Category Archives: Original G·E·M·S Life

Wake Up and Shine: Better Sleep with Original G•E•M•S

Posted on December 13, 2024 by The GEM and currently has No Comments on Wake Up and Shine: Better Sleep with Original G•E•M•S

When it comes to your well-being, QUALITY SLEEP is the disco ball in the center of your optimal health dance floor. Let us show you how a good night’s sleep can level up your energy, health, and that unstoppable glow — and give you some tips on how to get there.

Order your favorite sleep supplements online for pick-up now!

Your New Morning Boost Starts at Bedtime

Restful, restorative sleep can feel elusive, but trust us, it’s key to feeling like the superstar you are. Skimping on sleep doesn’t just leave you feeling groggy—it wrecks your body’s natural rhythm, immune system, and ability to function. Check out how sleep deprivation messes with your mojo:

Memory & Focus: Deep sleep is like a DJ remixing your brain’s greatest hits, organizing memories, and creating fresh connections. The more you sleep, the sharper you get.
Eating Clean: When your body craves sleep (energy), you end up eating carbohydrates to compensate. Your hunger hormones throw your appetite into chaos and make it hard to say no to junk.
Disease Prevention: From heart disease to diabetes and cancer, sleep deprivation plays a starring role in those health issues you don’t want around.
Recovery: While you sleep, your body works overtime repairing cells damaged by stress, sun exposure, and exercise. More sleep = faster recovery.

How can you level up your sleep game and improve every function of your mind and body? Easy—make these tweaks part of your Original G•E•M•S Life practice and watch the transformation begin!

Original G•E•M•S Practices for Better Sleep

Unplug Early: Power down your tech at least an hour before bed. Blue light messes with your sleep cycle, so give your brain a break from screens.
Cut Back on Caffeine: That post-lunch latte might be keeping you too hyped to hit the pillow. Try ditching caffeine after noon for a week and see how much better you snooze.
Limit Alcohol & Sugar: Alcohol might make you fall asleep, but you’re bound to have a fitful night. Same goes for sugar. Try no alcohol during the week and only one drink on weekends.
Take a Bath: A soak in Epsom salts (which is magnesium, folks) with a few drops of lavender oil is the perfect way to relax your mind and body before bed.
Clear Your Mind: Add a mindfulness practice to your Original G•E•M•S routine by journaling or doing a guided sleep meditation (Headspace has great options!).
Consider Sleep Supplements: Supplements like magnesium (like our Thorne Magnesium bisglycinate powder) and our Batch CBD gummies can help with relaxation and anxiety so you drift off more easily. Add to your nightly routine for two weeks and feel the difference.

Bottom Line: Aim for 7 to 9 Hours of Better Sleep

NO ONE is at their best on 5 hours of sleep. Quality sleep helps you eat healthy, avoid disease, and keep your mind sharp. Glowing GEMs know that when it comes to feeling your best, SLEEP IS THE REAL STAR!

Build Your Own Original G•E•M•S Life Program

Ready to feel like the star? Commit to one practice in each Original G•E•M•S Life category (Gratitude, Eat Clean, Move, and Shine) and keep adding more practices as you go — and watch yourself shine brighter in every area of life.

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!

Magical, Miracle, MEDICINAL Mushrooms!

Posted on July 7, 2022 by The GEM and currently has Comments Off on Magical, Miracle, MEDICINAL Mushrooms!

This GEM girl loves her some ’shrooms. Miracle Mushrooms. Magical, even, if you will. And not the psychedelic ones you might have “heard” about at a Grateful Dead concert. We’re talking about mushrooms used as food AND medicine. Actually, the practice of using mushrooms in herbal medicines is even older than Jerry Garcia — it been around for over 2000 years!

Ready to feel the power of our Miracle Mushroom Blend? Order for pick up now!

MK and I are OBSESSED with medicinal mushrooms. So much so that we created our very own GEM-my Miracle Mushroom Powder Blend!

What’s in Our Medicinal Mushroom Blend?

Our amazing medicinal mushroom blend contains a power squad of reishi, chaga, lion’s mane and turkey tail. We crafted it to help balance and restore your immune system, increase oxygen flow to your cells, amp up your mental and creative sharpness, regulate blood sugar, lower stress levels, promote restful sleep, and more.

Check out the details below. We are sure you will RUN to The GEM to grab your jar of miracles! It’s simple to use: just add our Miracle Mushroom Powder daily to your coffee, smoothies, even your oatmeal.

