Los Angeles Health & Wellness Guide

The Best Avocado Toast in Los Angeles

Where To Eat:

Pressed Juicery: The OG juice shop, Pressed is a must for any health junkie spending time in LA. My favorite juices are the Greens 3, Activated Charcoal Lemonade, & Strawberry Almond. Don’t even get me started on their Freeze, a fro-yo style, healthy juice dessert that they somehow manage for it to taste anything but healthy.

Kreation: One of my favorite things about Kreation is how flexible they are. You want to swap out banana for avocado? Done. You want to add plant based protein & coconut milk? No problem. That along with their pre-made kale chips are enough for me to want Kreation all day, everyday.

Erewhon Market: The holy grail of health food stores, you absolutely must visit one of Erewhon’s two (another one is opening in Santa Monica late 2018) locations. Aisles & aisles filled with prepared foods, snacks, vitamins, smoothies, & more, it’s easy to spend hours & $$$ at Erewhon but it’s so worth it.

Real Food Daily: RFD is my go-to when I’m craving comfort food but don’t want to wake up feeling like absolute sh*t in the morning. My go-to’s are their mac & cheese with their supreme burrito bowl which, like the rest of their menu, is all vegan.

Cafe Gratitude: Aside from their delicious food & stunning atmospheres, Cafe Gratitude will leave you in possibly the best. mood. ever. Every item on their menu is named after an affirmation so when you order instead of saying “I’ll have the macro bowl” you say “I am whole”. It always, without a doubt starts an incredible conversation at the table & instantly shifts the perspective on the day you’ve been having or were going to have.

Beaming: What’s known as a smoothie shop, Beaming is my go-to for healthy treats. Their vegan cookie is one of the best I’ve ever had & their chia seed puddings are topped with coconut whip which is seriously life changing.

Moon Juice: Health-wise or not, Moon Juice is easily one of my favorite spots in LA. I could (& have…) easily spend hours browsing their selection of juices, smoothies, food, & sweets. Some of my absolute favorites are their dusts, herb & cheese crisps, cultured shallott & soft herb cheese, & the Silver Strawberry milk.

Pause Float Salt Bath Los Angeles

Where To Unwind:

Pause Float Studio: PFS is unlike any place I’ve ever experienced. For starters, I immediately felt relaxed upon entering their doors due to the blue hues & cozy vibes. Of course the experience itself was something out of this world for me as I’d never even heard of the concept before going to PFS. Floating in one of their pods allowed my mind & body to almost immediately experience a deeper state of peace. As I was already relaxed from the moment I walked into the studio, upon entering the pod I found I was able to completely let go & enjoy the hour of floating with a clear mind. After I felt refreshed, lighter, craving deeper experiences, & was extremely eager to go back.

ShapeHouse: This place is my go-to whenever I need a detox, kick an illness, boost my energy, recharge, or reset. An hour of lying in one of their FAR infrared sleeping bags burns calories which can in weight loss, improves your skin, helps you sleep longer & better, reduces stress, & so much more. While the last 15 minutes of sweating can seem a bit tough, the results are so worth it.

The Now: As a 25 year old who just moved cross-country recently, you can imagine I’m not made of money. However I do struggle with back pain & found that massages deeply help this issue. While a standard 60 min massage at most places can go for over $300, The Now offers affordable (I’m talkin’ 80 min massage for only $95!) yet incredible massages all that can target different physical or mental matters. My absolute favorite is their 50 minute The Now massage (signature Swedish inspired massage) with the crystal add-on (to facilitate healing, alleviate emotional stress, & balance the body & spirit).

