Category: New York City

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10 Women’s Wardrobe Essentials Moving to NYC

New York City is all about what you wear and what you want people to think of you at a glance. What you wear is your personal story, told in the blink of an eye. Regardless of the story you’d like to tell, there are some essentials that non-New Yorkers or non-East Coasters might not think of.

In a clothing and fashion-obsessed New York, here are 10 Women’s Wardrobe Essentials Moving to NYC

  1. Scarves, hats, and gloves
    Oh my! Yes, this may be a no-brainer but I hardly used any of these before I moved to New York. Now I layer them every winter, so that I may cover up ever inch of exposed skin from the harsh winter air. To think, I almost didn’t bring them with me during my move!
  2. Cozy socks & lots of sweaters
    One thing I wanted immediately after my first winter in the Big Apple was knee-high socks! Maybe they’re a trend or they only appeal to a specific type of woman, but they definitely appeal to me! Especially if you want to wear any kind of dress or skirt in Fall or Winter. These socks (I have both beige and black, for options), are lifesavers.
  3. Heavy winter coat
     …preferably ankle-length! I had hear the winters were cold. I come from Washington state and I know cold, but I didn’t know cold like New York does! I was thankful for my fashionable warm vintage winter coat that goes well past my knees.
  4. Light fall coat
    Personally, I like to have many options. In the Fall, it can get brisk and windy and you may need just light layers. You especially want something light enough that it won’t kill you when you get into the sweltering subway. You’ll probably be sweating.
  5. Crop tops
    Back home, I never owned a crop top. But in New York City, one thing I wasn’t expecting was the extreme desire to be wearing as little as possible at all moments in the Summer. You’ll want enough options to sorta last you through those sweat-dripping days. And if you think Fall is warm in the subways, just wait until Summer. There will definitely be a moment of mutual understanding when you see everyone in the subway anticipating that air-conditioned car, with shiny foreheads and sticky hair.
  6. An all-black wardrobe
    Black is the new black. Black is the old black. Black will always be black, and New York loves it’s black, head-to-toe wardrobe. If you ever want to truly fit in, look more slim, or like you just walked out of a model-casting, make sure to have many black options. You may also often be required to wear all black dress clothes/black dress shoes for jobs, soo… even if you don’t want to fit in, you still need to.
  7. An outfit for every occasion
    Speaking of black, don’t forget to pack your essential little black dress! You’ll also want to make sure you have proper career-oriented clothing, interview/casting clothes, going out to the club, rooftop parties, networking parties, etc.  
  8. Cute rain boots and/or snow boots
    When it rains, it pours. No, really. Expect an unexpected downpour of rain, especially if its in the forecast on on a warm day. If you see the native New Yorkers breaking out their umbrellas and rain boots on the train, it’s probably too late for you. Next time, you’ll just know. It’s like a sixth sense. Also, one of my favorite winter pieces are my snow boots that I use in the place of rain boots. They are so much more impervious and multi-funtional. They keep my feet warm in the winter and dry in the rain.
  9. Your favorite swimsuit
    It’s easy to forget that New York is surrounded by water. Especially if you don’t know the geography that well, like when I moved here. In fact, there are several great places to go enjoy the sand, ocean, and sun in the sweltering height of summer. So… don’t forget your favorite swimsuit that you feel like a million bucks in! (I personally suggest the Rockaways off the A train).
  10. Something that is oh-so-you
    Wear something colorful! Or something hipster, or business-casual, or whatever suits you. You want to have the perfect outfit for that day you’re feeling especially awesome and powerful. Don’t get too pulled into the black funk. Show the world your individuality!

As you can see, the people of New York City need very weather-oriented clothing. I used to just wear tank-tops, t-shirts, and rain coats. (Well, it “always” rains in Washington, so I almost never took that rain coat off). If there is anything you’re not prepared for ahead of time, the weather may just catch you off guard and you may be forced to make an emergency purchase you might just regret!

Where ever you’re from, it’s likely you just don’t have the variety of weather that New York does. Hopefully this list will prepare you.

Be Fierce!!

Briauna Mariah (:

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A Model’s Unfiltered Thoughts on Agencies

Photo by Annika Forslund

I’ve been quarreling with myself on this topic for months now. I have provided you with plenty of info on modeling agencies in the past. However, I feel there is a missing element. Bias. Today I will impart my bias in regards to the topic of agencies. Today I will open up.

While I have not had a horrendous experience with agencies, like some, it has not been particularly pleasant either. Often, agencies have felt very intimidating, even bully-like.

A model is hardly ever allowed to be herself. She is scrutinized in detail. She is never good enough, always expected to fill in this role of the unattainable. As a society, our beauty standards are warped. They are unrealistic. Yet, young girls are expected to conform. This is what it feels like to be a model. Moldable.

