Why You Shouldn’t Abandon Your Morning Routine

Has your healthy morning routine seen better days? Has juggling news headlines replaced journaling? Homeschooling, much? Find yourself having to meal plan for the day, perhaps for an entire family — and all before 8 am?

First of all, you're not alone. Secondly, loosening grip in all areas right now is totally okay. But keeping a few healthy morning routines in place is actually an unexpected health hack. Reinstating the rhythm of our beloved morning routines can help us stay calm in these uncertain times, which, in its own right, is a wellness must.

These healthy morning routine ideas come to us from top spa directors around the world and include some of the most tried and true practices we've loved for years...

10 Healthy Morning Routine Ideas To Balance Your Day

Start The Day With Sole | Director of spa at The West Hollywood EDITION, Carrie Sotebeer, starts every day with a glass of Himalayan sea salt sole. She adds a teaspoon of the salt to a full glass of water to “balance pH levels, intake essential minerals and increase the body’s alkalinity.”

Lean Into Meditation | Next, she takes at least ten minutes for herself  “to sit in quiet meditation, focus on breath, turn inward and start each day in gratitude.” Next, she'll typically practice yoga. Sotebeer has been teaching yoga and meditation for over 11 years.

Don't forget Dry Brushing | And last but not least: “Before getting into the shower,” Sotebeer says, “I dry brush my body — not only is this exfoliating, but it also increases circulation and stimulates our lymphatic system.” Talk about an at-home spa treatment!

Oil Pulling Is Worth It | Vince Smit, spa director of EDITION Hotel’s sunny Miami Beach location, starts every morning with oil pulling. (Here's how to master it.) It's a technique that gained popularity a few years back; oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic practice that involves swishing oil in your mouth to remove bacteria and promote oral hygiene. Smit suggests starting each day by taking one tablespoon of coconut oil and swooshing it around for at least five minutes -- he says he can do it for 20! “I carry on with my morning shower and prepare for the day as I’m swooshing.”

What’s the benefit? “The bacteria that accumulates in the mouth overnight are attracted to the fatty oils, and they leave the system when you spit it out. This also helps to clear mucus and congestion in the chest,” Smit says.

 

drink warm Lemon Water | Smit also swears by lemon water every morning. “Once finished oil pulling, I drink one large glass of fresh pressed lemon water. This makes the body alkaline for the day and gets the metabolism going while building immunity with the vitamin C. I don’t ingest anything for 10 minutes after to allow the lemon water to take its course through the body.”

Yoga or bust | Having a set morning routine helps Nikki Heyder, head of spa at Bali wellness resort, Desa Potato Head, set the tone of her day. When she wakes up, she moves to her yoga mat and takes five slow deep breaths in and out, followed by 10-minutes of breath-focused meditation, envisaging positive energy inflow and outflow form from her body. “If you struggle with meditating on your own, try downloading the Calm or Headspace apps -- both are fantastic for guided meditations,” Heyder recommends.

a Gratitude practice | Next, she sets a goal for the day and says five things she’s grateful for in her life. “Practicing gratitude has been proven to release dopamine,” says Heyder.

shoot those Ginger Shots | Zorka Jovovic, the partnering spa manager at The Bodrum EDITION, starts each day with a glass of water with squeezed lemon. She also takes a homemade ginger root-zest shot, for a quick immunity boost.

Hydrate With Infused Water | Zorka continues to stay hydrated throughout the day with her own “cucumber, lemon, rosemary and kumquat-infused water,” which is essential after she finishes her morning yoga. Jovovic recently joined a local online yoga class and feels especially “energized by the community bond.” (Here's an infused water recipe we love.)

Hydrating face Masks | “Keeping social distance and being at home most of our days tends to make the skin a bit drier than usual,” Jovovic says. She recommends the Aromatherapy Associates Hydrating Rose Face Mask to rescue your skin: “Without fail, the damask rose water infused gel masks will return vital hydration to my skin, flooding it with moisture and creating a dewy, fresh look.” (Check out these sheet masks for all skin types.)

What are the morning practices that are keeping you centered and grounded right now?
Please share in the comments below!

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Cooking At Home: 7 Ways To Use What You Have In Your Kitchen Right Now

Cooking at home is on everyone's mind. When it comes to whipping up healthy, resourceful meals, we’ve been relying on holistic health coach, Pamela Salzman's recipes and classes for years.

Pamela will be sharing more in our Together, But Apart Instagram series, but until then she's shared these tips with us on how to best utilize what's on hand to build inspired, healthy meals. Grab a pad and take notes. No trips to grocery store required.

How To Cook With What You Have On Hand

It's a stressful time for everyone right now, and many of us have the additional challenge of feeding the whole family (or even just ourselves) three meals a day and snacks every day -- all with limited access to food. I have chosen to stay home and not grocery shop, to adhere to the current recommendations for keeping everyone healthy. But, also, I truly do have enough food to get by. Do I have every ingredient for every recipe? Of course not. But with an open mind and a little creativity, I can still create healthful, balanced meals for my family.

Here are some tips that are helping me cook with what I have:

Know What's There | Take inventory of what you have. Familiarize yourself with everything in the fridge, freezer and pantry. Toss out anything spoiled or inedible.

Prioritize | Identify foods that need to be used quickly and work your first meals around those.

Meal Plan | Plan meals around what you actually have versus what you're in the mood for.

Be flexible | Just because you don't have an ingredient doesn't mean you can't make the recipe. The most forgiving recipes are soups, salads, stir-fries, fries, frittatas/omelets and pastas, to name a few. When making substitutions, just try to swap foods that have similar cook times, or you'll have to adjust the recipe slightly. Reach out to the recipe's author if you're not sure.

Do-It-Yourself | DIY meals are very easy. Consider "Bowl Night".  Make dinner bowls with roasted vegetables, a protein (cooked legumes or animal protein), a grain or cauliflower rice, and an easy sauce to pull it all together. Other DIY meals I have been enjoying are chopped salads, tacos, pizza (I use French bread, tortillas or naan as a base).

Don't Forget Spice | Look to your spice rack to add quick flavor boosts to protein, vegetables and soups or to change up the flavor profile in a recipe that you have made with success.

Keep it simple | Not every meal has to be perfect or the best thing you've ever eaten. You'd be surprised how delicious rice is cooked with water, salt, a little oil or butter and a crushed garlic clove. Fold in frozen peas and some sautéed vegetables, and you have a meal. Add some herbs if you have them or a dash of hot sauce or a fried egg.

Want more tips? Follow Pamela's live daily videos here!

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Win A Healthy Home Delivery of Green Juice, Wellness Shots, Almond Milks + More

Stocking up on healthy essentials can be a challenge right now, but supporting our systems with immunity-boosting nutrients has never been more important.

Pressed Juicery is providing more home shipments and deliveries than ever before as most of us stay at home to do our part. We're bringing Pressed Juicery to you by giving away an incredible delivery of fresh-pressed green juices, almond milks and wellness shots to three lucky readers...

+ Green juices to get your veggies in...
+ Almond and oat milk for coffee, oatmeal and baking...
+ Wellness shots to take daily to keep your immunity way up...

Enter for the chance to win!

Three lucky winners will receive $100 worth of Pressed Juicery's most popular juices, milks and wellness shots delivered or shipped right to their doorstep! Winners will announced April 6 via email to arrange your Pressed Juicery delivery or shipment.

