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SHINE BRIGHTER. Our goal is to live better and be better.

Category Archives: Inspiration


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!


How To Eat Clean At Home with Original G·E·M·S Life

Posted on June 1, 2021 by The GEM and currently has Comments Off on How To Eat Clean At Home with Original G·E·M·S Life

Of course we love EVERYTHING we do here inside the GEM — but we can’t eat here for every meal! And that means some serious at-home recipe innovation to check off our daily EAT CLEAN practice!

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

Eat Clean is our second Original G·E·M·S Life category, which includes our tried-and-true, easy-to-follow food rules that keep your body at its best. 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!

Keep your body looking and feeling great with these quick-n-easy, healthy snacks for days you just can’t make it in to see us.

9 Easy Ways to Eat Clean at Home

  • VEGGIE DIP SNACK PLATE. Appetizer plate with a dip trio of hummus, vegan spicy ranch, and jalapeño pesto. Serve with cut veggies and gf chips.
  • SCRAMBLE À LA GEM. Add a touch of olive oil and sauté our Arugula Quinoa Salad with a couple of scrambled eggs. *Chef’s Kiss* delicious!
  • DINNER, QUICK! Our version of beans and rice: serve our Lentil Soup on a bed of our Classic Quinoa.
  • STUFFED AVOCADO. Fill half of an avocado with our Pico de Gallo and a vegan ranch dressing of your choice. Shazam!
  • TACO BOUT HEALTHY! Make your tacos even better and even go further by adding our Quinoa to cooked ground beef or turkey, taco seasoning and POW — you’ve got a healthy AND TASTY boost!!!
  • SPARKLING WATER HACK. Pour our Immunity Mix into ice cube trays for an added boost to your tea or sparkling water. Plus, it extends the life of your precious Immunity Shots!
  • AT-HOME CASHEW MILK LATTE. Take home our cold brew coffee and a cashew milk, then pour in a heating frother for an incredible latte on Sunday mornings!
  • SUB BONE BROTH FOR WATER. Make the most incredible rice with our Bone Broth. Use it in place of water — as much or as little as you like. I make mine with half broth, half water. For an exotic flair, use our Immunity Bone broth and add an extra teaspoon of turmeric. It is AWESOME!
  • ORDER AHEAD AT THE GEM. You can use our to-go snacks for meals. Just hit us up on our app!

But of course, if you’re too busy to cook at home or just prefer our in-store menu, pay us a visit for all of your #HonestlyOrganic smoothie, juice and green bites needs! See you in soon.


Checking In with YOU: Mental Health with Original G·E·M·S Life

Posted on May 4, 2021 by The GEM and currently has 2 Comments on Checking In with YOU: Mental Health with Original G·E·M·S Life

“What you focus on expands, and when you focus on the goodness in your life, you create more of it!” – Oprah Winfrey

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so let’s check in with ourselves. What has been on your mind lately? Are your thoughts making you feel joyful? Uneasy? Physically unwell? Our thoughts have a very direct impact on our mental (and even physical!) state, so it’s imperative we protect and intentionally nurture them constantly—even when things seem bleak and not-so-GEMmy!

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

A dear friend of mine recently confided that she had been feeling generally unwell: exhausted, experiencing physical pain and generally sick. After visits with two different holistic practitioners, she was surprised to hear them both suggest the same thing: the problems perhaps lay in the emotional, spiritual and psychological realms—not in the “medical” or physical at all! She was shocked. 

Their recommendations were clear, simple and intentional: purposely work to change her thoughts and begin her day with positive practices. WHAT?

Nobody’s Perfect, But You DO Have to Work It!

My friend went deeper and shared more about how she was feeling, even confessing that MY social media post the week before contributed to her malaise! She perceived this image of beauty, love, and friendship that made her long for what she felt she didn’t have. Sound familiar? 

