My Business is Political

My business holds strong values. And values are politics, and vice versa. Therefore, my business is political. Our values shape our HEALTH, and also how we coach others to take care of their health.

“Let me be very clear” in the words of a great leader who almost came to be:

I do not tolerate exclusivity, or one group of people assuming their way is the best way or the right way. I value diversity, bio-individuality, the freedom to believe what you believe and the freedom to love and/or worship who you love and/or worship.

Not only that, but you can talk about that here. We can talk about these things and our values, together. Because no one will be saying there is ONE WAY to love or worship, or that ONE GROUP is more important on this planet than another. That, I won’t tolerate. But of course we can discuss all of the workings of our world - how we treat each other, how we take care of each other. How our health care system is operated, how our finances are managed. How our children are raised. How women are treated. How ethnicities and religions are treated.

I say this not quietly, and carefully, but loudly and confidently. In my neighbourhood, in my business, in my whole life. Loudly.

If you are Palestinian or Jewish, or Russian or African. If you are gay, straight, bi or trans. If you are muslim or christian by your belief system (and without imposing on or demanding the same for others) - if you believe in homeschool, or public. YOU ARE WELCOME HERE, and we can talk about it all.

Bring your whole self. We don’t throw anything in a closet. Not the way we love, not your beliefs about existence… not your values.

Your whole self is all welcome here.

“Don’t talk politics” is never something I’ll subscribe to, because it is our whole selves. I don’t have compartments I lock up that nullify the way I live and love in this world, and the way that I work with other people’s lives and their bodies.

My List of Non-Toxic Beauty and Household Items

This is going to be a long one, full if of links! I’m going to try to add all my favourite clean product swaps I’ve made this year into one post - with the exception of cosmetics which I’ll share in a separate post next week. I’ve had several clients asking what skincare I’ve settled on, dishwasher tabs to keep the peace in the household, laundry that serves everyone, etc. I’ve included links for your shopping ease (and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases).

Skincare is where we’ll start. True Botanicals is EWG verified, and is so effective that it’s helped me to STOP shopping around. Which is a big feat! I’m absolutely settled on this brand. My skin feels incredible after 4-5 months of use. I use their Ginger Turmeric Cleansing Balm as the first step in my cleansing routine, then I go off-brand with Indie Lee for this beautiful Brightening Cleanser which smells like strawberries and leaves my skin so freshly clean, and ready for optimized absorption of serum. I go back to True Botanicals for the Chebula Active Serum in the mornings, and I use the Phyto-Retinol Sleep Serum in the evening. I lock in the serum morning and night with a rich, indulgent moisturizer: Chebula Extreme Cream. At first I didn’t love the smell of the Extreme Cream, but them I felt how well it worked. My skin was the perfect amount of moisturized and it felt extremely supple and supported. It’s my fave.

Clean toothpaste, clean deodorant, and non-toxic skincare

In the morning I don’t cleanse, I just splash with warm water and then apply my serum and cream. Every evening I double cleanse, and I feel a huge difference when I don’t. I’m currently not using any other treatments, although I’ll occasionally use Osea’s Seaglow Resurfacing Scrub in the shower in the mornings. I’ve invested in making my skin routine indulgent, because I don’t really get out to spas or one-off experiences often. So, I like to add a little pleasure in my day-to-day. I strongly believe the little things add up to make you feel great, and having the piece of mind that I’m not accumulating more toxins in my routine feels really nice.

My husband uses Schmidt Charcoal and Magnesium deodorant, and I use Salt & Stone. Over time of using natural, it’s become more and more effective for me. I think being patient and consistent is key here when switching to natural.

My toothpaste is Risewell. My husband, admittedly, wasn’t on board with this one as it didn’t feel minty-strong enough for him, so he found his own and I’ve grown to love it as well and swap between the two! His is David’s Toothpaste, an impressively minty fluoride-free toothpaste. For the kids, we also use Risewell, and their kid’s version tastes like cake :)

we love the risewell toothpaste

We use Everyone 3 in One on my 2 & 4 year old boys’ hair, in the tub, and I even refill our Everyone hand soap dispenser with in. It’s EWG verified, clean, and I absolutely love their scents. We use the Eucalyptus in our own shower for body wash, as well. I stick to Everyone Unscented Lotion for all hand and body lotion needs. Clean, clean, clean - and very replenishing.

clean kids’ shampoo and bubble bath

non toxic body lotion

For hair cleansing my husband and I are using Oway Organics and Arète, which are both purchasable at Holistic Hair Tribe. I also recently had a reaction to hairdye in the salon, and took another chance on permanent to cover my greys, after deliberating whether or not to just let them go. This home colour was successful, and I used Phyto Color. Although I love my hairstylist and miss having the color done in the salon, I’ll need to stick with what works for as long as it does, for fear of another autoimmune or allergic reaction. (A biopsy of my scalp reaction indicated both issues were present.) It’s been 5 days since I colored, and all is clear. Maybe I’ll stop colouring in a year or two, but for now… this is where I’m comfortable.

