#regram @b_swim Our babe @cambriamarie in POUT / Shop Now...

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Self Worth vs Net Worth: 10 Personal Finance Habits To Change ASAP

You don't hand over your wallet when you're applying for a job and don't bring a credit score to a first date. Our personal finance is not a reflection of our personal identity (more words on that topic here), but when the two get tangled, neither our self worth nor net worth can grow!

The newest addition to our summer reading stack is a book all about improving out personal finance savvy - not just to save money, but to feel empowered by the role it plays in our lives. Written by Certified Integrative Coach, Nancy Levin, Worthy offers practical advice that ditches the jargon for emotional language we can actually relate to. As the book isn't officially out until August 2, we've asked Nancy to share ten bite-sized takeaways to start chewing on today...

When we hold the purse strings in our lives, we’re empowered to make the financial decisions we want to make. Certainly, if we’re in a relationship with joint finances, we may consult with our partner before making a big purchase. But that’s very different from having to ask permission. If our self-worth is strong, we’re not in alignment with having to ask for anyone else’s consent to spend money. In fact, with a keen sense of worthiness, we won’t allow anyone else to be in complete control of our money - even a financial advisor or planner.

When we relinquish our financial volition, on the other hand, we give ourselves some dangerous permissions. First, we don’t have to make difficult decisions - or any decisions around money. Second, we don’t have to make the mistakes, because the responsibility is on someone else. Finally, we don’t have to educate ourselves about financial issues. What all of this means is that if things go wrong, we can point the finger at the person in control. We don’t have to confront our feelings of not deserving. It also means we don’t have to grow up. Let’s face it: Being a grown-up is scary. But we give up a lot in exchange for handing over the purse strings. We put ourselves in the position of playing the role of victim, at the mercy of someone else’s decision-making.

Few people have a clear, balanced relationship with money. Most of us have a person or beliefs controlling our finances in one way or another. If you continue with these steps, however, you’ll be one of the lucky ones. You’ll learn to see your own destructive patterns at play. You’ll start making conscious decisions to change them. The point is to let your purse strings be run by the adult part of you, today, from as clear and free a place as you can muster.

Here are the 10 actions you can take today to make a dramatic change in your habits and behaviors around money that will positively boost your self-worth and grow your net worth:

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Inside The Stunning New Aja Malibu (These Images Tell You Everything)

We found magic in the mountains and just haven't been the same since. Aja Malibu, a new boutique-style wellness sanctuary tucked at the top of the windiest road in the canyon, offers the kind of holistic health experience that proves fairy tale-type bliss is real, and that it can be achieved in just a week.

Settled on twenty-three acres of carefully landscaped property overlooking the Pacific Coast, every inch of Aja is curated to calm the mind while bringing everything else to life. Though it almost killed us not to flood your Instagram feeds with photos of this otherworldly environment, their unplugged policy is part of what makes this place and program so powerfully transformative.

Aja isn't open to the public until late August, but we're giving you a sneak preview of this uniquely high vibing experience. Property director, Michelle Barge shares a little about the Aja Malibu story...

The Property:
Aja took seven years to complete. We built this retreat stone by stone, including giant boulders and precious stones that line our gardens. Besides its extreme beauty and warm, rugged nature, Aja’s owner and visionary knew when she stepped onto the grounds that her dream could be realized here.

Every detail has been thoroughly conscious with many loving surprises about the land and its fertileness. The property from every vista has views of the ocean and the mountains. Our gardens are based on the 7 chakras - each with their own unique nature, much of our plant-based cuisine comes from our land, our own tea apothecary and of course a beautiful spa. Everything is designed for maximum realization of one’s true self.

Everyday we are bombarded with technology. It is important to take time to re-sort the balance in our lives by connecting with nature and our inner selves. We chose this location to support that ideal. 

The Apothocary:
Our apothecary is a treasure trove of hundreds of herbs, plants, honeys and flowers from our property, which we then create teas, foods and body treatments from. Each herb has its own specific importance for your health and wellbeing, and the seasons shift what is more available at different times of the year. So this changes every day! My current favorites are our calendula and rose - plus all the tulsi (holy basil). Guests at Aja come to the apothecary regularly to learn, taste and try new teas and treatments throughout their stay.

The Experience:
The gardens here are ever changing and are the center of our daily rituals like silent walking meditation and daily review of all the abundance that is being provided. While I find a new “favorite spot" daily, the spa is always an amazingly restorative experience.

The most exciting new treatment at the spa is John of God Crystal Light Therapy machine. Through this exceptionally unique and profound healing therapy for body, mind and spirit, this therapy session helps to rejuvenate the balance of energy fields to support the nurturing of spiritual and physical alignment. Each of the quartz crystals has been cut to a specific frequency and colored lights chosen to match the vibrational frequency of the chakra colors to radiate light, healing energy and alignment of the chakras.

The Other Side:
Three words I would use to describe the Aja experience are magical, profound, and beyond... Guests can expect to leave completely rejuvenated; connected with themselves, connected with nature and fully relaxed - mind, body and soul.

Looking for that chia pudding recipe above? It's an Aja Malibu exclusive! Don't worry - we're got you covered with a few chia pudding recipes of our own.

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Watermelon Jerky + 3 Ways To Binge On Our Fave Fruit

It was love at first bite when we discovered watermelon jerky from Sakara Life, and we're dying over Pressed Juicery's newest seasonal flavor - a flawless melon and cherry combo we're adding to everything from hydrating cocktails (stay tuned!) to vitamin-rich homemade popsicles.

Read up on the superfood status of our most-loved melon here and look below for more ways to max out on our fruity fixation, including a sweet salad recipe from green-eats goddess Candice Kumai. What are your favorite ways to watermelon? Let us know in the comments!

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These 10 Common Herbs Are More Powerful Than You Think

Sure, you've tossed rosemary and dill into recipes for flavor, but did you know these everyday herbs are actually powerhouses of inflammation-fighting, immunity-boosting and detoxifying nutrients on the same level as some of your favorite supplements? These delicate greens host a high concentration of health perks and are already fun to cook with. Holistic nutritionist, Kristin Dahl, breaks down the benefits of ten of these leafy wonders here...

Herbs are one of nature’s greatest medicines, and incorporating them into your meals is one of the fastest ways to upgrade your health routine! All herbs contain an array of healing properties and work to support cleansing and detoxification while simultaneously boosting immunity. Basic ones - like basil, parsley and cilantro - all work to reduce inflammation, support liver function and aid in the clearance of heavy metals from the body.

Not only are these plants deeply restorative, but they also add texture, flavor and an element of beauty to every meal. For an instant boost of nutrition, incorporate a variety of herbs into your juices, smoothies, soups, salads and grain dishes daily. My favorite way to incorporate them is to add them to salads or grain dishes, but they are also a lovely addition to a fresh juice, adding depth, complexity and flavor.

Adding a variety of herbs to our daily meals makes for deeply nourishing, healing and satisfying cuisine. Here are a few ways to get eat more, and how your body is benefiting from each...

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TCM Recipe Staples: Detoxifying Grain Salad With Lemon + Herbs

Clean eating isn't about rabbit food recipes that have us feeling deprived between meals - it's about real food that makes us feel real good. This hearty whole grain salad from certified holistic nutritionist, Kristin Dahl, is a clean eating classic. Akin to salads we're scooping up constantly from Whole Foods and our fave healthy hotspots, this grain salad is loaded with plant protein, fiber and powerhouse herbs.

Where it lacks in lettuce, this salad offers a healthy dose of rejuvenating fresh herbs, parsley and cilantro. Brush up on your herbal wisdom in Kristin's other piece today here, then get to tossing this clean green dream up for dinner!

