britt's picks // herbalist & acupuncturist

If you’re looking for an herbalist and/or acupunturist in NYC, I cannot recommend Paul Kempisty enough. I first started seeing Paul a few years ago, when I was struggling to regulate my menstrual and ovulation cycles in the hopes of one day becoming pregnant. He came highly recommended by multiple friends, and I’m so glad that I ended up going to see him at his practice in Soho. If you’re not familiar, acupuncture is the stimulation of sensitive and powerful acu-points around the body with filiform needles, and has been practiced for thousands of years. Modern science believes that the positive effects on health are achieved by stimulation of the nervous system which in turn regulates the immune system, hormone function, causes pain reduction and so much more.

I’ll admit that I was initially a bit wary of the entire process- I had never gotten acupuncture before, and didn’t know what to expect. But Paul is extremely passionate and knowledgable, and made me feel comfortable throughout the entire treatment process. I love that after meeting with a patient and determining their individual needs and goals, Paul works with you to construct a comprehensive treatment and education plan that works best for you. Not to mention his impressive resume- Before pursuing his formal acupuncture education, he studied aromatherapy and Reiki, eventually becoming a Reiki Master. Paul has a Master's Degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine, studied advanced herbal medicine with a Daoist priest in New York City’s Chinatown, and even traveled to China to continue studying in the specialties of Oncology and Gynecology!

It’s Paul’s belief that what we put into our bodies makes a significant impact on our immediate and long term experience of life and health, and because of this, he has shared herbs, dietary advice and vitamin supplements with his patients from the very beginning of his career. I enjoyed getting to experience the effects of both acupuncture and herbs, and found them to work together in harmony for the body. It’s pretty remarkable how the right combinations can have such incredible results for so many different conditions.

Since herbs are clearly a passion of Paul’s, I’m happy to say that he recently launched his own line of herbal remedies, Peekay’s Herbs, which offer effective herbal formulations for the entire family. I’ve gotten the opportunity to try several of his custom blends, and from the Calm Down (provides stress, sleep & mood support) to the Eleven Mushrooms for Fun Guys & Gals (a great overall remedy for immune support, energy levels & mental serenity) to the Let’s Make a Baby (which provides fertility support for men & women) , there’s truly something for every ailment. Plus, he even makes gentle herbal remedies for kids, which came in handy when my son came down with a cold recently. The Kid’s Cold & Flu and Seasonal Support tinctures helped reduce his symptoms, and not to mention, he absolutely loved the flavor! Definitely check out Peekay’s if you’re looking to add some effective herbal remedies to your medicine cabinet!

owl venice bone broth & mylkshake reset

I’ll admit, I’m not a big fan of juice cleanses. I believe, for the most part, that the body is self-cleansing, and find that subsiding solely on juice can be really depleting (not to mention make me hangry as all get out!). I also like to think I take pretty good care of my body overall, so any extreme cleansing is unnecessary. On the flip side, a nutrient-dense reset can be a healthy way to get you back on track if you’re feeling sluggish, overly-tired, or find those sugar cravings getting more and more intense. Over the holidays, for example, when there’s even more sweets and alcohol seemingly everywhere, having healthy options to grab can make all the difference, and help ensure you still flood your body with the nutrients it needs to flourish.

I recently got to try the OWL Reset, an organic “cleanse” of sorts from the lovely team at OWL Venice, that helps with bad digestion, bloating, sugar cravings, and fatigue. It’s designed to heal and seal your gut using the principles of Ayurveda and Chronobiology to nourish your body, and consists of three bone broths and three hemp mylkshakes daily. There’s even a vegan mineral broth if you do not consume animal products. The shakes include matcha, turmeric, ginger, and beets, along with homemade hemp mylk, and are super tasty to boot! I like the idea of having a few of these around to supplement my daily foods even when not on the cleanse.

