So, in a moment of inspiration for my end of the year blog post, I thought I would share with you a few of my favorite products. Many (certainly not all) of these products were first offered to me as samples to try, hopefully like and then promote to my audience. We all know how this works.
By way of disclosure, you should know that every one of these products I am talking about here is a product that I stand to make some small kickback for, should you choose to buy them through the affiliate links I provide (or should you mention my name upon purchasing them). That said, I also want you to know that this is NOT the only or even main reason that I am promoting these products. This sort of thing is not a major source of income for me, and in any case, that motivation has never come first in my life. But I have genuinely vetted all these products, gotten stellar feedback from those I have referred them to, and am proud to be associated with them.
There are those in the health biz that will promote almost anything if there’s a kickback in it for them, but that is not and will absolutely never be me. It is rare for me to come across a product that I feel represents genuinely unique quality and integrity, and that I can feel fully and ethically confident that the product reflects my own best integrity and provides exactly what it advertises itself to provide.
I want you to know that I get these requests all of the time and I seldom avail myself of even the sample from the company if I find anything remotely questionable about the product upon researching it first. I choose my recommendations extremely carefully (in fact, more and more with time), and turn down probably more than 98% of any company that tries to get me to promote them (even if I might happen to like the owners personally). Let’s just say that I’m fussy… And I take my responsibility as someone you rely on for quality, accurate and effective information quite seriously. If a product is not something I myself would use without hesitation, then I refuse to promote it to anyone else. I probably have the toughest standards that way of anyone in the ancestral health genre. So keep in mind that I do not make the following recommendations lightly. In fact, I am making them enthusiastically, without hesitation and with full integrity.
SO– consider the following products as those you might find can really change your quality of life for the better… In some cases dramatically. 2019 is upon us and the world isn’t getting any easier to navigate. We all need an edge, and I believe that many of these products provide you with just that! No gimmicks here and no B.S.
That said…
Everyone has heard about infrared saunas. They are all the rage nowadays. But there is literally only one (count ‘em: ONE) company that actually offers a proprietary heating system that includes near-, mid-and far-infrared technology for much more comprehensive health effects: Sunlighten. I own two models: their solo model, which consists of a telescoping shell that you lie inside of for its profound, detoxifying far-infrared effects using their unique Solocarbon heating elements (I also own something they call their Solo pad, which consists of an infrared heating element on a comfortable, cushioned pad you can lay underneath you in the Solo unit). The other one that I own is their two-person model, which comes with a screen where you can watch Netflix or YouTube videos, and a superb, state-of-the-art Blaupunkt sound system, an optional colored light therapy unit and other accessories. It’s a luxury experience. But I’m also especially impressed with their excellent EMF shielding, which tends to be less than impressive in the vast majority of commercial models sold. As far as I’m concerned, this is the only infra red sauna company for me and the ONLY one that I recommend for the best and most comprehensive health enhancing and detoxification effects. Please don’t forget to mention me when you place your order! I would be sincerely grateful.
I recently discovered one of the most helpful sleep tools I ever came across wandering through the vendor area last year at Paleo f(x). It’s this thing called a Sleepcrown Pillow. At first glance, it’s one strange looking, smallish pillow, but it does a better job of soothingly blocking out light and extraneous noise and facilitating an amazing night sleep of anything I have ever found. I even travel with it! Fortunately, it compresses down to practically nothing and travels fabulously.
There are few things that are more important than getting a genuinely decent night’s sleep, and if you live in the city as I do, and your home is surrounded by all kinds of light pollution, it can be hard to do so. Not anymore!! Please go to their website to find out more, and consider doing something for yourself for this coming year to improve the precious quality of your sleep…upon which so much of your health and well being depends! Quality sleep is not just a luxury, it’s a necessity in today’s world, more than ever. Give the Sleepcrown Pillow a try…You’ll thank me! (Enter code PRIMALNORA at checkout for $10 savings plus free US shipping!)
Butcher Box meats have got to be the most incredible tasting; quality cuts of meat I have ever tried. Living here in Oregon as I do, you can’t swing a dead cat without finding really high-quality pasture fed meats. So when Butcher Box sent me a sample pack of what they carry in hopes that I might promote them, I really wasn’t expecting to be as impressed as I was by the quality of the meat they supplied me with. I honestly don’t remember the last time I was as impressed with the flavor and tenderness of meat. Their meats are the best, most consistently superb quality organic, grass fed and finished meats I have ever tasted. Seriously. You’ll be blown away. Consider signing up as a member… Or if you want to do your own taste test, just purchase a single box of their assorted cuts and see if you don’t agree that it doesn’t get any better!
