We’re on our journey to building healthy habits! In partnership with Saborea Uno Hoy, this week we interview Malena Perdomo, a registered dietitian and Avocado Goodness Expert for Aguacates Frescos - Saborea Uno Hoy®.Join our conversation to learn more about ways to be proactive with your health and how avocados can help!
There’s so much information out there when it comes to our children’s health. Throw COVID-19 vaccinations for infants and toddlers into the mix, and it just got a lot more overwhelming. But we’re here to help! This week we sit down with an expert: the Deputy Director of the Center for Infectious Diseases and State Epidemiologist, Dr. Erica Pan. We talk about everything you need to know about COVID-19 vaccinations for infants, toddlers and pregnancy. She answers the questions we’ve all been wondering, like how the vaccine trials for children work, vaccine dosages for our littlest ones, and even getting vaccinated during pregnancy. Dr. Pan is a mom to two teenage daughters, so she understands how some parents may be feeling uneasy with so much new information. We hope this episode helps ease your mind and get your family vaccinated!
This episode is brought to you by the CA Department of Public Health.
#VaccinesSaveLives
More about Dr. Erica Pan: Erica Pan, MD, MPH, FAAP, the Deputy Director of the Center for Infectious Diseases and State Epidemiologist, was sworn in July 13, 2020. Prior to joining CDPH, Pan served in several positions at both the Alameda County Public Health Department since 2011, and the San Francisco Department of Public Health from 2004 – 2011. She is also a Clinical Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of California, San Francisco. She maintained her clinical work at San Francisco General Hospital and at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland in Infectious Diseases until 2019.
What can you tell us about the latest vaccines now available for infants and toddlers over 6 months?
Are children receiving the same dosage as adults?
What does the vaccine dose schedule look like for kids?
What do the vaccine trials entail? Who are these kids? What are they looking for?
What about super mamas who are listening who are currently pregnant or thinking about conceiving? Is it safe for them to receive the vaccine? As a mom, what tips do you have for them to protect themselves and their babies?
Does it matter when you get vaccinated during your pregnancy? First trimester vs. third?
Is it true women’s periods can change after receiving the vaccine?
Does the vaccine affect fertility?
Where can parents take their children to receive their COVID-19 vaccines?
How can we continue to help our family, friends and community receive the best information regarding COVID-19?
This week Paulina is on vacation in Oaxaca, but she’s been prepping for her trip by looking for a new bug spray! She found this natural bug spray that she’s carrying in her purse and also clipped on to the girls’ backpacks so everyone can be protected at all times! Another tip she learned about keeping the mosquitoes away is that they don’t like yellow lightbulbs. What are some other tips you have for keeping the mosquitoes away?
Bricia’s pick is more of a tip, but it’s to get and use a salad spinner. It might take up a lot of space in your kitchen, but trust her, it’s essential!
Visit https://myturn.ca.gov for more information on COVID-19 and vaccinations.
Follow the California Department of Public Health on Instagram @capublichealth and like their page on Facebook.
To say we fan-girled over this week’s guest is an understatement! We interview Marcela Valladolid - chef, television personality, designer, author, businesswoman and ultimate super mama - and she took us to church. She talks about growing up in Tijuana, MX, her book writing process, personal growth, health, and her beautiful family. If you follow Marcela on Instagram, you know she is always unapologetically herself. Her real authentic personality transcends through the microphone throughout this episode and you’ll want to take notes, because her words will encourage you to be unapologetically you, too.
More about Marcela: Marcela Valladolid is an Emmy nominated celebrity chef, television personality, designer, author, mother and businesswoman.
Growing up around expert and traditional cooks in Tijuana, Mexico, Marcela was raised to be passionate about food. She enrolled full time in the Los Angeles Culinary Institute and trained in Paris where she graduated as a classically trained pastry chef at the Ritz-Escoffier Cooking School.
Marcela began her professional career as a Food Editor for Bon Appetite Magazine. Her first television show was "Relatos Con Sabor" for Discovery en Español and she published her first book, "Fresh Mexico", in 2009.
She hosted her second show, "Mexican Made Easy", for the Food Network in 2010 and released a companion book, "Mexican Made Easy", in 2011.
Marcela was a co-host on the three-time Emmy Nominated Food Network hit show "The Kitchen." She has also appeared as a Celebrity judge for 3 seasons on the Food Network show "Best Baker in America" and was the Host of the Food Network's "Holiday Gingerbread Showdown" which aired December 2018.
She is currently co-hosting the "Marcela & Carina Show" a virtual live cooking class & entertainment show with her sister and motivational speaker Carina Valladolid, which was recently mentioned in the NY Times.
