Category Archives: Health

Creatine Power: Boost Muscle & Mind

Posted on November 12, 2024 by The GEM and currently has Comments Off on Creatine Power: Boost Muscle & Mind

It’s not just for muscle heads, folks. Creatine supplements are my new favorite, and they’re a game-changer. This stuff is magical: a single supplement that boosts muscle growth, strength, and recovery, AND supports brain health, energy, mood, and bone health. Too good to be true? NOPE, IT’S FOR REAL. And you should try it out as part of your Original G•E•M•S Shine Practice today.

All About Creatine

WHO should take it? EVERYONE needs this supplement to increase muscle mass, brain cognition, and stamina. In fact, menopausal women might even benefit the most!

WHAT is it? Creatine is an amino acid found mostly in your body’s muscles and the brain. It’s naturally produced in the body and is also found in meat, eggs, and fish. It serves as an energy reserve in the muscles by making more ATP, the “energy currency” of our cells.

WHY should you take it? Creatine stores decrease as we age, so it’s imperative that we give our muscles and brain what they need. I’ve been taking it now for about four weeks, and I noticed a definite difference. It has created more lean muscle definition and I recover from my workouts faster. While I wouldn’t say I’m a rocket scientist yet, I feel as though I have less brain fog. Other benefits:

Strength, muscle size and performance. Creatine allows for greater gains in strength, stamina, and muscle mass.
Injury prevention. It reduces the frequency of dehydration, muscle cramping, and injuries to the muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons and nerves.
Sarcopenia and bone health. Creatine might help counteract age-related declines in skeletal muscle and bone mineral density. Love it!
Brain Cognition: It supports cognitive function, especially as you age.

WHEN should you take it? Build your stores of creatine with a DAILY dose before or after a workout. Be sure to take it consistently, and stay hydrated.

HOW will it change you? With regular exercise, resolute hydration and consistent dosing, expect a beautiful change in your body composition, workout stamina, coupled with less brain fog! What could be better?

WHICH ONE? There are so many options out there, but the GEM Girls have done their homework and found the perfect match from Thorne. Every batch of Thorne’s Creatine Monohydrate Powder is tested for compliance to ensure its integrity. IT IS FLYING OFF THE SHELVES.

Creatine: Part of a Well-Rounded Original GEMs Program

Of course, creatine is just one part of the silver bullet to optimal health. So prioritize eating a high protein, antioxidant-rich diet, exercising regularly, and getting plenty of sleep—foundational habits that are really non-negotiable!

Looking to improve your overall wellness game? Check out our Original G•E•M•S Life Program, a daily playbook based on The GEM’s founding principles. Jump on our disco train and commit daily to just one practice in each of the categories, Gratitude, Eat Clean, Move, and Shine. Add in more practices and grow with the program when you’re ready and create your own Original G·E·M·S Life!

Thriving After Summer: Family Health Tips for A Fall Reset

Posted on September 20, 2023 by The GEM and currently has Comments Off on Thriving After Summer: Family Health Tips for A Fall Reset

As the summer vacation season comes to a close, it’s time to step off the party train and back into your regular routine — fortunately, we’ve got health tips for your whole family.

We get it. We all are guilty of summer late nights, tempting treats, and perhaps skipping a workout. Or three. The kids are home and you’re just trying to keep everyone happy, fed, and out of trouble! But now, as the school year starts, it’s the perfect time to regroup and refocus on your family’s health and well-being.

Don’t worry — it’s a common scenario, and we’re here to guide your family back to a healthier routine.

