Tuesday, June 30, 2020

This Transformative Face Mask is Under $10

After a recent (pre-quarantine) massage, I fumbled off the table and back into my clothes to straighten myself up in the mirror expecting to find a puffy face and an asymmetrical bun in my hair per usual. Massages may be a glamorous luxury, but they can sometimes leave you looking anything but. Looking in the mirror, I expected to find one of those tell-tale face-to-sheet wrinkles across my cheek. Instead, I found that my skin was mark-free, dewy and completely aglow. During my massage (it was this transformative therapy, by the way!), the therapist had applied a caffeine-infused jelly sheet mask and I left my treatment nearly as happy about my skin as my refreshed muscles.

On Caffeine in Skincare
As skincare ingredients go, caffeine is nothing new. Coffee itself can be found as an ingredient in half the beauty DIY tutorials out there. To be honest, I'm not a big DIY beauty enthusiast. So it's highly likely all those used coffee ground scrubs and hair rinses in my teens had kept me from any enthusiasm about more sophisticated uses of the ingredient. These are the days of marula oil, hyaluronic acid and cannibinoids, after all -- there are so many other ingredients to try.

An ingredient like caffeine can be easy to overlook. Here's why I'm now a big proponent -- and apparently the last to know!

Caffeine acts as an anti-inflammatory, reducing redness and irritation, as well as flushing toxins from the skin as a diuretic. Caffeine is also packed with anti-oxidants that fight cellular damage, especially the type that comes from UV exposure.

100% pure detox market caffeine mask

Shortly after my massage experience, I went to (Instagram Stories to tell everyone about it) stock up on 100% PURE's Caffeine Mask online, happily discovering that the sheet mask goes for just seven dollars a pop. It turns out the hydrogel mask is made from 95% organic aloe water and infused with green coffee extract, green tea, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and seaweed collagen. I now keep a small stockpile of these masks in my refrigerator door at all times and have since used them on quite a few early mornings to the same result: glowing, taut, calm and bright skin. I haven't loved a mask this much since Herbivore's Blue Tansy.

Apparently, 100% Pure (a brand who has also been around forever and is also easy to overlook) has another claim to fame in their best-selling hero product, Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream. I've not yet given the caffeine-packed treatment a try personally, but after my experience with their hydrogel Caffeine Mask I'm guessing the eye cream is as good as their 3,049 five star reviews claim.

By the way, this post was not created in partnership with 100% Pure. We do partner with many beauty and wellness brands, all of whom we vet closely and adore (like this and these). Sometimes, a brand just gets lucky and we happen to stumble into an incredible product we just can't stop gushing about!

Do you have a favorite caffeine-based beauty product? Have you tried this culty eye cream? Or do you have an incredible mask we need to try? Let us know in the comments!

 

Detox Market 100% PURE Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream

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Monday, June 29, 2020

Are Probiotics Why My Skin is Suddenly So Perfect?

Free People Beauty + Wellness Spotlight | Free People’s Beauty + Wellness Shop has become an incredible resource for shopping top wellness and clean beauty brands we love. In addition to their assortment, they offer editorial articles highlighting pro-vetted guides, industry interviews and immersive 'I tried it’s', you can discover all the most rave-worthy products and practices around on their website. If you haven’t explored it yet, shop now and find a slew of TCM-approved products, brands and articles for the summer season including our top picks for probiotics below inspired by Free People’s article Are Probiotics The Reason Why My Skin Is Suddenly Perfect?.

The quest for glowing skin usually starts with a skincare spending spree -- whether through an online brand, a big beauty retailer or even a dermatologist's office. While no one's sense of self-worth should be based upon how skin looks day to day, we know that chronic breakouts can be frustrating, uncomfortable, distracting and painful. People with perfect skin may never realize all the mental and emotional gymnastics that go into managing problem skin -- whether it's trying to look natural at the beach while still covering up breakouts or heading on a trip to a hot location without worrying about the havoc it's going to wreak on your skin. Managing acne is a battle we're more than happy to have put behind us.

What we've learned after years on the wellness scene is that clear skin is often high on the list of priorities in the pursuit of high-vibe health. And there's truly nothing wrong with that. Above all, clear skin is connected to balanced gut health -- a truth that is usually music to the ears of those who have tried everything in their pursuit of clear skin.

Our Editor-In-Chief first got serious about nutrition after a gut-healing protocol years ago dramatically cleared up her skin, we put one former editor on a test-round of probiotics last year and she wrote, "The benefits became more and more obvious over the course of a month. Without changing any other habits, I noticed that my skin had a new ‘alive’ look to it . . . I even noticed a significant uptick in my mood and stress tolerance."

We’ve met hundreds of women and men in wellness — from herbalists to nutritionists to holistic health coaches — and one thing nearly all of them have in common is skin that seems to glow from within. The common thread? A pretty major commitment to a lifestyle that supports gut health and a balanced microbiome.

Our favorite example of this is Whitney Tingle. As founder and co-CEO of Sakara Life, Whitney is one of the glowiest girls around. It's almost impossible to imagine Whitney with problem skin, but according to the healthy exec, she struggled with her skin so much that it's what first drove her to the wellness space in the first place.

“I never wanted to talk about it. I never wanted anyone to even notice my skin, let alone have a conversation about it. I spent years trying to heal it with everything from acupuncture to Accutane. Lights, lasers, and intense peels. The kinds that required days of downtime, hiding from the sun and from other people,” Tingle recounts. “My dermatologists had me on so many antibiotics."

Whitney's skin eventually healed once she embraced a protocol addressing the powerful connection between microbiome health and skin vitality.

"The biggest revelation to healing my complexion was understanding that I did not have a skin problem; I had a gut problem."

Whitney and her partner Danielle went on to start Sakara Life to help thousands of other women discover the power of harnessing a gut-healing lifestyle for themselves. At the core of their anti-inflammatory and microbiome-balanced diet are the brand's professional-grade probiotics.

“Skin issues are most often an inflammatory response,” Tingle says. “When the body is under constant stress—whether it’s physical stress due to a lack of sleep or improper diet, mental stress from work, or emotional stress from relationships — it throws the ecosystem of the microbiome out of balance.” This shift allows for “bad” bacteria or yeast to grow inside your body. It also triggers a natural inflammatory response—your body’s reaction when it’s trying to heal itself.

“This microbial imbalance in the body can show up in many different ways -- and it most definitely can show up as acne. In order to actually rebalance the microbiome and decrease inflammation, you must feed the ‘good’ bacteria and recreate that healthy ecosystem."

The simplest and perhaps most important way to build and bring balance to our microbiomes is with a daily probiotic. Creating gut health is not an overnight miracle, but takes time to allow the body to adjust. We've found that thirty days are usually enough to begin to see a difference in skin quality, but everyone is different.

