Sunday, October 11, 2009

Skin Brushing for Healthy Skin & Organs

If you're someone who likes their back scratched and healthy bright skin, you'll love adding this into your daily morning ritual! I've known about dry skin brushing for years, use to do it religiously, fell off the wagon, and now I'm back on it! It's become a part of my morning ritual -- skin brushing in circular motions from toe to head, a hot shower with a final cold blast, and my favorite natural body butter/lotion slathered all over. I feel so super fresh afterwards! You can start head to toe or toe to head though it's best to make long sweeping strokes moving upward and toward the heart to help drain the lymph back to your heart. Not only does skin brushing feel awesome and invigorating - it also helps detoxify our largest organ - our skin! It helps to reduce cellulite and removes dead skin layers, cleanses the lymphatic system, tightens and tones the skin and muscles, helps digestion, stimulates circulation and internal organs, improves the function of the nervous system, and stimulates the hormone and oil-producing glands. Be sure to find something just right for YOUR skin, which may change over time once you get used to it. I have a medium textured natural fiber brush with a long handle. Stick with it for at least a month straight and you will see some great results!

Here's some fun and interesting facts about the skin:
- "The skin is the largest most important eliminative organ in the body and is responsible for one quarter of the body's detoxification each day.
- The skin eliminates over one pound of waste acids each day in the average adult, most of it through the sweat glands.
- The skin is known as our third kidney.
- The skin receives one third of all the blood circulated in the body.
- The skin is the last to receive nutrients in the body, yet the first to show signs of imbalance or deficiency."

Wow! Cool facts!

Click here to learn more on Dry Skin Brushing and other great health tips!



Friday, August 28, 2009

CityWellness is Back in Action!


CityWellness is back after a little hiatus...with much more info and many more experiences to share!!! Welcome. Here you will find information from Aarona and Chloe offering you different perspectives on awesome, healthy and creative lifestyle options! Stay tuned for more CityWellness news...giving you updates, stories and facts on the best in health, yoga, eco-fashion, urban living, workshops, teachers, outer city journeys, and more!!! Yay!

A Trip Out of NYC into a Live Heaven

This is Aarona, and currently I'm at one of David "Avocado" Wolfe's headquarters deep in the woods of Canada. It's been pure bliss here, especially for a New York city girl like myself. We've been hiking in the woods barefoot and the ground has felt amazingly soft and nourishing to my feet and whole body. We've been eating amazing foods and herbs from the land and starting our mornings with the most insane Superfood Smoothies EVER! Dandelion and I are whipping them up pitcher by pitcher - with some combination (or all) of the following - love, spring water, birch/chaga/reishi/hemp tea, amla, tribulus, shilajit, cacao, maca, gojis, raw honey, wild blueberries, fresh ground vanilla, tumeric, cayenne, hemp seeds, coconut butter - blended and strained...YUM! The result? A super warm, hot chocolate, rich flavored, high vibe tea blend, making us all feel GREAT. Lunch has been a walk through the garden, literally. Groovinda and I have been picking wild greens, peas, herbs, carrots, and tomatoes and topping it with a dressing completely sourced by fresh spring water from the land. My culinary skills are finding great inspiration here! How about some almond tumeric garlic dressing? Pecan, vanilla, honey dressing? It's been pure bliss and nourishing to the bone.

More and more, getting out of the city has become an absolute necessity for me. As much as I love the creative zest and active community a city offers, it's crucial to get a break from the city - offering your body, mind and spirit a much deserved unplug from the stresses that accumulate in urban dwellings.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Earth Hour: Sign Up and Participate!


Earth Hour is our new favorite green event, plus it's the easiest one yet. This Saturday, Earth Hour — a worldwide sustainability campaign that boasted 50 million supporters in 2008 and is shooting for a whopping 100 million this year — asks you to simply turn out the lights for 60 minutes. Cast your planetary vote in "the election between Earth and global warming," the results of which will be presented at the 2009 Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. Just flip the switch, step outside, and look for some new stars as New York fades to black — or at least gets a little darker than usual. Plus, check out the New York Times article on the other two upcoming lights-out projects in the city!