She has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, NY Times, People Magazine, Food & Wine Magazine, Los Angeles Magazine, NY Daily News, Better Homes & Garden, and has appeared on national TV shows such as Today Show, The Talk, The Chew, The View, Access Hollywood Live, The Rachael Ray Show, Live! with Kelly and Michael, AOL Build, Yahoo News and more.
Marcela has done partnerships and promotional events with companies such as Capital One, Google, Herdez, Northgate, Target, Bank of America and Estee Lauder to name a few. Marcela also had a branded line of food products in partnership with Safeway. She was the only celebrity to have had her own branded food line sold exclusively nationwide at Safeway/Vons/Pavilion's.
Marcela started a partnership with This Is Latin America in January 2021 that includes a line of curated products by Casa Marcela.
She released her 3rd book, CASA MARCELA, in April 2017 and her 4th book, "Fiestas; Tidbits, Margaritas & More," in April 2019, both listed as national best sellers. She just released her 5th book , “Cocinando on Cook Street”, a children's book in partnership with Latina-led publishing house, Lil Libros.
Marcela resides in Chula Vista, CA with her partner Philip Button and their three children (Fausto, David and Anna Carina) and their dog, Kongo.
Who is Marcela?
The book writing process
Whats App - the Mexican Way
“Her dad is the OG instagram feed” - Paulina about Patty’s father
Growing up in Tijuana
Marcela’s mom
“My mom taught us the only way to find your happiness is to be authentic to yourselves.” - Marcela
“‘Que van a decir la gente?’ You hear it your whole life.” - Marcela, on the biggest lesson she learned from her mother
La generación de cristal
“I carry a lot of guilt because I’m a working mom.” - Marcela
The parental balance in the household
Marcela’s personal growth
Yoga & being sober
“Your energy is just so ever flowing.” - Bricia to Marcela about her personal growth
Seeking therapy
Maintaining emotional health
“I can be going through a really rough moment and that it’s going to pass and I’m going to coexist in this moment and go on with other things in my life.” - Marcela
Bricia’s pick is Sneakerella on Disney+. It’s basically Cinderella but a dude with sneakers, and Eddie loves it. The music, singing and dancing is great! It’s a great pick for kids since they’re going to be spending more time at home now that it’s summer vacation.
Paulina’s tip is actually a tip from Patty Rodriguez that they picked up during their short trip to Texas. When it’s really hot out and you’re wearing a hat, grab a few small ice cubes and stick them in the seam of your hat. It’s great for sport days, summer camp, traveling - whenever you’ll be outside and need to cool off.
Follow Marcela on Instagram - @chefmarcela
You can get her new book, Cocinando on Cook Street: A collection of mi familia’s recipes on Amazon
School is almost out for summer and we can feel our children getting more excited as each school week ends! But even though it feels like things have gone back to normal with fewer masks, warmer weather and summer vacation plans of travel & family outings, it doesn’t mean that COVID-19 has left us for good. In honor of Children’s day and in partnership with Juntos Sí Podemos, this week’s episode focuses on how we can continue to protect our children and families from COVID. We interview past guest and great friend of the show, Dr. Ilan Shapiro, about the latest updates in COVID and it’s variants, getting our kids vaccinated and what we can expect in the future with this pandemic. We understand that vaccinations are a personal choice, but Dr. Shapiro says it best during this episode: “I want to be as safe as I can. That’s why I chose to be vaccinated.”
For more information on COVID, vaccinations for your kids and how to keep your family safe & healthy this summer, visit https://wecandothis.hhs.gov/.
More about Dr. Shaps: Dr. Ilan Shapiro joined AltaMed in 2016 as the Chief Health Correspondent and Medical Affairs Officer, where he oversaw an expansion of behavioral health and employee health education services. He was also involved in the creation of programs to prevent and manage chronic disease in children and adults, as well as helping patients facing economic hardship, food insecurity, and mental health challenges. Most recently, Dr. Shapiro has been on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic as a leading source of education and information and a trusted media resource on both national and international news outlets, including CNN, NBC, MSNBC, Telemundo, and Univision. He also continues to have a strong social media presence averaging more than one billion unique views per year.
In his new role, Dr. Shapiro will lead strategy for external health communications, policy, and community relations to advance equity and inclusion and expand community health and wellness initiatives. He will serve as the chief physician spokesperson for AltaMed and work closely with the Public Affairs, Government Relations, and Civic Engagement departments in this capacity.
