Laura Eckstein Jones Laura Eckstein Jones | May 5, 2021 |
Health is the new wealth as more and more people focus on what matters most. We polled California’s wellness warriors for an inside look at how they stay in top form.
Empress Teas founder Bethany Stiles uses cannabis to power her creations. PHOTO COURTESY OF EMPRESS TEAS
After a life-changing car accident, Empress Teas founder Bethany Stiles decided to put health and wellness at the forefront of her life’s work.
“I like to think of my evening ritual as an act of self-love.” Empress Teas Evening Ritual Blend, empressteas.com PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDS
“For me, a simple cup of tea and some CBD have changed my life drastically. The act of heating my kettle, placing a bag of Egyptian chamomile or lemon verbena into my cup and letting it steep for several minutes has always been incredibly meditative to me,” says Empress Teas founder Bethany Stiles. “That’s why I felt called to launch Empress Teas during the pandemic, so I could help others connect, heal and take some necessary time for self-love.”
“I’ve seen such a huge difference when I take probiotics, especially on an empty stomach.” Seed DS-01 daily synbiotic, my.seed.com. PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDS
“I didn’t develop the strong relationship I currently have with health and wellness until I was forced to face it,” says Bethany Stiles, founder of the new CBD-infused tea brand Empress Teas. Stiles grew up surrounded by nature, making “potions” with leaves, plants and flowers, and sat down to fruit-and-vegetable-filled meals with her family. But an unexpected catastrophe saw her taking a different path. “Aft er my car accident, I quickly saw the horrible side effects of painkillers and became addicted to those prescriptions, which led me to losing my scholarship and dropping out of college,” she explains. “That’s when I knew I had to do something before my body would give up on me. I immediately began researching and putting my mental, physical and spiritual health at the top of my priority list.” Aft er learning about the incredible benefits cannabis has to off er, Stiles eventually went to work in the hemp and cannabis field, and recently launched Empress Teas. “I feel as if it was part of my life’s purpose to be a female entrepreneur, founder and CEO while holding space to help support other women and hire a team of strong, dedicated female leaders looking to create an empowering, inclusive and inspiring group of women.” Currently, the brand’s product offerings consist of the CBD-infused Morning Ritual Blend and Evening Ritual Blend teas, both made with ethically sourced and fairtrade ingredients from growers around the world, but Stiles has visions for the future. “I see Empress continuing to evolve into a brand that people can rely on as the source of all things community, health and wellness,” she says. “I see us making a real impact on other people’s day-to-day lives while inspiring others to incorporate mindfulness, quiet moments of reflection and immense gratitude for the little things in life.” empressteas.com
“Basketball has, for a long time, been my favorite sport, and I have continued playing up untilthe pandemic,” says Flexpower founder and chief product officer Rasheen Smith. “It’s great because it is effective as a cardiovascular exercise.” PHOTO COURTESY OF THAYER GOWDY FOR FLEXPOWER
Flexpower founder and chief product officer Rasheen Smith’s mission—helping people feel better in their daily lives—inspires him to keep pushing forward.