WMN Space: WMN Space not only offers everything from aryuvedic face lift massages to conscious eyebrow shaping but also workshops that focus on everyting from self-care to sacred rituals. I took a breath-work class at WMN space & instantly fell in love with the space, people, & everything WMN has to offer. Their studio, lobby, & rooms are all beyond stunning & immediately offer you a sense of relaxation & clarity. The staff, who could not be kinder, are extremely knowledgeable, welcoming, & truly interested in what you have to say. Their workshops, or at least the one I did which was led by Lili Pettit (see below), was one of the most eye opening experiences I’ve ever had. I actually have gone back & forth about whether I should share about this experience on the blog as it was very personal but it was absolutely life-changing. What started with a group of roughly 8 women + Lili sitting around in a circle talking about who we are & getting comfortable with one another (the second I sat down I knew I could trust these women which was such an odd feeling because I didn’t even know them) turned into us lying down & breathing in through our stomachs then chest then out our mouthes. This repetitive breath-work led to the release of emotions I didn’t even know I had. I left knowing exactly what I needed to do in order to better serve myself & was absolutely blown away by my time here.

Where To Hike in Los Angeles

Where To Practice:

Health House: The best thing about Health House is that the workout goes by FAST. That’s likely due to the fact that it’s a perfect mix of cardio & strength training so you’re constantly doing different exercises throughout the class. The instructors are wildly motivating & if you need a little more motivation to get through the class, the smoothie bar outside the studio will surely give you that final push.

Get Outside: One of the best parts about LA is that the weather year-round is pretty much perfect. “Winters” get to about 60F at the lowest & summers have barely any humidity making the hotter temperatures totally enjoyable. Hiking, swimming, surfing, & sailing are just a few of the many ways you can move your body in this beautiful city.

Studio MDR: Never have I ever seen or felt results faster from a workout before. With tons of different studios all over LA, you have no excuse not to try this spot. Mary Miller is my absolute favorite instructor but honestly everyone there is so great, super friendly & really knows what they’re doing. The music is always really upbeat & fun which helps me get through any workout class. If you’re like me you’ll be hooked in just one class!

Studio B at Bandier: Where do I even start with this place. It is HEAVEN. In true LA fashion there is a coffee shop, a full blown store with the cutest workout gear ever & floor to ceiling windows surrounded by greenery & sunshine all within the studio itself. One of my favorite classes to take here is yoga with Emma Goldman on both Wednesday & Saturday. It’s seriously the most relaxing & restorative class but a complete workout that will leave you sore the next day too! Aside from all the above, my favorite thing about Studio B is their classes are always pretty small which allows for lots of one-on-one assistance & guidance from your instructors. Makes me feel like I’m in a private workout class without having to pay the price of it!

Speir Pilates: Aside from this being the most stunning studio I’ve ever stepped into, it’s also one of the most intense workouts I’ve ever done. Speir really knows how to kick your tush in the best way possible. Their classes will have you sweating & yearning for more. Pro Tip: their Sunday stretch classes are my absolute faaaaav.

Love Yoga: This is the place I go to when I not only want a physical workout but a mental one too. Love Yoga’s instructors always incorporate some sort of meditation, relaxation, &/or food for thought during their classes which make this studio unlike any other I’ve ever been to.

Y7Studio: Another fun yet intense workout studio, Y7’s classes fly by for me. I’ve honestly never been in a workout class where I’ve wanted it to go longer before except with Y7. Perhaps it’s the speedy flow sessions or the fun music but an hour class here easily feels like only 30 minutes.

Body By Simone: I grew up dancing so to find out there was an adult dance class (don’t worry it doesn’t require ANY experience) was a dream come true. I absolutely loooove sweating & dancing in the BBS dance cardio class & just recently tried their trampoline cardio class which is one heck of a fun workout.