More about the Juntos Sí Podemos campaign: The HHS COVID-19 public education campaign is a national initiative to increase public confidence in and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines while reinforcing basic prevention measures such as mask wearing and social distancing. For more information, please visit https://juntossipodemos.hhs.gov/.
Dr. Shapiro’s pandemic experience
As people are getting ready for summer, many people think the pandemic is over and we’re done with this virus. What do you tell those families about the current status of the pandemic?
What do we need to do to keep our families healthy?
Kids & COVID-19
Are boosters really necessary for children 12 and older if they’ve already been vaccinated
AND have had COVID?
If a child has already had COVID, why is it necessary for them to get vaccinated, especially now that rates of infection have been declining steadily?
Medical advice for unvaccinated folks
Why do you think some parents remain hesitant to vaccinate their children?
Should parents be concerned about any long-term side effects of COVID vaccines?
Should we expect the covid vaccine to be an annual shot like the flu shot?
When will vaccines for children under 5 years old be approved and how will those vaccines be the same or different from the ones for 5 years and older?
Two pick this week from Bricia! First, Liz Hernandez’s WORDAFUL Kids Affirmation Cards. She’s going to start adding these to the kids’ everyday routine because they’re so beautiful Second, during Bricia’s dinner party this past weekend they guests all played WORDAFUL The Game and it got deep. Highly recommend for your next girls’ night.
Paulina’s pick is also staying in theme with the episode - something for the kids to keep them healthy! If you caught it on our Instagram Stories, Zixta, Paulina’s youngest daughter, got sick and made a trip to urgent care. She used these Vapo Patches on Zixta’s clothes and it helped her feel more comfortable and get a better sleep.
Follow Dr. Shapiro on Instagram and Twitter @dr_shaps
Learn more about the HHS COVID-19 Public Education campaign. Visit WeCanDoThis.hhs.gov to learn about COVID-19 vaccines and more.
We all know that when we eat good food we feel good, but what does that have to do with our mind? 🤔🧠Gastroenterologist & author Dr. Emeran Mayer has had a career long interest in the brain-gut connection, and in this episode he tells us about the complex signals that go from your brain to your gut when you eat. We also talk about fasting, the connection between food & stress, how we can change our eating habits for a healthy mind & gut and SO much more. This episode will make you think twice about the food you’re putting in your body… and maybe make you a little hungry too.
More about Dr. Emeran Mayer: Dr. Mayer is a Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Executive Director of the G Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress & Resilience and Founding Director of the UCLA Brain Gut Microbiome Center.
He has been one of the pioneers in the science and practice of brain gut microbiome interactions with applications in a wide range of diseases in gastrointestinal, psychiatric and neurological disorders. He has published more than 388 scientific papers and co-edited 3 scientific books. He is the recipient of the 2016 David McLean award from the American Psychosomatic Society and the 2017 Ismar Boas Medal from the German Society of Gastroenterology and Metabolic Disease. His current research interest is focused on the role of brain gut microbiome interactions in human diseases, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, autism spectrum disorders, obesity and inflammatory bowel disease.
In addition to his academic interests, Mayer has a longstanding interest in ancient healing traditions and affords them a level of respect rarely found in Western Medicine. He has been involved in documentary film productions about the Yanomami people in the Orinoco region of Venezuela, and the Asmat people in Irian Jaya. He has recently co produced the award winning documentary “In Search of Balance” and is working on a new documentary “Interconnected Planet”. He is a strong believer in Buddhist philosophy, was a member of the UCLA Zen Center for several years, and got married in a Tibetan monastery by Choekyi Nyima Rinpoche in Kathmandu. He regularly pursues meditative practices.
He has spoken at UCLA TEDx on the Mysterious Origins of Gut Feelings in 2015 and have been interviewed on National Public Radio, PBS and by many national and international media outlets including the Los Angeles and New YorkTimes, Atlantic magazine and Stern and Spiegel Online. He is the author of the 2016 bestselling book The Mind Gut Connection published by Harper&Collins and translated in 16 languages
In his upcoming book, The Gut Immune Connection, Mayer proposes a radical, unifying concept about the chronic disease epidemic we are finding ourselves in. He discusses how changes in our diet, lifestyle and the way we interact with the world during the last 75 years have led to a profound dysregulation of the community of trillions of microbes living in our gut, resulting in a progressive chronic activation of our immune system. This aberrant immune system activation is emerging as the root cause of our current epidemic of interrelated chronic diseases affecting every part of our body. In addition, it makes us more vulnerable to viral pandemics. He uses the One Health concept to explain the intricate interconnectedness between the microbes living in our gut, in the soil, the health of our plants and our own health. He proposes a solution to the chronic disease epidemic, which emphasizes the implementation of major lifestyle changes, and focuses on a radically different approach not only to our diet but to the world.