Health Tips for A Fall Family Reset

BRING VEGGIES BACK. Start with adding just one EXTRA veggie to your plate. The chlorophyll, from veggies like kale, spinach, and celery will add immediate energy and spark. The fiber will help boost your metabolism and enhance your digestion. Have you tried our MVP Soup? It’s amazeballs! PLUS, it adds a whopping 4 servings of veggies.!
Drink your water. I can’t say it enough. Get back to your 32 ounces of filtered water EACH morning before you consume anything else. After that, drink half your weight in ounces by the end of day for ultimate hydration. Hydration enhances metabolism, promotes glowy skin, flushes your organs, boosts energy and suppresses your appetite. DRINK UP. (water this time). And take a refillable water bottle wherever you go.
Focus on SLEEP. This might be the number one way to stay healthy, svelte, and sexy. Sleep renews your energy, your mind and keeps your caloric intake in check. (Did you know, sleep deprivation can increase caloric intake the next day by 440 calories?) Lack of sleep makes you crave sugar and ages you. Pick a decent bedtime hour to get at least 7 to 9 HOURS and stick to it. Add CALM tea at night to relax and get to sleep.
Worth Your (SEA) Salt. This essential mineral promotes healthy hydration, digestion, thyroid function, muscle and cognitive nerve transmission. Don’t be afraid of mineral rich salts. We are NOT talking about iodized table salt. Get rid of that junk. Use salts like Redmond real salt, Himalayan, Mediterranean, or Sea salt. You get the idea.
Start downing green smoothies. A meal in a cup. Have one for breakfast and chock it full of all kinds of greens, antioxidant rich berries, and vegan protein. You can add half a banana if you are still on top of Sugar Craving Mountain. If you are hesitant, begin with adding spinach to your favorite GEM smoothies. As you advance, think Emerald City or Cameo. Pro tip: brighten your White Diamond with added spinach. Your body will soar.
STRETCH it out and BREATHE deep. Both of these things keep your body renewed and keep things moving efficiently. Family wellness isn’t just about nutrition; it’s also about movement and mindfulness. Incorporate daily stretching and deep breathing exercises into your family’s routine. Yoga or stretching sequences will make a huge difference in your day.
LOVE YOUR GOOD BACTERIA. Restore the balance of good vs. bad bacteria in your gut with PROBIOTICS. The summer’s mix of bad food and not so healthy choices may have compromised your digestive health, immunity, and brain function. We suggest Bio-Kult or Thorne FloraMend as our top choices. Stock up at The GEM!
DAILY JUICE. Kick start your day with a Celery Juice from the GEM. Flush out the toxins, boost immunity, and get rid of your cravings. Or try a Juice Then Dinner or a Workout Cleanse—which shows you what a super healthy day can look like for the rest of your life (until summer returns anyway!). Bonus: We offer tons of delicious options!! You’ll want to try them all.

Give these steps a try to help your family thrive this back-to-school season!

Craving some super-fresh juice? Order for pick up now!

Why You Should Care if Your Juice is Made with High Pressure Processing

Posted on October 10, 2022 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has Comments Off on Why You Should Care if Your Juice is Made with High Pressure Processing

Wonder why our juice tastes fresh and best? Well, we believe in the highest standards in what we do. Down to the disco ball and Honestly Organic ingredients. And our juice is never made with high-pressure processing.

Craving some super-fresh juice? Order for pick up now!

What is High-Pressure Processing?

It’s important to know when, where, how and with what your juice is made. Our cold-pressed juice is made fresh daily, bottled on site and then placed right on the shelf (and never processed). Most of our juice only lasts three days — and you GEMs snatch them up and gulp away before the expiration date comes and goes. Yet, you can find dozens of “fresh,” cold-pressed juices that are good for 30 or more days? That seems strange, doesn’t it? Those long-lasting juices are made using high-pressure processing (HPP), a pasteurization process that preserves and sterilizes food by applying very, very high pressure, instead of heat.

The Advantages of HPP

There are advantages, of course: It reduces the level of possible pathogens in the juice — which were there from the beginning but not all of the enzymes and nutrients, like heat pasteurization. The high pressure kills certain microorganisms and enzymes in the food, thereby slowing the food’s deterioration. And it’s the only way juice can be made and sold wholesale (like to a grocery store). Sounds like the perfect solution to having juice last longer, right? We thought so. Unfortunately, we found a few things we didn’t like about the process.

Why We Said No to High-Pressure Processing

The juice has to be more acidic. First off, our precious juice recipes that we hold so dear would have to be formulated differently for high-pressure processing. WTF. No way. Many of our super green juices would have to change to be more acidic. We didn’t like being told that. How could we face our GEMs if we had to change the recipes to their favorite organic juice or, worse still, as one consultant recommended, we add minute quantities of citric acid??
The taste worsens. Over time, taste changes. And not for the better we decided. Don’t agree? Try some juice that has a shelf-life of 30 days or more. Then try some GEM juice. The last thing we want is the taste of our Radiant Glow not to be, well, radiant.
It’s not honest. HPP juice really isn’t “freshly” made or “raw”. It’s pressed and sent to a giant HPP plant, which then treats the juice, dates it and sends it back. In fact, plenty of juice companies have gotten in trouble for calling their juices “fresh” and “raw.” It doesn’t even have to be identified as HPP. So how do you even know if your juice has been processed or it’s truly fresh? By checking the expiration date. HPP can have a shelf life of 30 to 50 days days, 10 to 15 times longer than juice the way nature intended. We think that’s just deceiving. AND, who wants to drink 30-day-old juice?
Benefits change. The good bacteria is destroyed. Along with the bad bacteria (that’s a good thing), the process kills good probiotic bacteria that play a role in good nutrition. Plus, enzymes only live for five to seven days, and HPP can’t change that. The important enzymes that are still alive may be altered and thereby denatured.

