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

Category Archives: Stress


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!


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?


Sleigh Holiday Stress with Original G·E·M·S Life – Part II (SHINE!)

Posted on December 21, 2020 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has Comments Off on Sleigh Holiday Stress with Original G·E·M·S Life – Part II (SHINE!)

The holiday season brings with it happiness and joy, but can also be a stressful time for even the jolliest of GEMs. Solution? Beat that stress to the punch with our Original G·E·M·S Life program. By doing the four practices every day — Gratitude, Eat Clean, Move, Shine — you’ll see less and less stress in your life and more peace and happiness.

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

In our last blog post, we focused on ways to combat stress with MOVE. This week, we’re introducing new SHINE practices to help you stay stress-free during the holidays. Care for your body and soul this holiday season with these five SHINE practices.

5 Tips for Stress-Free Holidays with SHINE

  • Skip the Eggnog: Curb the nighttime cocktails this holiday season by drinking festive mocktails — try an ounce of Immunity Mix with sparkling water and garnish with thai basil and a sliced radish! It’s soooo good–with or without your favorite spirit. Alcohol may make you fall asleep faster, but it will make your sleep less restful. Try to limit your drinking to once a week (or no nights!) as your SHINE practice. 
  • Breathe In. Breathe Out. By practicing simple breathing exercises, you can help regulate your nervous system and manage anxiety for a restful night’s sleep. Try these techniques from Mind Body Green and do one every night before bed to check off your SHINE practice. 
  • Deck The Halls with CBD. CBD oil is known to relieve anxiety and depression symptoms, among many other benefits. Stock up to make CBD part of your daily SHINE practice. (Trusted Lab CBD products make awesome stocking stuffers, too!)
  • All is CALM. A dose of Natural Calm every night can help quell anxiety and promote a more restful sleep. Magnesium deficiencies are often the culprit of tossing and turning. Try a little bit at first — and increase from there. Magnesium will also help you be a little more, ahem, regular, so you don’t want to overdo it. 
  • Rudolph’s Root Routine. Add a one-two punch of turmeric and ginger to your morning drink for better digestion, decreased inflammation and, we think, a nice calming drink. You can pick up a Turmeric Latte during the day at The GEM, or make one at home with our house made Cashew Milk and Bottled Turmeric or Ginger. Adding these roots to your daily supplementation routine will make quick work of your SHINE practice. Done!

Prioritizing your health during the holidays is the BEST way to curb anxiety and stress. Following these Original G·E·M·S Life practices through MOVE and SHINE will bring peace and joy to both you and your family, and help you enjoy the very best this season has to offer. 

Merry merry, GEMS!

Jump Into Original G·E·M·S Life!

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! 


Sleigh Holiday Stress with Original G·E·M·S Life – Part I (MOVE!)

Posted on December 14, 2020 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has Comments Off on Sleigh Holiday Stress with Original G·E·M·S Life – Part I (MOVE!)

Let’s be honest about health and wellness during the holidays…stress happens. And when we experience stress, our health suffers. Our body’s energy fuel tank gets depleted. We tend to lose sleep, and become more anxious. Stress actually affects your immune system. Because of this, it’s crucial to approach this time of year with a plan to combat the impending stress.

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

The holiday season brings with it happiness and joy, but can also be a stressful time for even the jolliest of GEMs. Solution? Beat that stress to the punch with our Original G·E·M·S Life program. By doing the four practices every day — Gratitude, Eat Clean, Move, Shine — you’ll see less and less stress in your life and more peace and happiness.

In our last blog post, we focused on ways to practice GRATITUDE. This week, we’re introducing MOVE and SHINE practices to help you stay stress-free during the holidays.

Make your nights more silent and your days more jolly during this special time of year through these MOVE practices from Original G·E·M·S Life.

