RA stories

Recently, I discovered Kapalbhati Pranayama (Skull Shining Breath), which is a traditional internal cleansing technique that some believe can bring a natural face glow when practiced regularly.  As we transition from winter to spring, this breathing, cleansing technique can truly be beneficial for many of us!

The right springtime pranayama is super helpful in balancing Kapha and can help cleanse the sinuses, increase body temperature, and boost digestion.  The digestion can be a bit sluggish during spring, which is often the root cause of asthma and upper respiratory issues.  

kapal = skull
bhati = shining or illuminating

Kapalbhati pranayama consists of short but strong exhales followed by passive inhales and has a very specific cleansing effect on the nasal passageways, literally cleansing the skull and the brain.  It's perfect for spring since this exercise may actually help alleviate spring allergies for any of you who are sensitive to pollen.  Kapalbhati is great at getting rid of stale air in your lungs and replacing it with fresh prana.

Read more about pranayama and kapalbhati and why it is beneficial for you to add this to your spring morning routine!

 

Thank you for allowing me to take the stage last night along with so many amazing women.  It was an absolute honor. 

I was overwhelmed with emotions last night as Stacy Cassio announced that my story received the most votes for Pink Mentor Network's 2020 Growth Stories, which also meant that the voters really resonated with my story. 

Honestly, I was super nervous and probably rushed so I wouldn't be choked up and cry.  Many of you asked for what I shared afterwards since it was pretty difficult to take notes - if you don't know some of the Ayurvedic terms, it probably didn't help that I talked so fast - which is why I'm writing this blog for you to reference in the upcoming months.  And yes, you can absolutely share with whomever needs to hear my story.

I truly hope what I'm sharing will help you and anyone you know end 2020 with some resilience, joy, patience, and kindness to yourself.

Can you believe it? We are coming up on the end up 2020! We've almost made it! This has been a really tough, and unprecedented year for all of us, as we have navigated 'new normals' in nearly all aspects of our lives.

As the year draws to an end, we now have to figure out what this holiday season will look like. Will we shop online or in stores? Will we travel or just stay home? Will we see our whole family or celebrate with a smaller group? 

One thing you won't have to worry about is what to put on your holiday shopping list! We've carefully curated several amazing gift boxes with a wide variety of price points, perfect for everyone on your list! Plus, all of the items are from artisans, makers and small businesses in the Carolinas. This year, you can shop small + support local! 

At some point in our lives, we have all felt weighed down by our "stuff". Clutter can creep up on us without us even knowing it. Have you ever tried packing to move and wonder "Where did I get all of this stuff"? It just seems to multiply!

It's a relief to know that there is life beyond all of the "stuff". We had the opportunity to interview Lianne Hofer, founder of The Clutter Consultant, about 'owning our happiness' and 'the myths of more'. Stop letting your stuff own you and work towards being happy without the weight of all the clutter. 

2020 has been a lot of things... tough, sad, stressful, weird, and challenging are things to come to mind. Businesses have failed, and people have gotten sick, lost jobs, or lost loved ones. 

With all of the stress and uncertainty that has come with this year, many of us have packed on the Quarantine 15 (or more)! If this is you, don't fret. There are safe, healthy ways to get these extra pounds off. 

We had the opportunity to interview Rhya Pachin, one of the experts in functional nutrition here in Charlotte. You may remember her from earlier in the year when she talked with us about the gut microbiome and the importance of using food and nutrition to heal the body. 

Today, she is going to talk to us more about that pesky "Quarantine 15" and how we can make a few simple lifestyle changes to get that off, and keep it off.

Sugar is in everything. I am sure you know that things like cupcakes and candy are loaded with sugar, but you may be surprised about the sugar content hiding in some foods that may seem otherwise innocent. Would you have thought that your baked beans, spaghetti sauce, ketchup and low-fat yogurt can actually be packed with more sugar than your dessert?

Today, I am interviewing Jacqueline Bourne, who has taken the plunge into sugar free living. You may remember her from a previous interview interview where we talked about getting your best internal and external glow. Her website is full of helpful resources, so make sure to check that out.

In this interview, you'll learn more about how Jacqueline was able to transition her family away from sugars and the incredible transformation this has had on their health and lives. She even gives recommendations for sugar substitutions as well as a delicious recipe!

Honey has been a prized ingredient for thousands of years. It seems there is a good reason why. Raw honey is packed with many amazing properties that are so good for your body and your skin. Read more to learn about how truly amazing raw honey is.

Would you benefit from adding a deodorant spray to your routine? Natural deodorants 

offer a safe and effective odor protection. However, during the hot days of summer or after a gym workout, you may need a little more. This is where our deodorant sprays come in! Learn more about deodorant sprays and how they will be the perfect addition to your summer routine! 

Acne can tell you a lot about what is going on in your life and within your body. Both Ayurveda and Chinese medicine use Face Mapping to correlate breakouts with organs and lifestyle factors. This is an in depth look at what your skin could be telling you, and changes you could make to clear up your face. You will be surprised about what you can learn from your skin!

Ayurveda is a healthy-lifestyle system that people in India have used for more than 5,000 years. It emphasizes good health and prevention and treatment of illness through lifestyle practices. These include practices such as massage, meditation, yoga, and dietary changes.

This practice looks to not only address physical complaints, but also work on lifestyle changes to improve your overall health.

Learn about Ayurveda and what it could do for you. This could be a step that helps you to live a healthier, happier life. 

It's the middle of summer, and there's still plenty of time for self care this season.  Whether you're more or less busy this season, it's super important to take care of yourself whenever you can.  Self care doesn't have to be time-consuming, complicated, overwhelming, or expensive.

Self care is anything you do to take care of yourself so you can stay physically, mentally, and emotionally well - fueling your mind, body, and spirit.  When you are healthy and well, you are able to help take care of others, do accomplish what you need to do in a day, and perform well at your job. 

Here are some ideas on how to practice self-care, so you can find what works best for your needs and lifestyle.

With Covid-19 still hanging around, it appears that face masks may be here to stay for a while. We have created some fabric face masks that are both stylish and functional, so you can look great while staying safe and healthy. 

We are answering our most Frequently Asked Questions about our masks, plus sharing some of the great features we have on our masks. For anyone wanting to learn more about attaching the adjustable earpieces onto the elastic, we included a helpful tutorial. 

Don't miss out on our limited-edition fabric face masks! Once they're gone, they're gone!