If we had to make a general comparison, TheHolisticOption.com is to holistic medicine what WebMD is to conventional Western medicine as an online source.  Recently I had the extreme pleasure of meeting the founder of TheHolisticOption.com - Kelly Campbell.  Her story is that of a true entrepreneur and filling a void.  After her own bout with illness, Kelly found that there was no reputable site for holistic medicine.  Kelly, a website designer by trade and President and Creative Director of Liqui-Site Designs, took her design skills mixed with her passion for a holistic lifestyle to develop a site that’s widely needed after seeing a dearth in the marketplace.   The biggest issue that Kelly found was that info was disparate across the internet and most disconcerting, no vetting of practitioners that were lending information on your health.

After talking with Kelly at length and with so much clutter on the Internet, I asked her to really give me the takeaways of what makes her site different.  It’s credibility and integrity.  Kelly conducted an exhaustive search to find the best and brightest in
the holistic space then put together an advisory board - per modality - to vet, screen and approve the practitioners that are showcased on the site.  And the advisory board is most impressive with leaders in the field represented, such as Dr. Hyla Cass - leader in the field of integrative medicine to Dr. Victor Zeines - a leader in holistic dentistry, to name just a few.

The advisory board screens every practitioner’s application before it goes on to the site.  So in this case, paying an application fee for a practitioner to be on TheHolisticOption site in not enough.  Kelly created such a large an illustrious advisory board so that she could make sure that practitioners were vetted by board members within the same modality.  Case in point, when Kelly was doing research regarding her own health she happened upon a practitioner that had only been practicing her modality
for a few months.  Kelly made the decision that that was not enough
praticum time to advise folks who were coming to her website.

And if that wasn’t enough to help you feel at peace when using this site to aid you in your overall wellness and find holistic options for what ails you, 25 professional organizations have recognized Kelly’s site including the American Holistic Health Association, the Holistic Dental Association, and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine — which is a part of NIH.

So to my readers, I encourage you to spend some time on this informative site, bookmark it and next time you’re not feeling well or want to explore alternative medicine TheHolisticOption.com gets my full endorsement.

Written by:  Michelle Barge

Michelle Barge, beYOU.tv:
I like that you’ve brought luxury to natural beauty products for the eco-conscious woman.  This speaks to me completely:  I shouldn’t have to sacrifice elegance in my bathroom, for natural products that are free of parabens, sulphates, PEGs, propylene glycol, TEA, DEA, phthalates, mineral oil, silicones, GM and potential carcinogens. I write a lot about this. So how did this line come about?  What was the evolution and development of the line?

Bryan Meehan, nude:
My original start was in sales and marketing for Guiness®.  I came to the states, garnered an MBA and in 1998, I co-founded Fresh & Wild [the Whole Foods of the UK, ed.] in London.  During that time, I noticed that many of our customers were buying all their organic food from us, but going down the road to Space NK to get their skincare products. When I asked them why, they told me that they didn’t trust that natural & organic beauty products were going to have any effect on getting rid of their wrinkles. These natural ranges were completely overshadowed by other highly effective conventional brands. Whilst the conventional approach relied on a chemical cocktail, it was hard for the ‘natural’ brands to be a credible alternative when their packaging was archaic and the creams were oily with few active ingredients. At best, their effect was neutral.  On top of all this, I married a woman who was already environmentally conscious - you know, saving things and recycling.

With nude I’ve combined all the values and principles of my experience in organic food with the careful understanding that skincare, even when it’s this natural, needs active ingredients that will address concerns like premature aging.

beYOU.tv:
In the marketplace, how do you differentiate yourself from Ren and Stella McCartney’s line.  Personally I’ve used both.  Ren didn’t offer me the anti-aging properties I was looking for and for Ms. McCartney’s line – as much as we love her – I couldn’t get passed the hype.

nude:
Well, I never like to talk ill of another line.  Stella took the certified organic route, like when you’re dealing with food products.  When it comes to beauty they look at it from the mentally of food (organic skincare)  – talking about what’s not in it.  But with skincare just saying what’s not in it, they aren’t mentioning all the other stuff that is in it including – alcohol and glycerin.  Technically they can state that there’s nothing synthetic in the product.  That in-and-of itself is not necessarily a good thing for the skin.

beYOU.tv:
What do you think is the greatest ager of the skin?

nude:
Defending your skin against skin irritations is the best thing you can do.  [The whole] concept is to use no product - natural or synthetic - that irritates the skin!  Skincare must work with the body’s natural biology meaning biocompatible.

beYOU.tv:
So that’s what you mean by biocompatible.  Got it.  Love that.  Also you use pre and probiotics in your line.  I know about probiotics, chiefly in foods.  Can you explain this in relation to skincare?

