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Supplement tips for new moms – Yoshiko Roth-Hidalgo

What supplements are good for new moms?

If you are a new mom like me, you probably read up a ton on nutrition during pregnancy and took your prenatal vitamin religiously. What happens after the baby is born? All of a sudden, you are completely overwhelmed with trying to figure out how to take care of an infant. Equally important, however, is how to take care of your own health and your body’s healing process after the stress of pregnancy and labor. Eating balanced meals and exercising is very important but what about supplements? I asked my friend Douglas Taurel, NYC based personal trainer and Charles Poloquin Bio-Signature coach (and also new father to an adorable, healthy 9 month-old boy) about what he recommended:

“The most important supplement I believe through experience and training that pregnant women and new moms should supplement with is Fish Oil. I suggest it to all my clients, women, men, pregnant and golden age that they should supplement with fish oil. Omega 3 is what we are after.” Aha! Here it is again, Omega 3 – remember how we were told during pregnancy to take lots of Omega 3! Douglas gave me a whole list of benefits, which made me run to the vitamin shop to get some. As Douglas explained, women should be close to pre-pregnancy about 12 weeks after giving birth. Omega 3 fish oil can help because it helps the body burn more fat AND it actually reduces the body’s tendency to store fat. In addition, Omega 3 increases Serotonin in the brain which is a very strong antidepressant and helps with anxiety, panic attacks and reduces carbohydrate cravings – very important for those experiencing the postpartum depression. It helps reduce inflammation in the body, obviously very important in the body’s healing process after pregnancy. Omega 3 also assists the body in putting on muscle, so if you’re breastfeeding, upping your Omega 3 intake will help your baby grow stronger and healthier.

Motherhood can be crazy, especially if you are also working, but no matter how chaotic the day gets, I stick to my supplements: a good multivitamin, extra fish oil for Omega 3 and calcium. Thanks Douglas! (Check out www.taurelfitness.com)

Eating & Drinking / Health & Fitness / Uncategorized — 12 Comments
31
Mar 10

Duking it out: Chia Seed vs. Flax Seed – Jill Sung

What seed am I?

Metta came back from Expo West natural trade show with promises of improving our nutritional health and renewed vigor to turn a “pretty healthy” diet into “Healthy!” One of the healthy additives that she’s been raving about is Chia seeds, which I’ve been eyeing at the health food stores with a personal interest to try once my flaxseeds are used up. I currently add a tablespoonish of golden flaxseeds (I heard, though unconfirmed, that golden has more vitamins than red) to my almost daily smoothie. I experiment a bit, but it’s more a healthy smoothie of convenience consisting of Scobie Bryant’s (my Kombucha’s nickname) miracle tea, an apple (skin included), frozen berries if no other fresh fruits of the season are gracing my kitchen, yogurt/milk if available and it cuts the light vinegar taste of the Kombucha, and that tablespoonish of flaxseeds. But let’s get back into the ring…

FLAX SEEDS: high in Omega-3 fatty acids, lignans and antioxidants, B vitamins, and fiber, minerals: folate, manganese, magnesium, copper, etc.

I use whole flaxseeds because they can be stored up to a year whereas flaxseed meal can only last up to a week at room temperature because the unsaturated oils can go rancid easily. But I grind the flaxseeds before using them because that releases the goodies. Toasting flaxseeds is helpful too because it breaks down the small amounts of natural cyanide in them (also found in cashews and some beans). And according to US agencies and research, the recommended safe dose is anywhere from 2-6 tabespoons a day. Just don’t go overboard as both of these are high in fiber! If you’re a fan of the oil, just remember it does not contain the phytochemical antioxidants or the fiber.

CHIA SEEDS: high in soluble fiber, Omega-3 fatty acids, minerals: potassium, calcium, amino acids

The soluble fiber in gluten-free chia seeds is so evident that if you mix up a cup of water and tablespoon of powder, you can get a gel in half an hour! That’s great for controlling food intake, carbohydrate to sugar absorption conversion, and diabetics where blood sugar level is particularly important. Plus chia seeds help keep you hydrated because they absorb water (a must for healthy skin and inner body health/healing). More than 20% protein, chia seeds are filled with a good mix of essential amino acids that your body doesn’t naturally make. Recommended dosage varies, but 3 tablespoons, 3 times a day is commonly recommended. Excellent place to purchase online: http://salba.com

Incidentally, a great website for checking out nutrition data is www.nutritiondata.com. It covers everything and has useful tables and comparisons.

