Although I am not much of an organic skin care kinda gal, I do believe that what we put in our bodies is reflected in our skin. The medications we take, the foods we eat, synthetic hormones, sugars, alcohol, they all have an impact on our skin. It’s no secret the healthier our lifestyle is the healthier our skin looks, and our whole body for that matter! Eating healthy has always been the gold standard when it comes to optimal health.
In the past several years it seems as though “juicing” has become all the rage. Everywhere you turn there’s a cold pressed juice shop offering a variety of concoctions claiming to revitalize you in every way. So what’s the deal with all this juicing? Does it really work? How does it work? I want to know more!
Well lucky for me my beautiful sister-in-law is a health and juicing expert! So who better to go to with all of my questions!
Melissa McKenna is an entrepreneur and health advocate living in New York City. Born and raised in Arizona, Melissa has always been an advocate for healthy living. As a young gymnast and dancer, she went on to continue her athletic pursuits by attaining teaching certifications in Vinyasasa Yoga. In 2012 Melissa and my brother moved to Beijing, China. Could they have picked a further place to live? Seriously?! Anyhow, after living in Beijing for a year, Melissa found her health suffering severely due to the pollution and poor food quality.
At age 25 Melissa opened her first juice and health food cafe in Beijing and has opened five locations throughout Asia since. Melissa was the pioneer of juice cleansing in Beijing and built her company from the ground up doing everything from branding and creating recipes to overseeing the build and design of her 5 stores. She has worked with celebrity clients, health gurus, and the top CEO’s in China to spread health education and knowledge of her high quality juices and meals. So needless to say she knows a thing or two about the benefits of juicing!
Lucky for me after five solid years spreading health throughout Asia, Melissa and my brother are back in New York City. Yay! Melissa is now doing private health coaching and fitness training in New York and LA.
Back in May I was in NYC for some much-needed family time so Melissa and I had a chance to sit down so I could ask her all about juicing!
MR: What made you start juicing?
MM: I started juicing when I moved to New York in 2009. I was working crazy hours in advertising without paying much attention to my diet or fitness program. This lead to a whole slew of problems including weight gain, acne and feeling exhausted all the time. I tried my first three-day juice cleanse – which was sooooo hard for me to stick to at the time haha! But the results were amazing! I lost 5 pounds, my skin cleared and I was buzzing with energy from my body being so clean! I knew then that juicing was something magical!
MR: How does juicing detoxify your body:
MM: When you juice your body is flushed with nutrients that help to clear out the built up toxins and bad bacteria in the body. Think of it as a shower for your organs.
MR: Have your ever struggled with acne or skin problems?
MM: YES! I have struggled with Acne my entire life. I took Accutane when I was in high school and that worked for a few years. In my late 20’s I developed a hormone imbalance and that led to me breaking out allllll over my chin. It was so embarrassing and nothing seemed to help!
MR: How did you fix your acne problems?
MM: I started by cutting all sugar, dairy and processed food from my diet and loading up with a ton of green juice. Then I went to see you and we did a series of treatments on me. We started with dermaplaneing and microneedling. WOW! I was absolutely shocked by the results from microneedling. Not only did it help my acne but my skin looked brand new. We did 3 sessions of microneedling and then we did IPL treatments for the red marks from where my breakouts were. The combination of juicing, eating a clean diet and my monthly treatments with you cured my skin problems!
MR: What juice do you recommend for glowing skin?
MM: My Green Love Juice!
Green Love: Kale, Spinach, Pineapple, lemon, ginger
Greens are amazing for detoxing every organ in your body including your skin! While the Vitamin C content of pineapples keeps skin nourished and radiant leaving you with clearer skin and eliminating the appearance of wrinkles. Drink this juice and your glowing complexion will shine bright like a diamond!
MR: What is your favorite juice recipe and why?
MM: My Master Green Juice.
Master Green: Kale, Spinach, Cucumber, Lemon, Parsley, Ginger
I always tell people “if you can only drink one juice ever drink the master green because it is packed with powerful antioxidants and has very low sugar content.” This juice is amazing for natural weight loss, detoxification and energizing your body. I drink this juice every morning after having a warm glass of water with apple cider vinegar!
MR: I’ve given you many products over the years. Any favorites?
MM: The ones that you just gave me!
Tretinoin, Skin Better Alto and the PCA – Detoxifying Mask
Melissa along with her partner Emily Simarski are now hosting Badass Retreats around the world where they will train you how to eat, work out, and live like a total BADASS! “We are slated to have retreats in the Hamptons in September 2018, LA in January 2019, and Bali in March 2019, at Badass Retreats, you will join a small group of other like-minded badasses to go through a training that will change your life both mentally and physically.” The participants will include people from around the world who are passionate about living their best life and becoming the most badass version of themselves in every way. Not only will participants learn new methods of exercise, mindfulness practices, and clean eating habits to incorporate into their daily lives, but they will also have the opportunity to learn from the some of the most successful influencers in health, wellness and business through keynote speaker presentations. “We host our retreats at the most badass locations with amazing healthy food, experiences and company!”
I might have to go on one of these!!! Sounds fun!
If you want to know more about Melissa and her passion for juicing and a healthy lifestyle follow her on Instagram @melissa.mckenna_ or email her at info@badassretreats.com.
Thanks Melissa for all the wealth of information! I am going to go whip myself up a nice little juice right now!
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