MOVE: Five Ways to Shake Holiday Stress Away

  • Sleigh Your Ride. Go old school and take your bike on quick errands. Or for a super awesome treat, gift yourself a Peloton bike! MK loves hers — as does everyone we know who has one! This bike comes with instructors and personalized training plans that you can do any time — check off that MOVE practice!  
  • Jingle Bell Walk. Feeling a little cooped up? Don’t make heavy going of your MOVE practice, just put on some comfy shoes and get outside! Don a festive hat and join a friend for a brisk walk! Throw on some leg warmers and ankle weights and get retro if you want to burn calories. Whatever you do, just move! 
  • Try a Personal Trainer. Ready to sweat? Hire a personal trainer to come to your home — they’ll bring the equipment and you don’t need to step foot into a gym.  They can even give you light exercises or stretching work to do on your rest days so you can check off your MOVE practice every day of the week.  
  • Practice Yuletide Yoga. Whether for spiritual transformation, stress management or physical well-being, the benefits are undeniable. It’s easy to get your MOVE in every day with 10 or 60 minutes of yoga. Just grab your mat and YouTube with Yoga with Adrienne — and don’t hesitate to get the fam involved. Yoga is great for kids too! 
  • Reindeer Games. Forget Apples to Apples, try these active family games for the holidays like the Jingle Bell Shake, Elephant March, or Poop the Potato. Making physical activity a family affair is an easy way to get your MOVE practice done for the day.

Prioritizing your health during the holidays is the BEST way to curb anxiety and stress. Following these Original G·E·M·S Life practices through MOVE and SHINE will bring peace and joy to both you and your family, and help you enjoy the very best this season has to offer.

Merry merry, GEMS!

Jump Into Original G·E·M·S Life!

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! 


The REAL 411 On CBD (And Why You Need It!)

Posted on December 10, 2019 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has Comments Off on The REAL 411 On CBD (And Why You Need It!)

Got anxiety? Hate that joint pain? Need to SLEEP better? Cannabidiol, better known as CBD, is your new R&R BFF! We’ve always had a long lasting love for hemp, and lately we’ve spent hours learning about this new natural remedy for a long list of ailments. Derived from the hemp plant, CBD seems to be everywhere! And I do mean EVERYWHERE. The market is flooded with CBD, making it so confusing to know what is what, that you probably just decide to do nothing!  Well, be indifferent no more.

We are proud to carry The Trusted Lab line of products, a local company we believe in!

Looking for extra GEMmy stocking stuffers? Order CBD products for everyone on your gift list!

Still on the fence about this CBD fad? Check out these benefits.

Believe the Hype.

  • Improved Mood: Better sleep, better mood and less anxiety. 
  • Better Body: Improved blood flow, less joint and muscle pain, inflammation.  
  • Better Skin: Effective treatment for eczema, psoriasis, rosacea.
  • Faster Recovery: It’s a more powerful antioxidant source than Vitamins C and E, so it defends the body against oxidative stress, helping to improve overall recovery.
  • Boosted Brain: Fights brain fog and acts as a neuroprotectant.  
  • Eased Chemo Side Effects: Fights nausea, vomiting and pain. 

We logged serious time doing research and testing to find the best product for you! And we landed with The Trusted Lab.

Why The Trusted Lab. 

  • Tried, True, and Trusted. Our 100% organic CBD oil product line comes from The Trusted Lab known for their dedication to providing the highest quality, most consistent CBD oil products available—using the highest potency and purest quality ingredients. Made in America, ORGANIC, free of harmful chemicals, and lab tested, this stuff is the best in the industry, hands down.
  • The Full CBD Spectrum of What You Need.  All products we carry inside The GEM are FULL SPECTRUM, which means they contain all of the elements that maximize the bioactivity for optimal results. There are gummies specific to sleep, drops and gel caps for anxiety, cream for local pain relief. Cop yours today, inside The GEM! 
  • No Snoop Doggin’ Here. Don’t fear, dear GEMs—our CBD contains no THC, which is the main psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis and causes the sensation of getting “high.” The absence of THC makes our CBD an appealing option for those looking for relief from anxiety, pain and other symptoms without the mind-altering effects of marijuana or certain pharmaceutical drugs. (*our 750mg gelcaps to contain a tiny trace amount of THC <.03%)

Say goodbye to sleep issues, joint pain, and anxiety, and choose a Trusted Lab CBD product perfect for your needs at the GEM! They make amazing gifts, too (hello, GEMmy stocking stuffers)!

Trusted Lab CBD products available at The GEM

Drops – Full Spectrum 500mg and 1500mg. Awesome for anti-anxiety, nausea, and sleep.

Gel Caps – 300mg and 750mg. Best for managing muscle and joint pain, 750mg for deep sleep!

Gummies – 750mg. Sleepy Time contains added melatonin for the best sleep of your life. Day Time also available. These are amazing and gluten free.

Extra Strength Cream – 200mg. Perfect for relieving local pain, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, dry skin.