We're in this together.

To enter, share your email below

This giveaway closes on April 6. Delivery or shipment is open to continental US residents and addresses only. Winners will be selected at random and have five days to reply by email before forfeiting their opportunity to win. By entering your email you are agreeing to receive really awesome content from TCM and more news from Pressed Juicery.

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Our “Apart, But Together” Series On Instagram Live Is All For You

We may be apart right now but in some ways, more together than ever. All this social distancing has inspired us to deepen our social connections. We are ramping up our Instagram Live content to create an even stronger sense of community and connection for you and with you. Enter our "Apart, But Together" series...

What You Can Expect In "Apart, But Together" Series

We have lined up an exciting roster of experts in the wellness and lifestyle space to provide you with support during this unprecedented and challenging time. Twice a week you can tune into TCM's Instagram live to listen to advice, tips and tricks from impassioned pros who have chosen our platform and this community to teach, heal and hold space for.

The Schedule (Bookmark It!)

Lindsey Valdez : Yoga instructor
5 Poses For Starting Your Day With Yoga In Bed
3.29.20 | 10:00 am

Meredith Baird Figone : Vegan chef and founder of Nucifera Body
Tips For Your Quarantine Kitchen
4.2.20 | 2:00 pm

Susy Markoe Schieffelin: Sound healer, reiki master (kundalini yoga)
Anxiety Relief Soundbath
4.6.20 | 4:00 pm

Kyle Miller: co-founder of Love Yoga
Whole Body Yoga Flow
4.8.20 | 4:00 pm

Pamela Salzman: Home chef + kitchen coach
Cooking from the Home Pantry
TBA

The Detox Market team
A Soothing Skincare Ritual
TBA

Coach Kollins, personal trainer
An At-Home Boxing Routine
TBA

How are you staying connected right now? Let us know in the comments below!

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Simplest Health Tip Ever: Drink Apple Cider Vinegar

We are well aware that, as a Chalkboard reader, making healthy choices are a vital part of your day. From down dogs and chia bowls to urban hikes and oil-pulling, you recognize the importance of the small things and how each little practice during the week adds up to a healthier you overall.

This is one of our favorite simple health tips to add to your arsenal, to further improve your kale-loving way of life: Start drinking apple cider vinegar. The practice of drinking apple cider vinegar is as old as guzzling down castor oil. It is a traditional home remedy that has stood not only the test of time, but also the scrutiny of scientists, proving to be an effective way to improve health in many ways. Benefits include weight loss, lower blood sugar levels and improvement in the symptoms of diabetes. The best part is that including as little as a couple tablespoons into your diet a day can help. Here's how...

The Nitty Gritty: Apple cider vinegar is a type of vinegar made from pulverized apples. Unpasteurized ACV contains "mother of vinegar," which has a strain-like appearance and can make the vinegar look slightly congealed. Apple cider vinegar is made through two fermentation processes. In the first stage of fermentation, the sugars are turned into alcohol. In the second fermentation process the alcohol is converted into vinegar by acetic acid-forming bacteria (acetobacter). This process results in a blend of acetic acid and malic acid. These acids are what gives vinegar its sour taste, as well as its name, "sour wine." The curative properties of apple cider vinegar are mostly due its naturally-occurring acids. Although counterintuitive, the acidic nature of vinegar has an alkalizing effect on the body once ingested. These acids also increase your body’s absorption of important minerals from the foods you eat, while also slowing down the absorption of sugars.

Digestive Relief: Clinical evidence has shown that apple cider vinegar can help improve digestion if taken before a meal. Being an alkalizing agent, it can ease symptoms of acid reflux and GERD, while also aiding in the breakdown of ingested foods.

Sore Throats and Upper Respiratory Infections: Believed to be anti-bacterial, the use of apple cider vinegar for sore throats and upper respiratory infections is promising. By gargling, many people find pain relief and an expedited recovery from illness.

Alkalize the Body (pH): Apple cider vinegar, along with a plant-based diet, can help alkalize the body. Alkaline tissue means that there is more oxygen in the body, which creates an environment that inhibits the growth of pathogens (fungus, bacteria, parasites). In addition, an alkaline pH helps reduce inflammation, improve bone health, may increase the growth hormone, and buffer toxins.

Improve Skin: The skin is a direct reflection of the health of the gut, so by improving digestion, apple cider vinegar can help the skin as well. Some benefits include relief from acne, eczema, psoriasis, rashes and rosacea.

Blood Sugar: Several studies have found that apple cider vinegar may help to lower blood sugar levels. In 2004, a study cited in the American Diabetes Foundation’s publication Diabetes Care found that taking vinegar before meals significantly increased insulin sensitivity and dramatically reduced the insulin and glucose spikes that occur after meals.

Weight Loss: Research has shown that drinking apple cider vinegar before eating promotes weight loss. In a study, participants took two tablespoons of vinegar prior to two meals a day. After a four-week period, participants lost an average of two pounds, and some lost up to four pounds!

Cardiovascular Health: Due to its acetic acid content, research has shown that apple cider vinegar can lower blood pressure. In another study done in 2006, vinegar directly helped to lower cholesterol in laboratory rats.

Cancer: A few scientific studies have indicated that vinegar may be able to kill or slow the growth of cancer cells. In particular, apple cider vinegar may be effective for esophageal cancer treatment.

Getting it Down: The easiest way to start on your apple cider vinegar regimen is by adding one tablespoon to your water or green juice before each meal. One of our favorite combinations is one tablespoon ACV mixed with Pressed Juicery's Citrus 1. Apple cider vinegar is also delicious when used in cooking, especially as a dressing like this Raw Creamy Miso Sauce, or in this Hawaiian Pineapple Tahini Salad.

Final Tip: Quality matters. Not all apple cider vinegar is going to help you reach your health goals, so make sure to buy the real deal - organic, unfiltered and unprocessed. And yes, it is the one that looks murky and brown with a floating kombucha-like glob at the bottom. This is the "mother," the live probiotic-filled portion of the vinegar that holds many of the healing properties. The presence of mother indicates the best quality raw vinegar. This is unlike most commercial vinegars, which are highly denatured through the use of extreme heat and chemical solvents - they are formulated rather than fermented.

ACV is a time-tested wellness staple we, and so many health pros we know, love. 
Learn why Katy Perry bought the best apple cider vinegar brand out there. 

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 programs.

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How To Do Nothing + Why You Should

Social media is abuzz with ideas about how to maximize this unique time at home. 'How to keep from getting bored! How to stay busy! How to be productive, accomplish and do do do!' While we appreciate the ideas and inspiration, is it possible that what some of us really need at this time is to let the calm and quiet sink in? 

We lit up when this poem by writer and trauma coach, Emma Zeck, appeared everywhere on Instagram last week. While we hope this solitude doesn't last for long and anguish with those who are deeply struggling at this time, we found this meditation on the value of resting -- of just being -- deeply moving.

With this open time
You do not have to write the next great best selling novel
You do not have to get in the best shape of your life
You do not have to start that podcast

What you can do instead is observe this pause as an opportunity
The same systems we see crumbling in society
Are being called to crumble in each of us individually
The systems that taught us we are machines
That live to produce & we are disposable if we are not doing so
The systems that taught us monetary gain takes priority over humanity
The systems that create our insecurities then capitalize off of them

What if we became curious with this free time, & had no agenda other than to experience being?
What if you created art for the sake of creating?
What if you allowed yourself to rest & cry & laugh & play & get curious about whatever arises in you?

