Category: <span>Advice</span>

We Are Motherlovers (plus…a #TJSMomsForJLo Promo)

May 3, 2016 By Jen Chase

Whether it was your mother, your grandmother, a teacher, or a trusted mother figure, this time of year makes us reflect on the women who raised us to bee the Bees we are today. We say it all the time but it bears repeating: #ItTakesAHive. That’s why we’re thankful to the moms out there who gave us wings (…and why some of us can’t wait to onpass them to our litteltons, when it’s time for them to flee the hive).

Below, TJS’s Co-Founders, Creative Director and Content Director (Jamie Stephenson and Marcella Williams; and Mallory Dawn and Jen Chase, respectively) share thoughts and memories about their mothers…the stuff they gleaned from them; the stuff they hope they give back to them; and the ways in which being a mom has moved some of us like nothing else in life could.

Jamie and Mia, and Being Led Down the Garden Path (…Literally)

For as long as I could remember, my mom was a single mom working at least two jobs. It wasn’t until I was 17 that she met Walter, and it was then that I saw her soften into what it felt like to be a woman who could enjoy a life lived with a little more time for her pursuits. He allowed her the time to explore her cooking and gardening skills. Both were parts of her life that would give back to him (and all of us) for many years to come.

I’ll never forget the day I went to their home for dinner. I was 22. Mom handed me a set of kitchen shears and a paper-lined colander, and asked me to go into the yard to harvest our dinner salad. I was freaked out.

“We can’t eat that! We grew it!” I said.

Her reply? “Exactly. We grew it, and it’s the very best. Now hurry up.”

Later at dinner, my mind was blown. Those leaves were delicious and tender, and they’d been growing in her garden just minutes before. That was the day the proverbial seed was planted in my mind—that the power of fruits and veggies—fresh, raw and powerful—was truly food for the body and soul.

Thanks Mom.

Thanks Walter.

Shit Jamie’s Moms Says:
“Eat your veggies, they’re good for you.”
“Maybe. In the future.”

Marcella: On The Inexplicable Joys of Motherhood

I will never forget the day my ex-husband and I decided we were ready for a baby. A month later we were expecting, and I knew it was a little girl. I could feel it in my gut. I could actually see her face in my mind… her warm smile, her kind eyes. I knew her name, envisioned her laughter and could not wait to finally meet her.

She changed my life in so many ways. It was not until I knew I was pregnant did I start to really be conscious about what I put into my body. It began with increasing my fruits and vegetables and minimizing anything processed or refined. I wasn’t just feeding myself, I was literally creating another human…a human who would grow to be a thriving toddler, an energetic child and eventually a young adult. She needed the best quality foods and nutrients I could give her in this most crucial time of development.

They say love is a verb, and though I couldn’t voice it to her yet, I could show her love in the best way I knew how.

I remember sitting in History 102 class and was about 15 weeks along when I felt the first kick. People say it feels like butterflies, but this was just little bit stronger. I pushed on my stomach right where I felt it and she kicked back! We went back and forth a few times and I started to tear up. My professor looked at me kinda crazy. He must have thought I had a soft spot for the roaring 20’s and The Great Gatsby—and I did!—but the welling of my eyes came from my first interaction with my beautiful baby girl.

I remember reading all of those baby books and about how she was developing, and the minute I knew she could hear my voice, I began to sing to her. I sang anything from lullabies to random love songs. One song in particular was You Were Meant for Me, by Jewel. I will never forget the first time I sang it to her at five weeks old, she looked up at me and smiled her very first smile!

Sophia Maria was born on July 12, 2006, 8 pounds, 3 ounces and 21 inches long. I knew I loved her before I met her but never could imagine how much you could truly love someone unconditionally…until 6:30 p.m., when she laid on my chest for the very first time. Watching her grow over the years has been a blessing that so many people do not get to experience. I live each day with gratitude, trying so hard to make each day count and live in the present.

Shit Marcella’s Moms Says:

(To my little brother:) “If you sprinkle when you tinkle, be a sweetie and wipe the seatie.”

“It’s too quiet.”

“Can I pee in peace?”

“Take pictures because it’s gone in a flash.”

“Because I said so…that’s why!”

Mallory and Mimi: Childhood Lessons Enrich Long Into Life

My mother was a teacher while I was growing up. A lot of my friends knew her (and, her large collection of colorful high-top Reeboks). She taught my brother and me a lot of lessons, but one in particular has completely affected my course of life.

You see, growing up I knew my parents were “hippies” because they listened to The Beatles, wore tie-dyed clothes, told us stories of protests they attended at Edinboro University and other rebellious behavior from their younger years. At the same time, they also encouraged my brother and me to create a life we loved, and to love all living things. My mother, unbeknownst to my lack of musical skill, even encouraged us to start a band together.

For the longest time, I thought that these impressions my mother left on me were things all children got from their parents. In fact, it wasn’t until I started sharing this one lesson in particular that I realized that not everyone grew up with parents like mine.

This lesson started in my earliest childhood. I remember coming home from school worked up and complaining about something that had happened (and, about the person who was to blame). My mother said to me: “Mallory, I want you to think of 10 reasons why that person did what they did to you, and none of your reasons can be about you.”

Of course I attempted to use the “They don’t like me,” “They’re mad at me” arguments, but she’d catch me every time, reminding me those were reasons that in fact included me. Sure enough, by the fourth or fifth reason (“They got a bad grade”; “They were feeling sad”; “They got yelled at by their parents,” etc.) I had settled down and actually felt empathy for the person I was upset with.

