Healthy Chicks

This past Saturday evening, I had the pleasure of meeting the beautiful Gabby Bernstein at her talk + booksigning in Boston for “The Universe Has Your Back.” 200+ curious souls came together at a church in Brookline to hear this wonderwoman speak.

She spoke of seeing the lesson when sh*t hits the fan, surrendering again and again, and how obstacles are really detours in the right direction. We meditated. We chanted. We cried. And then when it came time for the Q & A, something inside me said “Go ahead, get up there and ask.”

I found myself in line with about 15 other women, shaking as the church fan blew my hair. Finally, it was my turn at the microphone. It was time to get real. It was time to get vulnerable.

“Hi Gabby, I’m Rachel. A couple months ago I left a job that was no longer serving me. I had a strong voice inside me saying ‘Stop striving and seeking, and let things flow to you.’ It’s now been 3 months, and I feel like things aren’t really flowing. I’m feeling very behind. What do you advise I do?”

Her first word: Gratitude.

Gabby told … Read More!

Saying no used to scare the crap out of me. Being the people pleaser that I am, I was afraid saying no would let someone down, make me look bad or hurt someone else’s feelings.

What if they don’t like me anymore?

What if they get mad at me?

What if I miss out?

These are the kinds of thoughts that would swim through my head. Then I realized something: saying ‘no’ to the things that don’t quite serve you or light you up is actually saying YES to yourself.

Let me repeat that because it’s a biggie: Saying ‘no’ to the things that don’t serve you or light you up is actually saying YES to yourself.

Doesn’t that take the pressure off like whoa? When you look at it this way, saying no actually puts you in a place of power, control and confidence. Rather than being concerned about what other’s think of you, you step into a place of feminine confidence.

And the more you say no with purpose, the more fabulous you feel. (Trust me.)

Lately, I’ve set some boundaries for myself in order to stick to it, and make sure I don’t fall back … Read More!

If you’re one of the not-so-lucky ones like me, that time of the month can be a b*tch. I made the personal decision to go off of my birth control pills about six years ago, as I didn’t want synthetic hormones in my body. After going off of it, I started to feel much better emotionally, and also noticed my belly bloat went down tremendously.

However, some of the not-so-fun side effects — like cramping and breakouts — remained. Fortunately, over the years, I’ve discovered some natural ways to keep these symptoms at bay.

FOR YOUR SKIN

If you deal with hormonal skin breakouts, first and foremost I suggest getting to the root of the problem — looking at things like your diet, how much water you’re drinking and even considering an herbal supplement to help balance hormones. (I’m a huge fan of Megafood Women’s One Daily which contains a balancing blend including Ashwagandha, ginger, dandelion, and raspberry leaf.)

But for on-the-spot breakouts, I love the Aztec Secret Indian Healing Bentonite Clay Mask. It pulls out nasty stuff from your pores, and leaves your skin feeling fresh & glowing. You can buy it online or at your local Whole … Read More!

Can you feel it in the air? I don’t know about you, but my body definitely feels these seasonal shifts like WHOA. As we transition into fall from the fiery, fast-paced summer, our bodies are often seeking a break — to ground and press reset.

Fall is the perfect season to slow down, get back to our roots and re-energize. It’s also a great time to boost the immune system, shed unwanted weight and let go of things that no longer serve us.

Here are 7 simple ways to detox your body, mind & soul this season (without dieting)!

SET YOUR FALL INTENTION

Intentions don’t have to be reserved for yoga classes and New Year’s Day. Take the start of a new season as a time to get clear about your intention for the next few months. Do you want to take more time for yourself? Practice work-life balance? Work on your patience with the kids? Be more present when home with your family? Think about the areas in your life you’ve been neglecting lately, and start there. Write it down, set a goal and stick to it.

DE-CLUTTER + RELEASE NEGATIVE ENERGY

Now is the perfect time to get … Read More!

Happy Friday, love bugs! On to this week’s feature on Healthy Chicks in the Community, a weekly series celebrating badass women doing their thang in the community.

I first met Ashley when I moved into my new apartment complex. I was writing and playing with a new delivery of essential oils, when she walked over to me and asked if I was a yoga teacher. “I wish,” I replied, as I explained to her what I do. We got to talking, and I found out Ashley has an amazing instagram account with 17K+ followers, showcasing her journey as a yogi.

