Author: bloggersofhealth

A Balance: Social Media, Social Networking, Education and Your Life

Many people call Social Media/Networking a distraction of the education (lessons) life wants you to learn…

People run the world with the ability to obtain access to everything, very fast. One click you are there. I remember my path with Social networking… for me it was Yahoo Chat. I was 15 (dating myself much?) I was chatting online in school with my girlfriends…we would then play volleyball and talk about the “weird” people we had met online. Yet, we were excited to go back and find out more about them. It was exciting.

At age 17 I was meeting friends all over the globe. I was now talking to them, Communicating because it was not enough to just chat with them all day, I wanted to hear their voice, know how they laughed… how they began.

In college… I was meeting with business people… networking. Making meetings and being aware of what life was bringing to me…even though I did not know it.

Now, I’m inspired. I’ve had opportunities to meet people I’d never in my dreams thought I would meet. I’m connected with not only old friends, but also new people that are making a difference in the world.

Recently, I was in Hawaii. Meeting up with a man filled with passion, and interest in helping Latinos, but not only Latinos, everyone. Which to me was awesome! And to tell you a bit of the Hawaiian-Latino Culture… they are not like here in the “main land.” They don’t care where you are from, most are educated and they seem to just be chill and open to help. No hesitation, you ask and you shall receive. It is a population like no other, At least to me they have been.

I’ve met people making things happen, make the world go round…it may not be the whole world, but the world of many others. This is what I appreciate about Social Networking.  I’ve met people that have taught me so much about life… so much about they’re pain, their past and possible futures. I’ve been street educated through social media (business wise); I’ve been educated by other’s lives.

Which brings me back to Life… As I sit on my super comfy chair, I’ve found that life is a treasure, and everyday I communicate to you, I find my insight about who I am, who I want to be and Who I am becoming I hope when you read this you find Insight on who you are, who you are becoming and who you want to be come. And are open to making life a better place for you… But please don’t forget that life with out living is not much of a life… The world is meant to be seen yes… but also touched and felt. So I leave you to make up your mind with this:
 
Adding all the wonderful “distractions” may make it beyond exciting… Or does it? Its your own point of view…tell me about it.
Smile(If you want)
Jes Sofia

Frijoles at 30…years of age that is…

I am 29. About to be 30 in December and until today I had never made a pot of Frijoles! Can you believe this? I know right?! I’m a Latina in the Southern U-nited States of America and I’ve never made frijoles (beans).  So as I was relaxing in Hawaii… meeting other Latinos over yonder on the other side of the world, this came to my head!  (Me speaking to me>>) “Jes! Why have you not made a pot of Frijoles? What is your Problem? OMAGOSH… What will mom think?!”
So I started asking my girl friends, how they have done their beans. I asked their mothers of their recipe… I even asked my awesome cleaning lady! Everyone but my Mommy. Why? I was embarrassed! Me, embarrassed of asking MY mommy for a cooking recipe? I know right?… SO…
I went on with my relaxing retreat weekend, enjoying meeting people and still thinking: Frijoles and 30, Frijoles and 30, Frijoles and 30!… So on one of the nights over yonder nowhere near Guatemala… I woke up and started researching how to make Frijoles. And found sooooo many recipes. Mind you, my mother is a Chef cooking lady, all star weekend cook, mind you.  You get where I’m going with this…
So tonight, after a semi-stressful day at work I did it. Went to Ralphs bought a bag of black beans. I did everything I remember my mom use to do before putting the beans in the water… stuff. I use to help her cook. Washing the beans, taking the rocks out, looking for funky looking ones I could use for art projects… and then I placed them in the pot. Suddenly, I realized! THIS IS NOT the FIRST TIME I have made FRIJOLES. I use to make them with my mom when I was young. I felt so excited! I started dancing while cutting the cebolla (onion). I sent my mom a picture of the beans cooking and she called me back right away. She was amazed I was making frijoles from scratch! And All I could ask her was “mommy am I doing them right?”  She told me what to do thereafter and Long and BEHOLD! I made my first pot of Frijoles on my own! Well… with some help. LOL They don’t taste bad either. Super yum!
So the lesson of this… It’s just a pot of frijoles. However, It’s more than just a pot, its culture, history and all that comes with it, all that you make of it! For me, making this meant truly growing up, believe it or not. It meant that no matter what, I could always find someone else that would help me. Close friends, their parents and further more, my parents (thank you mommy).
I’m Turing 20… I mean thirty and I’m so excited of what is to come… More Frijoles ya! 😉

Amazing!

Smile (if you want to)

Jes Sofia

Jes’ Favorite Dessert

So….Other than my Black Forest Cherry Chocolate Cake (my Birthday is Dec. 13th FYI lol)… I love my Banana Sweets.

That is what I call them. Banana Sweets. You heard it here first! And yes! I am sharing it with you. I love to invent things when I cook so one day I decided to make an old tradition of strawberries, bananas and cream into my Banana Sweets. Give them some more flavor and a pop to the look. (Laughing!).

 Ingredients: 

One Banana (or as many as you want to do, don’t let me stop you! lol).

