the truth serum

This article was shared with permission from The Fine Line as part of an empowerment campaign, “Wear Yourself In,” led by eco-luxe skin care company Kari Gran. In response to the beauty industry pushing an impossible idea of flawless youth for years, the campaign encourages women to be kind to themselves, and their skin, as they reflect on beauty, aging, wisdom, and self-acceptance. ******************************* My outlook on aging, as with most things, comes down to a choice. From a very young age, I’ve always been a person who makes a choice and sticks to it. Every day I choose to live my life...

“Well, you’ve got your health.” My dad would say this to me often when I was young and tearfully making some problem bigger than it needed to be. Having undergone two open-heart surgeries, he understood how much of a gift good health is, and how precarious it can be.  Atul Gawande, a surgeon, and a writer for the New Yorker, a professor at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health, writes clearly and compassionately about the realities of aging and dealing with terminal issues. We live in a culture that glorifies youth and supports the fantasy of...

The Secret’s Out on the Sugar Industry Having grown up int he 80's and 90's I was one of those who fell prey to the high carb low fat diet craze and it took me years to reverse the damage it did to my health and my waistline. Luckily we now know better and the truth is finally coming out. A report published in the JAMA Internal Medicine on Sep. 12, 2016 revealed that the sugar industry paid scientists in the ’60s to shift the focus from sugar as a link to heart disease and blame saturated fat instead. The New York...

This essay was written as part of an empowerment campaign, “Wear Yourself In,” led by eco-luxe skin care company Kari Gran. In response to the beauty industry pushing an impossible idea of flawless youth for years, the campaign encourages women to be kind to themselves, and their skin, as they reflect on beauty, aging, wisdom, and self-acceptance. Kaia is the author of the new book, The Joy Plan (Sourcebooks, July 2017). She teaches Mindfulness to elementary school students in Santa Cruz, California and is a blogger for mindbodygreen and other sites. ******************************* Last year, we asked author Kaia Roman to share her thoughts...

Calendula officinalis might sound like a character straight out of “Game of Thrones”, or a planet far, far away, but it’s actually a species of flowering plant in the daisy family, commonly known as pot marigold. Marigolds are more than just another cheerful flower; they’ve been used since ancient time for their skin healing properties, among other benefits. Here are a some of the best: It contains high amounts of flavonoids, plant-based antioxidants that protect the body against free radical cell damage.  And it’s soothing on sunburn. Antioxidant-rich: Calendula is also rich in antioxidants like carotenoids, vitamin A precursors that...

Myth #1: It’s ok to sleep in makeup if you don’t do it every day. It’s never a good idea to sleep in your makeup – even just once. Makeup and especially makeup brushes can harbor bacteria which can lead to breakouts and skin irritation. This is why we love to keep clean and green facial cleansing wipes like these on hand for those days you just can’t bother. Myth # 2: You’re not really exfoliating if it isn’t rough and gritty. Remember that apricot scrub from the way back machine? Scrubs like these can often irritate skin and cause...

There's no doubt about it: what we eat, and how much we eat, has a direct impact on our physical health. But did you know that those same choices also influence mood, mental alertness, memory, and emotional well being? Food can act as medicine, have a neutral effect, or it can be a poison to the body and mind. When food acts as a poison, it creates inflammation, which alters the body's balance of nutrients, hormones, and neurotransmitters. This directly affects your body's ability to manage and heal from stress or illness. Below are four common culprits that can be...

This article was shared with permission from Live Bold & Bloom as part of an empowerment campaign, “Wear Yourself In,” led by eco-luxe skin care company Kari Gran. In response to the beauty industry pushing an impossible idea of flawless youth for years, the campaign encourages women to be kind to themselves, and their skin, as they reflect on beauty, aging, wisdom, and self-acceptance. ******************************* Do you ever catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror as you're coming out of the shower or getting dressed — and your eyes zero in on “that part?” You know the one that's shape-shifting...

In times such as these, we need to come together bridging the political divide to help and heal those impacted by the Harvey disaster. Our heart aches for Houston, our clients, and friends. When it rains, it pours and people need our help! So this Labor Day weekend we are having a 10% off sale and ALL PROCEEDS will be donated to the Houston Food Bank. The Houston Food Bank has a history of providing disaster relief, but they've never seen devastation on this scale. The Food Bank will provide food and supplies in the short term and for many months to...

Long before the days of Kari Gran the skin care company, I was known to purchase some of my favorite skin care items in the aisles of the local Co-op. I’ve always loved a good multitasker and organic coconut oil was my favorite thing (and still is) for cooking and using on my body after the shower. I was pulled aside in the TSA line and quizzed about the small $20 jar of coconut oil I had in my carry on (hey, I considered it a solid and a food). When asked what I did with it, I quickly responded:...