Why Is Our Medicinal Mushroom Blend Effective?

The unique attributes of the four medicinal mushrooms in our blend make for a powerful energizing punch! Check it out:

Reishi Mushroom Benefits

Improves Sleep
Reduces Stress
Alleviates seasonal allergies
Boosts immunity

Reishi has the incredible ability to boost the body’s immune system ability to protect against viruses, bacteria, and parasites.

Reishi also works to keep us FOREVER YOUNG. It reduces the signs of aging and protects your cellular DNA from oxidant damage, allowing you to remain energized and alert.

One of the most powerful benefits reishi provides is relief from severe seasonal allergies. When exposed to allergens, the body releases histamines, which cling to cells and cause them to swell and leak fluid — enter the sneezing and runny noses. When you’re taking reishi daily, your allergy symptoms may disappear entirely!

Chaga Mushroom Benefits

Wards off the common cold
Helps your skin GLOW and your hair GROW!
Lowers inflammation due to stress

Like reishi, chaga has astonishing immunity boosting powers. Compounds in chaga can boost the production of white blood cells that regulate the immune response to infectious microorganisms.

Chaga is also a rich source of antioxidants. In fact, one dose of chaga contains the same number of antioxidants found in 30 pounds of carrots. It contains plenty of zinc and melanin, which are all excellent for keeping skin healthy and reducing inflammation.

Lion’s Mane Mushroom Benefits

Improves memory
Boosts concentration
Protects your nervous system

Like some of the others, Lion’s Mane is incredibly restorative because of its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. However, Lion’s Mane’s brain-boosting effects truly distinguish it as a badass fungus.

Lion’s Mane is believed to repair and regenerate neurons, resulting in improved cognitive function, and the mushroom has been known to mitigate the effects of neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and dementia.

Turkey Tail Mushroom Benefits

Helps heal infections
Badass anti-cancer power

Like many other mushrooms, turkey tail is full of super-powered stuff that give it its immunomodulating properties, providing overall immune support and regulation. But what sets turkey tail apart are two of its unique compounds: PSK and PSP that have the ability to regenerate white blood cells and stimulate the activity and creation of T-cells, and natural killer (NK) cells, enabling the immune system to ward off and destroy pathogens.

If you liked what you read, don’t be shy — try out our new Miracle Mushroom Powder Blend today at The GEM!

40 Tons of Love For Mother Earth 🌏

Posted on April 20, 2022 by The GEM and currently has Comments Off on 40 Tons of Love For Mother Earth 🌏

At The GEM, our passion for green living goes beyond caring for our well-being. The all-organic, plant-based foods we love improve our health AND the health of Mother Earth — and we believe you can’t care about one without caring about the other! That’s why living green has been part of Our Creed since DAY ONE — and why environmental practices go beyond just eating organic.

Celebrate Earth Day by ordering online for pick up now!

Did you know that last year alone, we composted almost 87,000 POUNDS of food waste?! That means we reduced our carbon footprint by 77,000 pounds!

Thanks to the awesome team at Recycle Revolution, the leading collector of post-consumer food waste in North Texas, we’ve helped nourish gardens, soil, and worm farms all around DFW and reduced our carbon footprint last year by almost 77,000 pounds.

Since we opened our doors 10 years ago, we’ve composted hundreds of tons of food waste. We’re happy to pay for this service and to do what it takes to help reduce our impact on the environment.

We know our community is a green community and we want you to be secure knowing that eating at The GEM is an Earth Loving act. By doing that, you’re also:

Reducing Greenhouse Gasses & Water Use : By eating mostly plants, you’re reducing the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. Did you know that almost 15 percent of greenhouse gasses are produced by meat and dairy industries? Farming plants also uses far less water than raising cattle, if you can believe it.
Limiting Pollution, Water Run Off & Soil Erosion: Organic farming benefits you, the environment AND the farm worker. Think about it, if you’re not exposed to harmful chemicals, neither is the person picking your food or the water that runs off the farm. The practices of organic farms also reduce soil erosion and greenhouse gasses and improve the quality of soil.
Recycling & Reusing Everything: Our kitchen reuses glass bottles. All of our packaging is biodegradable and recyclable — including our straws because every little bit matters! And we NEVER use styrofoam. And our recycling includes the more than 40 tons of food waste we pay Recycle Revolution to compost every year.

We LOVE how much our GEM community cares about being green. If you want to join us on our reuse and recycle train, we encourage you to find out more about Recycle Revolution’s programs. The local company is committed to helping individuals and companies recycle and compost everything they can. Now that’s GEMMY!

