Get ready to take notes because this post is EVERYTHING.
Jesse Golden is back on the blog today. She is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to all things health & wellness, an author, mom, wife, entrepreneur, and drop dead gorgeous inside and out.
You may have already met her here, here, OR in GTFOOTS (page 233 to be exact), but today she’s diving deep and sharing her path to wellness with us. Think: divorce, young mom, scary diagnosis, healing journey, & now thriving.
Not only that, Jesse is sharing her favorite wellness practices (bet you haven’t heard of some!) that she swears by to feel and look her best. We’re talking red light therapy, an adrenal support concoction & how to make your skin GLOW. (Lauryn loves the Aura mist and the Goddess body oil.)
With that, let’s welcome back Jesse Golden of The Golden Secrets.
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Hi loves, my name is Jesse Golden & I grew up in the ’80s in Chicago, Illinois. My mom owned a dance studio called Golden’s School of Dance, so I grew up as a ballerina, and that really laid the foundation for everything in my life. I also grew up modeling and eventually moved to Miami when I was 17 and started modeling full-time.
During this same time, I was introduced to yoga and, ever since I could remember, I had an affinity towards holistic health. I eventually moved to California and became unexpectedly pregnant at 25 years of age. I gave birth at home naturally, the Khalsa way, ate the placenta and did attachment parenting with the family bed and the whole nine yards.
I always say that I came into my own when I became a mother, but it was not an easy road. Despite my efforts, I became a single mother, and I mean in all aspects. I had no family here or financial support. Early motherhood was my favorite time in my life but looking back, under the circumstances, I was living in survival mode, and that’s when my body began to shut down. With my history of being a ballerina and a single mom who was still breastfeeding, I ignored all my body’s signals and kept trying to push through.
I went from doctor to doctor, being undiagnosed until, at 29 years young, I was finally given the disheartening diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. In a complete state of shock and fear, having thought that I was bulletproof up until that point in my life, I did what my doctor suggested and went on a concoction of biologics and immune suppressants (chemo).
This was a huge leap for me. Prior to this diagnosis, I had never even taken a Tylenol or over the counter anything. My remedy for anything and everything could be found at Erewhon’s Ron Teagardan’s bar. This was the early 2000s when only hippies hung out at Erewhon, haha. Looking back, it’s as if I knew that pharmaceuticals for life was not going to work for me, but I had to at least give it a shot in order to get my family on board with me to go the holistic route, and that’s exactly what happened.
I became so debilitated that I didn’t walk for a year of my life. My body dwindled down to nothing, losing all muscle tone, strength, and mobility. Through a mixture of Eastern and Western medicine, I built my body back up and graced the cover of NY Times, and helped launch almost every known yoga company today. I became a yoga teacher and a holistic health practitioner. I wrote a book inspired by my own healing journey called The Golden Secrets to Optimal Health, and pre-Instagram started a blog called The Golden Secrets where I shared, and continue to share, anything and everything that has helped me thrive in my life.
The Golden Secrets is now an entire skincare and wellness line birthed from formulations I have made for myself- some over 30 years ago! It is my passion to share unconventional, holistic ways of living and inspire people to take every obstacle as an opportunity to create more light into their lives and the world.
Here are just a few of my favorite wellness practices. Many of my everyday practices have become more mainstream in recent years, so I’m going to try and sprinkle some other ones in here that you may not have heard about yet.
Jesse Golden’s Wellness Practices
♡ Ionic Copper Dry Brushing
Dry brushing is one of my favorite health hacks. It’s a simple and easy way to give your body some extra love, it can help clear up acne and reduce cellulite, and it can even improve your circulation. But did you know that dry brushing isn’t just good for the skin? When you add the essential mineral, copper, into the mix, it amplifies the results of regular dry brushing tenfold.
Unlike regular dry brushing, the friction that is created between the copper bristles and your skin creates negative ions that protect the body from free radical damage and environmental stressors and counteracts digital technology. The neutralizing ions increase the health benefits by
+ Restoring electromagnetic balance in the body
+ Increasing circulation and collagen fibers
+ Encouraging cellular turnover and skin renewal
+ Helping the lymphatic flow work more effectively
When you use a copper dry brush, you’re positively affecting the state of your body’s tissues, organs, and cells. Just as we brush our teeth every day, dry brushing is a ritual that is no different. Think of it as a way to scrub the day away and with the added benefit of copper bristles, you are able to flood the body with negative ions to help counteract the bombardment of modern day life.
