Erica - We came together after discussing interest in opening a bottle shop after a long break from alcohol in 2021. Co-founder Raegan Plewe had just moved back from Berlin shortly after the pandemic. With interest in the topic, Rae added the idea of creating a bar/coffee shop environment to the bottle shop. Our ideas melded together perfectly and this is how Curiosity started.
Rae - Erica and I have been in each other's lives for a very long time, always inspiring growth in one another. It was no surprise that we ended up in the same state of questioning our relationship to alcohol. We have always sparked creativity in one another, so it has been incredible to see that spark develop into this massive project! We are in such an incredible state of growth.
Erica - I personally was not drinking for a long period of time due to drinking way too much during the pandemic. I listened to many podcasts and read some wonderful books that had given me some interest in non-alcoholic brands and concepts popping up around the US. I was interested in the business concept of a bottle shop and providing Salt Lake some more options for drinking things that didn't involve alcohol but still felt ritualistic of alcohol. Rae really pulled the concept together with the most beautiful intention of creating a space for people to gather and connect in a safe space without the need for booze. It really added so much meaning behind it because initially it was a business move for me with previous experience of opening a retail shop and creating a product brand in the past. I don't think Curiosity would be what it is without partnering with Rae.
Rae - I have always really loved creating and consuming complex beverages that piqued one's curiosity and opened them up to having a meaningful, connective experience. But as I continued to work on my health, I started changing my lifestyle, reevaluating what I was consuming and if it was actually benefiting my overall happiness. I found myself conflicted with my love for drinking culture and my desire to be healthy, present, and clear minded. When Erica began to introduce me to the world of nonalcoholic spirits, I realized it was possible to have both! Curiosity was created to be the space that I always wished existed. Somewhere that you can go to experience the elegant connective aspects of a cocktail bar, while exploring what it means to live a healthy and conscious life. I believe that we need more safe community spaces where important conversations can be had with a clear state of mind. Curiosity is my way of giving the community an option to experience a new way of life.
Erica - I think my favorite things to see pop up are the spirits that are adding mood boosting benefits like nootropics and other herbal components. I have studied herbalism in the past so it makes me so happy to see two things I love coming together in one product.
Rae - Our 'herbal elixirs' are definitely one of the most popular things that we sell, and for good reason! I love sharing the idea that there are other herbs and ingredients that can gently change your mood, without the side effects that alcohol has. It’s an exciting way to evoke that state of expansive curiosity, as people try and experience new flavors AND new states of consciousness.
Erica - This is tricky since our menu changes a lot, but currently the Man-in-a-Hat. A bit of a take on a Manhattan with the added Three Spirit Social Elixir giving you those mood boosting benefits I enjoy so much.
Rae - My favorites are always changing, but I always go back to our version of one of my favorite classic cocktails: the Nuevo Negroni. We use Dhōs Bittersweet Rhubarb, Dhōs Ginfree, housemade sweet vermouth, and a hint of celery bitters. I'll never get sick of this drink!
Erica - In regards to our business, I hope to see the interest in drinking less alcohol and getting a bit more connected to one another in other ways like hanging out with us and seeing what it's like socializing in other environments without alcohol.
Rae - I hope that in the future SLC can become a less polarized city, in many ways, but specifically around the topic of what we choose to consume. I'm hoping to inspire a community that is able to learn from each other's differences, with the awareness to grow collectively and independently into a state of balance.
Erica - This is a great question and a hard one as well. As much as I think I work too much, I also feel like this is my way of thriving. I feel like I have put a lot of effort into the community with my businesses and it feels good to think about. Just trusting and allowing myself to do what I do in that regard seems thriving to me.
Rae - It is very important to me that I create space in my life to let my nature thrive. I live a busy life, but I always make time to slow down to reconnect with myself through meditation, baths, journaling, long walks, creative outlets, etc. I'm a big believer in taking time to meet your own needs before trying to meet anyone else's. The stillness in my life allows me to stay connected to my true nature, that in turn allows me to connect more to my environment and the people in it.
Curiosity is a delicious alternative to the pub crawl and an exciting new entry to Salt Lake City nightlife! Follow them on Instagram @curiosityslc for more.
]]>‘Microbiome’ is a hot new wellness buzzword — and pro, pre, and post-biotic drinks, supplements, and personal care products are flooding the market, all promising to support your body’s healthy bacteria, or flora. Microbiome-focused health and wellness products fuel some of the fastest growing segments of the beauty and wellness industries, but are they worth the hype?
