Getting Fit & Fierce – Our Challenge to You!

May is National Women’s Health month and we’re committed to getting you healthy, so we’re offering you the chance to participate in our “Get Fit for Fierce Savings Challenge”!

It’s simple. Send us your favorite workouts or pictures of you getting fit to our Pinterest, Facebook, or Twitter page and use the hashtag – #FitforFierceSavings. As a thank you, we’ll give you a coupon to get $2 off your favorite green products!

Need some inspiration? Check out our VP learning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu grappling tactics with this month’s Fierce Woman, Hillary Witt.

Scared, yet? We were too. So here are some other fun ways to get in shape!

1. Aerial Pilates

Defy gravity and really work your muscles with Aerial Pilates classes. You’ll feel like a sloth at first, hanging with your limbs supported by fabric, but we promise that by the end, you’ll feel weightless, strong, and like a superhero-ine.

2. Aquaspinning

Say what? How does one avoid drowning or chlorine-dripping mops of hair?? Aquaspinning is a brand new form of exercise (because clearly, there’s a dearth of options) that has people nailing spinning bikes to pool floors in the shallow end!

The health benefits? Low impact on your joints, good for people with injuries, a more intense workout due to increased resistance, and none of that icky, sweaty feeling!

3. Capoeira

A Brazilian form of martial arts that combines music, agility, and dance. Historically, Capoeira was developed by slaves to disguise their fighting practice but now, it’s practiced in SoHo lofts by the trendiest of us all. The most important things to remember when learning is that: 1) it’s a group activity – you’ll be supported and cheered on by the people around you swaying (“ginga”-ing) and most ex; and 2) although you may be a clumsy beginner at first, “after a few months of training, you might be surprised what you can do.”

So try your hand, or legs, at any of these and send us a picture! Or, send us your very own workout routines and earn some (street)cred as well as a gift from us. Just remember, use the #FitforFierceSavings hashtag!

For Mother’s Day: Tricks to Make Your Lives Easier

Hey, Moms! In honor of you, and Mother’s Day, we’re giving you 5 little gifts that will make your life easier, more efficient, and more fun! Below are the best of the best DIY tricks & tips popularized by our favorite news source, Buzzfeed!

1. Bath Time Solution

Problem: Ever get sopping wet while bathing your child? Sure, it’s cute when they splash you and your play with them, but what about when they cry because Dino, their toy dinosaur, drowned all the way at the other end of the bathtub? Or their Little Mermaid doll is craftily hiding in your daughter’s blind spot…the crafty minx.

Solution: Bathe your child in a laundry basket. This will keep toys close to them, avoid the sudden death of their plastic friends, and reduce the running around you have to do on your knees! Plus, our Pinterest friend says that it keeps kids from hitting their head on the hard tub!

2. Hanging Around Solution

Problem: Kids always want to be around their mommies… especially at the most inconvenient times. They’re crafty. Phone ringing? Pick me up, they cry! Cooking? Pick me up, they wail? Ignoring me? Fine, they say, and waddle away so that you have to run around, dripping spatula in hand, hair-in-mouth, worried they may bang into something.

Solution: Tie a blanket or sheet under your dining table and plop them down in it with some of their favorite playthings. Or a cat. We love cats. And don’t worry. Here are instructions to make sure you do it right!

3. The Pad Solution!

Problem: Your poor child (and self/spouse) waking up in the middle of the night because of wet bed sheets, wet jammies, wet pillows, or all the above.

Solution: Use Maxim overnight or heavy-flow pads to extend diapers (and sleep) for your potty-training child. This will help retain more liquid and help you get more sleep! And they are all natural and chlorine free so no diaper rash causing any extra headaches!

4. Tap “Cap”…or Faucet Extender Solution

Problem: Giant muscles…and having to babysit the kids in the bathroom even though they’re potty trained! Ever hear, “Mom, I can’t reach the sink!” Or wonder why your child has come to dinner smelling like the bathroom? It’s hard for kids to wash their hands, but harder for adults not to trip over little stepping stools when you’re swathed in blankets, powder, lotion, or children!