I told her what was behind the “snapshot of perfection” and that it wasn’t all it seemed. That I, too, was struggling to be there and to embrace the joy that was surrounding me. It was a very difficult few weeks for me—like serious sh*t flying all around me. I found myself spiraling, focusing solely on the negative going on in my life—very out of character for me. 

The GEM voice inside my head, the one that helps me thrive, thumped me between the eyes: Apply the Original G·E·M·S Life playbook! One of the best ways to do that is to practice GRATITUDE—it’s the first category of Original G·E·M·S Life for a reason. It’s mission-critical to living a vibrant life.

Starting Each Day with a GRATITUDE Mindset

“Gratitude is an antidote to negative emotions, a neutralizer of envy, hostility, worry, and irritations. It is savoring; it is not taking things for granted; it is present-minded.” – Sonja Lyubomirsky. Powerful stuff.

Starting with Gratitude, here are four ways to use Original G·E·M·S Life practices to keep you on the up-and-up mentally (and, in turn, physically!). Using these practices you create a better environment for positivity to grow and manifest! The Mind/Body connection is real!

4 Ways to Maintain Your Mental Health with Original G·E·M·S Life

  • GRATITUDE. My friend was told to start every morning listing 3 (different) things she was grateful for. Some days it might seem impossible. BUT IT’S NOT! We have so much goodness around us. Just look for it. Your health, clean water, a call from a friend, your child’s laughter, a safe home, hand-plucked Sencha tea. There’s so much! There are always positives to discover.
  • EAT CLEAN. Are you eating well? HAVE you eaten at all? A great way to get your day off right is to drink a GREEN JUICE. Green veggies elevate your mood, keep your blood sugar in check, and boost your energy levels. One of my favorite green juices is the Leslie special: kale, parsley, and celery. By starting your day with a green juice, you’ve already consumed a big chunk of your recommended daily veggie intake. Eat Clean practice=complete!
  • MOVE. Are you getting outside and breathing in the sunshine? Studies show that sunlight and exercise have a profound effect on your overall well being. Commit to just 15 minutes of moving your body each morning, and check off your MOVE practice for the day!
  • SHINE. Supplements such as Vitamin D, Fish Oil, and Magnesium are often deficient in folks with low mood and energy. A well-rounded multi vitamin such as our new Thorne 2x/day is a great first step! They have an incredible Fish Oil, too!

Start your day on the brighter side with each of these Original G·E·M·S Life practices, and you’ll set off a chain reaction of mental well-being that can help you take on just about anything. Focus on the positive, even in a setback. Because setbacks or not, your choices either enhance your spirit or diminish it. So what’s it going to be?


8 Practices for a #SelfLove Valentine’s Day with Original G·E·M·S Life

Posted on February 8, 2021 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has Comments Off on 8 Practices for a #SelfLove Valentine’s Day with Original G·E·M·S Life

This Valentine’s Day, we’re asking you to look inward. And listen to your body. If it’s saying, “Lover, lover, lover…you don’t treat me no good no more”, then it’s time to practice a little self-love — Original G·E·M·S Life-style.

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

“But isn’t self-care a little…selfish?”, haters will say. Actually, no! By engaging regularly in a few self-indulgent practices, we’re actually bettering ourselves for those we love.

Healthy self-care isn’t just about indulgence though — it’s about implementing practices that help ground us and relieve stress and its effects (anxiety, sleep problems, and irritability, anyone?).

In the Name of #SelfLove

Take time for a little self-care now, and keep stress levels low so you can operate at your brightest.

We’ve created a go-to self-care checklist to guide you through a Valentine’s Day with Original G·E·M·S Life — a daily playbook based our founding principles, designed to help you Shine Brighter in all areas of your life. Taking part simply requires doing four daily practices, one in each of these categories: Gratitude, Eat Clean, Movement, Shine. 

Try one practice below every day from each category, and enjoy some much-deserved YOU time this month!

