Merchandise Monday: A New You for the New Year!

It's the last Merchandise Monday of 2014 and we'd like to leave you with a few items to assist with your New Year's resolutions! This is actually a repost from earlier this year, but it included some great items and, as always, we've got plenty more to add come January 1!

Whether your goal is to lose weight, get in shape, eat healthier, save money or spend more time with your family, Hinda's ever-growing assortment of merchandise has everything you need to turn your resolutions into lifelong habits.

So enjoy the last few days of 2014 and we'll see you in the New Year!

Your Monthly Check-Up: Throwback Thursday

Since we're elbows-deep in the holiday season, we thought we'd repost this gem from last year - "Tips for Staying on Track During the Holidays." We all have a tendency to overindulge this time of year. Here are some great tricks to help you stick to good habits, avoid gaining holiday pounds and steer clear of the food coma while still enjoying all that the season has to offer!

Merchandise Monday: Keep the Cold Out!

The official start of winter is merely a week away and there’s no better time to start working on those winter projects and hobbies that will help warm you up and keep the cold where it belongs – outside! Hinda’s got everything you need to do just that. Whether you prefer to snuggle on the couch or spring into activity our assortment of items to keep out the cold is sure to please everyone in your household this winter!

Anchor Bay Entertainment Bob Harper: Beginner's Weight Loss DVD

Warm up with a great workout - drop pounds and renovate your body to its best form. Push yourself and punch-up your heart rate to annihilate calories, attack fat and reconstruct your body completely with this beginner’s DVD.

GLD Products® Mainstreet Classics Micro Bag Toss Game

Don’t let the cold keep you from playing your favorite outdoor party game – with the Micro Bag Toss you can play inside or out! It features two portable boards with carrying handles and eight micro bags. Stir up some friendly competition year round!

KidKraft® Play Teepee

It might be too cold for camping, but your kids will have fun pretending with this teepee. These toys stand at over 3.5’ H and were built to last. Mesh window allows parents to look in and kids to look out. Quick assembly – just a few easy steps and you’re ready!

The North Face® Thermoball™ Full Zip Jacket

Designed to imitate down, Thermoball™ is constructed with low-weight, high-loft clusters that retain heat even when wet. Just as compressible as down, Thermoball insulation provides phenomenal warmth in cold and wet conditions.

Waring Pro® Belgian Waffle Maker

Nothing warms the soul and starts your day off right like a hot, hearty breakfast. Professional quality lets you create extra-deep, 1” restaurant-style waffles that are crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. Delicious!

Yankee Candle®Perfect Pillar Candle – Sparkling Cinnamon

There’s something about the smell of cinnamon and other spices that warms you right up! This slim, contemporary style fits easily with pillar holders and candle accessories. It is made with a smooth wax blend, has a wider flame for quicker fragrance release and burns up to 95 hours. 

Merchandise Monday: Great Gifts from Big Brands

We know, we know, you’ve been done with your holiday shopping for weeks now (wink, wink!), but for those of you who are still searching for the perfect gift, Hinda’s got some great new items from big-name brands that would look perfect with a giant bow on them! Of course, we love all our brands, and this is just a small selection of some of the newest items from the names you’ve grown to trust and love. And whether you’re done shopping or not, don’t forget to treat yourself to something new from our assortment! After all, what are the holidays for if not splurging and celebrating!  

Black & Decker® 3-Cup Ergo Chopper

Perfect for fruits, veggies, salsas and more, this chopper features high and low pulse settings for precise results. The ergonomic grip is comfortable for any sized hand and is a great shape to get a solid grip. A storage bowl and lid are included– chop and store in the same bowl!

Hamilton Beach® 6-Quart Programmable Cool-Surround Slow Cooker

Sear or brown meat on your stovetop, then finish meal in your slow cooker – the stovetop-safe non-stick pan nestles inside base. Other features include a cool-surround base that keeps the sides cool, cool-touch base handles, simple programmability, a digital timer and time adjustment buttons.

Omaha Steaks® Four Top Sirloins

Carved from the center of the sirloin, top sirloins from Omaha Steaks® are naturally lean and bursting with bold, beefy flavor. And because of the way master steak cutters craft these steaks, they're more tender than ever before. Great for grilling – each 5-ounce top sirloin is approximately .75" thick.

Rand McNally Kids’ Road Atlas

The Rand McNally Kids' Road Atlas is a great first atlas to introduce young ones to the ways of the road. Each state features a simplified road map, state facts and a fun state-related activity. Softcover, 72 pages and measures 8.2" W x 10.4" H. Keep it in the car for fun learning during every ride!

Schwinn® Bike U-Lock

Whether you’re a commuter cyclist or a Sunday cruiser, don’t leave home without this biker must-have! This U-shape bike lock keeps your bike safe and secure. It includes a carry bracket and two keys. Keep your bike locked up safe and sound when not in motion!

Swarovski® Nude All-Around Necklace

Pearls are essential in every woman’s jewelry box. This rhodium-plated necklace seduces with its flawless, silky smooth white crystal pearls. Three of the pearls are delicately wrapped in clear crystal pavé. This stunning piece is ideal for bridal wear or any other elegant occasion.