Solution: Turn an old lotion bottle into a faucet extender so the little ones can reach the water and help them retain good healthy habits! Instructions here!

5. Monster Spray Solution

Problem: Crying, screaming, terrified kids in the middle of the night. Kids in your bed, always. Never a good night of rest (re: falling asleep sitting up, while patting them to sleep).

Solution: Monster spray! The most logical godsend solution we’ve heard of for night terrors and nightmares! Just as bug spray removes bugs, your kids will believe the connection that monster spray will get rid of the creepy crawlies, multiple eyed creatures, and vampires. *Note: the Boogey-Man may be immune.

Hopefully these few tips will help ease up your Mother’s Day so you can enjoy it just a little more.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of our amazing mothers!!! We, at Maxim, appreciate you!

Fierce Woman of the Month: Hillary Witt, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu World Champion

We’ve spoken with a lot of Fierce Women, women who were adamant on changing their surroundings for the betterment of others. But our Fierce Woman for May, Women’s National Health Month, is probably quite literally, the fiercest.

Hillary Witt is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu brown belt and a 2-time world champion in gi and no-gi competitions (sport grappling tournaments)!

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu promotes the concept that a smaller or weaker person can successfully defend them self against a bigger or stronger assailant by using leverage, technique and by bringing the fight to the ground. Not surprisingly, many techniques used in this practice are also common in women’s self defense classes.

Hillary says, “Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gave me the confidence to know I can defend myself and get away. I can control my breathing and stay cool. Keep my head clear. And no one can ever take that away from me. “

In a male-dominated sport, Hillary has proven that women aren’t only grappling with each other, but with society as well.  As a girl, she wasn’t allowed to train with the Lehigh University Wrestling team, but was finally able to join the club in exchange for teaching them her killer moves! Since then, much more women are entering (and kicking ass) at the sport!

For girls and women interested in BJJ, she recommends Women’s Grappling Camp. The program is exclusively for women to go, train, discuss, and make new friends in an environment “where women rule the mat” and in an online community, where interested girls can watch videos, discuss them, and “just be girls 24/7/365.”

Scared to try it? Her tip is to bring your significant other! “It‘s a close-contact, intimidating sport, so having someone you are comfortable with is important when you are just getting started.”

And if you do try it, here’s her favorite post-workout meal:  1 Scoop of chocolate whey protein (One that tastes good! She likes Gold Standard Whey) + 1/2 banana + 2Tbs of all natural peanut butter + ice + 12oz water, and a little cinnamon= Awesome!

To find out more about Hillary and her personal journey of working towards earning and deserving a black belt, read below!

At Maxim Hygiene, we define a fierce woman as a “glorious female creature whose idea of beauty is hinged upon the idea that she can change the world with each choice & each moment.” Who in your life is a Fierce Woman and why?

The one that comes to my mind is a pioneer of women’s Jiu Jitsu, Professor Leticia Ribeiro. When I just started training, I first saw her in a BJJ documentary called Arte Suave which followed almost a dozen top BJJ black belts through their daily lives, training, and competition accompanied by in-depth interviews. And Leticia, the only female, made the cut.

Watching her I said to myself “This is what I want to do. This is who I want to be.” She is beautiful, strong, intelligent, and one of the most decorated female Jiu Jitsu fighters in the world.

She just has that aura about her. It’s not just her competitive resume however, it’s because she is a role model for all women who train or want to train BJJ. When Leticia teaches everyone listens. Men, women, and children. She has the kind of aura that demands respect. But at the same time she is very approachable and is always cracking jokes and smiling.

Being a BJJ student, what mental and physical changes do you find in yourself?