My mother had me practice this skill throughout elementary school, junior high and high school. So it became natural for me to “step back” from situations that rattled my copacetic bubble, and to mentally address at least 10 reasons why someone could behave in a way that was void of me. Today, I still make those mental lists as I consider what someone who upsets me may be dealing with. Maybe they had a rough drive to work; maybe they couldn’t get their child/pet to eat or potty that morning; maybe money is stressing them out; maybe they’ve lost someone they love; maybe they just woke up on the wrong side of the bed….And maybe—just MAYBE—their behavior has nothing to do with me.

It’s much easier to feel peaceful and calm when you feel a connection to others. My mother’s lesson taught me how to feel connected to anyone, no matter the situation. Today, I love sharing my experience with others because I know the power it will create in their lives and attitude if they choose to hone the ability to understand and empathize with the feelings of others.

Shit Mallory’s Moms Says:

“But are you bleeding?”

“You are my sunshine.”

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

Jen and Heidi: Sacrifice Leads To Mother-Daughter Soulmates

Before she was my sister’s mother or mine, she was Heidi Ange Morris. Ange wasn’t for Angela but Ange, with an a sound like in hand. Heidi was because her mother loved the book. The Morris was from a man whose liquid demons pissed away the love he could’ve long enjoyed from his wife and kids but couldn’t. And Chase was from the man who blessed her with her children.

Motherhood hasn’t been my mother’s easiest-won gift, but she’d probably say it’s her life’s greatest. And fortunately, because she shares herself freely beyond the boundaries of blood, her mothering has been a gift to others. As a longtime elementary school teaching assistant, I’ve watched her foster deep relationships with younger colleagues. My lifelong girlfriends have turned to her during times of painful coming-outs, or when they needed care for their children when their own families were miserably unsupportive. My high school sweetheart and his wife are wholeheartedly friendly with her. She’s that mom. And growing up, despite a few naturally occurring blue periods in the lore of estrogen-heavy households, I deeply knew I was lucky.

I wrote most of that recalling our relationship from my youth through college years. But if you’re lucky to have been raised by certain parents, under certain circumstances, a paradigm shift can happen in your 30s if the proverbial shit hits your fan and you start grasping for their experience-based guidance. Maybe we hope their Smart Genes will save us from stupidity, but around 30-something is when you realize your parents are real adults with real-life chapters…and that maybe they really do understand, because they’ve experienced similar challenges long before you did. In my case, one lived out West before admitting like Dorothy that there’s no place like home (…in Massachusetts). One was married when the two of them fell in love. One had a mid-life crisis and lived in a hotel for a week. One lost a business, mojo and life way too young. Both of them had to navigate raising a special needs infant beside a typical toddler. And ironically, neither ventured far from their own mother. Least never for long. They made all these disparate parts of their lives work, coming together to be the kind of parent I often wish I was.

Mum has devoted her life to making my sister’s life comfortable. And as my parent, she’s been selfless; honest; and at times, her advice has been so right as effing rain I’d swear she was a seer. But most important, as she’s balanced motherhood and personhood (and isn’t it amazing that as kids we don’t really see our parents are “real” people?) she raised me with love. Boundless. She is my friend, my comfort, my confidante, my heart. She doesn’t like what I eat but loves what I cook. She rarely finds what I find funny but finds me funny, which is 10 kinds of awesome since hers is a laugh I seek. I choose her company and she chooses mine. And if I’ve learned anything from her, it’s strength. Strength by example. I don’t display her gumption on the reg, but I’m glad it’s in my marrow. Somewhere.

The picture above was from before Heidi Chase was anyone’s mother. It’s a candid from a shoot where she was asked to model hairdos. Frankly, it embarrasses her because she’s incredibly shy—she was 20s-ish, maybe?—but man, I love her look. Quiet and sophisticated. Soft. Eye makeup just so, always and still. She wasn’t thinking about doling out Erin’s seizure meds or worrying if I’d smile again after my marriage ended. It was just her, back when it could be. And the pic drives me to be a daughter that gives her moments of her past life in this one, where she need only think of herself. Like kajillions of adult kids like you or others who have been raised by amazing people (blood variety or not), I’m grateful to be my mother’s daughter, to have her as my friend, and to be allowed to be hers. Because that stuff is never a given, but a blessing to be earned on both sides.

Shit Jen’s Moms Says:

“I wish I liked to eat what you eat.”

“You’re so much like your father.”

“The grass is always greener….”

Now ABOUT that promo….

Mother’s Day 2016: #TJSMomsForJLo

It’s true. TJS wants you to celebrate Mom’s Day with JLo.

And no, we’re not sending her to your house. (Fo sho we’re rad but not *that* rad.) Read to the end, though. This deal’s still the goods….

For everything the mother figure in your life does to keep yo’ shit in line, we’ve got quite possibly the best booty-shakin’ promo of all time. (At least for the first quarter of 2016.)

Since TJS is all about maintaining WHealth™ on the inside and out, we like encouraging you Bees to push your personal healthy-choice envelopes. And since occasional incentives are swell, here’s a doozy.

Ready?