Let’s move to the kitchen! After a ton of back and forth and exploring between brands for dish soap and dishwasher tabs, a client (who is as resourceful and picky as I am) turned the light on to these solutions: Cascade Free & Clear dishwasher tabs, and Attitude dishwashing soap. My husband and I couldn’t agree before we started using these brands. The natural tablets always left white cast, and his chemical brands always made the dishes taste like chemicals. Yuck. With Free & Clear, no issues. Perfectly clean, no chemical scent, and nice and clean. I pour our Attitude dish soap into a Branch Basics glass hand soap dispenser, and put it beside the hand soap (which is also Branch Basics) and it’s a convenient yet minimalist design.

hand soap and dish soap

For all surface cleaning, I still use Branch Basics. I love their bathroom and all purpose cleaner. For floor cleaning, we love Koala Floor Cleaner. It’s pristinely effective and makes the house smell like fresh peppermint, in a subtle and natural way. Guillermo went through a very picky phase about our floors, swapping out different mops and cleaners and feeling frustrated by the film that two dogs and two kids and two rushing adults leaves behind! This promptly settled that.

under sink cleaner storage

For glass cleaning I use Blueland, I find it more effective than the Branch Basics version. And finally, for toilet cleaning, I also use Branch Basics toilet cleaning tablets. They have a light lemon scent, we’ve been using them for about 6 months and our toilets are very clean.

Our go-to laundry detergent is Dropps, and I’ve tried so very many. I’ll occasionally use Dirty Labs for scented when I feel the need, but we mostly stick to Dropps unscented. They have zillions of great reviews.

I hope this is helpful. I know that changing over to non-toxic can feel overwhelming. We made these changes over the course of the year, and it feels incredible to feel locked in to what works and makes our bodies and our house feel their best. With all of the toxins and endocrine disruptors out there, and the rising numbers of chronic illness, I strongly recommend making whatever small steps feel possible for you today.

Feel free to ask me anything in the questions, and I wish you happy, clean living!

Holistic Facial Care

Natural beauty

A year ago, I started exploring holistic and health-conscious ways of taking care of my face. My goals were to look my best, keep the tissues in my face as plump and energized as possible, just the way I take care of the rest of my body with nutrition and fitness.

I found Candice of Ritual Skin and Soul, who is located in Hermosa Beach right on the Pacific Coast Highway. I walked into her spa right off the famous north-south California highway, and immediately the noise from outside fell away. Her space is meticulously curated for the most enthralling zen experience. I felt like I’d flown to Bali, frankly. Not only does the spa represent a meditative experience, but it is lined with the most beautiful, non-toxic products that I had already been eyeing. It was pristinely clean, warm and inviting.

Ritual Skin and soul

I originally visited Candice in looking for an alternative to injectables. I was admittedly pretty aesthetics-motivated, although I was starting at that time to crave more of a ritualistic self care habit overall. I was in the midst of chronic stress, and starting to understand I needed better self care practices. Little did I know that 2024 would present such a nervous system crisis, that self care rituals and how they pertain to WHOLE HEALTH would take over much of my life (and work)’s trajectory.

Given that I was aesthetics-motivated, I opted for her Lift & Glow Buccal Facial. The service began with a short meditation and a thorough, massage-intensive double cleanse. It was one of the most relaxing services I had ever experienced. The buccal massage portion was less comfortable for me because of how tight the tissues were in my face at the time. Looking back, I was downing 3 espressos a day. Racing from one event to the next. Carrying such intense stress constantly, with no outlet, in my life of time-intensive entrepreneurial work and motherhood. It was really eye-opening how much tension I had been carrying in my jaw and face.

So much has changed since that first visit. After my big burn-out of 2024 (causes linked to chronic stress, autoimmune disease and perimenopause), I adopted several healthy rituals. I now meditate daily, massage my face daily, have changed my personal care products to non-toxic, have begun my schooling in Functional Nutrition and incorporate nervous system support for all of my clients in my business.