Our raw, organic, health-mentoring pledge: We provide the best juices to alkalize the blood and neutralize toxins in the body. That’s also why we never use high-pressure processing and only use 100-percent organic ingredients — a lot of other “organic” juice makers only do organic when it’s convenient; most don’t even try. And being 100 percent Honestly Organic and non-HPP comes at a price to us. But so does our health!

It is our philosophy that truly raw juice can be our medicine, our energizer. BUT: it must be left unprocessed and in its purest (and tastiest) form. We will guide our GEMs daily through an accessible pathway to optimal health. Therefore, we will NOT use processing of any kind on our juices or produce. We WILL continue to raise the bar at every turn, maintain our organic pledge and continue to create more amazingly healthy and tasty juices, smoothies and green bites. Just. for. you.

A Letter to My Cancer Warriors

Posted on October 12, 2021 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has 6 Comments on A Letter to My Cancer Warriors

Dealing with cancer is a scary proposition. Like a sucker punch to the gut scary. I know this because it happened to me. At 40, I was diagnosed with breast cancer that spread to my lymph nodes. Scared doesn’t even scratch the surface of the emotions I felt. Faced with this fear, I immediately made changes to my diet and my life to make sure that once my cancer was gone, I would do everything within my power to make sure it didn’t come back.

EXPLORE MORE TIPS FOR LIVING AN ANTI-CANCER LIFE.

I am often asked to share advice to those facing the same uncertain journey. I certainly DO NOT have all the answers. What I do have, however, is my own insight and what worked for me.

These tips below include simple actions that I took — and some that I didn’t realize until later. These are applicable to any major illness or challenge you or a loved one may be facing.

10 Cancer Warrior Tips from a Breast Cancer Survivor

Take care of YOU. Not the time to worry about what others think. Also, NO thank you notes (unless it makes you feel better in the moment). Those that care about a note are helping for the wrong reasons. Write special notes when you are healed.
Educate yourself about your illness. Get a notebook and write it all down. Make your decisions to the best of your ability and then be confident in them. It’s your diagnosis, your journey.
Eat clean and vibrant. It’s another way to cleanse your body and fuel it with cancer-fighting nutrients. Incorporate daily, organic green juice into your day, even when you don’t feel like it. You will feel its power immediately. Cut the sugar. Period. Bone broth, clean protein smoothies and all of our offerings are rooted in anti-cancer principles. The GEM was created as an oasis for supporting a healthy, healing, anti-cancer lifestyle. The goal should be not only to heal during the treatment, but to make changes to ensure that the cancer never returns. You have to change the environment on the inside.
Get some good super-soft button down pajamas. Especially helpful for post surgery. A cashmere wrap for your visits and chemo sessions. You spend a lot of time with nothing but a cold, crinkly hospital top on while folks poke and prod. You will thank me.
Accept all support that doesn’t have strings attached. You will need all of it. Ask someone to be the point person to set up MealTrain.com. This site helps manage food and even carpool schedules.
Tell your friends what you want and need. Be specific. They want to help and aren’t sure what to do. Set boundaries with energy vampires in your life (those who suck the energy out of you). You DO NOT have to respond to their needs. You will find incredible people who seem to come out of nowhere.
Exercise every day. Even if you just stretch for 10 minutes and walk around the block for 20. You will feel better.
Use Caringbridge to communicate. That way you only have to say it once. Plus it can be a great place to document your journey. It helps keep those energy vampires out.
Breathe. And do it deeply. For those new to it, it sounds corny. To those who understand it, it is imperative. Also try mediation by downloading Headspace and Calm apps and begin to see what it is all about.
Love. Every. Minute. Life is important. Make yours count.