nude:
Beautiful skin comes from having a strong acid mantle.  Probiotics are good bacteria that protects the skin. To get that strong acid mantel you need a good healthy dose of healthy bacteria on the skin’s surface. Probiotics eat sugar and their by-product which is water.  Probiotic is bacteria itself - the physical bacteria. Prebiotic is what the probiotic feeds off of – pure sugar.  And probiotics thrive off of sugar.

beYOU.tv:
So basically it’s about keeping a healthy eco-system for the skin.  You also work with all these great “next generation” botanicals.  Açai seems so yesterday with this line-up.  Give our readers a quick run down on cupuaçu, manketti, baobab and avellana and what they do for the skin.

nude:
Cupuaçu is a fruit bearing tree and the pulp from the fruit is used in our moisturizing creams as a moisturizing agent. Manketti and avellana are fruit and nut oils we use in our products and the baobab is a sustainable tree oil from bark and can sustain huge temperature fluctuations.

beYOU.tv:
Bryan, the packaging is beautiful. Tell us how good nude’s packaging is for the environment?

nude:
With the packaging the 200 ml jars are all made from post-industrial polypropylene. The whole range is recyclable.  With recyclable packaging, you should be able to recycle all parts of the containers – like with ours.  There’s no springs or pumps that can’t be fully recycled.

beYOU.tv:                                                                                                                                                                       I also like that your cleansing regime per skin type is minimal!  No one wants to spend that much time on their skin.  Tell me a bit about your product development and how the lines works synergistically per skin type.  I use the Cleansing Facial Wash every morning and all I can say is my skin just feels balanced.

nude:
The core cleanser is the Cleansing Facial Oil , but the American market is a bit nervous about putting oil on the face, so we developed the Cleansing Facial Wash.  The cleansing oil, for normal to dry skin, is all about simplicity.   The quality of the ingredients we use is so high that it allows them to all work so well together.  We don’t squelch on raw product just for growth margin.

beYOU.tv:
In using your line, I feel it’s unisex.  Can you attest by giving my readers your regime?

nude:
The line is indeed unisex.  My regime:  I use the Cleansing Facial Oil or wash to shave, then spritz with the Hydrating Water and follow with the Age Defense moisturizer.  I use the Facial Scrub once a week.

beYOU.tv:
Your price points, and well deserved, are in the $34-100 range.  And I have to say my Cleansing Facial Wash has lasted a long time, as your products are so potent.  If you had to pick the 3 must have products from your line what would they be?

nude:
Hmmm, let’s see.  That’s a good question.  (After a love fest of back and forth over how great the products are, Bryan chose:  Replenishing Night Oil, Cleansing Facial Oil, Miracle Mask, Facial Scrub.)

beYOU.tv:
And if we weren’t in this economic crises and money was not an option, what else would you add to that list:

nude:
The Smoothing Body Refiner – this product drastically tones the body and has show a remarkable inch loss in a study done in the UK. Advance Smoothing Complex – this is pure anti-aging serum in a bottle.  Skin feels tighter immediately.  And, the Moisturzing Body Cream.  This product recently won Allure Magazine’s Editors Choice Award for Best Natural Selection for 2008.

beYOU.tv:
Your line also has a line of supplements.  Explain how that plays into your skin care line?

nude:
Working with the skin’s biology this is beauty from the inside out…
You’re wasting money putting things on topically if you’re not eating completely optimally and who does that.  You need to balance your organs with the anti-oxidants.  Age Defense Day Supplements primarily defends body against premature aging.  These supplements have day and night doses.  The daytime dose is packed with anti-oxidants and the night dose strengthens the cells and adds in cell renewal.  I actually saw an immediate difference taking these each day.  The Hydrate Supplements are essential fatty acids the body cannot produce themselves.  These supplements are rich in Omega 3, 5, 7, and 9.  In stressful times it’s an amazing supplement to take.  These supplements aid in alleviating dry skin and brain function.  There’s also an Advance Multivitamin 3and a Detox Supplement.

beYOU.tv:
Finally, I hear you might be rolling out to select Whole Foods as you’re now in Barney’s, which is very high end.  Is this the case?  I’m only curious as I want everyone to get a hold of this fabulous, elegant, sensible line.

nude:
We are now in select Sephora’s and at sephora.com and in Whole Foods in Texas and Colorado.  You can also find us on our website nudeskincare.com.

beYOU.tv:
Bryan, it’s been a pleasure.  So glad there are folks like you out their making great product.  Any closing thoughts:

nude:
The skin is a beautiful organ.  Don’t fight it, feed it well.