It’s a completely different kind of strength and endurance. Plus it takes discipline.  Learning Jiu Jitsu physically put me in the best shape of my life! It has balanced my strength from head to toe, increased my flexibility and endurance. With a little determination and mental toughness I never knew I had, I came a long way.

BJJ also gave me the confidence to know I could defend myself and get away. Before, I thought I would die of a panic attack before even trying to defend myself in a rape situation.

Why do you think it’s important for people, or women in particular, to learn martial arts?

For self defense. To have something in your back pocket if some is not in punching range or the fight goes to the ground.

Favorite song to listen to while working out?

When I’m training and doing some last minute cardio for weight cutting before a tournament, Linkin Park gets me psyched! Their albums Hybrid Theory and Reanimation just do it for me.

Earth Day Celebrations with a Chocolate Twist!

In honor of Earth Day this year, Maxim Hygiene is celebrating our world, but particularly, those beautiful regions that produce chocolate!

Cocoa, what chocolate is made from, is grown in a belt of subtropical and tropical countries that straddle the equator, ranging from Madagascar to Sri Lanka.

The cocoa production and export industry is a large fragment of the economy in many low and middle-income countries. And, surprisingly, four of the top five cocoa-producing companies are in West Africa: Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria & Cameroon. And the country that imports the largest amount of cocoa is the Netherlands!

So why would one country want so much chocolate? The best answer we found was, “Which country wouldn’t want that much chocolate?!”

Many of us ladies know, during that time of the month, the only thing that can both make us jump out of bed or calm down from a rage or make our tears go away is chocolate. Chocolate bars, chocolate chip cookies, fudge, brownies, fudge brownies, bacon chocolate, and so on. You get my flow (no pun intended)!

But though many of us crave chocolate, we don’t understand why. So Maxim Hygiene found out. The most common answer was inadequate levels of serotonin.

Judith Wurtman, Ph.D., author of “The Serotonin Power Diet,” explains that our bodies crave carbohydrates when our brain needs to produce serotonin, a mood-lifting chemical.

In her article on Huffington Post, she writes: “Just as we lose our thirst after drinking water, we lose our cravings after serotonin is made. And as an added benefit, those unpleasant moods we experienced along with our cravings are replaced by a decrease in stress and an increase in calmness, energy, focus and patience.” She also notes that chocolate helps to curb appetite!!

Sign us up for a daily helping! We’re already doing our part to protect the rainforests and regions where cocoa is grown by eliminating the use of common tree based materials found in other conventional tampons and pads. Maxim Hygiene products are made only with the softest most sustainable ingredients – organic and natural chlorine free cotton!

To help you in celebrating Earth week (and PMS this month), we’ve teamed up with the ladies at sweetriot, whose delicious fair trade chocolate is also only 25 calories per square!

Hit up http://shop.sweetriot.com/ and use the exclusive promo code “maximriot” to receive 25% OFF your dark chocolate fix! The offer expires on April 30, 2013. For more health news & info on sweet deals on chocolate enter your email here at www.sweetriot.com/getnews.

With a craving for chocolate, there usually comes a visit from Aunt Flo, so don’t forget to also head on over to our online store at www.maximhy.com and enter the coupon code “CHOCOLATE” to receive 25% off your next order of any Maxim Hygiene product purchase! PLUS, all orders placed using this coupon code will also have THE CHANCE TO WIN a Dark Chocolate Party Pleaser from our friends at sweetriot*

Happy Sweet Earth Day!

 

*Offer valid now through 6:00pm EST on 4/30/2013 exclusively through http://www.maximhy.com and http://www.sweetriot.com only. Not valid on shipping charges. Can not be combined with other promotions, discounts, or Facebook offers. Offer not applicable to prior or pending orders and no adjustments can be made on previous purchases. One offer per person and no rainchecks. Other restrictions may apply. The winner of the Chocolate Party Pleaser will be chosen at random through random.org. Maxim Address: 39 Maple Street, Roslyn Heights, New York

Earth Day: Rainforests

Kinkajou, Capuchin, Jaguar, Zodiac Moth.

