the conscious decision blog
Food for Healthy Skin
As we are introduced to a never-ending lineup of new beauty products made to promote beautiful skin, it is easy to forget what an important factor eating healthy, unprocessed food is for healthy glowing skin. What you put in your body is just as important as what you put on your body and some foods are far more beneficial than others. We have rounded up a list of our top ten foods that are good for your skin for extraordinary, radiant look. Dark Chocolate - Get excited, with its high level of antioxidants, dark chocolate is a skin-friendly food. Cocoa contains flavonoids that are not only high in antioxidants but are anti-inflammatory and also protect the skin from UV light by absorbing UV radiation. So nibble away but at a healthy portion. Pomegranate - This powerful fruit contains polyphenol antioxidants which help with free radicals and regulate the flow of blood to the skin, giving a blushy glow. Pomegranates are also high in Vitamin C, helping with collagen formation. It can also be applied topically to help with wrinkles and dry skin. Wild Alaskan Salmon - With high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids in salmon, it is truly magic for the skin. These good fats fight inflammation, reduce signs of aging, and provide hydration to the skin. And remember that most of the nutrients come from salmon skin! Research has shown that farmed salmon have been found to contain more contaminants and wild-caught Alaskan salmon is said to be the recommended choice due to Alaska's water quality regulations. Kiwi - Kiwi is often overlooked as a great skin food but the high level of vitamin C helps maintain the collagen in our skin, which keeps it firm. In combination with vitamin E and other nutrients, it helps rejuvenate skin and is anti-aging. Olive Oil - The monounsaturated fatty acids in olive oil have been found to play a role in maintaining youthful skin. It is also is high in antioxidants. In addition to adding it to your diet, it is simple to use topically. Moisturize onto skin and add olive oil to hair to keep it healthy. Sunflower seeds - The tiny little seeds contain a high amount of vitamin E — a powerful antioxidant that assists with anti-aging. They also contain essential fatty acids that help boost collagen and keep skin smooth. Copper in the seeds aid in the production of melanin. Green Tea - Green Tea contains a high level of antioxidants which boost blood flow to the skin and helps with anti-aging. To make double use of your tea bag, after steeping, cool the bags in the fridge and then put the bags under your eyes to help with puffiness. Kale - This dense, powerful leafy green contains high levels of vitamin A (from beta-carotene), C, and K to help with collagen production and healthy cell growth. It is packed with antioxidants and also copper. Oysters - Oysters contain a high level of zinc and vitamin B12 which help with collagen production, fighting signs of aging and repairing skin. Oysters also contain selenium that helps with inflammation and fighting free radicals. Pumpkin - Like kale, it's one of the best sources of beta carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A which helps with collagen formation. It also contains enzymes that brighten skin. It's also a good source of vitamin C and B vitamins that help with cell production. These are just a few of the top foods that have been known to benefit the skin but more importantly, help improve overall health. Do you have any favorite skin-friendly foods that we left off of the list? Tell us in the comments below.
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Why to Avoid "Fragrance" in Products
One way to keep your home healthy and happy is to use organic ingredients for the home and body. if a product has synthetic fragrance listed in skincare ingredients, we recommend thinking twice before bringing it into your holistic home. The Federal Fair Packaging and Labeling Act established in 1973 requires cosmetics to publicly list ingredients on their product labels. However, fragrance is seen as a trade secret and the word has since been used as an umbrella for thousands of chemicals that do not have to be listed or disclosed, many of which are toxic for the body. These ingredients include BHT, Oxybenzone and Phthalates, to name a few. there are a variety of ways that the chemicals inside synthetic fragrance can negatively affect the body. The most well known effect is related to the endocrine system. This system is a collection of glands, including the pituitary gland, thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, adrenal glands, and more, that secrete hormones into the circulatory system. When certain synthetic chemicals are absorbed in to the body they can act like hormones which disturb natural hormone production. Even a slight disruption in hormone levels can create a significant issues in the system. The result can be very broad and may affect a person’s weight, metabolism, reproductive system, and more. Synthetic chemicals have also been linked to chronic allergies, skin conditions, respiratory issues, and eye irritation. Not knowing exactly what is in a product can also make it hard for those who have sensitive skin to figure out exactly what is causing an allergic reaction. This is why we recommend that you always read the product label before making a purchase. Of course staying chemical-free does not mean that you cannot smell great and partake in aromatic adventures. essential oils are truly naturally occurring aromatic compounds derived from flowers, roots, resins and other parts of the plant. we recommend using products with naturally derived fragrances and/or are organic that are free of chemicals like our Embrace Spray or Relax Spray. Both of these products offer a nice, light scent without any toxins. with so many companies using synthetic fragrance in their skincare ingredients, certain precautions must be taken to make sure you’re purchasing healthy products for your family. Unfortunately, the United States doesn’t force companies to list the specific ingredients inside of fragrance so that means as a consumer, you have to be extra careful. We recommend reading the ingredients in everything you buy. Don’t trust what the front of the product says because many items will say it's natural or fragrance-free or unscented but will still include toxic chemicals in their products. We hope this little bit of information helps you make healthier choices for your family.
