THE TRANSFORMATION WITH KIM KIMBLE

When it comes to creating dynamic hair in film, TV, photoshoots, videos, red carpets (Met Gala, Oscars, etc.), Coachella and cover editorials (Vogue, Vanity Fair, etc.), Kim Kimble is a known name in the industry. Her level of creativity and transforming her clients to another level has been seen on Beyoncé, Shakira, Mary J. Blige, Zendaya and Kelly Rowland to name a few. This 3rd generation hair stylist has grown her brand to include a full line of products from wigs, extensions and hair care. For 5 seasons, she shared the business of hair from her salon, team and her celeb clients on WE TV's L.A. Hair. In addition, she continues to challenge herself as she takes on projects that showcase that her there are no bounds to her vision of dominating the industry that she loves so much.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What was the moment that you realized that you wanted to be a hairstylist?

KIM KIMBLE: Well in all honesty, I’m a 3rd generation hairstylist so my mother and my grandmother also did hair. I was around it all my life; however, I wasn’t convinced that I would do it forever. I would do hair, work my way – after I got my license, I worked on hair as I made my way through fashion school as I wanted to be a fashion designer. That was my dream at the time. In all honesty, once I started doing hair, one day I realized that I love the challenge of it. I saw you could do more than just stand behind a chair. Early on – they called it Platform Artists Hair Stylists, there were hair shows and I could see that there was more then just doing this. Once I saw the transformation of my clients in my chair, when they would get out of my chair – that’s where my slogan, ‘Great Hair Equals Confidence,” came from as I saw the change in my clients when they would get out of the chair and how they would transform. I would see it later when I would work my celebrity clients and they would get on stage and how they would become a whole other person.

That gave me a lot of purpose and even with creating products and things like that, seeing the change and how it could make a difference in a person’s life – there is something about that that fulfills me. So I was like, I’m sticking with hair and gave up fashion.

AM: What was the project that made you realize that you had made it?

KK: Oh wow. I mean when I did BAPS, that was my first movie and that was pretty great for me. I had so many milestones in my career. But I think that once I started working with Beyoncé and I saw respect. I started getting so many different people reaching out to work with me. I started seeing the change of being accepted for different magazines and being able to do different covers. Then I knew that the career was really taking off and was onto something special. You know, I was able to transform my career and I saw a change. One day, you’re doing your thing and then the next day you’re like the most sought after hairstylist in the world because of one client. I got to experience that. I was doing celebrities before I met her and I was doing film before I met her. How I met her was through film, but in all honesty, I really took off and everything changed. When her career started taking off as a solo artist as her career was huge with Destiny’s Child, it was her solo career when I started working with her and everything changed.

AM: What does it mean to be Kimbleized?

KK: Well Kimbleized, the phrase came from one day when I was on WE TV’s L.A. Hair, my reality show. I mentioned it in a confessional that she has now been Kimbleized. It means that she has been touched by the Kimble, her hair has been certified by Kim Kimble and transformed by Kim Kimble in the Kim Kimble style and in the Kim Kimble way. I said it one day in an interview and then they put these chimes behind it and I was like, “yes” and I had an epiphany and I said, “everyone is going to be Kimbleized.” When I have finished someone’s hair I will tell them, “you have just been Kimbleized.” It’s also because when I’m with my clients, I spoil them so well when they get their hair done that they don’t want to go to anybody else. Your life has been changed and you want Kim Kimble to do your hair. It’s a whole thing.

AM: In talking about your show, it was one of the first ones that I knew of that incorporated your whole team, having the nail artists that was there and showing the culture of getting your look put together. What was the confluence that happened that made you think that you wanted to do a show?

KK: In all honesty, I’m a creative person. I used to produce hair shows and events like that. So I had the producer/creative bug in me. I had been trying to create these shows for a minute but I hadn’t been successful. I wasn’t really trying to do one surrounding me and my squad. That’s not what I was pitching. Then I gave up because I hadn’t had any luck doing that and I didn’t get picked up. It happens a lot. You go out there, you pitch, sometimes you’re hot and sometimes you’re not. I stopped pitching, gave up, said forget it and then a producer reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in coming in and having a show that was about me and my team. They knew there was someone who was looking for something like that. I said, “yeah ok, whatever.” I didn’t think that it would happen. At first I was a little nervous about doing something like that because I know how dramatic the salon, stylists and artists are. But you know that that’s what the shows look for, but I didn’t know if I wanted to put my business or brand in a situation that would affect me. I know that I had seen some of the shows and there was a little negativity there and I’m a control freak. I wanted to be in control of my brand and what I did. I didn’t want to put my brand in the hands of just anybody.

With the shows, those contracts are real serious. I didn’t even get to go on the pitches, I didn’t know who they pitched or what they did. All I know is that I was on a show called Let’s Stay Together on BET in Atlanta and I get a call and they say, “guess what? Your show has been picked up by WE TV.” I was like, “what?” It happened so fast that I didn’t even get a chance to think about it. I’m like that, I will just jump in feet first and just see what happens. I jumped into it. Was I nervous? Yes. I worked on TV and films, but I hadn’t worked on any reality shows. I didn’t know what that was like. I did a lot of television in terms of makeovers and interviews so I had done some things – it helped break me in, but it was a completely different thing.

The day the cameras came into the salon, I was like, “oh my God, what have I just done?” I didn’t know anything about this and it ended up working out just fine. I would do it again. It was dramatic, 5 seasons, but I was very proud of what we did. It was dramatic in front of and behind the camera, but I would do it again in a heartbeat. A lot of people really admired and loved the show. Every time I’m on my social media, I’m asked if L.A. Hair is coming back, what am I doing, will there be another show etc. They don’t realize that I’m a hair stylist first and not a television personality first. My day job is always working with clients. So when you saw that on the show, a lot of that stuff was real jobs that I had done and they allowed us to bring a camera. Sometimes it would be stuff that we would create for opportunities, but a lot of them were people that I had worked with. Some of them were people that I had not worked with and it was my first time working with them. It was important for me to show what we really do. The realness, running a business and a lot of people underestimate entrepreneurship which is interesting for women and especially women of color. There are a lot of women entrepreneurs and a lot of times in shows they may think that people want to see the drama, but they also want to know about running a business. It was important for me to share a lot of the things that were going on in the business, things that I did on set and that’s why people liked it – it was the real deal.

There was a little drama here and there and I would have people call me and say that they were going through the same thing at their salon. People can relate because everyone knows this is what salons bring and that’s why I was nervous because I knew that we were about to look real crazy on there. I’ll be honest with you, I’m not ashamed of any of it. I think it was a great opportunity and I know a lot of people have a lot of bad things to say about reality TV, but I will be honest with you. I don’t put anything out there that I don’t want out there! If I don’t want it out there, I don’t do it. What TV does is bring out who you are. It really brings it out whether you want it to or not. I will put that out there that if you want to do reality TV, then be careful because who you are will come out. A couple of times I got heated, but that’s real though. You can’t blame anybody who is focused on their business or their brand. I’m not afraid to let people know that I am territorial when it comes to taking care of my clients and I don’t want people taking advantage of me. I’m a business woman and I enjoyed it. I hope to get another chance as we’re looking at other opportunities which will be a little different. I don’t know if we’ll do L.A. Hair again because the times have changed and that’s been done – so I don’t know if we will do that again.

AM: You have created iconic looks and just recently with Beyoncé’s Black is King video with the 30ft braids. How do you come up with your concepts and what is that process like?

KK: This particular process was interesting. When we work together, we create boards and on this one, we started with Africa early on when she was doing Lemonade. I felt that natural hair was wear we wanted to go, her weave was more natural textures. We looked at the beauty of Africa and I was looking at women. I keep referring to Lemonade and going back there because that whole concept was about women early on before we had relaxers and that kind of stuff. We started with a lot of different African inspirations for hair. When she did Black is King, it was more about Africa and with The Lion King – what it would be like and discovering the beauty of Blackness. That’s what was amazing about that project. There were a couple of things that I had worked on for some of her videos. She has a creative director team and we were talking about a 30ft braid that needed to be long so that it could wrap around the body. Of course, that didn’t happen, but the wig was made and I have an amazing team of braiders that have worked with me on many projects. I dream up something and we get together and it’s like a lab. We test it out, do a couple of samples to see how it works and then it becomes something that we execute. When Beyoncé dreams something and says she wants this or that, we just create it – that’s what we do. That’s why I like working with her. It’s a lot of fun, it’s creative and I like to be challenged. Those challenges can be something crazy like a 30ft braid, Ivy Park beads in my braid – but you get with the team and we make it and we made history.

When I worked with Nicki Minaj, she had been wearing long hair and I wanted to do pink braids because she likes pink. I got together with the team and I said, “hey let’s do pink braids to the floor.” We broke the internet. I have been blessed to have great opportunities that are allowed by artists who create. I’m just an out there person when it comes to this and I like it!

AM: In addition to your great talent and custom work, you also have a line of products and hair as well. How important was it to you to bring this to market to round out your empire?

KK: This is the thing. With the celebrities that I work with, a lot of people want the same celebrity look and they want to know what you use and how to use it for that same look. A lot of the items were created to fit the needs of my clients. A lot of my clients are the inspiration behind these types of products. I started creating them to fit the mood of my customers.

In about a week or so, I am launching a line for Sally Beauty for natural hair. I’m excited about it, it’s an amazing line. I did it because on L.A. Hair people would message me on social and they would ask me what they could do to put on their natural hair. I have natural hair and creating great products, it’s so hard to find the right curl mixture. So we create those products because we need these items that work well in our hair. Sometimes they’re too greasy or they’re good with the hydration but they don’t quite get the style right. You have a lot of people that create lines, but they’re not hair stylists that have been doing hair for so many years. They don’t understand how hair works and what kinds of products are best suited for the hair. It’s another part of the creative process and it’s something that I like to be able to do.

AM: What are the other projects that you have on the horizon that we should know about as you’re always doing something.

KK: I’ve been doing a lot of consultations with clients online which has been a lot of fun actually! I can help them through this whole time to get their hair together for color, extensions and wigs. I’m creating a line of wigs which I am launching for HSN and I just told you about the products launching at Sally Beauty. A lot of people don’t know that we also do hair tools and there can be movie and TV shows that I’m working on coming up. I created a digital TV show on my own. You’ll be hearing about it soon. It’s not ready just yet we’re shooting it now but keep an eye out. It’s really great because it’s fun. You know Kim Kimble is always doing something even in the middle of a pandemic child!