Time restricted eating is the best lifestyle change you can make. It will clear the acid and bacteria from your gut overnight. This can also be achieved with fasting.
In terms of food - a largely plant based diet that is minimally processed and includes fresh fruits and vegetables make a big difference.
Beans are one of the healthiest foods. They are high in fiber and protein content.
Reduce your intake of red meat and fat, and increase the amount of fruits and veggies. This plus the time restricted eating will help you feel a difference in your mind and gut.
Avoid situations where you don’t realize what you’re eating. For example: eating while commuting, road trip junk food, etc.
Quantities of food make a big difference. Be mindful of portion sizes.
Learn more about Dr. Emeran Mayer on his website - EmeranMayer.com.
Follow him on social media: @emeranmayer on Instagram, @emeranamayer on Facebook and Twitter and YouTube.com/EmeranMayerMD.
You can purchase both of his books, The Mind-Gut Connection and The Gut-Immune Connection on his website or anywhere books are sold.
Are you ready for a sister update? Because we’re ready to spill the tea! Bricia tells us about her first trip post-covid vaccine and while she had a little bit of anxiety getting to her destination, she is really thankful she was able to getaway. Paulina is talking about her new healthy habits and becoming the búlgaro lady. We also talk about Eddie’s second birthday party ever, Bricia’s extra decorations and as always, we’re sharing our picks and tips for the week. #AddToCart
P.S. Shoutout to our favorite Evelyn from Harlow Planning, balloons from Lotus Party Co. and installation from Preferred Projects for creating this incredible set up for Eduardo’s 6th birthday! Nothing wrong with a little extraness. 😉Check out his backyard party set up in the gallery above and reach out to these amazing vendors for your next party!
Spinach
Broccoli
Blueberry
Blackberry
Almond butter
Ginger
Tumeric
Bulgaro milk
Last week, Fernando asked Paulina if she wanted to go to the movies. Some movie theaters are allowing you you rent out the whole room for yourself up to twenty people - your family or whoever is in your bubble. They went to the AMC in Monterey Park and everyone loved it! This is going to spoil the kids because they were able to walk around throughout the movie and yell at each other. It’s a good sign that everything is slowly getting back to a new normal. Check out local theaters in your area to see if they offer this cool opportunity!
Bricia’s pick is a kids’ finance app called Greenlight. It’s a savings + spending app that she found when she was trying to figure out how to pay Eddie from his business since he has to pay for his new iPad (if you missed the story about that, listen to the intro of THIS episode and check out his tie dye shop). Greenlight is a prepaid debit card made just for kids. You can transfer money, send allowances when they complete chores, see their expenses and how much money they have. Eddie used his debit card to pay for his new iPad and his independence even shocked the guy at the Apple store! You have to listen to the episode to hear about the rest of his first big purchase.
Arca restaurant in Tulum - Bricia and her husband, Eduardo, went here during their post-vaccine travels and they loved it! The food was so creative and well executed, blown away by the menu and flavors.
Paulina the búlgaro lady has been referencing this article and this one to learn more about kefir.
Ayara Thai in Westchester, CA
Everyone loves a new episode! This week we talk to Jessica Gonzalez, owner of Happy Organics, a wellness company and apiary company in California. When her father was diagnosed with cancer a few years back, she and her siblings turned to cannabis to help him with pain relief and after a ton of research, her company was born. Jessica talks to us about the basics of cannabis, the difference between CBD & THC and the products she’s created through the years (including one of Paulina’s favorite salves). You know we never shy away from taboo topics, so we get to the bottom of CBD for you and how you can add it to your daily routine.
The most important takeaway from our interview with Jessica: “The main misconception around cannabis is that hemp and weed are two different plants. They come from the same plant, but there are different laws around the two regarding distribution. Scientifically, it’s the levels of THC in the plant.”
Hemp: is used to mean cannabis that contains 0.3% THC. Hemp derived CBD can be found in any wellness store and is available almost anywhere. It is also federally legal. Learn more about the life-changing benefits of hemp oil on the Happy Organics blog.
CBD: short for cannabidiol. It is a chemical compound found in the stem or leaf of the plant. CBD is the non-psychoactive part of the plant and will NOT get you high.
THC: stands for tetrahydrocannabidiol. It is a cannabinoid molecule in cannabis that is the main psychoactive ingredient a.k.a. the substance that causes you to feel high.