8 Ways to Practice Self Care with Original G·E·M·S Life

Show GRATITUDE by

  • Choosing a daily mantra, an affirmation repeated to yourself every day. Repeat after us: “I am enough, I have enough, and I am doing enough.”
  • Share your own Gratitude journal! Don’t just write down what you’re thankful for, share it online! Your warm fuzzies will light up the dark corners of the internet. Just don’t forget to tag us and add #OriginalGEMSLife so we can join in the Love Fest!

EAT CLEAN with

  • Our Tahitian Pearl Smoothie! Who says you can’t indulge in a little chocolate AND check off your #EatClean practice? 
  • Your very own GEM Cacao mix! Add to your own breakfast smoothies, or if you’re craving something sweeter, mix in with our housemade cashew milk!

Get MOVING by

  • Trying a self-love yoga session. We ❤️️ this one by Yoga with Adrienne (perfect for Valentine’s Day!). 
  • Getting organized! Keeping things free from clutter has been proven to keep you on track and helps you maintain your goals. Turn on some music, strap on those disco shoes, and get your workspace, closet, laundry room, or whatever space you’ve been avoiding back in order!

SHINE brighter by

  • Committing to your body-care routine. Maybe it’s skin care or supplements. Or morning stretching. We all slack on these sometimes. But whatever it is, do it every day! 
  • Detoxing with our GEM Detox Bath Salts. Our bath salts relax tense muscles, replenish magnesium, and reduce inflammation. Plus, their healing properties can also help moisturize your skin, decrease stress, and help you sleep better. Order yours today!

Whether you can commit to just one of these practices daily, or all of them, remember that YOU ARE WORTH IT. 

“Anytime we can listen to [our] true self and give the care it requires, we do it not only for ourselves, but for the many others whose lives we touch.” – Parker Palmer

Happy #SelfLove Valentine’s Day, GEMS!

About Original G·E·M·S Life Program

Shine Brighter all the time with an Original G·E·M·S Life, 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! Get started today!

Let us know what practices you love, and share your ideas for other practices on our social media accounts on Instagram and Facebook! 


If You’re Reading This, It’s NOT Too Late! Restart 2021 with Original G·E·M·S Life

Posted on January 31, 2021 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has Comments Off on If You’re Reading This, It’s NOT Too Late! Restart 2021 with Original G·E·M·S Life

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill.

Read this again. Because we know there’s at least one New Year’s resolution you haven’t seen through. We know, because we’re guilty, too. They say 80% of folks break their resolutions during the year. Listen, that’s OK! None of us are flawless all the time.

IN A RUT? GET INSPIRED WITH ORIGINAL G·E·M·S LIFE TODAY!

We’re calling on you now, dear GEMS: Whatever resolution you’ve already broken this year, take it easy on yourself. Let go of the need to have it all together, all the time. So what if you didn’t get that to-do list completed yesterday, or sneak in that early morning workout you promised yourself you would?

Each day is a fresh start. Just get back on the wagon and start again. Your habits are practice. And contrary to what folks say, practice doesn’t make perfect — practice makes PROGRESS.

4 Letters = 1 Recipe to Shine Brighter

Ready to start anew? Simply select 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. Commit to doing it daily for a week, then a month, a year, and then eventually forever! Add on more when you’re ready, and watch the transformation begin!

The 4 Original G·E·M·S Life categories include:

  • GRATITUDE: Habits of reflection to find your joy.
  • EAT CLEAN: Food rules that keep your body at its best.
  • MOVE: Activities to keep your body strong and your mood bright.
  • SHINE: Restorative ideas to care for your body and soul.

If you miss a day, don’t stress. Just get back on the disco train and start again. This program doesn’t have an end point — the goal is growth, positivity, and your intention to Shine Brighter. Get started today by clicking here.

About Original G·E·M·S Life Program

Shine Brighter all the time with an Original G·E·M·S Life, 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!

Let us know what practices you love, and share your ideas for other practices on our social media accounts on Instagram and Facebook! 