Modern-day technology has our bodies bombarded with unnatural, positive electric charges that can make us feel off and sluggish and our skin dull, congested, and overloaded with toxins. Copper is an essential mineral, meaning our bodies need it to function at a high level. It’s needed for the production of elastin, a protein that helps the skin stretch and return to its original shape. Copper also acts as a natural antioxidant, which can help reverse damage caused by aging and pollution. Copper helps to fight free radicals and is needed for the production of collagen, elastin and melanin (which makes us look like we’re glowing).
Copper has been used since ancient times to heal just about everything. It was really known as the “cure all.” You can check out The Golden Secrets Ionic Copper Dry Brush here.
♡ Four simple things
I do these daily to naturally create a more chiseled jawline, lift sagging skin, create more symmetry in my face and benefit my health overall
+ Nose breathing. Mouth breathing changes the facial structure and can create an undesirable look & many health issues. Nose breathing can correct it.
The simple act of being conscious of how you are breathing can not only change your facial structure for the better, but mouth breathing is associated with crooked teeth, bad breath, gum disease, brain fog, dark circles under the eyes, and so much more. If you know that you are a mouth breather when you sleep, look into mouth tape to retain your body.
+ Gua Sha. The Golden Secrets Sorceress Gua Sha Beauty Tool has the ability to retrain the way the patterns of the face, muscles and skin functions- giving you a more sculpted look. The Sorceress Stone has therapeutic benefits & anti-aging trace elements that far exceed any other stone on the market.
This is by far the most effective and holistic option for those seeking a natural, long-term way to retrain the skin and face. All day long we are making certain expressions and this repetitive pattern can cause an undesirable effect on the face. That along with toxic build up and lymph that likes to deposit along our jawline can easily be smoothed and flushed out, naturally sculpting the jawline and giving you a more youthful appearance.
+ Mewing. Mewing is a technique created in the 1970’s by Dr. John Mew, in which he discovered that tongue placement has the ability to change the shape of the jawline. He recognized that our ancestors had much bigger jawlines than most people today and one of the major causes, besides nutrient deficiencies is mouth breathing. In today’s toxic environment, and allergy prone world, along with softer foods being eaten meaning less chewing is happening, our jawlines have shrunk and with that comes crowded teeth and a less aesthetically pleasing face.
Yes, you heard that right. Simple, correct tongue posture can help to naturally lift the face, create symmetry and grow the face forward.
This is a simple exercise you can try. Place your tongue so that it is fully covering your pallet, then keep it there while you bite down. If you are a mouth breather, this will be difficult for you. Keep practicing until it is easy.
+ Chewing. I talk about the importance of chewing in my book. Not only for digestion, but for mental clarity. One new aspect is the effect it has on your facial structure. Chewing stimulates the bones of the craniofacial complex to grow. Make sure when you are chewing to alternate or chew on your non-dominant side to create more balance & symmetry in the face.
Here is a Reel I made to learn more and see an example of mewing.
♡ Navel therapy, also known as the Pechoti method
Navel therapy, also known as Pechoti method, is an ancient Ayurvedic practice that involves putting warm oil in the navel cavity to nurture, detoxify and treat common ailments, anti-aging, and beauty concerns. The belly button also has physical and spiritual significance- having the ability to affect and change your emotions and uplift your mood.
When you truly think about it, it makes sense. Our belly button represents where our umbilical cord was, which was attached to our placenta which fed and nurtured us while in the womb. With 72,000 nerve receptors at our belly button, our belly buttons remain the lifeline and life force that connects everything in our body.
Always practice navel therapy with high-grade organic oils like The Golden Secrets and some other ingredients you just might already have in your kitchen like ghee and honey.
You can effectively treat acne-prone, eczema, inflamed skin, and other wounds. Aging skin, hyperpigmentation, dry, cracked, rough skin, and even depression and lack of restful sleep. To learn more, you can check out a more thorough blog post I did here.
♡ Heliotherapy
For years I’ve shared the importance of daily sun exposure. Never having paid much attention to the status quo> most often gravitating towards the exact opposite. I simply listened to my innate wisdom that was well aware that I always felt better with adequate sun exposure. The sun is the only true source of energy on the planet. Prior to antibiotics in the 1930s, sunlight therapy (heliotherapy) was proven as the most successful treatment for infectious diseases.
To this day, heliotherapy is practiced in the Cancer Research Institute for DNA repair. Within hours of light therapy, cancer cells begin to die. Receiving the sun’s rays allows your body to manufacture its essential Vitamin D within the skin- a vitamin (actually a hormone) most people are deficient in since the rise of sunscreen, causing a whole slew of health issues. Healthy Vitamin D levels are responsible for regulating our mood, and immune function, maintaining optimal weight, fighting off disease, and actually preventing skin from aging prematurely. We get 2/3 of our energy from the sun. Only 1/3 comes from food so it’s just as important to get sunlight as it is to eat well. Simply put, if you want to see something die, deprive it of the sun.
