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Facilitator Spotlight: Kitty Blincoe

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Kitty Blincoe has a particularly unique perspective as a yoga facilitator for The Foundation for Living Beauty, because she herself is a cancer survivor. Fourteen years ago, Kitty was diagnosed with kidney cancer in the midst of a successful, fast-paced career as a fashion executive. After her oncologist recommended reiki, Kitty began to recognize the power of blending Eastern + Western modalities. She says that after discovering yoga and reiki, she left fashion with a drive to dive into wellness. “Learning to breathe + practice yoga taught me boundaries and self care,” she explains. “I refer to myself as a ‘recovering type A.’ But [if you have cancer], you can find a new normal, day by day.”

Kitty has attended yoga retreats with The Foundation for Living Beauty as both a participant and a facilitator – she now assists Tari Prinster, who was one of the first instructors to help Kitty “slow down.” Instructor Max Strom, whose mantra is “breathe to heal,”  also influenced Kitty’s journey and commitment to yoga. “It was the breathing that hooked me – it’s a tool in my toolbox.” Also in Kitty’s yoga toolbox? Remixed Beatles music, restorative yoga and sound baths.

After reflecting on her journey from the busy corporate world of New York’s fashion scene to a peaceful community in San Diego, Kitty professes: “I like to say that doctors saved my life, but yoga gave me a life worth living.” It’s this life in San Diego that she’s generously sharing with The Foundation for Living Beauty, working to help facilitate future yoga events in San Diego. “I’m happy to introduce the Foundation to my community in San Diego, because the people are so authentic. The foundation honors our craft, and honors us as people. They honor each and every woman and the facilitators alike! My experience has always been that the events attract a special group of women who come together for a place to unwind, heal, learn tools to cope and manage daily life after being touched by cancer. No drama, no politics, just pure love and sisterhood. A tribe connected by cancer, strengthened by each other. A way to have the important “support group” without it being a traditional support group. An studies have shown being a part of a support group increases chance of survival significantly. It is my honor to share Light with anyone who needs a little to brighten their day.”

You can learn more about Kitty at www.kittyblincoe.com, or visit her in person at Sanctuary Z, her Sleep, Stretch and Stress Management space in Carlsbad, CA. 

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7 Unique Ways to Celebrate Mother’s Day

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We are so honored to have many talented, generous women in our family of Living Beauties! While many of our Beauties are mothers, all of them are nurturers as they share wisdom and comfort among themselves and with others in our community.

That’s why we wanted to share 7 unique ways to celebrate womanhood and enjoy a day of serenity this Mother’s Day – whether you take this day to lift up someone in your family, a girlfriend or your own spirit, we hope these simple pleasures enrich your health and serve as a reminder that there is both power and peace in femininity.

Share a Scent: 

If you’re looking for an affordable, thoughtful gift that keeps on giving, try a diffuser necklace or bracelet. The wearer simply dips a pre-cut pad in their (or your) favorite essential oil, then places it in a locket. Different scents can relieve a variety of symptoms, and it’s a special reminder throughout the day of how much you care. Browse styles here! 

Send a Handwritten Note

There’s nothing like a handwritten note – try writing down your favorite memory or story with your mom or loved one, and then surprise her with good old fashioned snail mail! Or, write down why you feel most proud to be a woman, and keep the note in your wallet for a rainy day.

Create a “Thinking of You” Playlist 

Whether it’s heartfelt or funky, a playlist tribute to your mom or a woman you admire is a great way to show you care. Send it to her and suggest she soak in the bath as she listens, or get together for an impromptu dance party!

Stroll in a Beautiful Garden 

The Huntington Library and Gardens, Descanso Gardens and Lacy Park are some of our local favorite spots to sit and picnic or stroll and chat.

Create Your Own Bouquet 

Head to Trader Joe’s or the DTLA Flower Mart and design your own bouquet for a surefire way to brighten any day.

Get Pampered – Naturally 

Give the gift of vegan cosmetics, soaps or other products – LUSH is all about using only safe, non-animal testing ingredients and has a special collection for Mother’s Day! Browse the freshly made treats here. 

Take a Yoga Class 

Local yoga houses often offer discounts on first month memberships or the occasional free class. Plan a morning or afternoon to spend together meditating, stretching and strengthening. There’s nothing like yoga with a friend to inspire confidence and bring a smile to your face.