What if our true purpose is in this space?

As if Mother Earth is saying: We can no longer carry on this way. The time is now -- I am reminding you who you are. Will you remember?

- Emma Zeck

How To Do Nothing

If this month's circumstances have you spending more time alone or in quiet, how can you embrace it? Here are a few ways to slow down. We've  included some easy, fun zero-pressure do nothing ideas to get your mind off our current situation. The best part – you don’t have to do any of them.

Book Club + Chill | Take a break from all the Netflixing and online workouts and exercise your page-turning finger. If you need a little book club inspo, we love what's happening over at Hello Sunshine. We featured Emma Roberts' round-up of classics that are a must for any femme-lit-nerd-wannabes (like us).  Read More

Yoga Nidra for the pause button | Karen Brody’s radical antidote to the buzzsaw of news, media and scroll-addiction is to integrate mind-altering yoga nidra naps into our lifestyles. You read that correctly. Naps. Turns out that naps are the most healing kind of do-nothings you can do right now.  Read More

Breathe, repeat | Have you noticed you've been holding your breath lately? Take a moment to learn to breathe — the right way, with breathe-pro, Ashley Neese. Best part, you're already a natural. read this + read more

Take it Out In The Kitchen | Feeling on the verge of a major rager meltdown right about now? Take Dana Velden's advice to get in the kitchen and “beat the hell out something delicious." No one gets hurt and it usually produces something seriously yummy. Read More

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Master Your Home, Space + Emotions During This Difficult Time

Cate Stillman, is an author, Ayurveda and innovative yoga teacher and host of the Yogahealer podcast. In her new book, MASTER OF YOU: Synchronize Your Body, Your Home, and Your Time with Your Ambition, she presents a fresh program for embracing and accelerating one's capabilities.

The best part, it's about finding one's superheroine self—all through the five fundamental elements of Ayurveda. Rather than quick fixes and life hacks, she offers element-by-element instruction on how to organize one’s home (space), optimize one’s Body Rhythms (earth), clarify one’s ambitions (fire), realign one’s relationship with time (air), and embody integrity and flow in one’s daily life (water.)

"We have a unique opportunity to align our spaces, our homes, to the future we want to experience next." - Cate Stillman

We’ve entered interesting times. We’re more at home, in our nests, in our core relationships that we have been in a while. Or have ever been. We each are remembering our own ethos. We have more time. And we’re wanting to shape-shift our spaces. The world is changing fast. And yet the rhythm of our daily lives is slower. More grounded. Connected to the earth’s rhythms and to each other. We have a unique opportunity to align our spaces, our homes, to the future we want to experience next. Consider re-creating your home, office, wardrobe, bathroom, kitchen, refrigerator, and storage with the Five Words Exercise.

How To Find Rhythm In
Your Home On The Daily

How do you feel in your space? Do you spend time looking for things? Do you wear most of the things in your closet or drawers -- or are they full of who knows what? Does your bathroom inspire your daily pampering? Does your fridge make it easy to select fresh vegetables? Does your office help you think clearly? Does your garage contain your favorite toys and tools, not a bunch of other stuff?

Here is a simple exercise to recalibrate your space:

Think Goals | Recall the particulars of your deeper dreams and the person that you want to become to achieve that. What does the home, the office, the fridge, and the bathroom of that person look like?

Ask The Questions | Ask yourself, your superheroine: What is the frequency or feeling that you want to create? How do you want your space to feel? How do you want your space to look? What do you want your space to do for you?

Choose Words | Choose five adjectives -- the five words -- that are the most vibrant and true. Words that course members have used include: vibrant, fun, playful, sweet, luscious, holistic, bright, purposeful, rooted, inspirational, empowering, joyful, gorgeous, modern and nurturing.

Embrace Your Space | Your five words should describe the qualities of the space in which you want to bathe your cells. Write all of the five words on multiple sticky notes. Put these notes where you’ll notice them -- your bathroom mirror, your laptop cover, your fridge.

That’s it. Now your superheroine knows the calibration you want. These five words will come in handy again, so be sure to find the right words before proceeding.

For example, as Cate, the Legendary Leader (which sounds oh-so-egoic, and yours should too!), my five specific qualities are: modern, useful, stylish, spacious, communal.

I, along with my family, have received, recorded and revisited these words when making all decisions about what stays or leaves our home as well as how our possessions are organized to guide our lived experience. If you, too, cohabitate, choose your five words both independently, for your private spaces, and with the other members of your home or office for your shared spaces. When you’re re-forming the unreal into the real, chaos into the known, your words shape what happens next.

Excerpted from the book Master of You: A Five-Point System to Synchronize Your Body, Your Home, and Your Time with Your Ambition © 2020 Cate Stillman, used with permission from the author and the publisher, Sounds True, Inc.

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Weekend DIY: How To Start A Bullet Journal + Use It To Stay Sane

Call it intuition but maybe now is the time to address that mountain range of post-its and to-do lists piled up on your desk and find a system to get (and stay) organized.

We've recently fallen in love with the hyper-tidy bullet journal trend of Pinterest fame thanks to our friends at Free People's Bldg 25, and are breaking it down into a simple step-by-step below! Whether you're a full-fledged organization nerd like we are, or in desperate need of an intervention by one, starting a bullet journal is your one-way ticket to well-planned paradise...

What Exactly Is A Bullet Journal?

An analog system, created by Ryder Carroll. According to him, “it’s meant to help you track the past, organize the present, and plan for the future.” It’s an organizational system inside of your notebook that is meant to help you keep track of anything written. If you are the type of person that writes everything down, including goals, or ideas that you want to explore, I suggest you give this a try. It will help you identify what is most important, and what can be sifted through. It’s different then buying a pre-made agenda, because of its flexibility to really make it your own, and stick to the organizational method of bullet journaling.

What Do I Need?

Grab a notebook and pen. Any will do. I suggest snagging a medium to small-sized notebook, so that it can travel with you throughout the day. This notebook will be your new BFF, holding your life in its pages. A ruler is also a great asset.

How does it work?

The bullet journal is broken down into 4 key concepts:

Index | This is the brain of your new journal. Each time you start a new page, you will number it, add a title and page number to your index. This makes it easy for you to find it later.

Collections | Each page that you create in your journal is given a topic. These topics are referred to as collections. A Collection is a grouping of related ideas. They could be in list, sketch, map, tracker, or even note form. There are three main collections that every bullet journal will have: The Future Log, Monthly Log and Daily Log.

Future Log | This is where you jot down what’s going on in the months ahead. Include any important dates.

Monthly Log | The monthly log looks deeper into the current month. I just started my journal in August. So after creating my future log, I won’t create another. But at the beginning of each month I will create a new page for that month’s log, and fill it with important events.

Daily Log | I used two pages, and spread the week out. The date at the top will be the topic, (that you will add to your Index, to make it easy to find). Throughout the course of the day, you will “rapid-log” tasks, events and notes.

Other Collections | The above collections are those that serve as the core of your journal, to keep you organized monthly and daily. Every single page counts as a collection. Collections can be goal plans, shopping lists, doodles, meeting notes... anything! Just write the topic at the top of the page, and add that topic and the page number into the index. Here’s a quick list of fun collections to start: 2016 goals, 2016 books to read/read, in-season produce, favorite quotes, dog names, address book, clean eating tracker, Netflix show schedule, flowers in bloom, workouts, favorite wine list, etc.