Ditch Your 2021 Resolutions. Commit to Original G·E·M·S Life!

Posted on December 30, 2020 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has Comments Off on Ditch Your 2021 Resolutions. Commit to Original G·E·M·S Life!

Every year’s the same story; on January 1st, I sit down and thoughtfully write out my lofty New Year’s resolutions, only to feel defeated by mid-February. Resolutions can be so binary, leaving no room for error. If you’re not first, you’re last — but that’s not how change works, and that’s not how life is.

JUMP INTO ORIGINAL G·E·M·S LIFE! GET STARTED TODAY.

To be clear: Reflecting on your life and setting goals of self-improvement are critical to an evolved and enriched life, for SURE! But let’s face it, none of us is perfect. We falter, over and over (and over!) again. Growth simply doesn’t happen overnight. It takes small, daily habits to create long term change for the better.

That’s why we’re inviting YOU, dear GEM, to commit to our new program this year to bring more happiness and health to your life — your Original G·E·M·S Life. 

Start. Commit. Grow. 

By starting each morning with just ONE Original G·E·M·S Life practice in each category — Gratitude, Eat Clean, Move, and Shine — you’ll set the tone for the rest of your day, creating long-term benefits for your mind and body. 

Our Original G·E·M·S Life program isn’t about living the perfect life; it’s about committing to doing something to feed your body and soul every day — and when (not if!) you falter, getting back on and recommitting over and over again. And it’s about small, easy-to-remember things you do every day. Lovely, delicious, relaxing, indulgent practices that are enjoyable as the results they produce. It’s also about the fact that you will fail, because you are a person, not a butterfly or a caterpillar — when you do, you simply begin again. 

Original G·E·M·S Practices for a Shinier New Year!

It’s so simple. Just start each morning with just ONE Original G·E·M·S Life practice in each category — Gratitude, Eat Clean, Move, and Shine — and get ready to Shine Brighter this year! Here are a few ideas to get into the groove.

  • GRATITUDE: Go out of your way to make someone smile.
  • EAT CLEAN: Drink a Green Glow juice with breakfast.
  • MOVE: Squeeze in a 10-minute workout between Zoom calls.
  • SHINE: Take Natural Calm at bedtime to support a good night’s sleep. 

If you miss a day, don’t stress. Just get back on the disco train and start again. This program doesn’t have an end point — the goal is growth, positivity, and your intention to Shine Brighter.

Original G·E·M·S Life Practices Just for YOU!

Ready to get inspired? Check out our collection of GEM-approved practices to help you incorporate Original G·E·M·S Life daily. And here’s to more health and happiness in the coming year!

Let us know what practices you love, and share your ideas for other practices on our social media accounts on Instagram and Facebook!

Happy 2021, GEMs!

About Our Original G·E·M·S Life Program

Shine Brighter all the time with an Original G·E·M·S Life, 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! Get started today!


Eight Years In, We’re Shining Brighter Than Ever (And GROWING)!

Posted on February 5, 2020 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has 7 Comments on Eight Years In, We’re Shining Brighter Than Ever (And GROWING)!

As we kick off this month celebrating EIGHT AMAZING YEARS of partying under the GEM disco ball, it is so gratifying to reflect on our journey. What started as a simple idea to spread our passion for health has grown and transformed into a powerful GEM community, who are just as excited about sharing the Peace, Happy and the JUICE as we are! We are grateful for each of you who have been part of our journey, and excited to share our plans for growth in the new year. 

IN A HURRY? ORDER YOUR DAILY ORGANIC JUICES, SMOOTHIES AND GREEN BITES ON OUR APP! 

Celebrating 8 Groovy Years of Peace, Happy, and JUICE!

After my cancer diagnosis years ago, I became obsessed with everything related to food and healthy living. This newfound passion and powerful health discovery was the blueprint that became part of our GEM manifesto. MK and I were convinced that our new, intentional lifestyle was an incredible way to not only heal, but stay healthy for a lifetime. But we wanted to create something bigger than just us massaging kale in my kitchen. How would we do that?