 

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Temple City Dental Care Brightens Teeth and Lives

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There’s nothing like a beautiful smile, and Temple City Dental Care is spreading them in more ways than one.

Now through June 30th, the team at Temple City Dental Care is offering Opalescent treatment, the best teeth whitening system available, at half off for only $150. Part of the proceeds will be donated to children through the Smiles for Life Foundation, and the other half will be shared with…The Foundation for Living Beauty!

Denise Williams-Jones, the office’s scheduling coordinator, first heard our Executive Director Nancy Davidson speak at a Pasadena networking event. “I was in tears. I knew we had to work with them. We’ve worked with different nonprofits over the years, and I knew we had to choose to support these women. Nancy really moved me to participate.”

Williams-Jones brought her story back to Dr. Von Bulow, who soon found himself enjoying lunch at the office while learning more about the foundation. “This is something that has touched everyone. We’ve been doing this program since 1998, and when we met Nancy, it was a no brainer to support these women.”

Adds Denise, “We have been asking, what do THEY need or want? And we’re making it fun. For every milestone in our fundraising, we’re going to spray Dr. V with a super soaker! Maybe we should pie him in the face…”

One loyal patient listened in the lobby, and shared that she in fact had already participated. “The same day they told me about this, I had a close friend get diagnosed. I felt I could do something in her honor this way.”

Serendipity.

Call 626.285.3161 to schedule your appointment, or visit templecitydental.com.

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Facilitator Friday: Caspar Poyck

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Each week we’ve been celebrating Facilitator Friday on social media as a tribute to the many talented individuals who support our Living Beauties. Today, we asked psychosomatic therapist Caspar Poyck to help introduce his one-day workshop, How, Why, When and What We Eat, scheduled for February 18th, 2017.

When we first asked Caspar about his experiences as a nutritionist, he was quick to make a distinction between traditional nutritional counseling and his craft: “First and foremost I am NOT a nutritionist. Rather, I am a psychosomatic therapist and have related that science specifically to eating in a modality called Digestive Therapy,” Caspar explained.

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In fact, Digestive Therapy helps to evaluate and address eating from an extremely comprehensive perspective. Caspar went on to explain how his process considers some key elements that are often overlooked when individuals evaluate their dietary habits. “When we think of resolving our food related health issues we often look at food and nutrition, but have you ever noticed how people who start dieting usually end up yo-yo-ing ? Do you ever wonder why people who follow the newest fad diets and cleanses end up with a lifestyle instead of a remedy ? Why is it that many people who are determined and exact in their focus on avoiding foods they are sensitive to most often become allergic to more foods instead of less ?”

“The most important, and most often overlooked, part of our relationship to food is our emotions!” answers Poyck. Emotions affect HOW we eat and emotions affect everything from blood pressure and heart rate to digestion and allergies. A person will run from diet to diet until the REAL issues are addressed.”

Caspar’s February 18th workshop, a collaboration with nutritionist and lifestyle coach Julie Hefner, endeavors to help participants consider these issues and more in their own lives. The workshop is open to the public for a fee of $199, with a $50 deposit due to register. It will be held at The Hood Kitchen Space in Costa Mesa.

Check out more information on the workshop below!

 

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a black and white image of two women and a man laughing

Temple City Dental Brings Serendipitous Smiles

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There’s nothing like a beautiful smile, and Temple City Dental Care is spreading them in more ways than one.

Now through June 30th, the team at Temple City Dental Care is offering Opalescent treatment, the best teeth whitening system available, at half off for only $150. Part of the proceeds will be donated to children through the Smiles for Life Foundation, and the other half will be shared with…The Foundation for Living Beauty!

Denise Williams-Jones, the office’s scheduling coordinator, first heard our Executive Director Nancy Davidson speak at a Pasadena networking event. “I was in tears. I knew we had to work with them. We’ve worked with different nonprofits over the years, and I knew we had to choose to support these women. Nancy really moved me to participate.”

Williams-Jones brought her story back to Dr. Von Bulow, who soon found himself enjoying lunch at the office while learning more about the foundation. “This is something that has touched everyone. We’ve been doing this program since 1998, and when we met Nancy, it was a no brainer to support these women.”