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Are “Junk Emotions” Worse For You Than Junk Food?

We love this fascinating perspective on negative emotions from the authors and psychologists behind Psychological Nutrition. In their new book, Dr. Shoba Sreenivasan and Dr. Linda Weinberger use the same language we use to describe our diets - like junk food and "empty calories" - to describe the way we should be managing our emotions and refer to our relationships as either "nutritious" or "malnourishing" - interesting, right? 

These doctors know just how many of us have kept a food journal to become more aware of the kinds of calories we're consuming daily. Their goal is to help us apply that same way of thinking to how we're managing our psychological and emotional "intake" daily too.  

Is it possible that keeping an emotional journal can help us break bad habits? It's certainly worked for many of us when it comes to food and better managing our diets, so we're willing to give it a shot. Here are the authors with a unique look at how to better manage "high fat" emotions like anger and resentment and "nutrient dense" emotions like joy!

We know junk food when we see it: It’s often high in calories and low in nutrition. If we consume a diet of junk food, we’re likely to end up feeling lethargic, being overweight, having low energy and possibly experiencing medical issues such as diabetes and heart disease.

But what about our emotional "diets"? There are junk emotions, just like junk food. Junk emotions don’t bring out our best - we need to get rid of them.

As clinical psychologists, we wondered what would happen if we began thinking about our emotions just like we were thinking about the ingredients that we feed ourselves. We developed the concept of psychological nutrition - not about food at all, but about how to assess and monitor the emotions that we consume.

In order to get rid of junk emotions, we have to be mindful of the emotions we are consuming; we have to deliberately restrict our diet of high-fat negative emotions (for example, fear, anger, worry, sadness, envy) and increase our consumption of low-fat positive emotions (for example, joy, calmness, optimism). Just like replacing potato chips with braised rainbow carrots, we have to begin a habit of “eating” psychologically nourishing emotions.

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Get a Bum Like Pippa Middleton with Tips From A Top Celeb Trainer

The most Memorable bridesmaid in the world, Pippa Middleton, caused a frenzy when her tush took the spotlight at her sister's royal wedding. Now that Pippa is newly engaged herself (just last week!) we can't help but wonder what she'll be wearing down the aisle and the thought stirs fresh fitspiration.

We asked celebrity trainer, David Kirsch, to give life to our bum-centric fitness interests and he provided the simple, but intense workout below. Kirsch, who trains other A-listers with famous assets from Jennifer Lopez Lo to Heidi Klum, is one of the industry's go-to guys when it comes to sculpting the perfect derriere. Try his arse-kicking exercises below, and grab his new book, Ultimate Family Wellness, for more of his well-rounded fitness tips...

Plié Toe Squats with Lateral Raises
Work your butt, inner thighs, abs and shoulders, all at the same time. Very economical!

Squat: Start with a wide-stance squat and hold a pair of dumbbells (or water bottles) at your sides.

Raise heels: Simultaneously raise your heels and squat - thighs should be parallel to the floor -and lift your arms out to the side.

Do fifteen repetitions.

Single Leg Deadlifts
Tone and sculpt your inner thighs, while shaping your butt, with this balance-challenging exercise.

Bend in half: Start with your feet shoulder-width apart. Balancing on your right leg, bend at the waist and reach your left hand down to your right foot; extend your left leg straight behind you.

Stay square and stand: Keep both hips square (i.e., facing down) during the movement. Return to the starting position. That’s one rep.

Perform fifteen repetitions on each leg.

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This Delivery From Belcampo Will Make You Want To Cook Again

Belcampo Meat Co. is leading the herd in providing sustainable, artisan meats. We've been ordering up their bone broth to-go and finding many the friend and neighbor among the L.A. restaurant's dinner crowd.

Belcampo co-founder, Anya Fernald has a new cookbook named Home Cooked that celebrates food beyond the butcher counter, but made with the same locavore values. The book is a perfect match for hyper-local delivery service, Out of The Box Collective and the two have collaborated on a stunningly delicious delivery box we can't wait to get our hands on! The rustic recipes in the book capture the delicious imperfection of real food made the old fashioned way. From a lemony fennel salad to the ricotta stuffed zucchini blossom recipe below, the Home Cooked Box delivers everything necessary for a week of memorable meals, made from the heart. Learn about what's in the box and how to order it for your own local food experiments! 

For all of us who experiment in the kitchen, we know the greatest joy of a home-cooked meal is that feeling of breaking bread around the table with our friends and loved ones, not how perfect the final product is.

We love Anya Fernald’s unfussy approach to cooking and her goal of making unpretentious food with the best fresh local ingredients. We can’t wait to source the local ingredients for our customers to cook recipes like these Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms and Spatchcocked Chicken. Your week of dinners will, as Mario Batali says, “rejuvenate your passion for cooking, and remind you of the excitement and poetic deliciousness of handmade food – both emotionally and physically.”

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A Summery Kelp Noodle Recipe With Matcha + Cashew Cream

Downing Matcha lattes over ice isn't the only way to get our fix during these hot summer months. This creamy kelp noodle recipe from our holistic buds over at CAP Beauty uses the mighty green powder to make a cashew sauce we can't get enough of. Light, refreshing and effortless, this bowl makes the perfect summertime office lunch or beach day treat!

Kelp noodles (read up about them here) add crisp texture usually reserved for salads, and the matcha sauce gives this dish a kick of antioxidants and subtle energy. Enjoy this kelp noodle recipe as is, or use it as a base for a more substantial dish: We love it topped with clean protein and sautéed veggies...

After a recent trip to the opening of by Chloe's new Flatiron location, we were inspired to create our own version of the matcha kelp noodles. The perfect combination of comfort and health, these noodles have become a go-to building block for our summer meals. Piled high on farmer's market greens and topped with cilantro, pepitas and sauerkraut, they pack all of our favorite flavors into one healthy bowl. Enjoy!

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Mad about matcha? Check out CAP Beauty's DIY matcha and manuka honey face mask, and our recipes for maple matcha muffins and matcha pudding bowls!

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5 Healing Yoga Moves For Surfers, Swimmers + Mermaids

Strenghthen your back and increase breath strength with these yoga moves for surfers from our favorite mermaid, Sophie Jaffe. Sophie's yoga practice is a constant inspiration and we're always happy to break a sweat just for an excuse to refuel with her coconut smoothie bowl creations. Here's Sophie's advice for surfers, swimmers and other water babies... 

The fair-weathered summer months absolutely call for pool swims and ocean dips. And when you begin to truly embrace your inner mermaid and glide through the water with a beautiful butterfly, breaststroke or freestyle, you reap both physical and psychological benefits. However, intensive swimming can lead to body misalignment and muscle imbalance, which is why a yoga practice provides the perfect counterbalance to time spent in the water.

While on the sand or dry land, flow through these five poses (and use pranayama!) to strengthen the back, build supple muscles, boost flexibility, and help those lungs breathe so that you can keep on swimming freely.

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Toxic Timeout – 5 Unexpected Places You’ll Find Formaldehyde

WE know that when it comes to all this green living stuff, ignorance can seem like bliss - and reading a fashion story can be way more fun that reading about toxins in the home! But we think it's important to bring you insights from folks like MADE SAFE founder, Amy Ziff, on obvious offenders like formaldehyde.

It's shocking to find out just how many home items can contain this known carcinogen! Definitely NOT cozy.

Famous for its role in the embalming process, find out where this chemical is lurking in home and beauty products below and find ways to cut it out of your life for your own well-being. Thank goodness green brands of nail polish, paint and furniture are becoming easier and easier to find...