There’s a lot of confusion and misinformation surrounding the microbiome, but to our bodies, its completely intuitive. Our ancient symbiotic relationship with our flora has a lot to teach us about living in homeostasis, and the truth is — the best way to support your biome isn’t through expensive products, but by supporting the body’s own inherent wisdom and functions.
Let’s clear up a few microbiome misconceptions and discuss the top three ways to support your body’s flora, without spending any extra dough. But first, a quick background on the biome!
Our bodies have evolved over millennia with the help of microbes, whose existence we depend on for life. We’re literally made of bacteria — the human body has as many if not more bacterial cells than human cells, most of which are harmless, and many of which are helpful. Research is increasingly uncovering the wide ranging effects that these bacteria, our microbiomes, have on our bodily health — from gut and skin health to mental health and the prevention of allergies. Our resident flora, or microbiome, is responsible for helping develop and train our body’s immune system, teaching it to respond to our body’s needs over the course of our life.
Our modern lifestyles often don’t support these invisible helpers, and many of us are becoming more aware of the ways our diets, cleaning products, and personal care regimens are killing the bacteria we so rely on. The microbiome is complex, and science is only just uncovering its functions and importance. There’s a lot we still don’t know, but there are a few lifestyle changes we know make a big difference.
The first step people usually take on their journey toward a healthy microbiome is to buy a probiotic supplement or fermented foods like yogurt or kimchi. While there are certainly benefits to consuming live bacteria, one of the best ways to support your gut microbiome is actually to just increase your fiber intake. Microbes feed on fiber, so this is a great way to keep them happy and healthy, while supporting the gut lining. When microbes are starved of fiber, they start to feed on the protective mucus lining of the gut, which can trigger inflammation and disease. Even occasional fiber deprivation in mice leads to a compromised gut lining, which gets thinner and weaker the less fiber they eat.
A compromised gut barrier allows pathogenic diseases to more easily flourish in the gut, and has been associated with a broad range of diseases including celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, colon carcinoma, chronic liver disease, type 1 diabetes, and obesity. When your lining works effectively, a tight barrier forms and strictly controls what can leave and enter your bloodstream. If your gut lining is threatened, your immune system will respond to the threat with inflammation and change the composition of normal bacteria in the gut. Only 1 in 20 people in the United States consume the recommended amount of fiber, but a diet rich in a variety of fruits, vegetables, and grains could be one of the most effective ways to promote bodily health, the gut lining, and your microbial balance.
But what about probiotics? Where a probiotic may contain a handful of live bacterial strains (most probiotic supplements contain bacteria from just two genera: Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium) — an apple, for example, contains about 100 million bacteria—a more diverse range than any dietary supplement. Furthermore, ‘probiotic’ products often don’t actually contain live bacteria, or the bacteria can’t survive your stomach’s digestive fluids. Ultimately, probiotics often have little or negative effects either because they don’t effectively populate the gut bacteria or they overpopulate certain species, forcing out other beneficial strains. The research on probiotics is very new and often conflicting. Fresh produce, on the other hand, has been time tested to help the body’s flora flourish. It usually has both prebiotic and probiotic qualities, and you can get it right at your local farmers market or grocery store for a fraction of the cost of a supplement.
“The supplement sellers won't tell you this but fresh fruits and vegetables are loaded with diverse bacteria, and fiber to feed them, and that's the surest way to keep the microbiome diverse/healthy.” -James Hamblin, MD
“If you are truly interested in diversifying your gut microbiome and increasing the abundance of health-promoting species, the research strongly supports that high-fiber diets that contain very diverse types of plant-based foods are a much more effective approach,” -Tamara Duker Freuman, MS, RD, CDN
Just like your gut, your skin has a microbiome. The skin is teeming with living bacteria and fungi that work directly with your immune system to keep your skin and body healthy and in homeostasis — yet most of us wash off these crucial microbes, along with our skin’s natural moisture barrier, with a soap or detergent-based cleanser on a daily basis. Like the gut lining, the skin’s natural moisture barrier is intrinsically tied to the health of the skin and its microbiome. This naturally produced, oily shield protects the body from water loss and pathogenic bacteria, and holds essential moisture in the skin. So why do we strip this essential barrier and our flora from our skin with suds?
