9 minute read
Salon deZEN Photoshoot
Alexandra Cobar
Story by Maria Elizabeth | Photography by Sarah Marchella Let’s be honest, this year has been a bit crazy. To combat the madness of 2020, our deZEN team decided to create a photo shoot that was not only fun, but also a clear reflection of our inner, beautiful selves. Our inspiration was all about inclusivity. We wanted to show that no matter what color, shape, size, age, or orientation you are that you can express yourself in any way that you desire. There is nothing more beautiful than letting your authentic and unique self shine through to the world. That is your gift. A big thank you to Periwinkle, The Shoe Hive, Bishop Boutique and Requin NYC for the fashion.
Harness the Power of Food & Good Habits for Hormone Balance
Story by Kristen Coffield
Hormone changes are inevitable, and knowing how to use food as a tool to master and minimize the symptoms can help us feel our best. Ease the hormonal transition into perimenopause and beyond by adopting an antiinflammatory lifestyle that helps you thrive.
1. Start Each Day with Water
When we are asleep, our bodies are in a state of fast. The best way to end that fast is by drinking 8-10oz of room temperature water. This should be your first beverage choice in the morning—enjoy your coffee after a big, refreshing glass.
Rehydrating after sleep is essential to help balance hormones. Water is used by our bodies to carry out normal metabolic functions—things like removing waste from cells, regulating body temperature and digesting food. Add flavor with the juice of half a fresh-squeezed lemon. Lemon contributes Vitamin C and acidity, which turns into alkaline in the body. More alkalinity helps lower inflammation, which is beneficial for regulating hormones.
2. Dial Back Morning Sugar
Breakfast is typically the sweetest meal of the day. Grainbased breakfast foods tend to have added sugar or refined ingredients, which are converted to glucose in the body — even plain toast can contain as much extra sugar as a small candy bar. Eating breakfast within one hour of waking will ensure stable blood sugar levels and start the day right. Try eating no-sugar, no-grain breakfasts and consuming high-protein, high-fiber, plant-based foods in the morning. Healthy options could include humanely raised eggs (scrambled, fried or boiled — or a frittata with vegetables) berries and nuts, chia pudding, organic, whole-fat or nut milk yogurt, apple slices with nut butter or a breakfast salad with avocado and hard-boiled eggs.
3. Eat More Foods Without Labels
Don't be afraid of the natural sugars found in fruits, vegetables and dairy products. The body knows what to do with real, whole foods that have not been processed, refined and filled with added chemicals and sugar that disrupt hormone balance.
I recommend berries as a naturally-sweetened, lowcarb treat. Apples and oranges add fiber and vitamins, and raw nuts make a great grab-and-go snack. Skip the bananas and grapes; they break down quickly and raise blood sugar faster than other fruits. Don't juice your fruit. When you only drink the juice, you destroy the fiber and turn healthy fruit into a sweet beverage with nearly as much sugar as soda.
4. Avoid Food Triggers
Stabilizing blood sugar levels and keeping cravings in check significantly reduces menopausal symptoms. Reducing and eliminating foods that cause digestive distress and inflammation helps us feel more balanced and less stressed. Minimize gluten, factory-farmed dairy and eggs, soy, corn, added sugar, nightshades and artificial ingredients. These are linked to hormone-disruption and low-level inflammation. Coffee and alcohol also inhibit the metabolism of "used "hormones and the production of new ones. Instead,
sip green and herbal teas, which have more wellness benefits. Try kombucha, a fermented tea beverage containing beneficial polyphenols, B vitamins and probiotics. Always stay well hydrated with filtered water and limit alcohol to two or three alcoholic drinks a week.
5. Practice Better Sleep
Sleep is the lynchpin for hormone balance. Even one night of inadequate sleep can trigger cravings, spike blood sugar and wreak havoc with hormones.
Sleep is an essential part of our circadian cycle, providing time for flushing cellular debris generated by the body's metabolic activity. We need at least 7 hours of sleep a night to have regular, healthy levels of fluctuating hormones in our body. Plan for sleep by maintaining regular sleeping patterns. Try to go to bed and wake at the same time consistently. Turn off your electronics an hour before you want to fall asleep. Read paper books, practice meditation, pray or write in a journal. It can also be beneficial to create a sleep ritual.. Write down something you are grateful for, make a to-do list for the morning and sip chamomile tea. Diaphragmatic breathing exercises are another great way to prepare for sleep. Make sure your room is dark by blocking as much blue light from electronics and ambient light from your bedroom as possible. Turn the temperature down to 65 degrees to create the best temperature for deep sleep. Make sure your room is quiet—wear earplugs, use a HEPA air filter or white noise machine to assist in blocking unwanted noise. Lastly, consider trying a magnesium supplement at bedtime. Magnesium is responsible for over 300 enzyme reactions in the body—notably, helping cells create energy. Magnesium helps relax tension and can improve sleep quality. Combining an anti-inflammatory diet with proper sleep and stress reduction is vital for hormone balance at every stage of a woman’s life.