What is it? Most people associate formaldehyde, a colorless, strong-smelling gas, with embalming fluid, as it’s used as a preservative in medical labs and mortuaries. It’s also common in pressed wood products like particleboard, furniture and cabinets. Given this, you might be surprised and somewhat alarmed to find out that it’s a common ingredient in baby care products, personal care products, nail polish and other salon products.

When it comes to personal care products, formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives are most often found in shampoos and liquid baby soaps. In salon products, it’s found in nail polish, nail hardener, nail glue and eyelash glue. It’s also common in many hair straighteners (and released with high heat during the application process).

What’s the concern? Short-term health impacts include irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, and many studies show it causes allergic skin reactions and skin rashes. In fact, it was awarded 2105 Contact Allergen of the Year by American Contact Dermatitis Society.

Long-term impacts are more serious. Formaldehyde is listed as a known carcinogen by the National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for Research on Cancer. With products, given that formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives are commonly found in salon products, salon workers (both nail technicians and stylists) are exposed to the chemical - and thus more impacted by the health problems it’s linked to.

When next buying furniture, repainting or remodeling, be aware that formaldehyde may be present and try to make greener choices in materials since these items are things we are around daily — and exposure over time really matter.

How do we avoid it?

Read labels for formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives like quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea, polyoxymethylene urea, quaternium-15, hydroxymethylglyconate and bronopol (2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1-3-diol).

Look for nail polishes labeled “three-free,” which means they don’t contain the “toxic trio” of formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate and toluene (although some tests have shown that some polishes making this claim still contain these chemicals, using “three-free” polishes is still widely considered a good step). Find Editor's Picks here

For babies, choose simple products without preservatives that use ingredients that you can pronounce and recognize as safe. We recently certified shampoos and baby wash from Alaffia, making those a good alternative.

Avoid straighteners and smoothers. Given the prevalence of formaldehyde in chemical hair straighteners and smoothers, it’s best to avoid these altogether and opt for a hot iron.

Be aware of formaldehyde in pressed wood, MDF (medium-density fiberboard) and other hardwoods in your furniture.

Avoid wallpaper. Instead of wallpaper, which may require formaldehyde glues and toxic paints, use no-VOC paints, which are widely available now.

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7 POWERFUL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FOODS YOU SHOULD EAT MORE OF

Some kinds of inflammation in the body help us to heal, but chronic inflammation is at the root of many modern day ailments and issues - among them, heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease according to Dr. Andrew Weil. A diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods is a simple and powerful way to help the body stay balanced, calm and in vibrant health.

We loved sharing this advice from The Beauty Chef a while back and thought we'd revisit the topic with this useful list of foods that will encourage great skin, daily detoxification and better overall health. Most anti-inflammatory foods are also rich in antioxidants - think leafy greens and bright berries. Most are high fiber and and full of omega 3s. Find a few favorites and make them a bigger part of your daily diet...

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Nicole Richie’s Favorite L.A. Hangs Include Our Fave Spot For Guac

When Nicole Richie isn't hanging inside the exclusive (seriously, it's invite-only!) Revolve HQ on Melrose where her House of Harlow collab lives, she can be found in the following surprisingly familiar locations: hoarding guac at Gracias Madre (same - get our marg recipe from the resto here), sharing avocado toast with friends at Zinque, or making emergency stops at Pressed Juicery shops across town for green juice and almond milk ice cream.

We trust Nicole's taste in fashion and her picks for healthy L.A. spots didn't disappoint either. Where are you hanging these days? Leave us notes on your favorite local hangs in the comments below and check out our recent picks for beauty destinations in the city too.
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Want more of our July Guest Editor, Nicole Richie? Check out our interviews from travel tips to rap mantras and her healthy living tips at home.

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How Kegels + Yoga Kept This Mama Out of Surgery

Better sex, flatter abs and generally improved health are all related to the mysterious muscles of the pelvic floor. We're impressed with this (very) personal training routine from yoga veteran, Karly Treacy, who healed herself from some pretty intense conditions with it, and helped us introduce this topic a few years back.

Neglected pelvic floor muscles can cause our whole body to become unstable and susceptible to pain. Karly experienced these downsides firsthand, and her health horror story is all the motivation we need to start on those kegels - stat.

From the right way to do kegels to this targeted yoga flow, we're leaning in on those pelvic floor muscles and sharing why anyone with a womb should be doing the same...

Why Does Pelvic Floor Strength Matter?

If I knew then what I know now, I would have made my pelvic floor a priority from my teen years! I spent my teens running track and cross-country, my twenties running long-distance road races and marathons. Because I was young and 'strong,' it never occurred to me that when I ‘leaked’ when running, it was due to a lack of strength of certain muscles. In my thirties, I had three children in very quick succession, which led me to a doctor’s appointment that has inspired me to make sure everyone gets to know their pelvic floor!

A few months after my third child was born, I went to my doctor to ask about a bit of skin that was hanging near my vagina. I found it annoying and it got in the way during sex. He informed me that he could not trim the skin because it was my bladder. Due to lack of the strength and flexibility in my pelvic floor, my pelvic organs - bladder, bowels and urethra - had prolapsed (similar to a hernia: there is a space in the muscles and they do not support the organs, so they drop down).

I was told that major surgery with the placement of mesh was my only option for repair. Not a proponent of surgery, I opted to take nearly a year to study with countless pelvic-floor specialists, physical therapists, doctors, chiropractors, etc. in an effort to understand how this could have happened and how I could potentially remedy the issues.

I am pleased to say that nearly the entire pelvic-organ prolapse situation was remedied with the right exercises. I did have to have one little surgery, but it was outpatient, no mesh and just one stitch to put the U back in my urethra that had prolapsed. (Yes, really!)

What I learned along the way is that the pelvic floor is a matrix of muscles that do a lot! In addition to supporting all of the very important organs in the pelvis, keeping us from ‘leaking’ and preventing frequent urination and lower back pain, they are responsible for our sexual satisfaction. In women, too tight and/or weak muscles can make sex painful and inhibit the ability to orgasm or minimize the intensity of the orgasm. In men, it can present as erectile dysfunction.

The pelvic floor gets compromised most often due to prolonged sitting (desk jobs and driving), heavy lifting, long-distance running, pregnancy and child birth, impact sports and being overweight.

Where's My Pelvic Floor?

Before you begin strengthening your pelvic floor, you must first assess if you have tight pelvic-floor muscles. This can be done by a qualified medical professional or you with self-assessment. Qualified therapists can do an internal exam to more accurately tell you which muscles are tight or weak, but we can tell a lot by palpating the tissues between the sit bones, pubic bone and tailbone. The matrix of the pelvic floor lies between these four points. When you apply pressure, if there is discomfort or pain, it is likely due to muscle tightness. Gently massaging the area with your hands or rolling lightly on a tennis ball can greatly loosen the constriction of these muscles.

HOw Do I Get Started?

After the initial assessment, breathing exercises are the most effective way to begin further stretching and strengthening the pelvic floor directly. Strengthening the muscles that structurally support the pelvis also greatly aids the function of the pelvic floor. When the pelvis is well stabilized from the outside, the pelvic-floor muscles on the inside can more easily connect, integrate and support.

The next step is to start strengthening. I've mapped out eight simple but effective exercises below. Doing this little bit of work 4-6 times a week will make a great difference in the strength and flexibility of the pelvic floor, better supporting all of those important organs. It can also alleviate back pain and give you a much flatter low belly! It’s pretty much a giant win all the way around!