We wanna see you and your three-day fast bottles! Why? Beecuase we frikkin’ heart you, and we want you Bees to have a little extra pusha-push-push to enjoy one of our crazy-delicious three-day juice fasts. We honestly think you’ll love it enough, you might make it a tool in your healthy-living toolbox every quarter or so to improve your WHealth™ and glowing self. So we seriously hope you’ll do this:

1) From now through 31 May, show us your prettiest Instagram pics(s) of you and your three-day fast. And in the comments of your pics, use your very best words to express one of the following thoughts:

Your best “Shit Moms Says” advice (and it doesn’t have to be from your own Moms—it can be from a mother figure in your life). What’s something Moms says that makes your eyes roll? Belly laugh? Heart sing? Do tell.
Best thing you’ve learned from Moms or your moms-ish figure.
Your fave thing about being a moms yourself…either to your own littletons or littletons in your life whom you cherish.
What’s something you’ve vowed to do when you become a parent someday?

2) Hashtag all that with #TJSMomsForJLo.

3) Wake up June 1 and hope like hell you were picked to win two tix to JLo’s June 8 performance at PH (“Planet Hollywood,” if you’re not local).

And that’s pretty much it.

Deets:

* Gift value is at about $517. (Thought you’d like to know.)

* Must you take Moms? No. But if she’s likes JLo you’ll be Kid of the Year. ’Til 2019.

* The show is June 8. That’s the only date. It may not be changed. It may not be exchanged. Do us a solid and don’t ask, beg or plead for another option. We cry when friends cry in front of us.

Play fair. Good luck. And go Moms. (You, too, JLo.)

April=Allergy Relief the TJS Way

April 6, 2016 By Jen Chase

Spring is officially only a few weeks old, but we feel like we’re already upping our A-Is-For-Allergy game, as we sharpen the trusted tools in our tool belts for holding back our yearly wheezes and sneezes.

(Thanks, Trees, for popping your pollen early. Not.)

You may have heard about intermittent fasting (IF)—eating during a window of set hours each day to promote the body’s burning the fuel it has before adding more in. It’s widely reported that IF may be excellent for building immunity, and addressing allergies. And we’ve already talked a little about fasting and our own vernacular shift here at The Juice Standard, we believe there’s a way to combine these tactics of IF and enjoying juice fasts by simply adding a few allergy-fighting Singletons or shots from our menu to your daily sked of eating.

Here’s what we recommend:

TJS SHOTS

The Juice Standard’s wellness shots are potent 2- to 3-ounce sips that can up the ante of everyone’s path toward WHealth™™ and glowing self.

With a concentrated dose of raw, unpasteurized, cold-pressed juice and select herbs, spices and superfoods from nature’s drugstore, our shots are designed to be downed individually but may be combined with juices in the TJS repertoire for a truly optimized, tricked-out taste. (Ask our Bees beehind the counter for perfect pairings since some shots are meant to be enjoyed solo.)

From increasing energy and immunity, to being the tastiest liquid vitamin you’ll ever enjoy, our shots are like the espresso of the juice world: bold and strong, but filled with things like blue-green algae (for optimized health) and raw apple cider vinegar (for fighting colds and increasing metabolism).

“Shoot it and be done with it” is what we like to say! Each shot is a true one-and-done step in your wellness routine.

Name: WELLNESS SHOT

Boastful Benefits: Need some spring in your step? Having some tummy trubs? Not feeling your best? This powerful combo helps boost immunity with vitamin C; increase circulation with the pepper’s heat; and ease stomach discomfort thanks to the ginger’s stellar digestive enzymes. An excellent shot, any time of day.

Ingredients: Ginger, lemon, cayenne pepper

Tastes…hot and spicy with a citrus kick. It’s grownup lemonade on steroids. (And did we say it’s hot? Beecuase it is.)

Name: FLU SHOT

Boastful Benefits: Turmeric is, like, the Superman of Spices, long researched and well documented by The Cleveland Clinic and National Institutes of Health for its ability to improve cognitive function in patients with neurological disorders (Alzheimer’s disease; ALS); as well as slowing the growth of some types of cancer cells. But turmeric is also like nature’s ibuprofen, and if taken regularly can help reduce inflammation in everyone from gym warriors to arthritis sufferers. Bonus? The black pepper in our FluShot helps the bod absorb that turmeric even faster. (And the apple cider vinegar is great for aiding digestion and metabolism.)

Ingredients: Raw apple cider vinegar, oregano oil, turmeric, black pepper

Tastes…pleasantly acidic and herbal (and thanks to that turmeric and pepper—and assuming you like Indian food—faintly reminiscent of your fave yellow curry).

Name: E3LIVE® SHOT

Boastful Benefits: Blue-green algae contains some of the most concentrated amounts of protein known to the plant world, so for vegetarian and vegan eaters concerned about their intake, this special shot helps with all-around health. Blue-green algae is also known for increasing energy, balancing mood, and boosting our overall vitamin and amino acid intake.

Ingredients: E3Live® blue-green algae and coconut water

Tastes…vegetal and grassy, with a hint of the tropics. Think walking through a freshly cut yard while nursing a piña colada. Minus the pineapple. And the sugar. And, pushing a mower.

TJS ALLERGY-FIGHTING SINGLETONS

Want something a little less strong? Any of our juices and nut milks with turmeric will do you no wrong. From Bee Legendary to Bee WHealthy™, there are sips to satisfy all kinds of palates. Ask one of our Bees beehind the country to steer you in the right direction. Which in our hope, is as far away from a tissue as possible.

PolyJuicery: BEE In Love With More Than One.