Visit Kristen at TheCulinaryCure.com for more healthful tips and motivation to help you live your best life. You can get daily inspiration by following www.instagram.com/kristencoffield
YOUR CBD. YOUR HEALTH.
Story by Jeanette Wages | Featuring Your CBD Store - Alexandria
Each stage of a woman’s life can create a unique set of challenges to her mental and overall physical health. Even before the pandemic, many were looking to CBD* to aid in their management of stress, pain, anxiety and even fight inflammation— all without the psychoactive “high.” Not surprisingly, there are multiple other reasons that you should incorporate CBD into your lifestyle, especially as a woman. Scientific research indicates that CBD may provide the answers to a variety of women’s health issues like anxiety, stress, hormonal imbalances, sexual performance and sleep disorders. Let’s talk about a few important benefits that CBD has to offer women, as well as how to properly use your CBD for the best results. One easy way to incorporate CBD into your routine—for a multitude of benefits— is in a bath. Baths alone can help promote circulation, muscle and mental relaxation and help to release toxins from the body, as well as being considered spiritually cleansing. To amplify these effects, add SunMed water soluble to a warm cup of tea or beverage of your choice and soak for 20 minutes in a soothing CBD bath with SunMed bath bombs or new bath soaks (available holiday 2020). This can be especially helpful for cramps and other muscle tension. One of the most annoying and painful parts of being a woman is dealing with periods and all that they entail— cramps, bloating, mood swings, headaches—ugh, this list can go on-and-on! When your period begins, sometimes the gut reaction is to reach for a pill to “take that edge off,” even though we know NSAIDS can have negative side effects, especially when taken regularly. Unlike NSAIDs, CBD anti-inflammatory benefits come without the side effects but offer similar relief. Our favorite method of relief is to massage your lower abdomen—or wherever you feel the most pain—with SunMed CBD full-spectrum topical, which will help ease the discomfort of contractions and inflammation. Let’s be real: man, woman or child, we all get cravings every once in a while—and they usually aren’t for broccoli and brussel sprouts! If you need a little help battling the need for sweets, a CBD gummy can add that extra boost of sugar and tame cravings. No one wants to talk about it, but it’s something that all women will have to go through, eventually: menopause. Women rarely know what to expect when menopause starts, and it can be years of suffering through hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, sleeplessness, anxiety and depression. If you’re facing menopause, you may be turning to traditional herbal medicines for natural support. An increasing number of studies show the positive effects that CBD can have on menopausal women. A 2019 study confirmed the success rate of CBD at 78% in alleviating anxiety-related problems, as well as a 66% success rate alleviating signs of depression in women going through menopause.
Even if you aren’t suffering from any particular ailment or issue, CBD and yoga wellness classes are a fabulous way to keep your body and mind happy and healthy. If you get a little sore after, just rub some CBD topical to sore joints and muscles. Come join us, we would love to have you!
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THE MOST IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP YOU HAVE IS THE RELATIONSHIP YOU HAVE WITH YOURSELF.
Do you want to feel more energized & joyful?
Healthy Minds Therapy is running a webinar series on Self-Care. Attend LIVE or opt for a session recording to gain knowledge about self-care and wellness. .
https://bit.ly/3kymOF7
Concepts like self-love and positive self-talk are thrown around on social media as though they should come easily to us all. We’re expected to think more positively, throw a smile on our faces and venture through the rough terrain of life—and as women, we are supposed to be able to do this in perfect makeup and high heels. In “IAm Not,” Rachel Boehm recollects moments in her life where feeling “good enough” was not easy or—at the time—possible. Her narrative is broken down into short, relatable memories, making it easy to reflect on the emotionally challenging moments in each of our lives. She reminds us of the strength and resilience in every woman to not only survive bad relationships with food, boys and friends—as well as bullying and emotional abuse— but to thrive.
www.rachboehm.com
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