 

The Work: Kegels + 7 Strengthening Yoga Moves

Kegels the right way

Sit in a simple cross-legged position (if this is not comfortable, sit on a yoga block, blanket, bolster or sofa cushion). Inhale deeply, sensing into the muscles that lie between the two sit bones. Imagine each sit bone is an elevator door. As you exhale, draw these muscles toward one another closing the elevator doors. As you inhale the doors open and release. Repeat for 4 rounds of breath.

Now imagine that the pubic bone and the tailbone are the elevator doors. On an exhale, draw the muscles toward one another, closing the elevator doors. As you inhale, release, allowing the doors to open. On an exhale, draw all four points to center, the two sit bones, pubic bone and tail bone. Release on the inhale. When you feel like you can fully draw all four points to center closing the elevator doors, you attempt to lift the elevator up. Imagine there were three floors from the pubic bone to your navel. With every exhale; see how high you can lift the elevator. Repeat for 4 rounds of breath.

Keeping a long spine, fold forward over your legs to get a stretch in the outer hips. Hold for 8 breaths. Switch the cross of the legs and repeat.

Note: You may not feel kegels the first 20 times! After having three babies within three years, it took me several weeks to really wake up these muscles.
I have also found that it is easier for some people to find the right muscles lying on their back with the knees bent and the feet planted hip-width distance apart, or lying in a reclined position supported by a block and bolster. The key to kegels is to try different positions to determine which makes this work most accessible and then when the muscles are well awake, you challenge them in the other positions that were a bit more difficult.

Butterfly stretch + fold forward

To lengthen the inner thighs and then further stretch the outer hips, bring the soles of the feet to touch. Press the bottoms of the big toes together firmly and sit tall. Hold for 8-10 breaths. Then fold forward. Hold for 8-10 breaths. (Try a few kegels and breathing exercises in this position.)

Arching + rounding

On all fours, with the wrists beneath the shoulders and the knees beneath the hips, feel the entire hand ground to the earth while keeping the arms strong and straight. The shins press down to make the thighs strong. The arms and thighs are like pillars and your spine undulates like a suspension bridge between the four pillars. As you inhale, the tail and heart lift to the sky. As you exhale, press the mat away, scoop the belly in and round. As you inhale allowing the tail to reach up, you once again stretch the pelvic floor. As you exhale completely and round, the pelvic floor lifts and gathers together creating more pelvic-floor integrity. Repeat for 10 cycles of breath.

Downward-facing dog into Plank

Start in downward-facing dog. As you inhale fully, you will shift forward until you arrive in plank. On the exhale, feel the pelvic floor begin to gather, the low belly will lift and send the hips back to downward-facing dog. Continue to move with the breath. Repeat for 10 cycles of breath.

 Utkatasana (chair pose)

Center your weight over the heels, sit back as you would into a chair. Keeping the entire foot on the ground - especially the inner foot, which often gets light in this posture - reach the arms overhead. You will have to find a bit of tone in the low belly here. Imagine you are trying to zip up a tight pair of pants to get the lowest belly to lift. At the same time, get a sense that the outer hips are hugging toward one another and the sit bones are reaching toward the earth. Keep that as you breathe fully and you will notice the breath more in the back body. This pose activates the pelvic floor from the hips hugging in and the belly lifting. Hold for 6-12 breaths.

 Garudasana (eagle pose)

Start in utkatasana. Cross the right leg over the left and wrap it around once or twice. If you find yourself struggling with balance, cross the legs and let the toes rest on the ground for support. Reach both arms straight out front, cross the left arm under the right, wrapping once or twice. Do the actions of utkatasana and feel the outer hips hug together and the low belly lift up. This posture further activates and strengthens the pelvic-floor muscles. Hold for 6-8 full cycles of breath. Switch sides and repeat.

 Bridge pose into eka pada variation (single legged)

This posture greatly strengthens the outer hip muscles that stabilize and support the pelvis. When these muscles are weak, allowing the bones of the pelvis to splay, the pelvic floor cannot adequately gather or strengthen. Lying on your back, bend the knees and plant the feet hip-width distance apart. The knees align over the ankles. Inhale to lift the hips and walk the shoulders beneath you, interlacing the hands (if this is difficult, just bend the elbows and let the fingers point to the sky). The chin is parallel to the earth. Feel the feet ground evenly and the outer hips hug toward one another. The basin of the pelvis is soft and hollow and not thrusting to the sky. Hold for 6 breaths.

Stay in bridge, keeping the pelvis still, firm the outer hips together and extend one leg to the sky. Notice if all of your weight shifted to one side. Try to keep everything absolutely stable at center. Hold for 6 breaths. Switch legs and repeat 3 times.

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Berries, Foam + Dungeness: Our Chat With A Top Seattle Chef

Epic Coastal views and idyllic cozy vibes have our team visiting the islands just beyond the Seattle skyline regularly these days. There's something about Seattle and the surrounding area that has left a mark on us Angelenos and we're hooked!

Our most recent jaunt to the Pacific Northwest included a trip to Whidbey Island and local's favorite, plus travel press darling, the Inn at Langley. Named one of the top 500 in the world by Travel & Leisure, the Inn's popularity has a little to do with its incredible two story suites just feet from the water and a lot to do with Chef Matt Costello. Chef Costello is a James Beard nominee who's journey through the restaurant world has included a few of our favorite Seattle staples, including the Dahlia Lounge and the stunning Four Seasons.

Dinner at the Inn is served just once a night and includes seven courses of inventive and locally-driven dishes that would impress the most jaded of foodies. Our dinner with Chef Matt included courses of seafood so fresh it could bring a girl to tears, impressive wines from Washington and Oregon vineyards, a thin melting dome of chocolate, and a vintage purse full of edible hankies, coins, and other trinkets.

We asked Chef Matt to tell us his latest food inspirations, what he thinks defines the region now and what we can expect next on plates at the Inn at Langley...

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TCM Editor’s Picks: The Superfood Bar With An Incredible Story

Recently, we've found ourselves hooked on a new brand of chocolate-covered superfood protein bars. They look like Twix and taste like Ho-Hos, but they're made of quinoa, pumpkin, sweet potato and a whole host of other nutrient-dense ingredients we were impressed (and relieved!) to see on the label. The bars are called DNA Life Bars. We knew we had to share our new found love with our nutrition-obsessed readers, but when we heard the story of health and recovery behind the bars, we decided to dedicate an entire feature to the brand and we think you'll get why. P.S. This story is not paid.

DNA Life Bars founder, Brian Layne, began the bar company for his wife. A few years ago, Layne's wife began experiencing physical symptoms of what would turn out to be MS. Following the frightening diagnosis, in which the immune system eats away at the protective covering of nerves and can cause long-term pain, the family began their search for holistic solutions beyond conventional treatment. Their pursuit of natural resources led them to naturopathic doctor and MS expert, Ann Boroch. Boroch is the author of Healing MS: Diet, Detox & Nutritional Makeover for Total Recovery and after following her protocol Brian's wife now lives symptom free.

Brain began whipping up these low-sugar high-protein uber-clean snacks to support his wife's necessary (but restricted) new diet. After the inevitable taste-testings by friends, folks began insisting that Brian offer the bars to the masses and DNA Life Bars was born.

We were as impressed with the story of this company's birth as we were the taste of their chocolate quinoa bars (our favorites!) Here is more of the story...

The Chalkboard Mag: First of all, DNA Life Bars are hands down the best healthy chocolate snack bars we've ever had. There are some great products out there, but yours are our favorites.

Brian Layne: Thanks, Suzanne. The flavor you are talking about is Chocolate with Roasted Quinoa and it has become our number one seller. Our customer loved the chocolate coconut fudge bar but they wanted more chocolate. Dipping the bar in pure chocolate was a good way to achieve that flavor, obviously. We also noticed that coconut is a love-it or hate-it ingredient for people, so we came up with quinoa as a healthy and great-tasting substitute.