Happy Honey: Raw, Sustainable Sage and Wildflower Honey with CBD - This is a great way to start taking CBD! It’s delicious on toast or in a smoothie, or even in your coffee. Which might help level out the coffee kick. 😉
Día y Noche: Mexican Hot Chocolate Tonics with CBD and Adaptogens - Has a mild herb flavor. It’s not a huge effect, just a great drink to relax to.
Sana Salve, Organic CBD Muscle Balm and Chest Rub - This has been a top fave product / seller since the company started making products a few years ago. It’s nostalgic (like vaporu!), moisturizing and you’ll want to add this to your daily routine.
One of the ways Paulina’s body reacts to stress and anxiety is dry scalp. There was a time she made her scalp bleed she was scratching so much. Her tip this week comes from her sister Liz, who suggested and also uses coconut oil with apple cider vinegar as a leave-in mask. Twice a week she uses a small bottle of equal parts coconut oil and ACV. She uses a small applicator to apply all over her scalp for a minimum of 10 minutes (usually on the days she washes her hair).
After the third application Paulina has not scratched her head anymore! It’s helped her scalp a lot and it’s way better than the doctor recommended shampoo filled with chemicals. Sometimes going natural is better than anything!
Also part of her scalp / haircare routine - Dr. Bronner’s tea tree soap and a scalp massager for when she washes her hair.
Bricia’s tip is a SHAMELESS PLUG - watch Waffles + Mochi on Netflix! Produced by Michelle Obama, this show is geared towards children but it’s great for the whole family to watch. Bricia is shook that this show is so good but of course, it’s produced by the Obamas! You can catch us on episode 2 about salt. The best part of the episode is the last twenty minutes. Be sure to check it out and tag us!
To learn more and shop all CBD products, follow Happy Organics on Instagram @happyorganics.co and happyorganics.co
You’re not along when it comes to your health and fitness journey - it’s something we all struggle with. During this week’s episode, we talk to Fitness Trainer and Author, Melissa Alcantara, reminds us it’s not only normal to struggle, but it’s something she deals with too! We talk to the incredible super mama about her personal fitness journey, how she stays motivated, and why she thinks it's a blessing to decide to work out every day. She also has a new workout series with Messenger, where we can all workout in real time and “Watch Together”. 😉 Besides that, Melissa is dropping all 👏🏽 the 👏🏽 gems 👏🏽 about life, staying motivated, decision making, and more. Get ready to be schooled !
More about Melissa: Raised in New York City and currently based in Los Angeles, Melissa Alcantara, aka ‘Fitgurlmel’, is a Dominican-American mom, author, fitness trainer, and athlete, who works as a personal trainer for Kim Kardashian West.
After losing 40 pounds in 60 days, and realizing she had total control of her mind and body, Melissa started training for bodybuilding competitions and shared her fitness journey on Instagram.
She has since grown her platform to more than 1 million followers, where she continues to document her inspiring health and fitness journey, share her no-nonsense diet and fitness tips, and inspire others to put in the work to change their body and life.
Most recently, in partnership with Messenger, Melissa created a series of workouts for Watch Together, a brand new feature that lets you watch videos with friends and family and see their reactions in real-time, to inspire digital fitness accountability, so friends can keep each other accountable while they train from home.
As a leading face in the fitness industry, Melissa has been featured in several publications such as Women’s Health, Cosmopolitan, Vogue, and many more, and was named to Create & Cultivate's Top 100 list in the Fitness & Wellness category in 2019.
More about Melissa x Messenger: Melissa, who has been documenting her inspiring health and fitness journey on social media, partnered with Messenger on a fitness accountability program to help people stay moving, highlighting the benefits of having a virtual workout buddy as many of us are working out from home.
Melissa created a series of workouts for Watch Together, a brand new feature on Messenger, perfect for fitness gurus or amateurs, to help inspire people to work out with friends and hold each other accountable.
Watch Together enables you to:
See your friends laugh and cry in real-time while viewing the same video at the same time in Messenger and Messenger Rooms.
Enjoy your favorite music videos, TV shows, movies, and FB Watch videos, including what’s happening now, Lives, music videos, sports and Facebook originals, with more selections coming soon.
Watch with up to 8 friends on a video chat and 50 in Messenger Rooms.
Watch Together is free and easy to use! Start a Messenger video call or create a Messenger Room then swipe up on the bottom of your screen and select ‘Watch Together.’ From there you can select a video suggested for you or choose from a category such as ‘TV & Movies,’ ‘Watched,’ ‘or ‘Uploaded.’