Candice’s spa, which I once sought for an aesthetic alternative, now serves as an indulgent addition into my whole health practice. As I continue to learn about stress and its impact on our bodies, the lymphatic system and its role as our body’s sewage system, my regard for her practice has bloomed even further.

Massage your face. Practice deep breathing. Both of these actions can improve your lymphatic system, which can and will improve your WHOLE HEALTH. If you want a health ritual that also serves as such a treat, check out Candice at Ritual Skin and Soul. I’ll be seeing her very shortly, and I just can’t wait.

Candice of ritual skin and soul

Reach her here:

855 PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY

HERMOSA BEACH, CA 90254

RITUALSKINANDSOUL@GMAIL.COM  

TEL 310-503-9704

Love Your Liver

As many of you may know, I’m deeply entrenched in the learnings of my Functional Nutrition course, which is a 10 month course that will teach me how to improve the health of… well, anybody. Especially those dealing with chronic health dysfunctions, and who may not be getting the lifestyle and nutrition help that they need, bridging the gap between holistic - just meaning their connective health management - and allopathic medicine.

A couple of weeks ago I gobbled up our liver lesson which was 4 classes all in one day. Because it fascinated me. And I can think back on dozens of clients I’ve worked with who were undoubtedly struggling with symptoms that could have been helped by paying better attention to care for the liver. So I’d like to share some info with you now.

Liver health

The liver has hundred of roles in the body. While the main roles are:

1. filtering blood

2. disassembling chemical compounds for elimination

3. and synthesizing and secreting bile

the liver is also responsible for:

1. releasing vitamins when the body needs them

2. manufacturing glycogen, helping to stabilize blood sugar

3. producing enzymes

4. manufacturing cholesterol as well as bile

5. is an important source of heat

Two common conditions in which one may want to consider giving their liver some extra love would be when hormones are irregular, or when cholesterol levels are sub optimal. This organ has so many roles, and should not be overlooked when it comes to symptoms of dysfunction elsewhere in the body.

Here are some ways you can tend to your liver with care:

1. Reduce your toxic load. Start switching to glass containers vs. plastic, to non-toxic cleaning products and personal care, filter your water and choose organic foods whenever possible.

2. Eat more fibre. Soluble fiber binds to toxins and helps them move on out. Chia, flax, fruits and vegetables, oats and legumes are great sources.

3. Turmeric and its active bioflavonoid cur cumin promotes bile flow and acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory. Include the spice in your meals, and/or take it as a supplement.

4. Consume choline. Choline helps transport triglycerides from the liver and is critical for normal liver metabolism. Eggs and avocados are great sources.

5. Sprinkle leafy greens on your meals. Greens like dandelion, arugula, parsley and cilantro are great for your liver. Arugula’s my fave - I top almost any meal with it and it’s delicious.

6. Chlorophyll clears. It helps to remove toxins such as heavy metals from the body. Chlorella, spirulina, matcha, seaweed and leafy greens can give you this boost.

7. Milk Thistle has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that support the liver. It may help the liver repair itself by growing new cells.

You can’t go wrong with including these tips into your nutrition and lifestyle approach. Remember, the more we support the broader, interconnected system, the less complicated our health can be for the long haul. Invest a little effort for major long-term AND short-term gains.

Overcoming the Bullying

south bay personal trainer

I’m Jessica. I’m a certified personal trainer, a student of functional nutrition, a mom of two boys aged 2 & 4, a wife to a tv production / photographer guy, living in the South Bay of Los Angeles.

I’ve been a deeply feeling person all my life, and my childhood was muddied by a lot of bullying. I grew up in the country, and took buses to school - and the hour ride each way there and back was filled with glares, shouted insults, laughing at me. I used to call my mom crying, begging her to pick me up. I was desperate not to get on the bus, or to go to school.

I’ve never really talked about it here, because it was only this year, at age 40, that I realized what parts of me these experiences led to.

I spent a lot of time scared to participate in new things, and always questioning what people thought of me. I have been presented opportunities for being on TV and modelling, and always declined due to self doubt. I still work through some anxiety, except now with a lot of scientific knowledge and psychological understanding. I’ve sold myself short. I have come off as awkward in situations, I have been repeatedly called an overthinker, and in retrospect have always struggled with a dysregulated nervous system. (Until putting in the missing work this year.)

I always yearned to connect with and to help others, and my passion for health and fitness that blossomed at the age of 16 allowed me to do exactly that.

