Living Beauty Celebrates International Day of Yoga!

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June 21st is International Day of Yoga and it also happens to be the Summer Solstice! The Summer Solstice happens every year when one of the Earth’s poles has its maximum tilt towards the sun and it marks the start of summer.  It is the longest day of the year and in many cultures throughout history, it is seen as a day of celebration often marked with festivals and rituals. It is known to represent the transition from action to nourishment and the journey from darkness to light. Because of the extra sunlight, the solstice is associated with nourishment, fertility, and sensuality. This time of year, we are more connected with nature and each other! It is a great time to come together with others, enjoy the local fresh foods that are in season and connect with your body.

 

Considering the International Day of Yoga falls on the Summer Solstice, a yoga practice is the perfect way to celebrate the change in season and get more in tune with your body! The International Day of Yoga was officially recognized by The United Nations in 2014 and was created to raise awareness of the many benefits of practicing yoga. Yoga can increase strength, flexibility and balance which helps reduce pain and inflammation in the body. It reduces stress, improves sleep and increases your energy overall improving your mental resilience. When the proposal to create a day celebrating Yoga was introduced to the United Nations by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, he stated, “Yoga is an invaluable gift from our ancient tradition. Yoga embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action … a holistic approach [that] is valuable to our health and our well-being. Yoga is not just about exercise; it is a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature.”

 

 

The Foundation for Living Beauty brings yoga to the women we serve all year round because of its amazing physical and mental health benefits. This year we are celebrating International Yoga Day together with a day retreat! Led by the wonderful Yoga Therapist and Living Beauty Sharon Holly, our International Day of Yoga Day Retreat is bringing together Living Beauties in Santa Monica to spend the day practicing yoga, mindfulness and meditation to help them on their cancer journey. Sharon Holly is certified in yoga4cancer, a yoga practice specifically designed to address the physical and mental side effects of cancer and its treatment on our bodies. This day of yoga will allow Living Beauties to practice self-care, learn tools to heal their bodies and minds, and connect with one another.

 

 

We are so grateful to be able to spend the International Day of Yoga and the Summer Solstice with our Living Beauties! Don’t forget to spend time this summer nourishing your body, enjoying nature and connecting with others!

 

If you are a woman with cancer and would like to participate in programs like our International Day of Yoga Day Retreat click here to become a Living Beauty!

 

Read more about yoga4cancer on our here!

 

 

 

 

Living Beauty Debuts a Brand-New Overnight Retreat!

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Last week, twenty-two Living Beauties gathered at the beautiful UCLA Lake Arrowhead retreat center for our first-ever Elemental Overnight Retreat led by the amazing Kristin Dwan! The retreat was specially designed by Kristin and Indyra, Living Beauty’s program director, to take Living Beauties on a journey through the five elements exploring their healing powers. What is even more special about this collaboration is that Kristin is a Living Beauty herself and while attending a retreat at Lake Arrowhead in 2022, her and Indyra were inspired to create the Elemental Retreat. Six months later the seed of an idea that they planted at that retreat came to fruition and the rest is history!

 

Kristin leading Living Beauties in a workshop about our inner child and how our conscious mind is formed as a child.

 

The retreat was created around the 5 elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit. Each element has specific qualities that can be harnessed to help anyone on their journey through life and more specifically for our Living Beauties their healing journey after cancer. At the retreat, we used Earth to ground our intentions, Water to cleanse and feel them, Air to dream and clear your mind, Fire to activate and Spirit to connect and level up your healing intentions.

 

Each of these candles represents an element. Kristin used them to call in the elements during our practice. The candles surrounding the elements represent a Living Beauty and her intention for the retreat.

 

Everyone Living Beauty created a seed (or intention) for the retreat that they spent the 3 days focusing on bringing into existence. Kristin helped guide them through this process by leading Living Beauties in hypnotic journeys, breath work, reiki, healing time in nature, a bonfire to cut cords with worries and create a clean slate, and deep connection and sharing time with each other.

 

After the retreat one Living Beauty stated, “I have a new sense of self. I feel lighter than I did when I first got here. I am extremely overwhelmed with love and acceptance. This is exactly what my heart needed.”

 

We are so grateful to Kristin for bringing her expertise in Hypnotherapy, Reiki and navigating the elements to The Foundation for Living Beauty! You can learn more about her practice and get in contact with her by visiting www.thehealingwoods.com. As always Indyra created and executed an amazing retreat and we can’t wait for the next one!