Check out Melissa's first workout video on Watch Together below!
“Super Mamas - that’s a compliment. Because most of the time I feel like I’m failing at everything. I’m winging it most of the time. But I think a lot of women out there need to realize thats pretty much how you do it. You have no choice.”
“I’m going to surrender. I’m going to stop trying to force something and I’m going to accept the fact that I know nothing, and you have to be okay with that.”
“Starting everyday is the hardest thing. I always sad it’s not the ten thousand squats that made your ass nice. It’s the ten thousand times that you said, ‘Yes, I’m going to work out.’ That’s what makes you feel good.”
“Making a decision is taking an action. Motivation comes from action. You must do first.”
“That’s how everything in life goes. You can’t just go from being a newbie to a pro. You have to learn how to love, how to appreciate. These things don’t just come to you, you have to teach it to yourself.”
“Everything that’s unknown is scary. It doesn’t matter if it’s good. That’s why people say they’re scared of success. Success is a scary freakin’ place to be.'“
“It’s really about balancing, about balancing your life. You’re going to make crappy decisions. You are going to not have the best day. But it’s how you carry on, how you keep going.”
“You have to make the decisions. If this is something you want, I’m going to guide you, I’m going to give you the tools you need, but I can’t do it for you. I can’t make the decisions for you.”
“Sometimes we feel like we have to make so many decisions in our life and we have so many responsibilities, but to see it as something good, to see it as, ‘I have control over my life and the things that I want and how I want to live it in the tiny amount of time that we have,’ is a blessing.”
“Making sure that we know that we have control, that we have the power, and that we can take responsibility for things that don’t happen perfectly or when we mess up because we human beings and we’re just trying out best.”
Follow Melissa on Instagram @fitgurlmel and learn more about her on her site fitgurlmel.com
Subscribe to her YouTube channel for workout videos, recipes, and more! So much fun healthy living content.
Get your copy of her book, Fit Gurl, on Amazon and wherever books are sold!
Let’s talk about sex, baby! It is so important to be able to reconnect with ourselves during this tough time so why not start with our bodies. This week we talk to Rebecca Alvarez Story, Sexologist and founder of Bloomi, who comes to remind us of the benefits of tapping into our sexual wellness & intimacy. We cover all things sexual wellness; why stressors from covid could be affecting your sex drive, we talk about the importance of establishing a healthy relationship with sex from a young age, healthy masturbation habits, the cutest sex toys and much more. This is a super fun, informational episode we are sure you'll enjoy!
Before the episode, Paulina mentions that this episode has been previously recorded prior to Bricia’s
More about Rebecca Alvarez Story: She is a proud daughter of Latinx immigrants and also focuses on diversity initiatives that empower other womxn of color. Rebecca graduated from UC Berkeley with a major she created, Women's Health & Sexuality, and holds a Master's in Sexuality Studies where she studied Female Desire and Arousal. In 2018, she founded Bloomi, the first marketplace for intimate care products with sex-positive content. Rebecca and the Bloomi team will be launching products focused on naturally increasing pleasure and arousal in 2020.
A respected Sexologist and social impact entrepreneur, Rebecca works with womxn, couples and teens to help them navigate a variety of sexual wellness topics and find holistic ways to maximize their sexual agency. She has been named a “Latina Trailblazer” by Forbes for normalizing conversations about sexual wellness. Rebecca currently lives in Oakland, CA with her husband and two daughters.
Addressing our intimate relationships with our partner & ourselves in quarantine
The Covid baby boom
What can we be doing to de-stress with our partners when it comes to our sex drives?
What is Bloomi?
How to address sexual wellness & privacy with your child
Healthy masturbation tips
Rekindling intimacy with your partner and yourself
How to boost your sex drive
Crystal sex toys
How to choose the proper toys for yourself
Follow Rebecca on Instagram @rebeccaalvarezstory and Twitter @_rebeccaalvarezs
Follow Bloomi on Instagram and Twitter @theBloomi. Sign up for their newsletter for weekly tips, new clean intimate care products, and more on thebloomi.com.
Ladies, we just don’t talk about our vaginas as much as we should! 😂 But really, women’s health is so important, especially for when our bodies change after we have kids. This week we interview pelvic floor therapist Sara Reardon aka @the.vagina.whisperer. She's teaching us all about our pelvic floor muscles and why it’s important to keep them healthy. We cover everything from why we can’t hold in our pee after having kids and how to poop correctly, plus what a proper kegel feels like and what we should be teaching our daughters about their vaginas. We don’t talk about vaginal health enough! Get your vag ready for some healthy exercises!