Thanks for doing your part to keep Mother Earth GREEN. We wish you continued vitality and healthy habits this Earth Day, Earth Week, Earth Month and every day. Keep up the good work Earth and Happy Earth Day!

Celebrating a Decade of Peace, Happy, JUICE (& SO Much More!) 🎉

Posted on February 9, 2022 by The GEM and currently has 2 Comments on Celebrating a Decade of Peace, Happy, JUICE (& SO Much More!) 🎉

Holy guacamole, The GEM is turning 10 YEARS YOUNG!!! We can hardly believe it’s been a decade since opening our doors as the first organic juice bar in Dallas. What started as a simple idea between two disco soul sisters back in 2012 has blossomed into something more lovely and powerful than we ever could have imagined. And it’s taught us that no matter whether in life, love, disco or business, passion is always worth pursuing.

CELEBRATE #TheGEMTurns10 WITH A FREE IMMUNITY SHOT ON FEBRUARY 11TH!

From a terrifying breast cancer diagnosis to hosting our first-ever popup, and to opening our second location, the journey to provide the best-of-the-best spirit, energy and juice to our glowing GEMs has been, in a word, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

We knew next to nothing about the restaurant business when we opened up shop ten years ago, but that didn’t hold us back. We dug in deep—learning, growing, and dancing along the way (and, of course, leaning on this wonderful community of ours).

Read on for the top ten lessons we’ve learned on our GEMbarkment a decade later:

10 Lessons Learned After A Decade of #ShiningBright

Dallas loves green juice. We have seen our GEM community grow into the most incredibly committed and conscientious health-seekers anywhere around.
Our Top 10 Health Rules are still the way to go. Nothing has changed. It still is all about a whole food, plant-based diet. (And if you don’t know, now you know.)
Focus attention on your own passions, do it with determination and grit, and things fall into place. Stay true to your values—and don’t be swayed by a new “opportunity” that strays from your mission.(Check out Our Creed to see what we’re all about!)
Treat your customers (and staff!) with respect and kindness, and they will stick around for the long term. Some of you have been with us since day ONE! We have incredible staff that have been with us for many years (like, almost 10!). We love them, and we love YOU!
Disco balls and groovy music make for a fun workplace. We’re more than just healthy food and organic juices. We’ve created a place where positive energy flows freely—and we like to think it’s why we have the very best staff in town (and we know you agree!).
Delicious smoothies don’t have to be loaded with added sugar, dairy or creepy additives. Our intention is to make the most delicious food and juice without compromising any health benefits.
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Especially when it comes to new health products, supplements, diets and fads promising to (insert desired outcome here). Always stick to what you know actually works: a whole food, plant-based diet.
Those struggling with a health crisis can feel confident that they are getting honestly clean, organic healing foods and juices when they visit The GEM. We’ve met so many beautiful humans going through cancer. It has been a humble honor to get to serve you.
Supportive, positive people make for the BEST co-workers. Daily work is WAY more fun and rewarding with people who intentionally set out to be positive and supportive. We really do have a blast doing what we do, together.
We are beyond grateful for you, our O.G.s (Original GEMs!), as well as our new followers for your continuous support and outpouring of love. We’re here and open every day for you, and you never fail to show up for us!

As a special “thank you” to all of our loyal GEMs, mark your calendars for Friday, February 11th at both our locations, where we’ll be giving out FREE IMMUNITY SHOTS, complimentary to ALL CUSTOMERS! 🎉

A Love Letter to My Disco Soul Sister

Posted on February 9, 2022 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has Comments Off on A Love Letter to My Disco Soul Sister

Dearest MK (a.k.a. my Disco Soul Sister),

So often business can ruin good friendships. Yet with ours, not only has it endured, but our friendship has been forged into something truly extraordinary. When I think of the GEM, I think of, above all else, true FRIENDSHIP.

“There’s nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.” – Thomas Aquinas

Not only our almost 20-year friendship, but also with the people we have met throughout our relationship, the wonderful staff we have nurtured, and the life-changing friendships that have emerged from the creation of The GEM. I am forever grateful and constantly in awe of the blessing of it all.

What Our FRIENDSHIP Means To Me

F is for FAMILY. You are my soul sister, a part of my family. And I adore that. F is also for FOREVER YOUNG: Flashy earrings, fun costumes, and first-rate dance routines.

R is for RARE. Your joy and kindness are truly RARE superpowers. It’s our company’s Religion now. Risk takers. Some folks said no. But we did it!! Rainbows. And unicorns, and flower crowns. Just because it brings joy.