At age 15, I was told I had too much baby fat. My legs have been called doughy. Some people have told me I can’t “make it” due to my size. That I have to conform. I have been pressured and harassed about my skin, urged to see a dermatologist I couldn’t afford, for a problem that was occurring because of my genes, and because I was unhealthy. Being with an agency has always been a stressful experience for me. I was always pressured one way or another, bullied strategically, bossed around, and strung along waiting for my paychecks.

This is my bias. And the experience is not too different from those girls around me.

Girls. We are women, young women. Yet, why do I keep calling all models girls? It is because even I feel diminished as a model sometimes. We are girls. Young. To be manipulated. Some never grow up. Some never learn. Some girls grow up learning from this industry and are left wondering what is wrong.

Agencies not paying their models has become a norm. Clients paying months after a job. Sexual harassment on jobs, and bullying. How can they get away with this?

For one, the industry remains wildly unregulated. On the other hand: we let them. A year ago, I decided I no longer wanted to be taken advantage of by a shady company with only their own interests in mind.

Unfortunately, a model can’t advance her career much without an agency.

To be fair, I have had a lot of exciting moments with my agencies. I have been in Mercedes-Benz fashion week. I have booked huge, lucrative photo shoots. I have been given the chance to book career-changing campaigns. I have been in Anna Wintour’s office building. There are always the plus sides. I often found myself in exciting jobs and opportunities I wouldn’t have gotten without an agency.

Without having been with the agencies I have been with, I wouldn’t be where I am as a model today. My portfolio is strong. My experience is strong. From the platform of being signed with an agency, I have been given the opportunity to expand and grow, not only as a model, but as a woman.

Here’s the thing. We can change this. Together. The fashion industry doesn’t have to be a harsh reality, but a positive environment.

My experiences in the fashion industry have pushed me to create a revolution. I want to promote positive change and health. Poor, low quality living is generally secretly applauded by many industry peers. Young girls loosing too much weight is celebrated! This helps perpetuate and encourage eating disorders among young girls across the globe.

So I need your help. Soon, I will be launching a crowd-funding campaign for We Speak, the agency of the future. I’m creating a healthy branding system for retail and fashion brands to use to encourage healthy living, and healthy women.

If you help fund and promote this mission, you are contributing your piece of a huge undertaking and fashion revolution. The industry has made small movements to a more positive industry, yet the experiences detailed above are still very much alive. Are you ready to roar?

www.facebook.com/wespeakny

Be Fierce!!

Briauna Mariah (:
Founder of We Speak
(917) 274-7324

P.S. We are on the lookout for experienced, healthy models in NYC! Email briaunamariah@gmail.com for submissions (our email system and site is currently undergoing construction!)

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On Self-Sufficiency and Adulthood

I know I’m biased. It is because of how I was raised. But I have one of these pet peeve things, which  is young adults depending too much on their parents.

My upbringing was good. I had a good childhood. A little drama here and there, but my mom protected my brother and I from the bulk of it. I admire and look up to my mother for many reasons. One thing I’m particularly grateful for are the values my mother instilled into me of how I looked at money.

Somewhere along the way, likely with encouragement from my mom, I also developed a strong sense of self sufficiency and independence.

These traits have served me well and brought me a long way. Without the need for self sufficiency, the need to pay my own way and owe money to nobody but myself, I would have never moved to New York.

Okay, maybe if I grew up in an affluent home and my family didn’t want me to learn any valuable life lessons, I might have moved to New York under such circumstances.

Regardless of wealth though, independence is a freeing, rewarding experience into adulthood. You learn things. You become more able and capable than you ever thought possible. You know that no one is going to bail you out of a sinkhole, so you learn ways to stay afloat.

Tell me, if you parents wrote you a $1,000 check every month… Heck even every other month… What value does that money have? Have you rightfully earned it? Have you learned a lesson? No. In fact, the opposite has happened. It teaches you a bad habit. It teaches you that, when you’re in trouble, someone is going to bail you out. You just have more money from your parents tucked away and you keep living a mindless, immature fantasy world of what it’s really like to be an adult. What do you do if, heaven forbid, nobody is there to lift you out of your rut anymore? Where is your self sufficiency? How will you get out now? Years of depending on your parents and their money will not teach you the skill sets to get you out of that rut!

Asking for, and accepting,  money from your parents should be a decision that is not taken lightly. You should first and foremost depend on yourself and you will, in turn, learn the proper lessons of success, money management, and maturity.

Pursue your dreams. Make them happen not with money from your parents, but hard earned money. Sweat and blood money. Your sweat and blood. Not only will you learn more valuable lessons, but the reward in the end is so much more satisfying. The uphill battle is yours and yours alone.