My goal with the bars was to create a snack my wife would actually love and one that still had very low sugar content (2 grams!) and a ton of protein (14 grams). The bars are also rich in healthy fats - coconut, almonds and the like. We're happy that healthy fat is no longer seen as the bad guy it has been made out to be. In addition, carbohydrates are a natural fuel for our bodies and the low-carb craze neglects the fact that healthy complex carbs, like the ones we use in our bars from organic pumpkin or organic sweet potato, are an excellent source of fuel for keeping you on the go.

TCM: Tell us how you started making the bars. Did you make something close to the finished product right from the start or did it take some massive trial and error?

BL: I started with the chocolate coconut coconut flavor (my wife’s favorite). It took a number of times to get it right. Then when I started to make them for sale, I had to reformulate to make them last as long as possibly without loosing the integrity of the bar. The bars are so fresh they must remain refrigerated. They taste great that way too.

TCM: You began making the bars for your wife after she was diagnosed with MS. Can you tell us about that journey? 

BL: Yes, in 2009 and 2010, my wife was suffering very weird symptoms - numbness and tingling throughout the body, a lot like your foot falling asleep, but all over. The weird thing was it would be her whole right ride or her whole left side and would last for days. It got to the point were she could not feel the pedal of the car and that became dangerous. She developed something called the MS hug, which is where it feels like you are being constricted around your chest area and you can not catch your breath - very scary, especially when you have no idea what is going on.

We'd had six months of doctors visits and no one knew what was wrong. On a particularly bad weekend, we had a call into the neurologist to get my wife in for an MRI and he would not have it. He was adamant that she was fine and did not need an MRI. We ended up in the emergency room and they scheduled an MRI immediately. After additional testing they finally gave us the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. The head of neurology who gave us the diagnosis was the very same doctor who would not get us in for the MRI in the first place. It was an uncomfortable situation and really showed us how little modern medicine knows about the disorder of MS and how little they listen to the patient. It was a real wake up call to us and taught us that we needed to become our own advocates at times while still working with the professionals we were grateful to have access to.

TCM: Most people think of MS as a life sentence. It's incredible that you were able to forego all symptoms with this diet! How long did it take to get to that state?

BL: I would say it took about six months for her symptoms to go away. The first 90 days of the protocol are really strict as you are trying to cleanse your body and this requires a very specific diet to get rid of the imbalances in your gut flora. After the detox, there is a rebuilding stage and that is when we started to experience a huge reduction in symptoms. You can't imagine the relief.

TCM: What are the basic tenets of the diet that your wife has had so much success with?

BL: The basics of the diet include no gluten, no dairy, no soy, no corn, no sugar, and no alcohol. Most of the protocol relates to the importance of how we digest and metabolize these type of foods and the impact they have on the microbiome in our gut. Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease. Most autoimmune diseases have a strong component of gut issues, usually resulting in leaky gut, which is where a lot of the symptoms that we recognize as disease start to come into play.

TCM: Are there lifestyle protocols to follow allow with the diet?

BL: I think the biggest lifestyle protocol that we follow for this is in managing our stress levels and making sure she gets plenty of rest. We have three kids and Liz is a full-time real estate agent, so this is no easy task. Autoimmune diseases are often interrelated with each other. Liz, for example, also has Hashimoto's disease, which is a thyroid issue and this has a direct affect on the adrenal glands and how well you can handle stress.

There is also a fairly extensive list of supplements she takes to support her health. And she stays active with working out, yoga and hiking. Really, it is the lifestyle all of us should strive for!

TCM: What is your advice to those encountering an MS diagnosis, based on your experience?

BL: Get support from those around you. Go to the people you know will support whatever decisions you make. And become your own best advocate.

Do your research - there is a lot of great information on the internet. See something that appeals to you? Reach out to people who have tried it.

I think the MS community at large is very supportive. That being said, a lot of people have their own views. In the beginning, Liz was so excited about her results that she was talking to a lot of other MS suffers about her lifestyle--and they had no interest. They trusted the medication and, even if they were not seeing improvement, they did not want to try something else.

You need to arm yourself with a lot of knowledge before making a decision on treatment. My last notes on all of this is that, even if you go try to fight MS with natural remedies or medicine, your mindset is critical. You need to believe your body can heal itself and you need to take a look at the negative messages running in your head. Negative messages will cause major problems, no matter how you try to treat disease. Liz now feels that if her mind was not right about healing her body, just changing her diet would not have been enough. You have to want health and believe you can achieve health.

As you mentioned above, we used our naturopath's protocol as found in her book Healing Multiple Sclerosis.

 

 

The Chalkboard Mag and its materials are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. 
All material on The Chalkboard Mag is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health related program.

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3 Juices To Counter The Effects Of All That Summer Rosé

Summer weekends are in full swing and with them comes a fair share of backyard BBQs, beach soirees and other opportunities to drink rosé in the name of warm weather and old friends. We're right there with you, embracing fun times as they come, but maintaing a sense of balance makes us feel even better, and keeps us chugging through the heat.

The key to enjoying all that rosé in good health is good planning. Here's what we're drinking before and after to keep our bodies in tip-top, super-hydrated condition...

To start your day: If you've got a social pool day in front of you, or plans for a night out after a long day at work, consider kicking off your morning with warm lemon water. This combo will deeply hydrate your system, tone your digestion and get your whole body in a strong, alkaline state. We pour ourselves a bottle of Pressed Juicery lemon cayenne h2o first thing in the AM. Split it between two mugs, add hot water from a kettle, and you've got a pair of power shots to start the day right.

Before bed, after a big night:Between the warm weather and the dehydrating nature of cocktails, go ahead and just stock your fridge with plenty of coconut water this summer. We make it a habit to drink a bottle of Pressed Juicery's coconut h2o before bed, especially following rosé-fueled evenings with the girls. Potassium and other natural minerals help our bodies recover and rehydrate which makes for an infinitely better morning after.

the next morning: If a summer night out catches up with you more than you expected the next morning, consider a breakfast that includes free-range eggs, grass-fed butter and coconut - trust us, the healthy fats and minerals will help you recover quickly. Then try a shot of ginger, lemon and cayenne for some stomach-settling and immunity-boosting, or a shot of turmeric and coconut water for major anti-inflammatory benefits. Pressed Juicery's tiny Vitality and Wellness shots are available in some stores and are our absolute favorite products from the brand! (Truth: our refrigerator door is filled with a dozen of these cute little bottles at all times!)

a healthier cocktail: Pressed Juicery citrus 3 makes the perfect base for a summer cocktail. As long as we'll be drinking up something pink, why not juice it up with mineralizing grapefruit and nourishing mint? Simply pour an ounce or two in a flute with some good champagne and mission accomplished!: we get a better-for-you cocktail plus a dose of wellness-inducing, liver-loving grapefruit too!

We also love this rosé sangria by Athena Caldrone. For another flavorful boost of hydration in cocktails, check out the brand new version of Pressed Juicery's classic summer flavor, Watermelon Mint, which has just hit stores - take a peek at the new ingredient addition here. Cheers!

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Meet The Author Behind Sweetbitter – This Summer’s Top Beach Read

The coming of age story is a narrative we're never bored by, especially when it takes place in always-exciting ever-evolving NYC. Stephanie Danler's debut novel, Sweetbitter, is a beach-ready book that pulls our minds into the magical bewilderment of moving to the big apple - youthful ambition in tow - and learning to turn dreams into reality. This addictive read also taps into the wisdom that can come from those growing pains. Based off the emotional experience of Danler's own creative learning curve, Sweetbitter is an authentic, edgy and entertaining story ... and we're seriously obsessed.

