by Melanie Rogers Do you ever get that afternoon slump full of fatigue, droopiness and a general feeling of apathy? Would you rather take a nap and escape to another place than deal with the kids or your stressed out coworker from 2-4 pm? Does a general feeling of not giving a f*#k about anything creep in because you can’t seem to sustain your energy the entire day? My intuition tells me that a vast amount of people can relate to what I am saying. I was experiencing this on a regular basis! Some days, even with the healthiest of diets, I was overwhelmed and exhausted trying to face the evening of kids, errands and household chores after a full day of work. What do we do to combat the afternoon slump? With perpetual summer happening around here in So Cal, I wanted to have sustained energy throughout my day and finally, I decided to create my own remedy. I understand that committing to this type of remedy can be a challenge, but with a little discipline and consistent, healthy lifestyle choices… it is possible to incorporate these beverages into your daily routine. So often we reach for that sugary third cup of coffee or over indulge in a snack loaded with high fructose to get us through until dinner. Sometimes we are not even aware that we binge on these types of foods and beverages. I am here to tell you to STOP these self-defeating habits, have more awareness during the day when you are experiencing an energy crash and try one of my three secret nourishing drinks that will change your afternoons for the better. They are my secret weapon against the afternoon slump! Not only do they give you a boost of energy, they are filled with nutrient dense, skin glowing, gut-healing benefits! Here we go... Let's kick that energy slump right in the behind and tell it to "hit the road!" Drink 1: Green Tea Matcha! Comprised of powdered green tea leaves, you cannot beat the power packed, antioxidant filled benefits of this superstar. Matcha boosts your metabolism, detoxifies and calms your body while energizing your mind. It is known to enhances your mood and even lowers cholesterol and blood sugar. What?! One drink can do all of that?! Indeed. And, don’t think you can just buy some green tea bags and get the same rockstar result. It would take up to 10 cups of green tea to match the antioxidant power in one cup of Matcha. Matcha is a total superstar and wins the gold metal over most other fruits and veggies with its HIGH antioxidant content. Just to be clear my friends, antioxidants help prevent aging and fight disease. Boom. Super important! *Caffeine alert: Matcha does contain caffeine, so be careful drinking it at night. But, unlike too much coffee, you will NOT feel jittery from it. Again, Matcha = calm body, alert mind. Drink 2: My second superstar beverage is a concoction: I’ll call it “Melanie-Aid.” It’s a combo of coconut water and apple cider vinegar! Between these two ingredients, you have a super-duper hydrating, detoxing, alkalizing, cold-busting and energizing fusion! *Apple Cider Vinegar is known to aid in weight loss, benefit the look of your skin and help repair your digestive system. *Coconut water is full of potassium, making it a pretty stellar electrolyte beverage (aka: get rid of your Gatorade). This hydrating drink can help athletic performance, lower cholesterol and relax muscle tension. It will help immensely if you are dehydrated, which is a common cause of fatigue. I add one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a small glass of coconut water. To add additional cleansing and weight loss benefits, sprinkle in some cinnamon and cayenne! Drink this every day and watch your skin GLOW. This my friends, is an immune power-house beauty tonic. Drink 3: My final afternoon mega star beverage extraordinaire is (Drum roll…) a piping hot cup of organic bone broth! Yes…Bone broth. I can’t say enough amazing things about this rich and nourishing drink. *Bone broth is chocked full of minerals, protein, collagen and gelatin… all of which benefits your skin and BIG-TIME anti-aging .When we get wrinkles, we lose collagen. When we consume collagen, we are helping slow down that aging process! Bone broth is very healing to our guts and can be used to help improve digestion and leaky gut syndrome. This brown gold is known to reduce cellulite, boost your immune system and help reduce joint pain! I have clients (and myself) who swear by collagen found in bone broth to make those aches and pains a little better! Think of bone broth as your anti-aging cocktail secret! So, next time you are reaching for that third cup of coffee, consider these amazing, nutrient dense drink alternatives! Living in SoCal makes it very easy to find the ingredients for these concoctions. I usually shop at my favorite local grocery stores and most of these products are affordable as well. Do yourself a HUGE self-loving favor and add these three beverages into your daily routine. They are filled with skin glowing and energizing properties. I hope you try my recommendations. Enjoy! Thanks for reading and for your support. Stay tuned for more of my articles on LoSoCal. If you would like to learn more about me and connect, please follow me and say hello on Instagram and Facebook! You can also email me directly with any questions. xo About the AuthorHello! I am an eclectic pilates trainer/health coach with a Master’s of Science degree in traditional Chinese medicine. I spent years as a professional ballerina and have a passion for the the arts, yummy food and holistic fitness. Being a third generation San Diego native, I have a deep love and appreciation for all Things Californian.