Where We’ve Been: As we looked for places to support our newfound lifestyle, we realized there weren’t any that authentically provided the quality or an environment that we loved. So we put our heads together and laid out what we wanted our dream to look like. This channeling of our creativity and passion together is how The Gem came to be—a place to find “Diamonds on Your Inside.” We set out to create a healthy “Cheers,” and a place to share our passion for a GEM-my life with others. 

The GEM is a physical manifestation of who we are—a place to share the habits we’ve lived and learned through our GEM-my journey, where you can change the way you feel, and in doing so change the course of your life as it relates to health (and happiness)! And we’ve LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT! 

What We’ve Learned: We knew next to nothing about the restaurant business when we started back in 2012, but we never let that hold us back. We dug in deep—learning, growing, and dancing as we went along. We’ve learned so much about the importance of community. And you, our GEMs, are more health-savvy than ever before! You’ve discovered firsthand the amazing power of clean food, a plant based, anti-inflammatory and an anti-cancer diet. You are as passionate about health and clean eating as we are, and we couldn’t be happier. You feel better and look better, too! Let’s face it—addicted to feeling better is a great addiction to have.

Our Future Is Looking BRIGHT! We have been learning and growing so much these past eight years, and we want to keep spreading our GEM lifestyle to more corners of Dallas. That’s why we are excited to announce that The GEM will be opening a third location in the coming year! Keep up with our news and subscribe to our email list for more updates and to keep up with our progress. 

Our ultimate goal has always been to make people feel better leaving the GEM than when they walked in. And most days, I think we far exceed our goal to make that happen. The quote by Hippocrates on the wall inside The Gem says, “Let Food Be Thy Medicine”. We live by this mantra daily. We never tell you a certain diet to follow, because each of your beautiful bodies are different. We encourage you to know your bodies, applying certain broad GEM principles to your life to open the path towards more health, happiness and healing. That intuitive eating has made you more confident in your health and your choices, and you still choose to come see us each day. This is our story. You’ve made it all possible. 

Much much gratitude and admiration,

Leslie & MK


Resolutions NOT To Make This Year (And What To Do Instead!)

Posted on December 30, 2019 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has Comments Off on Resolutions NOT To Make This Year (And What To Do Instead!)

I don’t know about you, but each year I spend valuable time carefully considering lots of lofty aspirations for the promise of a bright and shiny New Year only to be defeated and lost by mid February. It’s exhausting! Instead of going through this charade again, I propose something a little different this year. 

KICKSTART YOUR NEW YEAR WITH A PLATINUM CLARITY OR JUICE ‘TIL DINNER CLEANSE!

To be clear: reflecting on your life and setting goals of self-improvement are critical to an evolved and enriched life, for SURE! But, I don’t want you to make broad statements without simple, realistic action items.

Some GEMmy wisdom for the New Year: Set specific action items that are measurable. Don’t make the resolutions that are too broad, too lofty, or too common to get traction.

New Year’s Resolutions You SHOULDN’T Make

I will lose weight.

I will be more positive.

I will have a better relationship with family/friends/spouse.

I will be healthier.

Sure, these are amazing goals that I’m sure you could accomplish. But reframing your goals a little differently will help you achieve MORE—and help you have much greater success and satisfaction in the new year.