The daily, head-to-toe soap bath only goes back about a century, and was popularized through some of the first ever mass marketing campaigns and 'soap operas'. Before that, humans relied primarily on natural ingredients like water, oil, and clay to cleanse their skin. It's important to wash your hands with soap, but chronic use elsewhere on the body is unnecessary and harmful to the skin’s ecosystems. Sudsing, bacteria-killing, oil-stripping cleansers like soap and detergent could be increasing rates of inflammatory skin diseases like acne and eczema, which are fast on the rise.
A diverse microbiome is a resilient one — greater diversity of microorganisms is largely correlated with overall health and well-being. One of the best ways to expose yourself to a diverse array of bacteria is to get out of the house. Exposure to soil and a variety of natural environments can increase bacterial diversity and improve the immune system. People who live in urban environments with less biodiversity have a lower diversity of microbes, but access to more biodiverse areas such as green spaces and parks shows major biome benefits.
This is especially important for children — the diversity of microbes we’re exposed to as kids effects our health long term. Early life exposure to microbial diversity may play a role in cognitive development as well as immune function — for example, children who grow up on farms have a lower risk of asthma, and bacterial diversity present in a child’s house dust during the first months of life may reduce the risk of developing hyperactivity and inattention during childhood.
Common dirt bacteria have been shown to have immunity boosting and antidepressant effects, and some microbes act as natural cleansers and even natural sunscreens on the skin. A recent study of the gut microbiome of baboons showed that soil is the most dominant predictor for shaping their gut microbiota, with a 15 times stronger effect than genetics. The health-supporting qualities of gardening and ‘forest bathing’ go way beyond their meditative benefits.
Rapidly declining biodiversity may be a contributing factor to the rapidly increasing prevalence of allergies and other chronic inflammatory diseases among urban populations worldwide. Time spent in nature is crucial, and the ‘rewilding’ of our urban areas could bring these incredible benefits to the communities who need them most.
Don’t let the hype confuse or overwhelm you, caring for your nature is in your DNA. While industry solutions are often complicated, expensive, and interfere with your body’s natural state — nature and your own body provide most of what you need to create the foundations of health for your gut, skin, and biome. And thankfully, in an industry full of false claims and misinformation, there’s finally a standard for biome-friendliness in personal care, thanks to the scientists at MyMicrobiome. We’ll likely see more standards and regulations put in place in the next decades as we continue to learn more about what the microbiome does and doesn’t do. In the meantime, look for the MyMicrobiome seal, and focus on letting your nature thrive rather than trying to outsmart your brilliant body.
About the Author
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It’s Founder Friday! I’m writing my interview questions for Jing Gao, founder of Fly By Jing, as I eat a delicious bowl of Sichuan Chili Crisp Ramen, made perfectly spicy by Jing’s famous Chili Crisp sauce. It’s a rare day that I don’t use either Fly By Jing’s Sichuan Chili Crisp or Zhong Sauce on at least one of my meals—it’s delicious on noodles, soups, omelets, rice bowls, pizza, even ice cream. I’m a huge fan of Fly By Jing’s products, but I’m also a big fan of their founder, Jing Gao. I look up to Jing as a CEO and brand builder, and ever since I read her 2020 Medium post, How I Built a Radically Personal Hot Sauce Brand and Found Myself in the Process, I’ve been itching to have a conversation and share her story on SOUL. Let’s meet the woman behind the sauce and hear about how she lets her nature thrive!
I was born in Chengdu, but grew up all over the world. It wasn’t until a tech job in my 20s brought me back to China that I really started to connect to the food of the Sichuan region — and I became absolutely enamored with the flavor and textures and nuances of the cuisine. I studied with Chinese master chefs, wrote about food, and ultimately helped to open a restaurant in Shanghai. I first launched Fly By Jing as a traveling supperclub, where I’d stuff all these ingredients into a suitcase (because you couldn’t find them anywhere else!) and cook all over the world. After seeing people’s reactions and sheer enjoyment of the food, I knew there was an opportunity to introduce more people to these special flavors. A visit to Expo West, the U.S.’s largest natural foods show, really confirmed that there was a dearth of Asian flavors in packaged foods in the West. So I decided to launch my all-natural Sichuan Chili Crisp, made with ingredients you can only find in China, on Kickstarter as a first foray into the CPG space.
We teamed up with our friends at Sundae School, a Korean inspired streetwear brand, to create some limited edition products and an amazing event in LA to celebrate the best way we know how. May 29th, we’ll be popping up for one day only at Smorgasburg LA as Chili Sundae, where we’ll be serving up Wanderlust ice cream topped with chili crisp and our limited edition FBJ x SS Yuzu Chili gummy along with event exclusive merch, sponsored by Puma. We’re super excited to hang with our friends and connect with community!