More about Sara Reardon: Sara is on a mission to revolutionize the way we approach women’s health with a radical honesty and willingness to openly discuss often-taboo topics. She is a doctor of physical therapy graduating from Washington University in St Louis and board-certified women's health physical therapist. Sara specializes in the treatment of pelvic floor disorders, including changes that occur during pregnancy and postpartum recovery. She is a pelvic health physical therapist in New Orleans, La. and founder of The Vagina Whisperer. You can find her on Instagram @the.vagina.whisperer.
Why can’t moms hold in our bladders when we’re pregnant and after birth?
What can we do to strengthen our bladder?
What exercises should we implement to strengthen our pelvic floor?
What is the proper way to poop?
What is Diastisis Recti?
What is the proper way to do a kagel?
The Fourth Trimester
What are some things women can do for regular maintenance?
Are there products we should include or avoid for regular vaginal health?
What are some things women can do after having kids?
What can we teach our kids about vaginal health?
Follow Sara on Instagram @the.vagina.whisperer and learn more about her services at thevagwhisperer.com.
Products recommended by Sara
Squatty Potty for a healthier bowel movement
Magnesium supplement to help softer stool
It’s been a while since we’ve caught up with you and we’re all over the place! It has been 9 or 10 weeks since we’ve started practicing social distancing (depending on when you started). Between new quarantine routines with our families, starting to work out again and eating a lot, it has been tough learning to balance motherhood, kids, school, work, cooking, and intimacy during these wild times. After some lazy, junk food filled weeks, we found that sticking to routine and finding a new way to have “alone time” has really helped us feel better. In this week’s episode, we’re sharing what we’ve been doing to care for our families and especially ourselves. We’re all about staying positive, mamas! Life will get back to normal one day, but for now let’s remember to be kind to ourselves and take it one day at a time.
We are sharing some good, relaxing tips because these are wild times we’re living in. 😂
Paulina’s pick this week is the Bloom app. She feels that she needs instructions when practicing mindfulness and she loves this app because it talks to you and tells you what to do, plus you can keep track of your feelings. It’s super interactive and gives you activities to do when you’re feeling a certain way. Try it out and let us know how you like it!
She has also really been into plant videos and propagating her plant babies, and has realized that watching plant videos are so calming! It’s her way of winding down at night. Check out this video about propagating plants and one of her favorite YouTube plant guys, Hilton Carter.
Bricia has been having gnat struggles with her plants, so she went on a deep research dive on YouTube about how to get rid of them and found a few products that have been helpful.
Dual sided sticky gnat traps (also good for flies) - you out them in your indoor or outdoor plants and once the gnats get stuck there, they can’t reproduce.
Neem oil - It smells weird but it works on all stages of insects so fingers crossed that it works!
Mosquito bits - to put in your plant soils for the gnats to eat and then they can reproduce. We’re trying this in our backyards for summer nights too!
Bricia’s final tip is to speak positive words in people’s lives. If something negative is coming out of your mouth, rephrase it to be positive.
Let’s remember to be positive, be kind, and take care of your mind, sisters!
This post was brought to you by Aguacates Frescos – Saborea Uno Hoy. We received compensation to write this post, but all opinions expressed are our own.
Happy October! New month, new episode. This week, we speak to another returning guest, Dr. Sylvia Meléndez-Klinger, Registered Dietician and spokesperson for Aguacates Frescos – Saborea Uno Hoy. We’re talking about healthy living at every age and the benefits of eating fruits & veggies with lutein like delicious aguacate. Want to learn more about how to keep your brain healthy and possibly even help your kids perform better in school? You’ll want to listen to this episode!
What is lutein? Tell us more about it!
How does lutein help support healthy eyes?
What is cognitive health?
So there is a potential connection between lutein and our kids performing better in school? And, also a connection between lutein and keeping brains healthy as we get older?
I am not sure if the foods my family like have a lot of lutein. What foods are good sources of lutein?
What are other nutritional benefits of avocado for people of every age?
Bricia really really loves vegetables and she’s also a fan of organizing. She recently started using the Rubbermaid FreshWorks Produce Saver 3-piece, and with her mom as her witness, it actually works! It keeps all the produce much fresher. Bricia even took her produce drawers out of her refrigerator. If you have the space in your fridge, you can keep your fruits and veggies fresher for longer with these containers.
Paulina is the one with a bougie pick this week! She is loving this new lunchbox for Zixta - OmieBox Bento Box for Kids - Insulated Bento Lunch Box. It comes with a thermos that keeps food hot or cold for lunch, and it also has a handle which is great because you don’t need to buy another lunch box or bag to put it in.