 

 

If you are a woman with cancer, click here to learn more about how to become a Living Beauty and participate in retreats like this one! To donate to The Foundation for Living Beauty and help provide more programs like these to women with cancer please visit www.livingbeauty.org/get-involved/donate/.

 

 

 

Cannabis 101: Breaking down Cannabis and what it does for us as consumers 

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Cannabis 101: Breaking down Cannabis and what it does for us as consumers 

Written By Velvet Cannabis a cannabis company located in Eagle Rock, California.
www.velvetcannabis.com

 

Stepping into the Cannabis world can be a little overwhelming. Don’t you worry that is what we at Velvet are here to help with.   

Cannabis contains hundreds of active compounds with a range of medical benefits to be found.

 

At Velvet, we’ll walk you through the best way to pinpoint effects of different cannabis strains. We’d love to talk about their mix of cannabinoids and terpenes, or the chemical compounds in it. These compounds combine to create the entourage effect experience that can lead to the feeling of being high.  (explain the entourage effect some more)

 

 THC and CBD are two of cannabis’ most well known cannabinoids, although there are many more that offer a unique range of effects. THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is the compound that most  think of when talking about weed—it’s what makes you feel high, and relieves symptoms like pain and nausea. CBD (cannabidiol) is a non-intoxicating compound known to alleviate anxiety, pain, inflammation and many other medical ailments. 

 

The words “indica” and “sativa” were introduced in the 18th century as a way to describe different species or “strains” of Cannabis. 

 

Sativa- tends to give the consumer more uplifting, active cerebral effects that pair well with physical activity, social gatherings and creative projects. Cultivated for its seeds and fiber, Sativa was named by Carl Linneaus and found in Europe and Western Eurasia. 

 

Indica- known for being physically sedating, perfect for relaxing with a movie, or as a nightcap before bed. Indica was named by Jean-Baptiste and discovered in India, where it was harvested for its seeds, fiber, and hashish production. 

 

Hybrids-  falling somewhere in between the Indica-Sativa Spectrum depending on their lineage, they inherit traits from their parent strains. 

 

There is importance in noting that every individual’s body chemistry is different. Indica doesn’t always mean “in da couch” and sativas don’t necessarily energize all consumers. The origins of the two terms are historically rooted in botany and describe the physical structure of a plant, not the depth of your experience. A strain might impact you a little differently than it might your neighbor and that’s the beauty of cannabis. There is something for everyone. 

 

When you look at the back of your shampoo bottle, you may see a term such as “Linalool.” Linalool is a compound known as a terpene also contained in Cannabis! Terpenes are naturally-occurring aromatic compounds that determine the scent of many flowers and herbs; they give cannabis its distinctive odor, flavor, and enriched color in the leaves and buds. 

 

Cannabis has more than 150 terpenes, but some are only present in small amounts; however, the more prominent ones combine together to give us a signature scent profile for specific strains. Terpenes not only give the cannabis plant its unique scent and flavor, but can also produce a range of therapeutic and mood altering effects to a cannabis consumer in conjunction with cannabinoids. There’s more of the entourage effect! 

 

Now here comes the biggest question we all have as consumer:

 

 How will this help me with anxiety or stress? Depression, pain, condition or ailment?

 

Below we’ve provided a short, but exhaustive list of cannabinoids within the Cannabis plant that have been researched and studied for their medicinal properties to help you choose what may be best for you. At Velvet, we care the most about educating and supporting you as our neighbor. 

 

 CBC a non-psychoactive cannabinoid being studied for its anti-anxiety and anti-inflammatory properties.

 

CBN is a sedating, sleepy cannabinoid found in higher amounts of aged cannabis or degraded THC. Any studies of cannabis or cannabinoids in people with health problems (such as multiple sclerosis, PTSD, or chronic pain) have looked at effects on sleep. Often, there’s been evidence of better sleep quality, fewer sleep disturbances, or decreased time to fall asleep in people taking cannabis. 

 

 THCV is being studied for uses such as an appetite suppressant, as a bone growth stimulator, diabetes management, and anxiety treatment.

 

 CBG has many potential therapeutic benefits, including antibacterial, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory qualities.

 

A 2018 review looked at 47 studies (4,743 participants) of cannabis or cannabinoids for various types of chronic pain other than cancer pain and found evidence of a small benefit. Twenty-nine percent of people taking cannabis/cannabinoids had a 30 percent reduction in their pain.

 

It’s a common misconception that “marijuana” or “hemp” are two different species of plant. In fact, they’re not distinct species at all. They’re just two different names for cannabis, a type of flowering plant in the Cannabaceae family. While science doesn’t differentiate between “hemp” and “marijuana,” unfortunately the law does. It is our hope and belief at Velvet that we can help play a part in changing the stigma.

