PRESS: Sarasota Herald-Tribune

As seen in Sarasota Herald-Tribune:

At Wild Ginger, owner taking root in Gulf Gate 

"Leffler opened her store on Superior Avenue in the Gulf Gate community late last year. She sells eco-friendly, holistic and healthy alternatives to everyday products like deodorant, toothpaste and even perfume."

Staying hydrated on the go!

For all my attempts to simplify my life, accumulating water bottles (and containers, and kitchen gadgets) has become a hobby.  I have glass water bottles (cute, but heavy), I have every variety of mainstream stainless, I even have some BPA-free sport bottles from a decade ago.  You can imagine how hard it was for me to decide on just one brand to bring into Wild Ginger Apothecary!

The number one piece of health advice I give every customer, friend, and health coaching client is to drink more water!  Generally speaking, half your body weight in ounces is recommended.  That's a lot! And even those of us who think we drink enough probably don't come close.  Staying hydrated is key to brain function, energy, clear skin, natural detoxification, and fighting inflammation.  (And the list goes on.)  There's no easier way to ensure you are drinking enough water than keeping a water bottle you love with you every single day.

I absolutely love the versatility of the ThinkSport Water Bottle.  It's double-walled 18/8 medical grade stainless steel with no chemical liner, and really keeps hot or cold beverages at a steady temperature for hours.  Plus there's the handy tea strainer (for your favorite organic herbal teas), and the option to drink from the wide or narrow mouth.  I'm famous for dumping my water bottles on my face while driving, so that alone has been a huge help.

The best part of all is that they are under $20... making it the perfect gift or addition to your healthy-lifestyle lineup.

Available online at www.wildgingerapothecary.com or in-store at 6557 Superior Avenue in the Gulf Gate Shopping Village.  Store hours are 10am-6pm, Tuesday-Saturday.  Feel free to email or call anytime at 941.312.5630.  ENJOY! 

Get dirty to get clean: tooth powder hits the spot.

Sometimes you have to get dirty to get clean.  (Think face masks, body scrubs, the previous post on mud hair wash...)  Getting hooked on Holistic Heights Tooth Powder - or "tooth dirt" as I lovingly describe it - is a prime example.

Who knew it was so hard to find a completely clean toothpaste that was more than just baking soda or coconut oil?  I even read blogs about using activated charcoal to whiten (with a mouthful of black powder) and that didn't fit into my daily routine.   I searched high and low, and even the "nontoxic" options had fillers like glycerin.  Less is more in natural beauty, so this Tooth Powder hit the spot. It indeed whitens, while giving you the cleanest, freshest mouth ever.

Your basic oral care needs are met: tartar and plaque fighting, less bacteria, no more bad breath, healthier gums.  But using a holistic, Ayurvedic blend of medicinal herbs - like Neem, Myrrh, and Clove - takes it even further by healing at the same time.  My life-long teeth sensitivity has decreased to almost nothing, my teeth feel cleaner than I could have imagined, and the "tooth dirt" has become a novelty among roommates and houseguests.  Together with oil-pulling, my teeth have never been happier.

This remains my favorite item to sample to customers at Wild Ginger Apothecary - try it once, and you'll never go back to the tube of toothpaste!

Available online at www.wildgingerapothecary.com or in-store at 6557 Superior Avenue in the Gulf Gate Shopping Village.  Store hours are 10am-6pm, Tuesday-Saturday.  Feel free to email or call anytime at 941.312.5630.  ENJOY! 

Is "no-poo" for you?

By now, everyone in the natural health scene has at least read about the "no-poo" method of washing your hair.  Perhaps you've read about those who have given up cleansing all together, just rinsing with water.  Others tout baking soda and apple cider vinegar rinses.  It all sounds great until it comes to executing this hair-care adventure.

I'm rigid about only carrying products at Wild Ginger Apothecary that I have used and believe in.  I repeat it over and over again because of products like Mud Puddle Hair Wash.  I was amazed to stumble across something so basic, so natural, and so pure that I had to try it.  And I was glad I did!

Mud Puddle isn't a hair wash like it describes.  It's hair mud.  A thick, gel-like clay glob that is unlike anything you've tried before.  Bentonite clay (detoxifying for everything it touches) pulls impurities from your hair and scalp to gently clean. And one thing is for sure: it doesn't get safer than this for cleansing your hair.  The adjustment period is trying (especially for longer hair) but eventually you're left with soft, healthy hair that will be grateful to be free of harsh cleansing agents.  That means a happier scalp, less hair damage, and less frequency of washing!

Is the idea of hair mud too wild for you to try just yet?  There is a middle road you can take.  I learned to love shampoo bars after my fourth broken arm.  (No jokes about being accident prone, please.)  Try applying, then lathering, gel-based shampoo with one arm!  Shampoo bars were a miracle for ease of use, by simply rubbing over my hair to apply.  And my hair (and scalp) were much more agreeable with the switch.

Want to break away from sulfate-filled conventional shampoo?  A good start is the Herban Lifestyle Shampoo Bar.  It's eco-friendly with no bottle, and made only with minimally processed organic oils.  You get 40-60 shampoos in one bar, too, making it a bargain for $10.  Once you try it, you can do an apple cider vinegar rinse (1:4 ratio with water) every few weeks for extra clarifying.  (You can try this regardless of the cleansing method you use - you'll love it!)

Give one or both of these a shot, and maybe the "no-poo" method with be for you!

Available online at www.wildgingerapothecary.com or in-store at 6557 Superior Avenue in the Gulf Gate Shopping Village.  Store hours are 10am-6pm, Tuesday-Saturday.  Feel free to email or call anytime at 941.312.5630.  ENJOY!