wheat, milk, and preservatives. Each bottle contains a little inedible packet that preserves freshness. NOW products often pack the most punch of any on the market. For instance, if you take cranberry capsules in hopes of reducing the number of or preventing urinary tract infections, NOW’s Cranberry Concentrate capsules contain 700 mg each, considerably more than the brands available in major drugstores.

[In her newsletter column "Have you tried...", HPC member Katharine Holden tells us about products on HPC's shelves that the reader may enjoy. Here's one:]

Namaste Foods offers a gluten-free muffin mix made in a dedicated factory. Product of Idaho. Find more information at www.namastefoods.com.

[Editor’s note: Namaste products are expensive, so whether HPC continues to carry them depends on whether customers are willing to buy them.]

[In her newsletter column "Have you tried...", HPC member Katharine Holden tells us about products on HPC's shelves that the reader may enjoy. Here's one:]

The box contains one menstrual cup, the alternative to pads and tampons. For those of you who have had unfortunate reactions to rubber or latex, you’ll be glad to know that the Diva Cup is made of top-grade silicon— no rubber, plastic, latex, or BPA. There’s a cotton carrying bag, too. The Diva Cup also comes with a lapel pin so you can show your love of the Diva Cup to all you meet. My suggestion: try the cup for your next period, but treat yourself to a nice vintage brooch.

[In her newsletter column "Have you tried...", HPC member Katharine Holden tells us about products on HPC's shelves that the reader may enjoy. Here's one:]

In the bulk section with all the other Frontier spice products, you’ll find whole chia seed. Chia seed is high in Omega-3s and fiber, and contains vitamin C and other nutrients. You can mix a scoop into a beverage and drink it down (I gagged on water with chia, but did better with cranberry juice and chia). Or you can make a sort of paste from it and add it to foods. I’m almost certain that ingesting chia seed will not result in green grass sprouting all over your body, but you might want to read up on chia seed before use, just in case.

[In her newsletter column "Have you tried...", HPC member Katharine Holden tells us about products on HPC's shelves that the reader may enjoy. Here's one:]

It’s easy to miss the magazine rack. It’s in the entryway immediately to your left. On most days, you will find BUST, Mother Jones, Yes!, mothering, Shambhala Sun, and UTNE Reader.