“Let Food Be Thy Medicine”

As far as specific food items to help you through your cancer journey, our Green Glow is a great place to start for daily juicing. I consumed large quantities daily of that particular green juice back in the day (with additional kale and ginger). It made all the difference to my energy and overall healing. Hot drinks like Matcha Lattes, Ginger tea, smoothies such as the Tahitian Pearl (no dates) or Cameo with protein, and our soups and Immunity bone broths offer amazingly nourishing sustenance. Using homemade cashew milk instead of dairy will help keep inflammation at bay. Food as medicine is SO powerful.

I am grateful that so many people reach out to me about their own cancer experience. It is a scary time for everyone. Throughout my cancer journey, the most amazing people came to my side. AND I KNOW YOU’VE GOT SOME BADASS SUPER HEROS IN YOUR LIFE FOR THAT TOO! But of course I am always available to talk, answer questions, whatever!

Sending you good vibes and prayers for the scans, tests, treatments, and transformations. It will be a whirlwind, but YOU’VE GOT THIS.

I hope this helps. ☀️

Peace, love & healing,

Leslie

Recommended Reading List:

Kris Carr: Crazy Sexy Cancer, Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips, Crazy Sexy Diet (www.kriscarr.com)
Dr. Kelly Turner: Radical Remission
Dr. Keith Block: Life Over Cancer Book (www.blockmd.com)
Dr. Susan Love: Dr. Susan Love’s Breast Book
Jen Rozenbaum: What the Fuck Just Happened? A Survivor’s Guide to Life After Breast Cancer

SHINE Smarter with Original G·E·M·S Life! (Smarty Pants Series Part IV)

Posted on August 18, 2021 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has Comments Off on SHINE Smarter with Original G·E·M·S Life! (Smarty Pants Series Part IV)

Take time for a little self-care so you can operate at your brightest this school year and keep stress levels low! Try out these SHINE Original G·E·M·S Life practices with your family for a Smarty Pants Semester.

START. COMMIT. GROW. JUMP INTO ORIGINAL G·E·M·S LIFE!

Starting Your Day with Original G·E·M·S Life

Our health is impacted by so much more than what we eat or whether or not we exercise. Mental health plays just as big a role as these practices in our overall wellness. Because of this, our daily habits have a HUGE impact on brain health—an important fact to remember as we begin this new school year!

Do right by your body and brain this semester by embarking on your own Original G·E·M·S Life — a playbook formed from our founding nutritional and lifestyle practices. Get started by checking out our tips on practicing GRATITUDE for a new school year, ways to EAT CLEAN to boost brain power, and our MOVE practices for a Smarty Pants Semester.

To round up our back-to-school series, here are our top practices to help you Shine smarter this school year!

6 Back To School #SelfCare Tips to Help You SHINE Smarter!

Get a full 8 hours of SLEEP! Deep, quality sleep helps with memory consolidation, where the brain processes events of the day, making memories and links. A good night’s rest helps you remember and process things better—crucial for smarty pants GEMs. Shine smarter by prioritizing your shut-eye time nightly!
Start a morning WATER therapy regimen. Here’s your new morning ritual: drink 32 oz of water upon waking. That’s it. SUPER beneficial to your overall long-term health, and an easy way to detoxify your system. We GEMs do it every day. Staying hydrated makes us more focused and keeps us energized throughout the day. Try it and see for yourself!
Cut down on screen time. Excessive time in front of our screens can cause parts of our brain to shrink—crucial parts that help us with empathy, planning, prioritising, organization and impulse control. Too much screen time can also make us feel disconnected from others, which is detrimental to our mental well being. Take a 10-minute break every hour spent in front of your device to keep you Shining Brighter all day long.
De-stress & detox with bath salts. Our GEM At Home Detox Bath Salts relax tense muscles, replenish magnesium, and reduce inflammation. Plus, their healing properties can help moisturize your skin, decrease stress, and help you sleep better. Give yourself a little R&R bathtime to soak away school stresses. Order now!
Relax & drink Natural Calm Tea nightly to help quell anxiety and promote a more restful sleep. It works by balancing your magnesium levels and calcium intake, helping you to feel less stressed and more relaxed. We recommend starting with just a little at first (half a teaspoon daily), and gradually increase to two teaspoons per day from there.
Stock up on supplements. Want optimal brain function? A stronger immune system? Better overall health? Look no further than our top GEM-approved daily supplements. Good news! We now carry the incredible Thorne brand. Give your body the turbo boost it needs to stay healthy and strong by supplementing your way to SHINE. Stop by and stock up today!

Make these daily SHINE practices part of your back-to-school routine, and you’ll set off a chain reaction of mental and physical well-being that will lead to a bright, shining, Smarty Pants Semester!