SAKARA LIFE COMPLETE PROBIOTIC FORMULA | A professional-grade daily probiotic that promotes healthy digestion, immunity, energy levels, weight management, skin, hormone balance and stress response. This supplement contains eleven strains of healthy bacteria to improve your gut health, as well as a prebiotic and emzyme blend to reduce inflammation and relieve bloat. SHOP NOW

SAKARA LIFE SAKARA RX: THE FOUNDATION | These curated daily supplement packs are made from clean, plant-based, whole-food ingredients and botanicals, designed to fill nutrient gaps caused by diet, stress, and lifestyle and help you look and feel like your healthiest, most radiant self. 6 pills per packet: Superfood Multi (x2), Complete Probiotic Blend, Macro Minerals, Algae Omega, and Adaptogenic B-Complex.  SHOP NOW

ORA ORGANIC VEGAN PROBIOTICS WITH PREBIOTICS CAPSULES | Ora Organic’s vegan probiotic capsules contain their own probiotic blend that contains clinically documented andacid resistant strains to improve digestive health, immune function, mood balance, hair & skin health, and pathogen-fighting support. These capsules also include organic prebiotics that helps good bacteria in your gut to thrive so that your probiotics work even better. SHOP NOW

Shop Free People’s curation of top wellness and clean beauty brands we love like Sakara Life. If you haven’t explored their editorial articles yet find them here featuring a slew of TCM-approved products and brands for the summer season including the impact of probiotics for your skin!

This story is brought to you in partnership with Free People. From time to time, TCM editors choose to partner with brands we believe in to bring our readers special offers. 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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A Guide To Mudras: 12 Mudras To Use In Your Yoga Practice

Leave it to the guys behind So We Flow to break down these yogic hand positions with such ease. Mudras can actually alter your state while you meditate or do yoga -- try them and tell us you don't experience the difference. 

 Jake Wood, founder of So We Flow makes clothing the way we want to wear it: their organic and recycled T's and organic jersey basics like this make us pretty jealous that the clothing line is just for men. Explore the movement-based line for the men in your life and then try the So We Flow team's suggestions on Mudras for Yoga... 

Have you ever been in a yoga class where everyone starts performing bizarre gestures with their hands & you’re left thinking, what the hell’s going on?

These hand gestures are called mudras, which mean ‘mark’ or ‘seal’ in Sanskrit. In the Mudra philosophy, it is believed that our 5 fingers correspond to the 5 elements of the universe - water, earth, ether, air and fire. Each of these elements has a distinct role in the balance of our physical body, state of mind and mental well-being.

Thus, through pressing, touching, curling or pointing our fingers or hands in different ways, we can direct energy flow to specific parts of the body and brain, stimulating particular emotions, reactions and effects.

Whether you believe it or not, many of us have felt something exquisite when we introduce mudras into our practice. So you may as well give it a try, you never know...

mudras

12 Mudras To Get You Started

1. Gyan Mudra

How  Touch the tip of the index finger and thumb together. Extend the other 3 fingers.

Why  Increases concentration, memory, creativity and reduces negativity.

2. Prithvi Mudra


How 
Touch the tip of the ring finger and thumb together. Extend the other 3 fingers.

Why  Strengthens the tissues of the body such as muscles, bones, tendons and nails.

3. Varun Mudra

 

How  Touch the tip of the little finger and thumb together. Extend the other 3 fingers.

Why  Amplifies the ability to communicate effectively and promotes the circulation of fluids in the body.

4. Prana Mudra


How  
Touch the tip the the thumb with the tips of the ring and little fingers. Extend the other 2 fingers.

Why  Energises the body, alleviates tiredness and enhances eyesight.

5. Apan Mudra


How  
Touch the tip of the thumb with the tips of the middle and ring fingers. Extend the other 2 fingers.

Why  Balances the body, stokes the metabolism and helps stimulate digestion.

6. Vayu Mudra

 

How  Touch the tip of the index finger on the base of the thumb and apply a light pressure with the thumb. Extend the other 3 fingers.

Why  Balances air in the body, relieving both flatulence and joint pain.

7. Shunya Mudra


How  
Touch the tip of the middle finger on the base of the thumb and apply a light pressure with the thumb. Extend the other 3 fingers.

Why  Improves hearing and can be restorative for throat and thyroid conditions.

8. Surya Mudra

How  Touch the tip of the ring finger on the base of the thumb and apply a light pressure with the thumb.

Extend the other 3 fingers.

Why  Raises metabolism, heats the body and aids digestion.

9. Adi Mudra

 

How  Fold the fingers into a fist over the thumb with the thumb touching the side of the little finger.

Why  Expands lung capacity, stimulates blood flow and improves the function of vital organs.

10. Anjali Mudra


How  
Press the palms firmly together with the fingers facing upwards.

Why  Alleviates stress and anxiety, boosts focus and lends a hand in achieving a meditative state.

11. Hakini Mudra


How  
Touch the tips of the fingers with those of the opposite hand, mirroring each other. Keep the palms separated from one another.

Why  Boosts memory, brain power and concentration.

12. Shambhala Mudra


How  
Create a fist with one hand and a flat palm with the other. Press the fist into the palm of the straightened hand.

Why  Lifts the mood and promotes vitality and positive thinking.

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Friday, June 26, 2020

Hey, Overachiever: 3 Signs It’s Time To Take A Mental Health Day

Sometimes feeling great simply means sticking an extra adaptogen or two in our morning smoothie, other times it means pulling back when our job has us feeling fried. Over-achievers, halt the freakout; we're not trying to change you -- just make you feel a bit more well. Here's how...

The truth is we all struggle to sustain work-life balance from time to time. The ladies behind Career Contessa want us to know that there's no shame in needing a break  -- or in actually taking that time for ourselves. Whether you're owning the WFH balance, a bit turned around by it, or anywhere in between, read on -- in the name of self-care -- for three definitive signs that you're due for a mental health day.

If you had a sprained ankle, you wouldn’t try to run ten miles, right? You’d listen to your body, ice it up and rest to avoid injuring it further. Same goes for our mental health. Sometimes, after a few 12-hour days or an upsetting personal event, our minds are screaming at us to just take a break — before we have a breakdown.

It’s not like you can X-ray your mind, find a sprain and call in sick. But there are signs of burnout that signal it’s time for a day of rest (or a day of Korean spa — whatever you need to recharge).

You’re more irritable than usual.

Working with the same people all day every day, some personality conflicts are inevitable. Still, watch out for any sudden changes in mood. Are you snapping at the situations that you’d normally just shrug off? Does every single request from your boss send you spiraling?

Let the unresolved tension simmer and you’ll snap — if not in an actual screaming match, then through the passive-aggressive emails nobody wants to get. Separate yourself for a day to calm down. It will help break the cycle.

Your work is unusually sloppy.

You’re rushing to meet a deadline and, inevitably, miss little details — punctuation, calculations, etc. Your boss calls you out and your anxiety ratchets up even more, starting a vicious cycle of stress, underperformance and self-blame.

We’re not perfectly oiled computers so we can’t operate at 100-percent capacity for eight hours per day, five days per week, indefinitely. And at some point, the double and triple checks won’t save you from making uncharacteristic, embarrassing mistakes.

If your stress is hurting your work performance, working more isn’t the solution. Give your mind a break, and it’ll pay off in the form of better attention and creativity all week long.

You’re showing physical signs of stress.

Maybe you’ve mysteriously gained weight, maybe your face is breaking out, or you’re barely awake throughout the day, but you still can’t sleep at night.

All of these seemingly unrelated symptoms point to chronic stress. Emotional stress spikes our stress hormones and makes us sick. Brain fog, insomnia, anxiety: they’re as real as an ankle sprain, so treat them as such. The longer you wait to give yourself a break, the worse those symptoms will become.

One Netflix marathon won’t solve your long-term stress, but taking a day to prioritize and create some coping strategies — or do nothing at all — is a great place to start.

This story originally ran Aug 14, 2017, but we felt it was relevant and brought it back!
 Looking for more ways to manage stress? Find our favorite stress management tools here. 