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Rose Benefits For The Body
Rose Essential Oil is used in many products at Erbaviva because of the enchanting scent and all of the benefits that these beautiful blooms offer the body and soul. We source the highest-quality rose essential oil and use it throughout our line such as in our Awaken Collection and Stretch Mark Oil to promote beauty and wellness for the entire family. here is a list of our top 3 rose essential oil properties that make it a great addition to your daily beauty rituals: Aromatherapy Benefits - Rose essential oil has been used for its therapeutic aromatic properties for centuries. Its warm, creamy, floral, deep aroma is known to support and nurture the human spirit. It is feminine, empowering, and helps strengthen the link between the heart and the mind. The sweet, warm aroma helps create a tranquil atmosphere that can reduce anxiety and calm the body. Rose blends well with Lavender and Clary Sage. Anti-inflammatory - Rose essential oil's anti-inflammatory properties are known to reduce skin redness and blotchiness, as well as alleviate skin irritations making it great for the entire body. Add a few drops to an organic carrier oil to use as a skin soothing oil for face or body. Skin Hydration - Rose offers moisture retention properties to keep skin smooth and supple. Dry skin can be delicate but rose is gentle enough for even those with persistent skin sensitivity. Add a few drops to an unscented body oil or cream for deep hydration. There are so many other ways that rose can benefit the body but these are just some of our favorites. Rose oil skincare is amazingly versatile, it’s no wonder it's one of our staple ingredients. Remember, a little goes a long way - check out our pure essential rose oil and add it to any products that you use or make your own rosewater. et us know what your favorite rose oil uses are by leaving a comment below!
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Ingredients to Avoid When Purchasing Baby Shampoo
Nowadays, there is an endless supply of so-called “natural” products and it can be hard to know exactly which products are healthy for you and your family. For the healthiest home, we always recommend using organic personal care products, but for those that have not fully transitioned to organic, we have rounded up three harmful ingredients you should avoid when choosing your baby’s shampoo. Fragrance - If fragrance is listed as one of the ingredients in your shampoo, avoid it. A variety of different chemicals can be hidden inside that one word, since the specific ingredients are not disclosed, these are often toxic. Even if the product is marketed as fragrance-free or unscented, it may still contain fragrance but is masked with another chemical so it blocks the brain from detecting odor. If you want a shampoo with a pleasant smell, choose products that are naturally scented with essential oils and not synthetic chemicals. Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS) - SLS is a detergent and foaming agent. Many people like their shampoos to lather well, but it may not be the safest. Also known as an insecticide, SLS has been linked to cancer, liver damage, rashes and other harmful effects on your body. If you see SLS in the label, move on to the next product. We use quillaja in our baby shampoo, which is a natural foaming agent. Parabens - Parabens are preservatives and are common in many of our household items such as soaps, shampoos, and cosmetics. They help prevent bacteria from growing in products but they are neurotoxins that can cause toxicity in the body, hormone disruption and skin irritation. There are many different types of parabens, but here are some to keep your eyes peeled for: methylparaben, butylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, and isobutylparaben. There are of course many other harmful shampoo ingredients that aren’t healthy for the body but chances are, if they have any of these three, there are more toxic chemicals in the ingredient list. If you’re on the market for a safe children's shampoo without any toxic ingredients, we’d love for you to try our organic baby shampoo!