But don’t stop there; commit to one practice in each Original G·E·M·S Life category (Gratitude, Eat Clean, Move, and Shine) and reap the benefits of a healthier, happier mind, body and soul. Add in more practices as you go, and watch the transformation begin! Jump in today!

5 Practices to Ace GEM Class With Original G·E·M·S

Posted on August 18, 2021 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has Comments Off on 5 Practices to Ace GEM Class With Original G·E·M·S

A daily routine is key to a successful school year. Add these quick MOVE practices to your Original G·E·M·S Life for a focused, fabulous fall term!

START. COMMIT. GROW. JUMP INTO ORIGINAL G·E·M·S LIFE!

Ready for more focus, less anxiety and improved energy? Set aside a few minutes every day to move your body for a world of difference to your physical AND mental health.

It’s a scientific fact that regular exercise is linked to improved mood and reduced anxiety and depression. So do right by your body and your brain by adding in our third Original G·E·M·S Life category, MOVE, to your morning routine, and get ready to take on this school year by storm!

You don’t have to hit the gym after dropping the kids off at school — commiting to MOVE your body everyday is a lot easier than you think! One of the biggest mistakes we make when setting activity goals is trying to “get fit” by overcommitting to an exercise “program.” In other words: We shoot the moon, when really we just need to walk around the block. Some things to keep in mind:

Any movement is a good movement! It doesn’t have to be a heart-pounding sweaty gym sesh to improve your fitness.
Those little minutes of movement add up! A little bit here and there, when you can, can add up to a full work out!
Consistency matters more than intensity. You can burn a lot of calories walking — and a lot more than running if it’s just too hard or you don’t like it.
If you don’t like it, if it’s too hard, if it hurts, you won’t keep doing it. Movement should be fun, not painful.

To help get you started, try our top practices to help you ace GEM class this school year.

5 MOVE Practices for a Smarty Pants Semester

After School Dance Party! Shake away those back to school blues by throwing on some throwback jams to groove to! Try this ultimate dance party workout with Meagan Kong for some seriously good vibes. A dance a day keeps the doctor away, right?
Sneak In Mini-Moves: You don’t have to make it to class or the gym every day. Try taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Or take a quick walk around the block in between Zoom calls. Either way, take a few minutes to stretch your legs during the day. Those minutes add up!
Try a TikTok Trend! There are sooo many to keep up with, but a few TikTok trends we’ve loved lately are the #FlexibilityChallenge videos, the #Trackstars “runaway” challenge, and whatever #DanceTikTok’s viral dance of the week is! Get your family involved and try out these video challenges for your daily MOVE practice!
Find a “move” buddy. Having someone to keep us accountable helps us stay committed to daily move goals. Call up a friend you’ve been meaning to catch up with and try different classes with them for a month, or sign up for a weekly AM sculpt class at Ritual One Yoga on Knox with a friend (plus, get your daily GEM fix at our pop-up location here!).
Get a Personal Trainer. Can’t find time to make it to a class? Hire a personal trainer to come to your home instead—they can even give you light exercises or stretching work to do so you can check off your MOVE practice every day of the week.

Prioritizing your health is the BEST way to curb anxiety and stress that a new school year brings. Follow these Original G·E·M·S Life MOVE practices to help you and your family stay healthy this fall. And remember; it takes 21 days to form a habit, so don’t wait—jump in today!

Live an Original G·E·M·S Life

Commit to Shine Brighter in all areas of your life with our daily playbook formed around The GEM’s founding principles. Jump on our disco train and commit daily to just one practice in each of the categories, Gratitude, Eat Clean, Move, Shine. Add in more practices and grow with the program when you’re ready, and create your very own Original G·E·M·S Life!

How to Boost Brain Power by Eating Clean (Smarty Pants Series Part II)

Posted on August 13, 2021 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has Comments Off on How to Boost Brain Power by Eating Clean (Smarty Pants Series Part II)

“You is kind, you is SMART, you is important.” Say it with us now. Back to school time is upon us, and to celebrate we’re sharing our top Original G·E·M·S Life tips for you to have a Smarty Pants Semester—and this week is all about how to Eat Clean to boost brain power. Check out our brain-boosting daily practices and commit to Eat Clean this school year!

START NOW. SHINE BRIGHTER. JUMP INTO ORIGINAL G·E·M·S LIFE!

