YogaBabes

yogababes holiday gift guide by jessicamulvey on...

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 08:32:49 -0800

yogababes holiday gift guide by jessicamulvey on polyvore.com

Potting Shed Creations - The Art of Gardening | The Art of Design, $35
Russian Fir Limited Edition Soy Candle - 5.5 OZ | Pacifica Perfume, $16
Essential Oils Wholesale | Aromatherapy Expert, $50
RuMeBags - Baggie / Peace / Crimson, $5.50

Girl Geek Chic » soda stream (clipped to polyvore.com)

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 07:44:13 -0800

Girl Geek Chic » soda stream (clipped to polyvore.com)

Potting Shed Creations - The Art of Gardening | The Art of...

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 07:24:34 -0800

Potting Shed Creations - The Art of Gardening | The Art of Design (clipped to polyvore.com)

yogababes by jessicamulvey featuring peace sign jewelryHard Tail...

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:06:50 -0800

yogababes by jessicamulvey featuring peace sign jewelry

Hard Tail lightweight hoodie, $90
Sports bra, $48
sigg 1l sport top bottle | women’s equipment | lululemon athletica, $25
Mulberry peace sign jewelry, $110
Nike ‘Free Run’ Running Shoe (Men), $90
LW6086S_0001_1 (JPEG Image, 310x385 pixels)

YogaBabes

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:24:59 -0700

There has been lots of fun stuff happening on www.yogababes.me/blog! I hope you check it out- add me to your bookmarks, rss feed, bloglovin, etc! I am also on twitter @yoga_babes and on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SDyogababes

I have posted TONS of new recipes for the holidays, new yoga videos, and lots of fun pictures. :-) I have also been guest posting all over the place!

New Post on New Blog

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 10:23:35 -0700

New post at yogababes.me/blog - Why I eat organically, dispelling any myths about organic food, and explaining about what it means to be organic! Click here http://yogababes.me/blog/ to read, learn, enjoy, then bookmark!

New Blog!!

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 15:06:00 -0700

Happy Tuesday,

I have very exciting news! I am thrilled to announce that I am the newest official yoga and wellness blogger for Daphne’s Greek Cafe. Every month I will share my favorite yoga poses, their benefits, my latest nutritional advice, and much more. Click here to see my September post: http://www.daphnesgreekcafe.com/guest-blog-from-yogababes.html

You may also notice that my blog has been moved from http://yogababes.tumblr.com/ to here, http://yogababes.me/blog/. Go ahead and please bookmark it so you can keep up with all my latest posts. This new site is not only a wonderful facelift for my blog, but now you can comment, share, and connect more easily with everything YogaBabes has to offer.

Wouldn’t you love a yoga pose that strengths your legs,...

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 13:52:00 -0700

Wouldn’t you love a yoga pose that strengths your legs, core, and arms all the same time? It’s your lucky day, because Vasisthasana, or side plank, does just that! This gratifying pose not only strengthens and tones, but will improve your balance as well.

Starting in high plank, place your right hand in the center of your mat. Gracefully shift your weight onto the outside edge of your right foot and stack your left foot on top of the right. Slowly find enough balance to float your left arm up to the sky. Feel yourself push against the floor while reaching up out of your left fingertips. Engage your core and quadriceps for added stability. Lift your hips slightly so there is one long line from the top of your head, down to your heels. Hold this pose for 5-10 breathes and then repeat on the other side.

If this is too much, come down onto a bent right knee. This modification will take some of the weight out of the wrists, as well as provide extra stability.

For an added challenge, trace your left foot up the inseam of your right leg, and find a ‘tree pose’ variation, while remaining in side plank.

YogaBabes’ Guilt-Free Mojitos! In a shaker, place 12...

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:16:00 -0700

YogaBabes’ Guilt-Free Mojitos!

In a shaker, place 12 organic mint leaves, 4 shots of papagayo organic rum, juice of 1 large organic lime, and 2 tablespoons of agave. Shake vigorously until chilled. Distribute among 4 glasses and top off with club soda and garnish with mint leaves.

YogaBabes’ Mojitos taste refreshing and delicious because of the natural, pesticide-free ingredients. We use agave instead of sugar to ward off feeling nasty the next morning. Papagayo organic rum is created with organically harvested sugarcane by farmers who are treated fairly. If you are feeling bold, throw in some crushed strawberries, blueberries, or pomegranates.

YB would like to thank Sarah Clark for the darling photos!

YogaBabes Yoga Mat Cleaner: You will need: 1 Spray bottle Fill...

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 10:45:39 -0700

YogaBabes Yoga Mat Cleaner:

You will need:

1 Spray bottle

Fill it half up with water

Fill it half up with witch hazel

Use 15-25 drops total of any or all of the following essential oils: lemongrass, lemon, tea tree oil, or eucalyptus oil.