AM: Honestly, if you’re able to do so. The pandemic has been a great time to launch, refine, pivot and deploy. People are a little more accessible at the moment.

KK: Exactly.

AM: We always like asking our changemakers as you are definitely one and you’re a trailblazer and being Ms Transformer, who are 3 people that inspire you to be where you are in your career?

KK: That’s easy. Madame CJ Walker, Jas On and my mom. Those are the people that inspire me.

IG @KimbleHairCare

PHOTOS COURTESY | Kim Kimble

Hear Celebrity Hair Stylist Kim Kimble on our show, #TRIBEGOALS - which is a part of Athleisure Studio, our multi-media podcast network! Make sure to subscribe to find out when the episode drops. You can hear it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and wherever you enjoy listening to your favorite podcast.

Read the Aug Issue of Athleisure Mag #56 and see The Transformation with Kim Kimble in mag.

5 WAYS TO PASS THE TIME WHILE WFH

We’re definitely living during strange times. We’re working from home, taking on a number of roles that we have never had to and we find that we’re always looking to change it up when it comes to adding a little variety to how we spend out time inbetween Zoom calls, projects and so much more. Pre COVID-19, we took our lunch break, popped by a neighbors cubicle or office to get a 5 mins escape or even took a moment at our desks. Being at home presents its challenges, but we have 5 ways that you can take a break while you’re WFH.

FITNESS BREAK

Sometimes we find that hours have gone by and we’re navigating projects, meetings and making note of what to do next. The day gets away from us and we realize that we’ve barely gotten up from our desk or couch and have been glued to our screens. It’s important to get up and walk around to ensure that you’re staying lucid as well as getting in a bit of fitness. Whether you’re doing stretches, meditation or 10-15 minutes of movement! We always have a number of apps that we enjoy using and when it comes to only using 7 minutes of your time, we suggest visiting 7 Minute Workout: Fitness App.

WATERCOOLER BREAK

It’s so important in this current time of social distancing and ensuring that you’re being safe as you navigate your life, to check up on those that you would usually see in person or who live away from you. As social people, it’s important to be able to laugh with one another, see one another’s faces and more. Whether you do a personal Zoom, Facetime or use Google Hangouts, this is a great way to make sure that you’re maintaining your relationships, continuing positive mental health and just getting back to basics with people that love you and know you. Make it as in person as possible – even though you’re virtual!

GAMING BREAK

Sometimes, you need to zone out for a few minutes or maybe a meeting was pushed back and you have more time on your hands. We’re all for playing responsibly so heading over to an online live casino is a great way to keep your mind engaged, play a variety of games and to keep yourself motivated throughout your day.

ORGANIZATION BREAK

It’s amazing how many of us have switched up our living spaces! Whether you’ve focused on enhancing your backyard, bedroom or other living areas in your home – making your space your own has become an essential since we spend so much time there. Sometimes, when we work from our desks, we find that piles of paper and other items begin to stack up. When you need a break, taking a few minutes to do a power clean allows your space to stay fresh while letting you come up for air throughout the day. For inspiration, we always enjoy looking at this feed to get home décor inspiration.

COCKTAIL BREAK

A great way to end the day is to have a cocktail. Once your work is done, it’s a nice way to transition from a busy day to your home duties. You can also see if other co-workers want to join you via Zoom or other friends that you know would be interested. If you are living with other people in your bubble, you can make this an event to connect to catch up on what you’re doing as well as upcoming plans. If you live in an area that has outdoor dining, this is also a great way to engage with others that are socially distanced.

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

CAN MEDICINAL CANNABIS HELP YOUR WORKOUT SESSION

As an athlete or fitness enthusiast, you need to refuel your body and take supplements to boost muscle recovery after a long training and workout session. Also, injury prevention should be an important aspect of your exercise. Fortunately, CBD is a promising supplement that can assist individuals during their workout sessions.

While reliable scientific evidence concerning CBD's relevance to athletics hasn't been established yet, many researchers are finding pieces of the puzzle.

Take a look at what they have to say about how CBD helps in athletic activities:

1.      Helps in Alleviating Soreness

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is one of the usual effects of pushing yourself too much when working out. It happens because of stress and inflammation in the muscles, which makes it painful and stiff. Usually, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as Ibuprofen, are used to treat DOMS. However, it might not work all the time and may have detrimental effects due to long-term use.

With its anti-inflammatory and pain-killing properties, which don’t make you high, cannabis is believed to overcome the post-workout pain. Additionally, it's thought to treat muscle spasms linked with Parkinson's and multiple sclerosis diseases. Furthermore, it's safe to use and doesn't affect your performance as an athlete.

To ensure that they're non-intoxicating and non-psychoactive, always check the ingredients of your CBD supplement. Ideally, they shouldn't have THC content or at least less than 0.3%.

2.      Improves Metabolism

CBD is thought to boost existing fat cells' metabolism and prevent the formation of new ones. There are two types of fat cells: white adipose tissue that stores excess body fat, and brown adipose tissue, which is responsible for using the beneficial fats of the body and generating it into heat.

By consuming CBD-containing supplements, they can support the browning of the white adipose tissues, decreasing the percentage of excess fat in the body and allowing a more productive metabolism. However, more studies are still required for this to be definite, but the initial finding is promising for preventing obesity in the future.

Moreover, skipping your meal after exercising can increase your weight rather than cutting them down. Instead, you can inhale CBD vapors as it helps refuel your body.

If you don't want to smoke, incorporating CBD on your foods can help. An excellent example is making your own CBD flour by following this instruction from seed supreme, which can be used for baking and cooking.

3.      Speeds Up Recovery

Injuries are prone to happen while training or working out. To prevent these from happening, you have to pay attention to muscle strengthening. Fortunately, cannabis can benefit your muscles and help you take fitness seriously.

CBD is thought to respond similarly to an anti-catabolic supplement, which is done by strengthening the endocannabinoid receptors. Once the endocannabinoid system operates, it may help prevent muscle loss and speed up the recovery process. Also, high-quality CBD supports the endocannabinoid system and enhances its function.

4.      Improves Sleep and Induce Calmness

Peace of mind and comfort are paramount to having an effective workout session. Taking medical cannabis is a great anti-inflammatory substance that induces calmness and enhances sleep quality. This way, you can focus more on working out or doing your training because you're not bothered by the pain.

Furthermore, an adequate amount of sleep every day is essential for your overall well-being. Cannabis is believed to play a role in your sleep, including:

·       Enhance sleep quality and duration

·       Help people who are suffering from sleep apnea

·       Aid people with PTSD by suppressing their dream

·       Alleviate Rapid Eye Movement (REM)

·       Decrease daytime fatigue

·       Lessens stress and anxiety

Best Ways To Consume CBD

To enjoy the effects of CBD, your product and method of administration significantly matter. There are different ways on how you can use CBD, and you can experiment which is best for your workout sessions.

Edibles are one of the trendy forms as it has a good taste, but it may take hours before it kicks in. People who use edibles often take another one after consuming one edible, which doubles the dosage before the effects hit.

On the other hand, the sublingual route is one of the best ways to take CBD as it's more effective and acts faster. Another way is smoking CBD, but it could cause lung diseases, while vaping may involve residual solvents and chemicals that could be dangerous.

If you're not a fan of vaping or smoking, you can try topical creams where you can apply it to your painful joints and muscles. If you want to relax while soaking yourself after a grueling workout, bath bombs are also a good idea.

Takeaways

Consuming cannabis is believed to alleviate muscle soreness, improve metabolism, improve sleep, calm you down, and speed up your recovery during injury. However, studies backing up these claims are still insufficient. Thus, as an athlete or gym enthusiast, it's advised that you seek help from a professional before trying CBD to prevent unwanted outcomes, ensuring your overall well-being.

7 TIPS ON STRENGTHENING YOUR MIDSECTION

Whether you’re looking to gain strength or just feel better about the way you look, proper exercising is the key to strengthening your abdominals. If you want to have a six-pack, or you would just prefer a tighter and more toned look to your stomach, getting there involves strengthening your core muscles. Here are 7 workout tips to point you in the right direction.

1.      High-Intensity Interval Training

If you’re looking to shed fat around your midsection, this comes down to reducing your overall body fat percentage. High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, has been proven to be one of the most powerful ways to accomplish this. Basically, what you do is take just a few different core-strengthening exercises, and complete each one at a very high intensity. When switching from one exercise to another, resist the temptation to rest in between. This elevates your heart rate, and helps to rev up your metabolism.

2.      Use a Stability Ball

To see some definition appear in your ab area, try including balance work into your exercise regimen. Using a stability ball, or yoga ball is a great way to engage your core. When you exercise with a stability ball, you not only build strength in your midsection, your back and pelvis get stronger as well. Strengthening your lower back is important because if there’s an imbalance of strength between your abs and your lower back, you may experience an injury or back pain.  Some great exercises you can do with a stability ball to flatten and tone your stomach area, while protecting your lower back, include:

·       Ball crunch

·       Ball knee raise

·       Ball bicycle crunch

·       Ball tuck

·       Ball pike

These are just some of the types you can do to get you started.

3.      Exercise with An Inversion Table

Have you ever thought of hanging upside down to strengthen your core? This can be done by using an inversion table. Doing sit-ups with the force of gravity against you can really be an effective way of strengthening your midsection. The best inversion table will come with detailed instructions on how to get the most out of it, in regards to therapy and exercise.

4.      Take it Slow

When you perform your stomach exercises, are you tempted to just fly through them to get it over with? Chances are, this approach isn’t going to give you the results you want. The most effective method is to slow down and feel the burn. Doing so helps target specific muscles and works them in a more effective way, promoting greater strength and getting your stomach toned more quickly.

5.      Engage Your Abs

Engaging your abs means holding your abdominal muscles tight, as if someone were about to punch you in the stomach. The idea is that you want to maintain this constant tension the entire time you’re working out your abdominals. Doing so really gives your workout an extra punch. The great thing about flexing your abs is that you can do this anytime. Even when you’re at home doing the dishes perhaps, you can engage your abs and no one has to know!

6.      Just Breathe

Never hold your breath when you’re exercising, whether you’re performing strengthening exercises or doing cardio. Your stomach muscles need oxygen to perform at their complete capacity, so be sure to feed them enough with full, deep breaths. In general, it’s recommended that you inhale when you’re having to exert the least amount of force, and exhale when you’re putting forth the most effort.

