Farm To Front Door Gifts Your Foodie Friends Will Love

L.A.'s beloved farm-to-doorstep delivery service, Out of the Box Collective, is getting a jump start on holiday gifting. Their custom gift box delivery program makes artisan, local produce and goods easy to bundle and gift - and gives us a free pass from hectic holiday shopping. Get all the delicious details below, including how to customize and order your own batch of boxes...

What do you give the person who has absolutely everything they could ever want? A heart-warming experience and a lasting memory that empowers. Let us create a gift box full of farm-fresh ingredients and a recipe for an exquisite, perfectly balanced holiday feast around the table with beloved friends and family members. For California recipients, we can even include wine!

From award-winning olive oil and bio-dynamic persimmons, to organic chocolates and California caviar, Out of the Box Collective has sourced phenomenal foods over the course of five years from a collective of growers and makers who have helped OTB evolve into an award-winning, cultural experience – and LA’s hottest food delivery service. If you have someone special in mind, now is the time to share these prized products: Not only will your giftees be thrilled, but you can be happy that this holiday season you are also supporting producers who have the well-being of our planet as their first priority, and whose craft is second to none.

With our holiday gift box delivery program, we cater to different diets, and develop a personalized menu for your business or personal holiday gift list, beautifully packaged with a custom printed insert.If you really want to impress, we can even finish the gift off with a fabulous Birch & Bone holiday wreath! Choose your budget and we will work with you to create a mouth-watering box...

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Shut Down Stress with the Synergy of Crystals + Affirmations

We need to talk to ourselves more often. Affirmations can help us de-stress and stay grounded when everything else feels, well, less simple than that. Pick one that's meaningful to you and learn how to turn this mindful practice into a habit with a simple guide from pro-crystal healer, Heather Askinosie of Energy Muse...

Here at Energy Muse, we believe that self-affirmations and intentions can drastically improve the way we feel about ourselves and therefore change our thought patterns in the utmost loving way. Not only does this affect our relationship with ourselves, but also with others. After all, we are a mirror image of everyone in our life.

Using verbal words to affirm something to our inner self may seem like a simple concept, but to many it is an uncomfortable one. Too many times we put ourselves down and tear our inner self apart. We say and think things like, 'I’m not good enough,' or 'Who am I to deserve this?' We fuel the negative fire and energetically fill our bodies with toxins. This is why the creation of a self-affirmation ritual is so crucial - and when we add a crystal component to the mix, it brings a cosmic edge.

How do Affirmations Work?

If we need to say our affirmations 100 times before we feel anything, then we say it 100 times. Our mind is going to be saying something, so instead of listening to an endless recording of negative talk, turn the mental chatter off and change the recording to a positive one with lyrics such as, ‘I believe in myself,’ ‘I am calm’ or ‘I am peace.’ This way we are controlling our thoughts instead of the other way around.

Attitude is everything and it is up to us to decide how we react and what we do when we witness a day full of stress, fatigue and exhaustion. Do we have a bad attitude about it? Or do we command positive authority? In that moment, we can tap into the power of positive affirmations. Affirmations spoken out loud while holding crystals is a quick way to get ahead of any toxic energy and negative self talk.

Anxiety, stress and insecurities are issues of the mind and it is important that we do something mentally to conquer them. Look at affirmations as a way to hack into our mind to re-program our mental space with positive words and statements that will help change the way we view others, the world and ourselves.

Affirmations With Crystals

Quartz Crystals: Quartz crystals are amplifiers of energy and since positive words vibrate with a high frequency, this combination works very well together. The universe, cosmic energy and light source embrace a higher frequency and so when we state uplifting words, positive statements and affirmations, we are welcoming that higher frequency into our lives.

Hold your clear quartz in your hands and repeat an affirmation to yourself: I am capable of success. I believe in myself. I am strong.

Notice how it is difficult to stay stressed, agitated or anxious when you repeat your affirmation over and over. You might be thinking, how can repeating words over and over possibly help me? This concept goes back to an old adage, 'fake it til you make it.' If you continue to say positive words and affirmations to yourself (over and over), in time, they will no longer feel fake or artificial when you say them, but instead feel real and natural.The more you state affirmations out loud and start believing them to be true, the more you will feel as if you are moving forward, making progress and feeling better.

Blue Lace Agate: Blue lace agate is one of the best crystals for anxiety and stress relief. It radiates soothing, peaceful vibrations, helping us relax. When you feel a storm of angst rolling into your life, grab your blue lace agate crystals. Palm them with your hands and repeat the affirmation ‘I am peace,’ 11 to 21 times. This sequence will come to your rescue, clear your head and make you feel more relaxed.

Hematite: Hematite helps balance our higher chakras that are overactive, causing us to be spacey or unfocused, by bringing those stray energies downward, grounding us. Programming a hematite crystal with the affirmation ‘I am calm’ is an easy way to use this crystal as a touch stone. When you are feeling ‘all over the place’ and scatterbrained, pick up a hematite crystal in each hand and say 11 to 21 times, ‘I am calm.’ Feel the grounding energy of hematite in your hands. This will help you to get out of your head and back into the flow of your breath and into your body.

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So Good It’s Scary: Claire’s Roasted Pumpkin + Rosemary Hummus

We're really been powering down on our squash coverage lately. And we're not sorry.

Claire Thomas' pumpkin hummus is a guaranteed hit for girl gatherings (like most of her Kitchy Kitchen recipes). Serve it with crackers, crudite or atop eggplant toast for the ultimate fall veggie combo! 

I call it the three-to-one rule. Whenever I’m planning a dinner party, I only make one ala minute dish for every three make-ahead dishes. This way, I can get my cooking and cleaning out of the way well before I have to worry about guests arriving, and I can actually focus on being a host.

Hummus and crudité is one of those simple, perfect platters that everyone loves. It can get a little boring though, if it’s the same hummus-and-celery-stick situation everyone is expecting. So for this recipe, I decided to mix it up a little by adding roasted pumpkin and rosemary to the hummus. For serving, homemade crackers and radishes are my favorite. Enjoy!

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Deliciously Ella’s Quinoa + Cacao Crispy Treats

We're just five ingredients and a blink away from the dessert dupe of our childhood dreams. Chocolatey, gluten-free and completely addictive, these puffed quinoa crispy treats from our October Guest Editor, Deliciously Ella, are everything!

This Brit just seems to understand just what we want to eat, perfecting the healthy "girl food" genre to a tee! Grab her cookbook, try this recipe and please let us know how it turned out for you (or DM us when they're ready and we'll pop by...)

So these little treats are quite a revelation! They take 5 minutes to make and 10 minutes to set, so they’re the best easy dessert or snack to throw together when you’re pressed on time or seriously craving a sweet snack and need it pronto! Think of them as a healthy take on tradition rice crispy treats – although don’t worry they don’t taste healthy at all. They taste totally rich, chocolatey and indulgent. Rice crispy treats were my absolute favourite childhood dessert, so this recipe makes me especially happy!

There are so few ingredients in these too, which makes them so simple to make. You just need five ingredients: raw cacao, almond butter, coconut oil, maple syrup and puffed/popped quinoa. With the quinoa pops you can either buy popped quinoa - it’s pretty easy to find either in a health food shop or online (even amazon have it!) - or you can make it yourself!

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The Skinny on Good Fats: The Good, The Bad + The Worst

Did you get the memo? Not all fats are created equal. And knowing the difference between them can pay off big time.We narrowed in on three crucial aspects of this topic with one of our fave plant-based chefs and our girls at Darling Magazine who really get us when it comes to eating right. Read on for a break down of the good, the bad and the worst...

It’s getting increasingly complicated to know what’s up or down when it comes to nutrition. Chef to the stars, Mikaela Reuben, is stepping in and simplifying things for us on the topic of good fats.

Mikaela holds a BSc, is a certified raw food chef, holistic nutrition counselor CHHC, AADP, and was mentored by renowned celebrity Chef Wayne Forman for over 10 years. Working for the likes of Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson, Mikaela’s passion is to inspire people to make better health, lifestyle, and food decisions. Below she’s sharing the answers to some of her most frequently asked food questions, and we hope they help streamline and simplify some of the confusion that’s out there...

Q: What are considered “healthy fats” and “unhealthy fats”?