Thanks for letting me rant! And, as always…

Be Fierce!!

Briauna Mariah (:

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Holistic Health Questions and Answers with Jaison Greene

Holistic health Q&A
with Jaison Greene (click for my pre-interview insights)!

Q: What is a common misconception about how many calories you should be eating?
A: Well, this is usually the place where people go first to lose weight.

What calories and calorie counting don’t take into consideration is what foods are related to those calories. You could have all very high calorie foods and only eat a few things and use up all your calories. That high calorie food you’re eating may or may not be unhealthy. It may just be a high calorie food like a healthy fat like an avocado. Or, it could be a Big Mac. The real question is how you discern the types of calories you’re getting.

Each type of food, whether its a fat, a carb, or a protein has a different caloric value. So when people say ‘I’m not eating carbs’, in their minds they’re talking about white carbs and fattening, starchy foods like potatoes, pasta and white rice. Kale, carrots, broccoli, and many healthy, ‘colorful,’  vegetables are all carbs as well. Caloric intake can provide a basic understanding of what a person is consuming. Numbers can be helpful to a point, but it only goes so far. Calories are best used as a guide to help understand what you are eating. Knowing caloric values can help assist in this understanding. Calories need to be personalized and specific to you, your lifestyle, and your metabolism.

Q: How important is balancing different types of carbs in your diet?
A: I think it’s important. Everything is a carb unless it’s a fat or protein. We all need carbohydrates to convert into glucose, which is the fuel that our body runs on. In fact, vegans and vegetarians are pretty much eating mostly carbs, with a little vegetable protein.

Carbohydrates are a very important building block of our bodies.  The types of carbs you are eating really do make a difference. I’ve worked with people who are vegetarians and they eat french fries and candy. The bottom line, when it comes to health, it’s all about balance. That is the goal. It is the destination. It’s a moving target, however, meaning it’s going to change as you get older. As your lifestyle changes, your body is going to want to find a new definition of balance.

Q: Along the lines of being vegetarian, what are the most important elements in a balanced vegetarian diet and do you recommend meat substitutes as a source of protein?
A:  If you seriously want to approach a healthy vegetarian diet, the first things for you to find out would be to understand your family history, a little bit about your metabolism, about your blood type, and do a couple of food elimination exercises. Food elimination is where you restrict your diet away from one particular food for one week and on the 8th day you overload on the food you’ve been restricting to see what kind of reaction your body has.

Once you get clear on what foods work for you and don’t work for you, there are a few building blocks of a healthy vegetarian diet you should focus on. Lean toward the colorful vegetables, the leafy greens, the oranges, the beets, the peppers, the melons, the squashes, the sweet potatoes, etc. Fruits and vegetables are going to be at the forefront.

Then, throw in legumes, beans, nuts, and seeds. If you don’t feel like you’re getting enough, supplement your diet with the grains, eggs, vitamins, etc. If you have to drink milk, coconut, almond, rice, etc. have been a great substitutes and a healthier options than cows milk has been a great substitute and a healthier option than cows milk.

Now, soy is a hot topic. There are people who believe soy is good for you in small amounts and is a great meat substitute. There are other people who believe that, because of the phytoestrogens in soy, it can adversely affect thyroid function or other important functions, such as hormone regulation. An unnatural disruption in your hormones can cause overgrowth of cells and tumors. There is some research that has been done on cancer linked to soy.

If you look at it in perspective, once soy became widely marketed as an alternative to meat, we started seeing more products with soy. Just like people who develop a gluten intolerance; if you’ve been eating soy your whole life, if it’s not right for your body, eventually your body is going to react. Your body might just take all this stuff you can’t process and put it somewhere for safekeeping. You don’t want to be storing bad stuff in your body for years to come.

Q:  What is the most commonly abused food that should be eliminated from diets?
A: Wheat. Whole wheat, white wheat, pasta, barley–all different names for wheat-based foods –you name it. The kind of modern, “franken-wheat” that is produced in this country (banned everywhere else) has got an addictive gene put in it on purpose. It digests super fast, your body has to store it quickly because it spikes your insulin, and because of the way it’s grown here, there’s no real nutrition. It’s a completely processed food.

Wheat these days is extremely irritating to the lining of your small intestine, where everything is absorbed into your body. Even when you don’t experience any adverse affects such as a gluten intolerance, it can be weighing you down in other ways. Wheat will give you the muffin-top and the pot belly, and it’s in beer and many other products. Gluten free is a great place to begin experimenting as a way to get away from wheat products, because gluten is a key culprit.