Dart Frog, Bird of Paradise, Three-Toed Sloth.

(OK, we’re clearly not as lyrical as Dr. Seuss, but that bird of paradise video from BBC’s Planet Earth is pretty phenomenal!)

In continuation of last week’s post on Our Oceans and April’s theme of protecting and celebrating our Earth, this week’s post aims to raise awareness about the robust biodiversity contained in our rainforests as well as the threat to their survival.

A typical four square-mile patch of tropical rainforest contains as many as 1,500 flowering plants, 750 species of trees, 400 species of birds and 150 species of butterflies.

But, The World Wildlife Fund estimates that some 46-58 million square miles of forest are lost each year—equivalent to 36 football fields every minute – to deforestation (unsustainable agricultural, ranching, mining and logging practices). Already, the area of our rainforests has been halved from 14% of our Earth’s surface to a mere 6%.

The loss of forest has not only led to a drastic decrease in the world’s biodiversity, but also a 15% increase in greenhouse gas emissions. The New York Times explains that forests act as carbon sinks—soaking up the CO2 that would otherwise be free in the atmosphere and contributing to ongoing changes in climate patterns.

It is estimated that rainforest ecosystems and the water they release, supports the lives of billions of people and meets the needs of 40% of the farmers in underdeveloped countries. Unknowingly, we support deforestation by buying products that originally come from farmers with unsustainable habits or manufacturers using wood pulp (a byproduct of tree felling) to make sanitary pads! Yes, it’s hard to believe but what looks like cotton in your average sanitary pad is usually bleached tree fibers! Maxim Hygiene sanitary pads are not your average sanitary pad. They are made with 100% cotton instead of the irritating “cotton like” tree based materials that are contributing to deforestation.

Another reason rainforests are so vital? Seventy percent of the 2000 plants identified by the U.S. National Cancer Institute to be “active against cancer cells” are found exclusively in rainforests. In fact, a whopping 121 prescription drugs (and about 25% of Western pharmaceutical meds) are derived from rainforest ingredients. And, it is estimated that less than 1% of tropical trees and plants have been tested by scientists!!

To find out more about how you can save the rainforests, please visit some of the sites below. We encourage you to learn as much as you can, make your friends and family care too and educate as many people as you can! Make them watch videos or show them photographs to pique their interests and then go from there.

Resources:

-          http://ran.org/top-five-ways-protect-rainforests-2011-0

-          http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/urgentissues/rainforests/index.htm

-          http://www.coolearth.org/407/category/the-solution-185.html#active_exmenu

-          http://www.kidssavingtherainforest.org/

Dr. Seuss & Earth Day: Ocean Life

 

 

One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish.
Angler fish, Cuttlefish, Narwhal, Jellyfish.

 

Dr. Seuss, a literary genius and retrospectively – an environmental activist, knew the potential scope of our destructiveness. About one half of the world’s endangered species are in the U.S. alone.

April encompasses the great day, 4/22, a.k.a. Earth Day, in which we take the time to honor this great Earth, so our posts this month will be celebrating our Earth; today’s will celebrate our oceans.

Did you know that about ¾ of our planet is covered in water? Oceans provide 99 percent of the Earth’s living space- the largest space in our universe to be inhabited by living organisms.

Water, and the life within it, sustains our lives, our industries, and our environment. From influencing the weather to feeding us and bringing in tourists to boost our economies, the oceans play a vital role in our lives.

But, due to coastal development, sedimentation, destructive fishing practices, pollution, irresponsible tourism and global warming our oceans and its populations are threatened.

Our lifestyles, habits, and disregard for the fragility of the ocean’s ecosystems have led to a crippling decrease of our world’s biodiversity.

Bleaching our clothes, flushing tampons, standing on coral reefs, trawling for fish, building hotels on the beach, even driving – these activities all lead to the destruction of marine species and their environments.