Special Note: the milligrams noted on the bottles refer to the TOTAL amount, not per dosage.


Healthy Begins at Bedtime: Go to Sleep!

Posted on March 27, 2019 by The GEM and currently has 3 Comments on Healthy Begins at Bedtime: Go to Sleep!

Listen up, Sleeping Beauty: When it comes to health, QUALITY SLEEP just might be the most overlooked element there is. While optimized nutrition changes are an integral piece of vibrant health, sleep is another critical one to heal and restore your body.

NEED AN EXTRA BOOST IN THE MORNING? ORDER FROM OUR APP!

Restorative, blissful sleep is often hard to come by—but oh so critical to your health and well-being. Even more importantly, a LACK of sleep can cause serious damage, affecting your body’s ability to maintain:

MEMORY & FOCUS – Deep sleep helps with memory consolidation—where the brain processes events of the day, making memories and links. More quality sleep helps you remember and process things better. STAY SHARP: SLEEP!

WEIGHT LOSS – Poor sleep patterns mess around with your appetite, which control hormones. The rise in cortisol can cause adrenal fatigue and also make you hold fat around your middle. STAY SLIM: GO TO SLEEP!

RECOVERY – The sleeping body works hard repairing protein breakdown and damage caused by stress, ultraviolet rays, and muscle exertion. Your cells produce more protein while sleeping. STAY YOUNG & STRONG: SLEEP.

DISEASE PREVENTION – The connections to lack of sleep and heart disease, diabetes, and cancer are profound. Sleep also helps your body stay in a calmer state, reducing stress and anxiety. STAY CALM & SLEEP ON.

You can improve virtually every function of your mind and body by making a few small tweaks to your bedtime routine:

TIPS FOR HOW TO SLEEP BETTER:

  1. COZY COMFORT. A quality mattress, good sheets (we love Peacock Alley), soft blankets and cool temperature will reduce annoying distractions and help you relax.
  2. TURN OFF TECH at least 1 hour before going to bed. That type of light really affects your sleep….which leads me to:
  3. COMPLETE DARKNESS. If your room isn’t completely dark, consider a sleep mask. This will also increase your natural production of melatonin, a sleep inducer and cancer fighter.
  4. SKIP OR REDUCE CAFFEINE. Caffeine not only prevents you from falling asleep at night initially, but also decreases the amount of restful sleep.
  5. EASY ON THE ALCOHOL & SUGAR. Alcohol feels like a sedative at first as it slows motor and brain function, but as it’s metabolized acetaldehyde is produced, which acts like a stimulant.
  6. BATHS.  Bathing with Epsom salts (and lavender oil) is a great way to prepare for a restful night of sleep. An evening bath is a beautiful ritual that nourishes mind, body and spirit, and disrupts less healthy habits.
  7. EXERCISE. Fit in 20-30 min of moderate exercise daily, but several hours before bed. Try simple yoga stretches daily.  It can dramatically increase your sleep quality.
  8. CLEAR YOUR MIND. Hit the reset button on your mind. Before going to bed, journal. Try a guided sleep meditation from HeadSpace. If you can’t fall asleep after lying in bed for 15 minutes, get up and do something relaxing for 15-30 minutes before returning to bed.
  9. SLEEP ENHANCING SUPPLEMENTS like magnesium (CALM Tea). It is a great way to stay regular, quell anxiety, treat menstrual cramps, allay menopausal symptoms. Also, 300mg of passionflower or 320mg of valerian root extract before bed can relax and help you sleep better.

Bottom line? Get at least 7 to 9 HOURS of sleep every night. You really are NOT one of those people who only needs 5 hours of sleep. It’s just not possible. Good sleep helps you shed fat, keep disease at bay, and stay focused. When it comes to your overall health, focus, weight, and immunity, radiant GEMs know SLEEP IS WHERE IT’S AT! 


Get Lit. Let’s Do Shots!

Posted on November 19, 2018 by The GEM and currently has Comments Off on Get Lit. Let’s Do Shots!

Back in the day, if you wanted a partner to do bar shots with, I was your girl! I’m older now, more responsible, and (slightly) smarter. But who doesn’t like a good shot  — especially one that gets you going — and keeps you going? Superfood healthy shots have become the new party trick.

CHEERS TO YOUR HEALTH! ORDER JUICE SHOTS FOR DELIVERY OR PICK UP, ON OUR APP! 