February 4, 2016 By Jen Chase

Bee Pure, Bee Resilient and Bee Grateful are three different and swoon-worthy juices that will provide a day’s worth of delicious nutrition. While society pushes us to vary what we eat—and it’s pretty much a necessity for maintaining a balanced diet—who’s to say that same need for, er, “variety” isn’t applicable to other areas of life?

This month, we honor variety of another kind: our ability to bee in love with more than one juice—and, daresay, one person—and beeing brave enough to explore it.

If you’re a person of a certain age, chances are you’ve run the gamut of relationships.

Maybe you’ve been in love, out of love, sworn off love, or don’t know if you’ve actually seen it.

Whether with men, women and/or both, maybe you feel like you broke love or love broke you.

Maybe, try as you did, you couldn’t connect with the face across the pillow that you chose for as long as you both shall live.

Maybe love’s not your gig, and maybe it’s all you ever wanted.

Maybe you partnered flawlessly and your other half died. Or maybe, when he or she walked out, the corpse left in their wake was you.

For centuries we’ve been conditioned to frame love and loss through a somewhat Colonial and Puritanical lens. But today’s truth is this: More and more people are exploring how to wrap their minds around giving love, seeking love and receiving it from more than one person at a time. And they’re pretty timid to admit it.

Cuddle Puddle

Beecause of this, for the 30- to 50-year-old demographic, bookstore shelves are thin from sales of titles that today’s women seem starved to digest: alternative relationships, polyamory, and the fact that some people’s capacity to love can be so abundant, the ages-old construct of monogamy—the choice to partner with one person at a time—doesn’t work for them.

Let that creep in a little:

Monogamy…feels off.

That may seem harsh, but we couldn’t mean less harm. Books like Esther Perel’s perennial Mating In Captivity, Sex From Scratch: Making Your Own Relationship Rules and The Ethical Slut (and don’t go judging a book by its cover because that last one is profound) are thoughtful and deeply researched missives about open relationships relative to polyamory, which the Polyamory Society calls “the non-possessive, honest, responsible, and ethical philosophy and practice of loving multiple people simultaneously.”

(Now let’s think about that concept for a minute as it applies to how we partner:)

The non-possessive, honest, responsible, and ethical philosophy and practice of loving multiple people simultaneously.

((And call us crazy, but shouldn’t all relationships be like that?))

Actually, the notion of not placing all of our love eggs in the basket of one person to carry is a lot like building a custom TJS Singleton Six-Pack. Sure, it’s safe to buy six bottles of the same juice, especially if it keeps you sipping within the lines of predictability. But what if your soul’s true palate points to not one, but three flavors that independently, symbiotically and chemically fill not just your TJS cardboard carrier but your heart, too? What if we weren’t afraid to admit that the ages-old definition of partnering with one end-all-bee-all person doesn’t work for everyone? Isn’t it possible it would be more fair to our partners if we sought some things from some and others from others, rather than expecting everything from one knight or princess? And what keeps us from being honest about expressing new thoughts about our needs…even if they shatter the status quo?

If we crave multiple people to fill our proverbial love tanks—if we believe that advice like this exists to remind that the human capacity to love is SO abundant that it explains how a mother can equally love each of her children—it may be time to better support one another as we reach for the courage to admit there’s no shame in feigning convention. It may help us force the question that if we have the capacity to love more than one person, and we seek a partner with the flexibility to explore this beautiful way of sharing a life with someone who’s likeminded, maybe together we’ll build bravery to talk about it. Seems like the above books and candid conversations is a pretty good place to start.

At TJS, juice is our one true love. And in this emotive month—and during these emotive decades in people’s lives as we swan dive into our own authenticity after a separation, an uncoupling or a death—there’s zero shame in saying, “Traditional relationships haven’t worked for me. I want more.”

This month—this Valentine’s Day—if you don’t have a “one love,” it hardly means you don’t have love. You can love more than one thing. Know why? Our one true love is that which we do in our lives for ourselves: our career and our parenting; our art; our juice…whatever. And while a handful of Team Bees waxed poetic last week about this very subject, Creative Director Mallory Dawn said it beautifully best:

Our one true love is simply that which moves us; and when we allow ourselves to love more than one person or thing, we invite more love to return to us.

(How does it get any better or less scary than that?)

So for all our talk about being kind to one another, this February (this life?) let’s baby step toward being kind to ourselves while exploring how freeing it could feel to own a face of love that works for us, not one that works for society. Let’s loosen conversations in our friendships and communities that explore just how much our hearts might grow if we drop the fear and inch toward what we think might be true for us…even if it’s not popular. Beecause while monogamy can be our life’s most precious gift if we’re blessed to find our “one,” if how you’ve partnered hasn’t felt quite right, it might be time to change the dance.

New Menu+ Remedies=TJS Helping You

June 13, 2015 By Jen Chase

Our menu’s new “juice remedies” and their easy-peasy codes are helping bees relieve (almost) anything life throws at us.

“C’mon, Life! Show us what you’ve got! Give us your germs, your fatigue and your post-workout aches. Give us your hangry-ass pangs, your sniffly allergy noses and the feeling that you might—just might—be getting and early visit from Aunt Flow.”

So that’s basically what our new menu would say if it could talk as it wagged a finger at all the health drama that tries to hold us back. Because along with a pretty big pair of sassy pants our newly designed menus are sporting a cheat sheet that beeautifully hollas out which TJS juices are good for what. Just pick up a menu and flip it to the back. On the far right there’s a handy list with an even handier, color-coded, acronym-filled key giving you at-a-glance access to what each TJS juice can help alleviate.