7.      Mentally Focus on the Task at Hand

When you exercise, are you daydreaming about all of the things you need to get done today? Are you focused on watching your favorite series on Netflix? If so, it’s time to shift your attention to your body. This is important for several reasons.

First of all, being completely in the present moment, paying attention to the sensations in your body will activate the mind-body connection. According to research, when you focus on activating your core, muscle activity increases. The result of this is that the strength of your midsection maximizes over time.

In addition to this, you also need to be aware of any painful sensations in your body that may indicate a possible injury, as you could push your workout too far.

Final Thoughts

Gaining abdominal strength has many benefits, other than just cosmetic appeal. Having strong abdominals supports good posture, which makes you look taller, and feel more confident. Abdominal strength reduces back pain, and helps your back fatigue. Strong abs also help to balance and stabilize your body. While doing your ab exercises, try visualizing your stomach getting flatter, and feel your muscles getting stronger. Focusing your mind can help bring you the results you desire.

CREATE THE RITUAL WITH STEVE SCHWARTZ

Tea has always been a beverage that we have enjoyed hot, iced, alone, with an array of sweeteners and even mixed with the spirit of our choice. We wanted to delve more into tea culture to find out the origin of tea, how it should be consumed, stored and what the benefits are when drinking it. We talked with Steve Schwartz, the founder of Art of Tea which is known for their 100s of options that they have available on their site, their hospitality partnerships with Wolfgang Puck, Aria, Caesars Palace and more. He talks with us about his background in Ayurveda, how he got into the industry, how he grew his company and the importance of our individual tea rituals wherever we are in the world.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What is a master tea blender and what does that position entail?

STEVE SCHWARTZ: Great well let me first share a little bit on my background. My background entails Ayurveda. It’s a form of preventative medicine based in India. I got into that because my mom was actually diagnosed with brain cancer when I was just out of high school. I got a full paid scholarship to go to college and I ended up dropping out so I could go and move back in to take care of her. So, I took care of her for about 10 months until she passed. The whole time, we were just on Western medicine and there is nothing wrong with Western medicine, it just didn’t work for us. So we went from one doctor to another and one external treatment to another. Before she passed, it got me to thinking, “gosh, cancer must have been around for thousands of years, we have only just recently labeled it as cancer. What are the other healing modalities that are out there?” I didn’t want to stick needles in people, I didn’t want to be a massage therapist or an herbologist – there is nothing wrong with any of those, it just wasn’t my path.

So, I found this school in New Mexico called the Ayurvedic Institute and really fell in love with the alchemy of blending herbs, teas and botanicals and how those herbs and botanicals link together to create unique flavor profiles and how those flavors, their profiles, herbs and healing properties affect the body in very different ways. In both a metabolic way, but also in terms of helping with hormones, digestive fire, immunity, longevity and all these things that really rally behind how these botanicals are blended together. So it’s not 1 herb plus another herb or botanical equals 2, but rather 1 + 1 could equal 4 or 6. It could multiply and increase in terms of its strength.

So I was looking into old texts and Sanskrit while I was at school and really trying to get an understanding of the alchemy of teas and herbs and it was funny that one of the patients that was there was a gentleman by the name, Yogi Bhajan (Editors Note: he is cited as bringing his version of Kundalini Yoga to the US in the late 60’s/early 70’s) and he would come to the facility and see the doctor. I would make the blends for him. Another thing that was requested was that their family would ask for other ingredients and ask us to blend in different ratios these different botanicals. So we would source and then send them the first samples and I would find 6 months or 9 months down the road that these blends were on supermarket shelves known as Yogi Teas. I was like, ok I know what I’m doing and at this point, there wasn’t a lot of real internet connectivity.

There was this company Amazon that was starting out. But most of what I was doing was making phone calls to origin all throughout Asia and India. I remember that I needed to source ginkgo. So I called and it was like $4 a minute, so I wanted to be respectful of budget and time and I said, “I need to order some ginkgo.” They said, “do you want a Western slope or an Eastern slope next to a river?” I told them that it didn’t really matter, I just wanted to order ginkgo. He said, “no sir, it does matter. I need you to come here yourself so you can experience it.” I was intrigued, I appreciated the invitation and I saved up my money and worked 4 different jobs, got a backpack and started traveling the world to find the best teas and the botanicals possible.

I had no idea that I was going to start a tea company. I just knew that I was a huge tea nerd and was into it. I saw the impact that it had on people’s lives – those that drink tea and those that don’t. What it means to them, whether it’s sitting down with a loved one at the end of the day, engaging in a meditation practice or needing to work out a research paper. Whatever it might be, I just saw the level of the impact that tea could have and so I started sourcing the different botanicals in my living room, started blending and started peddling my teas around town. I caught the attention of Wolfgang Puck and a hotel, a restaurant, a spa! Then I caught the attention of Caesar’s Palace and I ended up training the first Tea Sommelier in the United States. It sort of just grew from there and I ended up teaching classes at these world tea conventions and they were sold out. So I taught them 5 years in a row beginning with advance blending classes. There was no one teaching blending. In fact, when I realized they were asking me to teach it, I knew I had to look up old books and I ended up finding one from 1896 on blending!

AM: Wait what?

SS: Yeah! There was nothing at the time. So I said, “ok, if I’m asked to create a format, then I’m just going to share my failures and my wins. What’s working and what’s not and hopefully leave an impression and an impact. For people that took the classes, they’re now publicly traded companies or sold to Procter & Gamble. So, it’s awesome to see the impact on what’s happening in the tea industry.

AM: Wow, just thinking of you talking about this, are there new blends or nutrients that grow that they didn’t exist in the 18 or 1900’s? We enjoy a number of the items that we consume and feel that those have always been around, but are there new hybrids?

SS: Great question! First, let’s dive into what is tea and what was that book from 1896 all about back then? True tea comes from one evergreen shrub called Camellia Sinensis. All true tea comes from that evergreen shrub. If it’s not from this evergreen shrub, then it’s not tea. So for example White Tea, Green Tea, Oolong Tea, Black Tea, Pu-erh – all of these come from Camellia Sinensis. Then there are differences in terms of how they are produced, but it is very similar to wine – it all comes from grapes. Now depending on the grape that’s used, how it’s grown and processed – is it stored in an oak barrel or a stainless steel container, is the skin left on? All these play into crafting a really delicious glass of wine. The same way that tea is separated, picked at different harvest times depending on what they are looking for, put into these silos of White, Green, Oolong, Black and Pu-erh. There are some subcategories between there, different varietals of tea, those that are grown specifically for those types of teas as well.

But if it is Chamomile or Rooibos then it’s not actually a tea. It’s a totally different category known as a Tisane. It is a fancy French word that basically means botanical. You can have Mint, Chamomile and Rooibos blended together and you have a Tisane or what is called a fusion or you can blend it with tea and then you have a Tea Fusion. But Chamomile tea is actually an oxymoron as it’s not really a tea.

AM: Wow!

SS: And you now know more than 99% of the US population!

AM: Our minds are now kind of blown as we’re processing this information!

So, what do you define a Master Tea Blender as?

SS: I guess the 10,000 hour rule plays deeply into this. Having a strong sense of origin, where and how the teas are grown and when you’re tasting tea about 98% of what you are drinking is water. So what you’re looking for is the nuance within that 2% and so your tongue ends up becoming like an instrument. You’re learning how to play with the high notes and the low notes, the terroir of the different ingredients and how they will play well together. So, like an artist that is using color and a color palette to define what a painting will look like, they know where and when to add specific colors. The same thing with a blend. You want the blend to be even in terms of ingredient size so that smaller bits don’t fall into the bottom, you want that flavor profile to have a nice mouth feel in terms of what you are looking for in terms of beginning, middle and finish. But it’s knowing your ingredients well enough to see how that symphony of ingredients will come together for that final composition.

AM: What is that process like when you’re blending the teas? As you were talking, I was thinking back to last month’s issue when we talked with a Master Winemaker and she was talking about how it’s the harvest season and what takes place during this time. You were talking about that there is that kind of season in tea as well. So what’s the blending and the harvest season like for you?

SS: Great question. So the blending process in terms of the creations, when I was first starting out, I became obsessed with new blends that were coming out and I had a journal next to my bed where I would wake up in the middle of the night and I’d go, “oh, I have this great inspiration.” Sometimes, a great inspiration comes from odd things. My wife is an aesthetician and she got tons of samples of different skincare products from vendors that were sending them to her to try. Our shower is populated with tons of different scrubs and conditioners and all sorts of stuff. Being curious, I opened one up called Mandarin Cashmere and it was wow – you could almost bite into it. It was smooth, sweet, citrusy and creamy! I thought it would be an amazing tea and obviously I didn’t want to eat a scrub and no one is going to want to eat cashmere, but I thought, “ok, maybe I can take this and make it. Call it Mandarin Silk.” I ended up really honing in on where those flavor notes were hitting my nose. Over 80% of what we taste, is through our sense of smell. So where are those flavor notes hitting my nose and how can I duplicate that within a product that someone is going to want to drink? It ended up doing really well and the tea won Best Oolong in the World. So, it was really really fun and really cool!

So, there’s that part and then there’s Vera Wang who is coming up with a new line and she was like, can you make a tea that matches this perfume. In some cases, it’s really complex and in some cases, it’s really trial and error. One blend I made, I made on accident. What happened was, I was first starting out and I was on the phone with a customer and I was blending one ingredient in a batch of other ingredients that were resting. Meaning, as you blend, you want certain aromatics and compounds to be able to mesh together before you begin to introduce other ingredients to it. Just like you’re going out with friends and say you’re inviting other friends over, you may ask, “should we invite that other person?” Because that person could add a lot of value or that person could just take the air out of the room. So in the same way, you’ll introduce ingredients at staged times. So I was on the phone with the customer and I accidentally dumped one ingredient into a batch with another. While I was on the phone with them, I was like “oh shit” and this was with a 5-Star restaurant and I was like, “oh no, I’m sorry, how can I help you?” This was when I was customer service, sales, accounts receivable, accounts payable and marketing. Everything was tied into my cell phone when I was in my living room. I actually blended this, realized that I made the mistake and put it in this cello bag and put it in the corner. My wife walks in and she immediately notices where I messed up right? It’s part of her super power and she asked me what was that and I told her that I had messed up and she asked how I knew that I had? I told her that I was a Tea Expert, a Tea Master and that I knew. She said, “well you might want to try it.” I told her that I didn’t need to try it and that I knew it would be bad. She was right, it was burning in my head and I knew that I should at least try it. The next morning I woke up, I tried it and it was really good. I ended up sending samples out to different customers and they loved it. This is a tea called French Lemon Ginger and it’s still one of our most popular herbal botanical tisanes that we have to offer.