We hope this starts you off in the right direction in learning more about Cannabis as the industry continues to discover new and exciting qualities about our beautiful plant, Mary Jane! Please come visit us at Velvet for any questions or assistance you may need in Cannabis. 

We are here for you, 9am-9pm everyday! 

 

Living Beauties can receive 15% off of their purchase when visiting Velvet Cannabis. Just mention Living Beauty at checkout. Learn more about Velvet Cannabis and their store locations by visiting www.velvetcannabis.com!

 

Sources:

https://www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/sativa-indica-and-hybrid-differences-between-cannabis-types

The leafly guide to Cannabis, A handbook for the modern consumer By the LEAFLY TEAM

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5312634/#:~:text=Cannabis%20is%20a%20plant%2Dbased,Romania%20has%20been%20described%20extensively.

https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/cannabis-marijuana-and-cannabinoids-what-you-need-to-know

https://www.healthline.com/health/hemp-vs-marijuana

10 Ways to Bring Healthy Summer Habits into Fall

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10 Ways to Bring Healthy Summer Habits Into Fall 
By Keira Kotler, CEO & Founder of Everviolet 

Keira Kotler is the Founder and CEO of Everviolet,  a beautiful lingerie and loungewear collection
nurturing changes in a woman’s body following treatment for breast cancer and other meaningful life events. Everviolet is a generous supporter of The Foundation for Living Beauty! Keep reading to discover Keira’s tips on how to have a healthy and happy transition into the fall season. You can learn more about Everviolet and shop the collection by visiting www.everviolet.com.

 

In the summertime, it’s easy to fill our diets with fresh produce from the farmers’ markets and fit in our daily workout, thanks to the longer days. But once autumn rolls around and temperatures begin to drop, a lot of these healthy habits can often fall by the wayside. So, as vacations come to an end, children head back to school and summer fun comes to a halt, we’re taking this opportunity to prioritize our health – to feel our best and give ourselves the energy we need in the new season. Here are some good warm-weather habits to stick with this fall.

 

 

1. Eat Fresh Fruits & Veggies. 

Eating well keeps our immune system strong. As we head into flu and cold season (and likely, another Covid season), it’s time to continue to focus on eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Foods high in vitamin C like organic citrus, berries, green veggies and peppers are best, in addition to vitamin D from farm fresh eggs and wild-caught fatty fishes. Also, beta-carotene found in carrots, sweet potatoes and squash (lucky for us, they’re all coming into season!) is a must.

2. Stay Active (Indoors & Outdoors). 

Just because our bods will soon be covered under warmer clothes, it doesn’t mean regular workout routines should go out the door. Daily exercise does wonders for the body. From enhancing quality of sleep to building immunity, burning calories to clearing the mind, fitness is key to quality of life. In the wake of fall, consider swapping out swimming for cycling or walking, and if weather is an issue, replace outdoor workouts with trips to an indoor gym or studio. Moving our workouts to morning hours also jumpstart our metabolism and help us stay in top physical and metal shape. Don’t forget to vary up exercises to maximize muscle mass, burn more calories and flush stress and toxins from our system.  

3. Morning Routines Matter. 

Fall often brings busier days and the need for more structure than summer, which means it’s the perfect time to overhaul our morning routines. Journaling first upon waking or taking supplements with a healthy breakfast are great ways to start the day off right. Other options are to meditate, initiate a gratitude practice or do a few stretches with the sunrise. Whatever rituals we choose, it’s about prioritizing self-care and giving to ourselves before we turn our focus outward and set about our day.   

4. Staycations. 

As summer comes to an end, typically, so do our travel plans. But who says we can’t explore into fall? Planning a quick getaway just a few hours away – whether it be by car or train – can offer just the fresh break we need and keep life feeling adventurous. As can staying home and engaging in local activities we often don’t make time to do. Enjoy the foliage, camp in warm climates, travel to a great museum or wildlife park. Not to mention, with summer travel being pricey and often crowded, fall excursions can help preserve our resources for even more travel. 

5. Drink Water. 

During the warmer months, we know to drink as much water as possible in order to stay hydrated. But it’s just as important to drink water in all seasons. Fresh water purifies the body, helps keep pounds off and serves as an overall daily detox. And while it can be tempting to opt for flavored beverages, it’s healthier and much kinder to our waistline to pass on the liquid sugar. So, invest in a new water bottle, fill it up and commit to drinking its contents twice per day. Pro tip! As temps get colder outside, consume water with no ice and a squeeze of fresh lemon It’s cleansing, hydrating and tastes delicious.  