The reason I use witch hazel is because it is an astringent, so it cleans like an alcohol-based product would but without any of the drying, damaging effects. It is safe on our expensive mats and safe for our skin. I recommend using the aforementioned oil since they are known for their natural antimicrobial qualities. Mind you, this cleaner is so safe- it can be used for diaper changing tables, steering wheels, massage table, etc. I love this formula because it leaves my mat smelling wonderful and I never have to worry about resting my forehead on the mat during child’s pose!

If you are not interested in creating your own cleaner, I would highly recommend purchasing Thieves by YoungLiving. It is just as safe and still a very effective disinfectant. You can purchase it here: http://www.secretofthieves.com/thieves-cleaner.cfm

www.yogababes.me

twitter: @jessicamulvey

Granola, Zucchini Pasta, and PUREMamas

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 08:20:44 -0700

Happy Tuesday!

Today you will notice I guest blogged on http://puremamas.squarespace.com/ - such a cute blog, huh? Although I am the worlds worst storyteller, I am going to attempt to explain how I randomly discovered how much Juli Novotny, from PUREmamas, and I have in common. I made a linkedin account about two weeks ago and linkedin said I would want to know her (haha linkedin is such a genius). I clicked on her linkedin profile and saw that she had a masters in holistic nutrition, which is something that I happen to be very interested in. So, I emailed her and ask about which program she studied, if she liked it, etc. From there we decided to guest blog on one another’s websites and began emailing a few times a week. It turns out that she and I both love Bergamont Spa and she seriously only lives a few blocks from my house! Small small world people.

Anyways, please go take a peeksie at her blog, she posted two of my favorite recipes!! You will find my vegan granola (it is sooo yummy) and my zucchini as pasta dish (very tasty and very healthy). Enjoy!

http://puremamas.squarespace.com/

www.yogababes.me

Wow, Swan Lake

Sat, 10 Sep 2011 12:59:24 -0700

Wow, Swan Lake:

I was an avid dancer before I became obsessed with yoga… so I know both dancers and yogis will appreciate this video! It is truly amazing, I promise! This video makes me want to go work on my flexibility!

These are a few of my favorite things… 1. Garden of Eden...

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:06:14 -0700

These are a few of my favorite things…

1. Garden of Eden is the company I receive my CSA box from. Everyone should try subscribing to a CSA box… by the way, CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Every week I get a box full of veggies, fruit, and herbs from all over the area. You always get what is in season now and you never know what is going to be in the box, but that is part of the fun!

2. Car Aromatherphy Diffuser! I’m obsessed, you use 5-10 drops of your favorite essential oil and it leaves you feeling amazing and your car smelling wonderful!

3. Rolling garlic mincer. My Nana gave me this for Christmas last year and I had no idea what it was or how to use it. Once I figured out how easy it was, I fell in love. I use this every day, all you do is put a clove of peeled garlic in and roll it around- ta dah!

4. Dr. Bronners is magical, organic, and local (for San Diegans, at least). I have used the tea tree and lavender soap as body wash and dog wash primarily but it has TONS of other uses. It can be used as shampoo, laundry soap, and shaving gel!

5. I scream for ice cream. What I love about these ice cream bars, besides the fact they are yummmmmy, is that I can recognize and read all of the ingredients!! Also, my hubby cannot consume dairy so these are a wonderful alternative for us. Lastly, I love these bars because of their size, not too small, and not too big!

YogaBabes Visits Chicago

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 10:18:17 -0700

As I write this, I am one hour into a four hour lay over in Colorado- so lame. I am heading home from a wonderful weekend spent exploring Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. My husband, Logan, and I had an amazing time- we took a boat tour of Chicago with Shayla (his cousin), we went to the epic Notre Dame versus USF game (his cousin Matt is on the ND football team), and we swam in Lake Michigan! Logan and I love traveling, but we sometimes feel it’s hard to stick to our healthy lifestyles while on a trip. Being away from home, we don’t always get a good workout in or eat as healthfully as we would like, but on this trip we were determined to make a valiant effort to stick to our normal healthy routine.

1. Get moving! Logan and I wanted to see Notre Dame, so his cousin, Shayla, gave us a running tour! It was a super efficient way to see everything and slip in a great workout. Also, when we got to Chicago we decided to not use a taxi unless we absolutely had to. It was so fun to travel by foot everywhere because we burned calories and were able to see so much more of the city.

2. Wellness fizz. If you were ever into the Airborne craze, try Wellness Fizz. These water soluble tablets are all natural and full of herbs, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. We love them and use them whenever we travel. You can find them at Wholefoods, Henry’s, or online.