For 23 years now I’ve been training and educating, supporting and laughing with really wonderful clients.

My why and my mission have ALWAYS been to support people to get their bests out of themselves. To not sell themselves short, to make the most of this one life.

When we become strong & healthy, we become unbridled.

We shake off dead skin, we work through past trauma, we dismantle shackles and we MAKE THE MOST of our time here. Best part? It spreads around to others.

My fitness programs and nutrition coaching will help you to disrupt chronic illness, disrupt feeling small, and to disrupt selling yourself short.

Did you have an experience with bullying? Does it affect you in adulthood? Let me know in the comments.

South Bay Functional Health Testing

There are a lot of people these days who are having health issues that sit in the grey area within our healthcare system. Meaning, they cannot find root cause diagnoses by our traditional medical system, and they are sometimes suffering with symptoms, unanswered questions and little to no relief.

Functional Health PRactitioner, FDNP

Functional health testing can fill that gap, by giving us significantly more insights about what is going on inside our bodies. When people are having symptoms like rashes, headaches, constipation, diarrhea, chronic fatigue, insomnia (too many to list!), often times the traditional solution is to provide a medication suppressing the symptom, without investigating the root cause.

Aubrey Christensen of Sea of Health Functional Wellness specializes in the HTMA (hair and mineral analysis) & GI Map (stool test) testing, both of which can provide a really thorough picture about what is going on inside your body. Results can indicate where the dysfunction could be COMING from, and the results lead to provided solutions to correct the dysfunction, thereby alleviating the symptoms. Having completed these tests this year, I can attest to how profoundly life-changing this awareness and knowledge can be.

Aubrey Christensen, Sea of Health functional wellness

I sat down with Aubrey to ask some questions specifically about stress and the central nervous system, which is what she focuses the bulk of her practice around since it’s such a common life and health disturbance these days.

Jessica: Why do you believe that stress and nervous system dysregulation are so integral to many modern health woes?

Aubrey: Chronic stress is one of the biggest drivers of disease and dysfunction in the body. It causes havoc to the different interconnected systems, the nervous system being one, which then creates a domino effect throughout the body.

Jessica: What are some of the more obvious physiological signs of stress or dysregulation?

Aubrey: Obvious signs are tension, muscle aches, headaches, anxiety, fatigue, digestive issues and constipation.

Jessica: What are some of the less obvious physiological signs of stress or dysregulation?

Aubrey: The lesser known signs of stress can include rashes, food sensitivities, allergies, reactive behavior or mood, hormonal changes, and autoimmune disorders.

Jessica: What do you feel are the best steps to implement when trying to find balance, or expand one’s capacity to stress?

Aubrey: A mind body approach is key for sure. I believe that talking or thinking your way out of stress won't help — the body needs to be considered and incorporated when trying to manage stress. Physiological and mental exercises done together deliver the best results.

Jessica: How does stress impact other systems such as hormonal or digestive?

Aubrey: Stress has a big impact across ALL systems in the body. When cortisol spikes and the body is in a stress response, digestion is slowed, and reproduction is not a priority. 

Jessica: What sorts of imbalances are revealed in functional testing?

Aubrey: When doing functional lab testing, the following imbalances can be found: liver congestion, bacterial or fungal overgrowth, not enough good bacteria, leaky gut, hormone imbalances, improper digestion, inflammation, pathogens or viruses, oxidative stress, and more. 

Jessica: When seeking to improve our health after acknowledging the impacts of high stress, would you say mental or physical exercises are more important to take on? Or a combination of both?  Ie, breathwork and meditation, vs. nutritional changes / supplementation.

Aubrey: Both mental and physical exercises are important. It's key to make healthy lifestyle changes within diet, sleep, exercise, and stress management. You must make holistic changes to realize holistic improvements.

Jessica: What kind of an impact do you hope to make with your (com)passionate business?

Aubrey: I hope to make a positive impact in people's lives through adjustments to their health, providing a strong foundation for a properly functioning body. This foundation should lead to lesser symptoms, disorders and disease — and just an overall better quality of life. 

Sea of Health Functional Wellness is located in Torrance, in the South Bay Area of Los Angeles county. Aubrey works both locally and virtually with her clientele. Having struggled with her own anxiety and other symptoms, she brings a relatable and compassionate approach to her work.

You can book a consultation with her here to learn more about what testing and approach you may benefit from.

Have you done functional lab testing? What was the experience like for you? Let me know in the comments.