All of the fun; none of the hangover. Belly up to the bar and serve yourself some seriously potent GEM shots of immune boosting, energy inducing, detox supporting ingredients from nature’s saloon. Turmeric, ginger, elderberry, E3 live are just a few concoctions to help you get lit with health.

Organic Juice Shots

Below is a bartender’s guide to all that’s shot worthy inside the GEM. Standard pours include:

GINGER

For healthy digestion and immunity. This nutritional gem warms the body and boasts antinausea, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant compounds. Ginger helps support healthy metabolism and digestion. You can even add a shot to your tea!

TURMERIC

For Inflammation. Nature’s Advil. This orange root is a powerhouse of protection—even against heart disease. It is the “ANTI” food: Anti-cancer, anti-inflammation, anti-Alzheimer’s, anti-aging. Add turmeric to everything!

IMMUNITY SHOT: Ginger + Lemon + Turmeric + Adaptogenic Mushrooms

To cleanse, detoxify, and lessen inflammation. Feeling icky? This is our best-selling shot thought to lessen the symptoms of a cold. In addition to turmeric and ginger, Lemon is alkalizing and has a kick of vitamin C. The boost of mushroom tincture adds cancer-fighting compounds that can help reduce inflammation, pain and support metabolism.   

BRIGHT LIKE A DIAMOND/ E3 / Blue Magic

For detox, brain health, metabolism, energy. Bright Like a Diamond shot contains spirulina, ginger, cayenne. Blue-green algae (sold as E3 Live or Spirulina) boasts vitamins A, C, E, B12, and B6, calcium, magnesium, and iron. Some of this goodness comes from cyacyanobacteria — and that blue color signifies loads of antioxidants.

ALLERGY SHOT: Elderberry + Tart Cherry + Ginger + ACV

For allergy relief, joint pain. This combo works! It’s loaded with potent anti-inflammatory compounds. Elderberry has been used for centuries to quell allergies and fight off colds and flu. You can take Elderberry straight — it tastes amazing, and your kids will love it. ACV promotes healthy gut bacteria, balances blood sugar, reduces acid reflux, and helps lower cholesterol.

PERFORM: Beet Juice + Lemon

For recovery, stamina, liver detox, and athletic performance. Rich in natural chemicals called nitrates, beets are a miraculous addition to your daily routine. Your body changes nitrates into nitric oxide, which helps with blood flow and blood pressure.

Scared to shoot it straight? Add these shots to your Green Glow or even your Cameo. This time it’s ok to be overserved. Get a good mix of

shots, and round out your cocktail hour with a bang. Couple the Immunity Shot with the Perform. Or add one to your juice. Float a ginger shot into your hot tea. Just do it. Your only hangover will be shining bright. Cheers to your health!

Order now! Delivery or pick up!


8 Things Sweet Sugar Does to You and Your Health

Posted on October 13, 2016 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has Comments Off on 8 Things Sweet Sugar Does to You and Your Health

As yummy and sweet as it is, Sugar is NOT good for your health. With Halloween just a couple weeks away, beware. It tricks you into thinking it’s just simple treats.

Well, it ain’t. Excessive sugar in fact, promotes illness and “un” health. While many of you may know this, few of us are doing anything about it. But do you really know what it does TO you?

sugarblog2

It plays a starring role in your ultimate health—and not for the good of it. If you really knew what it was doing to your body, you might just put it at the top of your “foods to avoid” list. Here are a few things it does to you and your health.

  1. Sweet sugar does NOT heart your heart. It can actually affect the pumping mechanism of your heart and increase the risk for heart failure.
  2. It makes your belly fat. Yeah.  It’s not the planks you missed in the Pilates class that did it.
  3. It grows cancer and may affect cancer survival. High sugar and starch intake negatively affects survival rates in both breast and colon cancer patients.
  4. Sugar jacks with the liver. Poor nutrition and sugar intake is a major cause of fatty liver. A sluggish liver contributes to LOTS of problems in your body.
  5. Sugar sucks your brain power. It causes deficiencies in memory and overall cognitive health. Duh.
  6. It makes you old. Yep, it ages you! Aging of the cells (oxidative stress) can be the cause of those tired wrinkles to something as dire as chronic disease.
  7. It hides in everything. It’s a sneaky little sucker. Some of your favorite foods contain lots of sugar include tomato sauce, fat free dressing, crackers and even bread. And those healthy energy bars?! Don’t even get me started!
  8. Sugar makes us want more sugar and adds to the stress response. It IS a drug—more addictive than cocaine. SO: SAY. NO.

sugar

Sugar is an addictive substance shown to actually change your biochemical pathways, ambush your self-control mechanisms and lure you into eating more and more.