We caught up with this talented young author to chat about Sweetbitter (grab a copy here!) and to discuss the ups and downs of the writing process (and life, just because). Here's Danler on the complicated reality of pursuing a passion, weird productivity tips and the best advice she's ever received...

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Basil Peach Gazpacho Shots For Summer Parties (Vodka Optional)

Summer tastes like stone fruit, plain and simple. We literally wait all year to feast on this season's sweet bounty of peaches, nectarines and the like. While perfectly wonderful eaten in their raw form, stone fruits taste even better worked into a dish we can share - like in a summery gazpacho with peaches and vodka!

This recipe comes from Heirloom LA, our go-to pros on all things seasonal and delicious here in California. Their chilled fruit-based soup is bursting with fresh summer flavors including cucumber, basil and peaches (obviously). It's insanely easy to make and a fun way to welcome guests into your space...

The arrival of sweet, juicy stone fruit from Reiger Family Farms at the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market announces summer with a splash! We greedily buy cases of any kind we can get our hands on to dot all over our platters and summer menus. One of the appetizers on our summer menu features this easy, peachy gazpacho. This chilled soup recipe can also be spiked with soju or vodka, shaken with ice, and served up in one-ounce glasses as a welcome shot to get that pool party started!

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Off the Grid: Heather Culp on Pursuing An Unplugged Life

Mercado Sagrado is the kind of place we'd dream up in our wildest off-the-grid-but-still-in-reality fantasies: where people come to be creative, inspired and tuned in. This bi-annual fair celebrates one of our favorite areas of the city - Topanga Canyon - and features live music, art, delicious food and holistic happiness at its best.

Photographer Heather Culp is one of the gatherings' co-founders. We recently met Heather at her home in the canyon as she hosted the dreamiest breathwork workshop of all time by our pals Nitsa Citrine of Sun Potion and Ashley Neese. Her tiny, but intensely stylish home had us dreaming of a more free-spirited life. When we learned that Culp had also lived on her own and off the grid in Santa Fe, we knew we needed to learn more about this well-styled adventurer and talented artist (stay tuned for more on that bit!). Meet Heather below and get a little off the grid living inspiration for your summer weekend...

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5 Gorgeous Vases That Hardly Need Flowers

We don't buy plants to keep us company; we buy them because they can add an extra smidgen of natural beauty and personal style to our living spaces - and the vessels they live in are part of that too. Design-forward brands, like Studio EO, are making it easier than ever to amp up that art-factor of our decorative greenery. Their artisan vases are seriously stunning, and could effortlessly pass as a sculpture or stand-alone shelf accessory when it's not occupied by plant life.

The following five vases and planters are some of the most gorgeous plant and flower display options we've seen - a far cry from those "I bought it because it's practical" pieces we're all guilty of holding onto. From modernist cement and glass containers to a sleek and sophisticated brass plant stand, there is something special on this list that's sure to catch your eye and compliment your taste...

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Our Rosé All Day Collection is now on sale #bestswimwear...

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13 Beautiful + Natural Home Ideas That’ll Actually Improve With Time

Aging is an art; we can't stop the process from happening, but we can set ourselves up to look gorgeous throughout it. This is a common conversation when it comes to our own looks (watch this video for more on that), but the concept actually applies to our homes as well.

In an age where everything seems disposable, or at least likely to wear and tear more quickly than ever before, we're impressed with the innovative team behind LA's Disc Interiors and their passion for creating spaces that actually look better over time than they do at the start. 

Co-founder, Krista Schrock, designs homes with materials that become more beautiful as time passes, giving these nests a naturally timeless (and truly sustainable) aesthetic. This design philosophy has landed Disc Interiors on Vanity Fair's list of  "10 of Los Angeles Most Groundbreaking Interior Designs", and we can't help but agree. We've asked Krista to share some tips for creating a home we can grow gracefully old with. Bookmark for a future home makeover, or pick out a few accents to give your current space a beautiful boost...

This is a recent project we completed in the Silverlake Hills - the home is 1920s Spanish and the client (a young couple with a new baby) wanted to keep the space warm with minimal color and go heavy on texture. We put together a selection of our favorite materials we love that gently age with time, that grow more beautiful the more they are used and loved. This home was a full remodel - we've included both hard materials we like to use in building as well as decor items that are easy to work into any home. We love working with natural materials and tend to use textures to layer in spaces and less color.

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How to Cook L.A.’s Best Dishes At Home (No Talent Required)

Nothing tastes as good as a home cooked meal - unless you're one of of the kitchen-challenged among us, in which case most things probably taste better and you eat out a lot.

We get it and recently tried SaltedEats, a new food delivery service that's perfect for the restaurant obsessed. Salted has partnered with some of L.A.'s top chefs and restaurants (think Bestia, Stella Barra, Eveleigh) to deliver recipes inspired by their best dishes - plus all the ingredients needed to quickly whip them up! The experience is like a private, on-demand cooking class you can take wearing sweatpants and a face mask, slash a top-ranked restaurant reservation that you can enjoy without crosstown traffic trauma. Win, win, win.

Salted is a video-based online cooking school that features some of the top culinary innovators across the country. Their SaltedEats deliveries match up with step-by-step video tutorials; even if you've never cracked an egg in your life, you'll know exactly what the process should (and shouldn't) look like from start to finish which we love.

We're giving away one SaltedEats experience below. This week's delivery recipes include a healthy seared yellowtail salad from Malibu Farm and Sotto's date-night-ready ricotta gnocchi with sage. But, for our giveaway, we're jumping ahead and sharing a recipe from dreamy Eastside french bistro, Canelé (available for delivery on August 4th). Get the recipe, grab our SaltedEats exclusive discount code for TCM readers below and enter to win a full month of free deliveries! [olists num=2][olists num=1]

Enter to win a month of deliveries!
We're giving one reader a month's worth of SaltedEats deliveries! Enter for the chance to win by leaving us your email in the entry box below. Good luck!

One winner will be announced in the comments below and be contacted by email. Open to continental U.S. residents only. Giveaway closes July 27 at 5pm PST.  By entering your email you agree to receive email communication from The Chalkboard and Salted. 

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8 SUSTAINABLE BABY GIFTS WE’RE SWOONING OVER (These Booties!)

Health and comfort are the greatest gifts we can give to another human - especially a brand new one - and these stylishly sustainable baby products are all made with those qualities in mind.

The following list of perfect baby gifts comes from mama tastemaker, Anna Wallack, designer of the hand-knit and natural, Misha and Puff items seen above. We're paralyzed by the cute factor of these woven onesies and overalls and hope our readers make them the baby shower gift of the year!

Wallack knows the value of trustworthy design when it comes to buying things for baby (or gifting a nervous new mom). From her casual-chic, chemical-free natural wool onesies, to non-toxic toys and cozy wool blankets, we're loving all her sustainable baby gifts and socking a few away for showers to come this fall!

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3 Charcoal Beauty Products We’re Obsessing Over Now

NOT SURE IF you've heard *wink* but charcoal is kind of a big deal these days. Naturally detoxifying and powerfully purifying, it's showing up in everything from juice to sponges to salve. With so many companies proudly adding this ingredient to products (we're kind of hooked on Pressed Juicery's charcoal lemonade), choosing the best of the bunch can be a challenge - especially when it comes to beauty.