6. Wear Sunscreen.

Don’t skip this essential skincare step – sunscreen. It’s easy to remember our summer routine when we see bright sunshine and feel the heat. But even though the sun might not feel as strong in fall and winter, UV rays are here year-round (and now stronger than ever). Even when it’s cloudy, it’s important to protect our skin to avoid skin cancer, sunburns, wrinkling and sunspots. For best results, opt for a sunscreen that’s a combined daily moisturizer and keep sunglasses and a hat at the ready, so they’re always there when we need them.   

7. Spend Time in Nature. 

There’s no better time of year than fall to be outside. With temperatures cool enough not to overheat but warm enough not to make us shiver, it’s an ideal season to walk, hike or go forest bathing. Taking in small doses of sunlight each day helps support our circadian rhythm, promoting restful sleep, and keeps our Vitamin D levels healthy. Known to reduce cortisol (stress hormone) levels, promote good bone health and build immunity, healthy doses of vitamin day are also a great way to prevent seasonal cold and flu. Just be sure to dress in layers for those last-minute temperature swings! 

8. Slow Down. 

The summer season is often associated with being able to slow down. Breaks from work and vacations are scheduled, kids are out of school and long days make for more social and outdoor time. But in every season, it’s critical to find time to pause. Offering a respite from routine, slowing down enables us to connect more deeply with our emotional, mental and physical patterns, ultimately promoting more self-awareness and appreciation for our surroundings. Consider carving out an hour a week to simply stop. Still the mind, take in the sounds and see what sparks arise. 

9. Prioritize Sleep. 

We all know sleep is good for our health, but as we head into the hectic schedules of fall and then, the holidays, it’s truly essential that we get enough zzz’s. In order to get a good night’s sleep, avoid using any sort of technology one hour prior to bedtime, skip caffeine after noon and sip on soothing, herbal tea to relax before bed.  If news or entertainment can be triggering, opt for a book or magazine instead of Netflix. Rituals like epson salt baths, self-pampering and slipping into cozy loungewear also promote a restful mood. 

10. Schedule Dr.’s Appointments. 

Summer ends, fall begins and before we know it, the holidays are upon us. Make sure to schedule routine screenings like mammograms and colonoscopies before insurance plans reset and the year is out. Aside from keeping up with regular medical check-ins, clinical trials have shown that screening can save lives. We’re fortunate to have imaging and surgical practices to help catch cancers early, so open the calendar and book appointments for optimal health. 

“Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.” — Henry David Thoreau 

How to Start Your Own Fruit and Vegetable Garden

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How to Start Your Own Fruit and Vegetable Garden

By Dan Hanley

 

Dan is a Living Beauty supporter who shared with us how he grows his own fruit and vegetable garden! The Foundation for Living Beauty is passionate about providing education on the benefits of implementing a plant-based diet and growing your own fruits and vegetables can be a great way to help incorporate them into your diet more. Keep reading to learn how Dan grows his own garden!

 

We are in year two of our backyard garden and this post has ideas for you to begin growing your own food.

It’s something we had put off for a few years, and it felt so good to have started it. The main reason I started growing our own food was to be able to have fresh veggies for us. And in California we can do that all year long!

Before you begin, find out what growing zone you’re in. This will be helpful as you decide what, and when, to grow. Simply Google “what growing zone am I in?”.

I started the process by digging up a small part of our backyard and spending about a month cultivating the soil and adding peat and garden soil. After the dirt seemed good, we built a couple of boxes, then added some more good dirt.

If you do not have a yard, don’t let that stop you from growing fresh veggies and/or herbs. We’ll have another post on this, and for now you can start with a couple of pots and good dirt. You’ll also need a sunny area, whether inside or out.

Then this weekend we planted some seedlings along with seeds. It’s all very exciting.

So far, we have planted tomatoes, kale, dinosaur kale, broccoli, spinach, red peppers, bok choy and basil. I’m happy to report that in the last month we have harvested Swiss chard, kale, tomatoes, zucchini, bok choy and potatoes! It’s super exciting for me and our garden is getting close to having produced more food (if we had bought it) than what we put into it financially to get it going.

Our garden checks many boxes that are personal to us, including having healthy food at our fingertips and being part of the food justice movement by growing our own food.

It’s an ongoing process. Just this week I planted more tomatoes and some cucumbers. It’s also a process where I am constantly learning. Our first planting of bok choy rocked, the second one not so much. What I learned is that bok choy does better when it is cooler, not so well in day-long heat.