 

A: Healthy fats are classified as “unsaturated fats,” and more specifically they’re categorized into polyunsaturated and monounsaturated. Monounsaturated fats stay liquid at room temperature, so this would include: olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, as well avocado and various nut oils. Polyunsaturated fats are rich in both omega-3 and omega-6, which are classified as essential fats due the fact that our body cannot create them on its own, but we need them to survive. Salmon, mackerel, flaxseeds, walnuts, canola oil, sunflower/safflower oils are all types of polyunsaturated fats that help to stabilize inflammation, provide muscle movement and create cellular membranes, which support healthy nerve signaling and mental stamina.

Unhealthy fats are known as “trans fats.” These create inflammation in the body, which can lead to various illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and arthritis and they also work to increase bad LDL cholesterol, which causes plaque build up in the arteries, blocking the passage way for blood to flow optimally. Vegetable shortening, margarine, hydrogenated vegetable oils and high amounts of dairy and meat products are all sources of these fats. Ensure you read a product’s ingredients carefully, as most labeling will identify these fats as “partially hydrogenated oil.” Currently, there are no studies that state any benefits to trans fats and they are highly unrecommended for consumption.

Last but not least, “saturated fats.” These can include fatty meats, full-fat dairy products, butter, coconut oil, palm oil and many processed foods. If taken in high amounts, saturated fats can also contribute to a rise in LDL cholesterol, increasing the risk for heart disease and stroke. Coconut oil, however, is a special type of saturated fat in that it does raise LDL cholesterol levels, but at the same time it also works to raise levels of the good cholesterol, HDL. Coconut oil is therefore deemed a very good source of fat in lowering the risk of heart disease. There have been contrasting studies recently as to how much coconut oil to consume, but my recommendation would be to use it in moderation, as with most foods.

q:

Coconut oil is a saturated fat and we’ve heard that saturated fats are bad for us. Should we avoid it?

 

A: This is a question that comes up often. People are always concerned about coconut oil being a saturated fat, but it’s claimed to be one of the best things for us. So, whats to give? Although most of the concern lies around the fear of high cholesterol with saturated fats containing a large amount of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), coconut oil contains increasing amounts of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol), as well. HDL works powerfully to improve overall cholesterol levels in the body and massively reduces the risk of heart disease. This “magic” fat is primarily compromised of a very beneficial ingredient called lauric acid. In the body, lauric acid is converted into monolaurin, a component that withholds very effective anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. Lauric acid is claimed to be a miracle fat for the high amount of health-promoting properties it contains. Wildly enough, coconut oil contains the most lauric acid of any substance on earth!

Q: Why should we avoid fat-free foods?

 

A: Fat-free products have been on the market for years, claiming to help individuals loose weight fast and keep it off. This is an old myth that associates weight gain with the (unbelievably) beneficial and essential macronutrient “fat.” Still, even now a majority of people continue to believe this, purchasing fat-free products unaware of what companies are replacing the fat with, which in most cases is sugar.

Sugar is the culprit behind weight gain, whether it be through added sugars, complex carbs, natural sweeteners and even high sugar fruits. It’s all a conversation of moderation, where sugars alter our blood sugar levels creating an energetic boost when first consumed, then following with a crash. Once this crash happens, our bodies crave the high again, resulting in reaching for that afternoon baked good or sweet drink. Fat-free products react in the same way, because fat is blood-sugar stabilizing, essential for mental clarity, muscle movement, cellular growth and overall health. Sugar causes that blood-sugar fluctuation, causing our bodies to consume more sugary foods to keep our energy high and our sweet tooth satisfied. If weight loss is a main goal, then I would always recommend a diet full of healthy fats, ensuring moderation is in place and alternating the types of fats often.

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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20 Essential Herbs You Should Know According To An Herbalist

Island-born herbalist and author of Healing Tonics Adriana Ayales keeps her pantry stocked with "all kinds of weeds, roots and barks." What? We want that!

Our "bark" pantry extends little beyond a few cinnamon sticks, but we're studying up on Adriana's list of twenty essential healing herbs to start ourselves on the right track. We love the idea of incorporating more herbs and botanicals into our daily life. Read through this entire list, focus on a few herbs that appeal to you, and learn to make a tea, tonic or food that helps you benefit from them... 

It’s hard to condense a list of my favorite and essential herbs. Usually my kitchen is stocked with all kinds of weeds, roots and barks, having more than a hundred different kinds of beautiful botanicals. I recommend that people not get overwhelmed with overstocking the kitchen with too many unfamiliar herbs. It’s good to start off with a seasonal selection of essentials and slowly start building from there, familiarizing with different botanicals. When you go on a walk, be on the lookout for your favorite herbs—they are some of the healthiest and most vibrant forms of medicine readily available.

This list contains essential herbal staples I love that they grow all over the world. It covers the major and minor necessities we have on a regular and seasonal basis for optimum wellness...

20 Essential herbs you should know

These are the essential herbs and herbal tonics that I cannot live without. Within these 20 you'll find all the basic essentials you could possibly need within a home pharmacy - immunity booster, beauty, vitamin C, colds and flus, bones and muscle health, digestive health, weight loss and so on.

Graviola (Annona musicata):  Graviola is a rainforest essential known to be a potent antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiparasitic, antitumoral, anticancer powerhouse. Annonaceous acetogenins are only found in the Annonaceae family (to which graviola belongs). These chemicals in general have been documented with antitumorous, antiparasitic, insecticidal and antimicrobial activities. Many studies have recently determined that these acetogenins are superb inhibitors of enzyme processes that are found only in the membranes of cancerous tumor cells. This is why they are toxic to cancer cells but have no toxicity to healthy cells.

Moringa (Moringa oleifera): Moringa is a miracle tree known to contain a megaload of antioxidants, minerals, protein, essential fiber and cleansing properties. Also known for its power to supply sustainable energy, lower blood pressure and aid in adrenal support, moringa acts as a coagulant, attaching itself to harmful material and toxins within the body and flushing them quite rapidly.

Jergón Sacha (Dracontium loretense): Jergón sacha is a signature plant of the Amazon, containing some of the most potent antiviral chemistry found in nature. Indian tribes throughout the Amazon rainforest use the large tuber or rhizome of the jergón sacha plant as an antidote for the bite of snakes. It has also been used to treat bites from spiders, stingrays and other poisonous animals. It makes a potent antibacterial, antimicrobial and anticancer tonic, and supports healing from radiation as well as genital diseases.

Suma (Pfaffia paniculata): Suma is also referred to as “Brazilian ginseng” and is known as a master tonic and adaptogen found in the Amazon. The benefits of suma are astonishingly similar to those of regular ginsengs. It has been used for generations as a general cure-all, and has served as everything from an energy and vitality tonic to cellular oxygenator, appetite stimulant, anti-inflammatory and circulatory medicine, blood sugar balancer and, most popularly, an immune booster.

Chanca Piedra (Phyllantus niruri): Chanca piedra is referred to as the “stonebreaker” and is also known as the rainforest’s most potent liver and gall bladder detoxifer. It was named for its effective use by generations of Amazonian indigenous peoples in eliminating gallstones and kidney stones. It is a super tonic with long-documented use to support treatment of hepatitis, colds and flus, tuberculosis, liver diseases and disorders, anemia and liver cancer.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa): Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory and vitamin C tonic root. It is a great daily remedy to keep inflammation at bay by alkalizing and soothing the digestive system and the liver. This masterful tonic for joints, muscles, soft tissue, and skin generates strength and elasticity and is a fantastic anti-aging root.

Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum): Tulsi is Ayurveda’s holiest of herbs, an adaptogenic powerhouse known for its digestive healing abilities, cardiovascular protection and potent anti-inflammatory nature. It lowers cholesterol levels, prevents hypoglycemia, eases stress by calming the nervous system, prevents migraines and repairs skin damage (topically and internally). It is a great overall superherb.

Nettle (Urtica dioica): Nettle is an excellent daily remedy for overall longevity known for its anti-inflammatory, bone-building, blood-nourishing, testosterone-building, silica-gifting superherb qualities. The leaves and the seeds are also used in nerve repair and as a central nervous system regulator. The roots are usually used for testosterone- and prostate-building qualities, yet it’s also a great energizer that all can benefit from—not just men. It’s a wonderful tea to have and it can be combined with other tonics to enhance its qualities.