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Composting Indoors


A few weeks I did something I've been meaning to do for the longest time . . . I bought a worm condo! For those of you who are laughing/confused, let me explain. In the interest of cutting down on garbage (since at least half of it is biodegrable food) and time (I live quite a distance from the nearest farmers market/community garden compost drop-off), I decided it was time to invest in my own personal compost system. Enter the Lower East Side Ecology Center, which is a great local compost resource. They sell "worm condos", which includes a large breathable container and a pound of worms. If you call to reserve one, you can pick it up at the Union Square Farmers Market on Saturdays. After you get it home, tear up a bunch of newspaper, make it damp, and voila! your worms have a bed. Dump the worms on top and watch them burrow underneath. Now for the fun part - feed your worms any natural food waste (bury it underneath the bedding) and watch them make vermicompost! Worms are the best pet - they take very little maintenance, but they are 100% effective at their job - making you a sustainable urbanite! For more info on how to take care of your worms, check out the LESEC page.

Eat Well Guide


Last weekend I discovered a great online directory for all things green and sustainable! The Eat Well Guide is a database integrating the service industry, sustainable living, and technology. The simple website is easy to navigate and includes seasonal food guides (i.e, the only things in season in New York right now are apples and cabbage) as well as hormone free dairy maps that help you find the best quality moo-products anywhere in the US and Canada. They also run a blog for green news, rate establishments on how water-conscious they are (hint: don't sell bottled water!) and even help you eat sustainably when you're traveling. Bookmark them now and reference them often!

Details: www.eatwellguide.org

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Toxic-Free Beauty!

Okay, so you love getting primed & pampered yet you refuse to sit in a room full of nauseating toxic cancerous fumes. We totally understand. You'll be happy to know that there are 2 eco-chic, vegan & organic nail/beauty salons on our radar! Priti Organic Spa, located in LES is a sweet & lovely salon focusing on nails, facials & waxing. They use 100% organic products, including their polish. Soak your feet in a wooden bowl full of ylang ylang oils & rose petals as their talented practitioners work to perfect every stroke & clip. And for you Brooklynites or curious BK seekers Wink Beauty Bar located in Prospect Heights, offers an array of beauty services that's good for you & the Earth! With options like natural nail & skin care, detox treatments, massages, make-up application, eyebrows & a green boutique, you'll leave a soft & sparkling beauty print on the planet. Wink takes pride in their cleanliness assuring that no bacteria is passed around (ew!). They also host spa parties for showers, trunk shows & other gatherings!

What:

Eco-Conscious Beauty & Nail Salons.
Set up an appointment.
Gift Certificates available!

Priti Organic Spa
35 East First Street
New York, NY 10003
212-254-3628

Wink Beauty Bar

602 Vanderbilt Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 10003
718-230-3443

Monday, January 26, 2009

Yoga at the MOMA

Recently, the MOMA de-stressed the art world with Pipilotti Rist's comfy atrium installation, and now they have teamed up with Flavorpill to win our healthy hearts over with a Sunday morning yoga class. In honor of the closing of the Rist exhibition, the free event is recession friendly, cross-cultural, and Anusaura teacher Elena Brower - founder of Soho's Vira Yoga studio - is one of the city's true yogi-gems. Brower's playful attitude makes the heart opening, long-held poses feel like fun, and she has even been known to fill up your empty water bottle while you're in downward dog. The one-hour class is open to yoga students of all levels, so get ready for a morning sweat session at the museum!

Details:
Yoga at the MOMA

Sunday, February 1.
9am-10am
11 West 53rd St.
FREE if you
RSVP to: downwarddog@flavorpill.com

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Winter Beauty Essentials


As the snow continues to fall and the temperature drops, our favorite Lower East Side wellness boutique Organic Avenue has got you covered with a few stay-cozy winter essentials.