Hopefully by now you have had a chance to watch a video I recently posted on my blog of me interviewing Dave Siever of MindAlive, where we discussed the unique and powerful neurotechnology tool—the D.A.V.I.D. (which stands for Digital Audio-Visual Integration Device) that he has painstakingly engineered and sells from his well-established and well respected business in Edmonton, Alberta. He’s a Canadian, so you automatically know Dave is COOL! MindAlive customers are every-day people in search of optimized brain function, but he also sells a large number of D.A.V.I.D. units to health practitioners for researched, tried and solidly proven therapeutic purposes. You may have seen toy-like versions of a similar technology being sold elsewhere on the Internet or in stores (some of which even have the potential to be dangerous to those prone to seizures), but please do not be fooled. I’m serious. We are not talking about the same thing, or anywhere near as meticulous, safe or effective a technology. Dave has created the only therapeutically viable Audio-Video Entrainment system that has been (and continues to be) backed by solid research and even decades of clinical results.
If you just happen to be someone who wants to sleep better, or have sharper focus during the day, or achieve a state of deep, effective meditation effortlessly, feel a mood lift, experience more profound relaxation or experience a cognitive performance/creative edge… this mind tool is for you! It is the very technology that got me started in the field of neurotechnology back in the early 1990s by dramatically changing the quality of my mood overnight, and it is still something I own and use to this very day for a whole variety of beneficial effects. Dave’s technology just keeps getting better and better! Go watch the video interview and read the brief blog post, then check out Dave’s website and consider getting your own incredible, uniquely effective mind tool! There are many models to choose from! I am especially enthusiastic about his new TruView colored eye-sets. And if you call MindAlive and tell Dave (or whoever answers the phone at their second-to-none quality customer service) that “Nora sent me!” you will even qualify for a free gift! (1-800-661-MIND – US & Canada)
About a year ago I reached out to man by the name of Frank LLosa who I had discovered was ostensibly the first to accomplish the creation of commercially viable, affordable and “doably” palatable ketone esters, sold under the name: KetoneAid. At one time ketone esters (IF you were lucky enough to have access to small batches generated almost solely for research) could run you literally thousands of dollars per serving and tasted worse than jet fuel. Frank worked closely with the discoverer, longtime ketone research expert and patent holder of the actual ketone ester—Dr. Richard Veech of the NIH, along with Veech’s lab team, in order to develop something that I never would have expected to see in my lifetime.
Frank and I began a series of conversations back then, and although he was primarily marketing to elite athletes (for whom these esters can dramatically improve performance (in large, 30-40 g doses) I immediately recognized the potential therapeutic value of what he had painstakingly created. I was genuinely excited to find out more. This was a real breakthrough!
After having spent countless hours talking on the phone and emailing with Frank, I have come to greatly respect his meticulousness and integrity when it came to formulating and marketing this product. I trust him (and I don’t use the term “trust” lightly). Frank is one of those rare few that is determined to do the right things, in the right way for the right reasons.
Now mind you, I am on record as someone– to this day– that is ANYTHING BUT a fan of popularly advertised and sold racemic ketone salts (which currently cost about the same per gram of the superior ester, with greatly inferior results). Apart from being synthetic, racemic, and even non-racemic salts require enormous amounts of sodium in order to be metabolized, and this in part greatly limits the ability to use them therapeutically. No one can really take more than 5 g of the ketone salts (racemic or otherwise) at a time, and they can generate significant bloating and water retention, among other problems. Racemic versions also cannot be accurately measured in the bloodstream (due to the synthetic component)—which can pose a risk of sorts. They also generate less ATP than naturally produced ketones/esters, they have the potential to damage NAD+ structures in the mitochondria, and (most ridiculously) they are commonly marketed as some sort of substitute for adopting an effective state of ketogenic adaptation. I have not been shy in criticizing these products. I could rant for quite a while…but I’ll spare you for now.
That said, the KetoneAid® ketone ester is something quite different, altogether. It operates naturally within the body, can potentially (though Frank makes no claims for liability reasons—nonetheless, the research is definitely there) be used therapeutically–for, say, persons suffering neurodegenerative conditions and/or cancer– at much higher doses with complete safety, AND they even have the potential to be used as a metabolic transitional tool, leading the user far more painlessly to much more rapid ketogenic adaptation. Even small, 5-10 g doses of the esters can be effective for this purpose, including jumpstarting weight loss. Additionally, there is some new evidence to suggest that the esters can be used as a means of significantly improving restorative sleep when used immediately before bedtime. This is still under investigation, but seems extremely promising. Frank offers a variety of protocols, depending on how someone wants to utilize them, and he is a wealth of information.