WHAT TO WEAR & WHERE TO SHOP:

Bandier:

Alo Yoga:

APL:

Year of Ours:

Sweaty Betty:

Carbon38:

Cupping Results Dr Kara Aculand Los Angeles

Who To See:

Kelly LeVeque: You’ve got to be living under a rock to not be familiar with Kelly by now. Nutritionist to stars such as Jessica Alba, Kelly is an expert in knowing exactly what our bodies (each being very different, obviously) want & need. I knew Kelly was the real deal when I had my dad try a sip of my Fab4Smoothie & he mumbled back to me, “hmm that’s actually pretty good”. Half a box of spinach was stuffed into that thing & the man who loves butter possibly more than me actually enjoyed it? She was good. Mind you, her smoothies aren’t your typical fruity ones packed with loads of sugar. In fact they’re the total opposite. Made up of four vital components that are sure to keep you feeling full & satisfied for hours on end, these bad boys are a days worth of nutrients all loaded into a blender.

Dr. Kara Aculand: I’d always been intrigued by Eastern medicine & after seeing the results acupuncture worked on my Mom, I knew I wanted to try it for myself. My first appointment with Dr. Kara consisted of both acupuncture & cupping. She worked wonders on my physical & mental well-being & is definitely worth visiting when you’re in LA. Dr. Kara truly listens to what you’re feeling & can help through various procedures or medicines to make you feel like a new person.

Interview with Sophie Jaffe

4 Local Health Guru’s Favorite Spots:

1. Sophie Jaffe (blogger & founder of Philosophie): “I’m so fortunate to live in sunny LA where the wellness scene is ever-changing and always booming! My favorite go-to’s for a clean meal on the go are Cafe Gratitude in Beverly Hills (we also love working from here!), Make Out in Culver City, Fala Bar on Abbot Kinney and my boys and I love getting fresh groceries for the week at the Culver City Farmers Market!”

2. Lili Pettit (founder of Clutter Healing & breath-work coach): “My favorite spot to detach from daily stressors is Unplug Meditation because it’s beautiful, and all classes (except workshops) are designed to be under one hour. No excuse to not meditate! Classes are happening all the time and creating a conscious community is what the world needs more of right now. I also teach breathwork meditation classes every Tuesday at 12PM at their Santa Monica location! Beaming on Montana – I love all of their smoothies and soups. My favorite smoothie is the Sexy Mayan- maca and raw cacao is an unbeatable combination! When I’m making beverages at home, my chosen boosts are from Moon Juice. For protein shakes, my go-to is the Vanilla Mushroom Adaptogenic Protein. It keeps me full and sustains my energy– super helpful when I have back-to-back clients! Moon Juice has locations in Melrose, Silverlake, and Venice. For an amazing reset, Nova Center in Woodland Hills offers floating for sensory deprivation that can really help you relax and recharge. BeakBike in Tarzana is my preferred workout when I want an extra challenge set to motivating tunes. This place is an indoor cycling gym that incorporates strength training, as well!”

3. Jamie Wirht (founder of Selectively Spiritual, spiritual life coah & yoga instructor): “I live in Venice and my favorite yoga studio is The Yoga Collective on Rose, where I also teach on Saturday nights. I practice yoga almost everyday but I like to switch it up with places like BoxUnion (the soul cycle of boxing) and the Studio MDR for pilates toning. My favorite thing about LA is the wellness! I go to the Life Center Chiropractic to get in alignment, Grace Suh for acupuncture and cupping, and I love the Olympic Spa in Korea town for a full scrub down and to lay in the Himalayan salt room. I also love the Moon Circles and Yoga Nidra (sleep yoga) at Love Yoga Space, the Now Spa for the most Instagram worthy massage, and all the events at WMN space and Unplug Meditation Studio. I love that LA has anything you could possibly want when it comes to health and wellness. I say try it all and find what works for you!”

4. Mark Sisson (founder of Primal Blueprint, Mark’s Daily Apple, & Primal Kitchen): “My favorite workout spots are all near Malibu: Paradise Cove for stand-up paddling; Zuma Beach at low tide for sprint intervals; Zuma Ridge Trail for hiking; Pt Dume School playground in Malibu for Sunday morning Ultimate (frisbee) games.”

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Los Angeles Health & Wellness Guide

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