Right next to wheat, I would say comes dairy, as well. If we’re not drinking mother’s milk, then cow’s milk is the substitute. But adult cows don’t drink milk. Why are we drinking milk as humans, well into adulthood? If it’s for the calcium, you can get more calcium from broccoli. The kind of calcium you get from leafy greens is also more readily assimilated by your body when accompanied by citrus (lemons/limes/oranges). Dairy  can create a lot of excess mucus in your system, which slows down all other systems. It creates sinus infections, and it’s a huge contributor to allergies, and so on….

Q: So that seems like a very wide range of foods…

Well, yes, wheat and dairy. They speak to a wide range of foods, but here’s the thing, it’s all in moderation. If you ask me that question, that’s what I’ll say. It may not be the answer you want to hear, because then it compromises your lifestyle. Because then you have to choose between what you like to eat, what you want to eat, what’s easy to make, and self care. Addressing your health. Making changes that are going to be everlasting.

As a health coach, I’m not interested in trying to convince anybody that they need to have a health coach. That’s just too much work, plus they wouldn’t be a good client if they’re not ready anyway. Every time I meet with a client, I keep a record and we find what works, what they like, what they don’t like, what they say they want, and I just find the most interesting, enjoyable, impactful way to get them there.

Something I learned that was a big surprise to me was that it’s mostly not all about the food, either. It was a big revelation to understand that the thing that’s in the way between this person getting a level of balance in their lives usually starts off with food, but it doesn’t usually stay there.

Q: What are some key ways to recover and boost a metabolism that has slowed down?
A: I would say to first see if it’s food related or emotional. Depression will slow you down. Having children and becoming more sedentary slow you down. Food-wise, I would start off with a detox to clear anything that would be hindering your system. Then we would rebuild the hydrochloric acid in your stomach to speed up the metabolism. Another factor would be to look at your physical activity. Exercise is a huge component. Eating too many calories plus not exercising: that will slow you down. These are some of the things you would need to look at.

Q: How do you know if you are at your natural weight?
A: I don’t think it’s a matter of weight and what you’re looking at in the mirror, I think it’s a matter of feeling a sense of satisfaction. You’re implying that ‘natural,’ or normal is somehow determined by somebody else besides you. Natural is what you say is natural.

That’s not to get out of answering your question, but when you say natural, are you saying what the American Health Association deems an appropriate weight, or your gym teacher? Look at the people you come from. Genetics is huge. Some people just can’t be a certain size, they just won’t be. They’re spending so much time being frustrated that they’re adding another layer of imbalance to them. It’s a vicious cycle.

Q: Any tips for saving money while shopping healthy?
A: That’s easy. Learn how to cook and how to enjoy it a little bit. That’ll save you tons of money. Don’t buy prepared foods because they’re going to cost more than if you were to make it yourself. Stick to the produce section and buy whole foods. Stay away from all the processed foods, which are essentially all the middle aisles in the supermarket..

Q: I read somewhere that weight loss is about an 80 to 20 ratio. 80% being diet and then 20% being exercise. Do you have anything to say about this?
A: I think that’s close… I would agree. A lot of people think that if you just work out, then you can eat whatever you want. I would say that if you find the right diet for you you will achieve your natural weight, whether your natural weight is heavier or lighter than your current weight.

Q: Okay, last one. What are you thoughts on fat free and sugar free items.
A: Very simply? Hell no *laughs*.

First of all, I do believe in a whole foods approach. For example, the egg yolk and the white… go together. Some people try to avoid the cholesterol. Well, your body makes more cholesterol than an egg is going to give you. When you separate the yolk from the white, you body knows it’s not a whole food.

Your body knows what to do with whole foods. Fat free foods have been loaded up with sugar to taste good. Sugar free is all mostly artificial manmade chemicals that have no business being in your body. If you’re going sugar free, it doesn’t mean your sugar cravings are going to go down. They may actually spike because you’re not getting real sugar. If you’re going to switch out dessert, switch it to fresh fruit, not ‘sugar free’. Get real sugar, a whole foods sugar. Your body will appreciate it a lot more than the dessert.

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Most people just don’t have a conscious idea of why they’re eating what they’re eating. They’re just eating the way they did when they were kids. And when they grew up and left home, they’ll tend to gravitate to what’s familiar to them. Even if our subconscious mind knows it’s not good for us, familiar is better than new and unknown. This is why it’s so hard to break certain habits. They’ve been deeply ingrained over the course your lifetime.

An effective health coach can help you begin to understand what those habits are and what they’re made of so you can do the work of dismantling them piece by piece. As the coach, I don’t do the work for you. I encourage you and hold you accountable for what you say you want and I keep track of everything you’ve done.

It’s all about self-awareness, self care, and maturity. The ability to  take responsibility for your own health a basic foundation of freedom.

To learn more from Jaison, check out his youtube videos, read about our first encounter, or, even better, contact him at  jaison@cleanfunliving.com and schedule a free consultation!

Be Fierce!!