Rapid Logging | This form of logging is supposed to be quick and organized. A key will be made in the beginning of your journal, which you will refer to throughout. The dot represents any task that I write down. When I complete the task, I turn it into an X. My event bullet is an open circle. Events are date-specific. My note bullet is a dash, which is written before any note I want to remember. You will use rapid logging throughout the entire bullet journal, in the Future, Monthly and Daily Log, and any other collections.

Migration | At the end of the month, set aside time to review your journal. See any tasks, events or notes that weren’t completed? If they are worth pursuing, migrate them into next month. If they aren’t, cross them out and move on. Anything that is worth doing, but maybe later in life, should be added to your Future Log.

How Do I Get Started?

I know it all sounds like a lot, but once you get going, it’s a total breeze. I suggest making your key, setting aside 4 pages for your Index, create your Future Log, and a log for the current month. Start your Daily Log. Then, you can do just about anything you want! Each page will be in your Index and never forgotten. Once this journal is full, I will absolutely continue the process. It will allow me to archive my life and ideas. Storing them on my bookshelves will be wonderful, so I can peek back any time.

Head over to Pinterest and typing in "Bullet Journaling". You will get a massive response, full of colorful and cool ways to set up pages, and new list ideas. Mine is super clean, black and white, and to the point. But you can make yours as colorful and artistic as you’d like. Here is a video that is really great to watch from the Bullet Journal creator himself. It helped me when initially setting mine up.

Is journalling helping you right now? Have you ever heard of bullet journaling?
What are some collections (pages) you would add to yours? Let us know below!
For more fun projects and creative inspiration, check out Free People's blog, BLDG 25.

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The Online Doctor Will See You Now: Telemedicine 101

Online doctors and virtual visits can be convenient and powerful tools to connect patients and doctors — and right now, telemedicine could virtually save lives. As our medical system focuses all it's energy on fighting coronavirus, consulting with a doctor from home, whether to refill a prescription or to get other medical advice, can keep the burden on the overall system reduced and keep you from visiting a busy office or hospital.

Telemedicine has been slow to catch on with most of us, but we predict that that's about to change as our culture embraces more remote appointments and services than ever before.

As the need for telehealth ramps up, we connected with telemedicine digital service PlushCare, to unpack everything from what to expect on a call, when to schedule one and what a call can actually accomplish...

The Online Doctor Will See You Now: Telemedicine 101

An online doctor is exactly what it sounds like: a doctor that you can speak to via phone, computer or tablet. Online doctors are able to diagnose, treat and prescribe medication for a variety of conditions. They save time, stress and often cost the same amount as going to the doctor in-person. The goal of online doctors is to make medical care as easy and convenient as possible.

Some of the best online doctor's services even create fee structures for uninsured patients similar to the amount an insured patient might pay in co-pays. A big relief for those in need of that type of service.

Online doctors often practice medicine both in-person and online. They may have a “day job” working at a hospital or smaller practice and choose to spend their evenings or weekends practicing medicine from the comfort of their homes. Telemedicine is great because it gives both patients and physicians the flexibility and convenience of speaking to each other from wherever they may be.

What Is The Difference Between Online Doctors
And Urgent Care Physicians?

As necessary as they are, conventional urgent care centers come with a wide range of potential problems. One of the biggest issues involves sheer visit numbers. While the demand for good urgent care centers and walk-in clinics has remained high, the decline in resources and clinic staff have led to fewer urgent care centers in cities. This forces many potential patients to travel long distances just to see a doctor, presenting true accessibility problems for those who don’t have easy access to a car or public transportation.

Some in-person urgent care clinics are also not open seven days a week, which can make it difficult for some to even visit urgent care centers on their own schedules.

Ultimately, all of these factors — few clinics, long commutes, limited hours and days of operation—can lead to packed waiting rooms with long wait times. This is more than just an annoyance. The extra stress of being in a full room can negatively affect your health, flooding your body with stress hormones that can hamper your immune system.

Full waiting rooms can also cause healthcare-associated infections. Sitting in the confined space of a waiting room for potentially hours with other ill people can easily lead to you contracting an illness. For instance, you may be in the clinic to get treated for a urinary tract infection. You may be asked to wait with other patients, some of whom have a cold. While you may get your UTI taken care of, the cold virus may have worked its way into your system, and you may actually walk out sicker than when you walked in.

Consumers are turning to online doctors for this very reason. Online physicians make it quick, simple and convenient to get care and eliminate many of the downsides of going to urgent care. There are no waiting rooms (and thus, no unwanted illnesses), no commutes and no limitation on hours of operation.

When Should I Use An Online Doctor?

An online doctor can address a variety of different illnesses. They are often able to treat acute conditions like sinus infections or the flu, but they are also able to treat chronic illnesses like thyroid issues, diabetes, high blood pressure and more.

Some of the most common things that most online physicians treat are:

Sinus Infection
Bronchitis
Ear Infection
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
Allergies
Asthma
Flu

What Can An Online Doctor Prescribe?

Online doctors can usually write 90-day prescriptions for any medications you were previously prescribed. They can also provide a new prescription for any medications approved by the Drug Enforcement Administration. After your appointment, your doctor will send your prescription to the pharmacy immediately after the appointment is complete.

Most physicians can prescribe:

Antibiotics
Allergy medication
Birth control refills
Diabetes medication
Thyroid medication
Blood pressure medication
Antidepressant refills

What About Online Doctor Prescriptions?

Online doctor prescriptions follow the same process as in-person doctor prescriptions. Improper use of prescription drugs or an incorrect dosage can be dangerous. Thankfully, doctors, both on and offline, have to take a variety of precautions for proper usage to ensure the safety and wellbeing of patients.

With remote prescribing, most of the safety and precautions come from the actual examination, consultation, and diagnosis. To maintain safety, the doctor will:

• Determine all your current medical conditions, which includes any past drug history and current prescriptions and over-the-counter medications used
• Identify what’s causing your current condition through their examination of your health
• Make sure that your condition presents enough justification to actually prescribe medication
• Rule out the possibility of any contraindications, which refer to any situation where the medication may actually cause harm to the patient, either based on personal health or interactions with other medication

Online doctors are prohibited from prescribing controlled substances. Controlled substances are medications that are regulated by the government. Examples of controlled substances include narcotics, medical marijuana, stimulants and sedatives.

How The Online Doctor Appointment Process Works

While specifics vary from doctor to doctor, most online doctor visits follow the same basic process:

Make an appointment | It starts with making an appointment, which can include registering or making an account.

one-on-one video chat or call | From there, your doctor contacts you for a one-on-one video chat or phone call. Video chat appointments not only help to make you more comfortable but also give your online doctor a more accurate understanding of your symptoms.

During your visit, you can talk to your doctor about what’s bothering you, ask any questions you might have, and essentially treat the experience as you would any other doctor’s visit. While some online doctor services have timed visits, most consultations should take about 10 to 15 minutes.

treatment + prescription | At the end of this consultation, your online doctor will diagnose your condition and provide you with a personalized treatment plan, which may include any necessary prescription medications. If you do require a prescription, your online doctor will send it electronically to a pharmacy of your choosing, where you can pick it up at your convenience.

What If I Need Lab Work Done?