The three coal-powered products below are ones found and fallen for, not just because they're all-natural, but because they work amazingly well for even the most sensitive or problem-prone skin types. Beautycounter's new multi-tasking mask is an instant sensation, this category-defying deodorant is actually a "detox," and it doesn't get more luxurious than this crushed pearl soap a few pros we know rely on. We've got you covered from head to toe - find something you love and feel free to empty your bathroom cabinets now...

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7 Surprising Health Tips From Blake Lively’s Trainer

Just months after giving birth to her first baby, Blake Lively is making waves both off and on the big screen screen this summer as a bikini-clad surfer. The post-baby body turnaround story is one we've seen many times in Hollywood and, honestly, never tire of. We may roll our eyes and feel a bit baited by headlines like, well, our own above, but the truth is we'll always click through hoping for interesting details and useful tips we can apply to our own lives. Too often, the details disclosed by the star or their team are less than insightful, and stir more feelings of skepticism and hopelessness than inspiration. Such is not the case with Blake Lively and her go-to trainer, Don Saladino.

Don is the kind of trainer we can get behind 100% and gives us hope that this level of physical excellence can be achieved realistically and healthfully! "Realistically?" you ask, appalled. Full disclosure, even Blake has admitted in interviews that her svelte figure was only a three week state of affairs, after which she came down to a more live-able level. But we digress, bodies like Blake's are still pretty aspirational when they're achieved in true health and balance. Although wellness goals are never one size fits all.

Make no mistake, Blake worked like a beast to get into shape for this summer's The Shallows, but we found ourselves impressed and inspired by her trainer, Don Saladino's insights on what it truly took to get her in the shape of her life. Here's what Don shared with us about his process with Blake and the lessons we're taking away to live well every day...

Don't Drop the Metabolism.
One of Saladino's big fitness themes is fire. He encourages his clients to think about their metabolism like a fire, and to "get it burning and keep it burning hot all day." Stoking the metabolism all day long is what Don credits his success working with with both Blake and her husband Ryan Reynolds for the recent Deadpool. "By two in the afternoon, I would expect Blake to have eaten two to three meals with her baby in tow," said Don. Deprivation is not part of Don's formula, and he insists that not eating through the day is one of the easiest ways to sabotage your wellness goals.

Take a Holistic Approach. 
How is that done? Clearly, fitness is key, but hydration, rest, recovery, and plenty of nutrient-dense food are also vital parts of the equation."If any of these components are lacking, you'll be neglecting powerful tools that'll keep your metabolism burning strong," said Don. "Fitness alone is not enough - you've got to stoke the flame of your metabolism by tending to all of these elements equally."

High Quality Cheats.
Saladino advises his clients to follow the 80/20 rule. Sort of. The 80/20 rule means that, while training for The Shallows, Blake was required to eat from Don's recommended diet (see below) 80% of the week and allowed to cheat the other 20%. With one caveat: Don insists that cheats be of "high quality". Need a burrito? Skip the drive thru and grab it from a taco shop that's using organic chicken. Chocolate on the brain? Great, just make it a dark bar without weird additives. Don insists this will keep your system strong, clean and capable without the inflammatory, digestion-weakening responses the body can experience otherwise.

Digestion Matters.
While training with Don, Blake's digestion was a top priority. We love this because when talking about fitness with pros across the country, we find this rarely comes up. When it comes to a svelte, well conditioned physique, balanced digestion is more important than some of us may realize. How we process what we're eating effects our energy, mood, sleep and, of course, weight.

Hard No's: No White Foods.
During intense training periods, Don's clients are allows no "white foods". That includes white sugar, table salt, white flours like wheat, and, depending on the client, no dairy. We don't think that'll surprise any of our readers. The goal of most of this elimination is to quell inflammation in the body.

This type of elimination diet is easy to try on your own. Instead of a traditional "weight loss diet" or detox, simply try cutting white sugar and white flour from your diet for a meaningful period of time and see how your body responds.

Sleep It Off.
For a few decades there, it seemed as though sleep had gone completely out of style. As though it was ever optional, we're happy to see the wellness world leading the charge on the message that sleep matters. Getting plenty of rest and a full night's sleep is essential to achieving any weight or wellness goal. Saladino says that a good night's sleep is the best fat burner of them all. The opposite is true of poor sleep habits.

Be Realistic. Be Good To You.
When prepping to appear in a bikini on screens all over the world, there will be days that require the best workout of your life. However, not every day is that day. As a trainer, Don encourages Blake and other clients to accept that and be ready to adjust to the day's needs. No time for a perfect workout? Make the twenty minutes you do have count and be proud of the effort you put in one day at a time.

TCM Reader Weigh-In: What do you think? Do you find celebrity fitness inspiring or frustrating? Do you like Saladino's perspective on fitness as much as we do?

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NYC Bite of the Month: Banana Jam Crepes At Market Ipanema

Acai to Adriana lima, we have yet to be disappointed by an export from Brazil. The newest addition to our list of likes? Market Ipanema in NYC. With two other locations in Brazil, this tiny chain serves up healthified, modernized Brazilian cuisine made with locally sourced, organic ingredients.

Eater editor, Kat Odell, went to check out their "healthy but conscience gastronomy" and reported back with some very brightly colored photos and (equally) glowing reviews on her fave dishes. Here's what you need to try and why...

What I Ate: Market Ipanema's beet-stained cassava crepe, filled with banana jam and coconut flakes.

Why I Ate It: Market Ipanema, a Brazilian cafe and micro retail shop in Nolita, sells a healthy assortment of Rio staples like acai bowls, coconut yogurt and pão de queijo, the ubiquitous Brazilian cheese puff made from gluten-free, grain-free manioc flour - what we in the U.S. know as cassava, or tapioca. Also fashioned from manioc flour are an assortment of Brazilian "crepes," loaded with a bevy of sweet and savory fillings, from avocado, tomato and cashew cream to apples with cinnamon.

Why You Need It: If you're keen on the chewy texture of mochi, then you'll dig these crepes. In Brazil, this breakfast staple is found at almost every cafe, prized as a healthy option devoid of gluten and grain. While cassava crepes are traditionally white, at Market Ipanema owner Beatriz Lobato adds fresh beet juice for a colorful twist.

The post NYC Bite of the Month: Banana Jam Crepes At Market Ipanema appeared first on The Chalkboard.

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Goji Berry Snow Cones – The Cutest Way To Hydrate Ever?

A Snack that multi-tasks is our favorite kind of snack. These herbal snow cones are a triple threat of summer functionality: they hydrate, they nourish and they satisfy our toughest sweet tooth cravings while being nearly sugar-free. 

This playful summer DIY comes from integrative health and food therapy specialist, Christine Dionese, whose healthy recipes are always functional and always this cute.  Make these adorable cones with friends or children on hot days instead of dehydrating cocktails or sugary popsicles!

Most of the year you’ll hear me saying, “Avoid cold foods and drinks to protect digestion.” The exception to this is during the heat waves we know so well here in Southern California. During extended periods of heat, we sweat not only fluids, but nutrients. My herbal snow cones are an easy nutrient-dense treat to stay cool during those hot days! Pick a flavor and functionality that suits you from these three delicious combinations...

Supplies For Making Snow Cones

To Prepare: For best results in making the snow cones themselves, purchase an inexpensive snow-cone maker - they’re available everywhere now. If you don't have time to pick one up, you can put your high-speed blender to work - a Blendtec, Vitamix or Ninja will work - but not your regular blender.

Vitamix: Add several handfuls of ice, think one handful per snow cone, and enough water so you “raise” ice away from the blade. Choose the highest speed pulsing to create crushed, then snow ice.

Blendtec: No water necessary. Add several handfuls of ice, think one handful per snow cone and use the auto-setting (which shuts off after about 35 seconds).

