Kimberly Jordan Allen

Browsing all posts by Kimberly Jordan Allen

Kimberly Jordan Allen is a freelance writer focusing on health and wellness. Kimberly's work has been featured in E/The Environmental Magazine, NY Spirit, Check Biotech, and the Organic Consumers Association website.

This author has contributed 91 posts.

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Love Natural Scents? Anjolie Ayurveda Soothes Body and Spirit with Homegrown Herbs

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01/05/12

Being a scent-addict with a penchant for organic, natural products is not always easy to indulge. These days, however, as companies jump on the anti-synthetics bandwagon, we are seeing more body products that are sustainably crafted. One of the lines I have come to love is Anjolie Ayurveda. Founded by the mother-daughter team, Meryl and Cary Gabeler, Anjolie truly uses all-natural ingredients. A lot of pseudo-natural brands are claiming to be holistic but are using synthetics for fragrance. Ethically sourced plant-based scents are harder to come by but Anjolie proudly protects our bodies and the environment in their cultivation of ecologically sound botanical ingredients that infuse their line of soaps and body oils.

The Gabelers applied a life-long passion for Ayurveda to their formulas when they decided to create their line of body products. Having suffered with eczema, allergies, and skin sensitivities as a child, Meryl applied her mother, Carey’s knowledge of Ayurveda and traditional healing modalities to create skin remedies for sensitive skin. Combining therapeutic herbs with cold-pressed essential oils provides healing body products that leaves skin feeling nourished.

Anjolie has a ten-acre garden and nursery in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains (yes, please!) where they are growing roses, herbs, and tropical plants for use in their products. They support local farmers in India, sourcing raw materials directly from them in order to increase the direct income for their suppliers. Anjolie provides education for their employees and their employee’s families as well as supporting female work initiatives and grants for women entrepreneurs. Anjolie was recently awarded the Eileen Fisher Women’s Business Grant for small businesses in 2011.

We were very honored and excited to win! We are actually selling the soaps in Green Eileen, a new Eileen Fisher concept store, selling recycled clothing, with 100% of the proceeds going to Eileen Fisher’s Community Foundation.
Our efforts bring a positive contribution by empowering local people, educating their children and giving them an instrument of income that imparts a feeling of self-respect, dignity, and purpose in their lives.

These folks are doing it right! Highly recommended – try the spice soap for a warm, musky winter treat. Also, the Saffron Body Oil is absolutely amazing, especially this time of year. A warm but light sandalwood fragrance penetrates, leaving you feeling soft and hydrated. It is one of my go-to body oils during these dry months.

anjolie, anjolie organics, aromatherapy, eileen fisher, fragrance, herbs, natural

Wanderlust Vermont: Rain, Sticky Jade Yoga Mats, and Asanas for Miles

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07/22/11

Image Courtesy of Wanderlust – Yoga Aid Challenge class being taught by Seane Corn & Michael Franti

A couple of weeks ago we trucked up to Wanderlust at Stratton, Vermont to help run the booth for Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health. This incredibly wet weekend was a perfect opportunity to take the Jade yoga mat for a test run.

Jade yoga mats have surpassed most brands as the eco-mat to beat, and there is good reason. The origin story of the Jade, according to their website, tells of B.K.S. Iyengar instructing a class when he began to slip on an oriental rug. A pupil removed the rug, leaving the sticky rug pad behind which allowed Iyengar to find traction. Jade Industries had been making non-slip, natural rubber rug pads since the 1970s and after being approached by a yogi in 2000 to produce sticky mats for yoga, they started applying their knowledge so that practitioners could engage in their asana practices slip-free.

There are some simple facts about Jade mats that either draw or deter, depending on yogi’s choice.
-They are uber sticky. The mats have been known to pick up lint due to stickage power. However, if you are looking for a solid foundation with grip, this is it.
-The mats smell of rubber. I actually like the smell. Some, however, feel it is strong.
-The mat is heavier than some, depending on which model you choose. Jade does produce a lighter mat for portability.

Jade plants a tree for every mat sold. The mats are made in the U.S. and the company implements philanthropic efforts through partnerships servicing underprivileged populations, such as homeless shelters, children’s orphanages in Africa, and educational programs both domestically and abroad.

With sleeping bags, boxes of Kripalu catalogues, and two huge crates of Jade Yoga Mats to loan to Wanderlust participants, we arrived in the dark to a torrential downpour. We proceeded up the mountain to camp out* with our co-worker Brenda who shared a room for a night of much-needed rest before the festivities. *note: Jade yoga mats make decent sleeping pads too

Maddie, the yoga slacker!