5 GEMmy Goals To Set Instead This Year

  • Walk daily with a friend. There are too many factors at play when it comes to “losing weight”. You may have to uncover digestive, hormonal, or other health challenges before you can start seeing any results. Instead of setting a goal to simply lose weight, commit to one simple daily activity. Take it one step at a time. If you can’t find time to walk every day, maybe vow to drink a green juice every morning. Or cut out bread and pasta. Or, add one extra green veggie to each meal. These are attainable, measurable, and easy to incorporate with results you can see!
  • Choose gratitude daily. Forget about simply being more positive. Each morning, write down three things (or more!) you are truly grateful for. It can be as simple as “I am grateful for my hot tea and fuzzy slippers”, or the smile you were given at the red light yesterday, or something truly grand like being grateful for a particular person, recovering from an illness, having financial security, or the presence of your children at dinner. Listing them makes you focus on the positive—because there is always something to be grateful form, even in the most difficult of times. For even MORE gratitude, try reading motivational or personal development books, download inspiring podcasts like Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations, or watch uplifting videos online to work your way out of a negative headspace.
  • Choose to give yourself GRACE. Choosing to have better relationships is an amazing goal to set, BUT it leaves too many variables in the hands of others. The one thing you can control is how much acceptance you show, because you only hurt yourself when you hold on to anger and resentment. So instead of setting this lofty goal to have better relationships, set out to work on showing yourself grace for things like making a bad financial decision, entering a bad relationship, eating too much over the weekend, or whatever you beat yourself up over. Forgiving others—and yourself—paves the way for better relationships all the way around. Start the process with a date inside The GEM.
  • Start your day with one healthy option. Don’t just set a goal to be healthier. Instead, what if you just picked ONE thing to add to your routine that could actually make that beautiful body of yours healthier AND stronger?! Try cutting artificial sweeteners out of your coffee or tea. Drink 32 ounces of water upon waking each morning. Or, just keep alcohol limited to Saturday night. Do NOT—I REPEAT, DO NOT go on a diet. Diets are temporary health adjustments, not meant for long-term implementation. Opt for incorporating these healthy lifestyle changes instead, and your mind and body will see long term benefits.
  • Drink ORGANIC GREEN JUICE daily! Don’t discount this last addition. Daily juicing provides your body with a high dose of nutrients that boosts your health and metabolism, and keeps you well-protected against toxins and disease. You automatically experience more energy, less sugar cravings and see digestion and skin improvements. Starting your day with a healthy juice also puts you in a better frame of mind to make better choices throughout your day! Your first daily juice of the New Year awaits inside The GEM—and if you are feeling really ambitious about the jump into the New Year, reserve a three day Juice Then Dinner Cleanse to help kick start a healthier DECADE!

You can’t change your final destination overnight, but you CAN adjust your sails in the right direction with the right actions. By adding one small thing at a time into your daily routine, you can improve your health, happiness, and hopefully start a change reaction. It’s a new year, and a whole new you. Happy 2020, GEMs!


Be a GEM! Go Strawless This Earth Week!

Posted on April 21, 2019 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has Comments Off on Be a GEM! Go Strawless This Earth Week!

It’s one of our favorite days — the world-wide celebration of Earth Day on April 22! With that, it is time to renew our commitment to being a GEM in every way.

Order your Earth-friendly green drinks today for pick up or delivery, straight from our app!

Since our opening 7 years ago, The GEM’s love of the earth and the environment has formed the basis of our creed.

THE GEM’S CREED: REDUCE. REUSE. RECYCLE.

You can’t believe in the value of organic produce and not respect the health of the soil and water supply it comes from. Everything in our world is connected! We know that the BEST organic produce is only made possible through supporting environmentally-friendly farming and soil practices and by helping reduce water waste and pollution.

Living clean and being green is a way of life.

Serving super-green plant-based soups, salads, juices and smoothies is what The GEM is best known for, but did you also know the ideals The GEM follows?

  • SERVE ONLY ORGANIC PRODUCE. The amazing farms that supply us share our commitment to keeping chemicals out of our soil and fresh food.
  • COMPOST. We’ve sent all our food waste out to compost since the day we opened. And in the last 7 years we’ve diverted 150 tons to the Texas Worm Ranch to help create a healthy planet through healthy soil!
  • REUSE. Our kitchen and staff use repurposed glass bottles. Anything we can repurpose, we DO! And we encourage regular GEM customers to return brown bags, glass shot bottles, and juice/smoothie holders for reuse.
  • RECYCLE. Any paper and plastic we can recycle goes to the recycler. Remember to rinse out yours at home before recycling!
  • PURIFY. We use carbon water filtration systems for food and juice production to keep impurities out!