Usually online doctors are able to order any lab work that they think you might need. If they deem lab work necessary they will order the appropriate tests and provide you with instructions on how to get tested. If you know the blood work you’d like to have done, sometimes you can order your labs without speaking to a doctor first. You'll be able to get a variety of lab tests, including a STD screening, Basic Metabolic Panel, Women’s Health Panel, and Men’s Health Panel.

What Online Doctors Cannot Treat

Online doctors are not an appropriate care choice for serious conditions that require immediate attention. If you experience any life-threatening issues, call 911 or go to an emergency room immediately.

Other limitations to online doctor care include:

Substance abuse
Suicidal ideation
Mental and emotional health evaluation
Hair loss
Controlled substance prescriptions

Talking To Your Online Doctor

Once an appointed is made, there are usually two options. The first is a video chat, which helps you better connect with your physician. Video chats also give your physician a better look at any visual symptoms you may be exhibiting, allowing them to make a more thorough diagnosis. It’s important to note that many states, like California, Texas, Florida and Georgia to name a few, require video appointments by law.

In other states, there may be the option of a phone visit, in which a phone call serves as your actual "visit". During this time you can speak to your doctor about what is bothering you and ask any questions you may have.

Have you used an online doctor or do you plan to? What was your experience?
We would love to hear from you! Please let us know in the comments below.

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13 Smart Ways To Keep Fresh Produce On Hand Right Now

While most of us are doing our best to stock up on shelf-stable essentials like rice and beans lately, we're also trying to figure out how we can keep a steady stream of fresh produce, cold-pressed juices and wellness shots on hand as well.

Many restaurants and farmers are answering the call for that need this spring and we're sharing a few of our top resources. Here's how we're reducing our time out shopping, planning home deliveries and keeping our leafy green and immune-supportive veggies on hand the best we can.

13 Ways To Keep Fresh Produce On Hand Right Now

freeze fresh Foods | If you have fresh foods at home now and are afraid some will go bad before you have the chance to use, here's our list of 16 foods you can freeze and use later (superfoods included).

order green juice deliveries | With so many of our beloved restaurants and shops closing right now, we're thrilled that Pressed Juicery is still shipping, delivering, and offering curbside pickup. Pressed Juicery's green juices, almond and oat milks and wide-range of wellness shots are healthy beverages we drink daily under normal circumstances.

Their delivery menus reads like our entire wellness toolkit in one fell swoop -- from celery juice bundles to turmeric goodies and the immunity shots we pound all day. Available juice bundles are perfect to keep us from snacking on junk all day at home, while flooding our systems with vitamins and minerals. A win-win and then some. While you are at it, stocking up on almond and oat milk for morning coffee, recipes and everything else... learn more

buy Farmer's market Deliveries | Our local farmers and small restaurants who are delivering could use the support more than ever. Seek out small farmers and food businesses from your local markets and check-in to see if they are delivering. Many are!

Nationwide favorites:
+ Imperfect Foods
+ Farm Fresh To You
+ Local Food Directories for CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)

Here in Los Angeles:
+ Heirloom LA  is selling beyond organic produce boxes, as well as offering home delivery of their incredible, fresh-made meals.
+ Gjusta Bakery is selling curated boxes via doordash and ubereats, as well as offering curbside pick-up. Produce boxes are available, as well as some of their best loved menu items and wines.
+  Neighborhood: Gerri Hirsh's local cafe is offering produce and market pop-ups and pick-ups in partnership with Country Line Harvest
+ Tender Greens is offering farm boxes and pantry boxes for delivery alongside their current menu.

Stock Up On Green Powders | Shelf-stable? Check. Full of nutrients? Check. And when you need a pick-me-up powder, this is for you. Green powders are a great way to supplement your diet right now without worrying about keeping a fresh supply of greens on hand daily. Protein powders can be incredibly useful to keep on hand too to fill nutritional gaps. Here are our favorite options.

neighborly sharing | Check sites like Nextdoor where neighbors are offering fruit tree swaps by leaving lemons, oranges and other fruits out of their front yards to take freely.

How are you keeping fresh fruits and veggies on hand during this time?
Tell us in the comments.

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Acupressure, Cinnamon + Steam: Our 9 Favorite Homemade DIY Facials

There's something uniquely luxurious about slathering on a skin treatment you know is pure because you mixed it up yourself. We've gathered nine homemade DIY facials that are giving us major self-care feels right now. Play around and explore them all — you've got the time — for the nurturing and healing your skin is craving right now.

From a rose and witch hazel toner to some major Manuka action, this list of beautifying DIYs makes it easy to master the homemade facial. Hit up your kitchen for ingredients, click through the links below and get glowing...

Raid Your Pantry | Chances are you have a treasure trove of clean beauty products in your kitchen already. Brown sugar for gentle exfoliation, olive oil to soothe tired eyes, and even probiotic capsules for a potent anti-aging mask. Discover ten genius ways to work with ingredients you already have with these tips from Sonya Dakar and a few ingredients to leave behind here.

3-step Floral Facial | This is one of our favorite homemade facial routines. A fragrant DIY dried floral steam is followed by a honey cleanse and then a simple, edible face mask made of oats, honey and cinnamon. The result? Peace of mind and a perfect glow. read more

Lemon-Honey Peel | You may have tried glycolic acid treatments at the spa, but did you these peels are made with ingredients you can find in your very own kitchen? Pour a pitcher of lemon water, put on something more comfortable, and try this brightening, rejuvenating at-home facial. read more

Flex Your Face | There's magic in movement. Practices like facial acupressure or this face yoga routine help soften fine lines, reduce inflammation, break up stagnation, and keep your facial muscles toned. Try it when you're washing your face, applying a mask or working in your fave serum. read more

Mix + Match Masks | No two faces are the same, so no two homemade facials should be either. By learning about which superfood ingredients are beneficial for tour skin type, and which should stay in the fridge, you can easily hit the kitchen and concoct a personalized mask on a whim. read more

Aloe + Rose Toner Wipes | Invest a few minutes making this ultra-simple beauty DIY and instantly upgrade every homemade facial experience. Swipe one of the hydrating, clarifying toner-soaked pads across your skin after cleansing for an extra layer of nourishment. Pro tip: they're perfect to take to the gym! read more

Turmeric to Get Your Glow | This turmeric glow mask is made with the inflammation-slaying superfood, plus tocos, pearl powder and raw honey. It's gentle but powerfully enriching, and only a cup of almond milk away from being the best smoothie ever. read more

Are you in DIY self-care mode too?
If so, what's your ultimate homemade facial routine? Share below!

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Jen Gotch Is The Mental Health Advocate We Need Now

Jen Gotch is the co-founder, and COO of Ban.do, a multi-million dollar lifestyle brand that sells joyful and fun accessories. Every single thing that Ban.do makes will no doubt brighten up your day, but Gotch has been wildly candid about her struggles with depression and bipolar disorder. Through her honesty and over-the-top sense of humor, Jen has stumbled her way into becoming one of the most meaningful mental health voices of our generation.

Now she has pulled back the curtain even further with her new book The Upside of Being Down: How Mental Health Struggles Led to My Greatest Successes in Work and Life.  Jen's mission to spread self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and mental health inclusivity is more vital than ever. We also can't get enough of her trash dances, adorable side-kick dad and sex hair tutorials. In these highly anxious times, Jen is just the elixir we need...