Of course, moderation in all aspects of life is key. Too much of a good thing can be harmful BUT under exposure is far more detrimental to your health.
In an attempt to get people to stop vilifying the sun & instead get back to our roots of worshiping the sun, here are some steps & resources you can look into:
+ See the first light. When your retinas are exposed to the sunrise, you are better able to receive the sun midday without burning. Our ancestors spent 90% of their time outdoors, watching every sunrise & sunset…grounding into the earth, breathing their biome & living in sync with nature. Now, most people spend 90% of their life indoors, far away from nature and wonder why they burn so quickly, have weight gain & sleep issues.
+ Clean up your diet. An unhealthy body cannot absorb the sun’s rays properly. Remove processed foods, sugar and industrial seed oils. Eat your sunscreen by eating close to nature. Your skin is your largest organ, so when exposed to the healing sun, your body (especially the liver) will attempt to eliminate any toxic waste and sickness through the skin. Sunspots are the toxins coming out. Clean up your diet, cleanse your liver, and those “liver/sun spots” will disappear.
+ Build up your solar callus slowly. Expose as much of your body as possible (eyes & yoni included) until your body starts to flush (this is different for everyone based on the melanin in their skin & state of health). That is your cue to seek shade & the sign that your body has manufactured its essential Vitamin D. The flush or reddening of the skin is an increase of blood flow as the body attempts to heal itself by removing the dead cells. When you always wear sunscreen, you not only block the body from receiving these benefits, you rapidly absorb the toxins you just put on it & your own body’s signal, telling you, you have received enough sun, is lost. Giving you a false sense of security that you can sit in the sun all day. It’s when you go beyond this point that the damage can happen.
+ Trust your body. Your eyes dilate with sunlight and are able to receive the sun’s rays even in the shade so less sunglasses outside, more blue-blocking sunglasses, and clothes inside.
♡ The Five Tibetan Rites
The Tibetan monks had five yoga-based moves that they did every day to stay in optimum health. They also believed that practicing these 5 exercises every day was their key to the fountain of youth. More than 2,500 years old, each exercise has many strengthening benefits that with consistent practice, will keep your body strong, preventing the common problems that come with aging.
They will help maintain your equilibrium so that you keep your balance. Strengthen your core to keep your frame solid. Create flexibility in your back to keep you agile and open-minded. Build strength and stamina so that you stay ahead of the aging process. Most of all, the Tibetans claim that these five exercises activate the seven Chakras that stimulate all the glands of your endocrine system. Your endocrine system is responsible for the proper function of all your organs, which in turn will affect your aging process and keep you young.
Start by doing 3 sets of each pose a day. Gradually increasing to a maximum of 21 each.
- Spin clockwise with your arms out to your sides, parallel to the ground.
- Start lying flat on the ground then lift your legs straight up to the sky and bring your chin to your chest. Then return your legs and head to the ground and repeat.
- Come onto your knees into camel pose and lift your chest to the sky, arching your back but drawing your tailbone down. Continue drawing your tailbone down and bring your chin to your chest. Then lift your chest back to the sky and repeat.
- Start sitting with your legs straight out in front of you and your palms flat on the floor. Reach your hips to the sky, feet flat on the floor come up into a table top position. Then return to the ground and repeat.
- Start in downward facing dog then transition into upward facing dog. Continue a rhythm with your own breath.
Here is a tutorial of me doing it.
♡ Adrenal Cocktail
My go-to drink of choice first thing in the morning and sometimes right before bed is an adrenal cocktail. It is the perfect balance of whole food Vitamin C, potassium, sodium and magnesium blended into the most delicious, creamy drink.
Everything comes down to mineral balance and this drink helps build up the minerals that our body needs to make essential hormones. When our hormones are balanced, our thyroid and metabolism is balanced, which allows us to feel healthy and strong. As I talk about in my book, it is vital to balance the sodium and potassium ratio in our bodies for proper adrenal function. This drink feeds the cells and takes stress off the adrenals by balancing blood sugar, especially when the body is under stress. It can instantly help you feel more grounded and relaxed by stabilizing your energy levels throughout the day.
I start every morning with this yummy drink, prior to drinking my coffee and having breakfast. You can also sip on it in between meals or during high stress times when an increased burn rate of vital nutrients could occur. When I take it at night, I wake up with plump skin. You should always take your collagen with Vitamin C for it to assimilate properly. I call it my botox shot.