A few weeks ago I planted melon and zucchini, and fortunately, all of it has taken as is growing.

What are you growing?

a collection of Thieves products in white bottles set on a table with a floral wallpaper background behind htem

Transforming Your Home in Easy Ways

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Transforming Your Home in Easy Ways

By Hillary Lefebvre

Fall is knocking on the door and it’s almost time for leaves falling, sweater weather (hopefully we get them sooner rather than later in So Cal!) and crisp cool days. Several years ago, you would have found me in the candle and soap aisles buying up all the fall scents to make my house smell like pumpkin spice and everything nice. I’ve learned a lot though since then and am here to share, help and empower you to make the best choices for you and your family too.

When I had my first child 10 years ago, I started looking at labels and safeguarding my family from toxins. I read and read and read. Researched about “clean” products and discovered that some name brands who claim to be green because of the way they were marketed aren’t actually clean! Ugh, can’t they just be honest?? But I came to understand that we are the gatekeepers of our homes. No one else! We have to do a little more than believing what’s on the surface. Many products on the shelves today contain a ton of toxic ingredients regardless of how pretty the label is or what they claim to be. And toxic overload accumulated in our bodies over time causing lethargy, inability to focus, sleep trouble, chronic inflammation, unexplained pain, fibromyalgia, skin issues, adult acne, hormone imbalance, hot flashes, stress, anxiety, and fear. If you face any of these issues, it’s time to kick chemicals to the curb.

 

You’ll want to say adios to anything with:

Fragrance (biggest offender! This word is the umbrella for thousands of toxins!)

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

Laureth

Methylisothiazolinone

Sodium hypochlorite

Ammonium Chloride

Sodium hydroxide

Surfactants

Parabens

Phthalates

PEG’s (polyethylene glycols),

Propylene Glycol

SLS/SLES

 

Easy button – download the Environmental Working Group app to look up products, ingredients and scores!

 

Now for some good news…many companies are doing their best to make products that are actually safe for us! So, after digging some more, I found our favorites! We have now been using Young Living Essential Oils for 7 years now for most of our cleaning products and household necessities. They send us a box that we customize each month with anything we need. So easy! Here is the full breakdown of how we use these products to clean our house.

 

 

We have a diffuser running 24/7 to recreate my favorite seasonal smells and we use Thieves Household Cleaner to clean the entire house! Literally – the whole house. It is infused with essential oils and all plant based. And to answer the question everyone asks…yes, it really works! In fact, here is an amazing video of how well it does.

There are some very easy swaps we can all make in our homes to eliminate a lot of the toxic load our bodies accumulate each and every day!

Here are my top 10 things to ditch and switch:

 

  1. Swap your candles and air fresheners for a diffuser + essential oils (my favorites are from Young Living)
  2. Swap your chemical cleaning supplies with Thieves Cleaner (one bottle for the whole house!)
  3. Swap your dryer sheets for wool dryer balls (grab a pack at Trader Joe’s or on Amazon; look for organic New Zealand wool)
  4. Swap your hand soap and dish soap for my fave Lushious Lemon Hand soap and Thieves Dish Soap
  5. Swap your laundry detergent for Thieves Laundry Detergent
  6. Swap your hand sanitizer for Thieves Hand Sanitizer
  7. Swap your makeup for Savvy Minerals or Beauty Counter
  8. Swap your sunscreen for one free of parabens, phthalates, PEG’s (polyethylene glycols), propylene glycol, and SLS/SLES
  9. Swap your deodorant for something free from fragrance, parabens, triclosan, phthalates, propylene glycol and aluminum
  10. Swap your shampoo/conditioner for ones from fragrance, sulfates, parabens, PEG, Diethanolamine (DEA) and Triethanolamine (TEA), color, Dimethicone, Retinyl Palmitate

 

I know that this may seem overwhelming to read all at once but trust me when I say, baby steps and grace. Choose one at a time or go full throttle and do it all at once. Go at your own pace.

 

You can buy Thieves Cleaner and any of the other products I listed above at wholesale by heading here.

 

Remember, YOU are the gatekeeper of your home! Let’s transform it!

 

xo Hillary Lefebvre

https://thewellandgoodcollective.com/hillary-lefebvre/

 

a glass filled with ice, mint and watermelon set on a cutting board with watermelon slices in the background

Self-Care in the Summer

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Self-Care in the Summer

It is summertime!  The sun is shining, summer flowers are blooming, and we are slowly beginning to emerge from the hibernation created by the pandemic.  Summer is a time of relaxing and restoring our souls.  We often forget to care for ourselves in our efforts to care for others.  So here is your gentle reminder.  If we don’t care for ourselves, we can’t care for the people who depend on us.  Put yourself first and use some of these self-care tips to rejuvenate your body.