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Biofeedback: An Alternative Therapy That Works Like A Natural Painkiller

It may surprise you, but your brain may be your most flexible body part. Emerging science on 'neuroplasticity' shows that our minds and brains are able to adapt and change far more dramatically than we may have previously assumed. That's why meditation, yoga and breathwork practices can all have such a profound effect on our sense of well-being. One science-driven therapeutic technique used to help master the mind-body connection is called biofeedback, and it's a potent, pill-less tool for managing conditions from chronic pain to anxiety.

Biofeedback trains patients to control some of the body's automated responses -- including the perception of pain. With practice, one can consciously change bodily sensations, reactions to thoughts, stress response and even certain electrical activities of the brain. We asked functional medicine expert, Dr. Josh Axe, to tell us all about biofeedback and how we can start mastering the mind-body connection through the lens of science and technology...

What Is Biofeedback?

Biofeedback therapy is a type of training program with the goal of teaching patients to control involuntary physiological processes — meaning those that are both mental and physical — that contribute to painful symptoms and distress. A report published in Mental Health in Family Medicine words the biofeedback definition as “a mind–body technique in which individuals learn how to modify their physiology for the purpose of improving physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.”

Biofeedback therapy is sometimes used to manage high blood pressure, muscle pain or tension, anxiety, IBS symptoms and insomnia. What do so many of these health problems have in common? They’re triggered, or at least made worse by, chronic stress. For that reason, some experts believe that biofeedback is beneficial and able improve overall health and wellness because it’s effective as a natural stress relieving technique.

How The Therapy Works

Various forms of biofeedback therapy — performed using certain muscle relaxation, breath and mental exercises — are now being proven in numerous studies to treat more than a dozen health conditions. But how does this mind-body intervention work? At its roots, this therapy helps reduce a wide range of symptoms by lowering sympathetic arousal. Through identifying and changing certain mental activities and physical reactions, biofeedback trains patients to help regulate their own unconscious bodily processes and better control their stress response. Biofeedback therapy acts as a natural painkiller and a natural headache remedy, among other things.

Some experts use the metaphor of “learning to putt a golf ball” to describe how biofeedback works. As someone practices putting and seeing where the ball goes, the feedback helps to improve their next stroke. In biofeedback, a patient follows measurements of their physiological responses — and as they move in a healthier direction, positive reinforcement and learning take place.

After reviewing more than 60 studies related to biofeedback, The Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College London described the therapy as a “non-invasive, effective psycho-physiological intervention for psychiatric disorders,” concluding that over 80 percent of studies reported some level of clinical decrease in symptoms as a result of biofeedback exposure. According to their research, biofeedback interventions have been used successfully to treat common disorders including anxiety, autism, depression, eating disorders and schizophrenia.

But biofeedback therapies aren’t just useful for managing mental disorders — they’re also becoming more common in the treatment of injury recovery and chronic pain. Because therapists now offer several different biofeedback modalities, experts recommend patients try multiple bio-regulating approaches during their sessions. This has been shown to be most effective in significantly reducing symptoms.

Conditions that are commonly treated with biofeedback therapies now include: chronic pain, muscle tension or spasms, urinary incontinence (frequent urges to urinate), high blood pressure (hypertension), tension or migraine headaches, TMJ symptoms (temporomandibular joint dysfunction), trouble sleeping or insomnia, digestive symptoms including constipation, IBS and diarrhea, anxiety and depression, eating disorders, ADHD and autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy, cancer recovery, heart disease, and just about any other condition made worse by stress...

What is A Session Like?

A trained biofeedback therapist first takes an assessment of a patient’s condition, usually by performing several tests. These tests help the practitioner determine how their symptoms might be minimized by learning to manipulate involuntary physical and mental behaviors.

Biofeedback requires specialized equipment. A biofeedback machine converts physiological signals (like heartbeats and brainwaves) into meaningful information that the patient can understand. The types of tests that are frequently used in biofeedback therapies are those that measure skin temperature, heart rate, muscle tension and brainwave activities. Biofeedback machines that are used to performed these tests include skin surface scans, electromyography and MRI brain scans.

Currently, the most popular type of biofeedback therapy performed by doctors is called “electroencephalographic neurofeedback.” Anxiety disorders are the number one type of health problem treated through this biofeedback training, although other popular uses include pain management. In many biofeedback settings, small electrodes are attached to a patient’s skin. This sends feedback to a visible monitor, tracking and displaying the patient’s physiological symptoms.

Because sessions require active patient participation, biofeedback therapy is somewhat similar to certain aspects of physical therapy (PT). Like PT, biofeedback training usually involves practicing at home between sessions, includes some trial and error to determine what works best and requires patience on the part of the patient.

Most biofeedback therapy sessions take about 30 to 60 minutes. The typical course of treatment usually lasts two to three months in order to provide the most benefits. Some patients, however, choose to participate in biofeedback therapy for much longer, sometimes even for years. The goal is for the patient to be able to practice self-regulation techniques that they’ve learned from their therapist on their own, even after formal sessions end and the monitoring machines are no longer used.

The 6 Benefits of Biofeedback Therapy

Reduces Chronic Headaches

Because it can lower someone’s stress response, clinical studies shown that biofeedback is effective in reducing the frequency and severity of tension and migraine headaches. One study published by Harvard Medical School found that biofeedback training allowed many patients to decrease their dependence on pain medications and to experience less pain overall. (Although researchers also found similar benefits from teaching patients general relaxation techniques alone without additional using biofeedback.)

Patients in the Harvard study also learned pain theories regarding relaxation techniques. A portion also went through additional education about biofeedback training. All patients showed a statistically significant decrease in the frequency and severity of the headaches in the first 12 months;  that benefit continued for 36 months. Both groups also reported lower medication use and less medical care costs.

Helps Regulate Digestion

Biofeedback therapy is considered a well-established treatment modality for patients with several forms of chronic constipation (including dyssynergic defecation and fecal incontinence). Randomized controlled trials have found that 70 to 80 percent of all patients undergoing specialized biofeedback training in treatment centers experience improvements in symptoms.

Therapists now use biofeedback to help teach patients suffering from reoccurring constipation to better sense and control muscles in their digestive system that are related to bowel movements. For example, impaired rectal sensation and poor ability to squeeze muscles in the abdomen are both corrected using biofeedback maneuvers. Although barriers to biofeedback still exist within the general population (including lack of insurance coverage, distance to local treatment facilities and acute medical issues), researchers continue to work on improving ways to offer this therapy in an affordable manner to those with serious digestive complaints.

Another study found that both home-based and office-based biofeedback therapy were effective for the “number of complete spontaneous bowel movements per week as well as patient satisfaction with bowel function.” Research such as this shows the potential to broaden the availability of biofeedback therapy through home sessions without disrupting efficacy.

Reduces Anxiety

Biofeedback helps to make patients more aware of how their thoughts, feelings and behaviors all interact. This is why it’s frequently used in conjunction with other therapies, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), or mindfulness meditation training, to reduce someone’s stress response.

As opposed to some forms of treatment, such as medications, biofeedback therapy is a process of training. Trained therapists teach patients to pay more attention to the ways stress impacts the body. For example, anxiety causes someone’s heart rate to speed up, muscles to tense and the mind to worry. This, in turn, makes sleep and relaxation difficult. Through purposefully tracking symptoms and learning over and over again to reduce them using feedback as a guide, relaxation becomes better enforced.