So the winner? Undeclared. After researching both of these, I’d love to incorporate both; they serve different purposes and complement each other well. So my future smoothies will have both… It’s a win win for everyone.

Products / Specials / Uncategorized — 4 Comments
22
Mar 10

MARCH SPECIAL GIVEAWAY from JUARA!

Enter to win a JUARA MONTHLY SPECIAL, valued at $70! All you have to do is:

CLICK HERE TO FILL OUT THE SURVEY.

It takes less than 5 minutes to fill, and we will draw a random winner in 2 weeks.

MARCH MONTHLY SPECIAL: SAVE 15%. Normally $81, this kit is specially-priced at $70 for this month only! Naturally balance and prep your model-soft skin at a great value! JUARA’s Rice Facial Cleanser & Scrub + Tamarind Tea Hydrating Toner work together to give you super smooth, and oh-so-touchable skin, while hydrating and preparing it for a day’s make-up or working with your body for a restoring night’s rest. JUARA’s best kept secret!

100% VEGETARIAN, PARABEN-FREE, SULFATE-FREE, NO ARTIFICIAL COLORS.

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12
Mar 10

To Paper or Not to Paper? – Jill Sung

That’s not really the question. Or is it? As in any business, you can’t avoid paper, but at JUARA HQ we always think twice before we print anything on recycled paper: emails, bills, orders, etc. When possible we print front and back or print on the back of paper that we no longer need. And we love recycling! Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. That’s our live-by mantra. We recycle as much as we can, try to use recycled when possible, or produce on paper from well-managed forests. We produce products that use as little “packaging” as possible. Our folding cartons and samples are printed on FSC or SFI certified paper – meaning it’s from well-managed forests.

But in considering the pervasiveness of paper in life, and trying to be responsible about the use of paper, we find that the challenge is to always challenge ourselves. We’re constantly finding new ways to improve our use of paper: streamlining, changing processes, etc. And learning where paper comes from and where it goes is important too in making that decision. What does recycling really mean? Is it better to use paper from a well managed forest or a recycling plant? Does recycled paper use more energy to create? What are the standards of recycling, etc.

Although this is a topic that a blog can barely cover, I did want to share a few facts. Did you know that paper recycling results in an energy savings of 40% (aluminum is 95%!) and an air pollution savings of 70%? Paper can only be recycled up to about 6 times, after which the fibers become too short to produce quality paper. (Metals and glass can be almost infinitely recycled). Much of the waste paper that is produced in recycling is actually shipped to India to be recycled, then shipped back… And there’s so much more to learn and understand…but it’s Friday night and my attention is waning. If you know more about paper and trees and considerations about their usage, please share!

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9
Mar 10

March’s Monthly Special – The Video – Metta Murdaya

Check out MARCH’s monthly special here! We had a blast making the video – I think we had about 3 minutes of battery life on my camera, and Jill and I were totally late for a dinner engagement, but all we can say is after this shoot, we had reeeaalllyyyy clean skin… Hope you enjoy! I really love the Rice Facial Scrub myself… Big time.

Eating & Drinking / Health & Fitness / Uncategorized — 3 Comments
1
Mar 10

Secrets of Tea – Jill Sung

We love to drink tea at JUARA. Not a day goes by where the statement, “Who’s going to make tea today?” doesn’t find its way into office conversation. But tea wasn’t always our drink of choice. In the past, we survived off pots of coffee. But after several of us read “Skinny Bitch” (I’ll admit it), we had a cold turkey reckoning, and tea and water became our new best friend. (And Kombucha – but you’ve already been enlightened on our love of that healthy beverage.)

Although we had all grown up drinking different types of tea, few of us knew much about tea beyond the fact that it can have caffeine and has healthy antioxidants that help skin and body fight age-inducing free radicals. We’ve also all heard that tea can prevent cancer, calm the stomach, improve immune function, decrease cardiovascular risk, etc.