Get a little sun.  Most of us are short on vitamin D, which helps protect our bones and immune system, and protects us against cancer cell growth.  Ten minutes in the sun each day can help boost your vitamin D to healthier levels.  Foods like salmon, mushrooms, orange juice and oatmeal are also high in Vitamin D.

But not too much sun!  Sunburn can cause skin cancer.  If you are going to spend time in the sun, there are lots of healthy sunscreen products available, like Sun Guardian from Odacite, and Sunproof Intensive lip balm from Thrive Causemetics.  If you do get a little too much sun, you can soothe your skin with Skin Food from Weleda.

Let’s go barefoot!  Our bodies absorb radiation from many sources each day.  Health experts tell us that ten minutes barefoot outdoors every day helps ground our bodies and has a number of health benefits, as well as reducing stress, helping with depression and aiding in sleep.  The best place to walk?  The beach.  You can get your ten minutes of vitamin D and help your body at the same time!

Water, water, water.  Water helps hydrate your body during a season when dehydration is more prevalent.  For a different refreshment, infuse your water with fresh fruits, cucumbers or mint.  Lots of bottles have marks on the side to help remind you to keep drinking.  The health benefits of water?  Increased hydration equals better brain function, more energy, more youthful skin and aids in weight loss.  So set that diet soda aside and have a fruit-flavored water instead!

Eat more fruit!  So many of the summer fruits are healthy and delicious.  Some of the summer fruits to enjoy include blackberries, cherries, strawberries, watermelon, raspberries and peaches.  Enjoy them in a salad, in your infuser or on their own!  Most markets and farmer’s markets offer organic fruits.

Rest and relaxation.  We all work hard.  Summer is a time for relaxation and restoration.  Take a day off and go to the beach, or the park.  Read that book you have been putting aside.  Pamper yourself.

Celebrate your life.  Take a few minutes in the morning to write down the things for which you are grateful.  Take a yoga class.  Try meditating outside, in nature.  Listen to music.  Hang out with a friend.  Remember that you are the most important, and that caring for yourself enables you to care for others.  You can also serve as a role model for self-care and its importance to our health and wellbeing.

the moon in a blue sky with puffy clouds

Co-creating: Learn How To Work with the Energy of the Moon 

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Co-creating: Learn How To Work with the Energy of the Moon 

By Reina Alejandra Prado Saldivar

I have been a follower of the moon cycles since I was in college. It began when I was in a Chicano studies course reading the work of Gloria Anzaldúa. She wrote about Coyolxauqui, the Aztec moon goddess, daughter of Coatlicue, and sister to Huitzilopochtli. Many Chicana scholars write of Coyolxauqui because she reflects how we feel being split into many parts searching for our wholeness. My connection to the moon has deepened since aligning with all its phases to best co-create with nature and the Universe.

During the early years of establishing my holistic energy business, I created more intentional rituals with each moon phase. I now share a moon reading with an audio recording in my monthly newsletter that includes a tarot card for each moon phase explaining the theme of each card as it corresponds with the moon phase. An outcome of this practice is that it has helped me be more attentive to my energy shifts during the moon cycle.

The moon phases can impact our physical well-being, even one’s menstrual cycle. For folks who menstruate, it is a thought that to have one’s cycle coincide with the New Moon is that both one’s physical and emotional bodies are in greater balance. By the time the full moon arrives, one will be ovulating. Following these rhythms is ideal for those who wish to get pregnant. In many indigenous cultures, when folks are menstruating, they cannot participate in the ceremony as they are in the seat of their power.

The moon phases can give us some insight into our emotional well-being too. As the moon moves into a different sign about every two days or so, it’s helpful to pay attention to these details. I use a moon tracker to know what sign the moon is currently in and accurately write the new moon’s time and full moon arrival. I also notice if my mood is different when the moon is in the earth, air, fire, or water sign. This information helps me track my energy. I often focus my yoga practice with this insight to develop a different flow for that day’s asana sequence.

Another aspect of the moon and astrology is that it can help us tune into our emotional state of mind. Steven Forrest’s book The Inner Sky suggests that the moon can help us explore our feelings and the kinds of most essential experiences to one’s happiness. He invites us to “know what unconscious emotional needs motivate your behavior”? Also, to note when “moodiness and irrationality overtake you, how are they expressed”? (107).

