September 09, 2022

These Are The 7 Types Of Rest You Need

September 09, 2022/ Renata Joy

I wouldn’t say that I’ve always been a “well-rested” person. Historically I’ve had trouble getting enough sleep (I’m usually up very early for that reason), and whenever I’ve felt tired or burnt out, I assumed it was because I wasn’t sleeping. That was until I came across the work of Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, a physician, researcher, author, and speaker, who has worked in internal medicine for 20 years.

In her book, Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity, she talks about the seven different types of rest we need to live healthy and fulfilled lives while decreasing stress, fatigue, and feelings of burnout. I had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Dalton-Smith.

September 02, 2022

What Happens To Your Hair During Menopause

September 02, 2022/ Renata Joy

If you've gone through menopause or are dealing with it now, you know that it comes with plenty of body changes—our skin, sleep patterns, body composition, you name it. But one lesser known side effect of menopause is hair changes—like hair loss, hair thinning, changes in texture, dryness, dullness, and even scalp sensitivity. This is because of the major hormone shift our bodies experience before, during, and after menopause.

I talked about menopausal hair loss a bit a few blog posts ago, when I recommended the Nutrafol supplement, but I wanted to elaborate on the changes our hair can undergo and tell you about the options you have.

August 19, 2022

Pure Joy Wellness Approved - Nutrafol Hair Supplement

August 19, 2022/ Renata Joy

Let’s face it: The symptoms of menopause are not cute. In fact, they can be downright unpleasant, and even unbearable for some women. We’re talking menopausal belly fat, low libido, constantly having to pee, and more. I’ve talked before about hormonal facial hair, a common side effect of menopause, before on the blog, but I haven’t really talked about hair loss… which is what I’m talking about today. (And yes, I found a fix!)

As most of you know, menopause causes a serious hormone shift in women. Our estrogen and progesterone levels fall, which amplifies the effects of androgens in our bodies (male hormones, like testosterone). As a result, our hair can become thinner/finer, fall out more easily, and grow more slowly, because our hair follicles shrink.

August 11, 2022

3 Tips For Coping With Grief, From Patty Lennon

August 11, 2022/ Renata Joy

All of this year, I’ve been dealing with something very serious. This is the first time I’m sharing this news with the PJW community.

In late December 2021, my partner of 17 years, Panos, was diagnosed with cancer. He was suave and debonair and smart and funny and twice an olympian. Early on, he received a terminal prognosis, but after consulting with his doctors, we decided to proceed with chemo treatments and I became his caregiver.

From January onward, he grew very, very sick. He was admitted to the hospital multiple times.

August 06, 2022

My Morning Routine (And How To Create Your Own)

August 06, 2022/ Renata Joy

A question I’m often asked by my friends and clients is: What is your morning routine? I actually love answering this question, because it makes me reflect on how far my routines (both morning and evening) have come. The more I’ve learned about wellness over the years, and the more I’ve prioritized my physical and mental well-being, the more effective and efficient my routines have gotten.

AND they’re super sustainable now—I used to have super long routines and I never ended up sticking with them because they demanded too much. Below is an overview of my morning routine, as well as my top three tips for developing your own!

July 30, 2022

Why You Need Fermented Foods On Your Plate

July 30, 2022/ Renata Joy

Taking care of your gut (aka your digestive system, GI tract, etc.) is one of the most effective ways to completely improve your health. That’s because your gut affects every aspect of your well-being—from your skin and overall physical health, to your ability to age well and your mental health. (Seriously, it impacts everything.)

Many people know that gut health is important, but they aren’t sure how to get started in tending to their gut. In this blog post, I talk about one of the most powerful tools you can use to do that…fermented foods!

July 22, 2022

Antioxidants For Your Skin: The 411

July 22, 2022/ Renata Joy

I talk a lot about skincare on this blog: my favorite products, tools, tips and experts. It’s one of my favorite topics! But in addition to giving you my honest opinions about products and advice about how to care for your skin, I want to be a source of skincare education for you.