You can find more avocado recipe inspiration and read more about the benefits of lutein for every age at SaboreaUnoHoy.com/Lutein.
Dr. Sylvia recommends removing an avocado pit with a spoon vs. using a knife. See helpful video here.
Recipe for Tropical Whole Grain Mini Muffins on SaboreaUnoHoy.com.
Get your copy of “The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts” on Amazon, or take the quiz at 5lovelanguages.com.
Hello ladies! This Tuesday we have an episode that'll make you keep a gallon of water right by your side. We have the amazing Natalie Aguilar- Human, Woman, Nurse, & Aesthetician in the studio and we talk EVERYTHING skincare. From the absolute necessary products you need, serums, facials, jade rollers, dark eye circles, IV drips, micro-needling, botox & so much more! But before we get into all that, Paulina's kids are back & Bricia speaks on the passing of LA Times restaurant critic, Jonathan Gold. This is a long one, BUT you'll for sure have all the tools you need to get your GLOW on.
As a women practicing skincare for over sixteen years, Natalie Aguilar has been able to combine her medical knowledge, as a nurse, alongside her expertise as an aesthetician to create some of the most luminous, and healthy skin, that you see in Hollywood and around the globe. As a proud owner of Afterglow Beverly Hills, Natalie has fulfilled one of her many prestigious physicians, and brands, in the world including La Mer, Shu, Uemura, YSL and Chanel.
Natalie serves as a global educator, for others in the skincare industry, and loves to teach her methods and protocols for customized skincare. She proudly believes that healthy skin is truly the most important factor in achieving a beautiful, luminous and radiant complexion!
Follow Natalie Aguilar & Afterglow Beverly Hills on Instagram @AfterglowBeverlyHills
(13:34): Who is Natalie Aguilar?
(14:35) When did you open AfterGlow & where is it located?
(19:40) Stress, Stress, Stress! What does stress do to our bodies?
(21:20) What is pigmentation?
(23:06): Natalie’s 1st skincare tip for every type of skin
(26:08): Natalie’s 2nd skincare tip
(26:26):Natalie’s 3rd skincare tip
(26:40): How do I determine what to buy? What’s right and what’s not?
(27:29): Skincare basics/essentials
(27:54): Advanced skin care - what’s up with serums?
(29:00): Do you recommend rotating out your serums? Or stay with the products we love?
(30:05): Skin care starts the day that you’re born
(31:19): Skin care tips for kids with eczema/psoriasis
(31:52): Benefits of grape seed oil!
(32:30): Skin care products we MUST have & the 4 benefits of liquid vitamin C
(34:00): What does collagen do for you?
(34:56): How often should I get a facial?
(36:27): Whats up with Jade rollers?
(36:49): What exactly is a facial?
(38:04): What is the best face cream for wrinkles on the forehead & under eye?
(39:28): Retinol - Vitamin A explained
(40:15): How do you start using Retinol?
(41:36): What is the best thing for dark circles under your eyes?
(44:00): Elizabeth’s under-eye peel procedure
(46:00): What chemicals in products should we avoid?
(47:49): Skin tag removals O_O
(49:50): What is an IV drip? & what are the benefits?
(52:46): Whats the difference between getting vitamins through a serum and getting them through a drip?
(55:14): Micro-needling, Micro-dermabrasion, Micro-stamping, Micro-rolling
(58:50): Darth Vader Mask A.K.A Sun Visor Hat
(1:00:13): What is the best treatment for manchas aka Malasma and how to prevent them?
(1:00:36): Paulina’s tanning experience LOL
(1:03:38): MASKS!!
(1:05:26): What are some recommended treatments for acne rosacea/ acne scars?
(1:08:36): At-home skincare recipes
(1:09:03): How often should you scrub/exfoliate your skin?
(1:09:30): Botox- is it safe? Would you recommend? Any alternatives?
(1:12:36): What are fillers?
(1:14:34): How can I improve my skin through diet?
(1:21:20): What's a good eye cream? amarte Eyeconic Eye Cream
Natalies new obsession: PCA's C-Quench® Antioxidant Serum
Paulina's go-to's: Teddie Organics Rose Water & Bio-Oil
Bricia's ultimate loves:
Neutrogena eye makeup remover / Up & Up Eye Makeup Remover
Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour® Cream All-Over Miracle Oil
FARMACY Green Clean Makeup Meltaway Cleansing Balm with Echinacea GreenEnvy™