In the long run, the goal is to operate without a crutch like esters… at least for those otherwise healthy individuals who are simply looking to optimize their metabolism by switching to full time fat burning over sugar burning. But if you want to know what it feels like to operate in a state of effective ketogenic adaptation, even for just a few hours, 10-30 g KetoneAid can literally get you there in minutes. And then you will finally understand what the fuss is all about and will find yourself being willing to do whatever it takes to get back there full time. In the short term, ketone esters can offer a dramatic boost to your ketogenic efforts.
Long term, however, the Primalgenic® lifestyle/dietary approach is King!
I am happy to support the work/research of Frank Llosa and his superb product. I have already recommended this product to quite a number of people, and thus far they are all grateful. If you resonate with any of the reasons I have listed here to utilize/try them, I urge you to do so! http://ketoneaid.com/noragedgaudas
Here is a video of a 92 year old grandmother in a state of advanced dementia– almost entirely unresponsive– being given a single serving of ketone esters by her grandson. Her response (and responsiveness) within minutes of taking it is remarkable.
Maybe about a year ago now, I was contacted by Simon Cheng at a fledgling new company called Pique Tea. He wanted to send me a few samples to see if I might like and be willing to promote them. Before I even let him waste my time (because I am extremely fussy and skeptical about most teas being sold nowadays) I went and perused their website, and was immediately impressed by the truly unique quality of what they were selling. I have quite literally never seen anything else like it. Their tea is neither looseleaf (a bit of a hassle to deal with) nor in bags (which many of us are aware of as being pretty toxic)– but instead have been brewed into a concentrate, then meticulously freeze-dried into crystals that come in individual serving packets that can be blended with hot or cold water for an instantly satisfying and unbelievably delicious cup of tea.
Mind…officially…blown.
I confess that I have a weakness for a good Earl Grey, and theirs is genuinely amazing!!! Not only this, but their teas travel incredibly well and now I never get on an airplane without an abundant assortment. I literally drink their tea each and every day. But this is just the beginning…
In addition to making sure their tea is 100% organic and sustainably grown using fair trade practices to begin with, their teas are also literally 10 times more richly concentrated in all of the beneficial things we drink tea for. They additionally test every single batch for the presence of contaminants such as pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, fluoride (a real concern with most tea being sold today)– and even radionuclides! I convinced Simon a while back that fluoride testing and radionuclide testing were also important, so now they do it. WOW! Who else does this??? Nobody. I literally have not drunk green tea in years due to considerable concerns about contamination (not the least of which can easily include radionuclides from Japan’s Fukushima disaster, along with high fluoride levels and other“nasties.” –as my Aussie friends would say).
Pique Tea stands alone in the tea industry as a leader when it comes to quality, integrity, purity and astonishing flavor. There aren’t many companies I promote without hesitation, but Pique Tea is one of them. I really can’t wait for the next new flavors/blends to emerge…
Another revolutionary discovery over the last year or two for me has been the discovery of endospore-based probiotics—specifically speaking, the ones commercially made by a company called Just Thrive (and their healthcare practitioner counterpart, Megaspore Biotic). Taking a deep dive into the research surrounding this unique, 100% ancestrally aligned probiotic has literally turned my thinking upside down when it comes to the whole subject of probiotics. Just Thrive is a real game changer! These are literally just about the only probiotics I recommend anymore, and are really the only ones (apart from occasionally Saccharomyces boulardii and perhaps L. reuturi for very specific applications) that I have seen quite literally dramatically benefit virtually everyone using them. Including me! These are the original “paleo friendly” microbes we co-evolved with and were literally meant to ingest with our food!! Finally–a probiotic that makes sense and actually does what it claims to do! And all it takes for most is just one capsule per day with a meal. No refrigeration needed… And in fact, you could even cook with the stuff while maintaining its full viability. And what, you ask, is the percent survivability to actually effectively colonize the large intestine (and radically improve the health of other desirable commensal organisms there)? 100%. No other probiotic company is capable of making this claim. And its effects can be nothing short of miraculous.
There’s more to know about using Just Thrive (and especially Megaspore Biotic) therapeutically, and I talk about this at length in my digestion module and elsewhere in my Primal Restoration® online education/certification program… But if you have ever been frustrated by little to no result from your standard probiotic supplements, have stubborn gut issues and/or you are willing to give Just Thrive a go, you are about to undergo a revolution of improved gut health!
