Meditation 101 with Suze Yalof Schwartz

As part of my guest blog series following the International Women’s Day post, I’m excited to add my friend Suze Yalof Schwartz, founder and CEO of the popular Los Angeles-based meditation studio and app Unplug Meditation.

I knew Suze from when we lived in NY and she was the Editor at Large for Glamour.com back in the day and hitting all the shows at New York fashion week. Suze worked in a high-pressured role as fashion editor, and “makeover guru” for Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire and Glamour Magazine with regular national television appearances on GMA, The Today Show, Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN and CBS Early Show as a style expert.

In November of 2012, the big idea came to Suze when she was taught a powerful three-minute breathing and guided visualization technique that transformed the stress she was under to calm. Blown away and wanting more, her teacher suggested meditation. Suze’s search for a place to easily learn meditation yielded disappointing results for a busy, working mother. The options were all time-consuming and expensive. Suze wondered, Where is the Drybar of meditation? Where you can walk in feeling icky and walk out feeling great? When Suze realized that meditation needed a makeover this was the beginning - Hello Unplug!

Unplug Meditation is the world's first drop-in, secular meditation studio with a wide variety of simple and eclectic classes led by the top experts and some of the best meditation teachers in the country. Clients range from ages 6 to 96, from CEOs of Fortune 500 companies to the everyday stressed-out. Unplug’s clean, modern design calms you the instant you walk through the door or follow on the app.

Like all of us, Suze is a busy person and she believes that meditation can be delivered without excess fluff or fuss and she's on a mission to inspire everyone to join her and unplug for just a few minutes a day. In this series I will share with you Suze’s Meditation tips and tricks on how we can do that.

To start here are 5 reasons why meditation makes you happier:

• Meditation shrinks the amygdala, the part of the brain that controls anxiety and fear. Less anxiety and fear translates to less stress. Less stress means more joy.

• Meditation can lower the amount of cortisol in the body, otherwise known as the stress hormone. Less cortisol, less stress, more capacity for joy.

• Meditation can provide a level of relief from symptoms of anxiety and depression similar to that of antidepressant drugs. Peace and happiness, no prescription needed!

• Experienced meditators are able to dial down their daydreaming. This matters because when our minds meander, they usually drift into worry or rumination, so less mind wandering is associated with more happiness. Being present, it turns out, is a ticket to being happy.

• Meditation increases the activity in the left prefrontal cortex - the happy, calm zone of the brain.

To see more on the science of why meditation can make you happier, read Suze’s post on MindBodyGreen

Click on images to shop essentials for relaxation and meditation!

Download the Unplug app with a free 7-day trial and start your mediation practice today…it can change your life!

xxMelissa

Taller Slimmer Younger Transformation Challenge with Lauren Roxburgh

I want to always look and feel 10 years younger! How about you? One of the ways that may help you get there is by taking the necessary steps towards transforming your mind, body and ultimately your life! Keeping this goal in mind, I’m so excited to share with you that Glow Girl guest contributor Lauren Roxburgh is announcing her Taller, Slimmer, Younger Transformation & Challenge which opens for enrollment September 2nd for one week only!

This comprehensive online 10-week program includes foam roller workouts, meal plan and recipe guides, detox flush protocol and more. Lauren was coined by goop The Body Whisperer and is a renowned wellness educator and fascia expert. Her easy to follow program will give you the tools you need for a body positive change.

Participation in this unique program is done as part of a community, helping and inspiring each other to get the best results! As you will see from my previous posts and event I hosted for Lauren in June, I’m a huge fan! Lauren’s effective body foam rolling techniques have made her a leader in the latest trends in health and fitness so sign up now! Enrollment is only 4 times a year for just one week.

Read on for more details!

The TSY Transformation Program includes a new progressive foam roller workout each week for 10 weeks. The videos will take you step-by-step, move by move through each exercise. You can stream these on your computer, tablet or phone making it easily accessible from anywhere, at home, in the office or while traveling.