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum): Research on the chemistry and therapeutic benefits of mushrooms like reishi have been extensive for centuries. Reishi is an immune modulator capable of restoring the immune system and is often used for therapies before and after cancer. The polysaccharides present within the mushrooms are extraordinary cancer-fighting compounds. This amazing mushroom is known as a supreme lung and cardio tonic, supportive in lowering bad cholesterol and triglycerides.

Chaga (Inonotus obliquus): Chaga is the master tonic for the immune system. It supports the elimination of tumors, cancerous cells, autoimmune diseases and environmental traumas (such as radiation, pollution, heavy metals, etc.).

Pau D’Arco (Tabebuia impetiginosa): This sacred pau d’arco tree has been worshipped for hundreds of years, and its bark has been used as an antifungal and anti-inflammatory. It is used traditionally for blood sugar and blood pressure imbalances, ulcers, digestive imbalances, parasites, yeast infections, cancer, diabetes and allergies.

Sangre de Drago (Croton lechleri): Sangre de drago is claimed to be the best wound healer in nature. It is a tree known to bleed a miracle resin when you slice off some of the bark. This thick red resin is known to act as a potent internal and external bandage with intensive antibiotic support. Also known for its powerful antiseptic qualities, it has a potent antiviral and antimicrobial ability. Many have also used it as an anticancerous support as well as for healing from radiation.

Cat’s Claw (Unicaria tomentosa): Cat’s claw is known as the master immune booster of the Amazon. It is one of the oldest herbs with recorded history in the rainforest, noted for its immune-modulating power and anticancer, antirheumatic and anti-arthritic properties.

Ginseng (Panax ginseng): A superior tonic remedy, ginseng has been regarded for centuries as the king of medicinal herbs. In Chinese medicine, not only is it regarded an adaptogen and energizer, it’s also used to calm the spirit, eliminate anxious and stressed qi (energy), open the heart and strengthen the mind. Asian and American ginseng have both been used to strengthen the heart, spleen, lungs, liver and kidneys.

Spirulina (Anthrospira platensis): Known as the world’s highest source of complete protein (around 65% by weight), spirulina, or blue-green algae, provides a vast array of trace elements and macrominerals. Blue-green algae is a wild-grown superfood that also contains plenty of phytonutrients and enzymes.

Horsetail (Equisetum arvense): Horsetail is one of the most ancient plants in nature. Known for its excellent ability to heal bones, bone marrow and wounds in general, thanks to its high silica content, it contains high amounts of calcium as well as silica in minerals that specialize in repairing connective tissue, bone alignment and healing and skin repair. It is also used for the kidneys, eyes and hair and for immune regulation.

Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea): Rhodiola is a magical root known to strengthen the nervous system, fight depression, enhance immunity and memory, aid weight loss, increase sexual function and improve energy levels. It has been effectively used to prevent depression and to support post-traumatic stress disorder. It enhances the transport of serotonin precursors, tryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptophan into the brain.

Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana): Mangosteen is queen of the tropical fruits. Not only is it a delicious fruit, but the peel of the mangosteen is perhaps one of the most loaded vitamin-C sources ever known. It contains a huge amount of antioxidants known for their anti-aging and longevity attributes. It is also a master tonic for the endocrine and immune systems, is known to support healing of wounds and damaged nerves, and can assist in weight loss.

Gynostemma (Gynostemma pentaphyllum): Also known as jiaogulan, gynostemma is an adaptogen and antioxidant with chemical constituents similar to ginseng. The leaf is known for its ability to lower blood pressure, purify the blood, support the pancreas and release stress out of the body, and it can support weight loss by assisting in the metabolism of fats.

Schisandra Berries (Schisandra chinensis): Schisandra berries are one of the few botanical sources containing all five flavors: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and pungent. These superberries are known to be adaptogens, liver protectors, blood purifiers and nourishers and master tonic to the five organs. Among many more healing benefits, the master tonic made from these berries prevents fatigue and boosts the body with endurance and strength.

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Mini Pumpkin Carrot Tarts For Halloween Parties

We love a Good theme. Even when we're wrapped up in hardcore adulting, theme-heavy happenings like Halloween give us all the permission we need to get crafty, creative and feel social with purpose.

These mini pumpkin-carrot tarts come to us from Chef Jeffrey Nimer of Haute Chefs LA and you've got to taste them to believe. Simple recipes that taste this good are one of the reasons Jeffrey has so many A-list foodies as clients and why book him when we can.  Jeffrey and team shared these tarts as a perfect inclusion for Halloween spreads: They look the part in black and orange, but sneak in plenty of nutrition. They may not be mini kale smoothies, but, hey, it's Halloween and these babies might save some poor soul from one less mini Snickers bar. If you're really feeling advanced, try this gluten-free chickpea flour and olive oil option for the tart crust as well! [olists num=1] [olists num=2]

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Because Pumpkins. 11 Excuses To Hit The Farm Stand This Weekend

Can't stop, won't stop loving pumpkin everything. It might be a bit basic, but we're looking for every excuse we can muster up to hit the pumpkin patches and farmer's markets this season!

Don't know what to do with pumpkins and already have a stoop full of jack-o-lanterns? We pulled together eleven incredible pumpkin recipes so you can keep hoarding all the squash.

These fall darlings are full of vitamin A, carotenoids and bioflavonoids - all of which are known for their ability to boost immunity, promote healthy vision and gorgeous skin. Win! From fiber-rich breakfast ideas to serious smoothies, we're using pumpkins all the ways. No seed left behind...

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4 Indulgent Vegan Desserts That Surprised Us (In A Good Way)

Do brownies count as a balanced lunch if they're made out of black beans and full of fiber and protein? They did for us one afternoon last week after we admittedly destroyed a tub of this cookie dough as a team (hashtag morale-boosting exercises!)

Get a load of these four healthier versions of the most indulgent treats we can think of this time of year. While Pressed Juicery Freeze doesn't make a square meal Monday through Friday (we've tried), it does beat out regular visits to the fro yo spot or ice cream parlour by quite a bit. Think vegan ingredients, less sugar and not a mystery ingredient in the bunch...

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4 Essential Supplements You Should Consider Taking Daily

With so many options available, finding the perfect daily combo of supplements can feel like Rubick's Cube-ing - crazy-making for all but a few of us. While everyone's nutritional needs vary, these recommendation for essential supplements from our friends at Food Matters is totally TCM-approved. The brands are trust-worthy and clean and this will cover a lot of bases to get you started. If you're overwhelmed, this is a great place to start...

How we look and feel depends a lot on the nutrients that we eat, digest, and absorb. Whilst supplements are not a replacement for nutritious eating, taking the right combination can help to seal the nutritional gaps that are missing in your day to day life, supporting you to be as healthy as you can be.

Over the past 8 years, we’ve connected with everyone from GPs, nutritionists, naturopaths, osteopaths, and everything in between, sourcing you the best advice across the globe to support you on your journey. During this time, the following four supplements continued to come up in conversation. So if you’re looking to stay well, prevent disease, improve your energy, or simply put a little extra ‘zing’ back into your step, put a supplement plan in place today, starting with the doctor-approved daily essentials mapped out below...

A High Quality Multivitamin To Cover The Spectrum: When considering a supplement program, the first step is choosing a high quality, high dose multivitamin. It's important as it forms a solid foundation of high level health upon which you can build and tailor the rest of your supplements. A multivitamin helps to fill the gaps of vitamins and minerals that may be missing from what you eat, so that you've got your base nutrition covered each day. The multivitamin should include the recommended daily levels of iron, vitamin A, folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin D, chromium, magnesium, zinc, copper and selenium.

Our Top Picks: Premier Daily One by Premier Research Labs and Integrative Therapeutics Multi-Plex 1 with Iron

A Natural Vitamin C To Look Great, Boost Your Immunity And Prevent Chronic Disease:Vitamin C specialist Dr Ian Brighthope swears by vitamin C to help cure a whole manner of diseases, from flu to cancer. A powerful building block of the immune system, vitamin C has antiviral and antibacterial properties, and is also a dynamic antioxidant, helping to prevent the development of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease as well as support healthy skin and collagen production. It’s incredibly important to consume enough each day as your body doesn’t actually produce it!