Other great books on co-creating with the moon, such as Sarah Faith Gottesdiener The Moon Book: Lunar Magic to Change Your Life, incorporates ritual and astrology. Her focus is to help us understand how the moon is “a source of ancestral wisdom” and when “nourishing our moon is to acknowledge all of these spaces we hold and try to give them what they need” (81). In the upcoming workshop Whole as the Moon that I will facilitate on July 21, I share some practices to connect with the moon energy and work with plant and crystal allies to support our overall well-being.

How to Detox Your Body Every Day

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How to Detox Your Body Every Day
By Harvey Slater, Holistic Nutritionist & Wellness Coach

Have you thought about doing a detox but don’t know where to start? The word detox is flying around quite loosely these days. People are talking about it a lot! The word “detox” gets almost 30,000 internet searches a month! Many of us come to think that “doing a detox” is some kind of big thing that we have to endure for a week or a month. There are certainly many detox methods out there that would require this kind of mindset. But what if I told you that our bodies were already designed to be in a perpetual state of healthy detox, and all you have to do is make some choices each day to support your body to do what it was naturally designed to do? Sounds too good to be true, right? It’s not! You and anyone can learn how to detox your body in your everyday life just by employing these simple habits, principles, and more.

8 Simple Practices to Support Your Body’s Natural Ability to Detox

  1. Stay Hydrated

A healthy body is considered to be made up of more than 50% water. When we are dehydrated our organs literally shrink from dehydration, and the toxins in our bodies become more concentrated. Hydration allows our body to function better and flush the toxins out instead of hanging on to them. Here is an article from the Mayo Clinic on how much water you should be drinking per day for your body and weight. Creating a simple habit of drinking more water can make a huge difference in how your body functions and how you feel.

  1. Drink Lemon Water in the Morning

Drink a glass of room temperature lemon water or hot water with lemon first thing in the morning.  The lemon alkalizes your pH and stimulates your digestion and liver cleansing function.

  1. Have a Plant-Based Smoothie for Breakfast

The traditional American breakfast is not what it’s cracked up to be when it comes to high quality, efficient nutrition. When you eat eggs, bacon, bagels, and cream cheese for breakfast, you are actually going backwards and bogging your body down from its ability to naturally detoxify. By starting your day with clean, plant-based, easy to digest food, you are giving yourself a morning cleansing boost. Use raw fruits and vegetables, a good, whole-food plant-based protein powder, and plant-based milk like almond, hemp, or coconut milk. You can also find raw greens and other “super-foods” in concentrated powders.

  1. Eat Raw Plants During Daylight

There isn’t some time of day mystic plant energy behind this. It is just a rule of thumb that I use to try to remember to eat raw, plant-based, cleansing foods throughout my workday. In his book, The Food Prescription For Better Health, Dr. Baxter D. Montgomery MD articulates the healing and cleansing benefits of eating plant foods in their raw state or as minimally processed as possible. This can be easily achieved because salad is already the main staple for most people’s lunch menus. Just take it a step further and try having some fun and exploring other ways to enjoy raw vegetables, fruits, sprouted legumes, nuts, and seeds.

  1. Try to Avoid or Reduce ‘The 3 A’s”: Addictive, Acidic, & Allergenic Foods

Some of the top contenders on this list are: Alcohol, coffee, refined sugar, commercial dairy products, highly processed gluten, to name a few. I know, I know! When we start getting into the territory of giving up the foods that we love it changes the entire context of this article from “simple daily habits” to “oh no I can never eat a doughnut again!” For the purpose of this article, just consider cutting back on one or two things here and there and see how much of a difference it makes for you.

  1. Eat Whole, Organic Foods

This is one place where you should definitely splurge at the grocery store. Here is my question: If the objective is to support your body’s natural ability to detoxify on a regular basis, why would you put environmental toxins like pesticides, hormones, and other harmful chemicals into your body? The further along society gets in this discussion, the more compelling the argument for an organic diet becomes.

  1. Drink a Detox Tea

We have a lot of bad daily drinking habits available to us, including but not limited to coffee, alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, so why not make a daily habit of giving your liver and kidneys some daily, healthy, hydrating support? You can find a high quality, safe detox tea at your favorite healthy food market.

  1. Establish Sustainable Healthy Habits!

Our bodies are living organisms on a homeostatic continuum. The more healthful, supportive, and nourishing an environment you create for your body, the more easily it can maintain optimal health and wellness, and do its “detox, heal and thrive” thing! By mastering basic healthy lifestyle habits, you can move toward a life of health and vibrance, and away from a life of constantly battling autotoxemia and illness.