It is a major roadblock to optimal health. It is the root of many ailments including obesity, acne, depression, infertility and cancer.

Want to know more about sugar, stress and how to detox it from your daily life? Our next continuing education group session, Sugared UP and Stressed Out, does just that! Learn what both stress and sugar do to your body and ways to detox from sugar—and don’t let it rule you!

Be there ~ our Forest location ~ or be square, Wednesday, October 26. We now have two classes available:

  • 11 a.m.
  • 12:30 p.m.

 

Cost is $50. Lunch will be served. Call us at 214.792-9928 or email [email protected] to register.


Turmeric: Meet Your New Anti-inflammatory Power House

Posted on September 21, 2016 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has 1 Comment on Turmeric: Meet Your New Anti-inflammatory Power House

Meet turmeric – your new super spice, new anti-inflammatory power house BFF!

This Southeast Asian spice is so much more than just an Indian curry ingredient. It has powerful health benefits you should know. You may not be using it daily—in your food and diet, BUT YOU SHOULD.

Turmeric has been used for thousands of years in Indian Ayurvedic medicine as an antiseptic and antibacterial agent to treat infection, inflammation, wound healing and poor digestion. It’s kind of a magic food—cures lots of ails. We love raw turmeric inside The GEM for its anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties.

Turmeric contains polyphenols that act as powerful anti-oxidants. This super spice does LOTS for your health.

Let’s just start with the biggest one for me: It has badass cancer fighting properties, and has been shown to inhibit growth of various cancer cells including: breast and prostate cancers and melanoma among others.

So, why add it into your daily life?

Here are a few more really good reasons. It:

  • Manages pain. It’s a super potent Anti-Inflammatory, it’s called “Nature’s Advil” for a reason. Perfect treatment for arthritis, joint pain, even headaches. SO many people swear by it as a remedy for inflammation!
  • Protects the brain, prevents the progression of Alzheimers.
  • Helps lower blood sugar and reverse insulin resistance. This is a weapon in the fight with diabetes and weight loss.
  • Boosts immunity. With its anti-viral and anti-fungal properties, along with the inflammation component, this power house is top of the list for staying well.
  • Reduces oxidative stress, which, among other things, contributes to high cholesterol.
  • Heals stomach ulcers.
  • Speeds wound healing.

Because curcumin (one of three potent polyphenols found in this spice) is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream, black pepper and healthy fat should be added to increase its bioavailabilty. That being said, if you are using raw turmeric (not dried powder) like we have at The GEM, you don’t have to add anything to enhance bioavailability. Its natural oil boosts absorption. Pretty cool! The powdered version loses much of its bioavailabilty in the processing.

turmericatthegemjuicebar

Now you know what it does, here are a few ideas of HOW you can use it:

  1. Shoot it. Shots of turmeric are one of the quickest ways to consume to get your daily dose of anti-inflammatory goodness. Shoot it straight up or throw back a GEM Immunity Shot — with lemon and ginger for an added punch to the system.
  2. Boost it. Add to your Green Juice. Add turmeric juice for a bold move into a healthy day.
  3. Sip it. Make a tea including ginger and raw honey. Our Amazing Hot Immunity Tea or Immunity Iced Green Tea might change your life.
  4. Make a Latte. Yep! I dare you to try this yumminess called a Turmeric Latte. Fresh turmeric, frothed house-made cashew milk and garam masala (an Indian combo with cinnamon, cloves, cardamom).
  5. Pop it. New Chapter’s Herbal Detoxification capsules are a great addition into your supplement routine. This one includes green tea extract, ginger and peppermint. All amazing immune boosters in their own right.

It is important to note that like most therapeutic herbs, turmeric is not appropriate for everyone. It is a natural blood thinner, so avoid taking it if you are on prescribed blood thinners. It also might upset your stomach if you are taking medication for ulcers or heartburn (though turmeric aids in the healing of these things!). Consult your physician before use if you have any of these conditions.