One Piece of  Lindt Supreme Dark Cocoa.

One Cinnamon branch

Two big scoops of  Daisy Sour Cream.

One Splenda package (or as sweet as you want to make it!)

How to Make it:

1. Mix the sour cream and Splenda.
2. Cut the banana
3. Place the sour cream on top of the Banana
4. Use a grader to grade some Lindt Supreme Dark Cocoa on top of the Now Sweet Sour cream that sits on top of the Banana.
5. Grade some Cinnamon and do the same as the Lindt Supreme Dark Cocoa.
6. Serve to eat.
7. Don’t let them sit out too much because then the naners get brown and that is not cool at all…  If they begin to get brown you can place them in the freeze, melt some dark Chocolate and dip them in frozen and repeat 1-6.

            Enjoy!  
 Looks perfect for the Fall season right? 🙂 
ooooo you can add sprinkles too! 

Smile (If you want to)

Jes Sofia

The Education of a Psychotherapist…

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_U05AcohTQxs/TOnF1IVW8rI/AAAAAAAAAkk/jSC-cs8QcVs/s400/photo%2Bof%2Bpsychotherapist%2527s%2Bcouch.bmp

You know, Everyday I work with children and their families. They come to us  (I use us…as I am part of a cohort of an awesome group) for help for something that seems to be bothering them, emotionally hurting them, moreover, someone hurting them.  And in the years I have worked in this field I have learned that Therapy is more than just providing mental health services… Therapy.  A lot has to do with the education about mental health we provide the children and families we work with. Like, What is Mental health? how does therapy work? are there consequences to being in therapy?

Various questions are always asked. So today, I applaud my fellow therapist. Because we educate. We may not be the scholarly awesome school teachers, but we are the people that educate you and yours how to label an emotion. How to better control yourself. We educate your parents, and if you are a parent we help you how to work with your child. We guide you to find your own insight and have you find your solution to your problems, issues, glitches, hiccups, mask… call it what you may. We actively listen to you, at times we are emotional punching bags for you the one grieving, hurting, in pain, even when you succeed. We applaud your success… educate you that being happy about something may not be wrong and sometimes it may not be appropriate.

So when I think of education, I think of what I do, every day! In session, with children and families. We psycho-educate you and yours with what Mental Illness is and what Mental HEALTH is. Yes, Health…as in the healthy part of you. What allows you to be a human and help you go through things you never thought you would be able to go through. So to my psychotherapist friends… I applaud your educational skills, more precisely, your psycho-educational skills. You are educators too.

And Let me not forget… we thank you for teaching us how to work with you too. 🙂 

Props.

Smile (if you want to)

Jes Sofia

Lancome Presents: “Beauty of Giving”

You know I love it when Big Companies help out the children of the world.  So here you go!  🙂

October 21st, 2011, Lancome invites customers to experience the “Beauty of Giving” by celebrating Genes Day, a one-day national event Lancome began in 2010 to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, one of the world’s premier centers for the research and treatment of pediatric cancer and other catastrophic childhood diseases. On this day, Lancome will donate $7 from the sale of every bottle of Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate to St. Jude. (This is in addition to special promotions and events nationwide surrounding Genes Day throughout the month of October.)

“The partnership between Lancome and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is a true celebration of the beauty of giving,” says Lancome ambassadress Julia Roberts. “I’m honored to be part of the Lancome family as it supports St. Jude’s mission of helping children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases.”

Lancome, the world’s largest luxury beauty brand, pledges to double last year’s donation and raise $300,000 to support the lifesaving research and treatment done at St. Jude.

“We’re proud to join forces with St. Jude for a second year in a row,” says Serge Jureidini, president of Lancome USA.  “St. Jude is an organization that shares Lancome’s commitment to groundbreaking research and we’re committed to supporting the cause for years to come.”  Jureidini adds that in this second year, it’s even more clear that Lancome and St. Jude share many of the same core values, namely their focus on research-led initiatives. “Our partnership,” says Jureidini, “only grows stronger.”

“Lancome is a partner that, like us, understands the importance and value of research,” says Richard C. Shadyac Jr., CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising organization of St. Jude. “Our founder Danny Thomas believed that no child should die in the dawn of life, and the funds raised by Genes Day and other Lancome programs throughout October helps enable us to continue the groundbreaking research that leads to cures for children in communities everywhere.”

About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. St. Jude is the first and only pediatric cancer center to be designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute. Founded by late entertainer Danny Thomas and based in Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities around the world. St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. No child is ever denied treatment because of the family’s inability to pay. St. Jude is financially supported by ALSAC, its fundraising organization. For more information, go to www.stjude.org and follow St. Jude on www.facebook.com/stjude and www.twitter.com/stjude.

About Lancome and Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate

Lancome, founded in Paris in 1935, is the world’s largest luxury beauty brand. Its award-winning skincare, makeup and fragrances are sold at 2,000 counters across the U.S. Just as science and research are the cornerstones for St. Jude, they are the driving force behind Lancome skin care. Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate, introduced in 2009, is a shining example of this single-minded focus. The award-winning and best-selling product is the result of 10 years of research and the recipient of seven international patents. It also marks the brand’s entry into the area of genes technology as it relates to skin. After extensive clinical testing, Lancome confirmed that in just seven days the Genifique formula enhances the youthful quality of skin and improves skin tone, texture and luminosity. After two months of regular use, Genifique stimulates the production of proteins associated with young skin—this is Lancome research and innovation at its best.