The OWL Reset is packed with ingredients that restore and repair the gut wall, increase digestive fire, reduce inflammation, and draw toxins and heavy metals from the body. Full disclosure, since I’m breastfeeding and definitely did not want to affect my supply, I supplemented with foods. OWL suggests cooked greens, boiled chicken, steamed squash, and avocado, which left me full of energy, and caused no dip in my milk supply. My digestion was regular and comfortable, and I never felt bloated. Even the sugar cravings subsided (a bit… I am still me, after all!). I also love that the broths and shakes come in reusable 32oz. glass jars instead of disposable plastic. Post-cleanse, I store mine in our kitchen cabinet and use them for drinking filtered water or smoothies at home! If you’re looking for a bit of healthy reset, or even just some tasty broths and shakes to supplement your daily food intake, I highly recommend checking out the OWL Reset. Don’t forget- they ship nationwide too!

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

get fit with britt // pregnancy seat

Welcome back to Get Fit with Britt! I'm going to be posting some demos of my fave exercises taught at my new local barre studio, Bar Method Silver Lake, with the help of their awesome instructors. The Bar Method is a fast, effective, and most importantly, safe way to change your body, and follows a technique that's high-intensity, but low impact to protect your joints! Thanks to barre classes, I have been able to build long, lean (not bulky!) muscles while tapering everything in & lifting it up! For this series, we will pick a particular move, explain the focus area and correct form, then demonstrate it so you can practice at home! That way, if/when you come to the studio yourself, you'll be rocking the moves & way ahead of the game ;) These exercises are also a great way to get fit on-the-go! I find myself regularly using barre exercises during my hotel room workouts. Additionally, you can get the outfit I'm wearing at the Bar Method Silver Lake studio, so definitely go by if you're looking for some fun, new workout gear! Come & join me, get that healthy & strong body you've always wanted- come Get Fit with Britt!

Today's exercise focuses on the glutes, both the side of your seat (gluteus medius) and back of your seat (gluteus maximus). First, for your outer seat, we will do a modification of arabesque. By staying in a more diagonal position while pregnant, you’re able to keep the pressure out of you’re lower back, yet still target your tush with slow, targeted movements of the leg. Keep your hip turned out slightly to keep the focus of the work in your gluteus medius. For the back of your seat and hamstring, we will do a modification of foldover. Once again, we still stay in a more diagonal position to keep any extra strain out of the back. The small, subtle movements really target your seat, helping to lift and tone throughout, and adding nice definition to your glutes! Don’t forget to keep your hips tucked under! For both diagonal in a turned out position (modification for arabesque) and diagonal in a parallel position (modification for foldover), do about 40-60 lifts, or approximately 2.5 minutes on each side.

PS- Here’s a link to the Bar Method blog for some extra prenatal barre tips!

*I am not a trainer or health professional, so please consult one if you feel you're doing something wrong or could potentially injure yourself.

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

get fit with britt // pregnancy abs

Welcome back to Get Fit with Britt! I'm going to be posting some demos of my fave exercises taught at my new local barre studio, Bar Method Silver Lake, with the help of their awesome instructors. The Bar Method is a fast, effective, and most importantly, safe way to change your body, and follows a technique that's high-intensity, but low impact to protect your joints! Thanks to barre classes, I have been able to build long, lean (not bulky!) muscles while tapering everything in & lifting it up! For this series, we will pick a particular move, explain the focus area and correct form, then demonstrate it so you can practice at home! That way, if/when you come to the studio yourself, you'll be rocking the moves & way ahead of the game ;) These exercises are also a great way to get fit on-the-go! I find myself regularly using barre exercises during my hotel room workouts. Additionally, you can get the outfit I'm wearing at the Bar Method Silver Lake studio, so definitely go by if you're looking for some fun, new workout gear! Come & join me, get that healthy & strong body you've always wanted- come Get Fit with Britt!

Today's exercise focuses on abs, specifically that abdominal exercises that are pregnancy safe! It’s important to keep a strong core during pregnancy, as this can help in labor and delivery, as well as quicken your recovery time. However, some positions aren’t safe for you or baby as your bump grows. This is a modification for low curl with your feet down. By adding 3-4 risers (or use something like this, or even a few pillows) for extra support, you’re really able to take the pressure off of your lower back. Be sure to keep your abs pulled in (navel to spine!) and hips tucked under, and most importantly- don’t forget to breathe! Even if you don’t take the challenge options (arms forward and curling forward), as long as you’re breathing, this exercise is super effective. Deep breaths help me keep focused, and allow me to really target my deep core! Do three sets of twenty exhales either holding on, extending your arms forward, or adding a small curl to match your breath.