Adds Denise, “We have been asking, what do THEY need or want? And we’re making it fun. For every milestone in our fundraising, we’re going to spray Dr. V with a super soaker! Maybe we should pie him in the face…”

One loyal patient listened in the lobby, and shared that she in fact had already participated. “The same day they told me about this, I had a close friend get diagnosed. I felt I could do something in her honor this way.”

Serendipity.

Call 626.285.3161 to schedule your appointment, or visit templecitydental.com.

 

 

a pink bra with lacy sides

The Power of Support: TLBC

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If you’ve been receiving our emails this month, you may have seen how many incredible companies are stepping up to support The Foundation for Living Beauty during Breast Cancer Awareness Month! While our Living Beauties have experienced journeys with many different types of cancer, breast cancer has definitely affected many members of our precious community. With these and all of our women in mind, we’re glad to join with The Little Bra Company this month as they share 10% of proceeds from their pink bras.

One of The Little Bra Company’s most powerful goals is to give women confidence and comfort, inside and out. Their bras are made to embrace and enhance natural body types, including those of women who have had mastectomies. One woman shared: “Not only have I found TLBC to be comfortable, supportive and beautiful, but I have learned to love my little curves because ‘less is more’ and ‘good things do come in small packages!’ “

Please join us in showing appreciation to The Little Bra Company this month! You can shop their wide selection of pink intimates here.

PS – We love the Lucia bra for daily wear and the Elizabeth bra for yoga retreats! 😉

Women’s History Month: Freida Pinto

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After earning critical success in 2008 for her performance in Slumdog Millionaire, Freida Pinto has gone on to become a powerful force for women in film and philanthropy. Freida’s journey to success was one of complete dedication and focus on goals she formed as a young girl in India. After deciding to be an actress, Freida tried out for many roles in both Bollywood and Hollywood, taking initial rejections in stride. When she found herself cast in Slumdog Millionaire, well-deserved acclaim followed.

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photo via famousfix.com

Once she found success in Hollywood, Freida began using her prominence to promote feminism, equality and humanitarianism. Inspired by the likes of Angelina Jolie and Malala Yousafzai, Freida has taken many women’s and children’s causes under her wing. She has repeatedly taken public stands against violence and for education.

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photo via anokhimedia.com

Freida has been appointed the global ambassador of Plan International’s Because I am a Girl foundation, which promotes gender equality and aims to lift girls out of poverty around the world. Additionally, she worked with Gucci in 2013 to raise funds and awareness for women’s rights around the world. The campaign encouraged women’s education, rights and justice. Freida also works tirelessly with organizations and political groups to combat violence against and mutilation of women.

The Foundation for Living Beauty could not be more inspired by Freida’s love for women everywhere! Along with the other diverse women we’ve honored this month, and our Living Beauties, Freida inspires us to embrace womanhood as a path of grace, intelligence and compassion.

Aloha from Ruby Ovitt

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Author, support group leader and ovarian cancer survivor Ruby Ovitt sends her love to Living Beauties all the way from Hawaii! Ruby first found the Foundation for Living Beauty in 2009 when she was invited to speak at an FFLB retreat. Recently, her daughter Rochelle shared her photography skills during our 2016 Day of Living Beauty. Now, Ruby is a top-selling author in Hawaii, with multiple guides on both cancer journeys and personal relationships. Her first book, My Journey of Healing from Cancer, was a best seller in Hawaii. Now, her new book Reaching Out to the Brokenhearted shares insights from 28 years of providing support groups for widowed, divorced or separated individuals. Ruby holds book signings in Honolulu, including one upcoming event on April 2, 2016 at Logos Bookstore from 11-1 pm. We checked in with Ruby about her books and the greatest lessons she’s learned from her own time with cancer and her outreach to families and couples.

Foundation for Living Beauty: How did your time on retreat with other Living Beauties impact your cancer journey?

My participation was a very memorable and enriching experience for me. In that retreat, I was further empowered by the brave and beautiful women that I met because of their honesty in sharing how they handled their physical, emotional, mental, social, and spiritual pain; how they continued to love their loved ones in spite of their limitations; how they approached each day with a very positive attitude; and how they nurtured and loved themselves to the best of their abilities. It was in this retreat that I laughed, cried, and danced with these beautiful souls because we all felt as ONE; the power from within all of us gave us the strength to move on with Life with courage, peace, and joy.

Foundation for Living Beauty: What is the most enriching part of working with the support groups?