Our Top Picks: Food Matters Superfood Vitamin C, Premier Research Labs Vitamin C, Garden of Life Vitamin Code Vitamin C and Nutrigold Vitamin C Gold

Essential Fatty Acids To Help Keep Your Brain Sharp And Your Body Nimble: Essential fatty acids are incredibly important to keep you, (and especially your brain, skin and joints) functioning at top performance. The three key fatty acids include ALA, EPA, and DHA. EPA and DHA come from fish and animal products. They are the most effectively absorbed and ready to support your bodies health, whereas ALA, mainly from plant foods, needs to be converted by the body into either EPA or DHA. All three forms can be taken orally via oils or capsules.

Essential fatty acids are necessary for: maintaining healthy hair and skin, elevating your mood, nourishing the brain, supporting a healthy pregnancy, increasing energy and helps to regulate blood sugar.

Our Top Picks: Premier Research Labs DHA, Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega, Garden of Life Oceans Beyond Omega-3, Nordic Naturals Prenatal DHA and Chia Co Chia Seed Oil (Vegan Option, rich in ALA but not EPA or DHA)

 A Multi-Strain Probiotic For Improved Digestion, Immunity And Mood:The word "probiotic" is a compound of two Greek words: "pro," to signify promotion of and "biotic," which means life. Their very definition is something that affirms life and health. Ultimately, how we look and feel depends a lot on the nutrients that we eat, digest, and absorb. Each of us has more than 1,000 different types of bacteria that live in our digestive tracts, helping us to break down food and absorb nutrients, improve our immunity, reduce risk of urinary tract infections, ward off colon cancer, and may even reduce our risk of common allergies!

But when we take antibiotics -- medicine that is designed to kill destructive, illness-causing bacteria -- the drugs can also kill the healthy intestinal flora, causing our health to suffer.A standard Western diet and poor lifestyle choices can also cause the ratio of healthy vs harmful bacteria to be thrown out of balance, resulting in a whole range of conditions.You can purchase probiotics in many forms, including powders, tablets and capsules.

Our Top Picks: Premier Labs Probiotic Complex, Dr Mercola Complete Probiotic, Garden of Life Primal Defense ULTRA and Garden of Life RAW Organic Probiotic for Kids

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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The Bold Lip: 6 Easy Steps To Rock The Look + Make It Last

IT’S NOT CALLED lip “don’t-stick” – but somehow we always struggle to make a brightly painted pout last. Celebrity makeup artist and travel beauty guru, Katey Denno, is showing us how to master a bold lip with staying power. We're so ready to rock a bold lip at holiday parties this season...

I love painting a bold lip color onto my client's pout before they hit the red carpet and I'm fortunate that so many of them embrace the look. Somehow it appears effortlessly sophisticated, whimsical, polished and daring, all in one! When I asked the beautiful Jane Levy if she'd given any thought to what makeup look she'd like for the day's event, I was so happy when she suggested we go for it, and told me to pick the color. What I put on her lips in these pictures is the mixture of two lipsticks: Revenge from Nudus and Electra from Kosas - both great non-toxic lipstick brands that know how to do satin-finish bold colors beautifully.

Keeping a dramatic, bold lip in place throughout the day/wedding/big date/night on the town isn't as daunting as you may think. Here's what you'll need:

Essential Supplies:

lip exfoliant. This is key, whether that's a product like Ilia's balmy nights, Jane Iredale's lip exfoliator or even Bite Beauty's whipped cherry lip scrub. I'm also a big fan of gentle daily exfoliation in the shower with a washcloth or piece of muslin. In a pinch, grab a makeup wipe and trace soft circles or long lines on your lips to get off excess skin cells that might still be hanging around. It looks so yuck-o to see little bits of dead skin caught within lipstick, and it's truly such a quick prep.

Lip Balm. The balm should be really hydrating, but not oily. I'm a huge fan of this one from RL Linden. I like to work a little into the lips and then have my client kiss the back of her hand a few times to remove 80% of it. Greasy lips won't hold onto lipstick.

lip color. I often mix two bold lip colors for a truly individual shade - ideally in a matte or satin formulation. The less emollient, the better it's going to adhere to your lips for the hours ahead.

lip liner. Make sure the liner's color corresponds with the lipstick shade. At this point there are very few lipliners in bold colors in the green beauty scene. If that's case for your fav lip color, I suggest using a sharply edged lip brush to make sure you've got a precise line.

HOW to get the Bold Lip Look:

Step one. If you're worried about bleeding around the lips, you have two options : Lay down a sheer layer of a less-emolient foundation or concealer on the lips and around the lips - blending and pressing it in with a beauty blender so the texture is undetectable; or trace the line of your lips using a wax pencil along the outer edge to prevent color from seeping into fine lines.

STEP Two. I always press a bit of concealer onto the lips, and then have my client press her lips into one thin sheet from a tissue. This removes the excess oil from the concealer, leaving behind only a bit of product to take down some of their natural lip color for an even application, and a bit of texture to which the lipstick will adhere.

STEP Three. When I want solid coverage (instead of a sheer, stain-like effect) I apply the first coat straight from the tube, avoiding lip edges if I don't think I can color within the lines.

STEP four. I have my client kiss that same single sheet of a tissue to once again remove any oils from the first coat, and then using a brush, I apply a second coat of lip color.

STEP five. I'll use the brush with the lightest amount of product to create a soft edge to the lipstick, or if I have a corresponding-colored lip liner, I'll make sure it's nice and sharp, and then lightly edge the lips. If I do accidentally paint outside of the lines, I'll use a bit of concealer on a tiny cotton swab, or a small concealer brush to whisk away the color, and then apply a bit more concealer to even out the skin.

STEP six. One final tip I learned from my grandmother, who wore a bold lip whenever she left the house: Take a cotton swab, make like you're blowing a kiss; insert the cotton swab into the center of your lips until the bulbous end touches your front teeth, and gently move it horizontally from one corner of your mouth to the other. It'll pick up that excess lip color that otherwise would've found its way to your teeth!

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The Nutritionist Approved Way To Make Perfect Meals Daily

We know we glow when we eat more greens and we can feel the sustained energy from getting enough clean protein each day, but it's easy to get a little lost when it comes to building the perfect plate. Holistic nutritionist Kelly LeVeque’s “Fab Four” formula makes it elementary-school-easy to build a perfectly healthy meal: aim to have protein, healthy fat, fiber and greens on every plate and thats it.

This simple structure removes the stress of guessing and Googling our way through meal planning, and encourages us to eat more of the foods we already love instead of telling us a million things to avoid. Learn more about Kelly’s concept below and grab a few of our favorite Fab Four food combos…

What's "The Fab Four" All About?

The Fab Four is a light structure for eating healthfully with balanced nutrition no matter your lifestyle. This formula squelches inflammation and provides the body with complete, essential nutrients. A Fab Four meal includes protein, fat, fiber and greens:

Protein to up collagen, muscle tone, and metabolism

Fat to benefit hormones, skin, and cellular health

Fiber for gut microbiome proliferation and detoxification

Greens (or veggies deep in color) to add inflammation fighting phytonutrients

How Does It Work?

One of the most liberating things about the Fab Four is that together they naturally balance your various hunger-related hormones. And not just for an hour. Eating the right mixture of clean, nutrient-dense protein, fat, fiber and greens provides balanced nutrition helps you eat to satiety. You’ll be satisfied, full and easily able to last four to six hours without crashing, craving or thinking about food. Below are a few examples of the key components in every Fab Four meal (keep in mind that some of these options offer combined benefits!):

for Protein: lentils, beans, chicken, turkey, grass-fed meats like beef, lamb, bison, omega-3 enriched eggs, whole forms of non-GMO fermented soy food, like tofu, tempeh and gluten-free miso (organic, when possible), wild or sustainably farmed low-mercury seafood...

for healthy Fat: avocado, coconut cream, coconut oil, olive oil, grass-fed ghee, bone broth, nut butters (without added sugar), almonds, macadamia, walnuts, pecans, brazil nuts, hemp seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds...

for Fiber: lentils, split peas, black beans, lima beans, berries, nuts, brown rice, barley, quinoa, flax seeds, chia seeds, artichokes, squash, pumpkin, brussels sprouts, broccoli, chickpeas...

for Greens:  lettuces, spinach, Swiss chard, kale, dandelion greens, watercress, collared greens, beet greens, arugula, broccoli, broccoli rabe, asparagus...

5 Simple Meal Ideas

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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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Chocolate Almond Butter Cups That Don’t Scare Us

Next time you're craving cheap Halloween candy, you should eat an apple slice sprinkled with cinnamon instead. Right? Okay, no.