Reduces Pain (Without Pills)

Finding non-pharmacological techniques for controlling both short-term (acute) and chronic pain is now becoming more important than ever, given how much attention has been given to the potential for addiction of pain-killing drugs.

One type of biofeedback, neurofeedback (also known as EEG-biofeedback), is being used in many treatment settings as an alternative method for pain reduction. It’s being used for things like management of strokes, post-traumatic events, headaches, injuries, chronic muscle tension, diabetic neuropathic pain and cancer recovery. Some evidence shows that it takes about 40 to 60 training sessions to achieve the most benefits. Some studies show this amount can result in up to 50 percent less pain depending on the condition. Thankfully, studies suggest it’s useful in both children and adults.

Improves Heart Health

Studies suggest that biofeedback therapy helps improve control over heart rate variability and arousal of the sympathetic nervous system. This neuro-cardio combo is responsible for many of the physical effects of someone’s stress response. Biofeedback training is also important in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases complications including anxiety, trouble sleeping and depression.

One form of biofeedback known as biofeedback-assisted stress management (BFSM) is especially geared towards managing cardiovascular diseases. It aim to lower over-activation of the autonomic nervous system. (Over-activation can negatively affect the heart.) This therapy model could reduce psychologic stress, improve quality of life and improve clinical status in people with heart disease. A 2011 study published in the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine suggests that use of BFSM by heart failure patients may actually cause cellular and molecular remodeling of the failing heart, change abnormal heart rate variability and have a positive impact on side effects due to suffering from a serious chronic disease.

Reduces Hyperarousal + Trouble Sleeping

Electroencephalography (EEG) feedback is now commonly used to control symptoms of hyperarousal, including insomnia and ADHD symptoms.(Hyperarousal is a class of symptoms that often impact people living with PTSD.) Research conducted in 2011 by the Department of Psychophysiology at Helfgott Research Institute in Oregon found that two forms of neurofeedback treatments (sensorimotor protocol and a sequential, quantitative EEG model) successfully demonstrated usefulness for treating insomnia symptoms. After undergoing 20 15-minute sessions, both groups experienced significant decreases in dysfunctional symptoms like daytime sleepiness and hyperarrousal during the night. The study participants also reported significant improvements in scores on several insomnia measurement scales (Insomnia Severity Index,  Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory , PSQI Sleep Efficiency Test, and Quality of Life Inventory).

How to Find a Good Therapist

The Association For Applied Psychophysiology & Biofeedback (AAPB) offers resources on its website to locate a biofeedback therapist in your area. The AAPB encourages patients to receive training services from therapists who meet at least the minimum standards of knowledge, training and experience required to be certified by the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA).

Keep these tips in mind when looking for a therapist:

Many state licensing boards include the practice of biofeedback within training for professionals such as psychologists, physical therapists, nurses, physicians and social workers. However, not everyone with one of these licenses will have extensive training or experience in providing biofeedback, so it’s always best to look for a recommendation and additional credentials, certifications, licenses, and so on.

Talk to a therapist before starting training; be sure to make sure the biofeedback type is best matched to treat your problem. The more a therapist knows about your medical history and symptoms, the likelier they are to utilize the most appropriate form of biofeedback and to combine sessions with other effective therapies that will help you.

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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Thursday, June 25, 2020

A Blood Orange Gin Sparkler with Rosemary Simple Syrup

We found this gem in our archives way back in 2012. Some things never go out of style and nothing's ever felt more 2020 than a really good freshly made cocktail at home.

This rosemary-spiked sparkler comes from Leanne Citrone, an LA stylist whose home and garden we perused way back when -- and whose kitchen we rifled through just this year (see here!). Leanne is one of those natural hostesses who knows how to thrill us with all the right details, like this homemade syrup and a freshly squeezed cocktail.

No need to stress yourself out, if you're feeling the overwhelm of the present season and making your own herbal syrup seems near impossible, we invite you just to pour yourself a glass of wine and read through the recipes for fun.

The rosemary simple syrup keeps in the refrigerator for a week or so and can be made ahead of time. If blood oranges are hard for you to come by – navel oranges are also delicious!

blood orange cocktail

Blood Orange Gin Sparkler with Rosemary Syrup
Prep time: 5 min – Cook time: 10 min

Ingredients

For the simple syrup:
2 cups / 480 ml water
1 cup / 6.5 oz / 185 g sugar
4 tablespoons (~2 sprigs-worth) fresh rosemary leaves
1 bay leaf (optional)

For the cocktail:
blood oranges
gin
ice cubes
tonic water (or sparkling water)

Instructions

Combine the water, sugar, rosemary, and bay in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer for 3-5 minutes, or long enough for the sugar to dissolve, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and let infuse for 10 minutes. Strain into a jar to cool completely.

In the meantime, juice and strain your oranges, you’ll need 3 tablespoons / 1.5 tablespoons of juice for each drink.

To make each drink combine you’re going to combine equal parts gin, juice, and tonic water with a bit of syrup and ice. So, its:
3 tablespoons / 1 1/2 oz gin
3 tablespoons / 1 1/2 oz freshly squeezed blood orange juice
1-2 teaspoons of the rosemary syrup in each tall glass
(I used kolsch glasses here).

Stir to combine, fill each glass 2/3 full with ice and top off with 3 tablespoons / 1 1/2 oz tonic water. Stir again and you’re set.

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Supportive Herbs To Boost Immunity, Soothe Your Nerves + Help You Sleep

As our world opens up more and more again this summer, we're doing all we can to keep our immunity stronger than ever. Last month, we ran this story with holistic nutritionist and women’s wellness expert, Kristin Dahl. Kristin got so thorough we decided to pull her recommendations for herbs specifically into a story of it's own.

Whether your nerves are shot from 2020 (learn all about herbs for the nervous system at bottom!) or you're just looking to supercharge your immune system from every angle,  here's how we are incorporating more herbal tinctures into our daily routines now...

Supportive Herbs To Boost Immune System

Herbs can help to increase your body’s resilience and enhance your ability to fight off infections. And remember, it’s best to work directly with a holistic practitioner for individualized support.

Immune-supportive herbs help to prevent, fight, and clear illness while building, restoring, and nourishing immunity. Some herbs work as surface immune stimulants while others act as deep immunomodulators. At a time like this, we want to be working with a mix of both (or whatever you have on hand) to bolster immune defense. Powerful antivirals and antimicrobials such as goldenseal, oregano oil & olive leaf are best taken if, or only once, you become sick and only until well again.

Immune-Boosting Herbs + Anti-Virals
Best in tincture or capsule form

Astragalus, echinacea, rhodiola + elderberry are potent defenders that build immune system resiliency, build immune cells, and prevent and defend against viral infections. Herb Pharm has some incredible tinctures.

If you become sick, goldenseal, oregano oil and olive leaf (learn about olive leaf here) are powerful antivirals and antimicrobials that work to clear viruses from the body.

Immune-Boosting Mushrooms
Best in powder, tincture or capsule form

Immune-boosting mushrooms include reishi, chaga, cordyceps + turkey tail. Medicinal mushrooms help build blood cells and are antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral in nature. Four Sigmatic is great, as is anything from Host Defense and Thorne Research’s Myco-Immune.