Vera Bradley® Tablet Sleeve

In Plum Crazy pattern, this Vera Bradley tablet sleeve fits most popular brands, including iPad® and Kindle Fire and features a convenient L-shaped opening for easy accessibility, padding with lightweight, protective foam for safe portability and an inside pocket to hold a name or business card. 

Yankee Candle® Classic Jar Large Candle - Balsam & Cedar

This wonderfully nostalgic blend of balsam, aromatic cedar wood and juniper berry delivers that fresh forest scent and a world of delightful holiday memories. Measuring 4" in diameter, this candle burns for 110-150 hours. Use in larger rooms such as kitchen, living room or family room.

Merchandise Monday: Cyber Monday Gadget Gifts!

With the biggest shopping day of the year behind us, it's time for the biggest online shopping day of the year - Cyber Monday! To honor the "cyber" part of Cyber Monday, we're focusing on a selection of great new electronic gadgets that have recently been added to Hinda's assortment. From tablets to music to GPS and photography, Hinda's got the gamut of tech your whole family wants!

Amazon Fire HD 8-inch 8GB Tablet

This powerful, full-featured HD tablet features a beautiful 8" HD display with over a million pixels, fast quad-core processor up to 1.5 GHz, rear-facing 5 MP camera and front-facing HD camera and Amazon Underground, a one-of-a-kind app store experience for apps, games and even in-app items that are actually free. Who wouldn’t want to unwrap this?

Amazon Kindle eReader

As a dedicated e-reader, Kindle lets you indulge your love of reading without interruptions like email alerts and push notifications. A glare-free, touchscreen interface makes it easier to use features like Goodreads, Dictionary, highlighting and more on a screen that looks like real paper.

Bosch® Power Box™ 360 Jobsite AM/FM Stereo with Digital Media Bay

Power through your busy workday with 360-degree stereo sound featuring digital signal processing, an integrated subwoofer and digital media bay. Other features include USB port, rugged aluminum roll cage and charger/battery bay that charges Bosch® 14.4V-18V li-ion battery packs.

Brookstone® 3-in-1 USB Stylus

Sometimes you need a pen. Other times, a stylus or a flash drive. Why carry all three? This 3-in-1 tablet stylus lets you jot notes, navigate touch screens or store pictures and documents effortlessly. You’ll always have the right tool for any job without carrying extra gear. Makes a great stocking stuffer!

Garmin® Nuvi® 55LM GPS Bundle

For driving directions on the road, put away the smartphone and power on your nüvi®. nüvi is an easy-to-use, dedicated GPS navigator that does not rely on cellular signals and is unaffected by cellular dead zones. nüvi provides easy-to-follow, spoken turn-by-turn directions with street names and features a bright, 5” dual-orientation display for use horizontally or vertically. 

GoPro® Head Strap + QuickClip Mount for GoPro® Camera

Fully adjustable to fit all sizes, the head strap can be worn over a helmet or directly on your head to capture footage from a headlamp-like perspective. The QuickClip enables ultra compact, low-profile mounting – attach your GoPro® to a backwards baseball cap for use during non-impact activities.

iHome® On-Ear Foldable Headphones with Pouch

Enjoy great sound and style anywhere thanks to these headphones. They fold up and fit into the included travel pouch for added portability. Features include detailed, dynamic sound with enhanced bass response, padded ear cushions and a padded and adjustable headband for custom fit.

Sony® PS4™/PS3™ Gold Wireless Stereo Headset

Elevate your gaming experience with customizable game modes created by developers exclusively for PlayStation®. Experience everything from big booms to whisper-quiet warnings in stunning 7.1 virtual surround sound and chat with friends through the hidden noise cancelling microphone.

Vivitar® Digital Video Camcorder Kit

The Digital Video Camcorder Kit features 4x digital zoom, 2” LCD screen and 720p HD recording. The kit includes a padded case, 4GB SD card, SD card reader, tripod, rechargeable lithium battery with charger and Vivitar® Experience software package. Accepts SD and SDHC memory card formats.

Wagan® iOnBoost™ V6

The iOnBoost™ V6 jump starter utilizes lithium-polymer battery technology, offers up to 200 cranking amps (400 peak amps) and can start a 3.5-liter V6 engine, yet is small enough to fit in a purse or glove compartment. No roadside assistance needed! It can also charge your mobile devices on the go.

Merchandise Monday: For the Pet Lover

He’s waiting for you when you come home from work. She curls up on your pillow while you’re sleeping. They’re your constant companions while watching TV, jogging, running errands around town or working in your backyard. They’re your pets, and Hinda appreciates the important role they play in your lives – so much so that we’ve added quite a number of fur-and-fuzz-ball-related merch to our assortment recently.

Whether you’re a parent to a rambunctious puppy or a cool-as-a-cucumber cat, we’ve got something to make you – and your furry friend – purr and wag your tail…so to speak!