Here's a snapshot of our new menu. We hope our thoughtful 'Juice Remedies' help lead you toward your very best selves, no matter how you feel.

TJS’ “Juice Remedies.” We hope our thoughtful ‘Juice Remedies’ help lead you toward your very best selves, no matter how you feel.

Full disclosure, here: As it is for other juiceries and throughout some alternative-therapy industries—think essential oils, herbs or adaptogenics—TJS can’t claim that cold-pressed juice will full-on heal you (even though we cheekily say on our menu disclaimers that we know it often can!). But we can say that TJS-suggested remedies may (ahem) alleviate what ails you. And that’s what our little key points out.

So: If you’re feeling a little ick and want to, well, not, pick up a menu and chat up one of the wholehearted staffers behind the counter at The Hive or The Rose. They’ll help you not only navigate what tastes fantabulously good, but will point out what’s fantabulously good for your body in the areas of…

Immunity Boosting (IB)
Allergy Relief (A)
Meal Replacement (MR)
Post Workout (PW)
Extra Energy (EE)
Everyday Nutrition (EN)
Menstrual Relief (M)
Skin Glow (G)
Stress Reduction (SR)

TJS Weekend Reads For The Busy Bee

May 22, 2015 By Jen Chase

Green Kitchen Travels is just one in a kickass stack of books at The Rose waiting for you to pick up and flip as you sip. Best enjoyed with something green and tasty like a Bee True To You.

Looking for some weekend reads? Pre-summer brain food? For today’s busy bee, taking a personal time out for a little written-word R&R can mean anything from catching up on food blogs to high-thought books about organics’ regulations…and that range was WAY proven at the Friday morn weekly Team TJS meeting, where as we helped each other plan and prioritize our contribution to the company for the week ahead, we snuck in a little talk time about what we’re reading.

We’re all pretty like-minded…but man, hello diverse! Here are the four titles we realized we’re groovin’ on that we thought we’d mention to you lovelies. Beecause sharing is caring.

Happy weekend, Bees!

WHO…Jamie, co-founder and CEO

SHE’S READING… Fruitless Fall: Collapse of the Honey Bee and the Coming Agricultural Crisis (Rowan Jacobsen)

IT’S ABOUT…the incredibly sad/scary/insert your favorite gutting adjective about what caused honeybees to go AWOL in spring 2007. Citing the plight by its many names (colony collapse disorder; mad bee disease; bee auto-immune deficiency) and using facts and plain-speak like a good investigative food journo should, (plus a lotta bee love), Jacobsen explains how neurotoxin-laced pesticides and even antibiotics used by conventional farmers on flower crops across the country are sickening the bees we need to help pollinate our every three bites of food. If you ever needed a reason for eating organic, Jacobsen does you a solid with his 288 pages.

WHY READ? Change needs to happen when it comes to how we view organic farming, says Jamie. Hard not to feel doomsdayish about the plight of innocent bees. But there’s so much hope if writers like Jacobsen help influence future generations of mindful eaters. His most important audience? The farmers and regulators at national levels who have the ability to keep this from beecoming a decades-long catastrophee.

***

WHO…Mallory, creative director

SHE’S READING…Green Kitchen Travels: Healthy vegetarian food inspired by our adventures by David Frenkiel and Luise Vindahl.

IT’S ABOUT…So there’s this couple. And they’re new parents. And they have a crazy-popular blog where they write crazy-popular posts of food that’s beautiful to eat and look at (Vindahl is a photog and the book and blog sure show it). This second book of theirs features 90 recipes they’ve enjoyed during travels around the world. Vegetarian and/or vegan and almost entirely gluten-free, the dishes stand strong alone; but coupled with the artistry and total passion this duo puts into sharing their love of healthful, mindfully good food, well it’s worth grabbing a green TJS juice and hunkering down for some un-guilty pleasure reading.

WHY READ? Um, did you not just read the above? If for no other reason, read it why Mal is: she loves the story and the recipes.

BONUS BOOM! If you get your juice at The Rose on St Rose Parkway there’s a copy on the communal reading shelf. So go ahead. Sip and flip.

***

WHO…Marcella, co-founder and COO

SHE’S READING…Mating in Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence by Esther Perel.

IT’S ABOUT…Get yer mind outta the gutter. Yes, “erotic” is in the title but this book is so deep. So. Perel’s a psychotherapist and her long-heralded book is clear and direct in presenting insights about coupledom and sexuality, and how to balance the two. Gays, straights, marrieds, singletons…this book is about conflict resolution and finding peaceful balance in a relationship, and its lessons, if learned early, can help alter your lifelong lens on love and the intimacy sought (and hopefully found) between two people.

WHY READ? Honestly, we hear about this relationship shit on the fly but often don’t develop an understanding about it until we’re in trouble: desire requires distance but intimacy needs proximity, or what’s it takes to keep a spark in a relationship. Whether you have an A+ relationship or you’re looking for one, there’s no bad time to pick up this puppy, and a refresher will always make you better. Ask Marce. She’s so wise.