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Importance of Non-Toxic Bath Products
It’s always important to use non-toxic bath products not only when you clean the house but when you clean yourself. When you shower or bathe with warm water, it opens up your pores and changes the temperature of the room, which make the bath products you use especially crucial. Here are a few things to be mindful of when bathing. First, hopefully you have access to clean water, because our skin is our largest organ and will absorb any toxins that touch the body. If you don’t have access to clean water, you can research a whole-house purification system or shower head filter. Next, as steam starts to form on your mirror, everything inside your bathroom, and especially the products that are close to the shower head, will start to vaporize as the temperature rises, which means you’re breathing in all of those chemicals. Additionally, your lungs become more absorbent in a warm/moist environment, giving the bathroom air a fast-track to your respiratory system. Your skin cells also open up when warmed, raising the absorption capability for your body, which provides easier access to anything you put on topically. It’s also important to read labels as many foaming products contain detergents and other ingredients that can be harmful. As a general rule, the less ingredients the better, and the easier they are to pronounce, the higher the chance that they are safe. Finally, chemicals can be toxic if ingested or if they get in your eyes. We know too well how washing a rowdy toddler can be so it’s very important to use clean ingredients for your entire family. We make an entire line of organic baby sincare products and have personal care items for adults. All of the products we make at Erbaviva are free of toxins and infused with organic essential oils, to add healing benefits. We hope you’ll pop over and peruse our offerings and happy bathing! Did we miss anything? Can you think of any additional ways that we should be mindful of what bath products we use? Tell us in the comments below.
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Breathwork with Avery Whitmore
What is breathwork? Breathwork is one of the latest wellness trends to pop up on our radar and in an effort to better understand this practice, we reached out to Avery Whitmore, Breathwork Facilitator and Sound Healer to find out more. Avery was kind enough to allow us to sit in on a session and answered a few questions about his process. What is breathwork? Breathwork is medicine for the body mind and spirit. It allows us to quiet our mind and central nervous system while at the same time pulling life force energy into our body. Combine this together and you have a powerful recipe for self healing. What are some of the top benefits? Clarity, Inspiration and a deep connection to your true self. What are some improvements you have seen in your clients? I see clients with a renewed sense of confidence and a greater awareness to their purpose here on Earth. What inspired you to get into breathe work? I was inspired by the first time that I tried it. It did profound healing on me and I knew I wanted to help share this with others.What is your process/intention when doing a session? My intention is always to create a safe and secure container where my clients feel free to express and release anything that they need to openly. What essential oils do you use in your practice? Three that I take to every session are Lavender for relaxation, Clary Sage is used to help clear out any excess or unwanted energies, and Frankincense is used to help ground the client. The latter is especially helpful at the end of a session after they have been flying high and it's time to return to the body. What are you top three breathe work tools? I use my voice as a tool to guide clients and to give them support when it is needed. Both the feather smudger and the rattle are used to help move energy that is being released during the practice, and to assist in cleansing the energetic fields of the clients as they are working. Can you practice breath work anywhere? Breathwork should be practiced somewhere safe, comfortable and quiet. It's a powerful practice and a lot of things may get stirred up inside of you that you may not have known were even there. This is why it's important to create a secure space where you are free to express yourself and allow any healing to take place naturally, without disturbance from the outside world. Advice to someone considering breath work?DO IT! It's a simple and effective way to feel really good. Tell us about why you use water/botanicals in your sessions? Flowers hold strong medicinal vibrations. Water is the perfect carrier for these vibrations. By charging the water with these flowers and then placing it on the clients, they are receiving the healing essence of the flower. What inspires you to wear white? It's a simple way to stay neutral and neither carry nor absorb any energy that is not your own.