Written by:  Michelle Barge

Run, Walk, Bike!
You don’t need a treadmill to do cardio! Run or walk outside, in the park or around the neighborhood for a few minutes a day. These types of workouts can increase circulation and, with extra water, eliminates toxins. It also lowers blood pressure and can help reduce risk for heart disease. If you’re not a runner, ride a bike. Bicycle paths in communities and parks allow for a fun way to stay healthy.

A Chair Is Not A Chair

A chair can be used for more than just sitting. You can do squats by standing with your feet, shoulder width apart, arms out in front of you to keep your chest up and head and neck neutral. You should sit hips back and physically sit onto the chair, pressing down through heels and stand back up to beginning position. For more variations, you can also do dips and modified push-ups (if the chair is stable against a wall), even abs on the chair (sitting on the chair, hold the sides of the seat and raise knees up to chest pulling abs in (remember to keep breathing during these exercises).

Floors Ain’t Just For Walking

The floor is probably the most understated thing everyone has at home. Instead of walking all over it, try using it as an extension of your home gym. You can work out your abs with crunches, side-lying plank abs movements where you lie on one side, elbow underneath shoulder, top foot slightly in front of the other for balance. Raise hips up, hold for 5-10 seconds, then lower down. Repeat 15 times each side) and leg lifts to tighten up those muscles.

If you want a little more variation, try using a dry towel on a hardwood floor. You can use this like an ab roller where you’re on your knees with wrists under your shoulders, hands on the towel and stretch your hips as far forward as far as you can go, then reverse.

So don’t let the stress of the economy derive you from your fitness goals. Try these exercises at home away from a costly gym. Weight loss brought on by a regular exercise routine will help create a healthy lifestyle, weight loss, reduction in arthritis (through joint range of motion), and many that engage in exercise routine find a way to stop smoking.

Written by: Jennifer Cassetty

If you have allergies to certain foods, you MUST read labels; it can literally mean life or death. You have to be label savvy though - some foods and substances have several different names, so you have to know what to look for when you read labels. For example, on labels containing egg products, you may see any of the following: eggs, egg substitutes, lecithin, globulin, livetin, albumin, conalbumin. ovalbumin, ovomucin, ovomucoid, ovotransferrin, ovovitellin, meringue, lysozyme vitellin, Simplesse or silico-albuminate!!

If you have never heard of some of these, then chances are you have consumed egg products and not known it. That could be lethal if you are allergic to them. Yahoo! health posted an article which contains a list of common ingredients and several of their aliases. Eat. Drink. Better recently posted an article focusing on corn and its many aliases. When it comes to labels and hidden ingredients, be well informed.

Written by: Donnell Peavy

What is the style/class like?

When you see a Vinyasa class on a schedule, expect movement.  Many of you who read me, know I come out of the Iyengar tradition which is more alignment based and the poses are held for longer periods of time.  This is not the case in Vinyasa.  In some advanced Vinyasa classes, I did not stop for an hour or until we got to savasana.  The class will take you from pose to pose while linking breath to each movement in a dance like manner.  The student will easily flow from Warrior I to Warrior 2 to perhaps trikonasana.  The cool down can be stretches and restorative until full rest.

Personal insight and who might benefit from this style:

I’ve never really been a big fan of a straight Vinyasa class.  Even for me who knows many, many poses, I find myself having to look around to see how a sequencing would look.  Unless you stick with a teacher and get used to their routine, this is what I found problematic.  I like to really work slowly and deeply on one pose which is really the antithesis of Vinyasa.  However, people who are looking for a flowy class, and like the movement and energy of vinyasa, it’s a great place to practice, just make sure you know your moves or start with a beginning level class.  And for now my sun salutation is my vinyasa of choice.

Additional Information:

Even though this style is not where I immediately flock, vinyasa is so diverse and such a wide ranging style, that I wanted to close this piece and this series with grace and beauty.  To truly describe vinyasa in its most profound and true sense, I found a wonderful piece by the great yogini Shiva Rea, the creator of Prana Flow, entitled “Consciousness in Movement”.  This piece sums up the style in a way that is moving, clear and profound.

Seane Corn is another amazing woman and leader in vinyasa flow yoga and within the yoga community at large.

Also you can find Shiva Rea’s Lunar Flow Vinyasa video on beYOU.tv.

Namaste.

Written by:  Michelle Barge

1. Yama - moral codes
2. Niyama - self-purification and study
3. Asana - posture
4. Pranayama - breath control
5. Pratyahara - sense control
6. Dharana - concentration
7. Dhyana - meditation
8. Samadhi - contemplation

The most well-known and regarded leader and teacher of Power Yoga is Baron Baptiste.

What is the style/class like?