Wanderlust: Day One
Misty mountain morning in the green peaks of Vermont. Our friend Maddie, who was assisting, brought me outside to a surprise stash of mountain bikes for our trek down the hill back to the village to pick flowers, set up our table, and plan our yoga sessions in between manning our booth. As we descended in the quiet fog, the mountain felt still. We tucked two Jade mats under our backpacks. They are crazy sticky so we knew they wouldn’t roll off our backs down the mountain. The calm quiet peak was subtly brimming with hundreds of avid yoga-folk from all over. We made our way to the Gaiam tent once our booth spot was set.

Seane Corn brought us through some sun salutations as the rain grew louder. “We will probably have to stop at some point, especially if there is thunder and lightning. Being on a mic and wired up here on stage, with this big head of hair, I am first to go!” she quipped. Water dripped in spots from the roof of the tent and thunder grew louder. The plastic platform floor was wet when we entered but as the rain pounded down, it seemed to be getting worse. Wanderlust staff peppered the space as they used their walkies to monitor the skies.
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Susan Harris Recycled Textiles Offer One-of-A-Kind Style

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01/18/11

I first met Susan Harris four years ago at her studio in Toronto, and I was like a kid in a candy store as I sorted through recycled sweaters, gorgeous-pieced sweater sleeves (one of my favorite accessories of all-time), cashmere/woolen wraps, and cozy leg warmers. Susan’s effortless style and chic cuts make her fashion accessible and appealing.

Everything Susan makes is one-of-a-kind, though she does repeat themes and embellishments in her work. Contrast stitching, silk-screened nature-inspired images or text, and rough-hewn seems punctuate the aesthetic of Susan Harris fashions.
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creative reuse, eco fashion, Fashion, Recycling, upcycling

Abhyanga: The Ancient Art of Self Healing Massage

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01/07/11

One of my favorite new body beauty wellness routines is to practice an Ayurvedic massage called Abhyanga (“ahhhh-buy-anga,” because it feels so good!) Abhyanga is a practice of self-massage that entails, in simple terms, annointing one’s body with oil. Now, this might sound a bit much: “Won’t it get on my clothes???” “Am I going to slide all over the place?” “Can I do it and go to work??”

There are various ways to perform Abhyanga, and depending on one’s dosha (constitution in Ayurveda) one might use different oils, but the most universal oil is cold-pressed organic sesame oil. Sesame oil is naturally soothing and slightly warming. I pour about a quarter size drop into my palm and rub my hands together to warm the oil and then I rub my joints: the shoulders in circular patterns, elbows, wrists, clavical bone, hip/butt joint, knees, and ankles. Then I focus on my feet and hands, pulling at the digits, getting in between, and generally vigorously massaging my entire body. I don’t massage my face with the sesame oil, since I am very sensitive about what I apply to my face. Here is a little more how-to from the Chopra Center.

Some people perform this massage and then gently rinse in the shower. I choose to massage after my shower in the morning, especially in the winter on these dry days. It takes only a few minutes if you are in a hurry, or you can devote more time to your body and really rub those muscles, joints, and even your scalp (pre-shower for that one is most likely best, unless you can sleep with the soothing oil.) Your skin will be glowing and grateful. This nourishing self-touch is truly healing.

Here are some of the benefits of self-care through Abhynga:
-Produces softness, strength and color to the body
-Decreases the effects of aging
-Bestows good vision
-Nourishes the body
-Increases longevity
-Benefits sleep patterns
-Benefits skin
-Strengthens the body’s tolerance
-Imparts a firmness to the limbs
-Imparts tone and vigor to the dhatus (tissues) of the body
-Stimulates the internal organs of the body, including circulation

Happy New Year!
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healing, health, massage, skin, Winter

Skin Deep Moisture: Yamerra Shea Butter

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07/12/10

Sun and swim leaves skin parched on these uber hot days. Recently a friend turned me onto an organic line of shea butters that leaves skin smooth and hydrated. Using organic raw shea butter, essential oils, vitamin E, and organic nutritive botanicals, Yamerra has created a homemade line of body products that provide moisture and lightly fragranced skin.

In flavours such as honey vanilla, tangerine grape, mango, and jasmine sage, these unique body butters are unlike any naturally scented creams or butters I’ve tried in the past. The honey vanilla is my favorite. There is nothing reminiscent of synthetic vanilla in this mildly woodsy blend of honey, vanilla, and jojoba.

I love to support local, small-batch production that avoids preservatives, parabens, phthalates, and artifical fragrances. Yamerra manages to avoid all the bad stuff, and you come out smelling like a jasmine sage or vanilla honey dream. Yamerra is super yum.

natural, raw, Skin Care