If you're anything like us, that fruit bowl doesn't stand a fighting chance against our raging Halloween urges. We're incredibly grateful for what we call the 'whole food' movement in nutrition that focuses on making whole, nutrient-dense, fake-ingredient free versions of the junk we've come to love. This refined sugar free and nutrition-rich version of chocolate cups from integrative nutritionist Jennie Miremadi is just what we need this time of year.

While there are a million possible flavor variations to play with (did someone say tahini, coffee and cream?) the classic combo below is our all-time fave. We'll definitely be whipping up a massive batch of chocolate almond butter cups in honor of Halloween weekend, but the jury's still out on whether we'll be sharing or not. Maybe you should just go ahead and make your own...

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9 HUNGER HORMONES THAT ARE SABOTAGING YOUR WILLPOWER

Did you know you have hunger hormones? Our bodies naturally produce these nine hormones to aide in everything from nutrient storage to appetite control and an imbalance in them could be behind those bad eating habits or appetite gone rogue. 

Kelly LeVeque, one of L.A.'s most sought after holistic nutritionists, is blitzing us on the topic of hunger hormones below. Find out why she finds this science so compelling for anyone looking to get their health in peak condition...

Hunger is caused by a complicated chemistry of numerous hormones that have the ability to override our “willpower” and drive us to eat. Below is very condensed, high-level summary of a very complicated interplay of how the body strives to keep itself fed and balanced, whether it is given food or not. Normally, these hormones work harmoniously, balance each other and maintain blood-sugar balance, so we never feel too hungry and eat more than is necessary for proper functioning.

My nutrition clients learn how to eat complex meals to turn off hunger hormones instead of fighting not to eat. They learn to become aware of their hunger, stress and reward hormones and diligently shut them down with breakfast, lunch and dinner. Instead of snacking they naturally ditch the diet mentality and easily fast four to six hours between meals in a balanced blood-sugar state.

The Fab Four is a light structure I built to help my clients remember what nourishing foods they should eat to elongate their blood-sugar curve, support hormone production, microbiome proliferation and healthy body composition. One of the most empowering, liberating things about eating this way is that together these four elements naturally balance your various hunger-related hormones. And not just for an hour. Eating the right mixture of clean, nutrient-dense protein, fat, fiber and greens helps you eat to satiety. You’ll be satisfied, full and easily able to last four to six hours without crashing, craving or thinking about food.

In the list below, I’ve summarized how eating protein, fat, fiber and greens at every meal specifically helps to regulate your body’s hunger-related hormones.

Storage Hormone: Insulin

Role: Secreted by pancreas to allow your cells to take in glucose (blood sugar) for energy or storage. Prevents fat cells from being broken down.

When things go wrong: Hyperinsulinemia (chronically elevated insulin), insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, increased hunger and cravings.

What to do about it: Reduce carbohydrates to reduce chronic and excess insulin secretion. Reduce fructose known to increase insulin levels and linked to insulin resistance. Exercise to burn glycogen stores and increase insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscles.

How Fab4 supports: Protein: Eating protein rich meals is linked to weight loss and the reduction in insulin resistance. Fat: Omega 3 found in fish can help lower fasting insulin levels. Greens: Magnesium found in leafy greens can improve insulin sensitivity.

Satiety Hormone: Leptin

Role: Produced by fat cells, this hormone notifies the hypothalamus (brain) that there is enough fat in storage and prevents overeating.

When things go wrong: Leptin resistance: When impaired signaling doesn’t trigger the brain to calm hunger hormones. This malfunction is linked to obesity, chronically elevated insulin and hypothalamus inflammation.

What to do about it: Avoid inflammatory foods: seed oils. Calm insulin spikes. Sleep: Sleep deprivation is linked to drops in leptin levels. Exercise increases leptin sensitivity

How Fab4 supports: Focus on anti-inflammatory foods. Fat: Focus on omega-3 fatty acids.

Hunger” or “Gorilla” Hormone: Ghrelin

Role: Keeps you eating until physically full. Released when the stomach is empty and stops when the stomach is stretched. Ghrelin is highest before eating and lowest an hour after eating.

When things go wrong: Studies in obese patients show circulating ghrelin doesn’t decrease and for that reason the brain doesn’t receive the signal to stop eating.

What to do about it: Avoid white carbohydrates, sugar and especially sugary drinks that increase hunger without stretching the stomach lining.

How Fab4 supports: Protein: Eat protein at every meal, especially breakfast to promote satiety. Fiber: Eat foods that have mass to physically stretch the stomach lining.

Full Hormone: Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) 

Role: Produced and released when food enters the intestines to tell our brain we are full.

When things go wrong: Chronic inflammation reduces GLP-1 production, which negatively effects satiety signaling.

What to do about it: Avoid inflammatory foods. Take Probiotics.

How Fab4 supports: Protein: High protein meals increase GLP-1 production. Fat: Chronic inflammation is linked to reduction of GLP1, increasing anti-inflammatory omega 3 fats can help squelch inflammation. Fiber: A diet rich in prebiotic fiber and resistant starch increases the production of short-chain fatty acids, like butyrate in the gut that increase GLP1 production. Greens: Leafy green vegetables increase GLP-1 levels. Eat a diet of anti-inflammatory foods.

Satiety Hormone: Cholecystokinin (CCK)

Role: Produced by cells in the gastrointestinal tract and nervous system. CCK is released by duodenum and stimulates gallbladder contraction and pancreatic and gastric acid secretion; it slows gastric emptying and suppresses energy intake.

When things go wrong: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can cause an overproduction of CCK that leads to increased prolactin, ACTH and cortisol.

What to do about it: Remove any suspected food allergies and eat complete meals.

How Fab4 supports: Protein: Initial studies suggest the direct interaction of CCK and dietary protein contributes to satiety response. Fat: Fat triggers release of CCK. Fiber: Fiber can double CCK production.

Control Hormone: Peptide YY (PYY)

Role: Control hormone in the gastrointestinal tract that reduces appetite.

When things go wrong: Insulin resistance and chronically elevated blood sugar impairs production of PYY.

What to do about it: Balanced blood sugar increases PYY response and production.

How Fab4 supports: Protein: PYY concentrations increase after a protein based meal. Fiber: Fiber increases PYY production.

Stimulate Hormone: Neuropeptide Y (NYP)

Role: Hormone produced in the brain and nervous system that “stimulates” appetite for carbohydrates.

When things go wrong: Stress induces the production of NYP that leads to appetite stimulation and overeating. Fasting and food deprivation can stimulate this hormone.

What to do about it: Eat complete meals regularly. Intermittently fast with caution.

How Fab4 supports: Protein: Lack of protein increases the release of NYP.

Stress Hormone: Cortisol

Role: The “stress hormone” produced by the adrenals when the body senses stress.

When things go wrong: Chronically elevated levels of cortisol can lead to overeating and weight gain. High levels of cortisol are linked to belly fat in women.

What to do about it: Manage stress levels through meditation, movement and good sleep. Talk to loved ones and ask for help when needed.

How Fab4 supports: Eat three balanced meals daily of protein, fat, fiber and greens.

Reward Hormone: Dopamine

Role: Released when we eat food. This is the same hormone that is released with any other form of addiction like smoking.

When things go wrong: Eating processed food, carbohydrates and sugar causes a large surge in dopamine. Continuously eating these foods causes the brain to down regulate dopamine receptors in the brain. Thus we need to eat more and more to get the same fix.

What to do about it: Eat processed foods, carbohydrates and sugar sparingly to discourage addiction, cravings and overeating. Eat Fab Four and always start your day with Fab Four breakfast or protein-rich Be Well Smoothie.

How Fab4 supports: Protein: Stimulates dopamine and starts the day balanced instead of experiencing increasing cravings throughout the day. Food addict? Make that Be Well Smoothie Cocoa. Cocoa increases stimulation of dopamine, helping food addicts’ balance.

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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How Thrive Market Has Changed The Way We Shop

Is the wellness pantry the new shoe closet? Sometimes it feels like our addiction to adaptogens and coconut cream can spiral out of control just as fast as our fashion habits, but is health really meant to be such a luxury? Why hasn't anyone come along and made clean shopping more accessible?

Right.