Briauna Mariah (:

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Pros and Cons of Being an Agency Model

This post requires no prelude. However, this is the opinion of several experienced models and not just myself. We are all in agreement. Here are some pros and cons of being an agency represented model. 

10 PROS of Being an Agency Represented Model:

  1. You are, or should be, constantly busy with castings, test shoots, and jobs.
  2. You can make great connections and work with well known clients.
  3. You can be requested and sent to exclusive (closed) castings.
  4. If you are new, an agency is a great segway into the industry. Getting signed means, in a general sense, that you have what it takes. You are an unpolished gem.
  5. You have guidance available to you.
  6. You feel like an important asset to your agency.
  7. Your agency handles all transactions as well as your schedule. You don’t have to worry about prioritizing if you’re bad at those things nor do you have to worry about difficult clients.
  8. An agency helps you build an image and promotes that image to clients.
  9. Your agency is legally bound to the same contract that you are. This can be to your mutual benefit (it could also be considered a con).
  10. Lets face it, it can feel good to feel legitimized by an agency!

Now, lets get into the cons. The nitty gritty. Maybe I’m biased, but a lot of these can cancel out some of the pros. I know many other models who have had identical experiences.

10 CONS of Being an Agency Represented Model:

  1. Your paychecks are less predictable than if you were freelancing and managing your own invoicing because you are not in control. You have to continuously ask and rely on your agency for accounting statuses. You may not receive the money (at all, or in a timely fashion) unless you fight for it.
  2. There is a commission taken out of your paychecks.
  3. The image your agency promotes for you may be specific and limiting to your abilities.
  4. You will be encouraged to loose weight and be under regular scrutiny.
  5. Lets face it, some bookers can be intimidating. Nothing personal!
  6. You do not have the freedom of a freelance model. Freedom is good when you know how to utilize it!
  7. Extra work and modeling gigs are discouraged, especially in New York. These agencies like keep you busy and keep you for themselves!
  8. You have little to no control over your schedule and you don’t know when you may be asked to go somewhere.
  9. Your growth as a model may be hindered by relying on an agency to handle your career.
  10. You are tied by a legal contract and a specified amount of time with your agency, generally 2 years.

In conclusion, it is best to see for yourself! Measure your successes, roadblocks, and downfalls during your journey as a model decide which route you prefer: agency, or freelance? Share your thoughts below! Do you find your experiences similar? Different? Do you have anything to add? Comments, please!

As for myself, I am currently choosing the freelance route and I’m loving it! I still do consider agency offers that come my way. However, for the time being, I am a New York freelancer and available for hire! (Email me for rates if you’re interested! My portfolio may be viewed in the uppermost navigation bar. I suggest checking out editorial first!). If you would like to learn more about what it is like to be a freelance model, check out Sierra Mckenzie’s Freelance Models blog!

Be fierce!!

Briauna Mariah (:

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10 Reasons to Hire a Holistic Health Coach

In a world of diets and dietitians full of different opinions and solutions–that may or may not be giving conflicting messages–Jaison Greene, CHC, AADP, certified holistic coach, and member of the American Association of Drugless Practitioners, takes what I believe to be a unique approach to nutrition.

I came up with the idea to find and interview a dietician through the desire to spread knowledge of health to my peers as I travel my own path to healthful knowledge. I found a true gem in Jaison and would recommend him to anyone, after only just one meeting. One piece of news is that he actually prefers virtual consultation due to ease, as well as the comfort his clients find there. So, you don’t need to be in New York if you’re seeking someone of Jaison’s level of expertise!

Jaison and I chatted for a good hour and I learned about many topics from orthorexia to detox cleanses to how blood type can present health challenges. I had no idea blood type played a role in diet! I didn’t even know my blood type.

I learned about these things and the one thing that stood out the most was how put together Jaison seemed. Jaison started his journey to healthy living in his early thirties, driven by his mother and sister, who had both been diagnosed with breast cancer. After realizing the power of healthy eating and biannual detox cleanses, he read up, studied, and earned his credentials. Now he is a certified holistic health coach.

The other notable thing that stood out to me was the way Jaison approaches his profession. He focuses on healthy LIVING. Not diets. Not fads. He focuses on YOU and your uniqueness, all the way down to your particular work environment.

My journey to healthful living has been rough, as my career relies on a slim body, and I’ve seen the damage it does firsthand. Continually striving for a skinnier and skinnier body is not a way of living for anyone. But developing a healthy lifestyle can be very rewarding and can give you just what you need, for anyone, no matter what your lifestyle demands.


What is a holistic health coach?

As a holistic health coach, Jaison Greene doesn’t not focus merely on diet. He analyzes many lifestyle factors into your overall health. So the term “dietician” is not really fair, because he is more that just a dietician. He focuses on two food sources: Primary foods and Secondary foods. Secondary is what you eat. Primary is what nourishes you. This includes in terms of relationships, spirituality, and physical activity.