Growing up in South Central L.A., Rasheen Smith was a very active kid. “You would always fi nd me outside— sprinting and racing with other kids up and down the block, playing football, baseball and basketball,” he says. “I also played a multitude of sports in high school, but it wasn’t until my first year of college that I became particularly interested in wellness.” His time at UC Berkeley—where he was involved with the Cal men’s basketball team—exposed Smith to fitness, training and nutrition at a high level, and planted the seed for the company he founded nearly 20 years ago, Flexpower. “Th e goal was to create a powerful alternative to taking oral medication for pain, in the form of a scent-free cream,” Smith explains. “Since my world was heavily centered around sports, the focus was to deliver a potent solution that would help worldclass athletes manage pain that came from intense training at a high level.” Over the years, the company has grown exponentially, and is used by some of the best athletes and teams in the world, including the NFL, NHL, MLB, NCAA, Olympic training centers and more. But Smith and his team began to realize that people other than athletes could benefit from using the products, and now the brand is evolving, developing a complete wellness line. “What drives me the most is the fact that Flexpower is truly helping folks get through their day,” Smith says. “Flexpower is providing confidence in athletes that their body is ready to perform at an optimal level... and providing relief for individuals suff ering from pain so they can comfortably go for a walk or tend to their garden, activities that many of us take for granted,” he continues. “[It is] helping people sleep at night. All of these things are extraordinarily fulfilling.” flexpower.com
“The Tarmac is a 15-pound thoroughbred with great precision handling and electronic shifting, and is a complete joy to ride—all on top of being a stylish and gorgeous bicycle!” Specialized S-Works Tarmac, specialized.com PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDS
“On days when I ride, I start off with Flexpower Warm to ease the tendinitis in my knee, and to loosen up my lower back. Aft erward, I take a Soothe bath because the anti-inflammatory arnica is the ideal way to ease back from intense activity to everyday motion.” Flexpower Soothe bathsalts with lavender and chamomile, flexpower.com PHOTO COURTESY OF THAYER GOWDY FOR FLEXPOWER
“I think it’s the coolest thing in the world to remind people of their own innate power and worthiness to create their dream life,” says manifestation coach and How You Glow co-founder Jessie De Lowe. “By teaching others to collaborate with their mind and energy, I get the privilege of watching their lives completely change for the better.” PORTRAIT BY KATIE EDWARDS
How You Glow co-founder, manifestation coach and all-around enlightened human Jessie De Lowe shares her wellness journey.
For Jessie De Lowe, wellness has been ingrained from a young age. As a young teen, her mother became interested in the subject and, in turn, created a library of material focused on self-improvement, mindfulness and spiritual psychology. “By casually reading these books before bed I learned the basic principles of how to tap into the subconscious mind, work with energy and skillfully create my own reality,” says De Lowe, whose grandfather, Papa Joe—who recently passed away at age 100—also mentored her in the wellness space. “He was always ahead of the curve with his superfoods, adaptogenic supplements and vegan diet,” she explains. Aft er attending college in Boulder, Colo., she moved to the Golden State. “Moving to California was an answer to a prayer I never knew I had,” she says. “Being here has allowed me to connect with and learn from so many open-minded souls who share the same style of limitless thinking and passion for expanding what’s possible in terms of mind, body and soul.” Shortly aft er moving to L.A., De Lowe launched the wellness-focused lifestyle platform How You Glow, and now, among other things, practices as a manifestation coach and hosts a relationship-focused podcast, Madly Forever, with her husband, Brian. “We are all manifesting in every moment; our internal reality and the energy we radiate out is what we receive back as our external experience,” says the mom of two. “Similarly, I believe wellness is a mindset rather than a checklist,” she says. “Before making a choice, I ask myself, ‘Is this going to bring me closer to my intention or further away from it?’ To me, this is the cornerstone of wellness: honoring myself and actively helping to support my evolution toward the most vibrant, aligned, alive and true version of myself with every decision I make throughout the day.” jessiedelowe.com
“I walk all day so it’s really important for me to have comfortable shoes that can handle every terrain from hiking trails to sand.” APL women’s TechLoom Chelsea, athleticpropulsionlabs.com PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDS
“There are a few supplements I take daily to make me feel my best, including The Beauty Chef’s Glow Powder.” The Beauty Chef Glow Inner Beauty Essential, us.thebeautychef.com PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDS
“I’m obsessed with baths and always look forward to a restorative evening soak.” Foria Wellness bath salts with CBD and lavender, foriawellness.com PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDS
“The next time I get a day for myself, I’m heading straight to the newly opened Surya Spa at Santa Monica Proper Hotel for their otherworldly ayurvedic treatments followed by an alfresco dinner upstairs at Calabra.” properhotel.com PHOTO BY MICROGEN/ISTOCK.COM
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