RO: The most enriching part of working with people in my support group is to see them heal emotionally with the strong support of people who love them, including family, friends, professionals, people they do not even know, and [in my belief] God’s love which gives them comfort, strength, patience, and determination to move on.

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Foundation for Living Beauty: What is the greatest lesson you’ve taken from your own cancer journey?

RO: The greatest lesson I have taken from my cancer story is that life is fragile. Therefore, we have to live each day as if it is our last day on earth. If we think this way, we learn to value people and not things; we learn to love people around more deeply; we enjoy each day to the fullest; and we thank God for our blessings everyday!

To meet Ruby, visit Logos Bookstore at 760 Halekauwila Street in Honolulu, Hawaii. Call them at 808-596-8890 for more information.

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Women’s History Month: Angelina Jolie

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As an award-winning actress, Angelina Jolie’s beauty and talent have captured public attention for many years. Despite her incredible accomplishments in film, Angelina has been lauded for her humanitarian work, as well as her brave encouragement of women everywhere.

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via Vogue UK

Angelina has won three Golden Globe Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and an Oscar, with her famous roles ranging from an action hero to a determined mother. Even with these successes, her most incredible roles exist in real life as she raises six diverse children and speaks on behalf of education and health around the world.

Early in her career, Angelina witnessed suffering in Cambodia while filming for her famous action film, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. It was after this experience that she became an ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, working to support refugees worldwide. Although Angelina donated to the cause, she personally visited refugees in over 30 countries, connecting on a human level with those she wished to help. Jolie has also made efforts to support environmental conservation in many countries.

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via CBS

Women, children and education are also central to Angelina’s work around the world. She consistently advocates for young immigrants and strong education in America and around the world, both through political lobbying and fundraising. She has opened schools for girls and children in many countries, including in Cambodia, Afghanistan, Kenya and Ethiopia. Additionally, she has launched campaigns against sexual assault in multiple countries, condemning it especially in times of war.

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via CBS

Among many awards, Angelina has received the Citizen of the World Award, Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and honorary damehood from the Queen of England. Recently, perhaps Angelina’s biggest accomplishment has been making her private battle public in hopes of encouraging other women’s health and self-appreciation. After learning her high odds of developing breast cancer, she underwent a preventative double mastectomy in 2013, as well as a preventive oophorectomy. She explained that these measures would hopefully protect herself and prolong her role as a mother. Angelina has received much public praise for her openness on the issue, and many women have undergone preventative tests as a result of her journey.

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via Getty

For her openness, tireless dedication and incredible attention to the world’s diverse people and needs, The Foundation for Living Beauty treasures Angelina Jolie.

Introduction image from UN

Women’s History Month: Misty Copeland

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In honor of Women’s History Month this March, we’ll be sharing stories of world-famous women who inspire us as they break barriers, conquer personal battles and share their powerful stories. Just like our Living Beauties, they embody inner strength and exude positivity that touches others daily.

This week, Misty Copeland serves as our ultimate inspiration! Currently making waves as the American Ballet Theater’s first African-American principal dancer and Under Armour’s leading lady, Misty has truly carved her own place in history.

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(image via @underarmour on Instagram)

Misty discovered ballet at the age of thirteen at her local Boys and Girls Club. While thirteen might not seem too old, ballet training often starts very early on as young dancers learn proper form and strengthen their muscles, feet and ankles. Considered a prodigy, Misty began attending classes at a nearby studio and was dancing on pointe within only three months. Usually, young dancers have practiced for years before beginning this difficult training, so Misty was an absolute standout. Soon, Misty won starring roles in ballets like The Nutcracker and Don Quixote, drawing in thousands of viewers. She was even named the best young dancer in Greater Los Angeles. All the while, Misty endured familial struggles but still balanced dance with academic excellence.

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Later, Misty successfully auditioned and garnered interest from three of the best ballet companies in America. Between 1999 and 2000, Misty began working intensively with the American Ballet Theater. She continued to break down personal and professional boundaries while embracing her athletic, curvy body as a unique vessel for dance. Despite her status as an “atypical” dancer in background and body type, Misty worked to redefine the public image of a ballerina.

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(image via @mistyonpointe on Instagram)

As ABT’s principal dancer, Misty has more than redefined the image of a perfect ballerina. She embodies it and claims it as her own, with an entire generation recognizing her as dance’s most famous face.

Opening article image from Rolling Stone.