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Tapping Into Your Intuition
We invited blogger, photographer, founder of Wallace and James, Jamie Barker (also our photographer) to Wanderlust Hollywood for a 'Tapping to Trust Your Intuition' event. She agreed to write about the experience and let us share it on our blog. Here's what Jamie had to say about her experience at this trusting your intuition and following your gut event. My friends at Erbaviva first introduced me to Wanderlust Hollywood and I have been waiting for the perfect event to attend. Tapping with Jennifer Partridge caught my attention because my intuition and I have not been in sync as of late, and I have been working on reconnecting with my psychic self. When I first signed up for the class at Wanderlust Hollywood, I thought I was basically signing up for a Ted Talk that would assist with blockages. As I approached the front desk in a white button-up and jeans (my attempt at business casual), I gave my name and asked for directions. They looked at me strangely when I referred to the event as “the talk” but they allowed me to enter, nonetheless. I walked into a room full of a diverse group of people, some sitting on bolster pillows while humming with eyes closed, some chatting with their closest neighbors, some laying down, all in an effort to go inward. This was not a Ted Talk. After I wrote down my intuition on a huge piece of neon poster-board, I grabbed all of the recommended items including a blindfold and a couple of tissues, because apparently everyone cries at this event. The event started promptly when Jennifer Partridge arrived. Clad in a bohemian maxi dress, Jennifer’s entrance was nothing short of inspiring. Jennifer is a beacon of hope for healing and a bright light exuding strength and confidence. Upon her initial introduction, she again mentioned the crying, at this point I was a little concerned and knew that this might be more intense that I had planned. I decide that I could either fake it or dive in and see what happened. I dove. I dove so deep that I used all of my tissue and needed additional sheets. This experience was so profound, I could have never prepared, after all, I had no idea where this journey would lead me. My subconscious has a mind of its own. Willingly opening Pandora’s Box and seeing parts of yourself that are painful is indeed a crazed act and due to the sensitive nature of my experience, I am keeping the deepest details vague. But I would like to share the experience the best I can. First, Jennifer explained a process of having us tap certain points on our bodies to break into our subconscious mind. We focused on the intention that we wrote on the large neon poster board but my subconscious knew that I needed a different focus, so my journey completely shifted to another place. This place was way more painful than the safe topic that would only make me slightly uneasy. This change in course would be like going to a restaurant and ordering a beer only for them to bring you a double whiskey. It was more than I signed up for but I had already committed to letting go, so I followed my subconscious down the rabbit hole. Jennifer asked us to go back to the point in our lives where we lost our intuition or the first time we were betrayed. This is where the tears started flowing as I was taken back to a memory that I seldom remember, but has obviously shaped the person I am today. I sat in the space for a few moments, tapping the points and asking myself for forgiveness. I heard my neighbors crying all around me and my own tears were flowing faster than I could catch them. It was such a visceral vision, I was a fly on the wall in a room witnessing a moment of my childhood that broke me. I kept tapping and forgiving myself while crying and really leaning into the pain. After a few minutes of sitting in this memory, Jennifer asked us to go back to that moment as the highest version of ourselves and hug that child. I went back in time through my subconscious mind and hugged my three-year-old self during the moment when I lost my way. Whoa, I could not believe what I was seeing. My lightest self as a beam of light hugged it out with my toddler self. We finished the mediation by testing how different Yes VS. No vibrated throughout our bodies. I will admit, yes felt entirely different than no which was the point, to be able to recognize your subconscious in the moment. After this part of the event, we blindfolded ourselves and proceed to walk slowly around the room, we sped up and sped up again until everyone was running around the room completely blindfolded. The reasoning behind this was to test our intuition and prove that if we are paying attention we won’t run into anyone. The final part was dancing in the room with who ever you ended up standing by. There is something liberating about dancing with a stranger, especially when everyone is blindfolded. We took off the blindfolds and hugged our dancing partners, forever bonded by this spiritual experience. This exercise in it’s entirety was extremely transformative. I think any energy work is beneficial but this particle experience is something I recommend fully. We operate so much of our lives from our subconscious place and tapping into that space and healing trauma is largely beneficial. Although I didn’t want to go back to my childhood and relive those experiences, I left that room with gratitude for the teachers in the world who learn this practice and work to heal others. I am grateful for the experience and the opportunity to grow and move past childhood trauma. If you’re considering attending an event like this, I cannot recommend Wanderlust and Jennifer enough. For more information on events that teach you how to trust your intuition and follow your gut at Wanderlust, click above. Wallace and James is a holistic lifestyle blog founded by Jamie Arrigo - mother, wife, and photographer living in Los Angeles.