Chengdu is known as the “flavor capital of China,” and it’s true! You can find some of the most iconic Sichuan foods (mapo tofu, hot pot, dan dan mian) at restaurants all over the city. One of the aspects of the food culture I’m obsessed with is the city’s “fly” restaurants — or little hole-in-the-wall restaurants that are so popular that they attract people like flies. It’s where the name Fly By Jing came from.
As I mentioned, my family moved around a lot when I was a kid. When we lived in Europe, I started to go by Jenny as a way to fit in. Through diving really deep into studying Chinese cuisine when I moved to Shanghai, I began developing deeply personal connections to the flavors of where I came from — and I realized how I’d been minimizing myself all those years by hiding behind a Western name. For years, I had to fight for acceptance, even as a founder who faced dismissal about the perceived value of Chinese food from investors and the public. Last year, I decided to reclaim my birth name, which was a radical form of self-acceptance. I no longer have to hide behind a name that isn’t my own, and it’s been really freeing.
We’ve always said that our flavors are “not traditional, but personal.” For me, part of making the Sichuan Chili Crisp so personal was always going to be using ingredients that are native to Chengdu and can’t be found anywhere else. For example, the Tribute Peppers that give the chili crisp its floral, tingly notes are so highly prized that they were offered as tribute to the emperor. They’re only grown in one small village and are painstakingly hand-picked — so they’re super rare and really special. When I launched Fly By Jing, I set out to introduce the Western palate to these highly specific flavors that can’t be found anywhere else, and I think it’s one of the reasons the chili crisp has resonated with so many people.
It hasn’t always come naturally! Making myself the face of the company actually goes hand in hand with reclaiming my birth name. I think it also goes hand in hand with standing behind the product we make and how personal it is. This is my own interpretation of Sichuan flavors and no one else’s.
My long-term dream for FLY BY JING is to be the next generation modern Asian household name in food, and to demystify and destigmatize Chinese flavors in the West. We’re always working with other AAPI founders, whether it’s on partnerships and or giveaways on social media, because we are all connected and one company's wins are everyone’s wins. So our hope is that, by taking up space with our radically personal and singular story, charging through doors and keeping them open, and building a table for us all to sit at, we are helping create space for all marginalized cultures and cuisines to belong and thrive. Knowing that we’re doing this for something bigger than ourselves is a huge part in pushing through when the going gets tough and is how we play our part creating a better future for the next generation.
I’ve learned to let my nature thrive by not just tolerating the ebbs and flows in my own energy—but celebrating them. As I’ve grown older and gotten to know myself better, I know that there are periods of time where I have high energy levels and then I may need to retreat and be more internal for a period. I’ve learned to work with those shifts and make sure to build flexibility into my life so that I don’t need to overextend and always expect myself to be going 100mph all day every day. Those moments of quiet are just as important to making me a good leader as when I’m going full speed.
About the Founders
Jing Gao founded Fly By Jing in 2018, inspired the flavors of her hometown Chengdu in the Sichuan Province of China. Since then, her sauce has made it to the shelves of major retailers like Whole Foods and Target, and can be found in the cupboards of discerning eaters worldwide. Follow her on IG @jingtheory.
Denise Cartwright is the Founder and CEO of CRUDE, and a Master Esthetician with 12+ years of experience. A Utah native, she's passionate about the natural world, plant medicine, and wellness. Check her out on IG @dkcartwright.
]]>Julia Collins - Foodie, Earth Mama, Founder & CEO of Planet FWD & Moonshot Snacks. Her passion for food has driven innovative, regenerative snacks and software that result in sustainable - and scrumptious - solutions for tackling climate change. We wanted to get to know her better.
Let’s start from the beginning - what prompted you to start Planet FWD and Moonshot?
I created Moonshot as an act of love for people and the planet. When I gave birth to my first son, I went from being concerned about climate change to being absolutely obsessed with doing everything that I could to take action. There is no silver bullet solution to tackling climate change but I knew that leaning into my passion for food would be the best way for me to make a real difference. With more than a third of all greenhouse gas emissions come from food systems and land use, it was an impactful place to start.
With Moonshot, the goal wasn’t just to create one product or one brand but really to create a climate-friendly food movement. I believe that all people have the right to take part in creating a healthier world. Moonshot creates an opportunity for snackers to tackle climate change with every cracker.