As we said in Part I of our Smarty Pants Semester series, lifestyle has a HUGE impact on our brain and mental health. Each of us has the opportunity to do something good for our brain (and, in turn, our body), multiple times a day.

When it comes to eating, start smart each day with these tried-and-true Eat Clean practices that keep your mind and body at peak performance!

5 Brain Boosting Foods for Back to School

BLUEBERRIES. These babies are PACKED with antioxidants proven to help delay brain aging and improve memory. Stick some in the freezer with a scoop of peanut butter for a delish after-school snack, or add them to your morning smoothie for a one-two punch of brain power!
TURMERIC. We’ve talked a LOT about the benefits of this anti-inflammatory super spice—but turmeric also has the power to improve memory, boost serotonin and dopamine levels, and help us grow new brain cells. Our Turmeric Latte is a favorite back to school accessory for this reason. So is the Iced Immunity Green Tea.
NUTS. Brain healthy fats and protein abound with walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil Nuts, mulberries and more. Snag a bag or two of our GEM Remix or Dance Mix to get your daily dose of nuts—super filling and packs a punch. Got nuts?
MAGIC MUSHROOM. Our Adaptogenic Powder contains Lion’s Mane, which boosts brain clarity and memory. Add to any of our coffee drinks or in our Crown Jewel smoothie!
GREEN TEA. In addition to fighting cancer, aiding in digestion, and improving cardiovascular health, studies have shown that drinking green tea daily can enhance memory and other cognitive functions. Green tea directly benefits the part of our brain associated with learning, memory processes, and decision making. Choose wisely and GO GREEN!
LEAFY GREENS. You know the ones—kale, spinach, Bok Choy, collard greens, etc. all have the power to slow cognitive decline. Stay sharp by packing in extra greens at every meal with these simple tips:
- Add to smoothies. Spinach and kale are our favorite additions. Make at home with your favorite organic ingredients, or order to-go from The GEM!
- Stir into soup. De-stem and cut a few kale leaves before adding them to soups in the last 10 minutes of cooking.
- Bake kale chips. Chop and toss with a little olive oil and salt, then bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
- Juice ‘em. Our Green Glow juice is the perfect starter kit to get your daily green fix (all hail the KALE!). Order now!

By adding just ONE of these brain-boosting foods daily, check off your EAT CLEAN practice while getting the nutrients you need to learn and Shine Brighter in the classroom this semester! And stock up with these foods to send your little GEMs off with fuel for the school day and beyond.

Keep an eye out for more Original G·E·M·S Life practices for a Smarty Pants Semester, coming soon!

Be A Smarty Pants with Original G·E·M·S (Part I: Gratitude)

Posted on August 10, 2021 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has 1 Comment on Be A Smarty Pants with Original G·E·M·S (Part I: Gratitude)

Gearing up for a new school year can be hectic, no doubt about it. BUT, if we embrace the chaos and express gratitude for our kids’ opportunities and abilities in the classroom, we can give them the support they need to perform their best, in school and beyond. Try these Original G·E·M·S Life daily GRATITUDE practices for a smarty pants semester this fall!

LEARN, GROW & SHINE BRIGHT DAILY. JUMP INTO ORIGINAL G·E·M·S LIFE!

Start Smart this Semester with Original G·E·M·S Life

Original G·E·M·S know the road to healthy isn’t paved with just clean eating and exercise. Our mental health plays just as big a role in our overall wellness as what we put on our plate and how we move our bodies. Because of this, our daily habits have a HUGE impact on brain health—a super important topic as we approach a new school year!

You have the opportunity every single day to do something good for your brain (and, in turn, your body). And what better way to start than with our first Original G·E·M·S Life category, GRATITUDE, each day? Read on for tips on how to practice GRATITUDE daily this school year.

Having GRATITUDE for A Shiny New School Year!

There is no shortage of studies that link a practice of gratitude gives way to an overall sense of well-being. But did you know that practicing gratitude can also have a positive impact on our focus and resilience in learning?

According to a 2016 study published in the Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, when students intentionally practice gratitude toward learning, they have better focus during class, while studying, or taking an exam.

Practicing gratitude then seems like a no-brainer (pun intended!) for excelling in the classroom! Try out these quick and easy Original G·E·M·S Life practices to start your day with a gratitude mindset before hitting the books this school year.