3. Strike a pose. On one of our walks through the park we needed to mix it up and stretch, so we did a little impromptu yoga. Not only did it feel great but it made for some really unique photos.

4. Share a meal. Logan and I normally eat a small breakfast when at home, so when we saw how huge the portions were at this breakfast joint we were at, we decided to split our meal. Of course we didn’t do this for every meal but when we were not starving, we did! It cuts the calories, and bill, in half!

5. Pack a snack. We also try to bring our own snacks to the airport. My favorite snack to bring is trail mix. Let’s be honest, airport food is always expensive, unhealthy, and underwhelming. Next time you travel, try this trail mix recipe: combine raw almonds, dried unsalted edamame, your favorite dried fruit (I completely salivate over Wholefoods dried strawberries), dark bittersweet chocolate chips, and some of your favorite granola cereal. I like this recipe because it is sweet, crunchy, and filling.

Hope you enjoyed these traveling tid bits, speaking of which, I am going to walk around the airport to burn some calories, since I still have 3 HOURS left to hang at the airport! Till next time all my YogaBabes! www.yogababes.me

Simply Sweet and Stress-free Yoga for all Brides-to-be!

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 10:05:30 -0700

Simply Sweet and Stress-free Yoga for all Brides-to-be!:

Today I was a guest on Simply Sweet Wedding’s blog! Holly, the owner of the company recently asked me if I had any advice for her beautiful brides-to-be and so I decided to share how I used yoga to stay sane during my wedding planning process. Take a peek, and try out my Simply Sweet and Stress-free yoga series!

Namaste,

Jessica

www.yogababes.me

I feel like this song would be the soundtrack to my previous...

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 07:31:05 -0700

I feel like this song would be the soundtrack to my previous post. Play and read my friends. :-)

Kindness is Contagious

Sun, 28 Aug 2011 14:50:00 -0700

I just got home from work… yes, I know it is Sunday! Logan is up in Orange County, so it is just me and Bodhi (our puppy). As soon as I walk in the door I see a note from my husband on the counter. It reads “Love you so much! Have a great day, go shopping”! How cute is that? It made me smile for so many reasons. It made me smile because it was such a surprise, it made me smile that he thought to even leave me a note, and it made me smile because I now have the green light to go visit Anthropologie (hahahah).

Then, I go pull up my email and notice an email from my dad. His email is a photo of the blackberry bushes that I tended to EVERY August of my whole life. Recently, my dad put my childhood home on the market, which even though it makes a ton of sense for my dad, it has been really hard for me. If you scroll down and look at the bottom photo, you will see that my dad wrote me a note saying these blackberry bushes were waiting for me to pick them when I come visit in September. How precious is that?

Then…I kid you not, no more than 10 minutes later, my best friend Joni walks in the house with a bouquet for me! I started tearing up immediately because the timing of it was just too beautiful. Again, just a small act but it meant so much to me. All I can say is God is so good… :-)

These three small acts of thoughtfulness completely made my day! Part of the reason I blog is simply to try to inspire… and so today I encourage you to do something spontaneously considerate! You will make someone’s day with your little act of unexpected kindness and I believe that the kindness you exemplify will become contagious. In the words of Mother Teresa “kind words can be short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless”.

Thanks Log. Thanks Dad. Thanks Joni. I love you. What a beautiful day.

Nuts for the Coco..nut

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 09:37:10 -0700

Lets talk coconut oil. There are so many oils out there… sesame oil, olive oil, grape seed oil but none are as miraculous as coconut oil. Today, I have 5 NEW ways for you to use coconut oil. It is absolutely wild how multipurpose coconut oil can be, so prepare yourself! But before I go any further, let us clarify what I mean when I say coconut oil…I mean cold pressed, extra virgin coconut oil. There is a difference, just like with olive oil versus EVOO (extra virgin olive oil… my mother told me its way cooler to use the abbreviation haha).

1. One of my favorite ways to use coconut oil, is to use it as a luscious body lotion. Coconut Oil is especially effective for people who tend to have dry skin. I have a friend, Kelly, who uses it all over her body, everyday, and she has spectacular skin- it seriously glows!

2 I really, really detest most commercial eye make-up removers, they hurt my contacts and the way they feel just sicks me out. Recently, I read that I could use coconut oil to take off my make-up (yes, including my eye make-up) and I’m never going back! What I love most about using coconut oil as a make-up remover is that it is very gentle but still works very fast.

3 Lots of people ingest or apply coconut oil to help boost their metabolism, clear their skin, condition their hair, and strengthen their immune system! See what I told you, it is miraculous!

4 I have been cooking with coconut oil for a while now, but I am constantly learning new ways of using it as an ingredient! Did you know you can put it in smoothies, drink it as a hot tea, use it instead of butter, sauté with it, or even bake with it?