In the process of creating carbon neutral snacks, I uncovered how challenging it is to build a climate-friendly brand. As we continued to learn from Moonshot, I soon realized there was an opportunity to drive a sea change if I could make it easier for all brands to go carbon neutral. That’s when I decided to build a technology solution in tandem with Moonshot that would help other consumers brands take climate action. Today, Planet FWD is helping brands across food, fashion and beauty to measure, reduce and neutralize their carbon footprints.
For the uninitiated, what is regenerative agriculture and what role does it play for Moonshot?
We’re so proud to source the wheat for our crackers from regenerative farmers like Farmers Dave and Serena Hedlin up in Washington’s Skagit Valley. Our farmers utilize regenerative agriculture practices, such as cover cropping, low or no tillage and livestock integration, to improve soil health and biodiversity. These practices also allow for more carbon to be sequestered from the air and stored in the ground. As a result, regenerative farmers produce more nutrient-dense crops that are healthier for us and the planet.
Because of these practices, Moonshot's wheat has about 50% lower emissions than conventional wheat, giving us a great head start on our carbon neutrality goals.
Our readers are familiar with the skin’s microbiome and how it affects their health - but it turns out microbiomes have a role to play in farming, too. Can you share a little on the relationship between agriculture and soil microbes?
Many folks know that topsoil is the lifeblood of our food system - that’s because soil is home to some of the most diverse microbiomes on earth. A thriving microbial community allows crops to grow - and the more nutrient-dense and biodiverse topsoil is, the more nutrient-dense the crops will be and the healthier the whole ecosystem of the farm will be.
Conventional farming is designed to feed a lot of people, but it isn’t the best for fostering healthy topsoil. In fact, due to conventional practices like monocropping and heavy usage of pesticides, herbicides, and synthetic fertilizers, some scientists believe we have less than 60 years of topsoil left.
That’s why regenerative agriculture is so important. Practices like crop rotations and keeping roots in the ground year-round bring life back to the soil and restore the natural microbiome.
We love that you’re using technology to explore sustainable alternatives and drive really intentional decision-making. Tell us about Planet FWD’s role in building a climate-friendly consumer movement.
The very first step a company needs to take to begin their climate action journey is measuring its baseline footprint.
By understanding where you are today, you'll be able to see areas where you can improve and take action to reduce your current footprint - such as sourcing regenerative ingredients or shortening your supply chain.
Our carbon management platform helps brands measure their carbon footprint, breaking it down by Planet FWD makes it easy for brands to measure, reduce and offset their emissions.
What do you think is the biggest challenge between climate change awareness and actually taking action to combat it?
At Moonshot, we focus on progress over perfection. When starring down such a massive issue, it can feel paralyzing. But often, the best way to tackle a big problem is to take the first small step.
That can look like cutting meat out of your diet on weekdays, beginning to compost, starting an at-home garden or using climate-friendly products at home. It can also look like writing to your representatives, favorite brands and retailers you frequent demanding they take climate action. These little actions add up.
At CRUDE, we’re all about helping people reconnect with their body’s natural wisdom and power. How do you let your nature thrive?
I feel most connected to my body’s natural wisdom when I am consistent about my energy practice. Every morning as soon as I rise, and before I greet my family, I do a sitting practice with breath and energy work to create inner alignment. This daily practice creates the foundation for how I enter every day.
Learn more from Julia Collins and her other panelists during the Balancing the Biome: Eating Good Summit on Wednesday, April 27 at 5 pm MST/7 pm EST. Tickets can be purchased at www.livecrude.com/eatinggood.
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I have a vivid memory from a medical school lecture wherein the Dean poetically explained that evolutionarily, we are merely a tube. Our whole body develops around this tube of mouth to anus, as increasingly complex tissue types grow and lay down into layers we know as our skin, soft tissues, nervous, immune, and reproductive systems. He stood on stage and gestured with his hand, the intimate act of eating, is to invite something to become part of self. We are literally composed of what we eat.
And so, it is the immense job of the intestinal barrier to decide what is self versus non-self. Our microbiota (the everchanging balance of our body’s own bacteria, fungi and viruses) has an intimate relationship with our endocannabinoid system (ECS), and has immense downstream activity regarding the gut, inflammation, our mental state and how we experience pain.
This intimate relationship is often called the ”gut-brain connection,” and the signaling between the ECS and gut is believed to be bi-directional. The enteric nervous system is this bi-directional highway network of nerves and the main road within it is the vagus nerve. There is a structural and chemical relationship between your brain and belly. What you think and feel affects your gut; the population density and distribution of your microbiome affects your mood, perception of pain and sleep cycle.