But did you know that tea comes from only 1 plant – the Camellia sinensis plant and that the different types of tea: White, Green, Black, Pu-erh, and Oolong differ based on the amount and type of processing each tea undergoes? All “teas” that come from other plants are “herbal teas” – but tasty nonetheless. Examples of the different types of teas:

White (air dried buds, natural oxidation): Silver needle
Green (air dried leaves processed by steam or wok-fire, natural oxidation): Hojicha, High mountain tea
Black (rolled leaves, fully oxidized): Keemun, Darjeeling, Pekoe, Ceylon, Breakfast
Oolong (partially oxidized by baking for different flavors): Tie Guan Yin, Oolong
Pu-erh (cave-aged large-leaf, better with time, classified by age and region – like wine!): sheng (green/raw) types, shu (ripened/cooked)

Something new I learned recently, the caffeine in tea doesn’t create that “crash” that so often happens with other caffeinated beverages, it’s a smooth and energy lifting awareness. Something I’ve experienced, but never realized. Also, I’ve always heard that green tea has more caffeine than coffee, but I didn’t realize that a typical serving has far less caffeine because tea is brewed more “weakly” than coffee. Plus, color is NOT an indicator for caffeine content.

Other fun facts: you can brew tea with the same tea leaves multiple times, just add hot water. If you like it sweet, add agave or honey instead of sugar. Agave doesn’t spike your blood sugar levels (thus preventing the sugar high and crash) and honey is naturally immune-boosting. No milk? Try soy milk. And sometimes, when I’m tired of the millions of teas we have in our cupboard, I mix teas. Chai with herbal mint tea. Herbal antioxidant Rooibos with black tea. Choco-mint with Thai Chai. So let’s drink to your health!

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5
Feb 10

A Toast to Events – a Social Soiree… – Metta Murdaya

CLO Lingerie - available at the Feb 11 event in NYC.

Oh, events – do I love thee. This week, I have had several phone calls with various online shopping sites, all offering interesting platforms for selling and promoting our JUARA wares, but I have to say, one thing that I still hold dear are events. I, myself, am an admitted online shopper – I don’t do well with lines at the cashier and I like to shop at the comfort of my laptop, taking little breaks at work to do some damage on my wallet. Although I do enjoy the solo shopping experience, I really do like events where people shop (not just our JUARA products, though that’s fun,) and mingle. I have a fantastic time just chatting with people who really were having a good time, hearing what people feel about JUARA (when we’re in the events,) or mingling at others’ tables, getting to know the other designers and the people who come to check out the event – such intimate (yet public) events really do put the human aspect back into what can be a guilt-ridden wallet watching evening. With no pressure, but just being yourself with friends, chatting, shopping, meeting new people – it just feels… special. Sometimes we’re so focused on our finances that we forget shopping events are truly enjoyable as a social event, with that benefit of going home with goodies! Enjoy a drink and relax! This month, we have several events, and I’m rather looking forward to them. Two coming up:

FEB: 5, 2010: New York City: Red Market NYC – Fashion Week Kick-off party - Look your best this Valentine’s Day by joining Ardistia New York, Cloak and Dagger, Karolina Zmarlak & Miguelina at the Red Market Salon’s Fashion week kick off party! Sip on champagne, shop designer clothing and enjoy complimentary blow-outs and irresistible samples by Juara and Becca Cosmetics .
Time & Place: 7-11pm @ 32 Gansevoort Street 4th Floor, Meatpacking District, NY NY

FEB 11, 2010: New York City: Pre-Valentine Champagne Sale & Soiree – Enjoy a night of JUARA, Sexy Sweet Lingerie by CLO, and Elegant Edgy Fashion by Ardistia New York, and fun & sophisticated jewelry by Poupette, while celebrating your awesome, hot goodness. If you missed the Feb 4 event I speak of tonight, come to this again! (I picked up a few lacy pieces myself…)
Time & Place: 5-10pm @ Archstone Bldg, 245 E. 40th st (entrance on 2nd ave), 35th Floor PenthouseEvents

RSVP to questions@juaraskincare.com. Mention this blog post and get a free gift too.

Hope to see you there!

At Work / Beauty & Skincare / Products / Specials / Uncategorized / Videos — No Comments
3
Feb 10

JUARA Deal of the Month!

GET THIS DEAL HERE!

People always ask us to recommend ‘packages’ for their skincare regimen or for gifting. So over time, we’ve come up with a bunch of ‘bundles of goodness,’ so to speak, and it makes for easy one-stop-shopping if you’re wanting skincare solutions or if you want to try something new – at a value price!