So, if you’re looking to drop a quick few pounds (which I’ve been there, I do not suggest this route at all!), you’re in the wrong place. If you are looking for balance and healthiness, but you need a little nudging and encouragement along the way, you’re in the right place!


10 Reasons to Hire a Holistic Health Coach

  1. They are more encompassing than regular dietitians. 
    As mentioned before, a holistic health coach is more than a dietitian. One realization I would love everyone to consider is your health is not just diet and food, it is your lifestyle and all the factors that surround you. Everything you do and feel, every one of your interactions, make a play on your health.
  2. The approach is unique and modern.
    This is a much more innovative way to tackle your health and lifestyle, by looking at primary and secondary “foods.” In hiring a holistic health coach, you are conveying your commitment to yourself and your desire to attain the next level of health.
  3. They help you attain your goals.
    Through helping you discover the root of your issues, a coach will help you accomplish your goals and more.
  4. You will have more insight on how your relationships play into your health.
    Are you in a bad relationship with those around you? Is your work depleting your energy? These are some things you may not be thinking about fixing. You may not realize how interconnected everything is.
  5. Even “healthy” people may still be unhappy and may not fully understand how their actions affect their bodies.
    Are you orthorexic (too strict with what foods you eat and critical of everyone else’s food, too)? Too lenient? Are you making healthy changes for what is right for you? Do you even know what foods are right for you? Maybe, maybe not. But one or more of these unanswered questions might be keeping you stuck and unhappy where you are now.
  6. You will have support to keep you on track.
    Don’t get me wrong, you have to do the work. You will discover things about yourself. However, you’ll have support, positive reinforcement, and guidance along the way.
  7. No one knows everything.
    Even just one consultation will be a beneficial learning experience. I learned much more than I thought I would. And some of the knowledge was completely unexpected.
  8. Your questions and concerns will be answered.
    It’s a different approach to health, but concerns such as weight loss, what to be eating, etc, will be addressed.
  9. The help you are getting is personalized.
    Each session is completely different than the next. While dietitians can advocate for one diet or another, this will be customized to fit your needs and match to the lifestyle you already have in place.
  10. Avoid cancerous habits.
    As you address the root of your problems, overall health, and different habits, there are ways to incorporate ways of prevent cancerous cells from growing. Merely diet and exercise may not be enough.

Jaison Green may be contacted for a free consultation at jaison@cleanfunliving.com
I recently met with him a second time, and got some answers to some good health-related questions. If you’re not convinced now, you might be after a little Q&A!

Be Fierce!!
Briauna Mariah (:

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Open Dive Scuba with KCD

**UPDATE: Unfortunately, KCD has gone out of business after a long, successful run in Brooklyn. While there are many other places to learn how to dive in NYC, it’s very sad to see Mia and her business close. I wish her all the luck & much success in the next chapter of her scuba diving career and everyone who was involved with KCD. Mia was kind enough to give me some really good deals with extra gear, so now I own my own wetsuit! Thank you for everything & the great experiences, Mia!**

This is perhaps the final recap of my scuba diving adventure. If you somehow landed on the page without reading the rest of the story, start here. Or to view the previous post, read my scuba lessons day 4! It seems like this is a story of how I came to equalize my ears. Each day at the pool equalizing became easier and easier and now, at the bottom of a lake at 40 feet I hardly had any problems at all! The most help of all came from my dive instructor, Mia, who helped me tackle my setback one step at a time.

Onto the next coolest thing. Mia, myself, and one other student, a very funny guy from Russia with some interesting things to say, hopped in a truck today and drove to Pennsylvania. Today is especially hard not to share my adventures with David especially since he thinks I’m working in New Jersey all day. Nonetheless, the adventures came out rather promising. During our final pool session two days ago, Mia made sure we were ready for open water and that we operated well at the bottom of the pool.

I’ll have to admit, the idea of the open water made me a bit nervous, but it has proven to be a lot more fun than I expected. This morning, over breakfast, Mia explained everything we would be doing for each dive for today. There would be no surprises. We briefed, pre-planned, and finally let the cold cold water slowly seep into our wet suits.

Once you get past the standard risk procedures, which is really the “meat and potatoes” of our dive lessons, it really is fun from there. We did a lot of review today, but with the added factor of deeper, colder, natural waters. Review such as removing our masks and clearing them of water, simulating running out of air, emergency ascents, and buoyancy–which isn’t so much an emergency skill, but a required skill one needs to master.