The ECS is a vast network of chemical signals and cellular receptors that are densely packed throughout our brain and body., The receptors located in your central nervous system, CB1, are extremely abundant and act as the master conductors in modulating your sleep-wake cycle, libido, thermoregulation, ability to forget traumatic events, perception of pain and appetite. Your immune system plays host the second highest concentration of CB2 receptors, modulating intestinal inflammation, peristalsis and perception of pain in the bowel.
These cannabinoid receptors allow humans to experience the effects of the cannabis plant when consumed (smoking, vaping, eating, suppository) and are also prevalent in other plants including black pepper, clove, ginsing, echinacea and kava. But the only reason you have those receptors is because your body makes its own (endogenous) cannabinoids called anadamide (ANA) and 2-arachiodonoyl glycerol (2-AG). ANA is named for the Sanskrit word bliss, anada, and the compound fits like a key perfectly into the receptors of CB 1,2. ANA is an endocannabinoid; endogenous meaning it came from self. All cannabinoids help bring your body back into balance and set the stage for self-healing on the cellular level.
All cannabinoids help bring your body back into balance and set the stage for self-healing on the cellular level.
Inflammation, is a reflection of imbalance within the body, and, on a cellular level, can lead to chronic pain, fatigue, anxiety, brain fog, poor sleep and digestion. The ECS is responsible, in part, for protecting the gut from inflammation. Higher levels of endogenous cannabinoids are found patients with ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis and celiac disease. This increased ECS activity in chronic intestinal inflammatory states, is evidence the body is trying to safeguard itself from inflammatory damage. Excess or prolonged states of inflammation can change the intestinal barrier strength/permeability. We know CB1 and 2 receptors are expressed in the intestinal barrier and in response to acute inflammation, the expression of CB1 is increased. CB1 regulates intestinal secretory IgA, one of the tagging compounds for your immune system to be able to label something as self or non-self. CB2 receptors appears to be more active when the gut barrier needs repair, decreasing inflammatory cytokines, thereby decreasing the inflammation and perceived pain. Certain probiotics (Lactobacillus acidophillus) activate the CB2 receptor. This relationship between the CB2 receptor, gut permeability and inflammation may help explain why probiotics help with mood and mental health.
Peristalsis, how the gut moves digested materials through the bowel with wave like contractions, can be increased or decreased with ECS activation, depending on what is needed for the individual to regain homeostasis or health. In some cases, peristalsis is slowed by activation of the CB1 receptors. ANA or 2-AG act as a key to the CB1 receptor on the surface of the cell, causing an intracellular activation of acetylcholine (ACH). ACH is released and slows the smooth muscle contractions which cause the bowel to move which can lead to a lessening of nausea, slowing the gastric emptying time and even decreasing stomach acid. There are also compounds that act to decrease CB1 activity which may be useful in cases of gastroparesis or hypomobility of the bowel.
This constant flux of the ECS, as it is informed by the enteric nervous system, can affect your mood and mental health too. In the most basic essence, our nervous system can be split up into two parts: the parasympathetic and sympathetic. The parasympathetic portion is responsible for rest, digest and procreation. The sympathetic portion governs our fight or flight response. I like to refer to the parasympathetic as classical music and sympathetic as heavy metal. Most of my patients have heavy metal blasting and classical music turned way down. The balance of these two systems is called the autonomic tone. Our bodies are dynamic and constantly in flux, seeking homeostasis.
Our bodies are dynamic and constantly in flux, seeking homeostasis.
What’s going on inside a body with too much heavy metal blasting (i.e., constant state of fight or flight)? I refer to this as the neurochemical soup in which you live. So, a heavy metal dominant environment is laden with epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol. These are stress hormones, and, in small amounts, they help us accomplish extraordinary tasks, like running from a bear or keeping your child safe. However, when you are in a constant state of fear, anxiety or stress these hormones, in excess, can lead to cardiovascular disease, hypertension, poor sleep and stubborn belly fat.
When and how can we make the classical music get louder? When you rest, practice meditation, experience joy, have loving connections and eat non-toxic/non-inflammatory foods your body switches into a parasympathetic dominant state. Serotonin and GABA are the key players in this neurochemical soup. Disease states consistent with lower levels of these hormones are depression, anxiety and elevated inflammatory markers.