Nervines: Nervous System-Calming Herbs
Best as loose leaf teas and tinctures

Supportive not just to the nerves, but to the entire system as well, nervines are best as loose leaf teas and tinctures. Chamomile, passionflower, Holy Basil, lemon balm and skullcap help to calm the nerves, soothe anxiety and support restful sleep. Do a deep dive and learn all about nervine herbs here. Check out your local co-op for loose leaf herbs and Herb Pharm for tinctures.

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Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Fresh, Easy, Vegan: Summer’s Finest Pulled Jackfruit Tacos

We can't stop with author Brandi Chang's Family Style cookbook recipes. Jackfruit tacos are like a California vegan's version of tofu bowls anywhere else. They're simple, dazzlingly delicious and easy to build. As the temps rise, try a few new summer recipes like these tacos and follow them up with these gluten-free magic-cali bars

Jackfruit is a phenomenal plant-based ingredient that’s gained recent popularity in vegan cooking. Much like tofu, jackfruit is best prepared when well-seasoned or marinated. This recipe, originally featured in my cookbook Family Style , can also be prepared on toasted buns to create the ultimate vegan BBQ pulled “pork” sandwich.

Pulled Jackfruit Tacos
Makes 3-4 tacos

INGREDIENTS

1 can young jackfruit, drained and rinsed well
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (bit less if you prefer mild)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons coconut sugar
2 teaspoons coconut aminos
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup water

For serving
Corn tortillas
Red cabbage, shredded
Avocado, thinly sliced
Cilantro
Lime wedges

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare the jackfruit by removing from can, rinsing and draining in a colander. Using your hands, create shredded pieces by pulling apart. Rinse again, drain and pat dry.

In a pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Once hot, add the onion and garlic andcook until soft. Add the jackfruit, paprika, coriander, cayenne, cumin, chili powder, salt,coconut sugar, coconut aminos, tomato paste and water. Stir to coat and reduce theheat to low. Cover and cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Once cooked, use two forks to shred into finer pieces. Increase to medium heat and stir once again, adjusting flavors as needed.

Remove from heat and serve on warm corn tortillas, topped with shredded cabbage, avocado, cilantro and lime

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Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Dr. Will Cole Reveals Where Most Health Problems Really Start

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As a functional medicine practitioner, Dr. Will Cole sees countless patients around the world who struggle for years with ongoing symptoms. They go years without getting real answers about their health. According to Cole, the problem is that most people focus on symptom relief rather than looking at the underlying cause of why symptoms exist in the first place. Here he explains that more often than not, health problems start at the most foundational level of our bodies – our cells...

Your body is made up of close to 37.2 trillion cells and produces 25 million new cells every single second! This doesn’t even include the bacteria located in your microbiome which outnumbers your body’s own cells 10 to 1. There are 200 different types of cells which come together to form various parts of your body including your skin, muscles, and bones and have the responsibility of taking in nutrients, converting them to energy, keeping all systems of your body functioning properly, and skin looking youthful. Once you know all of these facts, it is only fitting why your cells are often referred to as “the building blocks of life.” And because you are entirely made up of cells, it makes sense then that optimal health starts at the cellular level.

Therefore, we want to keep our cells as healthy as possible and avoid cellular damage. Our cells can be damaged through the production of free radicals from oxidative stress. There are many things that can increase oxidation that we come across in our daily lives such as toxin exposure, poor diet, and physiologic stress. This should make cellular health a top priority considering these oxidation triggers can’t be completely avoided by anyone. These are my favorite tools for supporting cellular health.

Eat more antioxidant-rich foods

Antioxidants are compounds that fight free radicals in our body produced with excessive oxidation. This oxidation also further depletes antioxidant levels allowing free radicals to run rampant. Vegetables and fruits, berries in particular, contain some of the highest amount of antioxidants, and all ketotarian friendly. Up your intake of blueberries (which are also super detoxifying) and munch on them as a snack or throw them in a smoothie.

Support NAD+ production

As we age our body’s nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels decrease. This coenzyme is crucial for our cells to produce energy and maintain your overall health. Common experiences  such as overeating, lack of sleep, and lack of exercise, along with stressors like alcohol and sun exposure decrease NAD+ levels within the body.

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One way to maintain your NAD+ levels levels is to replenish them with outside supplementation. Multiple studies have shown that supplementing with the NAD+ precursor nicotinamide riboside (NR) is extremely useful in supporting healthy NAD+ levels.

Tru Niagen®, a patented and safely tested form of (NR), is the gold-standard for NAD support. The reason why I love it as a practitioner, is that Tru Niagen® is extensively researched and backed by science and successfully notified to the FDA as generally recognized as safe (GRAS). While you can get vitamin B3 in many foods like grass-fed liver, wild-caught salmon, and mushrooms, most Americans don’t eat enough of these foods to compete with the everyday stressors that deplete NAD+ levels.

Therefore, supplementation is helpful. And since not all supplements are created equal in terms of quality, it is important to be choosy when purchasing a supplement – not just any brand will do. Tru Niagen® ensures their ingredients are of the highest-quality, are vegetarian, formulated without nuts or gluten, do not contain caffeine, and contain no artificial flavors, colors, and animal byproducts so you can feel confident that you are taking something that is safe. 

If you are looking to start supporting your health at the cellular level, it’s essential to start with methods and that includes Tru Niagen®. By targeting your body’s cell health with these tips, you are starting on the path to true, long-term health.

Enhance autophagy

Autophagy is a process in which the body clears out any old or damaged cells that are not working properly in order to generate healthy cells. Disease takes root in the body when cells are weak and damaged, but autophagy protects against this vulnerability by removing old, damaged cells that are more susceptible to invasion. This clears the way for younger, healthier, more vigorous cells and a more robust immune system. Think of autophagy as your cellular renewing, anti-aging, anti-disease pathways that you can support and enhance. 

My favorite way for increasing autophagy is through a clean, mostly plant-based ketogenic diet or as I call it, a Ketotarian diet and intermittent fasting. Both fasting and the ketogenic diet enhance autophagy pathways. Taking a break from eating for an extended period of time can enhance this cellular turnover in addition to giving your gut a much needed break from the digestion process. If you are new to fasting, try an 8-6 window plan where you will eat between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. which allows for 14 hours of uninterrupted fasting a day between dinner and breakfast the next day. When I break my fasts I am focusing on nutrient-dense ketotarian foods. I go into a deep-dive in Ketotarian as far as the nutrition science, recipes and meal plans but these are the basic guidelines to follow:

+ Eat real food.

+ Keep your carbs low. Keep your healthy fats high. If you eat a nonstarchy vegetable, add some healthy fats. If you eat a healthy fat, add some nonstarchy vegetables.

+ Eat when you are hungry. Eat until you are satiated.

+ Set yourself up for success by always having a stock of Ketotarian superfoods on hand to fuel your body and brain. As a general rule, I make sure I have something from each category to fulfill my nutrient requirements:

- Olives/extra virgin olive oil
- Coconut cream, milk, and oil
- Sea vegetables (i.e., nori sheets, dulse flakes)
- Dark leafy vegetables (i.e., spinach, kale)
- Sulfur-rich vegetables, like Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and asparagus
- Nuts and seeds, like macadamias, almonds, and walnuts
- Low fructose fruits like berries and citrus fruits

There are also vegetarian keto recipe options so you can add in pasture-raised organic eggs or grass-fed ghee (clarified butter), as well as pescatarian keto options. This is where you bring in clean, wild-caught fish, like Alaskan salmon, with their beneficial omega-3 fats. All of these make great snacks by themselves or can be added to delicious, quick salads.