The recipe:
+ 1-2 tbsp of raw cream or coconut cream
+ 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
+ sprinkle of salt (I use Celtic salt)
+ 1 scoop of collagen powder (Satureé Use code: BEGOLDEN)
+ 8 oz. organic orange juice (freshly pressed is best, unpasteurized if possible and always organic)
++ Blend in a blender or use a frother until it is fully mixed and creamy. Drink right away upon waking up. Repeat as needed, up to 3x per day.
If it is too sweet for you, you can add water or less orange juice, or use coconut water and orange juice. You can play around with the ingredients and adjust based on how your body feels. You can also add your other powders or liquids that you like to consume on a regular basis. I sometimes add my glutathione in there.
A little note on cream of tartar: Cream of tartar is a leavening agent that you would normally see in baking. It is high in potassium and very alkaline, which can help with everything from clearing up acne, combating heartburn, treating arthritis and even helping to lower blood pressure.
Regularly nourishing your body with organic high quality fat, carbs and protein is key to optimal health. This drink only takes a few minutes to make, tastes delicious and is the perfect ratio of all of those things.
♡ Red Light Therapy
Red light therapy has been one of my go-to’s for years to help ease pain & inflammation from rheumatoid arthritis, but the benefits go far beyond that. Red light therapy delivers wavelengths of healthy light directly to your skin and cells. Strengthening your mitochondria, where your cell’s energy is created. Better cellular health can improve your mood, circadian rhythm, muscle recovery, skin (anti-aging), sleep optimization, energy levels, mental clarity, hair growth, thyroid health, and so much more.
♡ Inversions
Almost every ancient practice has some sort of inversion incorporated into their tradition. Inversions are one of my favorite unconventional health hacks that I do almost every day, except when I’m on my moon cycle when I don’t recommend that any woman go upside down and instead honor their flow.
Anytime you place your head below your heart you positively influence your body. Specifically your cardiovascular, lymphatic, nervous, endocrine, and immune system. Inversions also help defy the negative effects of gravity on your face and skin. Increase hair growth and can calm a worried mind.
Simply putting your legs up against the wall, called Viparita Karani in yoga, is the most gentle yet effective restorative way to invert. I choose to use my yoga swing most often because it is a restorative way to get upside down that allows me to truly relax & stretch while reaping the benefits.
Of course, if you are comfortable with shoulder stand (Sarvangasana), headstand (Sirsasana) ,etc., these are ideal for strength building & building courage. Hanging from a tree like a kid works, too!
♡ Abdominal Churning or Nauli Kriya
I have practiced Nauli Kriya for years. This is a practice that is often taught by a teacher and in the early phases of one’s yoga journey in the East, but here in the West, it seems to be a tradition that has been forgotten and not taught as often. Let me break it down:
There are 3 interior body locks used in yoga during asana & pranayama practice. They are used to control the flow of energy (prana) in the body. Uddiyana bandha is the 2nd of the 3 locks, and it is an abdominal lock.
Uddiyana Bandha is the first step to gaining control over the solar plexus and the stomach muscles. It goes together with Nauli Kriya, which is the continuation and the final goal. Nauli Kriya is one of 6 Kriyas or modification techniques. Nauli massages & invigorates all the internal organs & brings a concentration of prana to the solar plexus region. Making it a powerful tonic for almost any gastrointestinal disorder or weakness. Improving digestion, elimination, & detoxification.
It stimulates qi (energy life force) within the body, which removes stagnant/old energy & energizes the spirit. It revitalizes the entire system, including the skin, and regular practice helps tone and strengthen the abdominal muscles and sexual organs. It must be practiced on an empty stomach and again not on your moon cycle, pregnancy or any other health contradiction.
I share a thorough tutorial here & highly recommend going through the different phases with me and not moving on until you have fully mastered each phase. It will most likely take some time to master, as various abdominal muscles need to be brought under control.
I hope you enjoyed learning about some of my favorite holistic wellness practices. I share regularly @jessegolden on Instagram and Tiktok. I also share all my product recs and blog posts at jessegolden.com and you can find my skincare and wellness line at thegoldensecrets.com and @thegoldensecrets on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Pinterest and Flip.
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Hope you loved this post. Be sure to follow Jesse and The Golden Secrets for tons of hot tips. The tutorials and hacks that Jesse has on her channels are like no other. Until next time…we’re off to do our Tibetans.
x, The Skinny Confidential team
+ for more on mouth taping, read this post.
++ check out why Lauryn loves red light therapy too.
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