With the program you get a 21-day meal plan and recipes that feature foods that help heal, restore and revitalize your body. Lauren calls these Fascia Foods as they help to repair the connective tissue in your body. The TSY Program also teaches you all about nourishing your body and finding a balance that is sustainable and right for you.

Another key pillar of the Program is your holistic detox flush protocol that helps the body mobilize toxins and eliminate them in a safe, natural and effective way.

There will also be a private Facebook community where Lauren and the participants keep in touch, inspire each other, hold each other accountable and cheer each other on. Lauren is active inside the group and will answer any questions you may have throughout this transformative time.

As well as the 10 week challenge, on Lauren’s site you will see other workouts and sequences inside the Aligned Life Studio including the 7 Day Body Reset Guide. These workouts will help you focus on your alignment, fascia, and intrinsic muscles – with incredibly impressive results!

With hours of workouts and healing sequences arranged by type (Sweat, Calm or Heal), tool (roller, rebounder, mat or other signature products) and time (from under 10 minutes to over an hour) you’ll always find something that will fit into your schedule and suit your needs. New videos are available every month and members also get access to the Aligned Tribe community - a private Facebook community where Lauren shares exclusive content, live streams and interacts with members. The Studio is available on a monthly or annual subscription which can be cancelled at any time.

See Lauren’s signature Aligned Healing Tools for purchase in the carousel below.

Click directly on each product to shop!

I am so excited to share all of these incredible wellness programs from Lauren and hope that you will sign up for the TSY Transformation program today! Lauren truly is an expert in her field so if you want access to the tools to start looking and feeling your best, this is the kick start you may need for Fall!

xxMelissa

More about Lauren:

Lauren discovered her path when her mother was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer when she was sixteen. Witnessing her mother battle cancer inspired her to choose a career in wellness. She was on a mission to find ways to prevent disease before it manifests in the body. After many years as a student and practitioner, she now teaches her Aligned Life holistic formula all over the world.

Lauren “Lo” Roxburgh has been listed as one of the 8 Tech Pioneers to watch by Entrepreneur magazine, and one of the 16 Women in Wellness to Watch in 2019 by Chalkboard Magazine. Her books include Taller, Slimmer, Younger and her latest, The Power Source.

Top 10 Beverages for Healthy Hydration

Summer may be winding down, but we all know that hydration is a year-round necessity. From sparkling to infused water, CBD tea, and collagen drinks, there are plenty of delicious and healthy options to choose from today. I’ve been trying so many of these lately mostly because I don’t like the taste of regular water and always looking for alternatives to make sure I drink enough daily fluids. Plus, I like to get additional health benefits from my drinks and there are so many great double duty options available. Below you will find my top 10 list of healthy beverages that also contain other essential nutrients. Read on for more!

1. SkinTē : The SkinTē Green Tea Grapefruit drink is a refreshing collagen sparkling tea, delivering nourishment to your skin, hair, and nails. Ingredients include Jasmine tea, hibiscus, hawthorn berry, passion flower, and more. It’s not too sweet and taste delicious. They have three flavors available so check them out - try SkinTē yourself with code GLOWGIRL30 for a 30% discount. 

2. Flow Alkaline Water: If you’re like me, you prefer your water to be ethically sourced, slightly flavored and super delicious - say hello to Flow! This water also comes unflavored but I LOVE the strawberry + rose flavor! Flow water is 100% organic, natural alkaline spring water that has electrolytes and essential minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, and bicarbonate. The 8.1 alkaline pH and provides super charged hydration and the packaging is 100% recyclable.

3. Rosemary Water: If you have a Mediterranean palette and like the taste of rosemary, this refreshing water is perfect for you! Made with 2% pure fresh rosemary extract, and available in still or sparkling form, it’s a flavorful drink that can actually help you to live longer according to the information found on their website. Rosemary is a medicinal herb and has traditionally been associated with longevity, improving memory and the circulatory system. Fun fact: This water was created when Founder David Spencer-Percival visited the Italian village of Acciaroli where one in ten residents make it up to and past their 100th birthday as a result of consuming lots of raw rosemary.