If you are looking to start improving your health at the cellular levels it's essential to start with proven methods for supporting cellular health, and that includes Tru Niagen. Not only does it work to help provide more energy to your cells, it has been shown to support cardiovascular health and liver function - just to name a few. By targeting your body's cell health with these tips, you are starting on the path to true, long-term health.

Ketotarian also has vegetarian keto recipe options so you can add in pasture-raised organic eggs or grass-fed ghee (clarified butter), as well as pescatarian keto options. This is where you bring in clean, wild-caught fish, like Alaskan salmon, with their beneficial omega-3 fats. All of these make great snacks by themselves or can be added to delicious, quick salads.

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This story is brought to you in partnership with Tru Niagen®From time to time, TCM editors choose to partner with brands we believe in to bring our readers special offers. 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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Could Your Posture Could Be Causing You A Ton of Pain?

Are you leaning over your phone while reading this? Hunched over with your head jutted out? You may not realize that every time you move your head forward (aka out of alignment) by just one inch, it adds an extra 10 pounds of weight to your neck!

According to functional medicine expert, Dr. Josh Axe, chronic bad posture isn't only a bad look, it can create unnecessary pain, affecting our mood, our energy and our body's ability to stay at equilibrium. Poor posture has been shown to affect depression, memory, stress response, self-esteem, body image, and even brain function and behavior. Sit up straight and get ready to learn...

Thanks in no small part to a reliance on and addiction to technology, a sedentary lifestyle has become the norm. As a result, good posture has never been more important, but unfortunately, our obsession with our smartphones has made many of us develop forward head posture. Why is this bad? Every time we lean forward 60 degrees, the stress on our necks is increased by approximately 60 pounds. In fact, every time you move your head forward an inch, an extra 10 pounds of weight is added to your neck. As a result, forward head posture leads to chronic pain, numbness in the arms and hands, improper breathing, and pinched nerves.
That’s not all. It turns out, forward head posture doesn’t just affect us physically — it affects our mood as well. Thanks in no small part to our smartphone addiction, aka nomophobia, most of us are constantly putting undue strain on our necks and spinal cords, which has adverse effects on our emotions. Amy Cuddy, a professor at Harvard Business School and the author of the forthcoming book “Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges,” and her colleague, Harvard’s Maarten W. Bos, have dubbed this phenomenon iPosture, or iHunch.

What Causes Forward Head Posture?

Forward head posture is caused by: computer use, TV watching, video games, backpacks, and trauma. Trauma leading to forward head posture can come in the form of car accidents, slips or falls, or even birthing trauma from forceps or vacuums.

A 1999 study published in the November issue of Spine took a look at 985 students from five different high school years and the effects of carrying backpacks. The postural changes that occurred in “the arc of life” were significant with backpack use in every case. The weight of the backpack did not matter as much as the age and sex of students. Younger students had the greatest deformity of posture, and the oldest girls also incurred strong forward head posture.

At the 1997 Seattle Fibromyalgia International Team Conference, Dr. Herbert Gordon explained that head and neck posture is a major factor in the fatigue and immune dysfunction in sufferers of fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue and immune system dysfunction syndrome patients.

The clusters of small, layered muscles at the top of the spine can begin to atrophy in as little as 20 minutes, Gordon said, when unused. He reported that a 1985 study found postural problems common in people who suffer from FMS, myofascial pain syndrome and TMJ. The study found poor sitting and standing posture in 96 percent of the cases, forward head posture in 85 percent of the cases, and forward and rounded shoulders in 82 percent of the cases.

Dr. Dean Fishman has seen increasing cases of forward head posture in young patients and has termed the condition “text neck.” He says that the degenerative bone changes and abnormal cervical curve in these younger patients is related to the use of handheld devices, such as cell phones, portable video games and e-readers.

This is important because there are many issues that forward head posture can play a part in. It can cause: Aches, fatigue, pain, asthma, disc compression, early arthritis, headaches, TMJ (temperomandibular joint) pain, altered blood flow, and fibromyalgia. Forward head posture may also contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome.

Nobel Prize recipient Dr. Roger Sperry says that “90% of the stimulation and nutrition to the brain is generated by the movement of the spine.” Only 10 percent of the brain’s energy goes into thinking, metabolism and healing, while 90 percent of brain energy goes into processing and maintaining the body’s relationship with gravity, Sperry demonstrated.

As forward head posture decreases lung capacity, it can lead to asthma, blood vessel problems and heart disease. The oxygen deficit affects the entire gastrointestinal system and can decrease endorphin production. This turns the perception of non-painful sensation into pain experiences, says Dr. Fishman.

A wellness or corrective care chiropractor can measure the curve of your “arc of life,” give you regular adjustments, lead you in spinal rehabilitation exercises, and teach you postural and working habits that will greatly improve your health and quality of life.

How Does Forward Head Posture Affect
Mood + Brain Function?

Not only do asthma and heart disease begin in your neck, but so does your brain health. For instance, posture has an impact on feelings of stress, mood, memory and even behavior.

A 2010 study conducted in Brazil examined posture and body image in people with major depressive disorder. Over 10 weeks, 34 participants with depression and 37 healthy volunteers had their posture assessed. Researchers found that patients’ posture changed, including instances of forward head posture, during episodes of depression, and there was a “mild dissatisfaction with body image.”

Further, the Department of Clinical Psychology at the University of Hildesheim in Germany gathered 30 depressed inpatients to “investigate the effects of sitting posture on the tendency of depressed individuals to recall a higher proportion of negative self-referent material.” The findings showed that posture can affect memory.

After being randomly assigned to sit in a slouched or upright position, the people who sat upright showed no bias in word recall while those who slumped recalled mostly negative words.

In addition, poor posture has been shown to affect stress response. In 2015, Health Psychology: The Official Journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association published the results of a randomized trial on how posture affects stress responses. Seventy-four participants were randomly assigned to either upright or slumped seated posture. For the experiment, participants’ backs were strapped to hold the assigned posture.

The “upright participants reported higher self-esteem, more arousal, better mood, and lower fear, compared to slumped participants.” In addition, those sitting in a slumped position “used more negative emotion words, first-person singular pronouns, affective process words, sadness words, and fewer positive emotion words and total words during the speech.”

Researchers concluded that good posture in the face of stress maintains self-esteem, improves mood, increases rate of speech and reduces self-focus. Meanwhile, poor posture actually resulted in more stress, potentially leading to chronic stress.

Posture even seems to influence behavior. A study in Japan worked to correct elementary students’ posture, focusing on all four major components of posture: feet, buttocks, back and the entire body. After practicing and promoting good posture in class, not only did posture increase roughly 20 percent to 90 percent in students, but students’ classroom performance improved as well.

A lot of the poor posture out there, whether it’s slumping or forward head posture, is the result of the devices we use. From computers to tablets to smartphones, they all require a different angle to utilize, all of which throw our posture off. And it turns out, the size of device matters — but it’s not what you may think. Instead of larger devices causing more problems, the opposite seems to be true. That’s because the smaller the device, the more we must move our heads or necks forward.