A couple of years ago, Thrive Market launched and disrupted the entire wellness scene. With an online only, subscription-based delivery service Thrive offers the whole slew of wellness staples we normally see on health food shelves, but with prices up to fifty percent off. Yes, really. 

We don't talk about budget hacks often, but when we do you can count on us for really good advice. Thrive Market has become our go-to and is probably the ultimate save for those of you who cook at home often, are committed to clean eating - and especially for those of you cooking for a whole family.

Here are a couple of stand-out examples of products we buy all the time...
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If you're a health food store junkie, you'll realize how great these little price breaks are, never mind the luxury of to-your-door deliveries and less time in nutso parking lots. Find out how to try Thrive Market for free below (it involves free almond butter, so...) and explore their complete shop here. Are you already using Thrive? Let us know your thoughts on this marketplace below - we have a sneaking suspicion our community is already full of Thrive Market fans!

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This post is brought to you by Thrive Market, a membership community that uses the power of direct buying to deliver the world’s best healthy food and natural products to members at wholesale prices, and to sponsor free memberships for low-income American families.

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Blood + Honey: 3 Clean Cocktails For The Spooky Weekend

Mezcal has been clinking around in the cool kids' glasses over the past few years as the trending spirit has made its way up from Mexico (and specifically, parties in Tulum). The brand new GEM&BOLT brand is taking these cocktails in a direction we love by adding damiana to their bottles, an Aztec superfood known as a mood lifter, nerve relaxant and aphrodisiac. Um, perfect?

Mezcal is a great spirit for those of us looking to live clean. Did you know tequila, by law, only has to be 51% agave? If the bottle says 100% we're safe, but that means if it doesn't, the other half can be any type of grain or sugar-derived alcohol. Mezcal, on the other hand, must always be 100% agave and made through traditional, sustainable methods.

We're mixing up the clean cocktails below for a spooky weekend ahead. There's something for every palate from a blood red beet and honey tonic to a cold brew and cinnamon cocktail perfect for late fall entertaining. [olists num=1][olists num=2] [olists num=3]

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6 Versions of Eggplant Toast We Can’t Get Over

TOASTLESS TOAST strikes again. We're on a roll with all these alternative (bread-free) toast ideas and this gorgeous version from food stylist, Vibrant & Pure is now top of our list. In our partnership with Cameron Diaz's Our Body Book, we love discovering recipes like this one that are as clean as they are inventive...

It’s no secret that toast is quite possibly the trendiest thing in the food world right now, and I am certainly all for it. Lately, I have been seeing such creative twists on toast that involve replacing bread with less carb-heavy options. After being so inspired by sweet potato toast, I noticed an eggplant sitting around in my kitchen - and the rest is history!

If we’re being totally honest, this eggplant toast is really just roasted eggplant with toppings, but isn't it more fun to call it toast? Whatever name you give it, be sure to make it as soon as humanly possible because it does not disappoint. Get the recipe plus six of my fave topping combinations below...

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Deliciously Ella’s Sweet Potato With Turmeric + Coconut

After discovering that sweet potato toast was a thing, we thought we'd discovered the best use of the root veggie ever. Then we tried this epic recipe from our October Guest Editor, Deliciously Ella.

We're never surprised at Ella's healthy genius in the kitchen, but cashew sauce and roasted tomatoes on a sweet potato? Just stop. This little gem is from Ella's latest cookbook, Deliciously Ella Every Day and is basically the ideal dinner for weeknights now through the holidays for all the seasonal, immune-boosting, warming and absolutely delicious ingredients...

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New Science Is In On The Health Benefits Of Juicing

Juice cleansing is one of those healthy habits a wide range of wellness practioners promote, but that - as skeptics are well aware of - little scientific research has been done to prove results. After all, which big business is going to spend it's time and money funding the research behind dirt cheap kale and spinach? 

The exciting news is that Pressed Juicery has spend the last couple of years investing in scientific research on the benefits of juicing and the juice community world-wide (including us juice afficianados) is going to benefit! 

Some of the science is in, and we're impressed. The studies are showing the benefits of a three-day juice cleanse with especially good news for gut health - one of the most important topics trending in the wellness world right now. We called in two esteemed experts and members of Pressed Juicery’s Medical Board - Dr. Lawrence J. Cheskin and Dr. Malcolm Knight of Johns Hopkins Hospital - to talk us through the recent study on juicing and some of its surprising effects...

Gut health is a hot topic these days, as it should be: the relationship between our bellies, bodies and brains is a powerful one - and juicing is an easy way to keep things tidy and working well. But what do the terms ‘gut health’ or ‘microbiome’ actually mean, and why should they be important to you? Let's explore...

Did you know that over 95% of the DNA in your body is derived from bacteria? This is sometimes called the microbiome. It is therefore logical to assume that there is a link between general health status or well-being and microbiome. There is a delicate balance of bacteria in your bowel. While all have some benefit, Firmicutes bacteria are suspected to be involved in obesity and weight gain. On the other hand, some researchers have found that increased levels of Bacteroidetes are linked to a leaner body composition.

In 2014/15, researchers at the UCLA School of Medicine found that a three-day juice cleanse encourages a healthy balance of microflora in the belly. A three-day cleanse like this one has been shown by UCLA School of Medicine to significantly decrease Firmicutes and increase Bacteroidetes bacteria in your gut. You can see the results of the UCLA study here.

How Does Juicing Benefit Gut Health?

Improved Digestion: In a recent clinical trial, a three-day cleanse resulted in an increase in the gut bacteria Cyanobacteria and Bacteroidetes. Bacteroidetes, in particular, have been shown to play an important role in the gastrointestinal tract and the development of the immune system. Bacteria in this group have been linked with healthy metabolism and overall gut health.

Overall Well-Being: One consistent theme you'll find with people after a juice cleanse is that people just feel better and have an enhanced sense of well-being. A significant positive impact was noticed on overall well-being two weeks after the cleanse during the UCLA School of Medicine study. It’s not possible right now to define why this occurs, but we believe the effect is real, and intend to explore the underlying reasons.

Decreased Risk of Disease: Consumption of the vitamins and minerals found in fruits and veggies is associated with a decreased risk of heart disease and cancer. Supplementation with juicing is an easy and convenient way to absorb more of these benefits. Fruit and vegetable juices are rich sources of health-promoting compounds, such as vitamins, fiber and phenolic compounds. Phenolic compounds can act as antioxidants - molecules that inhibit the oxidation of other molecules which can produce free radicals, leading to chain reactions that may damage cells and accelerate aging. Juices that provide antioxidants such as polyphenols or ascorbic acid (vitamin C) help terminate these damaging chain reactions. The study by UCLA School of Medicine investigated the antioxidant activity and phenolic composition of Pressed Juicery juices and discovered that mixed fruit and vegetable juices together exhibit high antioxidant activity as the juices contained diverse phenolic compounds that can contribute to their health benefits after consumption.

General Weight Loss: The UCLA Medical School study discovered that a three-day cleanse resulted in up to four pounds weight loss. Even two weeks after the cleanse, about 50% of this weight loss was retained. This three-day cleanse human study showed a reduction in the ratio of Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes bacteria, which have been linked to obesity.

Better heart health: Efficient blood flow is one important aspect of a healthy body, and especially of a healthy heart. Blood flow is affected by nitric oxide (NO) levels in the blood stream. Certain compounds can relax or constrict blood vessels, especially close to or part of the heart, making blood flow improve or worsen. A UCLA Medical School study discovered that blood plasma NO levels were reduced after a three-day juice cleanse. This helps to relax the blood vessels, thus increasing blood flow and putting less stress on your heart.

REDUCED CELL DAMAGe:Free radicals are bad news in general health terms. They are unstable parts of molecules in our cells that make our other cells unstable. They can ‘steal’ electrons from the lipids in our cell linings, causing damage called ‘peroxidation.’ This can lead to cell damage and accelerated aging. UCLA Medical School found a significant decrease in lipid peroxidation after a three-day juice cleanse; this study is available for you to see on our site.

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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Check Out What A Clinical Nutritionist Keeps In Her Fridge

Want a glimpse inside the fridges (see Donna's) and pantries (like Crosby's) of health pros and foodies we love? There's no better way to get practical tips and tricks than by seeing what people are actually buying, using and stocking up on in mass!

McKel Hill's journey with nutrition began, fittingly, when she stripped out all the "healthy" processed and packaged foods from her diet and began eating more real whole foods. Her sense of well-being skyrocketed and her life took a steep turn toward helping others find the simple magic in eating the same way.