An interesting question came up from my mother as I explained some of today to her. Do you kick to go down or what? Which made me realize, even I didn’t know what a BC (buoyancy compensator) was before I started these lessons. It seems that it isn’t until you’re learning the ways of diving that scuba diving really makes sense and holes in your knowledge are filled. Let me give you an idea of how one of the most important skills in scuba, obtaining neutral buoyancy, works.

When you’re diving, you’ll be wearing some form of BC, which is inflated with air while you are on the surface, keeping you from sinking with your weights on. You need the weights to go down because you’ll be very buoyant with your wet suits and such, even with a heavy tank on your back. I needed 16 pounds on me just to be able to get down into the water!

Once you’ve let the air out of your BC and you begin to sink, something interesting happens. The more you descend, the faster you descend. This is because the air that is keeping you neutrally buoyant compresses, so you sink faster. The opposite is true when you ascend. You have to let expanding air out of the BC to prevent from shooting up too fast. The idea is a slow and steady descent as well as ascent.

There was quite a hilarious BC-related moment during one of my open dives. Mia was passing the responsibility on to us as students to ascend while watching our depth and to be able to control our safety stop. Knowing that air expands, once you get to your depth, you’re going to keep going unless you let air out.

During the ascent, I saw Mia stop and seemingly descend below me. In mid-water, movement is hard to differentiate. What was really happening was that I was still ascending. I remembered the BC in time, stopped for my safety stop, and realized my buddy was still going up, up and up. He forgot about letting air out and flailed his arms and legs trying to go down. The air in his BC continued to expand so he was helplessly buoyant, flailing all the way to the surface. It was a comical image. This is the same guy who cut in front of me somewhere around 30 feet, frantically pointing at a rather grey fish. He was so excited to see that fish that he decided to chase excitedly after it. Imagine a man in scuba gear pointing and swimming towards a fish he had no chance of catching. I tried not to die–literally–laughing.

After our dives, we stopped at a coffee shop and talked about what we could improve upon. The buoyancy is something I could improve upon for sure, and I look forward to it. Mia also pointed out we could have both improved upon our buddy system. And I couldn’t agree more. Buddies are extremely important in scuba diving. They provide security on many levels. I am very excited to work on diving with my unassuming buddy, my boyfriend, who happens to live in Monterrey, such a gorgeous beach with ample wildlife.
On that note, I will continue to ‘play dumb’ with him until Christmas, when I tell him his surprise!

As I mentioned before, I was nervous about my open water dives. But today I realized that I’m in this for a reason and that I’m going to love scuba diving more and more. I can attest to its addictive qualities.

I have a lot of thanks and appreciation for Mia and my new dive shop, KCD!

Be Fierce!!

Briauna Mariah (:

Posted on

Kings County Scuba Lessons: Day 4

**UPDATE: Unfortunately, KCD has gone out of business after a long, successful run in Brooklyn. While there are many other places to learn how to dive in NYC, it’s very sad to see Mia and her business close. I wish her all the luck & much success in the next chapter of her scuba diving career and everyone who was involved with KCD. Mia was kind enough to give me some really good deals with extra gear, so now I own my own wetsuit! Thank you for everything & the great experiences, Mia!**

7 Reasons Dive Shops are Totally Awesome

Today we went over many safety protocols under the water. I equalized my ears quicker than before, but going back down again was difficult. Next week, I should show even more improvement!

I’m actually having a lot of fun on these dive class nights. Walking into a dive shop is like walking into the antechamber of the underwater world. They give the tangible feeling of a fantasy world you know quite a bit about, but have never accessed and you realize that this fantasy world is going to be a lot more fantastical than you first imagined. And all the tools it takes to get there is displayed on every rack and wall in sight. I’ve always thought that scuba diving was relatively simple. Well, on some levels it is. But, there are many precautions, procedures, and techniques to remember. The amount of equipment required is beyond what my uninformed mind thought originally, and that makes this underwater world so much more special. When you scuba dive, you become a visitor, who, frankly, doesn’t really belong there! You’re a fish out of water, so to speak.

So, what makes dive shops so cool?

  1. The instructors there have seen so much more than you have. The stories you’ll hear are very entertaining.
    -They talk about underwater UFOS on a night dive that turned out to be a submarine
    -And they talk about ice diving. Carving a hole into a frozen lake to take a ‘quick dip.’
  2. They have all the pictures to prove it.
    -I have yet to be on an open water dive, but I guarantee you that the experience is a hundred times more amazing than the pictures.
  3. The instructors at Kings County Divers, are extremely fun and friendly.
  4. They carry basically any of your scuba/underwater needs.
    -Even cheap underwater cameras.
  5. You can learn a lot in a dive shop:
    -About what’s ‘current’ in the underwater realm. (Ha! Get that pun?)
    -What resorts to go to.
    -And that sharks really aren’t so dangerous.
  6. They have every scuba-related class you could think of. And, lastly,
  7. They usually stand out on their block, decked out in cool stuff. Nobody would think that there is a scuba shop in Brooklyn!