Cuddy and Bos also conducted their own preliminary research on iHunch in their study, “iPosture: The Size of Electronic Consumer Devices Affects our Behavior.” Using an iPod Touch, iPad, MacBook Pro and an iMac, participants were assigned one of the devices. Cuddy and Bos found, as they hypothesized, that those working on smaller devices behaved more submissively, while those who used larger devices were more assertive.

How to Improve Posture

The good news is there are many steps you can take to correct your slumping or forward head posture. For instance, you can try Egoscue, a postural therapy designed to eliminate chronic pain without drugs or surgery. It’s a great way to improve posture, which can also relieve tension headaches as an added bonus.

Chiropractic adjustments can also help relieve joint pain and promote better posture.

Of course, you can always incorporate posture exercises to correct that pesky forward head posture and improve your mood and mental health. These include: arm circles, arm closes, cats and dogs, lateral raises (straight and bent), rows, pull-ups

Want more? Check out our favorite tools and tech for training better posture!

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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Monday, June 22, 2020

7 Easy Ways Implement CBD into Your Everyday Routine

CBD is seemingly everywhere these days, showing up in a multitude of product categories, some beneficial and some altogether questionable (CBD bedsheets, anyone?). With so many options and applications, it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction — and to know where to start. We’re breaking down the basics, and sharing some easy ways to implement this wonder-working ingredient into your wellness regimen.

First, a quick intro: CBD, short for cannabidiol, is one of over 100 compounds called cannabinoids found in cannabis plants, including hemp. This compound interacts with receptors in the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which plays a critical role in maintaining homeostasis, or balance, in all animals. Your body produces its own cannabinoids (called endocannabinoids), but you may choose to boost your natural supply. That’s where CBD-infused supplements, sips and skincare come into play. Unlike Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD won’t get you high. In fact, by law, “hemp” is generally defined as cannabis that contains levels of THC that do not exceed 0.3%.

When it comes to CBD, we’re all about ease of use (and real benefits). Here’s a list of our favorite ways to fold 2020's most popular plant into your daily routine...

Make it a Morning Ritual

Simplifying the measuring required of other hemp extract products, a CBD softgel — designed to align your natural body systems to restore balance that helps support everyday stress, sleep, recovery, mood and immunity* — can be the perfect way to start the day. Our pick, Prima’s The Daily, is a vegan option made with organically grown whole hemp extract with naturally occurring CBD, terpenes, polyphenols, flavonoids, and sterols. Wash one down with a big glass of water before your morning coffee or tea, and say hello to a significantly more even-keeled day. This is, hand's down, our favorite way to take CBD.

Earn Your Recovery

Between everyday wear and tear and hard-but-necessary workouts, our bodies can take quite a beating. Take comfort (and enjoy a deep sigh of relief) with an advanced recovery rub featuring concentrated levels of CBD and a botanical blend to encourage whole-body recovery. This one from Prima, aptly named R+R Cream, boasts a whopping 750mg of CBD and a bevy of beneficial ingredients including cooling menthol, soothing eucalyptus, and skin-softening marula oil and shea butter — for intense hydration with a non-greasy feel.

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Hand it Over

Raise your hand if you’ve been feeling the effects of repeated washing and obsessive sanitizing. Yeah...us, too. It turns out, a luxurious, CBD-rich body butter may be exactly what your mitts have been missing. Designed to soothe and replenish dry, dehydrated skin — and infused with whole plant hemp extract and five organic oils and butters — Prima’s Skin Therapy absorbs quickly to restore balance for skin in need. Bonus points: the soothing notes of citrus, clove, geranium and ylang ylang will keep you coming back just as much as your newfound butterysoft skin.

Skip the Alcoholic Sip

For many, a glass of wine (or an alternative alcoholic beverage) serves as an easy way to unwind after a long, stressful day. But for those looking to cut back — or perhaps leaning toward the sobercurios — a CBD powder blend that dissolves smoothly and seamlessly into any sip may be just the thing. A favorite: The Go-To from Prima, which features a subtle, clean flavor that pairs nicely with water, juice, tea (any beverage, really) and delivers what is essentially, instant zen. Even better: thanks to the convenient, single-serving packet format, it’s ideal for travel or on the go.

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Soak it In

The idea of a nice bath at the end of a long day is often a welcome one — and for good reason. But some of the science-backed benefits of this self-care ritual might surprise you. From lowering blood sugar and burning calories to improving mood and cardiovascular health, the pluses are aplenty. Want to reap even more benefits from your regularly scheduled soak? Try adding a thoughtfully formulated CBD bath bomb like Prima’s Bath Gem. With Epsom salt, meadowfoam, eucalyptus and camphor, this cult favorite not only helps bring comfort, restore balance and encourage some much-needed relaxation, it leaves skin feeling beyond soft and luxuriously hydrated.

Get Your Glow On

It’s true, CBD can be found in so many products, it can be difficult to separate the legitimate from the less than. But one category that has certainly earned its place in the CBD space, is skincare. In fact, CBD has been shown to visibly smooth, calm and even skin tone, help support the skin barrier to restore vibrance and combat environmental stressors, and help reduce the appearance of discoloration, texture and redness for a healthy-looking complexion. And you’d be hard pressed to find a product that delivers on all of these (and then some) more than Prima’s Night Magic.

Harnessing the power of prickly pear oil and phytocannabinoid-rich whole plant hemp extract, combined with a multitude of vitamins, phytosterols and active botanicals, this award-winning facial oil literally works wonders while you sleep. Want proof? In an independent clinical study of 30 women after 8 weeks of use, 93 percent of participants saw an overall improvement in their skin appearance, while nine out of 10 saw visible a improvement in their skin texture, agreeing that their skin looked healthier, felt calmer, and benefited from an enhanced luminosity and radiance.

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Turn up Your Wind-Down

In need of a good night sleep? Consider adding some CBD to your wind-down routine. Prima’s Rest Easy CBD powder — featuring a calming, relaxing botanical blend of whole plant hemp extract, L-theanine, hops, valerian and passionflower — is the stuff dreams are made of. Simply add a pre-measured packet to your beverage of choice and settle in for some well-deserved shut-eye. Want to make your non-alcoholic nightcap even more delicious? Add a single serving of this sleepy CBD powder blend to a cup of ginger tea. Add comforting honey, almond milk or lemon to taste.

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*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This story is brought to you in partnership with Prima. From time to time, TCM editors choose to partner with brands we believe in to bring our readers special offers. 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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This Yoga + Meditation App Is Also An Alarm Clock – And Might Just Change Your Life

25% off
For most of us, 2020 has been filled with ever-changing emotional challenges -- and it’s only June. To help us all navigate this complex and sometimes overwhelming year, we’ve hunted down the best tools we can find to support our emotional, physical and mental health. The one app that has stood out from the rest is Yoga Wake Up. In fact, the Yoga Wake Up app has become one of our top personal wellness recommendations for 2020.

Here’s why we’re hooked on it. Many of us know how good we feel when we incorporate yoga and meditation into our routines, but finding the time and energy right now can feel absolutely daunting. More than ever, we’re craving comfort and trying to incorporate challenging new habits or workouts at home can leave us feeling stressed and overwhelmed.

That’s where Yoga Wake Up has become the ultimate game-changer. Yoga Wake Up replaces your usual morning alarm with easy, audio-guided yoga or meditation in bed. You can choose from hundreds of unique sessions to find the teacher or routine that fits you best and most sessions are between three and fifteen minutes.

