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

Tag Archives: Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar


5 Ways to Get Clean in the New Year

Posted on January 1, 2016 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has 1 Comment on 5 Ways to Get Clean in the New Year

Well, it’s officially over … glitter, sparklers, gluttony, booze and stress. Are you dull and puffy? Bloated and irritable? It’s time to hit the reset button and get clean.

Get into a balanced eating regime. You’ve got to Detox YoThe GEM open weekdays until 6 p.m.ur Body! It’s not as hard as you think.

While your liver is the disco queen of detoxification, she becomes sluggish when abused. Toxins back up and cause all kinds of issues that reveal your liver is unhappy. When you over-eat, consume excess sugar, alcohol and don’t get enough sleep, the body’s ability to detox naturally slows — which then sits stagnant in your liver and fat cells. Gross.

Here are five ways to get clean in the New Year:

  1. Drink 32 ounces of lemon water first thing in the AM, which kick starts your metabolism and flushes toxins immediately.
  2. Shoot 1-2 teaspoons of Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar. Alkalizing, cleansing, healing. Just do it. Other goodness: powerful herbs and roots like ginger, turmeric, fennel, green tea and peppermint are also huge health boosters and detoxifiers, and New Chapter’s Herbal Detoxification supplements include a little of everything good in this world.
  3. Practice 20 minutes of yoga or 10 minutes of meditation. Calm your mind, set your intention and let go of toxic thoughts.
  4. DRINK Daily Green Juice. This goodness instantly detoxes your system and energizes your body and soul. You don’t have to be on a juice cleanse to get your daily dose of health-boosting nutrients. Celery, lemon, leafy greens, beets and cucumber are some of the ways to keep your digestive system happy and bloat-free everyday. Find some of these heroes in a Radiant Glow.
  5. DUMP dairy, gluten and sugar for seven days. This will accelerate your detoxification, make you lighter, brighter and ready to take on the new year. It will help you make better choices and show you where your demons lie. A GEM juice cleanse is a great way to kick start. Do it with a friend!

At the end of the day, it is about a lifestyle change, not a week or so of regimented consumption.  Find things that work for you and add them into your daily life. A healthy routine paves the way to a vibrant future of health and happiness!

Need more information and motivation? We can help you get there with our Day In the Life of A GEM Series beginning Wednesday nights this January 13. Our series consists of four small group counseling sessions that reveal step-by-step details of what a healthy day should look like. It’s an amazing group! Learn more about it here.

AND … drum roll please! So you don’t miss out on getting your daily GEM goodness, in the new year we are extending our hours to stay open until 6 p.m. Monday – Friday. YEP. WE ARE OPEN UNTIL 6 p.m.

See you at The Gem!


Best Healthy Seasonings and Condiments

Posted on September 3, 2012 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has Comments Off on Best Healthy Seasonings and Condiments

Getting bored with your veggies? Do your entrees leave you wanting more?

Spice. It. Up.

So many seasonings are loaded with chemicals: MSG, anti-caking agents. Secretly added gluten with wheat flour. There are probably 20 ingredients you cannot begin to pronounce. That spells disaster for our systems–just say no to the chemicals.

Here are some of the best healthy seasonings and condiments that can change the course of your dinners forever!

  1. Tommy’s Coffee Rub. This is not just for beef! Use it on thickly sliced tomatoes on toast–like a BLT sans the swine. Mash it with an avocado and lemon juice for a new twist on guacamole. P.S. It doesn’t taste like coffee. P.P.S. Tommy is a cute, local Texan. All of his products are yummy, especially the Salsa Roja.
  2. Jalapeno Lime Pepper from Alamo City Pepper Products. Sprinkle on artichokes, add it on wild salmon or halibut with a touch of olive oil, broil for 12 minutes. (See this recipe.) The best fish you will ever eat. They also have a great fajita seasoning.
  3. Casa Fiesta Taco Seasoning. To beans, grass-fed ground beef, Mexican rice. Taco Tuesdays will be awesome again.
  4. Simply Organic Spicy Chili Seasoning. Follow the directions, adding an extra can of rinsed beans. Or better yet, delete the grass-fed beef for a vegan alternative. Your kids may never notice. Add it on top of an organic baked potato. Sooo good.
  5. Simply Organic Ranch Powder Packet. Certainly not perfect, but a great way to wean yourself and your family off of other favs/go-tos. If you wonder why HVR is so bad, take a moment to read the bottle in your fridge. Yikes.
  6. Krazy Ketchup. A truly healthy alternative and it is really tasty. Plus, the owner is a super cool college sorority bud. It can be ordered by the case.
  7. Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar. Add two tablespoons to your soups for a tangy kick. This is the perfect base for homemade salad dressing. Oh … and lots of great benefits:
    • Rich in enzymes & potassium
    • Support a healthy immune system
    • Helps control weight
    • Promotes digestion & ph Balance
    • Helps remove body sludge toxins
  8. Organic Dijon Mustard. Adds zing to your salad dressings, zip to your turkey roll-ups. Look for brands that only have a couple of ingredients. We like the 365 Whole Foods Brand.
  9. And while we are at it, really good, fresh pickles are really hard to find.  Take a look at the ingredients in the ones you have in your fridge.  Probably have food coloring and polysorbate 80, and some other science experiments.  Try Bubbies. Their pickles and sauerkraut is beyond yummy.
  10. Simple Stuff. Really good Sea Salt and a Black Pepper grinder. Changes the way you look at salt and pepper.
  11. Wright’s of Texas Fresh Green Salsa Mild OR Habanero. AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME. On chips, on veggies, as a marinade, on fish tacos, on a spoon. Just the right amount of everything. Super fresh, all-natural.
Bodies (and taste buds) will sing.