5 Hopefully, this is not news to you, but there is research out there that claims antiperspirants are bad for your health. Luckily, you can use coconut oil to make your own deodorant. If you are interested (which would be so very green of you!) here are the directions: http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/03/update-homemade-deoderant.html - good luck!

Head Over Heels

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 19:48:02 -0700

Inversions are an important part of one’s yoga practice but for most of us the idea of going upside down makes us very uncomfortable. Though, once you take the time building the strength and confidence, inversions are so much fun! (I have been a little obsessed with them this summer!) Not only do inversions look acrobatic and super impressive but believe it or not, they actually have tons of physiological benefits!

For starters, did you know that inversions help improve your cardiovascular system? Your cardiovascular system includes your heart, your blood, and the complete network of your body’s blood vessels. (FYI: Your arteries carry your freshly oxygenated blood away from the heart and your veins carry your blood back to your heart.) Along the way, there are one-way valves to prevent backwash and to help blood flow; this system is called your venous return. When you invert your body upside down, you are encouraging your venous return. These are the same benefits you would yield after a high intensity aerobic exercise. This stimulation of venous return helps the deoxygenated blood from the lower extremities reach the heart and it may also reduce stress on your heart by reversing the pressure differential.

Going upside down also helps your lymphatic system. They lymphatic system is a network of vessels that carry lymph toward the heart. This system plays a very important role in aiding our immune system and our circulatory system. Our lymphatic system is a lot like a sewage system, it wicks all the yucky stuff away. Generally speaking, muscle movement is the best way to get lymph moving. Though in yoga, we can do even better than that! In yoga, we can turn ourselves upside and then gravity literally does all the work for the lymph system, which dramatically improves our lymph flow!

Inversions even support your endocrine system. The endocrine system is comprised of hormones and glands that influence your mood, growth, development, metabolism, sexual function, and reproductive health. When upside down in an inversion, it is understood that the thyroid and parathyroid glands (glands responsible for metabolism and located at the bottom of our neck) are flushed with new oxygenated blood and hence their performance improves.

Last but not least, we cannot forget how inversions improve your musculature. Obviously, it is very important to keep our skeletal muscles toned because they help provide balance, strength, posture, and movement. When performing and maintaining inversions such as a headstand, handstand, or shoulderstand, you typically strengthen the following muscles: your anterior and lateral deltoids (shoulders), upper trapezius muscles (upper back), biceps/triceps (arms), gluteus maximus (buttocks), quadriceps (thighs), abdominals (core), and more. Believe me, it takes a lot of strength to gracefully float your feet above your head- I am still working on the graceful part!

Take note, inversions are not for everyone. Be mindful and listen to your body before, during, and after an inversion. Before attempting an inversion on your own, you should consult your yoga instructor for some guidance.

Check back soon… in the next few days I am going to post some silly photos!

www.yogababes.me

Cookie Monster

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 14:21:00 -0700

Do I have any bakers out there today? I have one word for you: BabyCakes! Commit it to memory people! This cookbook has forever changed the way I bake. Not only are the recipes heavenly, they are also gluten-free AND vegan. It is true… therefore, they are on the healthier side (as far as pastries are concerned) and still insanely delectable!

Today is your lucky day, because today I am going to share with you my favorite chocolate chip cookies recipe from BabyCakes (slightly tweaked from the recipe found in the book because I like my cookies very chewy)! I know that some of the ingredients are perhaps, ‘unusual’, so you might have to include them on your grocery-shopping list for next time you run to the store…but I am telling you it is so worth it! If possible do not substitute any of these ingredients. I swear sticking to the original ingredient list is worth the trouble; you’ll see outcome is divine!

1 ½ cup of oat flour

1 cup Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour (or regular baking flour if you are not celiac or gluten intolerant)

1 cup vegan sugar (I like to use turbinado/raw sugar because it has more nutritional value)

¼ cup flax meal

¼ cup arrowroot

1.5 Tsp Xanthan gum

1 Tsp baking soda

1 Tsp salt (I used sea salt)

¾ cup plus 4 Tbs of melted coconut oil

6 Tbs applesauce

2 Tbs Vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips (you can also use dark chocolate or M&Ms)

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a bowl, stir together the flours, sugar, flax meal, arrowroot, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt. Add the coconut oil, applesauce, and vanilla and stir until doughy. Stir in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

Drop the dough by the spoonful onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1.5 inches apart. Bake for 7 minutes, rotate the baking sheets, and bake for 7 minutes more, or until golden brown. Let the cookies cool for 15 minutes (it is worth the wait people… we don’t want anyone burning their mouths). Get ready to indulge YogaBabes style!