You create the world around and within you. What you invite into self, whether it be probiotics, cannabinoids or positive self-affirmations has a profound effect on your health and state of homeostasis. Be well, stay mindful, nourish your mind, body and spirit. With deep reverence to the complexities that is your endocannabinoidome: ECS, enteric nervous system and gut microbiome.
]]>As a Doctor of Osteopathy, General Practitioner trained in Whole Foods Plant Based Medicine. Dr. Hartridge brings a different perspective to Primary Care as a CBD and Cannabis Expert. You can find her on Instagram @drcarolinehartridge
Join us for a Dancorcism class and fundraiser! Dancorcism is a cathartic form of joyful movement, or energy work disguised as a dance party.
Play is vital for our brain function, our relationships, and our vitality — it helps us reach balance holistically. And movement is much more than just exercise, positively impacting your biome, body, mental state, and creativity.
We want to come together dancing, sharing loving energy, and take time to reset emotionally and physically, while gifting mental health access to others through The Loveland Foundation.
The Loveland Foundation was established in 2018 by Rachel Cargle in response to her widely successful birthday wish fundraiser, Therapy for Black Women and Girls. Her enthusiastic social media community raised over $250,000, which made it possible for Black women and girls nationally to receive therapy support. Black women and girls deserve access to healing, and that healing will impact generations.
The Loveland Foundation is the official continuation of this effort to bring opportunity and healing to communities of color, and especially to Black women and girls. Through fellowships, residency programs, listening tours, and more, ultimately we hope to contribute to both the empowerment and the liberation of the communities we serve.
As an entrepreneur, creative director, Dancorcism teacher, and public speaker, Piera is passionate about using storytelling and creativity to inspire and spark positive change.
Piera is co-founder and served as creative director of Refinery29, the next-generation media company focused on giving women the tools (not rules) to live an informed, well-rounded life and expanding the representation of women. R29 has been included on both Inc. 500 and Fast Company's lists of most innovative companies.
In 2020, Piera became a certified Dancorcism teacher and healer and now teaches classes to spread joy, creative confidence, and catharsis through movement and visualization.
When she’s not working, Piera is busy exploring the world with her toddler, Viva, in tow, writing songs, playing dress-up, and doing art projects. She wants to live her life as vividly as possible, closing down as many dance floors as she can before her final call.
]]>We’re thrilled to introduce Amber Tamm, the newest contributor to the School of UnLearning!
Amber Tamm is a “Brooklyn girl anointed by momma earth” and a resounding voice in the world of food sovereignty, urban farming, and horticulture. Amber has made it her practice to share her deeply personal relationship to land, trauma, and healing — bringing awareness to the barriers that Black, Indigenous, and other farmers of color face while actively working to create new spaces that are centered in the liberation of BIPoC and their radical healing.
"You know, I’m going to keep it 100 and let y’all know this is a real struggle for me. I really thrive off of working with people and plants, but it’s a tricky balance in doing this work and not burning out. Self care is not something I’m good YET…I’m working on it.
My most consistent form of self care has been just being outside. I spend a lot of time outside just sitting with momma earth, seeing myself reflected in all her sounds, beauties, colors and textures. It’s a form of co-regulation, my favorite kind of regulation.
Recently I’ve been falling back in love with expressing myself visually on paper or keeping my hands busy with beading, sewing or knitting works. I’ve also been doing these ‘floral freestyles,’ which has felt so great to express myself in that way."
"I don’t really watch TV or media very much but
What she's reading these days:
As a farm worker, horticulturalist, and floral designer Amber has exceptional insight into the world of farming, food sovereignty and much, much more. Recently featured in Forbes’
,’ Amber leads a busy life as a celebrated floral designer, farm worker, urban farmer, and community organizer all across the US.Stay tuned for her upcoming posts!
You can find her on Instagram @ambertamm.
]]>By Dr. Caroline Lewis, MSc ND
There’s a new wave of skincare to level-up your skin routine. Want to boost your skin barrier and microbiome for that youthful, healthy glow? Let’s talk oils.
First, let’s cover some skin basics.
Your skin has over 1 trillion bacteria living on it - I know, right? Our good skin bacteria make important enzymes and molecules we need for clear skin and a strong army against the thousands of toxins it’s exposed to daily. We want to keep these bugs in happy harmony by helping good bacteria grow, and minimizing bacteria that may harm our glow. Otherwise, our microbiome can be tipped out of balance - this is called dysbiosis, which happens in our gut microbiome, too! When dysbiosis affects our skin, you might suffer from stubborn breakouts, inflammation (redness, irritation, dryness), or even eczema, rosacea, or psoriasis. Maybe you also see a dull, drab complexion in the mirror, rather than a radiant glow.
