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It’s Personal // Laura Milstead

Today we honor recent breast cancer survivor, Laura Milstead and how she’s giving back to her fellow survivor community. Laura shares our compassion to support the breast cancer community through nature-based wellness experiences that enhance a survivor’s path of healing and long-term survivorship; and she’s doing just that through a Yosemite Wellness Retreat,   May 17-19.

As a part of the B4BC Survivorship Fund we’ve been working in tandem these past few months with Laura to help support her efforts! Follow the link below for more on her personal battle with cancer & the retreat…

http://www.stayclassy.org/B4BCSurvivorship  

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(Pic: Laura on a hiking adventure at Yosemite last summer, 2012)

SANDY RELIEF EFFORTS // B4BC Hearts NY

B4BC is thinking of all our friends on the East Coast who were badly hit by Hurricane Sandy; we are taking immediate action to provide assistance to breast cancer patients in the hardest-hit areas after the storm. The B4BC Survivorship Fund will be granting $2,500 to the NYC based, You Can Thrive Foundation, in support of their Survivorship Center for Breast Cancer, and to deliver food and basic necessities to patients that are home-bound during their great time of need.

The work of the Survivorship Center for Breast Cancer is particularly important during times of crisis, helping breast cancer survivors become an educated healing partner and to incorporate healthy practices for individualized long-term survivorship plans and symptom reduction.

To find out more information on how you can help support the efforts of those who are in the trenches, please refer to the links below. Cash donations, along with personal care products, cleaning supplies, and clothing are greatly in need. Each site will provide you with a thorough list, and further instructions on how you can assist.

No doubt it’s going to be a long road to recovery, but we need to continue to work together & support grassroots efforts on the ground. 

Check in with our friends at the following organizations to see how you can lend a hand,

You Can Thrive Foundation: Get Involved

Waves for Water

NYC Urchin

Lava Girl Surf

PAUSE FOR PREVENTION // Get mellow with hellomellow founder Tracy Feldstein

This week our guest blogger is Tracy Feldstein, founder of organic body care line hellomellow, which donates 5% of all products in their “balance collection” to B4BC’s Survivorship Fund.

The importance of being mellow. 

As a massage therapist and body mind therapist, I am constantly reminding people of the importance of being mellow. In my years of experience, what I have learned again and again from my clients and their bodies is: You are in charge of your ability to heal yourself, and of your health.

The key to healing is giving yourself the chance to.

It’s important to find the things that make you mellow and feel good. I suggest to all my clients creating a resource list: a list of things that bring you happiness, make you
smile and create an overall feeling of mellow. This list is your very own, filled with things personal to you. Mine looks something like this (but imagine it as long as the length of the back of my bedroom door):
  • Go on a nature hike with Bailey (my pup)
  • See a movie
  • Paint
  • Play with my niece and nephew
  • Cook with/for friends
  • Get a massage

Once you have your list, use it!
Pick at least one thing a day and do it. Use your list if you are feeling less than your normal self. Use it to encourage yourself and bring you back to feeling good (feeling good/mellow = healing/your body functioning at its healthiest).

An amazing aspect of this list is that you don’t even have to actually do these things. If you are having a stressful day, or a full day where you just can’t seem to make some me time, or if you are under the weather, or undergoing medical treatment, what’s cool about your resources is that all you have to do is think about something on your list and imagine yourself doing it to get a sense of joy or calm or mellow. It doesn’t matter what adjectives you use to describe the feeling these resources give you, what matters is what is happening in your body…It’s called healing.

Massage is a great resource. Take a moment to think about getting a relaxing massage. Do it up, design it…the music, a delicious smelling candle, a soothing aromatherapy oil, do you notice something happening in your body as you imagine it? I call that getting mellow. Not only does massage relax your nervous system and your muscles, it also puts you in touch with how your body feels. It quiets your mind and gives you a great self check in about your physical and mental state.
  • Did you settle in and relax easily?
  • Did your mind wander the entire time?
  • Did you sleep through it?
  • Did your body ache?
  • Could you use more stretching? More sleep?

Massage is a great reminder of where your health is and what you can do on a daily basis to help yourself feel your best.

Anything that makes you mellow, unwinds your nervous system. As your nervous system unwinds, it lets go of stress and the by products of stress which are muscle tension, held breathe, and the all of the toxins that build up in your body from stress. Freeing up your body of this stress allows it to heal itself and for your system to function
at its highest level. Being mellow allows you to heal yourself.

Start now.
Make your list.
Do or imagine something off of it daily.
Let it change and evolve as you do.
Be mellow about your list and your life.

Be healthy and keep it mellow,

Tracy

YOGA HEALS // NYC

If you weren’t able to make it to our last Yoga Heals event, read about it here and learn how to host your own session!

On a sunny Saturday in June, we set our intentions for the day’s practice, then were led through a restorative Vinyasa session at Bija Yoga in Union Square; and what a healing day it truly was! After class, Brooklyn’s own Body & Eden was on hand to sample their nutrient-dense green tonic, “I Have Energy,” which was super tasty and gave everyone a natural boost of energy.

Our post-yoga hunger pangs were also not forgotten, as KIND Snacks provided a hearty supply of KIND bars, and Mediterranean Snacks threw in some crispy lentil crackers for good measure. Sacred Rose Organic Herbal Tea also provided beautifully boxed loose-leaf tea for students to unwind with after class (caffeine free and comes in a ton of healing flavors!)

Many thanks to studio owner, Veronica Perretti, for hosting us in her bright, beautiful studio (it was easy to see why Bija Yoga was named one of the city’s most beautiful yoga studios by Well+Good NYC!)

Funds raised directly support the B4BC Survivorship Fund, which connects breast cancer survivors with nature-based wellness retreats in order to enhance their path of healing and long-term survivorship. If you’d like to host your own Yoga Heals session, contact yogaheals@b4bc.org.

12 Days of Steezy Style: (Day 12)

On behalf of the whole B4BC team, we wish you the happiest holiday and a very Merry Christmas! We hope you’ve enjoyed our Steezy threads, gear, and goodies. 

Here is a recap of what we’ve brought you throughout the month, as well as a few bonus goodies for you to scope out!

Tees and more, plus the Mizu B4BC water bottle at CCS.com!

Check One, Two Tees! Check ‘Em Out!

Pink Is Punk wristbands, also at CCS!

Electric EG2.5 B4BC Goggles!

Give back with the EZ Shopper App!

B4BC fleece from The North Face!


The GNU B Pro by B4BC Ambassador and pro-snowboarder Barrett Christy, at GNU!

Volcom x B4BC Gear! Get outfitted at Volcom!


Von Zipper Chakra Goggles!

Freshpark x B4BC Grind Out Breast Cancer Rail! 



Hellomellow Balance Blend skin care products—5% of your purchase supports B4BC’s Survivorship Fund!


And, as promised, we have a couple bonus stocking stuffers for you…

HDX Hydration Mix—25% of your purchase goes to B4BC! 

 Boa Reel Pink Snowboard Boot Dials—Make a minimum of a $10 donation and receive a pair of replacement dials for your Boa-powered footwear. 100% of your donation will go directly to B4BC.  Get dialed in here! 

Wishing you a very Steezy Christmas,

The B4BC Team