With her masters in Clinical Nutrition, holistic lifestyle blog with it's very own digital tribe and brand new cookbook, McKel is showing clients across the globe how to embrace a refreshingly balanced, real and whole way to live in health. We asked McKel to give us a glimpse inside her kitchen and she let us rifle through just about everything (mustard drawer included!)...

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Why Pressed Juicery’s New Hot Drinks Are Changing Everything

Hold on, everything about this coming winter has changed. Pressed Juicery just announced its launch of seven warm and healthy drinks at one exclusive NYC location in the Financial District (to start) and we're about to hop on the first plane to the Big Apple to get in on it.

We use Pressed Juicery's almond milk for lattes, smoothies and tonics almost everyday, so Pressed's progression into the latte zone makes perfect sense to us. We're also stoked on the idea of their classic spicy lemon water served as a hot, detoxifying tonic!

Here are the details on all seven of Pressed Juicery's hot drinks. Which would you try first? We're hoping these new hot drinks start popping up here in L.A. fast or we may have to consider relocating...

the Matcha latte | vanilla almond + antioxidant-rich matcha green tea - optional: espresso

Vanilla Almond Latté | almonds, dates, vanilla bean, sea salt + espresso

Maca Latté | vanilla almond + espresso + energizing maca root

Reishi Latté | vanilla almond + espresso + immunity-boosting reishi mushroom extract

Hot Immunity Tonic | apple, lemon, ginger, cayenne + immunity supplement

Hot Energy tonic | lemon, cayenne, filtered water + b-complex supplement

Head over to 100 Miaden Lane in NYC's Financial District to try Pressed Juicery's hot drinks!
Which have you tried? Which would you want to? Tell us what you think in comments below...

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Quick Gluten-Free Walnut Granola With Raw Honey

Gone in 60 Seconds. That's what happened when we whipped up holistic nutritionist Kristin Dahl's homemade granola recipe and brought it into the office. What was meant to be a quick food shoot, turned into a team blitz on the whole stash of grain-free goodness and the end of a giant tub of coconut yogurt.

Kristin's gluten-free granola recipe is shockingly simple, requiring nothing more than a handful of whole-food ingredients (that you probably already have) and a few minutes in a hot oven. The result is a low-sugar, gluten-free snack or breakfast accessory that beats out any store-bought version, especially on the nutrition front...

Granola is a fantastic source of protein, fiber and healthy fats. It’s also a healthy option if you’re craving something sweet or crunchy - the perfect compliment to homemade almond milk or to snack on while sipping your autumn latte. If you’ve never made granola before, trust me, these recipes are foolproof!The fun thing about homemade granola is that you can customize any recipe to your liking. You can add oats, a variety of nuts and seeds, and toss in dried fruit once it's cooked and cooled. Below are a couple of my favorite combinations, but play around and have fun with it! [olists num=1] [olists num=2]

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How To Make A Flower Crown + A Snapchat-Inspired Halloween Costume

We're calling it: the Snapchat filter-inspired costume is the new cat costume - easy, quick, unoriginal, but pretty.

The 'Pretty' filter also gives us an excuse to revive our love/hate relationship with flower crowns (and an ungodly amount of highlighter) and gives us a cute fall DIY to work on before the Halloween party blitz. This stunning fall project from our friends at Free People and Timberlost Designs shows us how to make a flower crown with the best of what is in bloom for fall...

How To Make A Flower Crown

Gather the Materials: Learning how to make a flower crown starts with gathering all the right tools. You will need: floral wire, clippers, ribbon (or twine), floral tape and flowers.

Pick the Flowers:When choosing what kind of flowers to use for your crown, ask yourself questions such as, what occasion is the crown for? What mood am I trying to achieve? Also, trust your instincts. If a certain bloom catches your eye, base the crown off of it. I decided to make this crown with
mostly poppies because of their bold, colorful vibrancy.

Pull It Together: There are so many different kinds of crowns. I decided to make one with the flowers only spanning the front and sides of my head. You can also choose to make one that wraps all the way around.

Step One - Start by measuring the ribbon around your head, leaving about 6 inches on either side. Next, cut a piece of floral wire that spans from temple to temple. Then, line up the ribbon and wire, securing one end by tying the wire around the ribbon. The end should match up with your temple.

Step Two - You are now ready to start adding flowers. Begin by cutting each piece of greenery or bloom, leaving about 3-4 inches of stem at the end. (You can always trim off the ends of the stems as you make your way around).

Step Three - Next, align the first flowers or greenery with the edge of the ribbon and wire. Using floral tape, securely wrap it around the stem, ribbon and wire. Also, start at the base of the stem and wrap downward to ensure they are secure. Keep adding blooms, overlapping them on to the previous one, making sure your floral tape keeps wrapping around the ribbon, wire and stems. Continue until you reach the other end of the wire.

Step Four - Once you reach the end, you can add blooms that face the opposite direction to cover any excess floral tape. Carefully do this by pointing them stems in the opposite direction, and wrapping the tape through any gaps, over and over until secure.

Show it off: Be proud of your creation and wear it all over town!

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$15 Sale is going on NOW! #bestswimwear #linkinbio...

$15 Sale is going on NOW! #bestswimwear #linkinbio http://ift.tt/2exYceD

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Would You Or Wouldn’t You: The $300 Superfood Latte

Okay, okay,  this little potion doesn't actually cost us a twenty spot a sip, but raise your hand if you've become well aware of the cost of all your wellness pantry staples? We feel ya, and when we added up the bill for all the adaptogens, potions and powders in this superfood latte recipe from our friends at New York's CAP Beauty, we had a moment of sticker shock at the $300 tab. Shocking at first, until you break it down to about three month's worth of glow-inducing, anti-inflammatory latte breaks at about the same price as our fave urban coffee bars. 

While stocking up for this goji latte from scratch calls for a bit of an investment at first, we're soothed by the thought of all those cups full of wellness we'll be drinking daily well into 2017. When it comes to beauty investments, we're happy to splurge on nutrition - even if it means reigning in our shoe budget for a month. Looking to save rather than spend? Get all our smoothie and healthy latte recipes here and focus in on just one power-packed ingredient that'll boost your health without breaking the bank - good cheap choices include fresh turmeric and DIY nut milk!  

Do you make lattes and potions like this at home? What are your go-to ingredients and tricks to make your wellness pantry work for you?

You all know by now that we love to uplevel and always take our rituals to a higher place. So when we decided to add in goji berries to our morning or afternoon tonic we were thrilled with how it turned out. The goji berries add a layer of dimension that suits the herbs perfectly. This immune boosting, inflammation reducing and beauty promoting elixir is perfect for the seasonal transition upon us. Enjoy and drink to your health!

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Winter Is Coming: Why The Tone It Up Girls Want You To Put On Pounds

The last thing we expected to learn at a fitness retreat was advice on how to put on weight, but that’s exactly what we took away from our weekend at the beach with the Tone It Up girls. Between workouts and a rosé-fueled brunch we’re still drooling over, Karena and Katrina fielded questions on everything from how to build muscle mass (check out those guns above!) to the right way to approach rest days, and we loved their responses.

There's nothing wrong with wanting to slim down, but we're excited that, more and more, the focus is shifting from skinny to strong! Women are asking about how to gain svelte muscle tone and build sexy curves rather than just how to drop pounds. Whatever your approach, love the skin your in. Check out our notes from Karena and Katrina on gaining weight and muscle in healthful balance...

Don't Roller Coaster. Lots of fitness professionals put on weight with a two stage approach - by bulking up for a period of time, then switching to a phase of dramatic fat loss. This "roller coater" strategy is effective, but can seriously mess with our metabolism and is generally unsustainable. While sweater weather is a tempting time to enter a bulking phase, it's significantly healthier to take a more dynamic approach by building muscle and burning fat simultaneously.

Sweat, Double Time. Aim to work out three times a week, and twice on the days you're committed to it: once in the morning and then again later. Use the morning session to focus on twenty minutes of high intensity interval training (HIIT) to torch fat and give a boost to your metabolism. Use the afternoon session for strength training with weights to build muscle mass.

Challenge Yourself. Gradually increase the amount of weight you use for strength training, but not so it kills you or so you start compromising breath or posture. Increase the weight to a point where just the end of a set feels like a struggle. You need to rip the muscles a little to make them grow, but only on a micro level - it should never cause pain.