AM: What lessons have you learned through creating your teas?

SS: Allow yourself permission to fuck up!

AM: Yup!

SS: Giving yourself that permissions, messing up along the way, learning and customer feedback! That’s also been really powerful. When we launch something, what we do is first go through rounds internally and then we’ll go through rounds externally for our customers and then we’ll do a launch. So right now, we’re experimenting with a bottle beverage and we’re testing it out and we created it during this time of COVID-19. It’s called Open Sunshine and the whole idea is that there is so much power and energy by just going outside. People have this mixed relationship with what it means now to go outside and be in open sunshine. There are so many health factors about going outside. We took a look at getting Green Tea, Black Tea, Passion Fruit, Jasmine, Lemon and Ginger. We created an effervescent sparkling tea out of all of these different kinds of ingredients. So it’s a little spicy and a little sweet and slightly floral. We’re launching it in about 2 weeks and we’re pretty excited about it!

AM: That is so exciting! What is that process like when you’re thinking about your assortment? Do you have a brainstorm where x amount of products have to come to market and x amount have to go into the vault to then come back again? You have an extensive amount of teas that are on your website – so it’s interesting to hear about the rotational aspect to it.

SS: That’s a great question. So in some cases, it’s through that trial and error and we’ll walk before we run. So we’ll do soft launches, we gain feedback, learn from what people are experiencing and our tribe is very vocal. They will share direct feedback on what they love and what they don’t love. It could be through Facebook or wherever that opportunity is for them to share with us. It’s having that dynamic trust relationship with our customers to be able to learn and to hopefully get better.

We’ve tried shaving back some of our offerings as well. I think that because we have such a vocal community, they will tell us that we can’t take that tea down. So we decided that at particular times, you may or may not like this analogy – the McRib.

AM: Haha that’s smart!

SS: Yeah, we’ll say, “we’ll McRib that.” We won’t get rid of it, but we will offer it at this particular time. For example, we have a tea called Pumpkin Spiced Chai that does so well in the fall and in the winter time. But for us to sell it in the heat of the summer, just doesn’t make sense. So we’ll breathe life back into certain teas at particular times of the year.

AM: What destinations have inspired you in terms of creating different kinds of teas?

SS: Great question! We actually created and found that there are 4 reasons that people like to drink tea. We did this whole brand exercise a couple of years ago really trying to identify what it was that people are gravitating towards for their cups of tea. We found that they drink tea because it tastes good, they drink tea because of a period of time (they have to drink it in the morning to get them going, at night to help them wind down) a location (I remember going to London and sitting outside and enjoying a beautiful cup of tea or sitting on your grandmother’s porch and enjoying a delicious tea) and the last piece is the wellness piece. People drink tea because they think of the medicinal value whether it’s something that their grandmother gave them when they were a kid or they read on a supermarket label that this does a particular kind of function.

We created a Location Collection that included London, Big Sur, Tuscany – that’s a few. We also created specific teas that are only sold at specific hotels. Like at the Peninsula Hotel in Tokyo, we created a Cherry Blossom Tea in honor of the cherry blossom season. I’ve been very inspired by these different areas. In terms of the seasonal blend, there is one called Summer Rain. My family and I were driving from LA to Palm Springs and we got stuck in a monsoon. We couldn’t leave the car because it was pouring rain. By the time it stopped raining, we opened the door and you have this dry desert that is now hit with fresh rain and the smell that comes up from that floor is incredible. So I thought, how can I capture this in a tea and we created a blend called Summer Rain. It’s always a different inspiration and it’s not always so far out there in the world. It could very much be in our backyard, a memory or something that is close to us.

AM: We believe in drinking tea for its medicinal properties and we have members of our team that do so as they opt out from taking traditional medicine. Can you share what the benefits are in consuming tea in general and are there specific teas that are good for targeting immunity, relaxation and gut health?

SS: All great questions. The most powerful benefit of tea is really the ritual. I was just learning with someone about how SnapChat had this new thing called Spectacles it’s Augmented Reality and you can dive in and it transforms your physical reality with these goggles and puts you into this internal/external world combined in one. Sounds interesting right? I was curious, So I wondered, what is “augment” mean? To me, it means to change or to alter. But augment actually means, to improve. So this whole world is going to continue to evolve as we’re dealing with what COVID-19 could mean, what connecting with people remotely could mean and this whole AR world is going to continue to transform. If the biggest benefit of tea to answer your question, is that ritual, then how can we create a modern day ritual without feeling foreign or without feeling like you need all these right tools or worry that we might mess it up.

So this morning, I also looked up the word, “analog.” Analog means relating to physical space. So you have augment which means to improve and analog which means to relate to your physical space. So, I’m sort of playing with the idea of AAR. Instead of Augmented Reality, there is an Analog Augmented Reality. So what does that mean? Basically, how can we dive into that ritual of getting your water ready, selecting your tea pod, getting your cup together, selecting the right tea leaves and tapping out of technology. I am a huge fan of technology, but for just about 8-10 minutes, turn that stuff off and really dive in and hone in on that process and really be mindful and intentional. If you allow yourself that permission, that space – imagine what it could do throughout the rest of your day, the rest of your life, the people that you love and the people that you are surrounded with. Giving yourself that permission to dive in completely with all of your senses and go all in on that Analog Augmented Reality of brewing that process and sipping that process. Your mind will get totally distracted and say, “oh I need to do this and I need to tackle that email.” But just keep honing in on those few minutes and that intention is a whole paradox. You might now have 8-10 minutes to do this, but if you allow yourself that time, the impact will be so great, but it’s really allowing yourself that permission.

AM: It’s a great way of putting it. In Tokyo, we went to a tea house and had the ability to see them make our tea. To think about all the steps that we do to create tea on a daily basis as a ritual is an interesting concept – from the use of our Breville, designated cups and you do take at least half a beat to do that.

SS: And it’s a modern day ritual right? You don’t have to travel to Tokyo to have this experience. It’s a corner in your garage, it’s a small section in your patio, it’s a place in your room – wherever it might be where I am designating this space as a sacred space. That intention, you are breathing life into that intention. It will spill over into everything else that you are doing.

AM: Do you have teas that you would suggest that people can use to target issues that they are focused on?

SS: Great questions and I will answer it twofold. The first is yes, we have a wellness section on ArtofTea.com. It’s Flow Blend and Glow Blend. We have a Happy Tea, a Chill Out, Feel Better Blends, Throat Therapy, Breathe – all of these things that target very specific things. They’re all blended with Ayurveda and wellness in mind and at the same time, there is a story out about the student and the master. The master says, “You’re ready for the final exam. I want you to go in a 1 mile radius and I want you to find a specific botanical that doesn’t have medicinal value.” The student is excited and says, “ok, great”. The student has 24 hours, goes and comes back 24 hours later sobbing and says, “master, I failed. I couldn’t find a single botanical that didn’t have medicinal value.” And the master looks up and says, “no you’ve passed. Every root, every leaf, every berry, every botanical, bark has medicinal value.” But on the same tree or plant, the root may be medicine for one person and the leaves could be poison for someone else. The berry could affect one part of the body, meanwhile, the stem or the roots could affect a different part of the body. How they are blended together might also have very powerful affects. Whether you’re living reading or listening to this in the East Coast, West Coast, Mexico or Canada wherever you might be – within a 1 mile radius there are many different botanicals that are worth learning about. So I encourage local sourcing as much as possible, but also if you don’t have time, we have definitely taken a lot of the guess work out and crafted really delicious teas through what we are doing in our wellness line.

AM: You have such an interesting distribution in the sense of the website and your hospitality partners. How is that for you, is it different when you’re doing something for a hotel group versus those who are coming directly to the website to purchase?

SS: It’s a great question. We will do signature blends for our hospitality partners that are just for them like Google for example for their offices. The Aria Hotel, there are very specific teas for very specific properties, but the large majority of teas that we have to offer can be found at our website. We found that with a lot of our hotels closing and people had summer plans, a lot of the places where people would meet to work over tea – they still needed to connect over the tea experience. The ritual of what they built, still needed to happen even if it was virtual. So we decided to create a Rework kit and we crafted it with Google. Google said that they had budget and that they wanted to connect with their team and would we could do. So we created this kit with a little message inside that said, “Loving you remotely, from Google.” It was sent out to a variety of different staff members there at Google. A certain amount of boxes that were sold were sent out to First Responders. It’s been great and we’re trying to tie into this element of still connect ing with our tribe or community and really looking to make an impact through tea.

AM: We find ourselves asking this to everyone because of the impact of COVID-19 across industries has been beyond what anyone could have even imagined. Have there been effects in terms of production of tea? Has it hindered it in any way?

SS: Good and bad. So, from our side, we have the freshest and best Chamomile that we have ever had and we have a very abundant amount of this Chamomile. We bought based on what we thought the demand would be. We’re sitting on a lot of amazing Chamomile – we’ve always sourced it great, but this is really good! On the other side, Darjeeling, which is a region in India – think about a large hippie commune that has a very specific region where they have low valleys and high hills. It’s the champagne of teas and a really crisp tasting tea. They have 3 harvest seasons. Their most profitable and most important season for that region happens in a very short window. It starts, regardless of climate change and on a very particular day of the year. All the workers come together and they wait year around for this day when they can harvest. This happened at the end of March, I believe it was March 29th and the government said the day before when everyone was gearing up to harvest, that we couldn’t harvest and they were preventing it from happening. All these estates, estate owners, garden workers and harvesters – their livelihood was about to be shifted dramatically. There is already a shortage and a high demand for this high quality product so those stories, we have seen an impact. They were still able to harvest, they got creative through means of social distancing, but they were unable to do it on the exact day that it has been happening for many many years.

AM: From a customer perspective when they go to your website, are they able to request custom blends for themselves if someone is having a wedding or if they have a small business? Is there an ability to do that on a smaller level vs your larger accounts?

SS: What we have done is to create blog articles where people can take specific teas that we have and create their own fun blends with them with specific recommendations around that. We’re doing a project now with these guys called Try Guys that have a YouTube channel. We’re working on a custom tea blend with them. So we will work on specific projects, but in terms of custom blending based on individual customers or a smaller business, we will typically have them start with our 100+ teas that we have to offer on our site and helping them navigate through that process through that channel.