I’ve spent a lot of time trying new products, researching ingredients, and speaking to experts who are at the forefront of skincare. Ideally, I want you to leave the blog a) knowing something you didn’t know before, and b) feeling empowered to make a change and show yourself some love.

With that in mind, I want to teach you about antioxidants—what they are, what they do, and how you can incorporate them into your skincare routine.

June 24, 2022

How Not Getting Enough Sleep Increases Belly Fat

June 24, 2022/ Renata Joy

When it comes to my personal health goals, longevity has always been one of them. I want to live as happily and healthily as I can for as a long as I can—which is why I’m always keeping up with the latest research. And as your friend and community advocate, my goal is to keep you “in the know” with regards to news, studies, and information that could affect you. There is SO much information out there, which can feel overwhelming, and I see parsing through the info (and the B.S.) as part of my job. That’s where this week’s blog post stems from.

Today, I want to talk about belly fat and sleep

March 18, 2022

How To ACTUALLY Stay Hydrated: 3 Things You Can Do Right Now!

March 18, 2022/ Renata Joy

It probably won’t shock you to hear that hydration is VERY essential to your health. We’re always told to drink more water, and for good reason—we literally cannot survive without it. Our bodies use water for everything: from lubricating our joints and regulating our body temperature, to aiding our digestion and ridding our bodies of toxins. About 60 percent of our body weight is water, and since we’re constantly losing it (through urinating, sweating, talking, etc.), we need to be conscious of and vigilant about refilling our water stores throughout the day.

Now, I understand that drinking water isn’t exactly what I’d call “exciting.” Many people find it a laborious task, and because of that, their health tends to suffer. Thankfully, chugging water isn’t the only way (or even the best way) to keep yourself hydrated.

March 10, 2022

How To Exercise For Osteoporosis Prevention

March 10, 2022/ Renata Joy

While there are plenty of reasons to celebrate getting older, there’s no denying that our risk of disease goes up as we age. It’s not something to panic about—it’s something to be aware of! One ailment I want to direct our attention to is osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is prevalent in adults in general, but for women, our risk of developing osteoporosis increases after menopause.

Thankfully, there are ways to combat osteoporosis—one of the best ways is to exercise. So, here’s everything you need to know about exercising for osteoporosis prevention! (Including the specific types of exercise that protect our bones.)

January 01, 2022

What is Pure Joy Wellness? My Philosophy On Living Well Your Whole Life

January 01, 2022/ Renata Joy

Welcome to 2022, everyone! I’m so happy to kick off this new year with you and take this Pure Joy Wellness Community to a whole new level! There are so many exciting launches, surprises, and initiatives I have planned for this year, so in light of that, I wanted to do a kind of “reintroduction” slash “here’s what we stand for” blog post to get everyone in our community in alignment. I’ve done so much reflecting on 2021 and there is a lot I want to get across to both the long-time and new members of the PJW crew. This is sort of a thought-dump, but I promise it’s worth the read!!

Here’s what Pure Joy Wellness is all about…

December 22, 2021

The Best of Pure Joy Wellness 2021 - Part 2

December 22, 2021/ Renata Joy

There are only a few days left of 2021, which means it’s time to finish out the year with PART TWO of the Best Of Pure Joy Wellness Blog posts. (Here’s Part 1 and the PJW Approved Version in case you missed them.) But first, I want to acknowledge our current predicament. I know things are uncertain right now—the coronavirus pandemic is still prevalent, people are getting sick, and it’s unclear what lies ahead for us.

In an effort to take your mind off it, even for a few minutes, here is the second batch of blog post highlights from this year. I hope you’ll find some solace in them, learn something new, and use them to help set your health goals for 2022.

December 17, 2021

5 Ways to Stay Healthy This Holiday Season

December 17, 2021/ Renata Joy

The holidays are a fun time filled with family and FOOD! As great as this time of year is, it can also be super hard on our efforts to stay healthy.