Ninja: Add several handfuls of ice, think one handful per snow cone, and pulse until ice is crushed into snow.

To Assemble: I recommend having these tools on hand: ice cream scoop or rounded spoon, cylindrical cone cups, juicer (for red and blue snow cones) and a squeeze bottle to

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The Natural Brow: Our Guide To Crafting A Perfect Pair

Brows are like jeans - a great pair can make any look seem seem complete. If there is one facial feature that's been talked about more than any other this year it's the eyebrow, and celebrity makeup artist, Katey Denno, is showing us how to keep our brows in shape with tools, techniques and the products she relies on on-set... 

At least 50% of the questions I'm asked about makeup application have to do with eyebrows. How angled should they be? How long should I draw the tail? Should I fill in the inner third? What shade and product type (pencil, gel, powder) should I use?

I totally get it - brows really do frame the face, and can kind of make or break your overall look. I'm here to tell you, despite what countless social media platforms have been showing you, there is not one specific way you should 'make up' your brows. You should not over draw your brows and fill them in thick and dark unless you love how it looks on you. It's a trend, and just like the trend of overly plucked, pencil-thin, rounded brows from my early twenties, it will pass.

If you're still interested in the more-than-just-lightly-filled-in brow, I'd like to show you how it can be done, without being overdone - as illustrated by the brow defining I did on the gorgeous Zaina Gohou.

The Tools

Depending on the look I want, I pick one (or all) of the following:

- a thin brow pencil (more waxy and less pigment-dense than an eyeliner pencil)
- a potted cream/gel that is applied with an angled, stiff, eyebrow brush
- a powder in the same shade as your hair, also applied with a brow brush - but can be applied with either a stiff bristled, angled brow brush, or a soft, larger one

It's always nice to have on hand a spooley brush and something that can make your actual brow hairs cooperate and lay in the direction you want (i.e. a brow gel, pomade or even hairspray). I never do brows without having a cotton swab handy to ensure that I haven't left any harsh, hard edges.

The type of product you choose is based 100% on your personal preference. I like having options, and if this is your first stab at making up your brows, it'd be good for you to explore them all to see what you're most comfortable with. My current favorite brow products are The Honest Company brow pencils, Eco Brow potted gels and Anastasia brow powder (there are countless shades, so you're sure to get a perfect match).

The Technique

If shaping your brows seems like a daunting task, I encourage you to find a professional to do it for you every so often. Ask friends or coworkers whose brows look great if they go somewhere to get them done, or do a Yelp search for the best in your area. Once the hairs start growing back in, you can keep up your new shape yourself by investing in a good tweezer. My favorite has long been the Rubis, slanted tip, perforated handle (prevents finger slipping), called Classic Elegance.

Make sure you only pluck when your face is clean, and keep bacteria at bay by wiping your tweezers down with alcohol every so often. Remember that each hair counts towards the overall shape, so don't pluck willy nilly or in bad lighting!

The Step-By-Step

The following is my process for creating the lightly-more-than-just-filled-in-brow look. Give it a try and remember: if it doesn't look great, just wipe it off!

Step One: Start defining your brow at the arch and move in slow strokes towards the tail. Then go back and work on the inner third.

Step Two: Start applying the product sparsely because it's easy to build to the perfect density - and difficult to scale it back.

Step Three: It's always prettier and more natural looking to leave some skin showing between hairs in the inner third of the brow.

Step Four: Look at the finished product closely in the mirror and then pull away from the mirror and determine if the shape suits your face and if it's the right color and density.

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Nicole Richie on Meditation, Rap Mantras + Other Morning Matters

IF MOTHERHOOD TEACHES anything it's that life needs balance, and our July Guest Editor, Nicole Richie, nails it on her own terms. Making time for her fam and running a fashion brand is no easy feat. But in spite of constantly being in the spotlight and on the go, this mama of two still manages to stay playful, poised and real - and we're all about her approach.

From healthy breakfast smoothies to heavy metal music, Nicole's daily wellness and sanity-strategies are uniquely her own - and we love her for it. We spent a morning at casa del Richie to see how things flow; scroll on to learn what Nicole eats to start her day, how she finds time for herself and what she thinks about "the universe"...

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A Stunning IKEA Tray + Why We’re Sprouting At Home

Leave it to the Sweds to finally kick our interest in sprouting to life! We could hardly believe it when we found this beautiful ceramic sprouting tray in the IKEA catalog online. The Anvandbar Sprouter is designed by Studio Ganszyniec and so beautiful we expect it to become a staple on hippie-chic countertops across LA.

Sprouting is one of the simplest, cheapest ways to provide yourself with incredible home-grown nutrition in your own kitchen - maybe even easier than fermenting. We're calling out sprouting as the wellness hobby of 2017, so we advise you to get in on it now! Of course, if the nutritional perks are more of a priority than a pretty countertop, all you really need is a simple glass jar and some cheesecloth. Get our instructions for it below, or swipe up this tiered chic ceramic tray set and alter the instructions slightly for the same results.

Most seeds, grains and beans can be sprouted in just a few days, start to finish. What you'll end up with are nutritionally evolved versions of each, brimming with plant-protein and essential vitamins. Toss them into a sandwich, salad or straight into a bowl - the options are endless and the pay-off is major!

We're refreshing our knowledge on sprouts and sprouting with integrative medicine practitioner, Dr. Elson Haas, who wrote the book on the healing powers of natural food (really, it's called Staying Healthy With Nutrition). Keep scrolling for four reasons why sprouts should be a diet staple if they're not already, plus three simple steps to start sprouting at home...

Sprouting at home + why bother

What to sprout: Any seed, grain or bean that has the potential to be a plant is sprout-able. This includes: lentils, soybeans, mung beans, garbanzo beans, alfalfa, oats, barley, and peas - just to name a few of many! As most of these ingredients are sold dried, they're readily available and generally inexpensive to buy in bulk. They can also be sprouted at any time of the year, offering a massive variety of powerful plant-based nutrition, regardless of the season.

Plant protein: When a seed is sprouted, most of the would-be-adult-plant's nutrients transfer to the shoots, one of which is protein. While seeds, grains and beans are inherently high in protein, sprouting increases their content between 15% and 30%, depending on the plant. The nutritional qualities of sprouted grains are highly bioavailable to the body.

Belly Benefits: Sprouts are living foods and - as with others like kombucha and kimchi - they're great for our guts. The sprouting process increases certain naturally-occurring active enzymes, which helps improve digestion. These enzymes also assist in assimilating vitamins and minerals into our systems.

Vitamins + Minerals Galore: Sprouts offer a dense nutrition boost without much bulk. According to Dr. Haas, "with sprouting, most of the B vitamins are greatly increased, some more than tenfold. Niacin and riboflavin are in particularly good amounts. The vitamin C level is greatly enhanced in sprouts compared with the dry seeds. Beta-carotene, the vitamin A precursor increases with sprouting, as do vitamins E and K, calcium, phosphorus and iron, though mineral content is not as greatly affected as that of the vitamins. "

How to Sprout At Home:

Soak: Select a seed, grain or bean to sprout. Place them in a glass jar and cover with cold water. Leave to soak for 24 hours (out of direct sunlight), rinsing once or twice between.

Rinse: Rinse and drain 2 or 3 times a day, everyday, until they sprout. Be sure to keep them out of direct sunlight.

Repeat: Once they have sprouted, move the jar to a place with more light. Continue rinsing and draining 2 to 3 times a day for the next few days. The sprouts are ready to eat when the tail is about the same length as the original seed, grain or bean.

*Note: Sprouting can be a delicate process. It's important to rinse, store and check your sprouts properly to avoid them spoiling! 

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