You might know me from: ban.do, Instagram, my new book, or you were behind me in line at Trader Joe’s and you said “hi!” and I told you my life story.

My exciting new venture is... My first book, The Upside of Being Down.

What I’ve learned about myself: That I am committed to my own personal growth.

I never expected the greatest lesson would be: The results of the greatest failures.

What wellness means to me now:  Taking good care of myself, my mind, my body, my career, my environment so that I’m caring for my full self and no single aspect of my life dominates the others. Also, giving myself permission to ask what I really need in each moment and then working to achieve that.

The most surprising thing I’ve learned about business:  It’s just as hard as everyone says it is.

What I know Now about people that I didn’t know then: When someone says something hurtful to you, it’s because they are in pain.

I never imagined self-care would mean: Reiki healing.

The best advice I can give entrepreneurs: Building a business is hard, so if you’re going to try, it really has to be your sole purpose. It doesn’t have to stay that way forever—in fact it shouldn’t—but in the early days it will require all of your attention in order to thrive.

My best advice for anyone struggling with mental health issues: You are not alone! Mental health issues can feel very singular and isolating, but there are so many that are also struggling (or know and love someone who is struggling). I found that learning about my illness and working to gain self-awareness and emotional intelligence helped me to not only ask for help, but to know what to do with it when I received it.

The best advice I would give young Jen is... Sunscreen!

My latest obsessions: My electric toothbrush, matcha with coconut milk and the White Stripes. It’s a strange time for me.

Best three books on the topic of mental health: These are maybe not traditional mental health books, but all have helped my mental state tremendously:

The Untethered Soul by Michael A Singer
Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel S.F. Heller
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

My current mantra: Be a bright light. It helps me to remember that what I want to be doing right now especially is to be a source of light for those who need it, and helps me get out of my own brain and the noise it makes.

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How Not To Go Stir Crazy While Social Distancing

Cabin fever much? We're with you! With more of us than ever before working, living and educating at home, we thought we'd provide you with a few clever ideas to keep fun and simple activities sprinkled in to your time in. Social distancing is one of the most important things we can do for our communities now -- staying calm and content while we do so is something we're all working on. We're in this together!

After all, there is only so much Netflix-and-chilling we can enjoy while socially distancing. Rifle through this round-up of engaging activities and find an interesting project or two you can enjoy...

11 Fun + Useful Projects To Try While Social Distancing

make Quick Pickles | Learn to make quick pickles — not only are pickled veggies incredible for your immunity and gut health, but you'll also have pickling skills under your belt and a full stash of pickled treats, come summer. Read more

craft + cleanse | Three cleansing purification rituals from crystal pro's Energy Muse to keep your space spiritually clear. We could all need some spirit cleansing right now. Read more

brush up on Communication | Tight quarters your partner, kids or roommate? If ever there was a time to up your communication mastery game, it is now. Print this and stay sane. Good luck. Read more

Comfort food is the new black | Bake someone happy. Chocolate plus banana bread equals banana bread brownies. You will want to make these again and again. We can drop the mic right there. Read More

Watch All The Beauty Tutorials | Get your skincare routine on point. Watch Skinfluencer Honey And Silk's 8-Step Natural Skincare Routine. Read More

Make Homemade Bread | Finally, let's get those sourdough skills going. Why not book a virtual bread making class with our resident sourdough guru, or brave the delicious beast yourself with this step by step. Read more

Netflix this: Toxic Beauty | Cozy up and watch something educational. This doc will leave you and your roommate or family with plenty to talk about afterward.   Read more

Clean your beauty routine | After watching Toxic Beauty, you'll be desperate to create a clean capsule beauty collection. We've got eco-lifestyle expert, Ashlee Piper, mapping out how to build one tailored for your needs. Read More

Dive into a juicy book | Or a book on juicing. Now is your chance to master mad knowledge about superfoods, macrobiotics or how to vibrate higher daily! Read More

Do A Sustainable Pantry Makeover | Ready to dump the gunk? If you've been waiting for a beat to hunker down and get rid of anything outdated, toxic and unsustainable in your pantry, now's a good time. Take a little inspo from our friends at The Home Edit to get your juices flowing wit 5 pieces to get your sustainable org on. Read more

Learn to cook | Take advantage of life's slower pace and learn to make a simple, but healthful broth or another basic recipe for the first time. Maybe you'll reduce those delivery app bills after all. READ MORE

We're all this together! What are you doing with your extra time at home lately?

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How To Make Your Own Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner

Spring cleaning takes on a whole new meaning this season. Many of us are getting into a new level of deep cleaning. Now is the perfect time to whip up this homemade all-purpose cleaner with things found in the pantry or fridge.

The ladies behind CAP Beauty know a thing or two about lightening our daily toxic load. "Like with our beauty products, we don’t focus on the danger of the ingredients in conventional products, but on the power of plants, minerals and Mother Nature."

Here are simple recipes for two types of cleaners below.

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Face Mapping: What Do Your Breakouts Actually Mean?

Our Skin tells a story about what's going on beneath it. If your skin is more ghost story than a fairy tale, don't panic. Those breakouts might be offering valuable information about your health. We're revisiting the ancient art of face mapping with this piece from Food Matters, and organic skincare pro, Annmarie Gianni on learning how to solve our skin woes from the inside out...

Argh, those nasty breakouts. You scrub and you wash and you tone and you moisturize, and still they show up just when you least need them, like right before a big interview, presentation, or meeting with your new in-laws.

You know how to grin and bear it. You probably know how to cover it up. You may even know what you need to do to get your skin back on the healthy track. If you want to say goodbye to your acne for good, however, the next time it shows up, you may want to perk your ears a bit. After all, we’ve heard that if you listen, your breakouts will tell you what you need to know to stop them from coming back.

First, Where Is Your Breakout?

Look carefully at where you’re breaking out. There is a theory called “face mapping” that suggests the location of your acne could present clues about what’s causing it. Traditional Chinese medicine, for example, maintains that a weakness or toxicity in a certain organ or gland in the body can result in acne showing up in certain areas of the skin. You can use this theory to do some detective work on your breakouts.

Forehead: Pimples here are usually linked to the digestive system, and may indicate that you’re having a hard time breaking down certain foods. It may also indicate liver problems (too many toxins), stress, or an irregular sleep schedule. Try using digestive enzymes like bromelain and papaya before each meal to help break down foods, and make sure you’re getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night. If you suspect liver/toxin issues, try some dandelion tea or some extra garlic and onions. Drinking hot water with lemon in the morning may also help.

Between the brows: Did you have to break down and get fast food yesterday? Greasy, fatty foods may be connected to acne here. Stick with healthy choices as much as you can! Another possible cause—too much alcohol. If you find pimples here after a night out where you consumed a few drinks, that could be your issue.

Cheeks: If you spent time in the city, had to sit in traffic for hours, or otherwise came into contact with polluted air, that may explain pimples showing up here. Allergies that affect the respiratory system may also be to blame, or if you pressed your cell phone against your skin while talking, germs may have been transferred to your face. Always wash skin thoroughly before bed to try to get rid of trace contaminants, and shield your skin with natural antioxidants like those in all of Annmarie Gianni’s Skin Care products. Sometimes, acne here can be a symptom of too much sugar in your diet—cut back for a few days and see if that helps.

Chin: Did these show up around that time of the month? Chin pimples often come around because of changes in your hormones. In the days before your period, try to pay extra attention to your skincare. Also be sure you’re not resting your chin in your hands when bored or tired, as this can transfer oils from your fingers onto your chin, which can cause pimples.