Being green and living clean means more than honestly organic goodies.

GO STRAWLESS WITH US! Go GREEN with The GEM! We’ve written a lot about how to help us help the Earth. This week, we’re asking that you Shine Brighter with us by going strawless with your daily juices, iced tea and smoothies April 22 to 27.

An estimated 500 million straws are used every single day in the United States — producing enough waste to encircle the Earth 2.5 times. As many as 8.3 billion plastic straws pollute the world’s beaches.

We’re working hard on developing straw alternatives, but until that day, be brave and go strawless with us!


Cancer DOES Define Me

Posted on October 30, 2018 by The GEM and currently has 34 Comments on Cancer DOES Define Me

Full disclosure. I’ve worked really hard over the last 9 years to put my cancer treatment and journey behind me. I am really a master, it seems, of compartmentalizing (almost all) experiences that were traumatic in my life. A great coping skill to eliminate emotional baggage. After fighting cancer, I liked to say, “I will not let cancer define me.” And I was adamant about it.

fighting-cancer-gratitude

But the truth of the matter is cancer has defined me. The experience truly made me who I am today. I can’t deny it. I am brighter, shinier, stronger. It is the reason The GEM is here. 

I came to this realization while recently attending a luncheon honoring a fabulous GEM friend and cancer survivor. This event raised millions for the fight against breast cancer — providing access to advanced diagnostic equipment, innovative clinical research, and most importantly, safe, quality, compassionate care for those fighting cancer. Awesome. The theme was about acknowledging all that cancer brings: anger, fear, hope, love, courage, commitment and acknowledging that together we are strong and together we can do it. I expected that. But as I pushed around the almonds on my banquet arugula salad, something rocked me like a hurricane.

I experienced something profound. And unexpected.

As I listened to the stories of others affected by cancer, I became overwhelmed by a sense of immeasurable gratitude. Gratitude for the experience fighting cancer brought me. For the incredible care I was afforded in Dallas. The love and care shown me by friends. This support system is the reason I survived. The reason I thrive.

CANCER CHANGED MY LIFE

Fighting cancer impacted my life in 3 three ways:

  1. Made me more grateful and mindful of the blessings in my life: My husband who is solid gold. My parents’ unwavering support. My cadre of Rockstar friends. My health. I FIND GRATITUDE in every moment. That kind of positive perspective changes the reality of things.
  2. Changed how I responded to conflict. I breathe deep and know I will GATHER MY PEACE. Because at the end of the day, is it really worth it to stress and blow over big and small stuff? Hell no.
  3. Transformed how I looked at FOOD, and the POWER of it on my physical and mental health. The GEM is the manifestation of my new view on all that nourishes me.

 

FIGHTING CANCER CONTINUES

To continue my cancer-free life, I now do these three things every day to launch a preemptive strike in the fight against the disease:

  1. Wake each morning to 32 oz. of water, deep breathing, and organic green tea. This routine includes listing three things I am grateful for. This changes my situational perspective. (Here’s one way you can use your morning routine to brighten your day.)
  2. Surround myself with shiny, happy people and places that lift me up. I find all of that
    inside The GEM community!
  3. Eat GREEN and CLEAN. Drink my celery juice first thing. By 11 a.m., I’ve already knocked back a kickass cup of MVP soup. (That means I’ve had seven servings of veggies before noon!). You can start by adding one extra green to every meal. It makes a big difference in my energy, mood, and waistline.

 

The truth is I’m grateful for what cancer has done in my life and the person I’ve become. Cancer does define me. And I’m proud of that. Thanks for allowing me to be honest. With you. With myself.