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Beneficial Stretches
In the modern world where schedules are full, finding time for self-care, specifically physical activity, can be difficult. Getting out of the house for a run or workout class might be out of reach but we have rounded up a few stretches that are the beneficial for the body and can be done anywhere. Here are our favorites stretches to do in a time-crunch: 1. Forward Fold - One of the most basic, yet beneficial stretches is the forward fold. You can perform this stretch sitting or standing. We love this stretch because it’s easy to execute (just bend forward as far as you can while keeping your back straight) and it has a ton of health benefits including: relieving tension in the spine, reducing stress and anxiety, improving digestion, lowering blood pressure, easing symptoms of menopause, asthma, and can even help with sinusitis. 2. Butterfly Stretch - This stretch is done by sitting down with your knees bent, facing outward and your feet together. Grab your feet and try to push your knees down. This stretch is beneficial for stimulating the reproductive and digestive organs. Also, this stretch relieves stress, anxiety, and tiredness. 3. Child’s Pose - The child’s pose is done by sitting on your feet and bending forward. This is a great mid-day pose that will help digest your lunch and calm you down for the rest of the day. 4. The Seated Forward Bend - To execute this stretch, raise your arms above your head and lengthen your spine. Exhale, and slowly bend forward at the hips keeping your buttocks and heels connected to the ground as you bend. This stretch encourages relaxation and calms the mood. It’s also very good for digestion and stimulates organs including intestines, kidneys, liver, ovaries and uterus. This is also a great stretch for menstrual discomfort. 5. Cat-Cow Stretch - For this stretch, you begin on all fours and As you inhale, simultaneously lift your sit bones upward, press your chest forward, and allow your belly to sink towards the floor. Lift your head, relax your shoulders away from your ears, and gaze straight ahead. Then when you exhale, you’ll go into Cat Pose by rounding your spine out, tucking your tailbone and drawing your public bone forward. Release your head to the floor but don’t force your chin to your chest. It’s one of our favorites to do after a long day because it helps with balancing emotions, calming our mood and massaging our organs. This stretch also just feels incredible on the back, hips and abdomen.If you don't have time to get to the gym, we hope this list of beneficial stretches to relieve stress and anxiety inspires you. It’s such a great practice offering so many health benefits and you can do it anywhere with very little time.
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Benefits of Inversion
For most of us, the amount of time we spend with our hearts above our heads is limited, but there are so many benefits associated with inversion therapy, we are turning our health regimens upside-down, literally. Inversion therapy is a technique that involves being upside down or at an angle, helping relieve back pain. Many people choose to use an inversion table. There are also other devices like the inversion chair or alternate methods that can be used without equipment such as hand/headstands. Being upside down helps rehydrate disks which prepares the body for better flexibility and realigns the spine. According to teeter.com, when inverted to 60 degrees, the pressure in the spine drops to zero, as shown in the Nachemson medical study, which takes pressure off of the vertebrae; with some gentle stretching, the vertebrae then has the opportunity to move back into alignment. Another benefit of inversion therapy is that it's great for the lymphatic system. Roger Jahnke OMD writes about the Lymph system from a holistic perspective in his article The Lymph [5], describing gravity as one method of lymph propulsion: “Because gravity exerts such a substantial force and because lymph has so far to climb to get to the thoracic duct's entry into the sub-clavian vein, any inversion of the limbs or even the prone body position allows for a free flow of lymph unencumbered by the effects of gravity. Elevation of the lower limbs is often prescribed for health problems characterized by a pooling of interstitial fluids.” This improvement to the function of the lymphatic system also improves the overall wellbeing of the body by strengthening the immune system. Inversion Therapy can also help detoxify the body and improve your appearance as well. Putting your feet above your head flushes fresh oxygen to the face, reducing blemishes and gives you a healthy glow. This additional rush of oxygen also helps the brain with concentration and memory. It encourages the release of neurotransmitters and endorphins, which reduces depression. Finally, Inversions also stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which produces feelings of relaxation and calmness as well, making for a peaceful night’s rest. Please note that there are risks that can be associated with Inversion. Inversion increases blood pressure, decreases heart rate and puts more pressure on the eyes and ears so you should assess the risks and consult a professional with any questions/concerns. We do advise starting slow with shorter intervals so that you do not pull a muscle. Inversion is one of the few practices that you can start right now without any additional purchases and a minimal amount of time. We hope this piece inspires you to put your feet up today - everyone can use a little inversion in their lives.
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