Dog Speak Kitty Cat Purrr-fection Pet Photo Frame

This wooden frame is made in the USA and makes a great gift for pet lovers to express their love for their pet. Great for displaying your pet at the office or in any room of your home. Frame measures 7” x 9” and holds a 4” x 6” picture.

Dog Speak Wag Wag Wag Picture Frame

The wooden Wag Wag Wag picture frame is a perfect way to showcase that special photo of you and your loyal best friend! It also makes a great gift for pet lovers to express their love for their pet. This 7” x 9” frame holds a 4” x6” picture. Made in the USA.

FroliCat™ BOLT™ Interactive Laser Pet Toy

 Keep your feline friend entertained with the laser toy that features two modes and an auto shut-off timer. Automatic Mode moves the laser in random patterns. Manual Mode lets you point the laser in unique laser patterns. An adjustable mirror aims the laser across different surfaces.

Gamewear® Classic NFL Football Pet Bowl

Now your best friend can snack during the big game with this officially licensed GameWear® football dog bowl. Each stylish bowl is adorned with your favorite NFL team's logo and holds 5-cups of food. The bowl is made from melamine and has a rubber base to prevent sliding and spilling.

Gamewear® Reflective Football Dog Leash

Protect your four-legged buddy and show off your favorite NFL or college team with this leash.  Each officially licensed leash is made from reflective material, adorned with your favorite team’s logo and designed with comfort in mind.

Soggy Doggy™ Bone Doormat

This large doormat soaks up water and dirt like a sponge. It’s exceptionally durable yet velvety-soft with a no-slip backing. It’s made of microfiber chenille – 80 percent polyester and 20 percent polymide – with chenille noodles that are 1” H and compress under a door. Measures 26” W x 36” H.

Soggy Doggy™ Super Shammy

This super-absorbent, microfiber chenille dog towel is quick drying and odor-free. It features convenient hand pockets and is made of 80 percent polyester and 20 percent polymide. It measures 31” L x 14” W - one size dries all. Machine wash separately, no chlorine bleach, dryer-safe on low. 

Your Monthly Check-Up: November is Diabetes Awareness Month

November is American Diabetes Month®, with November 14 deemed as World Diabetes Day by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). According to idf.org, World Diabetes Day “unites the global diabetes community to produce a powerful voice for diabetes awareness and advocacy.”

The theme for the 2014 to 2016 period is “Healthy Living and Diabetes,” according to the IDF: “Activities and materials in 2014 focus on the importance of starting the day with a healthy breakfast to help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes and effectively manage all types of diabetes to avoid complications.”

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH),

Diabetes is a disease in which your blood glucose – or blood sugar – levels are too high. Glucose comes from the foods you eat. Insulin is a hormone that helps the glucose get into your cells to give them energy. With type 1 diabetes, your body does not make insulin. With type 2 diabetes, the more common type, your body does not make or use insulin well. Without enough insulin, the glucose stays in your blood.

You can also have prediabetes, which means that your blood sugar is higher than normal but not high enough to be called diabetes. Having prediabetes puts you at a higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes.

Over time, having too much glucose in your blood can cause serious problems. It can damage your eyes, kidneys and nerves. Diabetes can also cause heart disease, stroke and can even lead to limb amputation. Pregnant women can also get diabetes, called gestational diabetes.

A blood test can show if you have diabetes. Exercise, weight control and sticking to your meal plan can help control your diabetes. You should also monitor your glucose level and take medicine if prescribed.

In its 2014 National Diabetes Statistics Report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that about 29.1 million people, or 9.3 percent, have diabetes. Of this group, 21 million are diagnosed and living with diabetes while 8.1 million are undiagnosed. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States (in 2010) with an estimated cost – both directly in the form of medical bills and indirectly in the form of lost job productivity, disability, etc. – of $245 billion.

Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults and was previously known as “juvenile diabetes.” Only five percent of people with diabetes have this form of the disease. In type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin, but with the help of insulin therapy and other treatments, even young children can learn to manage their condition and live long, healthy lives.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form. People with type 2 diabetes do not use insulin properly. This is called insulin resistance. At first, the pancreas makes extra insulin to make up for it. But over time, it isn't able to keep up and can't make enough insulin to keep blood glucose at normal levels.

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), some common symptoms of diabetes include:

• Urinating often
• Feeling very thirsty
• Feeling very hungry even though you are eating
• Extreme fatigue
• Blurry vision
• Cuts and/or bruises that are slow to heal
• Weight loss even though you are eating more (type 1)
• Tingling, pain or numbness in the hands and/or feet (type 2)

Early detection and treatment of diabetes can decrease the risk of developing the complications later on. Talk to your doctor if you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms, or go to www.diabetes.org and take the Risk Test for type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes is a common disease, yet every individual needs unique care. The ADA encourages people with diabetes and their families to learn as much as possible about the latest medical therapies and approaches, as well as healthy lifestyle choices. Good communication with a team of experts can help you feel in control and respond to changing needs.

Finally, remember to test your blood sugar often, take your medications as directed and stick to the diet and exercise plan recommended for your individual case. And visit the American Diabetes Association’s and International Diabetes Federation’s web sites for valuable resources for living the best life possible!