Like the environmental lesson in The Lorax, we as consumers are responsible for driving trends in the industry. If you choose to support products or businesses that pollute the environment, they will only grow, agrees CBS.

We at Maxim Hygiene urge you to develop habits that are sustainable and non-damaging to the Earth. That’s why our products are organic and natural, chlorine-free, and biodegradable.

Tell us how you’re protecting and celebrating the Earth, and we’ll feature you in our last post of April. For inspiration and an interesting perspective on the importance of our oceans, check out The Ocean Lorax.

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s just not.

 

April’s Fierce Woman: Tanya Tibbs, CEO of V-Bar Soap

Maxim Hygiene’s core goals are to protect women’s health and the earth, which is why we’re honoring Tanya Tibbs, as our Fierce Woman for the month of April. Tanya is an entrepreneur and the CEO of V-Bar, the “Sensational Va-Jay-Jay Soap.”

April is National Informed Woman Month. The idea of this month is to educate women so that they can use their knowledge to change their circumstances, be independent, and overcome some of the challenges that they face.

Tanya is a woman who empowers girls and women all year round by providing them with education about their bodies and healthier options to many of the products on the market.

Her V-Bar soap is green and contains an herb called Goldenseal (also known as Yellow Root). According to the National Institute of Health, the herb, now endangered due to over-harvesting, has been and is still used for treating ailments ranging from gonorrhea to vaginitis (yeast infections), diarrhea, skin infections and colds.

Tanya says this soap has the ability to alter a woman’s PH levels, and thus, help treat and minimize the chance of developing a yeast infection, something that 75% of women will experience at least once in their lifetimes. The soap tends to clear up symptoms in about a week! Like other conventional tampons and pads, soaps often contain fragrances and other synthetic materials that are extremely irritating! So next time you’re feeling itchy down there, lather up with V-Bar soap and if you’re on your period make sure to follow up with nature’s softest solution…100% cotton tampons and pads! 

To learn more about V-Bar soap and to win a free year’s supply, visit the Facebook page and enter the “Go Green with your Hygiene Contest”!

To learn more about Tanya, scroll down!

M: What inspired you to begin a line of natural products? Why is there such a need for them?

T: Even when I was younger, I was attuned to the power of herbal and organic products. My grandmother used to make oatmeal soap for me to deal with my eczema problem. Her inspiration led me to become a hair stylist and use natural, holistic treatments for my clients with issues like bald spots, thinning, and damaged scalps.

The V-Bar soap was actually something I had concocted for my sister to help her vaginal and skin issues. Seeing her symptoms improve so drastically, I decided to sell the soap. Women really responded to it well, thus leading me to create a whole Preventative Line.  All my products are made to nurture the gentleness of women and to be safe for the body and health.

M: How is V Bar soap healthy for the vagina or other ailments?

T: The main ingredient in the V-bar is Goldenseal, which works to detox the blood, working from the inside out by entering your pores.  Not only does it get rid of any fungus, bacterial or inflammation issues, women have also told me it helped with removing persistent odors, soothing razor bumps, and even minimizing PMS related menstrual cramps!

I believe that the V-Bar not only keeps the vagina happy, but it also builds the user’s confidence, self-esteem, and self-worth and this is something I try to do every day.

M: You conduct motivational talks. What lessons do you hope to impart to the young women you speak to?

T: I host a workshop entitled, “The Truth About Feminine Hygiene.” Most women put about 2,500 chemicals on their bodies every day. In my workshop, we really break down what is being put on our bodies and how it affects us. I try to explain the benefits of choosing a holistic approach to feminine hygiene as well.

What I want them to take from this workshop is to be very mindful when choosing a feminine hygiene product. It’s important to read the back of the box and the fine print! I want to leave these young girls and women with the tools to always challenge the norm and the confidence to share their information and thoughts with each other. By using education, we can really change this industry, one girl at a time.