Waking up to a five-minute stretch and positive meditation is just the start of it. To explore what a full day using the Yoga Wake Up app is really like, we invited Kimberly Fe’Lix Forney to take us along with her and show us just how she uses it.

Kimberly is a LA based wellness advocate, writer, and mother of three. We love the way she uses the app to ground and re-connect with herself upon waking, for mid-day sanity breaks, and to center herself (and her kids!) before hitting the hay at night.

Today on IGTV, Kimberly is walking us through her inspiring routine with the app. Our favorite part is the calming mid-day break she takes to re-center herself from a harried day at home with three children. This is the kind of modern-day habit we all need! Sit back and enjoy Kimberly’s walk through above. Find highlights and tips from the wellness advocate on how to make the most of the app below. TCM Readers new to the Yoga Wake Up app will receive 25% off a year-long subscription by using our link here or in the banners above and below. Want to try the app first? Download Yoga Wake Up from the app store and try one of their free yoga or meditation sessions on the house! We recommend the three-minute 'This Too Shall Pass' session with Arielle Marie Fanelli. 

yoga wake up app

+ Check in with yourself. How is your breath? Have you had a chance to check in, ground and reconnect with yourself? What times of the day are most stressful for you?

+ Now more than ever, finding a consistent practice to support yourself is key to taking care of your family or whoever is home with you now.

+ Consider creating a bedside area with items to help you fill your soul and find solace. Include favorite books, scents, colors and sounds.

+ Yoga and meditation can help us stay emotionally well and healthfully adjust to the current climate of change. 

+ Use the Yoga Wake Up app as an alarm to wake up in the morning. Try the sessions under the header “In Bed”. These sessions allow you to stay in bed for a few minutes of gentle breathwork and movement before starting your day. No doubt, the apps most popular and life-changing feature! 

+ Experiment with the more active yoga routines bedside. There are hundreds of sessions to choose from depending on what you want to focus on and which teachers appeal to you.

+ Try fitting a 5-minute session into your routine mid-day. When you feel the pressures of the day threatening to de-rail your mood or energy levels, step away for either a short meditation session or a ‘moving meditation’ session for a walk around the block or quick yoga flow. 

+ Try the family sessions! You might be surprised how much children enjoy these breathwork and yoga sessions. Make a short session part of your bedtime routine and see how it goes!

+ Create a bedtime routine for yourself -- either everyday or as a special self-care moment once a week. Fe’Lix loves to run a warm shower, indulge in a lengthy clean skincare routine and find a spot to do a decompressing yoga routine or calming meditation with the app.

+ Set your alarm before going to sleep at night! Pick your wake up time in the app, choose a session you’d like to wake up to and never wake to a blaring alarm again. When you wake, the session you’ve chosen will help you to wake up gently and in good spirits. 

Transform your daily routine with easy, audio-guided yoga anywhere, anytime with Yoga Wake Up. Start your subscription for 25% with our exclusive link through the banner below. 25% offThis story is brought to you in partnership with Yoga Wake Up. From time to time, TCM editors choose to partner with brands we believe in to bring our readers special offers. 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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Friday, June 19, 2020

Father’s Day with the Hotelier Behind the New Hotel June

We're obsessed with the Proper Hotel in Santa Monica (enter to win a two-night stay at The Proper here!). Before the quarantine began, our team spent one day a week minimum inside the Proper's stunning, design-forward lobby and, now, the hotel group is opening another hotel just around the corner. We asked Proper Hospitality's Brian De Lowe to talk to us about the exciting new project and to dish with us about what is means to him to be a father as Dad's Day 2020 is just a few days away. As it turns out the baby boom of 2020 is well underway -- De Lowe happens to be married to one of our own, wellness maven and manifestation coach, Jessie de Lowe and the couple is expecting baby number two in just a few months. Here's Brian on design, dad-ing and all the rest... 

finish this sentence: Being a father is... The ultimate sense of purpose.  For me, life has always been about creating great memories and having unique experiences.  My incredible wife, Jessie, agrees. As soon as our daughter Amelie (who turns 3 on Father’s Day this year!) entered our life, my priorities became extremely clear – there is nothing better than the wonderful amazing experiences and happy memories that we share together as a family.

hotel june room

Best travel + hotel advice for parents:

Do it early and do it often.  Jessie and I decided to start traveling with Amelie when she was just a few months old and we’ve been all over the world with her ever since. We are all three at our best when on the road… and I really believe that Amelie shares our love of adventure and the excitement of something new because of those early first trips we took together. Other more specific tips:

+ Use the stroller strategically…we pack as little as possible, as the hardest part about travel with a kid is all the “stuff” that a baby/kid requires, so for those kids things we absolutely must bring, we keep it all at the bottom of our stroller.

+ Bring lots of snacks… Even when Amelie is at her crankiest, that mood quickly changes as soon as she’s given a few delicious treats (she inherited that “quality” from me).

Best tricks for staycationing in LA this summer?

We’re all so lucky to live in a place that is a world-class tourism destination. Each summer, many travelers from every corner of the world go on their trip of a lifetime to visit sunny Southern California.

This summer, the best advice I have is to embrace the opportunity to see our city/region through the eyes of a traveler. Instead of flying across the world to stay at a hotel to experience a city or beach there, book a hotel in your own town from which you can explore a new neighborhood, go on a different hike, or check out a hot new restaurant. It’s a win/win… you and your friends or family get to look forward to the much needed fresh perspective gained from getting out of the house, and businesses in your local community get much needed financial support to help them survive.

brian de lowe jessie family

Best part of being a dad?

The love that I feel and the love that I get back… it’s a love that is indescribable, profound and unconditional. My absolute best memories since becoming a father are the simple pleasures of hanging with my family -- nothing better than our giggle sessions in bed on a weekend morning, the songs we sing together on beach walks, the silly nicknames we make up for each other or the big tight silent hugs that Amelie gives me every morning when she wakes up. Dad and daughter time is so precious and I try my hardest to make the best of every one of those sacred intimate moments.

Toughest part of being a dad?

I think the biggest challenge for me has been figuring out the balance between home life and everything else. I don’t want to miss out on anything with my daughter, but I also have high aspirations professionally and friends that I love to spend time with -- and I know that I need my own hobbies and activities to stay sane so I can be the best husband and father. The juggle is real, and I know it will get even more real when our 2nd daughter is born in three months!

hotel june room details

Favorite spots in the new hotel's neighborhood:

Although Hotel June is literally only a 15 minute bike ride away from Venice Beach, it sits at the intersection of a number of great, lesser explored LA neighborhoods… Playa Del Rey, Playa Vista, and Westchester, etc. I love exploring Playa Del Rey’s funky beach community, walking from the hotel to Kanpai for sushi (it was our last meal in LA before we flew to Conneticut to get married in 2016) and hitting Scopa Italian Roots for dinner followed by Old Lightening for cocktails. Now that Brella (on-demand childcare in a gorgeous setting) is back open in Playa Vista, my top recommendation for parents is to do a quick drop-off there followed by a kid-free afternoon of cocktails and sunshine at Hotel June’s poolside Caravan Swim Club.

The ultimate weekend in LA must include:

Fresh air and open space. So grateful for the world-class hiking and beaches in our city and the incredible rooftop pools, outdoor eating and drinking spaces at our Proper hotels and Hotel June!

Enter to win two nights at the Proper Santa Monica on Instagram here through June 22!

The post Father’s Day with the Hotelier Behind the New Hotel June appeared first on The Chalkboard.



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