When Did It Show Up?

Tracking just when your breakouts show up can also help you determine what may be causing them. Here are some tips to help:

First thing in the morning: If you’re finding pimples in the morning that weren’t there the night before, there could be a couple of things at work. First, you may have forgotten to wash your face before bed (always a must!). Second, you may have eaten something for dinner or dessert that didn’t digest well, causing changes in your skin. Eating too close to bedtime may also encourage the formation of pimples.

Afternoon: This may be caused by hormones, if you’re getting close to your menstrual period, or it could be that your makeup or moisturizer is to blame. If you start out with a fresh face and then by afternoon see pimples and blackheads showing up, check the ingredients in your makeup and moisturizing products. Things like mineral oil, propylene glycol, dimethicone, and others can actually create a barrier on skin that traps bacteria underneath, increasing your chances of a breakout.

Evening: Did you wash your face after work? Before your exercise routine? Before cooking? Remember that all day, your skin is subjected to pollution and contaminants in the air. Makeup, as well, can sit on your skin all day long. The second you walk in the door, wash your face and put on a fresh moisturizer. This will help deter evening acne.

What Kind is it?

Look more closely at your breakouts. Do you have just one or two inflamed pimples, or a cluster of blackheads? This information can give you more clues as to what may be going on:

Blackheads and Clogged Pores: These are those tiny black spots that like to dot your skin like pencil pricks. Your skin may be dry in the area of the breakout. This may indicate a congested liver, in which case you may want to try a short detox-diet to flush out your system. Drink extra water, and try our liver-cleansing foods listed on Renegade Health.

Cystic Acne: These pimples like to sit underneath the surface of skin, forming swollen bumps. They can take weeks to heal. Oily or dry skin—doesn’t matter. All skin types can suffer this type of acne. It may be connected to hormonal issues, including PMS, menopause, pre-menopause, childbirth, and breastfeeding. It may also be related to digestive issues. Consider getting more probiotics in your diet (from things like yogurt and kefir). If you suspect a hormonal imbalance may be to blame, try drinking a couple cups of chasteberry tea a day, or take 20-40 milligrams of the herb daily to see if it helps. Some studies have shown it can be helpful in treating hormonal acne.

Frequent Acne: This usually comes with whiteheads and blackheads, though they are usually small. The key here is “frequent”—this type of breakout comes around a lot. If this is your acne, look at your products, as it’s likely to be related to some ingredients that your skin doesn’t like. Switch to more natural products and see if it helps.

Occasional: This is the acne that shows up out of the blue. You thought your skin was fine, and then wham, the pimples show up. Most likely, this type of acne is related to stress. Have things been difficult in your life lately? Have you been worried about something? You may need to take some time out.

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4 Easy Dinners That Can Be Converted Into A Salad The Next Day

It’s Sunday evening and you just made a fantastic dinner. Baked salmon and grilled asparagus—is there anything better? But halfway through eating it hits you: You were so distracted by dinner that you forgot to prep something to pack tomorrow for lunch.

The good news is that this is a problem that can be solved. Take that dinner, put it over greens, toss it with a homemade salad dressing, and boom—you’ve got a kick-ass salad to hold you over through the next afternoon.

Ready to get started? Here are four easy dinners that can easily be converted into a salad the next day...

Fajitas → Taco Salad with Avocado-Lime Dressing

Is there anyone that doesn’t love fajitas? They’re the perfect meal to make when you’re entertaining and that means you likely have leftovers. Luckily, fajitas make for easy dinners that can be repurposed to become an award-winning taco salad.

To get started, take those grilled peppers and onions and put them over romaine lettuce. You can throw your protein—whether it be rice and beans, chicken, or something else—in there too.

Next, whip up a simple homemade avocado dressing by mashing together half an avocado (you can also use leftover guac too if you have it), a teaspoon of olive oil, the juice from one large lime, and a sprinkle of chili powder.

Toss the salad in the dressing, adding salt and pepper to taste, and finish with a spoonful of salsa and some sour cream or Mexican cheese.

Roasted Veggies + Chickpeas → Mediterranean Salad

Roasted veggies and chickpeas are the ideal plant-based dinner. Chickpeas are one of the vegan sources of protein and veggies like zucchini, yellow squash, and cauliflower are so versatile they can be added to almost anything, which brings us to our next-day salad.

Put your leftover over mixed greens and then combine a tablespoon of full-fat Greek yogurt with a tablespoon of olive oil and a sprinkle of cumin to make a simple Mediterranean-style dressing.

When you’re ready to eat your lunch, toss all the ingredients together and if you’ve got them, add a scoop of baba ghanoush and harissa. Expert tip: This salad is best enjoyed with a slice of pita bread on the side.

Baked Salmon + Asparagus → Brunch Salad with Tangy Lemon Vinaigrette

Remember that beautiful Sunday night dinner from earlier? Take those grilled asparagus and chop them into bite-sized pieces, then put them and your leftover salmon over arugula or microgreens. If you have access to a stove, poach a couple of eggs to put on top for a lunch that feels ever-so-slightly like brunch.

And what about the dressing? Just squeeze half a lemon on top and then drizzle with olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Steak Dinner → Wilted Spinach Salad

This switch can be done with any type of leftover red meat. The next day, sauté some onions on the stove. Once they’re nice and soft, add the meat to the pan and put a lid on it so both ingredients stay nice and warm.

In the bottom of a large mixing bowl, combine a teaspoon of Dijon mustard with a teaspoon of balsamic and some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add spinach to the bowl and follow it with the warm ingredients from the saucepan. When you toss everything together, preferably with some tongs, the warm ingredients should cause the spinach to wilt—but not actually cook—giving you a paleo and keto diet-approved salad that’s perfect for colder days.

By taking some inspo from the easy dinners above, you can save money, reduce food waste, and make sure you’re eating like a queen for (at least) two meals a day. As it turns out, successful meal prep is sometimes more about creativity than planning ahead with a few easy dinners.

Gretchen Lidicker is a wellness writer, editor, and author of the books CBD Oil Everyday Secrets and Magnesium Everyday Secrets.

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Overcoming Depression Inspired Blake Mycoskie’s Latest Biz Venture

The founder of TOMS, Blake Mycoskie, knows a thing or two about building a globally successful philanthropic brand. He also understands the physical, mental and emotional toll that growing business can take, a struggle he is opening up about as he announces the launch of his latest venture designed to help all of us develop better tools to deal with stress.

While overcoming his own struggles with burnout and depression, Blake came to discover that it was the little things — building positive, daily habits — that set him on the road to recovery.  Establishing simple daily habits became so vitally important, it became the inspiration for his latest venture — Madefor.

Blake partnered with former U.S. Navy SEAL, Pat Dossett, to create Madefor — a 10-month program based on neuroscience that cultivates one positive habit per month. This is the mental health subscription box we've all been waiting for. The goal? To move people from a “fixed mindset” to a “growth mindset.”

We could all use more simple, uplifting positive habits in our lives right now. We chatted with Blake and Pat about how the team and vision came together and why cultivating a growth mindset is so vital to our wellbeing....