Another newer product in the world of supplements that I am doing handsprings over is one that is made by a company called Ancestral Supplements. Brian Johnson, the owner of this company, has literally pulled out all the stops in creating THE ultimate, quality encapsulated organ meat/gland/tissue supplements on the market. The animals used are humanely raised on pristine, organic pasture in New Zealand, and once their organs and tissues are harvested they are minimally processed in a way that helps to preserve their nutrient profile density and superior quality. I already know stories about people who simply took a small sampling of many of their products each day and noticed a dramatic shift in the quality of their health and well-being within as little as a month! No lie! And Brian has even done additional testing to verify the individual nutrient profiles of some of his products, which is hard to find elsewhere. Few have committed to perfection and total integrity the way that Brian Johnson of Ancestral Supplements has, and I am entirely proud and enthusiastic to recommend his products to literally everyone. Anyone claiming to eat an ancestral diet is falling short unless they have included Ancestral Supplements to their daily supplement regimen!
If you have read my most recent book, Primal Fat Burner, then you know why emu’s deserve our awe …and why we should all be extremely interested in the unique nutritional profile of their body oil. The composition of emu oil is uniquely rich in fat-soluble nutrients— but Walkabout Health Products emu oil is literally THE richest natural source of the form of vitamin K2 our ancestors evolved consuming, the only form of vitamin K2 found in the human brain, the form of vitamin K2 most naturally designed to beneficially synergize the effects of true vitamin A (retinol) and vitamin D3 and is the form of vitamin K that is most critical to your physical/cognitive health that chances are you do not get enough of in your daily diet. Walkabout Health Products emu oil is quite literally the richest natural (non-synthetic) source of vitamin K2 (MK-4) anywhere, in any one food. It is one of the few supplements I take every day, and that I recommend to virtually everyone. Walkabout Health Products derives their oils from a unique genetic strain of emu, raised in the outback of Australia on a natural diet, and demonstrating an unparalleled nutrient profile that will truly impress you. Even more impressive are its anti-inflammatory effects and nutritional support. If you call over there, tell Liz and/or Will that Nora sent you.
For quite a number of years now I have been consistently recommending ReadiSorb liposomal glutathione. It is the only one uniquely tested to show that its effects are 75% identical to IV glutathione, which is something uniquely remarkable. I have tried numerous others and always find myself coming back to this one, which generates truly noticeable and beneficial effects. I have yet to be as impressed by any other straight liposomal glutathione product, and I continue to receive positive feedback from the many clients and fans I have turned onto this product over the years. They also have a superb liposomal methylcobalamin (B12) oral spray that similarly absorbs rapidly into the bloodstream and improves quality methylated B12 levels. I am definitely a fan! Be sure to tell them that Nora sent you! Let’s just say they know me there… 😉
Next, in an era where few have the time to create their own expertly simmered and nuanced bone broth, there is but one company among the glut of prepackaged bone broth products out there that actually supplies you with an unparalleled flavor and nutrient profile: The Flavor Chef/The Brothery. Based on the extensive research of Dr. Kaayla Daniel (author of ‘Nourishing Broth’) and formulated by Chef Lance: the Flavor Chef–It’s what bone broth was meant to taste like and what it was originally meant to do for those who consume it for its health and culinary benefits. Don’t settle for all of the boring/bland or less nutritious substitutes!
Finally, this isn’t exactly a product, but it’s an online store where you can find foods/food products that have been vetted for their quality, integrity, sustainability and lack of added crap.
Transnational corporate food products are nowhere to be found on this website, and each product is carefully scrutinized for its ingredient list and it’s company’s ethics. Crappy additives, preservatives, GMO’s and other “nasties” are automatically excluded from their inventory. If there’s anything remotely questionable, the product does not make the cut. No other online store has this rigorous and unforgiving a vetting process for what they carry. That’s why I promote Wild Mountain Paleo to the exclusion of all other online ancestral food retail stores. If you want to know which products of theirs I personally use at home or feel enthusiastic about approving, you can visit my online store here.
I know the proprietor, Steve Tinsky personally, consider him a trusted friend and fellow stickler for details and have been impressed by his integrity and enthusiasm for doing the right thing, in the right way for the right reasons. He’s extremely knowledgeable, and extremely passionate about quality, sustainable and nourishing food. And he has zero tolerance for anything less.
Some of his products do contain significant amounts of utilizable carbohydrates, and those are obviously not going to be the products that you find in my own section of his store, but just be aware that Steve justifiably feels there is a place for what can be referred to as “transitional foods” for those looking to venture into ancestral eating, but would rather do so taking baby steps. No judgments here!
If you have a chance to purchase and try any of these, I would love to get your feedback!
May your New Year (2019) bring you health, prosperity and joy in every way possible.
Heartfelt regards,
~Nora
PS. I have a couple of new offerings on my online educational website, PrimalCourses.com!
Leave a Reply