Check out our site for the JUARA Deal of the Month, aka JUARA Monthly Specials! They change every month, check back often and see what tgoodies the next month has to offer! (Btw – add the link as a favorite, since it’ll be the same URL month after month…)

You can always get products a la carte, that’s the beauty of JUARA; you can use our botanicals based products as a set (works wonders!) or mix and match with your fave products, but we thought we’d give you some options, and also a great deal. Enjoy!

The JUARA Girls,

Metta, Yoshiko, Jill & Tami

Health & Fitness / Uncategorized — No Comments
29
Jan 10

Get Your Groove On – Jill Sung

I received an invitation the second week of January for a healthy brunch amongst friends. Little did I know what I was getting myself into! Three weeks later, I’m semi-regularly updating my exercise habits on a shared Google spreadsheet seen by friends and acquaintances, while being offered weekly encouraging communications from my “encouragement partner”, Amy.

The first email was a little bit tricky, I saw the words “brunch” and ”get-together”, and without reading the fine print, jumped on the food-wagon…who says no to brunch?! Okay, in re-reading the email, it wasn’t tricky. I’m just no good at details.

THE DEAL: set 2 attainable weekly goals (eg. sleep by 11pm, exercise 30 minutes 3 times a week, eat green veggies 7 meals a week)

TIME FRAME: 2 months (that’s 8 whole weeks of discipline! longer than most gym attendance memberships…)

THE METHOD: check in regularly to log your “success”, support a partner with similar goals, meet up at parties/brunches/yoga/events 2 times a month

Wish me luck in my goal of 20 minutes of solid exercise 3 times a week and no sugary snacks 3 times a week. And I’ll see you in 5 more weeks. Hopefully by then, I’ll have formed new habits and can start anew on other personal projects!

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19
Jan 10

Scrub a Dub Dub, without the Tub – Metta Murdaya

The Scrub that Scrubs It All

Just last week I went for a Korean body scrub in Jakarta, patronized mainly by the Korean and Japanese expats of Jakarta. This bath house, (minus the Indonesian staff and architecture of the building,) was typical of those you find in Korea in their bath houses. Unlike your typical pamper-me body scrub treatment with delicate music piping through, this was more like a no-nonsense factory setup of the human skin smoothing machine. My friend said it was like scaling a fish, with you being the fish, of course, but that darn, it was worth it.

Step 1: Go into a sauna to soften your skin, or if available, sit in various hot pools in the bathhouse) This is the fun, relaxing, enjoyable and social part of the experience. An Indonesian twist – they offer you Ginger Tea before if you want, and unlimited coffee.

Step 2. Lie down on an assigned hospital gurney sized vinyl bed where a barely dressed no-nonsense woman in shorts and a tanktop (or only bra and undies in Korea,) basically splashes you down and scrubs every square inch of your buck naked (yep, showing them bits and all,) body with a special rough (yet strangely not skin-ripping) cloth, till all your dead skin and dirt gets sloughed off. You can even see the little clusters of grey, dead, wet skin and feel it as it comes off between the intermittent rinsing with comfortably warm water. Mind you, this scrub down is is not recommended for the modest. They get in all sorts of places, just shy of your hoo-ha, but these women are pros; I admire their tenacity and commitment to ridding you of all dead skin. Even the little areas behind your ears are not spared, as they ask to you lie on your back, side, front, and then the other side… nothing missed!

Step 3: Soften that skin… To soothe the newly rubbed down and rinsed skin, they then pour on and massage milk all over your body, which feels like a welcome contradictory feel to the previous scrub down. I am not sure if this is purely Korean or somewhat a local influence, but it is soft, creamy, yummy, and totally lovely. Then they pour honey all over your body, and also rub that onto the skin to soften and hydrate. Yes, I licked it off my arm to make sure it was the real deal, undiluted and all – and it was. An option to have a face mask of blended, fresh cucumbers to tone is available. This part is so awesome feeling you almost forget you’re on a vinyl gurney. Almost.

Afterwards, there’s a generally non-ceremonious end where you are handed a towel after a final rinse to dry off and change – and off you go. Did I like it? I thought it was interesting – I LOVED the way I felt after, but let’s just say it’s made way more awesome if you focus on the after vs. the during, and that never has milk and honey felt so good…

Learn About Natural Skin Care and Health in JUARA Skincare’s BlogJUARA Skincare founders talk about life, work, and the musings of running a skincare company.