I offer a virtual coaching program (for a fee) that can teach you these skills and show you the pathway to mastering your own health and wellness! The program is called “Habitude.” Habitude is defined as: “A habitual tendency or way of behaving.” And that is the foundation of the program. We’ll spend one year, 25 tele-health support sessions, and all the support you need on my virtual “Healthie” nutrition coaching app, mastering a curriculum of healthy living skills that will support you to take the best care of your body possible.

If you’d like to explore this further, I’d love to invite you to a complimentary phone consultation. Schedule your consultation right here!

Meanwhile, enjoy your new healthy insights!

If you enjoyed reading about how to support your body’s natural detox functionality, you might enjoy my website at harveyslater.com

*Harvey also presented a workshop on how to support our own detox functions. To view the recording, visit https://vimeo.com/474879301.

two women seated at a table while one is drinking coffee with a laptop, tissue, and clipboard in front of them

Basic Tips to Improve Your 5 Detox Organs

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Basic Tips to Improve Your 5 Detox Organs

By Jovanka Ciares

Your amazing body has natural built-in mechanisms for eliminating detoxing and self-healing. While your body is capable of eliminating the toxic substances that get in through or are generated through food, water, and other sources, that process can become overwhelmed by the sheer amount of pathogens and eventually work less efficiently. When that happens, your body starts to store these potentially dangerous substances, eventually damaging connective tissues, hormonal production, and vital organs.

In the past 2 decades, the practice of detoxing has become more and more popular as people look for natural alternatives to reduce their toxic load. We started incorporating ancient detoxing practices like Ayurvedic Panchakarma, oil pulling, sweat lodges, and herbal wraps/baths in combination with elimination diets in an effort to support. These practices may also require an added investment of time and resources to complete them. However, there are other ways in which you can support your natural detox organs without making significant changes in your lifestyle and keeping your monthly food budget almost intact.

There are five primary organs in your body responsible for processing most of the toxins in your body: the gut, liver, lungs, kidney, and skin. In my experience making these basic changes listed below can help each of these organs process toxins and work optimally for you:

The Gut: We know the gut covers multiple organs, from mouth to anus, and as the 2nd largest elimination organ, it is critical that it works efficiently.

Eating more fiber is one of the easiest mechanisms to “brush” toxins out of your gut.

More than botanicals, probiotics can help absorb heavy metals and remove carcinogens from the gut.

The Liver: The liver is often seen as the primary detoxing organ, and for a good reason. It is responsible for filtering out toxins from your blood and eliminating toxins that may arise during the digestion process.

The best way to support the liver is with herbal remedies and supplements like gentle dandelion, milk thistle, and turmeric, this last one added to your meals.

The Kidneys: Your kidneys help to maintain the delicate pH balance in your body and are responsible for filtering out toxins from the blood and eliminating them in the form of urine.

Eating water-based veggies like cucumber, summer squash, leafy greens, and bell peppers can help reduce acid load and help the kidneys properly detoxify.

Stinging nettles is the quintessential herbal

The Lungs: Put simply, the lungs are in charge of filtering out all the pollutants that you inhale every time you take a breath and bring cleaner oxygen to your heart and body

Using essential oils that protect and clean the soft tissues around your respiratory system is a great alternative. Embrace rosemary essential oil as a stimulant, eucalyptus as protectant or astragalus to cleanse, protect and calm.

The Skin: Your largest detox organ, every inch of it helps push toxins out of the body. Because it’s also so large, it is also responsible for a lot of what gets inside your body.

Sweating is a great way to help push out toxins through the skin. Veggies like carrots, and other yellow and orange fruits and vegetables are a great place to start. Tomatoes and berries are great to protect and keep your skin healthy and beautiful.

Botanical oils used in the skin can have an amazing effect on your ability to push toxins. Include calendula and jojoba oil in your skin beauty regimen.

As we continue our October program theme of “Releasing, Cleansing and Detoxing Naturally”, we want to remind you that detoxing does not need to be intimidating and depleting. Instead, we want you to remember that our bodies are built for detoxing and we have the natural resources available in a variety of foods and herbs that help our organs and body systems do so in healthy ways!

The Foundation for Living Beauty is thankful for the wealth of information that integrative herbalist and wellness expert, Jovanka Ciares shares with us! For access to more information and to learn more about Jovanka’s practice, visit https://www.jovankaciares.com/.

To watch the full recording of Jovanka’s “Natural Detoxing with Herbal Medicine” workshop, click here!