PS- Here’s a link to the Bar Method blog for some extra prenatal barre tips!

*I am not a trainer or health professional, so please consult one if you feel you're doing something wrong or could potentially injure yourself.

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

healthy detox // sakara life 10 day reset

I’m not one to ever really need a super intense detox or diet. I try to live a healthy lifestyle all the time, which means tons of vegetables and moderate exercise (I love barre!), plenty of water, but also daily sweets (I’m addicted!). It’s all about balance, for real. While it’s possible to do it alone, I love finding products that can supplement this lifestyle of mine, and make things a bit easier for me- especially when I’m on-the-go. Sakara Life offers 100% plant-based, gluten-free and organic meal plans, snacks and supplements, delivered straight to your doorstep. How easy is that? You can basically think of them as your personal chef and nutritionist rolled into one. Founders Whitney Tingle and Danielle DuBoise created Sakara to help overcome personal health struggles, and were able to transform their lives using food as medicine. With a focus on nutrient-dense foods, healthy fats, sulfur-rich veggies, and NO calorie counting (among others), they intend to share these nutritional pillars of Sakara with as many people as possible.

Although I haven’t tasted their ready-made food just yet (I love cooking for myself too), I have gotten the chance to try their new 10 Day Reset. This box of goodies contains energy & detox bars, a daily probiotic blend, detox tea, beauty & detox water concentrates, and plant-based protein powder! Everything is plant-based, vegan, and gluten free, and packed full of healthy ingredients. These have been ideal for me to keep in my travel bag- I’m never without the nutrients my body needs while on-the-go. They also come in handy for supplementing my daily food at home, or for an extra snack between meals. I love using the Life Source protein powder in my morning smoothie, and the energy bars are the perfect afternoon pick-me-up! If you have trouble getting in your suggested daily glasses of water, sprucing them up with a few drops of beauty or detox water concentrates may help. Your skin will thank you for the extra dose of hydration! Everything in the box stays fresh for quite a while, so I suggest getting a 10 Day Reset for yourself ASAP to keep handy whenever you feel the need for a reset. You’ll get some pretty tasty recipes as well (think garlic tahini kale fritters and pulled butternut squash tacos with all the fixings), so you can actually look forward to detoxing the right way, and soon!

get fit with britt // chest

Welcome back to Get Fit with Britt! I'm going to be posting some demos of my fave exercises taught at Pure Barre Williamsburg, with the help of their awesome instructors. Pure Barre is a fast, effective, and most importantly, safe way to change your body, and follows a technique that's high-intensity, but low impact to protect your joints! Thanks to Pure Barre, I have been able to build long, lean (not bulky!) muscles while tapering everything in & lifting it up! For this series, we will pick a particular move, explain the focus area and correct form, then demonstrate it so you can practice at home! That way, if/when you come to the studio yourself, you'll be rocking the moves & way ahead of the game ;) These exercises are also a great way to get fit on-the-go! I find myself regularly using Pure Barre exercises during my hotel room workouts. Additionally, you can get all the outfits I'm wearing at the Pure Barre Williamsburg studio, so definitely go by if you're looking for some fun, new workout gear! Come & join me, get that healthy & strong body you've always wanted- come Get Fit with Britt!

Today's workout focuses on the chest. While it's easy to focus most of your arm work in the triceps and biceps, it's important to work the chest muscles as well! It is the area that gets shown off when you wear a tank top, after all. Try to keep your neck and shoulders relaxed throughout this exercise- holding tension here doesn't help you! Instead, keep your arms lifted to shoulder height and your elbows wide so that you can effectively tone that tank top line! Do ten reps of each move, and repeat the sequence three times to get the chest muscles pumping!

*I am not a trainer or health professional, so please consult one if you feel you're doing something wrong or could potentially injure yourself.