Some in the yoga community call Baron Baptiste’s Power Yoga “America’s Yoga…”  His classes always draw a variety of people and yoga is really demystified in these classes.  The biggest takeaway however is the class is TOUGH!  So I know a lot of people, especially in American culture and see TOUGH and say YES!  I left a Power Yoga class feeling good, but it might be too intense if you’re looking for an everyday practice that will assist you in learning your foundations and fundamentals.  The class is a combination of strength, sweat and spirituality.  The poses are held for longer durations until every muscle is tingling with activity.  This style of yoga also draws in very athletic types who want yoga but don’t want to sacrifice serious strength building.

Personal insight and who might benefit from this style:

Baron Baptiste is a force in the yoga community and comes from a yogi family.  I like to call him and his style of yoga, traditional yet accessible.  If the thought of a slower pace class drives you mad and you want a forceful class, Power Yoga is worth a try.

Additional Information:

For more information on Power Yoga visit www.baronbaptiste.com

Other leaders in Power Yoga:  Bryan Kest, Ashley Turner, Rusty Wells.

If ever you get a chance to do a workshop with any of the above, jump on it.  I’ve studies with Rusty Wells and it was an amazing experience.

Written by:  Michelle Barge

Farm raised fish have less of these healthy fats, but have been shown to have higher concentrations of saturated and monounsaturated fats. Farm raised fish have also been shown to in some cases have twice the amount of omega-6 fatty acids in their bodies. In moderation and with the right combination of omega-3s, omega-6 fatty acids can lead to lowered blood pressure. The typical American diet has 11 - 30 times more than required, likely due to the presence of omega-6 in meats. Too much of this fatty acid in the diet can lead to heart disease, arthritis and cancer. From now on, I will be less leery of wild fish.

Written by: Donnell Peavy

Despite this, people still try crash and fad diets with the hopes of losing the weight and keeping it off. The major flaw with this formula is that eventually, they come off of the diet. Once this happens, they begin to gain weight again, in some cases gaining back more than they initially lost. I actually have another blog on this topic on hesfit that gives suggestions on how to keep the weight off once you lose it. To summarize:

• Avoid diet pills - no need to rush the weight loss - you are making a lifestyle change; your life is becoming healthalicious. Focus more on proper nutrition.
• Keep a journal - seeing your progress can be highly motivational and keep you fired up about your new lifestyle changes.
• Set realistic goals - this may be the most important. Make sure that your goals are attainable - don’t set out to lose 30 pounds in one month. By setting goals that you cannot reach, you may discourage yourself and lose motivation to continue with your lifestyle changes.

Keeping the weight off is hard, but is not impossible. With the right attitude, you will achieve your goals!

Written by: Donnell Peavy

According to NPR, the study showing that the dangers of BPA is still high appeared in the  Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), citing that adults with the highest levels of BPA in their urine were more than twice as likely to report having diabetes or heart disease - compared with adults with the lowest levels of the chemical in their urine.  However, the FDA defends that this new information does cite potential increase health risks, but that they are not conclusive.  Uh, JAMA versus Feds - you decide.  On top of this, the public interest group, Center for Science in the Public Interest, cite that the JAMA study is important and worth further examination by the FDA as this latest study point to potential human risk where previous studies on BPAs had been done on animals.

So while the FDA continues to “monitor” what JAMA has concluded, plus the findings of the  National Toxicology Program (NTP) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) confirming that the chemical is of “some concern for effects on development of the prostate gland and brain and for behavioral effects in fetuses, infants and children,” per NIH’s announcement, what the heck can we do?  First and foremost take matters into our own hands when and where we can.  According to PLENTY here are some BPA avoidance tips:

• reduce consumption of canned foods, or buy your favorites in aseptic cartons, which are lined with polyethylene (PETE) and BPA-free;
• avoid hard, clear plastic containers and use flexible, semi-opaque plastics which don’t have BPA;
• choose unlined stainless steel water bottles;
• choose tempered glass or BPA-free plastic baby bottles;
• use non-leaching plastics with recycling codes #4 or #5, which includes most Tupperware, for storing food and drink and avoid heating or microwave foods in plastic.

Written by: Michelle Barge

The human mind is very powerful. It has allowed every creation, invention, all the advancements in technology, and the ways we live to happen. Our thoughts inspire action and our bodies and soul transform the thoughts into reality.

All that we can appreciate in our daily lives now, or all that will appreciate in the future, has started from a simple thought. Yet the human mind can not do its thinking, planning, nor create innovations and create change without the body and soul.

Yoga and meditation techniques can relax the body, mind and soul, but still challenge it. The mind is best capable when the body is strong and soul is reflective and seeking. The desire to want comes from the mind and soul working together. To get anything done it takes the action of the body, and the energy to do so stems from the mind and soul.

The people who get the most done, and feel driven and ambitious, are usually those who are also in tune with their body and soul. They are also more positive people. Thinking in a more upbeat, disciplined and dedicated way is essential for the human race to achieve.

Written by: Isobella Jade