3 Ways to Start Your School Day with GRATITUDE

PRACTICE MORNING MEDITATIONS. Center yourself by taking 15 minutes each morning to meditate and reflect on the positive. Doing so will automatically start your day with an optimistic outlook and ready to tackle whatever may come.
START GRATITUDE MAPPING. Similar to a gratitude journal, gratitude mapping is creating a visual mood board to represent things you’re grateful for. Add to it daily and put it on display to help remind you of all the good things you have to be grateful for!
VOLUNTEER TO HELP. We all know someone who could use a hand. Volunteer to help your kids’ carpool lane. Sign up to become a reading buddy or a tutor in the classroom. Just put yourself out there and see—helping those in need brings on a sense of compassion for humanity, and helps us have gratitude for our circumstances!

Try these daily practices to help you have a smarty pants semester, but don’t forget; Gratitude is just ONE important element of living an Original G·E·M·S Life. To Shine Brighter in all areas of your life, commit daily to one practice in each Original G·E·M·S Life category, Gratitude, Eat Clean, Move, and Shine, and watch the transformation begin!

And be on the lookout for more tips on how to have a Smarty Pants Semester on our blog, Facebook & Instagram!

12 Teen Summer Snack Ideas for Original G·E·M·S!

Posted on July 21, 2021 by The GEM and currently has Comments Off on 12 Teen Summer Snack Ideas for Original G·E·M·S!

As parents of teenagers and young adults ourselves, we know firsthand how challenging it can be to convince your kids to keep on the straight-and-narrow when it comes to eating right. So we’re offering our tried and true Eat Clean food rules catered to teens who want to look good and feel even BETTER — the basis of our Original G·E·M·S Life program. Check out our top recommendations below for helping your teen eat clean.

START NOW. SHINE BRIGHTER. JUMP INTO ORIGINAL G·E·M·S LIFE!

Preparation is the name of the game when getting our kids to eat clean. While it’s likely they will never straight up ask for cucumbers and hummus, your teens will snack on what’s in front of them, so having healthy options on deck is a must!

My go-to healthy options make staying true to Original G·E·M·S Life easy for our teens at home. They’re what I call my “Jedi Mind Trick Snack Plates”…fun-looking, health-filled plates with a little bit of everything on them. Before they’ve even realized it, my teens are gobbling up organic veggies and nutrient-filled bites like it was their idea.

Try some of my favorite at-home snack plate ideas for your teens this summer!

12 Healthy Summer Snacks for Teens

Be-A-GEM Platter: Made with our fave grab-and-go options, including The GEM’s hummus with jalapeno pesto, our Vegan Ranch and Sami’s Flax Chips served along with snap peas and Sunset’s Sugar Bombs grape tomatoes. This plate is a hit for obvious reasons.
Netflix & Healthy Platter: Here’s one for the movie buffs—organic popcorn made on the stove top with coconut oil and sea salt, peanuts, pistachios, and Healthy Chex Mix from Unrefined Bakery (this stuff is the BOMB!).
Taste the Rainbow Platter: Take watermelon cubes, Cuties oranges, kiwis, blueberries, frozen grapes, and some mini marshmallows for clouds (brands like Smash Mallow or Dandies are our go-to).
Piatto d’Italia: Take a quick trip over the pond and into Italy with an array of olives, nitrate-free sliced salami, toasted almonds, sliced red peppers, parmesan chunks, and steamed artichoke. Go even further and make mini pizzas with whole grain English muffins, marinara and mozzarella. Buon appetito!
Mexican Fiesta Plate: Made with fresh GEM Pico de Gallo, guacamole and our 3 Bean Salad and served with Siete Tortilla Chips. Make quick and easy quesadillas by adding leftover seasoned taco meat or organic rotisserie chicken for quick access and using whole wheat tortillas. Look for brands that just have simple ingredients (hit: Mission is NOT it!).
Veggie Lovin’ Platter: Served with steamed broccoli, GEM Vegan Ranch, sliced cucumbers and carrots marinated in lime juice and salt (this is an important step!).
Let’s Do Brunch Platter: Make toasted waffles cut into triangles and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, served alongside boiled eggs, Alyssa’s oatmeal cookies (sold at The GEM!), and Applegate Farms chicken sausage links.
Open-Faced Avo Toast Plate: Serve avocado toast with lemon, cayenne, sea salt, PBJ, and toasted cheese—all cut into small squares.
At-Home Happy Jars: Organic Greek or plant-based yogurt (Siggi’s is my fave) parfaits made with Marge or Park Lane granola and berries, drizzled with honey. Save yourself some time by making a few of these at a time, storing them in small Mason jars.
Asian Snack Plate: Get store bought California Rolls (Whole Foods and Central Market have the best!), AshaPops, sliced red bell peppers, GEM Collard Wraps, and steamed organic spicy edamame (with “Slap Your Mama” seasoning).
Baked Potato Bar: Keep potatoes on hand and with fun toppings. Use that leftover taco meat! Super simple, filling, AND healthy.
Smoothie Station: Blend one frozen banana with a cup of dairy-free milk, raw cacao and organic peanut butter for a yummy treat. Or, pick up some of our ready-made Smoothie Kits at The GEM and store in the freezer until ready to serve. Your teens will LOVE you!