1. Protect Yourself: Put your best face forward this season with Suki’s exfoliating Lemongrass Cleanser, a plant-based scrub that will give your wind-burned cheeks a fresh and glowing smile. For dry limbs, slather on Sunfood Nutrition’s luscious and sustainably-made shea butter.

2. Stay-at-home bliss: Perfect for those dark evenings, the soot-free soy-wax DIRT Love candle gets things cozy indoors while treating the earth and you’re your lungs right; it’s non-toxic and biodegradable.

3. Wardrobe reinvention: Don’t store those summer dresses yet! Pull on Maggie’s Organics natural fiber tights (we especially like the textured black and purple versions) under that frock, and presto: a perfectly chic winter look!

All products are available at:
Organic Avenue
101 Stanton St. (btw Orchard and Ludlow)
Open daily 6am-10pm
(212) 334-4593

Monday, December 1, 2008

Get a Tune Up with InTouch NYC

From custom-designed one-on-one pilates workouts to acupuncture tune-ups & fusion bodywork from the far East, InTouch NYC provides it all. Jordanna Dworkin, founder of InTouch (& licensed acupuncturist, certified Chinese herbalist, & certified Authentic pilates instructor!) has a certain charm & touch that is hard to come by. Every time I've left a session with her my body feels reconnected from the inside out. Whether you have a twang in the body, feel an emotional imbalance, want to get rid of a cold, or receive an exotic acu-spa fusion ritual, Jordanna will integrate her technical experience with soothing compassion in each healing session. She recently launched 'InTouch: Acupuncture for the Workplace' which offers customized, on-site acupuncture services designed to maximize work performance & enhance a sense of well-being. In just 30 minutes, you'll reap the benefits of specific treatments for stress, neck & shoulder tension, headache, carpal tunnel syndrome, & smoking addiction, without ever leaving the office! What could be better?

Details: More Info: www.InTouchNYC.com
GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE - give the gift of healing!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

The Thrive Diet


Everyone's always talking about how athletes need protein - animal protein - but Brendan Brazier sets the record straight in his new book The Thrive Diet. The almost-raw, totally vegan Olympic Triathlete lays out a comprehensive guide to achieving a top level of health, including what to eat before and after each type of workout, a 12-week plan, and hundreds of delicious, animal-free recipes. If you're a healthy, athletic person who wants to take diet and fitness to the next level, this will be your bible. Check it out in Barnes and Noble or our fave raw cafe Pure Food and Juice Takeaway and let us know what you think! If Brendan's testimony isn't enough for you, our friend and raw chef Cosmo Meens fed the men's Canadian Olympic Triathlon team in Beijing this summer. Learn more about it in this Vancouver Sun article.

Details:
The Thrive Diet, by Brendan Brazier
But it on Amazon for $22.94

Friday, October 24, 2008

Skin Care for You & the Earth


I've recently fallen in love with an amazingly natural & vibrant skin care product: Living Libations by Ron & Nadine, a super star couple living & creating their fine products in Canada. When I was teaching at Raw Spirit in Sedona, AZ. last month I was excited to find high quality products for face, lips & even pits at the Living Libations vendor booth (after literally strolling the entire grounds looking for the best stuff). My favorites: Poetic Pits (yes, for your arm pits!), Mocha Lover Lips, & my big fav: Seabuckthorn - Best Skin Ever face toner/moisturizer. All of their products are hand-crafted, using the finest ingredients nature has to offer & made under the lush canopy of forests. You can totally feel the difference - it's not just the label that will make your eyes smile, your skin will shine immediately.

Details:
Living Libations
All natural, high vibe Beauty Care & Oils
More Info:
Please order online or call at (416) 920-8471
and sign up for their Newsletter for updates!