AM: What is the Art of Tea Academy and can you tell us more about what happens there?

SS: So glad you mentioned it. This COVID-19 period has given us the time to be super creative. So we created a 25 video series all on becoming a Tea Expert. It’s in depth training on how to taste tea, how to understand origin, flavor profiles and indepth learning on the different styles of tea. Lots of people that are foodies know where their wine comes from, their coffees their chocolate, but there is still a lot of mystique around tea. There is this idea that people will mess it up somehow. So we wanted to demystify the leaf and get people more closely connected with learning about tea. So in a very short period of time, we have had a few thousand people sign up and the response has been super positive so far. People have the time to learn and they want to up their game. Whether they’re in the hospitality space or are passionate about the love of learning, we wanted to put this out there in the world.

AM: You recently launched your tea app as well, which looks really beautiful. What are the types of things that people can do through that app?

SS: I’m so grateful for the talent of our team. Specifically, Hanna who helps leads up our marketing and is so instrumental in getting both of these sections live on our site. With the app, the app is a really fun and dynamic way to understand to best brew tea? There is a steep time section on there that you can take a really quick glance on. I found that one of the most popular pages on our site was how to brew tea. So it’s a quick and easy way that you can know how not to mess up your tea and how much to put in there.

The others connect to our tea quiz. So a lot of people will say, “I know that we need to get into tea because it’s good for me, but I don’t know where to start.” Or they have a loved one who loves tea, but they don’t know what to get them. The Tea Quiz is a bit of the ShoeDazzle and helps you navigate what is out there like a personal shopper. In just a few minutes, how can you best identify what tea will best match what you are looking for. Those are some of the fun connections that are happening on the app as well as discounts, checking out and notifications.

AM: What are your 3 go to teas that you enjoy?

SS: Wow man – it’s like what’s your favorite kid? We have a tea called Earl Grey Crème which I know we sent you guys.

AM: Yes – so good and we like the idea of adding a little gin to it at night!

SS: That’s awesome! We found that with Earl Grey, there’s lots of ways to make it. We found, that we like to make it the authentic way with Bergamot oil and we use an Italian Bergamot Oil. We put that in our Earl Grey and we also found out that some may find that it is slightly astringent for some people so some add cream, milk or sugar to it which kind of neutralizes that. What we did is to add a touch of French Vanilla which is sort of this eggy, creamy flavor profile. So the combination of that Bergamot Oil which is a bright citrus note that is slightly floral and that black tea with its brightness and astringency blended with the French, lemon, ginger – you get this full mouth feel really rounded out and smooth. I could drink that all day and we grow mint in our backyard which is easy to grow and we’ll throw that in there as well. We have a blend that has it already called Big Sur which is awesome. I could drink Earl Grey Crème all day.

I also love Japanese tea – we have one called Matcha+ which is Sencha, Green Tea and blended with ceremonial grade matcha. So you get more of a bioavailability from the matcha and it impacts the thyroid which governs immunity and metabolism and gets everything active. It is the same style tea that they use in Zen monasteries throughout Japan before they go into meditation so they can focus. You get this clear rush, but you don’t feel that jolty jitteriness that you feel with coffee.

The third that I can drink on an ongoing basis is our Silver Needle. It’s harvested about 7-10 days out of the year. It’s handpicked from Fujian Provence. We bring it in and it’s like drinking from a fresh spring. It’s slightly sweet and has slight notes of melon to it and it’s really great.

AM: Do you envision with the trend to have tea and alcohol together as a hard tea, do you envision a collaboration of something like that?

SS: It would be fun. We do work with several Kombucha companies that have both hard as well as non-alcoholic. There is a cider company that is in the works to launch something sometime next year with our tea. Just in general, I think that tea and alcohol especially now, right? I need to do something good for me and I need to be able to put something in my body and at the same time, they’re like fuck it – I need alcohol and I need something that’s going to make me chill out a bit. When you blend the two together, it’s not so bad!

AM: Does tea have a shelf life in general and what is the best way to put it in containers to keep it fresh?

SS: Great question! Tea is sensitive to light, heat and humidity. As long as you keep it from those, you can have tea last for a long time and have a really great experience. If it is subject to any of those or is near your spice drawer or anything that is fragrant, it acts as a natural odor absorber and it will take up the smells of other things. You just want to make sure that it is in an airtight container.

In terms of the shelf life for tea, tea if produced well and is high quality, it shouldn’t go bad. What we end up finding is that we have Best by Dates as we believe that there is a peak flavor profile that you’re going to get out of a tea in terms of being a live product. Over time, that flavor will drop which means you will lose some natural oil content, the vibrancy of the leaves will start to diminish.

We moved warehouses a few years ago from one location to the next. We found, tucked away in one drawer, tea that was over 5 years old. It was packed well, kept cool in a dark place and we decided to try it and it was fresh, dynamic and really really good. As long as it is stored right, you can have tea last a long time.

AM: I know earlier we were talking about the Pumpkin Chai Tea, but are there things coming out in the fall or holiday that we should keep an eye out for whether it’s new to market or being placed back into rotation?

SS: So a few things. Today we just launched in celebration of our SoCal roots, a beverage that is really popular here is Agua Frescas – just imagine melon water, hibiscus water or cantaloupe water. We did a few events, one was called Summit and a big coffee and tea tea trade show where we soft launched this product called Matcha Fresca!

AM: Oooo that sounds refreshing and amazing!

SS: Haha yes we will send you some! It’s a premium grade matcha with cantaloupe essence and it’s so good! You get this fresh taste like you’re biting into this juicy cantaloupe and the matcha is a really bright green color to stay consistent. This is out now and we’re super excited about that!

IG @ArtofTeaLA

PHOTOGRAPHY | Audrey Ma

Read the Aug Issue of Athleisure Mag #56 and see Create the Ritual with Steve Schwartz in mag.

Hear the founder of Art of Tea, Steve Schwartz on our show, Athleisure Kitchen - which is a part of Athleisure Studio, our multi-media podcast network! Make sure to subscribe to find out when the episode drops. You can hear it on iHeart Radio, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and wherever you enjoy listening to your favorite podcast.

ATHLEISURE LIST | AARMY

AARMY involves the integration of three founders' unique expertise with a shared vision. Both Akin Akman (right) and Angela Manuel Davis (below) grew up training to become pro athletes and share the instinctive drive and authenticity that comes from all their years of dedication. They each combine inspiring mental conditioning with a strong physical regimen to bring out the best in the athletes they coach. Trey Laird adds his years of creative, marketing and branding expertise to deliver the full AARMY experience in a visually powerful and innovative style.

This fitness method launched September 2019 and its second location in LA opened in January of this year. In AARMY's studio their ethos is written on the wall: 'A trained force, a united team. A skilled group of soldiers ready to fight for what they believe in.' When working out, having this sense of community to inspire their guests is an empowering feeling while working on their goals.

With the combination of mental conditioning and physical strength training through a range of Bootcamps targeted to certain body parts, Cycle practice sessions for high-intensity cardio, Recovery and stretch, and dedicated inspirational programming are offered. Lift focus sessions will be added later this year. Athletes can personalize this mix of modalities to match their fitness goals.

Although both locations closed in March, AARMY immediately pivoted by offering multiple hours of live programming via Instagram Live, free of charge to keep their community strong and have done so for 150 days straight, non-stop. Phase 1 of AARMY's Digital Subscription App includes their content, their message and their movements in one place.

This app currently has over 20 new on-demand practice sessions that are uploaded each week. Additional features will be added this fall to the premium subscription. Guests feel like they are working out directly with the coaches. Music is a key component to the experience and comes from the world's top artists. The AARMY founders loved the energy and driving force of Boys Noize Cerebral track and are proud to have that as the soundtrack for all their launch films.

It's worth noting that a state of the art cycling bike will be released soon and although they have yet to release specific details on this, this custom AARMY bike will propel users to push themselves to A Higher Standard much like the brand itself. This development that has been done to the bike, reimagines what cycle equipment should look like as well as how it should feel. This will create a complete experience to those that workout on it and will be made available later on this fall.

PHOTOS COURTESY | AARMY

AARMY NYC HQ

636 Broadway

NY, NY 10012

AARMY LA HQ

8599 Santa Monica Blvd West

Hollywood, CA 90069

www.aarmy.com

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Read the Aug Issue #56 of Athleisure Mag and see Athleisure List | AARMY in mag.

ATHLEISURE BEAUTY

Read the Aug issue #56 of Athleisure Mag and read Athleisure Beauty in mag.

THE 5 BEST IMMUNE SYSTEM BOOSTERS

A weakened immune system is the last thing you want when you get sick, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. While people can only do so much to prevent the spread of germs and bacteria, they can do certain things to boost their immune system to fight off sickness.

But what are the signs of a weakened immune system? How can you boost your immune system quickly? What is the best immune system supplement? Discover more as you continue reading. 

Signs of a Weakened Immune System

Many things can boost our immune systems, but many things can weaken them, as well. What warning signs do you have to show your immune system is weakening? See these four warning signs that can quickly indicate a weakened immune system. 

·       High-Stress Levels. When your body experiences high levels of stress, it decreases white blood cells known as lymphocytes that help to fight off infections. Your body is at a higher risk to catch a virus when you have low lymphocyte levels. 

·       Persistent Colds. While it is normal to have two to three common colds per year, any more than that indicates you have a struggling immune system. A common cold lasts seven to ten days because it takes your body three to four days to develop germ-fighting antibodies. 

·       Digestive Problems. Other signs of a weakened immune system include constipation and diarrhea. If you experience diarrhea that lasts more than two to four weeks, a weakened immune system may harm your small intestine's lining or your digestive tract. If you have difficulty with bowel movements, it may indicate your immune system is slowing down your intestine.  

·       Frequent Infections. Here, one of two possibilities exists. The first is that your body is incapable of making enough immune system cells to fight off infections. The second is that it is making enough cells, but those cells fail to properly function and are thereby unable to fight off infections.

Do Immune System Boosters Really Work?

People say immunity boosters can fight off annoying germs and bacteria, but do they really work? What ingredients do they have? Are they safe? Continue reading to learn more about immunity boosters, and what they can do for you.