A truly innovative formula, Genifique was the first skincare product to enter the genes territory. And the results speak for themselves: visibly improved tone, texture and luminosity within just seven days. The unique, sleek packaging with the dropper system only adds to its appeal. Fans include “Mad Men” actress Christina Hendricks, Lancome ambassador Julia Roberts, British songbird Lily Allen, supermodel Veronica Webb and star makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury.

About the Lancome and St. Jude partnership

Through scientific and consumer research, Lancome continues to innovate through new concepts in beauty and knows that a woman’s beauty goes beyond appearances.  As Lancome’s national charity partner since 2010, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children. Through its focus on research, St. Jude has raised the overall survival rates for childhood cancers from 20 percent in 1962 when the hospital opened to 80 percent today. Lancome respects St. Jude’s passion for research and their focus on  finding cures, saving children and making a difference for families. This is why they believe so strongly in the beauty of giving. For more information, go to www.stjude.org.

Genes Day: Celebrating the Beauty of Scientific Research

The suggested retail prices for Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate are $58 for 0.67 ounce; $78 for 1 ounce; $98 for 1.7 ounces; $125 for 2.5 ounces. Those new to Genifique are welcome to stop by the counter during the month of October for a deluxe seven-day sample of the product. On Genes Day, October 21st, a $7 donation will be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for every concentrate sold at a Lancome counter in the United States or at lancome-usa.com.

Join the conversation at www.facebook.com/lancome

Decorating Tips From the Spa

Decorating Tips From the Spa

By Shelley Levitt for The Style Glossy

Even without the massage, body wrap or facial, spending a few hours in a spa is a great way to relax. That’s because the smells, sights and textures that surround you are themselves antidotes to stress. Having your favorite massage therapist on call 24/7 would be relaxing, we’ll admit. But these decorating tricks from some top spas are the next best way to make your day-to-day life at home more serene.

1. Bring the outside in. Natural elements soothe. At the spa at Colorado’s Vail Mountain Lodge and Spa, the art includes branches sprayed with silver and gold paint and affixed to the walls with dowels and wire. For an even easier do-it-yourself project, simply place branches in a vase. Taniya Nayak, host of HGTV’s “House Hunters on Vacation,” loves to include pieces made of natural wood, like a rustic bench or a carved wooden bowl, in the homes she designs. Or, consider hanging a group of wooden picture frames in different shapes and sizes on a wall. “Don’t put anything inside the frames — not even a piece of glass,” says Nayak. “The frames themselves are the art.”

2. Engage your sense of smell. Bring home the “aaahhhh” scent of a spa with reed diffusers. As essential oils seep up the wood stems, which are housed in a glass cylinder, the scent wafts throughout the room. You can find a wide collection at Pier 1 Imports. Search online for the Archipelago collection — which is available in that spa staple, eucalyptus and dozens of other scents from arugula to verbena — or for Red Flower’s organic diffusers in scents like jasmine and orange blossom.

3. Remember the five natural elements. Incorporate wood, fire, metal, earth and water. For fire, consider flameless candles and tea lights. “These protect your home from candle-related fires, but still give you the ambiance of the perfect spa escape,” says Mindy Terry, president of the consulting company Creative Spa Concepts. Terry’s favorite way to introduce metal is with Tibetan singing bowls. Made from an alloy containing copper, tin, zinc, iron and other metals, “they’re not only beautiful; they’re also an interesting conversation piece.” Plus, they appeal to your sense of sound. Simply tap the rim of the bowl with the mallet and the vibrations will produce crystal-clear tones. You can find both antique and modern versions of the bowls online.

4. Use transparent materials. Glass hurricane vases, for example, will help to create a sense of light and airiness. At the spa at The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles, orchids and lilies are submerged in tall vases — a clean, crisp and uncluttered way to introduce water and earth elements in your home. “These simple arrangements add a sense of movement to your space and keep your environment dynamic,” says Jennifer Kleen, the spa’s designer.

5. Keep colors harmonious — but not dull. When interior designer Warren Sheets chose the colors for the Renaissance-inspired spa at the luxurious Grand Del Mar resort in San Diego, he wanted them to be “simple and soothing.” But instead of a monotonous palette of white and beige, he mixed earthy creams with warm slate hues and ecru, and “to lend energy and life,” he used azure blue as an accent color. “Restricting color to various shades of the same family imbues a relaxed feeling, while also evoking a positive energy,” says Sheets. Nayak suggests choosing a paint color for your walls, such as teal blue — and then adding white to make it 50 percent lighter for your ceiling. “A spa vibe doesn’t have to be Zen and quiet,” she says. “It can be hip and modern and still serene.”

Photo credit: Jerry Atnip

Shelley Levitt managing editor of The Style Glossy, is a former West Coast editor of SELF and senior writer at People.