Blake, you were honest about battling depression due to burn out. It's refreshing to hear this from a male perspective and from someone who is running an already well-established business rather than a start-up. What did you hear from others when you began opening up on this?
I learned that I wasn’t alone. That everyone has something they are battling, regardless of how they are showing up for others. Whether I was talking to other founders, working moms or stay-at-home dads, the message was the same -- people are stressed, exhausted and feeling like there has to be a better way.

What have been the most powerful tools you've used so far to bring your own energy to balance?
Let’s just say I’ve tried everything under the sun. Pat laughs sometimes at the seeker in me and where my quest to uncover the secret sauce takes me. But, what I find interesting is that every time I return from a new experience, I’m left more convinced that it isn’t the latest and greatest hacks that makes a difference. Rather, it’s the simple timeless practices I’ve always known about that allow me to bring my best to the world. Moving my body, seeking connection with others, spending time in nature, staying hydrated and fueling my body in a way that makes me feel best -- these are just some of the simple tools that keep me in balance and that I lean on daily.

Pat, as a Navy SEAL you've learned the value of simple things that can drastically improve your life. Can you explain a bit more?
I view everything these days through the lens of connection. Am I investing in the connections that help me bring my best to the world, that help me build resilience and that help me forge a mindset that brings continued success?

In the teams, we lived and breathed connection -- to our teammates, to a mission, to the fundamentals that when done well over time allow you to move with greater efficiency and impact. At Madefor, we focus on the foundational habits of body and mind to achieve a similar response. By engaging in a series of small intentional steps and creating awareness around their effects, our members start to cultivate subtle shifts in their behaviors and mindset that help them move through the world better.

What are the 10 tools included in Madefor?
Our tools are designed to be used in conjunction with our challenges to help members cultivate a connection with a given monthly focus. For example, one month we might focus on the science of hydration and include a customized glass water bottle that enables someone to track consumption. Or, another month might focus on the science of breath work and include a tool to help facilitate an offline practice. The consistent theme across all of our tools is that they enable you to disconnect from your devices and reconnect with your power to make your brain and body better through small actions.

We love that this program is analog! Tell us how this model came to be.
Working alongside our advisors, we quickly realized that if someone needs to look at a device, an app, or anything outside themselves to see how they are performing or feeling, then they’ve missed a critical step. Helping someone look in rather than out helps members establish agency, gain confidence and exert greater control over their life. To really bring your best to the world, you need to be attuned to the small things you do and how they affect your brain and body.

What can people expect to receive in their monthly mailings?
Each month, members will receive a kit focused on a different habit. Every kit includes three items: a publication of the relevant science behind your monthly habit, a 21-day challenge focused on the smallest step you can take each day to see a benefit, and a thoughtfully-crafted physical tool designed to help you form your new habit. Separate from the monthly physical kit, we also have a digital curriculum for all members to help them be accountable and encouraged throughout their journey.

Is this something couples/families can do together?
Absolutely. We offer a Partner Plan for couples, roommates, and any two people living under the same roof who want to go through the program together. We have also seen several families as well as teams benefit from doing the program alongside others.

What is the true goal of the program? To address stress management or just to generally become more intentional about the way we manage our energy?
Madefor’s true goal is to make the world a better place by helping our members bring their best selves to the world. Members don’t graduate from Madefor with a list of ten habits they have to focus on maintaining every day. Instead, they graduate with a better sense of control over their life and an appreciation for how taking small steps delivers lasting change. Individually these habits might not seem like much, but collectively they work together to shift mindsets and behaviors in positive directions.

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Are These 4 Common Limiting Beliefs Hurting Your Relationships?

Holistic life coach Maytal Phillips (of The Consciousness Edit) is our go-to expert on healthy relationships — those you cultivate with others and the one you hold with yourself. Both are at play in her advice below on how to employ positive intentional thoughts to build healthy relationships of all kinds. Banking on this power of belief and love as our human connections are more important than ever.

As cheesy as it may sound, relationships are truly the cornerstone of our lives. The people we choose to surround ourselves with offer meaning, growth, love and friendship. What would we do without relationships? And heads up that your fur baby doesn’t count. Our thoughts and beliefs ultimately affect the quality of those relationships.

The actions we take, whether at work or home, start as beliefs so if we have some blind spots around those thoughts, chances are they’ll show up and wreak havoc on our overall happiness. The tricky part is that limiting beliefs and preconceived notions are sometimes hidden from our view. Just by examining these, you may end up with more insight than you'd expect.

The 4 Relationship Thought Traps + How To Avoid Them

Below are four common limiting myths and beliefs that may be stopping you from living your best life and having healthy relationships...

The "Comfort zone" | This is classic "being authentic vs. being comfortable". Getting comfortable in any relationship is what we all wish for—that moment when you can let your hair down and feel 1,000% yourself in any situation. But the truth is, we can feel confident at any point in our relationships. Being authentically true to yourself is a value and belief you can carry with you at all times.

What’s dangerous about the “comfort zone” in any relationship, is that we can easily start to lose ourselves with and for the other person. If you’re authentically you from the get go, it creates a strong foundation for that relationship to stand on. Chances are, the other person will be able to do the same. So be real about your Japanese samurai obsession and don’t feel like you have to get rid of any parts of yourself to feel comfortable in your relationship.

“I’m OK” | What you have in the “space” of a relationship directly affects the quality of said relationship. We're, of course, referring to a metaphorical space where non-verbal, unspoken and broken agreements live—something left unsaid, whether it's to forgive yourself or the other person, or simply let go of something that may be bugging you. It may be anything from a small resentment to a bigger lie that’s being held close as to not “rock the boat”.

Ultimately, clearing that space between you and another person allows for both people to feel fully expressed, and for love and affinity to flow naturally. This may not be the easiest to take on, and your chatty voice in your head will have a field day. However, what’s on the other side is absolute relationship magic.

"I’m Not Responsible" | The first knee jerk reaction we all have when we’re triggered in relationships (being human and all) is, there is no part of this that I’m responsible for. Just to be clear, responsibility does not mean fault, blame, guilt or feeling bad. It’s owning that we are fully responsible for everything in our lives and are not victims of another's words or actions.

This limiting belief, once revealed, is huge in any type of relationship, as it gives you power to work through whatever the issue is. If everything is in the other person’s court, you are exposed, and a pawn to how the other person will react and feel. By taking full responsibility of your life, the other person can say and do what they will and you now have a choice of how you react. It doesn’t change the circumstances but it provides freedom to take positive action instead of reactions. And cultivate healthy relationships.

"I'm Bored" | Remember, you’ll never be bored with the right relationship/job/friend/fill-in-the-blank. This is a classic limiting belief: As soon as we get bored, we take it that we’re in the wrong relationship/situation/job, etc. But boredom is seldom a warning sign that something isn’t right—it’s more an opportunity to look at where you are or aren’t living into your values or mission in life.

In French, “je m'ennuie” (I am bored) actually translates to “I am boring”. Not to say any of us are ever boring (said as I watch a marathon of Fixer Upper). But we mistake boredom as something that is bad and wrong, and in fact it’s more a symptom of a larger picture internal issue. Ask yourself: What has changed in my life, habits or values that is no longer in line with where I was before I began this relationship? What am I passionate about? Does this relationship serve that purpose? It may or may not, however, when you’re passionate, the relationships around us become exciting as well.

While relationships are ever far from perfect, they can be an incredible source of power and love when limiting beliefs aren’t fogging up the picture. Remember to communicate where you can, and always stand in your power and values—and not in our default way of thinking.

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