Immune System Boosters Defined

Immunity booster products claim to do just that--support and boost your immune system to prevent you from getting sick. Though some vary, many immunity boosters have the same key active ingredients, including:

·       Vitamin C

·       Zinc

·       Magnesium

·       Vitamin D

The Effectiveness and Safety of Immune Booster Supplements

Are Immunity Boosters Effective? 

As homeopathic products or products that do not require approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), many immunity boosters have no claim to proof of their safety, effectiveness, or quality. 

While rules exist for these kinds of products, safety is another element of concern. 

Are Immunity Boosters Safe?

Safety is a major concern for immunity boosters as FDA approval remains to be seen. Many immune system booster products on the market today come with alarming ingredients that cause nasty side effects. One example is a product that has Belladonna, nux vomica, and pulsatilla. 

Immunity boosters include many beneficial ingredients, such as vitamin B12 and vitamin D. While these are often necessary to have high energy and immunity levels, too much of any ingredient is unhealthy, and can even be dangerous. Large doses of things like vitamin C, zinc, and vitamin B6 can cause problems like stomach difficulties, copper deficiency, and nerve damage. 

How to Boost Your Immune System Quickly

The strength of a healthy immune system is primarily based on a healthy lifestyle. 

But what does a healthy lifestyle look like? An immune system can get stronger from maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but what does a staying healthy look like? 

Description of a Healthy Lifestyle 

·       No smoking.

·       A balanced diet complete with lots of fruits and vegetables.

·       A pattern of routine exercise.

·       Healthy weight.

·       Drinking alcohol in moderation.

·       Adequate sleep patterns.

·       Proactive steps to avoid infection.

·       Stress management. 

But how can you boost your immune system quickly? By incorporating the lifestyle described above in your daily routine. By making any necessary changes, you will quickly boost your immune system in both a healthy and natural way.  

Drinks to Boost Your Immune System

As a constantly active machine, your body's immune system needs the healthiest energy and strength it can get. By fueling your body with a healthy, daily dose of important minerals and vitamins, your body has a better chance of fighting off viruses such as the flu. These can include vitamin C, zinc, potassium, vitamin B-6, and more.

The list of drink recipes below come complete with healthy nutrients and minerals to boost your immune system. But before you try them, consider the following list of important minerals, nutrients, and/or vitamins they contain.

Immune System Boosting Drinks

·       Orange, grapefruit, and another citrus (potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-9(folate), vitamin C, and zinc)

·       Green apple, carrot, and orange (potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-9(folate), and vitamin C)

·       Beet, carrot, ginger, and apple (potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-9(folate) and vitamin C)

·       Tomato (magnesium, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-9(folate), vitamin C, and vitamin K) 

·       Kale, tomato, and celery (magnesium, manganese, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-9, vitamin C, and vitamin K)

·       Strawberry and kiwi (calcium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, vitamin B-1(thiamine), vitamin B-6, vitamin B-9(folate), vitamin B-12, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin K, and zinc)

·       Strawberry and mango (calcium, manganese, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-9(folate), vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamin E)

·       Watermelon mint (arginine, citrulline, magnesium, vitamin A, and vitamin C)

·       Pumpkin seed (magnesium, manganese, potassium, and zinc)

·       Green apple, lettuce, and kale (iron, manganese, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B-9(folate), vitamin C, and vitamin K)

Now that you have discovered some natural recipes for healthy immunity boosters, what about supplements? 

The Best Immune Booster Supplement

Whether you forget to run to the grocery store for your drink ingredients or are looking for a simple addition to your daily routine, nothing beats a quick and easy daily supplement. 

Made with pure ingredients and with an efficient distribution of minerals and vitamins from micronutrient-targeted technology, AdvaLife offers smart health from smarter technology.  

Multivitamins for men and women are available from AdvaLife. You can finally have a safe, effective, and budget-friendly immunity-boosting supplement to help you from getting sick. Get yours today!

ZEROING IN WITH DWYANE WADE

We're excited that we're in the midst of the playoffs for the NBA season, whether your team is playing or you're just happy to have basketball back on TV! Even though we're socially distancing, it's a way for us to feel like we're together. We caught up with Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers veteran, 3 X NBA Champion Dwyane Wade who is also commentating the games for TNT in 'Inside the NBA'. In addition to number of projects that he is working on, Dwyane is the Co-Founder of Budweiser Zero which is a non-alcohol alternative to enjoying a beer solo, with friends or after a great workout.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Prior to the launch of Budweiser Zero, tell us about your initial work with Budweiser and your synergy with the brand?

DWYANE WADE: I started working with Budweiser a little over a year ago when they did the “This Buds For 3” film for my retirement. Most recently, I was part of the Whassup reboot that came out a few months ago with DJ D-Nice, Chris Bosh, Candace Parker and my wife, Gabrielle Union, focusing on checking in on your friends when COVID first hit. I’ve always respected what Budweiser has built and their continued work with athletes. Entering the non-alcoholic market has always been of interest to me and this project seemed like a natural progression of my relationship with Budweiser.

AM: There has been a rise in the beverage industry for zero alcohol beers. Why is this important for those that are athletes or are focused on their fitness endeavors to have this as an option for their celebratory moments?

DW: The non-alcohol category of beer is rapidly growing and with Budweiser Zero, we are able to bring some familiarity into the category. Budweiser’s brewing heritage alone helps redefine pre-existing expectations and associations with non-alcoholic options.

Oftentimes, people feel like they are giving something up with a non-alcoholic option, but we are trying to change that perception and create more opportunities to celebrate life’s moments, both big and small. A focus for me when helping to develop the product was thinking about the athlete’s experiences during the season. Being in the game for so long, I can understand the need for a drink option that lets a player stay on their game but still enjoy social moments and celebrations.

AM: You are the Co-Founder of Budweiser Zero, what drew you to being involved in this and to take on such a role with the brand?

DW: It’s important for me to work with brands who have similar values and priorities that I want to accomplish. When I sat down with Budweiser to start talking about what Budweiser Zero would become, the synergy was there and felt like a great use for my platform, post-basketball.

AM: What can we expect to see for roll out of this launch and how will you be involved?

DW: Budweiser Zero started rolling out in the US in March, but officially launched at the end of July, and will soon be available in Canada and the UK. Budweiser Zero will play a huge role in the sports world, for both athletes and fans. Athletes who are in training or in season, but still want that classic, refreshing beer flavor without compromising their game now have that option. Once fans are able to return to stadiums, Budweiser Zero will become the beer of the ninth inning and fourth quarter. While alcoholic beverages can’t be served at this time, fans can continue to enjoy Budweiser Zero till the last moment of the game. Beyond athletes, I think this product will resonate with consumers looking to cut back on sugar or alcohol and those looking to participate in social occasions without feeling the effects the next morning.

Budweiser and I worked together on this from the start to bring Budweiser Zero to life and I’ll also be sharing the beverage with my friends currently playing in The Bubble.

AM: Tell us about Budweiser Zero as well as elements that you had a direct impact on in terms of bringing the product to market.

DW: Budweiser Zero is Budweiser’s first zero-alcohol product with zero-sugar and only 50 calories. Budweiser Zero is light and crisp and has the same refreshing full-flavored taste people know from Budweiser. I worked with Budweiser from the inception of the idea and helped design the attributes and packaging of the product.

IG @DwyaneWade

PHOTO COURTESY | Budweiser Zero

Read the Aug Issue of Athleisure Mag #56 and read Zeroing in with Dwyane Wade in mag.

MICROSOFT AZ-304 EXAM: GAIN EXPERT-LEVEL SKILLS WITH SIMPLE PREP TOOLS SUCH AS PRACTICE TESTS

To earn the Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert credential, there are two new tests that you must pass. This is Microsoft AZ-303, which is also known as Microsoft Azure Architect Technologies, and Microsoft AZ-304, or Microsoft Azure Architect Design. Website In this article, we are going to discuss the AZ-304 exam so you can know everything you need to know about it.

If you asked anyone who has been in the IT industry for a while, they will tell you that the notion of survival for the fittest directly rules the IT job market. So, for one to make themselves a preferred candidate, they need to be updated in every domain, especially those that are relevant in their area of specialization. Author: HUGO S The certificate helps to validate your skills and knowledge to your superiors and helps you stand out in the crowd. In simple terms, the credentials in the IT industry have become a crucial part of job culture as they keep a specialist updated and ahead of others. Without much ado, let’s get into the finer details of the test.

What is Microsoft AZ-304?

An Azure solution architect typically partners with the clients, Cloud DBAs, and Cloud administrators to implement solutions. These specialists have various responsibilities, including advising the stakeholders and also translating various business requirements into reliable, scalable, and secure Cloud solutions. Author: LUKE V The candidates for the AZ-304 exam should have advanced knowledge and experience in IT operations, including disaster recovery, identity, security, networking, business continuity, governance, data platform, virtualization, and budgeting. This role basically requires managing how decisions in every area affect the overall solution. The applicants should possess the expert-level skills in Azure development. They must also have experience with DevOps and Azure development processes.

What details should you know?

The high-level list of the skills measured in the Microsoft AZ-304 exam is presented below:

·       Design Monitoring;

·       Design Data Storage;

·       Design Infrastructure;

·       Design Identity and Security;

·       Design Business Continuity.

The test became available at the end of June 2020. It consists of 40-60 questions that should be answered within 150 minutes. Certkiller >> The questions in this exam can be presented in different formats, such as multiple choice, active screen, short answer, review screen, build list, and best answer. The Microsoft Azure Architect Design test is given in the English language only and costs $165. As for the passing grade for Microsoft AZ-304, this exam is scored out of 1000 and the learners need to get 700 points or higher to pass it in order to obtain the associated credential.

To succeed in your endeavour, Microsoft offers two ways of learning: free self-paced or paid instructor-led courses. Author: MOHAMMAD R These two options are available right on the certification exam webpage under the block with the list of skills measured.

Conclusion

To sum it all up, anyone who wants to advance their career in Microsoft Azure, the AZ-304 exam should be one of the tests to clear. Discount 35% >>> With the latest exam dumps and practice tests used along with official prep options to polish the candidates’ knowledge and test-taking skills, this exam can be relatively easy to pass.

#TRIBEGOALS

Read the Aug Issue #56 of Athleisure Mag and see #TRIBEGOALS in mag.