4. Vital Proteins Collagen Water: The delicious naturally flavored water contains 10 grams of collagen and 3 grams of sugar from the juice of real fruit. I love to drink the strawberry lemon flavor (my fave) following a workout, and it’s a great way to get my daily dose of collagen. Vital Proteins Collagen water comes in several flavors and contains no artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors or additives.

5. Oxigen Water: This water is revolutionary as it is enhanced with powerful O4 oxygen molecules into each bottle—100X more than other waters! Drinking Oxigen water will help maintain your optimum oxygen levels for faster muscle recovery, increased stamina and improved focus. The water is packaged with 100% rPET recycled plastic bottles. This is the perfect water to drink if you lead physically and mentally active lifestyle.

6. Glow Inner Beauty Powder by The Beauty Chef: I recently discovered this berry flavored powder at the CITRINE Natural Beauty Bar pop-up in LA and LOVE the taste when mixed with water for a vitamin-packed daily beauty essential! This powder is packed with nutrients and contains more than 20 bio-fermented and probiotic superfoods for glowing skin and a healthy belly. GLOW is designed to not only support gut health, but also collagen synthesis for beautiful skin, hair, and nails. More than 20 bio-fermented, whole-food ingredients—including zinc and vitamin C—support skin health. This healthy product is certified organic, has only 17 calories per serving, contains no sugar and the total carbs are 2.6 grams! Yes please!

7. Zen’s Tea House: I discovered Zen’s teas at the Farmers market earlier this year and love the quality and taste of their organic loose leaf botanical teas. I am a huge fan of their mission to educate customers about botanical medicine and the healing power of complimentary and preventative healthcare. My favorite Zen’s Tea House flavors include the Hawaiian fruit, rooibos, and rose berry. They also offer and package dried stevia leaves to brew and add to your tea (or other beverage) for a 100% natural sweetener. I love to make large pitchers of the Hawaiian fruit flavor and keep them in the fridge as a delicious natural iced tea option. Other popular teas to try from them include golden milk and holy detox but check out their website for all varieties.

8. Pure Inventions: I was at the Ritz Carlton spa in Aspen several years ago where they had a variety of these naturally flavored extracts to add to your water that support your immune system and over all well-being. Since I am always looking for ways to consume more water, this was a perfect match because they tasted great and provided other health benefits. There are so many varieties to choose from including green tea extracts, fruit extracts and more but my new favorite are the coconut water chocolate infusion drops. The taste is subtle but it’s just enough to make drinking water delicious plus these drops are free of sugar, calories, gluten, caffeine, artificial colors and sweeteners!

9. Teaonic: If you feel like you just want to cleanse a little bit, the Teaonic I Love My Liver tea will do the trick. This zero-cal, organic drink tastes of peppermint, ginger, and hibiscus. Yum! They make several other flavors with creative names to match their function like I Love My Gut, I Love My Skin, I Love My Body and more! I discovered these health-focused teas through my friend and celeb nutritionist Elissa Goodman while attending one of her educational fireside chats in LA.

10. Glow Water CBD Tea: As you know, CBD is all the rage right now as it seems to help naturally treat several health issues with formulations derived from cannabis plants that are non-psychotropic. Glow Water makes three different CBD teas to target specific needs: calm, restore, and sleep. This company started as a wellness tea to support an active healthy lifestyle and then evolved into incorporating the power of CBDs—it’s 100% organic, contains 10mg of full spectrum hemp-derived CBD.

Adding Pure Inventions drops to my water while on vacation in Positano.

Try some of these delicious healthy drinks and please let me know your thoughts in the comments below. I would also love to hear about some healthy drinks you enjoy that are not included in this list. Let’s drink up and keep our bodies hydrated to help us look and feel 10 years younger!

xxMelissa