***

WHO…Jen, content director

SHE’S READING…Kundalini Yoga, The Flow of Eternal Power by Khakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa

IT’S ABOUT…With the heading, “A Simple Guide to the Yoga of Awareness,” this book is like Kundalini For Dummies. Khalsa was taught by Yogi Bhajan, Ph.D., the daddy of kundalini and the gem responsible for bringing it to the West, and it’s written with the same humor and lightness Bhajan’s teachings are known for. A flavor of yoga that weaves song, chant and meditation with movement to increase the body’s kundalini energy, it’s an easy-to-follow guide covering how we can yoga ourselves toward ultimate health and wellness.

WHY READ? Kundalini is an acquired taste, but don’t be fooled: it can be way more aerobic of body and mind than it seems at first blush. And for anyone who’s dabbled, this book lends deeper meaning to what’s done in a class. Essential for anyone who’s hooked on kundalini as a tool for navigating the day while connecting to something higher…both in the Universe and in ourselves.

Juice Myth Debunked: Juice vs. Smoothie

May 18, 2015 By Jen Chase

In the juice vs. smoothie smackdown, the winner…is you. Here’s how.

Some of the awesome managers at The Hive (the Ft. Apache store) gave Team TJS a heads up about a question they’ve fielded a lot lately, and it’s one that Marcella hears a lot, too, and wanted cleared up:

WHAT’S BETTER: COLD-PRESSED JUICE OR SMOOTHIES?

Truth is, they’re pretty opposite: one has soluble fiber (juice), one has insoluble fiber (smoothies); one’s a known meal replacer; one’s the Flusher of All-Things Nastybad we store in our gut…yet if made right—with more veggies than fruit, more produce than protein-pumping additives—both do your bod a solid and are great for increasing your produce intake. But it does depend on how you want to achieve your #MissionNutrition:

Our ubiquitous Bee WHealthy™. Can’t even tell you how many pounds of produce are packed into this puppy. (Say that 10 times fast.)

JUICING extracts most of the insoluble fiber from produce, leaving the soluble kind behind. Insoluble fiber helps create stool and makes it bulky so it moves food through the system. In the absence of insoluble fiber, and with less need to move that shit on out (literally), drinking juice makes it easy for the bod absorb nutrients into the bloodstream because it doesn’t make the digestive system work so hard. It’s also why juicing may be better for some folks with digestive problems. Think of it as a kinder, gentler way to eat your veggies.

SMOOTHIES contain all the insoluble fiber that juice is missing, so they keep you fuller, longer.

JUICING is perfect for when the goal is to consistently flush your system with nutrients as you rid your bod of what’s left from the “reward foods” we love to enjoy (and, yes: even scratch-made baked goods, homemade ice cream and craft cocktails leave behind a trail of nasties). Thank juice’s soluble fiber for that and for absorbing water in our systems, acting like a pre-biotic to help build up good bacteria in the gut, and helping to regulate blood sugar.

This was the limited-run "Bee Mine" from last February. Pretty, huh? You can see that smoothies are thicker and make an excellent meal replacement...but be mindful of hidden sugar.

This was the limited-run “Bee Mine” from last February. You can see that smoothies are thicker and make an excellent meal replacement…but watch hidden sugar.

SMOOTHIES can act as a dependable meal replacement when made with healthy protein powder or low-fat dairy or dairy replacement like nutmilks.

JUICING lets you to consume the equivalent of POUNDS of produce in one easy-to-sip glass at a time thanks to the removal of the produce’s harder-to-digest cellulose.

SMOOTHIES allow you to effortlessly ingest things you enjoy having in your diet like supplement powders, adaptogens, seeds and ground nuts…most of which wouldn’t typically taste as good going down the hatch if they were mixed with veggie juice.

(See? Different yet beeautifully the same in that they both nourish the body. Just be sure to always opt for veggie-heavy recipes since sugar will never leave you as light and lithe as greens.)

And since we’re equal-opportunity product promoters here, now’s a great time to remind that, yes, The Juice Standard is a raging cold-pressed juice bar that sources organic produce, nuts, seeds and grains for its recipes…but we also sport four regular-menu smoothies—Green Is Good, the BFF, Protein Power, and Berry Antioxidizing—for when you think that sipping your meal will do your body good. You know. Like this guy taught us.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvP1E2WJ48o

(All hail Mr. Goodbody. )

Gots some other myths you’d like politely debunked? Email your questions to info@juicestandard.com.

A TJS Fast Is All About Support

May 6, 2015 By Jen Chase

We’re not into root-a-toot-tooting our own horns over here, but when we’re proud, we’re proud. And anyone who’s fasted with The Juice Standard knows that the minute you make up your mind to drink ours versus theirs is when the support starts. And support is one of the things we’re praised for most. Grin.

Now, beelievers know that fasts (or “cleanses,” if you prefer that word but we’re going with fast) purge toxins, fats, metals, free radicals, and other ick stuff from your system. But what if you’re on the fence, anyway? Beehold: A TJS Cheat Sheet about why juice fasts are good but TJS juice fasts are best.

TJS Green Standard Cleanse

WHY FAST?

Innards feel “off” and you can’t pinpoint why?
Late-night, work-travel room service weighing you down?
Indulging at restaurants more than usual?
Crave the clarity from sipping pure nutrition?

Disparate answers that all happen to be right. From weight loss and glowy skin to increased energy and inner reflection, juice fasts of one to however-many days you choose calm our insides (and often busy brains, too) by resting the digestive tract from breaking down whole foods and letting it almost effortlessly absorb the nutrient-dense goodness in cold-pressed juice.

WHY FAST…WITH TJS?