ADDING EXAM DUMPS TO YOUR CISCO 200-201 PREPARATION PLAN IS THE BEST WAY TO GET CERTIFIED

Have you been looking for a chance to have your skills recognized and validated? If yes, then you have got it. Obtain your CCNA Certification 200-301 so you can demonstrate to your peers and employers that you can be able to keep pace and stay current with your job role. Get the recognition you have always wanted by proving your Windows Server 2016 expertise.

Taking the Cisco 200-201 exam is the best and proven way to prepare adequately in the Cisco Cybersecurity Operation domain. The candidates for this test are the IT professionals who are responsible for networking tasks. They are expected to have a complete understanding of the networking functionalities and features in the CyberOps environment of the Associate level.

Using valid Author: Joseph R as your aid for this certification test, you will be able to understand what it entails and what to expect in the real exam in terms of the types and number of questions, time limit, and how it should be approached for an excellent performance.

What does the Cisco 200-201 exam entail?

Two CCNA certification exams of the CyberOps track have already been retired by Cisco on May 28, 2020. Now, the company has changed the name of the credential and it is known as Cisco Certified CyberOps Associate. The SECOPS and SECFND tests have been combined into one, CBROPS, which became available on February 24, 2020. This new exam does not require any prerequisites. It contains about 95 to 105 questions with the time limit of 120 minutes.

The 200-201 CBROPS exam includes the following areas that you should learn:

·       Security Policies and Procedures (15%);

·       Host-Based Analysis (20%);

·       Security Monitoring (25%);

·       Network Intrusion Analysis (20%);

·       Shop This >>>

As you can see, the Cisco 200-201 exam covers mainly the basic skills of cybersecurity. Thus, you should conceptually understand its topics, including PKI infrastructure, encryption, antivirus, firewall, and some specific technologies, such as SIEM, Wireshark, and Author: Mark N.

Benefits after passing the Cisco 200-201 exam

With the Cisco 200-201 exam, you will have the opportunity to learn the fundamental skills and get the relevant knowledge of deploying Cisco Cybersecurity Operations. The badge you obtain will make sure that you can work with both an improved and new understanding of the required fundamentals.

In addition, you will also be able to find dependable Software-Defined Data Center solutions for your organization. As a result, you will become a conceivable employee who will worth more to the employers ensuring you get the job in return. Dealing with the Cisco 200-201 exam is the only thing standing in your way to getting the career everyone wants. Here are some of the related job roles, which you can get after passing your CBROPS test:

·       Network Analyst;

·       Systems Administrator;

·       Network Administrator;

·       Author: Philip Q

And this is the least that you will be able to apply for and get.

Conclusion

Cisco Start can help you develop and grow your skills, as well as stay updated and more employable. If you use some practice tests during your preparation process, they can help you ace this certification exam so you can tap on the brilliant career opportunities that come with passing it. So, don’t miss the chance and grab it right away!

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

THE PICK ME UP

Read the Aug Issue #56 of Athleisure Mag and see The Pick Me Up in mag.

LOOKING FOR VINTAGE APARTMENT HOMES? CHECK THIS OUT!

There’s something so cozy and beautiful when it comes to vintage homes - some things just never go out of style! The hardwood floors, big and chunky windows, and antique furniture always look phenomenal and timeless. Why spend money every other season on new stuff when you can use what’s already good, right? But there are a few things to look out for when looking for an apartment.

Where to start

You might think that it is hard to find a good and livable apartment that fits all your needs, isn’t far away from your work or school but you’d be surprised how easy and available they are, you just need to do a little bit of research to find exactly what you are looking for. For example, if you’re looking for a place in DC, it’s not that easy to get a good price for a larger apartment. Some of the best apartments in DC are The Daro Apartments as they offer a good price-to-size ratio, but make sure to check out several options before going for the first one you find. Know what’s your priority, the price, the location, or the size — it can’t be all of the above (that’s why it’s called a priority, obviously). 

The pros and cons of a vintage apartment

Older apartments are built differently, with higher ceilings and generally bigger rooms! This might be appealing to anyone, but if you add the glamour and stylishness of the vintage apartments it gets even better! Original hardwood floors and gorgeous antique windows are timeless and never go out of style. But choosing an older apartment has its problems, and they might be a deal-breaker for some. You need to be careful with the state of the apartment, you might spend a lot of time renovating and fixing stuff, and that can take a lot of time and effort. 

Old vs. new

Choosing between living in an older apartment versus a more modern one can go either way, depending on what’s your priority, the main difference between these two is the condition they’re in. And that should be a good thing to consider before looking at the price, location, and number of rooms. Depending on what you need, this may differ, but at the end of the day, your health and safety should be a priority. Modern apartments are a little maintenance, but they are a bit smaller, while older apartments are bigger but probably have a lot of additional work and renovations. You should be honest with yourself about how willing you are to put in the work, is it worth the hassle? Why move into an old building when you can go the easier way and move into a modernized apartment without problems!

PHOTO CREDIT | Unsplash/Grant 

Furnishing won’t be a problem

Regardless if you end up going for a modern apartment or a true vintage one, you can always get rustic furniture and decorate it to your liking! Secondhand or flea market finds are a great way to bring a vintage flair into your new place, regardless of how old it is! This way you’ll even get good deals, and own rare and unique items nobody else but you have. So you don’t have to worry about not living in a vintage, old looking apartment, you can simply modify it to your liking!

Other things to look out for

The bottom line, you should put everything under consideration, from the size, storage space location, and of course the state of the apartment building itself. You want to get everything you desire, but you should be practical and reasonable - your health comes first! At the end of the day you can always re-decorate, do DIY projects, and furnish the place however vintage and rustic you want.

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

EASY WAYS TO STAY FIT IN COLLEGE

Many high school graduates start living in a college dorm with the opening of the academic year. They leave their parents and start independent living. The smell of freedom can be so strong that students can revolt and give up all good habits. They start eating junk food, forget about workouts, and turn into couch potatoes as much as their curriculum allows. Besides, the latter implies a sedentary lifestyle since students are studying most of the day, even if they turn to services that can help to write an essay or some other assignments. As soon as they face first health issues, they start asking themselves a question, “How to stay fit and improve my health condition?”

Drink more water

You might believe that you drink enough water during the day, but it can be far from the truth since sweet beverages are not the same as pure water. You can count the required water consumption based on your age and weight. Anyway, it will be about 2 liters per day. It is better to reduce the amount of coffee and replace it with water. At first, it can be difficult if you are not used to drinking water at all. Nonetheless, you should give it a try and buy a reusable water bottle to take it everywhere with you. And don’t forget to start your morning routine with a glass of pure water as well. Thus, you will "wake up" the gastrointestinal tract. If I am going to write my essay paper, I drink a glass of water all the time. 

Don’t skip breakfast

Many people are not used to having breakfast, and they completely forget about this healthy habit when they move to a college dorm. However, if you want to stay fit, you should create your healthy morning routine and necessarily include breakfast into it. Thus, you will get a boost of energy till lunchtime and get rid of a habit to eat junk snacks during the day. And if you cannot do without snacks, choose some fruits and a bottle of fresh water instead of a croissant with coffee. Besides, you will be able to save money and get my homework help when necessary. If you are slightly hungry, it is better to eat an apple, then to overeat during lunch or dinner.

Change your activities

The best rest is a change of activity. Your study is constantly connected with sitting at a table, so the best thing you can do during small breaks is to do some stretching or simple workout. And if you have a longer break, then instead of scrolling down your news feed on Instagram, go outside and take a walk. If you were doing some physical activity, then it would be better to turn on music and take a bubble bath or study speedypaper review and read a book. Changing activities, you avoid fatigue and restore your efficiency.

Get more sleep

College students are young and wild, they believe that they can do well without normal sleep, and it is better to hang out with friends if there is some spare time. However, it is a huge mistake. You should sleep at least 7 hours whenever you can. Otherwise, your health condition will leave much to be desired. Sound sleep is important for normal brain activity, emotional stability, and general efficiency. Maybe it is worth thinking about a strict schedule to allocate enough time to study and rest. Thus, you will not miss meals and workouts, and you will still be able to hang out with friends sometimes. I can pay someone to write my paper cheap if I need some alone time and stuff. I think it is a good investment in myself on equal footing with studying in a great college.

Get rid of bad habits and avoid stress

When you are bombarded with numerous assignments, it is hard to avoid stressful situations. However, you should put yourself first and maybe even cheat a bit if you feel exhausted. Your mental state affects your physical condition no less than bad habits. So, you should “clean up” all the areas of your life. Try to eliminate personal issues, get rid of bad habits, and people who bring mess into your life. Alcohol and cigarettes can bring only temporary relief, but they will worsen your condition in the long run.

Start doing something every day

When you are used to allowing yourself everything, it can be hard to get yourself together and start adhering to some strict rules. It is especially true for people who experience problems with time-management and self-discipline. There is no need to introduce all healthy habits at once and go jogging in the morning if you are used to staying late at night. It will not lead to anything good. For starters, you can try to get up a bit earlier and have breakfast. Then you can start walking while talking by phone and eat your favorite croissant 30 minutes before a workout. After a few weeks, when your body gets used to this routine, you can add some new habits and start doing sport. As they say, “If you don’t know what to do – start small and do at least something.” If you do abs and squats 10 times per day, it will be already better than doing nothing.

ROCK THIS WHEN IT'S TIME TO LOUNGE OUTSIDE

Read the Aug Issue of Athleisure Mag #56 and see Rock This When It’s Time To Lounge Outside in mag.

HOW TO DRESS | FOR SAFE SOCIAL DISTANCED VISITS

Read the Aug Issue of Athleisure Mag #56 and read How to Dress | For Safe Social Distanced Visits in mag.

BEST SURF SPOTS IN SAN DIEGO

San Diego is one of America’s surfing meccas with its warm weather, sandy beaches, and breaks that create local icons. Surfing has been ingrained in San Diego’s culture for decades and the city draws the world’s top competitors. 

Some of the country’s most challenging surf breaks are in San Diego and massive crowds gather to watch pros show off their skills. From the seaside charm of Oceanside to the famous breaks of La Jolla, there’s something for every surf junkie in San Diego. 

We have listed 10 of the best surf spots in San Diego that guarantee surfers of any skill level a thrilling adventure. 

Pacific Beach

Surfers of all ages frequent the waves of Pacific Beach looking to get their first taste of the sport. With plenty of amenities and soft breaks, it’s one of San Diego’s most popular spots for beginners to practice. 