Help set your teen up for success by providing them with these healthy snack options. And don’t forget to lead by example! For more inspiration on keeping you and your family inspired to Eat Clean, check out our Original G·E·M·S Life inspiration page with tried-and-true, easy-to-follow food rules.

By selecting one practice that resonates with you from one or all of all of the four Original G·E·M·S categories (Gratitude, Eat Clean, Move and Shine), and committing to doing it daily for a week, then a month (and eventually forever), you’ll be well on your way to Shining Brighter in all areas of your life!

How to Help Your Teen Eat Clean with Original G·E·M·S

Posted on July 6, 2021 by The GEM and currently has 2 Comments on How to Help Your Teen Eat Clean with Original G·E·M·S

As parents, instilling healthy food habits is one of the best things we can do for our children. It’s obvious for us, but it can be difficult to get our teenagers to actually buy into this idea. And as moms of a few teenagers ourselves, we know firsthand the struggle is REAL.

START. COMMIT. GROW. JOIN ORIGINAL G·E·M·S LIFE!

Fortunately, our Original G·E·M·S Life program isn’t just for grown ups looking to Shine Brighter — its practices are also perfectly catered to families who want to raise kids with healthy habits. And what better way to start than by introducing our Eat Clean practice ideas to try at home this summer with your teens?!

Why Eating Clean Matters to YOUR Teen!

Nutrition affects the trifecta of most-important things to our teens: athletics, academics, and appearance. Chances are your teenager cares about one or all three of these—so as a parent, you can influence your teen to want to eat clean by emphasizing the positive results that eating healthy will have on their athletic and academic performance and their appearance. For instance,

More green leafy vegetables, less dairy & sugar = fewer breakouts
A GEM smoothie before a game = better sports performance
Loaded protein breakfast = increased focus on tests

Still not getting through? Here’s what happens with regular consumption of inflammatory foods, such as fast food, sodas, fried junk, sugar, etc:

Acne. Breakouts. Zits.
Low energy, sluggishness.
Weight gain and obesity.
Inability to focus (caused by artificial dyes and lack of good fats and proteins).
Mood swings, anxiety, anger (food can be a BIG factor in managing our mood).

You’ve identified the problem, now give them the healthy solution!

3 Tips on Getting Your Teen Eat Clean

PLAN FOR QUALITY GREENS at every meal. Salads, sautéed broccoli, steamed artichokes…you get the gist. Add spinach into their smoothies. And keep it up, even if they turn their noses up! Eventually they will come around. Even ‘one bite’ is a start!
CLEAN OUT THE PANTRY. Throw out foods with ARTIFICIAL FOOD COLORS and SWEETENERS immediately. These things are known to cause cancer, ADHD, allergies, and lots of other infuriating problems. Even replacing super bad junk with organic, non-GMO junk is a non-toxic step in the right direction. The simplest of foods like bread or tortillas have more chemicals than you can count, much less pronounce, so be sure to read the labels!
DUMP THE PROCESSED SUGAR. Sugar is the main culprit behind bad skin, bad moods, and bad performance. Let your teens know this—they will thank you!

This is just the tip of the iceberg, but by doing these three things on the reg, you can help them adopt a few good habits that will keep your teenagers thriving, healthy and happy—not just now, but straight into adulthood. It’s never too late to jump on the healthy disco train. But it all starts with YOU.

Want more tips on Eating Clean? Check out our Original G·E·M·S Life inspiration page with tried-and-true, easy-to-follow food rules to help keep your body at its best. By selecting a practice from one or all of the four Original G·E·M·S Life categories (Gratitude, Eat Clean, Move and Shine), and committing to doing it daily for a week, then a month (and eventually forever), you’ll be well on your way to Shining Brighter in all areas of your life!

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