This chick is pretty darn inspiring, and I’m excited to celebrate her today! I especially love her message at the end 😉

NAME/AGE: Ashley Zhang, 21

INSTAGRAM: @Ashley.yoga

CURRENT CITY: Fishers, Indiana

PHOTO TAKEN (WHERE/WHEN): May 2016 in Charleston, Illinois

WHAT YOU DO FOR WORK: Full time student

NUMBER ONE PASSION: Yoga, cooking, travelling

I FEEL MY HEALTHIEST SELF WHEN I AM: being active outside, enjoying my favorite fruits, and laughing those unexpected big belly laughs

BUT I AM ALSO A REAL GIRL & SOMETIMES: I fall off the wagon, lose motivation to exercise and practice yoga, eat way … Read More!

Late-summer is such a beautiful, magical time. The air starts to become a bit more crisp, and the sun goes down a little earlier. The harvest changes as well, with seasonal favorites like eggplant and figs coming into play.

So what do you do when you’ve got 2 pounds of cherry tomatoes hanging out in your fridge? You make gazpacho, of course!

Late-Summer Gazpacho

recipe inspired by Holli Thompson

• 3 c. cherry tomatoes
• 1 large cucumber, diced
• 1 red pepper
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/2 shallot
• 3 tsp. coconut vinegar (or vinegar of your choosing)
• 2 tb. olive oil
• sea salt for seasoning (to your taste)
• spicy seasoning blend (we love “Slap Ya Mama” Cajun Seasoning)
• fresh peaches, tomato or sprouts for a topper

1. Soak all of the produce in water for 5 minutes, then train. Transfer to a high speed blender (I use a Vitamix).

2. Blend on high until mixture is smooth. Then add in vinegar, sea salt, and seasonings. Blend on low for another minute. Feel free to taste as you go to get the flavor just right!

3. Pour into mini shooters or cups, and top with fresh chopped peaches, sprouts or tomatoes.

Enjoy!… Read More!

Happy Friday, lovies! I’m getting ready to head to the Cape for my sister’s Bachelorette Party and couldn’t be more excited for a weekend of beaching, wine tasting and festivities.

I’m thrilled to bring you this week’s spotlight on Healthy Chicks in the Community, a weekly series celebrating badass women doing their thang in the community. Every once in a while, you meet a woman so beautiful (on the inside & out) and so sure of herself, that it kind of takes you aback. That’s how I feel about my dear friend Atara, who I recently discovered has a secret talent for food photography and is now utilizing it in her business. Seriously, how cool is that?

Prepare to be dazzled (and for your tummy to growl)! 😉

NAME/AGE: Atara, 26

BLOG: The Fennel Frond

CURRENT CITY: Washington, DC

PHOTO TAKEN: In Pittsburgh at my favorite contemporary art museum, The Mattress Factory.

WHAT YOU DO FOR WORK: Freelance photography, and creative projects like The Wandering – an intimate plant based gathering series that I co-founded with Alexandra Dawson.

NUMBER ONE PASSION: food, duh!

I FEEL MY HEALTHIEST SELF WHEN I AM… exercising regularly, eating nourishing food, creating, and investing … Read More!

Happy September, beauties! I love the beginning of a month — the perfect time to re-set and gear clear about your vision. It couldn’t be more true this month, as we also have a New Moon to celebrate. Hip Hip, Hooray!

Something I’ve been really focusing on these past few months is my energy levels. I recently became aware that my thyroid levels are a bit out of whack, not enough to put me on medication but still borderline in the hypothyroid range. The first thing I told my doctor was that I wanted to take care of this naturally, so I did my homework and got to work. I’m already feeling much better, and anticipate my next blood test to see what’s up.

Now while many of you may not have thyroid issues, I’m sure most of you deal with energy slumps especially as we’re in the midst of a seasonal shift. As we move into back-to-school fall mode, I wanted to share with you some natural ways you can boost your energy!

LIMIT YOUR CAFFEINE

I know, I know. This one was tough for me. Heck, I even have a tank that says “But First, Coffee.” When I … Read More!