I is for IMAGINE The GEM as the beautiful force it is—something we never imagined.
I is also for ICONIC. The GEM shines bright for this entire community.

E is for EVERYDAY I get to play and giggle, cry and laugh with you. This Entrepreneurship EMPOWERS us to do great things. Not to mention our Executive lunches with Elevated Elixirs like juice and tequila. 😉

N is for NEEDLES & THE NEUROSURGEON. Our partnership = complete.

D is for DISCO (naturally!). DW, Divine Dates, Diamonds, Dedication, and Discovering new things Daily. For a DECADE! The GEM is DESTINED for greatness. Hot DAMN!

S is for STARDUST, Seventies, Sequins, Snacks, Sunny, Soulshine. Supersonic Smoothies.

H is for HEALTH. Together we have become the mecca in Dallas for clean food, and crusade leaders for a Healing, HAPPY lifestyle. People want to know what WE think about health? Holy Kale!

I is for Impressive. We STARTED the organic buzz in Dallas! Mic drop. Innovation and Inspiration to be better. Always.

P is for POSITIVE energy & PASSION for what we do. It is the special ingredient that makes The GEM what it is, and who we are as a team. Prize winner. It’s what I am every day working with you, babe.

I love you more than you will know, and I am so very grateful for our beautiful creation. Love, friendship & another decade of disco…

Leslie

GEM Products Now Available at Ritual One Yoga!

Posted on November 10, 2021 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has Comments Off on GEM Products Now Available at Ritual One Yoga!

Ready to namaste while sippin’ on your favorite green juice? Do it all under one roof at Ritual One Yoga, now offering a selection of GEM goodies for studio patrons!

ORDER ORGANIC JUICES, GREEN BITES & SMOOTHIES FOR DELIVERY OR PICKUP!

We’re excited to officially announce our new permanent residence inside Ritual One Yoga Studio where we’ll now be offering a select variety of our organic cold-pressed juices, bottled smoothies, performance drinks, wellness shots and prepared food!

As one of our new favorite places to MOVE our bodies in Dallas, we are so thrilled to partner with the amazing founders and instructors at R1 and to help them provide their patrons with the GEM goodness you’ve come to know and love.

Be sure to follow them on Instagram and Facebook to see what’s available. And if you haven’t already, check out their space in Travis Walk off Knox Street and sign up for a class (or two!). You may see some familiar faces there…😉

Get a Move On! The GEM Sponsors Klyde Warren Park Fitness Program

Posted on November 3, 2021 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has Comments Off on Get a Move On! The GEM Sponsors Klyde Warren Park Fitness Program

It’s official — we are now the proud sponsor of Klyde Warren Park fitness classes! Join us Saturdays in the Park for yoga, Tai Chi, pilates, Zumba, and tons more free classes. Plus, once a month we will be there with bottled juices available for purchase at the Park!

READY, SET, MOVE! JUMP INTO ORIGINAL G·E·M·S LIFE TODAY.

We’re always looking for new, fun ways to check off our Original G·E·M·S Life daily MOVE practice, and Klyde Warren Park’s fitness classes are perfect activities to keep your body strong and your mood bright.

That’s why we’re so excited to announce that as of September 18th, 2021, The GEM is the official sponsor of Klyde Warren Park’s efforts to provide free fitness classes to our community. The Klyde Warren Park Fitness Program is always 100% free for all, and includes

Boot camps,
Yoga,
Tai Chi,
Zumba,
and even ballroom dancing classes!

Since its opening in 2012, Klyde Warren Park has welcomed more than 10 million guests from across our North Texas community and beyond, providing more than 1,000 free programs every year, including fitness classes, outdoor movies, and signature holiday celebrations. Its mission is “…to provide free programming and educational opportunities for the enrichment of visitors’ lives, to showcase the diverse multitude of cultures and talents Dallas has to offer, and to be a town square where citizens may congregate and create traditions together.”

We’re so grateful for the opportunity to partner with the team behind Klyde Warren Park, and look forward to helping them achieve their goals that align with ours: sharing vibrant, daily habits that bring immunity, energy and optimal health to everyone.

To check out the full schedule of free fitness classes at the Park, click here — and be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep up with more news related to our partnership with Klyde Warren Park. We’ll keep you updated with the dates we plan to be out there selling GEM goodies for thirsty fitness class participants!

See you out there, GEMs!

The Official Blog of The GEM.