Though Pacific Beach is steeped in folklore for long-time surfing San Diegans, the town draws mostly a younger crowd today. Trendy bars, hip cafés, and stylish boutiques fill the main streets of the neighborhood, and it often feels like a party town. If you want to make all the rounds at Pacific Beach, stash your gear with a luggage storage service in Los Angeles first, to make it easy to get around.

PHOTO CREDIT | Unsplash/MontyLov

Oceanside

Newbies are welcome with open arms at beautiful Oceanside in North San Diego County. Oceanside is a quintessential surf community where local shops and restaurants are owned by surfers. 

Come with a laid-back attitude and you’re sure to find a helping hand for the first time you paddle out. The shifting sandbars create a variety of waves that accommodate surfers of all skill levels.

For extra guidance, book a surfing lesson with a veteran to learn the basics before trying to conquer the swells on your own. With plenty of lifeguards on duty, Oceanside is one of San Diego’s best areas to learn the sport.  

Mission Beach

Although Mission Beach doesn't have San Diego's biggest waves, it offers a chill vibe fantastic for surfers of all levels. If you’ve mastered the basics, this is a fun spot to attempt tougher swells. 

South Mission Beach Jetty is a favorite break for locals, but there are lots of quality spots to surf. Seasoned veterans may not find the world-class surf of nearby areas, but the right conditions can produce occasional big waves. 

PHOTO CREDIT | Pixabay /Jennifer Regnier

Tourmaline Surfing Park

Just north of Pacific Beach, you’ll find a spot solely designated for surfers. Tourmaline Surfing Park has breaks suitable for all levels and is frequented by longboarders, windsurfers, and kiteboarders. 

There are plenty of amenities to help you spend a full day at the park including fire pits, picnic tables, and restrooms. You can sunbathe on the sandy beach while taking a break from the waves and admire the rocky cliffs sitting above the shoreline.

Del Mar City Beach

Del Mar has consistent waves throughout the year that attract all types of surfers. Swells come from all directions and create intermediate surf conditions that are easily accessible from the street.

Due to the reliable surf, Del Mar becomes quite crowded and parking is limited in the area. Arrive early and be prepared to stay for the whole day for an enjoyable day of surfing.

If you need a break from the waves, gaze at the rugged cliffs bordering the sea or find a bite to eat in the trendy downtown area. 

PHOTO CREDIT | Pixaby/dfsym

La Jolla Shores

This is one of the calmer areas of La Jolla and is more suited for surfers still learning the basics of the sport. There are several places to take lessons if you’d rather get some expert advice before paddling out alone.

You’ll notice a low-key vibe in the neighborhood and all sorts of personalities flocking to the beach. Rugged sea cliffs form a picturesque backdrop and La Jolla Cove sits just past the beach.

Be aware of marine creatures when riding here since leopard sharks and stingrays are common in the area. 

Black’s Beach

One of the trickiest places to ride in San Diego, Black’s Beach is not the beach to attempt your first ride. A submerged canyon drives fierce swells towards the shoreline and waves can abruptly change direction. The unpredictable nature of the waves here makes it unsafe for first-time surfers. 

Although seasoned riders come here to make their mark, Black’s Beach is well-known for a different reason. It’s a nude-friendly beach, so don’t be surprised to see others baring it all. However, it’s mostly an older crowd who take advantage of this policy.  

PHOTO CREDIT | Pixabay /jpjenn26

Windansea Beach

There are dozens of places to catch a wave in La Jolla, but none possess the mystique as Windansea. Surfing veterans who grew up in San Diego have passed down traditions to their kids who maintain the vibe today.

You might want to sit back and watch how the locals run the show if you’re a beginner. The waves at Windansea have been brutal to inexperienced riders thinking they have what it takes. Don’t be surprised to have locals call you out if they spot you riding recklessly. 

Even if you choose not to paddle out, Windansea is one of San Diego's most picturesque beaches and worth the trip. Don’t miss the legendary Windansea Beach Surf Shack that was originally built by local surfers in the 1940s. 

Lower Trestles

Not just anyone can pop into “Lowers” and expect to get a slice of the action. This famous beach sits among San Diego’s most renowned surf spots and it’s a place that has created legends in the surfing world. Surfing icon Kelly Slater even ranks Lowers as his favorite place to ride. 

On a busy day, expect insane competition for waves and make sure you know the local customs before claiming a wave. Folks at Lowers won’t be afraid to call you out if you break surfing etiquette. 

If you’re a beginner or just not a fan of crowds, you may want to venture to one of the nearby beaches. You’ll be in a more relaxed space with much less traffic in the water. 

PHOTO CREDIT | Unsplash/Yuya Hata

Sunset Cliffs

Bring nothing less than your A-game at this set of reef breaks. Situated in Point Loma near San Diego Bay, this stretch of unspoiled coastline is a surfer’s dream. 

Steep cliffs tower above the Pacific Ocean and you’ll have to walk the cliffside trails to reach the line-up. Advanced surfers are the only ones who should dare attempt the long breaks and barrels here. Locals don’t take kindly to obnoxious behavior and things can get heated if you break surfing etiquette.

Be respectful and adhere to local traditions to have a pleasant experience at this hidden gem. 

PEACH BEAUTY

Read the Aug Issue #56 of Athleisure Mag and see Peach Beauty in mag.

TIPS FOR BRAHMI STARTERS

There are so many choices that you could get lost in a world of nootropics and a variety of articles about each of them. The same goes with beloved Bacopa Monnieri, so we will try to elucidate it from many angles.

Brahmi was firstly discovered a long time ago, about 3 thousand years back in ancient India. This white flower is known from Ayurvedic medicine, named after the Sanskrit word which stands for meaning knowledge of life and longevity. 

You have already got to know two of its names - Bacopa Monnieri and Brahmi. The third came from its nature to grow in the wetlands and thus you can also call it the Water Hyssop. Indians used this flower for anxiety treatment, some evidence also proves its usage for fever alleviation, urine promotion and even sexual stimulation. Learn more details about Bacopa Monnieri in this article.

Benefits of Bacopa Monnieri

Brahmi is a stress fighter, also known as an adaptogen. Bacopa interacts with our nervous system by turning off the stress signals and lightening up the mood, so nowadays scientists have agreed with ancient Indians about anxiety treatment.

According to some research, Bacopa Monnieri is capable to reduce symptoms of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) by suppressing both impulsivity and restlessness. 

Bacopa Monnieri contains antioxidants which fight with free radicals and protect your cells from damage. Free radicals can be more harmful than you think, those molecules cause serious diseases that are difficult to cure such as cancer. Brahmi neutralizes free radicals and prevents unwanted malaise.

Users have shared their experience with Brahmi regarding brain performance. By using Bacopa Monnieri, you may rather improve the memory and learning skills. At the beginning of use, you will notice some beneficial changes about your attention, Brahmi also has some anti-fatigue properties. After two or three months, the significant improvement regarding your memory will be more noticeable, so be patient. Visit the source here.

Brahmi might lend your immune system a hand while experiencing certain inflammation. Research proves Brahmi’s interaction with proinflammatory molecules and its anti-inflammatory effect.

And lastly, some scientists claim Brahmi can regulate blood pressure, particularly lowering high levels. Bacopa releases nitric oxide that expands blood vessels in regards to normal pressure.

Side effects of Bacopa Monnieri

Almost every nootropic has a risk of side effects appearing. Some of them are more likely, others aren’t. Bacopa Monnieri is one of those nootropics which can be considered as possibly safe as cases of side effects are rare (if, of course, you are following the dosage instructions).

Nevertheless, every user has to be aware of possible side effects, so have in mind that Brahmi slows down the heart rate and enhances bradycardia, also strengthens lung fluid secretions. If you have any disorders regarding heart or lung, such as Asthma, consider carefully before trying Bacopa Monnieri. We would even recommend discussing it with your doctor.

Among possible side effects, immune system refusal also should be considered. In spite of toxicity or unsuitable substance, you can experience nausea or diarrhea. Sometimes the benefits can be unnoticed because the supplement is not right for you.

Every supplement should be taken seriously. When starting a new one, try from the lowest dosage and then raise it gradually to ensure safety and avoid side effects. Always be patient, it takes some time for some of the wanted results to appear.

Dosage of Bacopa Monnieri

Dosage is the main ingredient for supplements to work properly. The toxicity could summon some side effects and withdrawal, and the little dosages could prevent benefits from appearing. The right dosage of Bacopa Monnieri depends on its percentage of pure extract.

If the percent is about 20%, the dosage per day varies from 750 mg to 1500 mg. If it's about 55 percent, the maximum amount would be 300 mg per day. 

Bear in mind the research regarding Bacopa Monnieri supplement covers only 3 months of usage. Potential memory changes are indeed notable after a few months, but we suggest you stick to the 3 months and do not overextend the period.

Withdrawal of Bacopa

Despite Bacopa supplement is possibly safe, a long time usage can induce withdrawal symptoms that you should be aware of. We already know that Bacopa improves memory after two or three months of use. 

Such a long term leaves an impact on our recall and mental condition, but when it's time to take a break from Bacopa, it may be challenging. Your mood can evolve into a depressing one, some users have experienced fatigue.

To avoid withdrawal symptoms, take care of your dosage. Plan your usage period, when it is going to an end, lessen amounts gradually to accustom your body. Start from short breaks till you reach the long one.

Combination with other nootropics

Users try to combine some of the nootropics to strengthen the wanted effects. Bacopa Monnieri also has some friends-nootropics that are usually combined with it. For instance, let’s take Ashwagandha.

Ashwagandha, as well as Bacopa Monnieri, has an adaptogenic feature. In the same, already mentioned, Ayurvedic medicine, Ashwagandha was also used as an anxiety attenuator and calmness provider. Together with Bacopa Monnieri, Ashwagandha boosts tranquillity and reduces stress much more powerfully than Bacopa could do alone.

Going further, both of them activate antioxidants to prevent cells from damaging and stimulate healthy brain function. The maintenance of memory improves as well when Ashwagandha and Bacopa are used as a combination.

Research shows that an effective combination turns out to be Bacopa Monnieri and Rosemary Antioxidant. Mixed together, these supplements significantly increased the activity of antioxidants. According to studies, the quality of cell protection is raised impressively, so if you are searching for a tool to enable antioxidants fully, this combination can be just the right choice. To learn more about the research click here.

Lastly, Bacopa Monnieri can be found in a form of tablet or powder, so feel free to choose whatever suits you. Get to know more about Bacopa supplement here at Raw Powders.