Keepin’ it real, here:

1) We’re organic. Not a little organic. Not kinda. Not organic except for when conventional is cheaper. We source organic like these guys are farmers. And not many juice bars can say that and we’re mad proud we can.

2) We’re local. We beelieve freshness is a virtue and instead of cleansing with juice from another part of the country, we cold press what Nevada and its surrounding states so bountifully provide so you may drink local. You’re most certainly welcome.

3) We’re bomb with customer service. Seriously: The best reason to juice fast with TJS is that we all care. Mallory puts a you-can-do-it love note in your juice bag just like momma used to write. Marcella is crazy-ass present at both locations, ever ready to answer questions. And Jamie’s done these fasts so often there’s nothing she won’t take the time to try to answer based on her personal experience alone (and her research skillz rock).

Caring. We all just reallyeffingcare.

We’re not a pop-up. Not a fad. Not a company run by people removed from their product. We are our product. We have standards. And we hope our juice standards are yours.

February Is Heart Month, So Love Thyself First

January 28, 2015 By Jamie Stephenson

As the adage goes, you can’t love someone else until you love yourself. So since February is the month of love, what better way to show your love than to take care of home and explore a little self love?

If you have a hard time thinking of where to start, showing yourself some love, first, can be done in baby steps:

Step 1) Try hitting the gym to get your heart rate up and your blood circulating (it helps the bod purge toxins through the skin by sweating, and strengthens the heart and self-esteem at the same time).

Step 2) Employ the 80/20 rule to help boost your self esteem. Never heard of it? The 80/20 states that to maintain your overall health and your looks in a way that makes you feel good about yourself, it takes 80 percent diet and 20 percent exercise. So do what you can in Step 1 to help achieve Step 2.

Step 3) Eat real food.

That last one is especially near and dear to us. Because it’s no secret that we here at The Juice Standard beelieve that drinking raw, fresh cold-pressed juice made from organic produce is incredibly nutritious because it contains real food…you’re just drinking it instead of chewing it. Juice is easily absorbed into the body with help from its active plant enzymes and phytonutrients. And it heals you and sustains you on a cellular level in ways that would blow your mind. (Want glowing dewy skin, a slim-feeling tummy, increased energy for bedroom romps (it’s the month of LOVE after all) then consider The Juice Standard!)

With all the love going ’round this month, it only makes sense that February is National Heart Month! And as it turns out, TJS loves hearts, too. That’s why we load our juices with ingredients like red radish, cucumber, celery, and raw cashew, to keep your ticker pumping nice and strong! How? Red radish is a great source of anthocyanins, a type of flavonoid that is also found in red wine that not only gives the powerful root its color, but has been linked to reducing the occurrence of cardiovascular disease by reducing inflammation – hence the term, an apple a day keeps the doctor away (apples also contain anthoncyanins, FYI).

So yes: Love thy neighbor? Absolutely. But love thy self first. And what better way than through juice.

Friends Who Juice—First Person With Celine Go

January 8, 2015 By Jamie Stephenson

This Las Vegas-based yoga instructor at Yoga Sanctuary used healthful workouts, smart food choices and juice to work her way toward WHealth and glowing self. Read how this weekly one-day juicer made the jump to her first three-day cleanse…and succeeded.

I was really excited to do the cleanse and on the other hand was doubting myself that I might not be able to do the whole three days. I usually do a day of cleansing every other Monday. So three days I knew was going to be very challenging. I did it anyway and I’M GLAD I DID.

The first day was the hardest for me. Hot herbal tea helped me a lot when I would feel cold. I had a lot of friends supporting me through text messages, Facebook and Instagram, and that helped me stay focused. There were times I would feel light headed and weak. But I was expecting that.

Second day was much easier and I already felt different the morning I woke up. I didn’t feel bloated, my belly felt flat, and I just felt good! I was drinking my juice and tea the whole day and knew that the third day would even be much easier. Well we went to a Christmas party on my third day and WOW was I tempted to just give this juice cleanse up! But I didn’t! I kept on drinking my hot herbal tea and survived the Christmas party. YAY!

I really don’t know how much total weight I lost doing the three-day cleanse because I don’t weigh myself regularly. I believe weighing yourself sets your mood. The best [judge] is how you feel. How your clothes fit and how your energy level is. That for me is what matters most. After doing the three-day cleanse, I felt really amazing! Thank You The Juice Standard! I’m glad we have you in our community.

Monday 6:45 pm Yin yoga – Yoga Sanctuary West
Tuesday 6:45 pm HOT yin Flow – Yoga Sanctuary West
Thursday 9:00 am Wake up flow (Mix level) – Yoga Sanctuary West
Thursday 5:20 pm Restorative – Yoga Sanctuary West
Friday 10:00 am Vinyasa Flow (Mix level) – Yoga Sanctuary West
Saturday 1:15 GoSweat/GoStretch – Yoga Sanctuary East
Sunday 8:45 am Restorative – Yoga Sanctuary East
Sunday 10 am Sweaty Flow mix level – Yoga Sanctuary East

Please check schedules Yoga Sanctuary for any changes/weekly updates!

Check out Celine’s before-and-after photo after she started incorporating healthful workout and nutrition habits into her life.

Celine can also be reached at her direct email: celinego1228@aol.com

Friends Who Juice: Tara Woodall-Diary of a 10-day Juice Cleanse!