Follow With Protein. Be sure to consume a clean, high-protein meal or smoothie within thirty minutes of a workout to help muscles recover, re-fuel and grow!

Rest Up. Put maximum effort into your workouts, but be sure to allow your body to recover after. Get plenty of sleep and take active steps to reduce daily stress by meditating, soaking in an essential oil bath or doing anything else that makes your body feel relaxed and your mind feel at-ease. You earned it!

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HEIRLOOM LA’S BAKED PUMPKIN PASTA WITH PEPITAS + MAPLE SYRUP

pumpkin Overload? Not even a little. From lattes to loaves, fall is the time to load up on these fiber and vitamin-rich veggies - and hyper-local foodies, Heirloom LA, are serving them up everywhere, including this pumpkin seed-dusted dish prepared for a recent music education fundraiser with the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

If you're looking for an excuse to hit the pumpkin patch this month, this whole wheat pumpkin pasta dish is it. Heirloom’s recipe can be made with pumpkins (obviously) or any other squash you stumble upon: acorn, butternut, kabocha and sweet dumpling all work perfectly!

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The Ultimate Kitchen Purge: 4 Steps to Detox Your Kitchen Fast

Next time that bag of chips grabs you by the willpower and gets itself devoured, ask yourself: does it need to be in the pantry to begin with? We think the easiest way to build healthy habits that last is to clear out the junky deliciousness that gets in the way of better decisions, and give ourselves easy access to real, nourishing food. We're starting fresh for fall with these thoughtful kitchen detox tips from our favorite functional medicine pro, Dr. Mark Hyman...

Your body is not the only thing that needs a good detox once in a while. When I mention detoxification, you probably think about something your body does to lose weight, support your liver and generally feel and look better. Strange as it sounds, your kitchen could also use a good detox!

If you make your kitchen a safe zone, with only foods that nourish rather than harm, you will automatically make the right choices. If you fill it with crap, you will eat crap, no matter how much willpower you have.

The first step to detoxify your kitchen, then, is not to load it with junk and clear out whatever junk currently is stocking your cupboards. If it’s not there you won’t eat it. It’s that simple I’ve created a four-step process to effectively detoxify your kitchen and restock it with healthy foods...

Step 1: Set aside an hour to purge your kitchen

Schedule it into your planner if you need to. This requires some detective work. Read food labels for added sugar and other junk ingredients that don’t belong in a healthy kitchen. Have a big garbage bag ready (better yet, recycle containers if you can) to dump the junk. It might take longer, depending on how much hidden junk and toxic ingredients lurk in your cupboard or fridge.

Step 2: Scrutinize labels

Ideally, you’ll replace anything that is questionable with real fresh or whole foods without labels. A fresh avocado or a kiwi doesn’t come with a nutrition label, bar code or ingredient list. If you decide to keep foods with labels, follow these rules:

Focus on the ingredient list. Not the “nutrition facts” that are mostly designed and developed under huge food industry lobby efforts to confuse and confound your efforts to eat healthy. Be conscious of ingredients that may not be on the list. Some ingredients may be exempt from labels. Get rid of these foods.

Be Able to Pronounce It. If you don’t recognize the ingredient, can’t pronounce it, it is in Latin or you don’t have it in your cupboard and you wouldn’t use it in a recipe – maltodextrin, for instance – then don’t use it.

Know What You're Eating. On every ingredient list, note that the most abundant ingredient is listed first. The others follow in descending order by weight.

Don't Rely on Buzz Words. Beware of foods with health claims on the label. These claims usually signal a marketing ploy to make you think they’re good for you when they’re really just healthy pretenders. Things like sports beverages, energy bars and even multigrain breads (which often contain high-fructose corn syrup) fall into this category.

Step 3: Ditch These Foods

Now that you know what to look for, I’ll walk you through the process of determining what can stay and what needs to take a permanent vacation on your kitchen detox. When you detoxify your body, you eliminate harmful toxins. Likewise, when you detoxify your kitchen you’ll want to get rid of any food that contains these harmful ingredients.

Sugar. You probably know obvious sugar culprits, but be aware of hidden sugars that lurk in salad dressings, processed foods, drinks and even “healthy” foods like cereals and wheat. Sugar goes by many aliases. Just as boys named Andrew often go by Andy or Drew, sugar might be called organic cane juice, honey, agave, cane syrup or molasses. There are 257 names for sugar, most made from corn, with names that you wouldn’t recognize like maltodextrin and xanthan gum, which make you fat and addicted. Look carefully at condiments like salad dressing, barbecue sauce or ketchup, which are often high-fructose corn syrup traps.

"Bad" fats. Don’t be afraid of fat. Fat doesn’t make you fat, but the wrong fats can wreak serious metabolic havoc. Toss out any highly refined cooking oils such as corn and soy, fried foods you may have stored in your freezer and margarine or shortening. These have dangerous trans fats that create inflammation and cause heart disease. Scour labels for the words “hydrogenated fat” (another phrase for trans fat), which has finally been declared unsafe for consumption by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Artificial sweeteners. Throw out food with artificial sweeteners of all kinds (aspartame, NutraSweet, Splenda, sucralose, and sugar alcohols — any word that ends with “ol,” like xylitol or sorbitol). Stevia may be better than aspartame but only whole-plant extract, not Pure Via and Truvia, which are chemical extracts of stevia. Use it sparingly. A new non-caloric sweetener that comes from monk fruit that is rich in antioxidants can also be used in small amounts. But remember, any sweetener can make you hungry, lower your metabolism, create gas, and store belly fat.

Anything with Questionable Ingredients. If you purchase something with a nutrition label, there should be less than five ingredients on it and all things that a third grader would understand like “tomatoes, water, salt.” As mentioned above, focus on the ingredient list, not the “nutrition facts.” Make sure you recognize the ingredients (and can pronounce them!). Seemingly safe foods like spices and seasonings can contain maltodextrin, autolyzed yeast extract and even high-fructose corn syrup that have no place in a healthy kitchen.

Step 4: Stock Up on These

Now that you’ve purged unhealthy foods, you want to replace kitchen cabinets and cupboards with fresh, healthy foods. These are the ones you’ll want to load your kitchen with:

Produce. Non-starchy veggies are freebies. Eat as many as you like! Limit fruits because they increase your insulin levels. Berries are your best bet. When possible, choose organic, seasonal and local produce. When you can, avoid the most pesticide contaminated fruits and vegetables by consulting the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” list and instead choose from the “Clean Fifteen” list featuring the least contaminated options. Just make sure you’re buying unseasoned or unsweetened varieties. Also check out your local farmers market or community supported agriculture (CSA).

Dry foods. These staple foods usually have a longer shelf life and include raw or lightly roasted nuts and seeds, legumes, quinoa and gluten-free grains.

Herbs, spices and seasonings. You’ll want to have a range of pantry ingredients, including seasonings and spices, on hand. Buy organic when you can. Because you only use a little of some of these, they tend to last a long time so you get a lot of value from them. Among my favorites include extra-virgin olive oil, extra-virgin coconut butter, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and seasonings and spices. Just read your labels to ensure they don’t contain hidden sugar, gluten, or other problem additives.

Fresh foods. Get in the habit of keeping your fridge and freezer stocked with these items. When selecting beef or meat, choose grass-fed, hormone-free or organic, whenever possible. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) mandates that all poultry is raised without hormones, so look for the terms “antibiotic free” or “organic” when buying poultry. Check out the Environmental Working Group’s “Meat Eater’s Guide” to choose meat that’s good for you and good for the planet.

Optimal protein. Boneless, skinless chicken and turkey breasts. ground chicken and turkey. lean cuts of beef, lamb and bison (buffalo) meat, omega-3 enriched eggs, whole forms of non-GMO soy food, like tofu, tempeh and gluten-free miso (organic, when possible), wild or sustainably farmed, low-mercury seafood like sardines, salmon, herring, flounder, clams, crab, oyster, perch, pollock, shrimp, sole, squid, trout, whitefish etc. (Avoid those fish that are high in mercury such as tuna, swordfish and Chilean sea bass. Refer to the National Resources Defense Council website to download their wallet guide to choosing the fish lowest in mercury.)

With these strategies, you’re ready to begin detoxifying your kitchen!

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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