Want to learn more ways to boost your immunity? Join us Wednesday, September 28, 11:30 a.m., at the Forest location for our continuing education workshop called Eat for Immunity. Learn what nutrient dense foods are best, how certain supplements can help and what other environmental factors can contribute to a super-powered immune system.

Click here to register or call us at (214) 750-2929. Email works too! Send us a note at [email protected].


Your Biggest Enemy: Stress. By Way of Sugar

Posted on May 23, 2016 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has 1 Comment on Your Biggest Enemy: Stress. By Way of Sugar

We know the visible suspects of stress: hectic schedules, poor relationships, lack of sleep. In addition, there are invisible factors that trigger the same stress response. It’s as ubiquitous as the air you breathe. It’s called sugar …

Photo cred: Vig Foto

Photo cred: Vig Foto

What you’re about to learn should change how you think about stress and, if you’re smart, how you interact with sugar—especially when stressed.

Surprisingly, one of the biggest causes behind stress could be your blood sugar. The more time spent outside of a healthy blood sugar range, the more your body feels stressed. Excess sugar causes the same physiological changes that external stresses do!

Blood sugar spikes seriously affect stress and inflammation levels in your body. I’ll spare you the physiology lesson, but spiked blood sugar causes stress in your body, which causes your adrenal glands to produce cortisol. Cortisol manages stress and it also manages blood sugar. When blood sugar levels change too fast, your cortisol is used to pull it back up again. Unstable blood sugar can make you feel the same as you feel when an event makes you angry, frustrated, frightened, i.e., STRESSED. So … sugar makes your stress response worse.

We already know stress is a really bad thing when it comes to your health and happiness. Chronic stress can be as fatal as smoking and a predictor of weight gain even more than genetics.

Even when you can’t control every cause of stress in your world, the simple act of keeping your blood sugar levels stable will make you more resilient, less irritable, better able to “deal.”

When I’m stressed AND sugared up, I become the most irritable lunatic. Everyone benefits from me steering clear of sugar! In addition, stable blood sugar levels help you stay lean and energized. This is because unstable blood sugar (and cortisol) causes you to make fat storage hormones like insulin and affects sleep patterns, which causes weight gain and fatigue.

Photo cred: Vig Foto

Photo cred: Vig Foto

If some of this sounds like you, let’s talk about management. What can you do to keep your blood sugar stable?

Throughout the day, many factors protect or damage your blood sugar. However, what happens in the morning affects your day than any other time. So …

START YOUR DAY OFF RIGHT.

Your morning routine can start the downward spiral that keeps you in a constant state of stress– raising stress hormones from the get go.

  1. Eat a high quality protein filled breakfast – Kick Captain Crunch out of your kitchen, because he, along with high sugar breakfast foods (bagels, overly sweetened yogurts, junk smoothies), sabotage your blood sugar, your mood, your waistline. You will function SO MUCH better when you stay under seven grams of sugar from all sources combined. Stick with high quality protein, pastured eggs, raw plant protein powders, paired with good fat sources like coconut oil or avocados.
  1. Don’t skip breakfast – Having no food lowers your metabolism in preparation for famine. This makes you less able to burn fat for fuel. The “Amazing Crown Jewel” smoothie gives you the fat and protein you need to power through your morning!
  1. Drink green juice – The phytonutrients from alkalizing greens and vegetables help maintain blood sugar while flooding your system with immunity boosting, inflammation quelling, energizing enzymes and nutrients. Look for juices that are a minimum of 70% vegetables, like the Flawless, or Disco. Even the classic Green Glow packs a punch!

CONSIDER A 3 DAY JUICE CLEANSE TO REBOOT YOU SYSTEM—GET RID OF THOSE CRAVINGS. Want to chew too? Reserve a Juice Then Dinner Cleanse and enjoy a little mastication!

  1. LAY OFF high amounts of caffeine – Why does caffeine give you energy? Because it causes you to raise your blood sugar in the same way that sugary food does. Then THE CRASH. Drink organic green tea instead
  1. Physical activity – Anything works: walking, running, yoga, you name it. It helps regulate your blood sugar too.
  1. Stay psychologically centered – Start a gratitude journal. Mentally rehearse your day, and set your intention to be healthy, happy and calm. Grab our GEM Journal for amazing prompts to maintain a health-filled day.

 

Your body and mind strive to reach states of balance and happiness. Even though you cannot control the world around you, you can help yourself become healthier and more resilient by making easy adjustments in your daily habits.