January 8, 2015 By Jamie Stephenson

Watch how a 10-day cleanse with The Juice Standard helped this PR account exec for Las Vegas-based Wicked Creative reform her junk food-eating self into an appreciator of drinking her greens (and taking pride in how she felt).

Day 1: Today went well, which I must admit I was surprised about. I thought I would have a hard time today, but it was actually very easy. I even made fried Oreos for a bunch of friends and was not tempted to eat them at all. I will admit, it gets a little hard to drink three Bee WHealthy, but I know it’s the healthiest one, so it makes sense that the cleanse would incorporate it the most.

Day 2: Today was a little more rough, but not really hard. I feel skinnier already and I am down two pounds. Not going to lie, I have a bit of a headache, which started late last night, but overall, I feel fine. I am kind of waiting for this huge burst of energy that everyone says you get when doing this, but I haven’t had that yet – maybe it’s like a Day Three thing? I don’t know. My roommate just made chicken nuggets and I won’t lie… I am envious.

Day 3: So the hunger is real. My stomach growled so much today, however… it wasn’t in pain. I was fine and I am not entirely sure why because I was most definitely hungry. Anyways! I have lost five pounds in the last three days, which I am pretty excited about and my face is very clear. I generally have clear skin anyways, but there is definitely something different about it today – something good. I went to happy hour with two of my co-workers today and just drank water the entire night and wasn’t even tempted to eat anything there, which is really shocking since we went to Kona Grill and they have amazing sliders. So far, so good. Everyone keeps telling me the first three days are the hardest and I must say—if this is the hardest it gets…I am in great shape. By the way, Bee Magnificent is one of the best things I have ever tasted.

Day 4: Oh man… the struggle was real today. I had a massive headache, was light headed and dizzy and just wanted to fall asleep. I know this was probably my body going through a detox, but it was a hard day and I am so thankful it is over. My normal diet consists of Chipotle and Taco Bell and pumping it full of spinach and other nutrients that are good for it is throwing me off a little bit. It’s a good thing, though, because that means I am flushing out all the crap I have been putting into my body. I think I was even delirious at some points—laughing uncontrollably. My cube mate, who is pretty crazy herself, even told me I was acting loopy. Overall, I am glad it is the end of the day and I get my Bee Magnificent.

Day 5: Well the aftermath of the headache is over. I think the worst part is over now it’s just about enduring all of these holiday parties without mentally breaking. The mental aspect is definitely what will make or break you on this cleanse because you feel as though you aren’t eating—and you go around saying “yeah I haven’t eaten in five days,” but you are. You’re just drinking the fruits and veggies that you’d otherwise chew, which is really the only difference. It’s fair to say that from my brain down, I feel good, but I really hope I am mentally strong enough to get over the simple fact that I am not chewing, I’m drinking. Half way through!

Day 6: Today is A LOT better. I don’t have any signs of a headache or lightheadedness. However, I went on a photo shoot and there was alcohol there, which was really hard to turn down. It’s no secret that I enjoy a good cocktail every now and then… more often the now rather the then. 🙂 I mean we live in Vegas, come on. However, I am pleased to say that although the rather attractive bartender asked me multiple times to taste test the three cocktails he made for the shoot, I politely declined and explained that I was committed to my juicing for the next four days to which he commented on how crazy I must be. Again this goes back to the mental aspect of all of this. If you think about the fact that you are “not able” to be social because you can’t drink or can’t “eat” then you will break, no doubt. If you look at it as still being social, but instead of having a Stella Cidre (my favorite drink) – filled with tons of empty calories that will make their way straight to your love handles where they will happily make a home for themselves and their family members —you are having a Bee WHealthy that is much much much healthier for you in every way possible, then you will definitely make it.

Day 7: Today is when the home stretch begins…three days left. I can totally do this. Forget the fact that it’s Friday and I am going home to California for the holidays, which means food… lots of food, but I can do this. Keeping in mind all the health benefits of this cleanse really helps take my current “juice brain” off the fact that I am missing out on Christmas cookies and white chocolate covered oreo balls shaped into little snowmen – all sarcasm aside, it really does help. I can miss out on a few of those things to live a healthier life. 🙂

Day 8: I am beginning to enter the “change of life” state of mind, which is what I call it when you realize that you are not supposed to be living healthy like this for this 10 days, but rather, for the rest of your life. I don’t want to just end on the tenth day and go back to eating like I was before. First of all, I’ve gone through too many emotions in the past eight days to just throw it all away over some processed food and second of all… I like the feeling of my clothes fitting a little looser. Yeah, that’s always a plus.

Day 9: Down to the wire today and I am feeling good. I kept myself busy all day today wrapping presents like crazy and hanging out with family. They feel bad because they think they can’t eat around me, but I am stronger today than I have been for the last week because I am NOT about to throw this away the day before it’s over. Of course, when I told my family to eat whatever they want and I will just drink my Bee Energized (I was on my second juice of the day at this time), they opted to go to Chipotle. And I am happy to say that although my love for Chipotle is unlike anything I have ever felt before, I stayed strong and sipped on my juice while my parents indulged in roasted bell peppers and zesty chicken.

Day 10: Oh yeah, today is the day and I won’t lie, I am excited for tomorrow to chew my food, but I am glad I experienced the cleanse. I know that I have discipline now and that makes me feel AWESOME. I mean I knew I had discipline to work out on a consistent basis, but my diet has always been my downfall and now I know I can control it. This has definitely been a learning experience and I am happy to say that I did it. Bring on the rest of my last day. 🙂