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by Michael Arnold If you drive northbound on the I-5 freeway through San Diego (depending upon your final destination, of course) you are likely to pass a small stretch of beach that may not seem of any particular interest. Travelers passing through could easily notice the blue shoreline, white sands, and rocky bluffs which are common staples of California’s coastline. However, if you take the time to explore this location, you will experience something much more than it initially lets on. It is the Torrey Pine State Natural Reserve, and it is one of the only homes of the Torrey Pine, a rare and endangered tree species. With only about 100 surviving trees left, it holds the not so coveted position of being the second rarest pine tree in the world, only behind the Southern Lacebark Pine in China. The reserve is a tranquil and picturesque destination, home of many hiking trails and views to rival California’s better known beaches. Today, visitors can rest assured knowing that the area is being actively protected and restored, but the efforts to get there came neither easily nor quickly. The Torrey Pine was “officially” discovered in 1850 by Dr. Charles Parry, a passionate botanist who was passing through the San Diego area for work. He returned to the area in 1883, and upon finding that no protection measures were in place, he wrote an account describing in detail the scientific and ecological necessity of protecting this rare species. This marked the first steps in the Torrey Pine’s conservation. Within three years, legislation was implemented that placed one hundred dollar fines (about two thousand dollars today) for anyone who was found vandalizing a Torrey Pine. While this was a big win for the conservationists, aggressive grazing and logging efforts in 1890 left the area naked and the Torrey Pine critically endangered. More proactive measures had to be taken, so in 1899 conservationists George Marston, David Cleveland, and Belie Angler successfully lobbied City Council to keep 364 acres of land to be protected as a public park. In a few years, however, the lands surrounding the park were in danger of being commercially sold. It wasn’t until a Southern California philanthropist, Ellen Browning Scripps, purchased additional lots surrounding the area and gave them back to the people of San Diego that the park in its current, protected state...could finally come to fruition. The history of this location was something that piqued my interest and called me to experience its wonder on a personal level. That being said, my hike across the reserve was serene. The closer parking lot was full, but I didn’t mind parking further away to experience a breathtaking walk down San Diego’s shoreline. There are many areas along this stretch of beach that are still being restored, and I felt overjoyed that even today these small gems of land are being actively protected. The hike is not a long or difficult one, so it is a perfect weekend excursion for people of all ages and athletic ability. When I made it to the top of the reserve’s bluff, I was struck by the sheer simplicity of what I was experiencing- a whale spouting water, wind blowing small sand tornadoes, a squirrel finding shade beneath the afternoon sun. I was simply viewing the world in its natural state of being. Appreciation of Southern California’s beauty only requires eyes and a love for nature, yet it took more than thirty years to place protection on it. The trail is marked with several plaques thanking the men and women who worked to create and protect the reserve. In my mind, the best way we can respect their efforts is by enjoying the beautiful land and ensuring that the reserve and its delicate Torrey Pine survive for as long as we can allow it. I had a great time at the Torrey Pine reserve, and I hope to inspire all my readers to go out and explore our amazing state of California and all it has to offer! Click the map below for easy to use directions via Google Maps. Stop by Torrey Pine State Natural Reserve for your next SoCal adventure! About the AuthorHey LoSoCal readers! My name is Michael Arnold and I have been a proud Southern Californian for twenty two years. I am a UC Santa Barbara alumni (Go Gauchos!) who enjoys the outdoors, nature, and generally living healthy and happy. The goal of my writing is to not only publicize some of the great things SoCal has to offer, but to also inspire my readers to go out and have great experiences! Some of my topics of interest include hiking, mindfulness, health and wellness, scuba diving, and poetry. |
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November 2019
Owner, Lead BloggerHello, my name is Karen Vazquez. I have lived in Southern California for over thirty years. I realized about four years ago that it was time for me to give back to this wonderful community by supporting local SoCal businesses, performers, restaurants, spas, boutiques, fitness studios, farmers markets and more. My support shines through here by highlighting these fabulous local SoCal spots. You can also follow me on Instagram, Twitter, PInterest and LinkedIn. I will be featuring many local destinations in the area that have been my personal favorites for years and am currently recruiting guest bloggers to expand the voice of LoSoCal. I have had guest bloggers in the past, but aim to incorporate local SoCal bloggers on a regular basis as a fun, creative and collaborative way to connect with the community here. Essentially, LoSoCal is a community blog, and it is meant to be resource to locals in this area and visitors from around the world. Please like or follow LoSoCal on the social media business pages and tell your contacts about the blog. Thanks for stopping by... ©️2020 LoSoCal and Local SoCal Lifestyle. All rights reserved.
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