Cleansers can help clear our skin of bad bacteria, but they can also destroy our good bacteria. I’m not just talking about face cleansers - we’re talking body wash, too. This happens by:
The skin barrier is made up of different proteins (like collagen, filaggrin, keratin), enzymes, ceramides, fatty acids, and cholesterol. And, let’s not forget hyaluronic acid. This is what keeps our skin plump, hydrated, and soft. It also protects our microbiome from bad bacteria, inflammation, chemicals from our makeup, UV rays, and pollution. Just like our gut lining, our skin barrier has proteins called tight junctions that keep hydration IN and bad bacteria OUT. When the skin barrier’s compromised, tight junctions spread apart, so water escapes and bacteria enter. This can trigger our skin’s immune cells, causing inflammation and irritation.
Bottom Line: Losing our skin’s defense can leave us with dry, dehydrated skin.
Our skin pH is naturally more acidic, which strengthens our skin barrier. Many cleansers have higher (alkaline) pH, which can allow bad bacteria to grow, and cause redness, breakouts, and clogged pores. At a higher pH, we also lose enzymes that help our skin retain moisture, and gain enzymes that cause dryness.
You might think oils and skincare don’t mix. Will they clog your pores? Make your skin oilier? Let’s bust some myths.
Plant-based oils are naturally anti-inflammatory and soothe our skin, while stimulating skin cell regeneration. Oils support a healthy skin barrier and won’t disrupt your skin pH. No added chemicals means your skin’s natural oils and hydrating compounds (like hyaluronic acid) won’t be stripped. Oils are also anti-microbial, which supports our skin microbiome and fights bad bacteria that cause acne and clogged pores. The fatty acids in oils can repair our skin barrier, especially those higher in linoleic acid (like sunflower seed). Whereas oils like jojoba prevent water loss, for hydration and plumpness. Oils may just be the fountain of youth - they are packed with polyphenols for an anti-oxidant punch!
So, what are you waiting for?
Run, don’t walk to your skincare cupboard to toss the soap, and make room for some oils.
Dr. Caroline Lewis is a Naturopathic Doctor from Toronto, obsessed with all things gut health, skincare, and mental wellness. Check out Dr. Lewis on Instagram @healthwithcare for more.
]]>Okay, maybe you have heard of it, but you probably haven't heard that they beat out supplements and synthetics every time. The studies are in and the jury’s out, the best probiotic is (drumroll, please)...
That’s right, fruits and veggies! Did you think we were going to hawk the hottest new pill on the market? The one crazy trick that doctor’s hate? Not really our style.
CRUDE gets that we are what our microbes eat.
Isn’t that the saying? Maybe it should be considering the impact diet has on our gut microbiota, or microbiome, the trillions of bacteria that line our digestive system regulating our metabolism, the nutrients we draw from food, and even our mood.
More and more, people substitute fresh fruits and vegetables with vitamin pills and other dietary supplements meant to bridge the nutrition gap. And hey, we get it, the gummies do taste great, but there might be some unexpected drawbacks.
While a number of processed foods in the grocery aisle are fortified with synthesized nutrients (like cereal, for example), a recent study from Tufts University found that people were less likely to die of heart failure and other diseases when their vitamin, magnesium, and zinc intake occurred naturally through their diet. Studies also show that even fortified foods lack adequate fiber and alter the way fats are carried through our body, raising ‘bad’ cholesterol and increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease.
But if pills and fortified foods are meant to replicate the real nutrients, what’s the difference?
Produce is chock full of it and not the kind that needs washing off. In fact, most of the microbes are inside the fruit and veggies, not on the skin or peels. These whole foods are a natural probiotic, working to increase the diversity of your gut flora which restores and maintains the beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract.
So, while processed meals and vitamin pills are certainly convenient, they lack the healthy bacteria of whole foods and aren’t true substitutes for produce.
Here at CRUDE, we’re all about nurturing your nature and eating natural, whole foods is only one aspect of letting your powerful (and intelligent!) body regulate and repair itself. Give your microbiome a break and hit the produce section before the supplements aisle.
Notice the difference? Share your #BiomeBreak story on social media and show us how you’re caring and repairing your powerful self, bacteria and all.
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