While I am ALL for enjoying yourself and not depriving yourself from your favorite foods and activities, if you have multiple parties and dinners to attend, then you may end up feeling less than great by the end!

December 11, 2021

The Best of 2021 Pure Joy Wellness Approved Products

December 11, 2021/ Renata Joy

We are SO close to the end of the year… It’s surreal to think about. Like I mentioned in my last blog post, I’m using December as an opportunity to reflect and take it all in. It’s been a life-changing year in a lot of ways, and I’m so proud of how far we’ve come as a PJW community.

Last week, I showed you the best blog posts of 2021. This week, we’re doing the best of Pure Joy Wellness Approved products!

December 05, 2021

The Best of Pure Joy Wellness 2021 - Part 1

December 05, 2021/ Renata Joy

Oh 2021.. what a year it’s been! Coming out of 2020, I wasn’t sure what kind of year we were going to have, but I have to say, overall it’s been amazing. As a PJW community, we’ve grown stronger, connected deeply, and brought new people into the fold.

I couldn’t be prouder of all the badass women who are part of this community, including you! To celebrate, I’m using December to highlight the Best of Pure Joy Wellness from 2021.

November 12, 2021

65! Yikes! Isn’t That When You’re OLD?

November 12, 2021/ Renata Joy

Last November, I turned 65 years old. It’s surreal to think about. When I look in the mirror, I don’t see an old person, which makes me think: “Maybe being seen as old is just a myth. Maybe people don’t actually perceive 65 that way.”

But then a few weeks ago, I spoke to a group of students at Pace University about Pure Joy Wellness. When I mentioned my age, someone asked me if I feel 65 (implying that was old).

October 10, 2021

Pure Joy Wellness Approved - Oura Ring

October 10, 2021/ Renata Joy

As you probably know, the Pure Joy Wellness Walking Challenge is in full swing—we’re almost halfway through! So, in honor of making it this far, this month’s Pure Joy Wellness Approved product is on theme.

Whether you joined the Walking Challenge with the intention of losing weight, getting more movement in your day, or decreasing your stress and anxiety levels, this product can help you do that, and give you tons of cool info about your body along the way.

Ladies, meet the Oura ring.

September 25, 2021

How To Make Walking More Enjoyable

September 25, 2021/ Renata Joy

If you follow me on social media, you know that the third Pure Joy Wellness Walking Challenge is about to begin! Starting on Saturday, October 2, myself and the rest of the PJW community will be walking for 30 minutes a day for the next 30 days.

The Walking Challenge is about making a commitment to ourselves and one another and sticking to it—and we have a ton of fun motivating and supporting each other along the way!

September 16, 2021

Why We Get Lower Back Pain & How To Fix Yours

September 16, 2021/ Renata Joy

A few weeks ago, I woke up with a severe pain in my hip (or at least, I thought it was my hip at the time). My hip was so tight and felt like it was totally locked up. Having dealt with hip pain before. I tried every tool in my arsenal to heal it—I stretched, I slept on a wooden ball (no, I’m not kidding), iced it, took baths, everything. But nothing got better until I went to my chiropractor… and it turns out, I was treating the wrong area. My back was the issue, not my hip.

This experience got me thinking about back pain—specifically lower back pain—and how incredibly common it is, especially as we age.

September 05, 2021

What Every Woman Should Know About Heart Disease

September 05, 2021/ Renata Joy

Generally speaking, women have lower rates of heart disease than men. This is especially true for men and women in the first half of their lives. As we age, though, and after women go through menopause, their risk of heart disease goes up. Believe it or not, heart disease is actually the leading cause of death for both women and men… about 1 in 4 people die from it, and 1 in 5 women die from it.

And speaking of women, the heart disease statistics for us are even more startling. Heart disease kills more women than all types of cancer combined, including breast cancer. Not to mention, women are less likely to be correctly diagnosed and treated than men. So why don’t we hear more about it? Why aren’t we talking more about what we can do to prevent it?