However, there is a scuba shop in Brooklyn–it’s waiting just for you and it’s a lot of fun! I anxiously look forward to my final dive class and then, the open water!

Scuba lessons day 3. (previous)
Scuba lessons day 5. (next)

Be Fierce!!

Briauna Mariah (:

Posted on

Kings County Scuba Lessons: Day 3

**UPDATE: Unfortunately, KCD has gone out of business after a long, successful run in Brooklyn. While there are many other places to learn how to dive in NYC, it’s very sad to see Mia and her business close. I wish her all the luck & much success in the next chapter of her scuba diving career and everyone who was involved with KCD. Mia was kind enough to give me some really good deals with extra gear, so now I own my own wetsuit! Thank you for everything & the great experiences, Mia!**

Honestly, today was make it or break it for me. Last week, I could not or did not know how to equalize my ears. Today, I spent much of my time practicing and slowly sinking down into… the pool bottom. *cue dramatic music*

I was worried my ears would not allow me to go deeper than five feet. But I can go on flights can’t I?? It took maybe more than ten minutes, but I made it! I call that love. And determination. Probably a mixture of both. If you have absolutely no idea why equalizing my ears to be able to scuba equates to love, maybe you need to read My Little Scuba Adventure Day 1.

My instructor’s patience with me today was a relief, though I definitely wasn’t surprised. My descent into only 12 feet of water was painfully slow and it just reminded me of why I’m happy I chose to take my lessons through KCD. It’s a delicate learning process for new divers and I’m realizing more and more how important one on one care is for each and every detail. Knowing the material is one thing. Executing it is a whole different ball field.

I’ve been working with limitations most of my teen and young adult life. I’m not saying that they are earth-shattering limitations or debilitating. They are simply limitations, and I believe most people have to face limitations such as these throughout their life.

I believe my ears are a limitation when it comes to scuba diving, without a doubt. One ear is more ‘stuffy’ than the other. When I describe my ear equalizing experience with the instructors, I am told it is similar to diving after getting over a cold. Only with me, there’s no cold involved and it may always be like this.

Here are 5 points to remember when you’re learning something new with limitations (especially when involving certain risks):

  1. Before anything, make sure you are medically qualified.
    -A good scuba shop, like Kings County Divers, will need you to see an EMT before going forward with lessons if you have any medical conditions of concern.
  2. Trust the system.
    -The system in place is there for a reason and has been tested by thousands before you. KCD uses and refers back to Scuba Schools International (SSI) throughout their teachings.
  3. Trust your instructor.
    -Make sure there is a trust bond and sense of security between you and your instructor. This is essential.
  4. Don’t go beyond your limits.
    -If you are uncomfortable or in pain at any time, stop and indicate as such. Your well being is your instructor’s utmost concern. Therefore, you should…
  5. Go slow!
    -The only way I was able to equalize my ears to dive to the 12 foot bottom was by going extremely slow. However, not once did my ears hurt or actually bother me. My dad cannot scuba dive because of his ears. There is a possibility that he was never told to go slow enough to be able to adjust his ears properly as he descended (because I’m pretty sure what I have, came from him, which came from his own father).

For scuba diving in particular, I would recommend always having a patient, understanding dive buddy. Unless you’re specifically trained for solo diving, and have substantial experience as well as extra equipment to make up for having no partner, always having a dive buddy is an essential scuba requirement, along with ‘always breathe.’

I know that when I finish with KCD and earn my certification, I have a perfect dive buddy.

Stay tuned for my next scuba adventure!

Be Fierce!!

Briauna Mariah (:

Posted on

Kings County Scuba Lessons: Day 2

**UPDATE: Unfortunately, KCD has gone out of business after a long, successful run in Brooklyn. While there are many other places to learn how to dive in NYC, it’s very sad to see Mia and her business close. I wish her all the luck & much success in the next chapter of her scuba diving career and everyone who was involved with KCD. Mia was kind enough to give me some really good deals with extra gear, so now I own my own wetsuit! Thank you for everything & the great experiences, Mia!**

In my scuba lessons day 1 blog post, I mentioned that to get anything done, you just have to get up and do it.  Today, I want to tell you one reason why choosing who you work through and what methods you take to go about doing it are so important.

The greatest scuba related fear I’ve faced so far was the fear to commit. Somehow, once I committed to getting scuba certified, all the other fears and concerns just dwindled down. Even when learning about all the different scuba-related injuries and symptoms that could occur if you don’t have the proper training and procedures down, I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I would have been. This is because I know I am in good hands with Kings County Divers and there is an established level of trust.

Today I descended into about 4 or 5 feet of water. Now, this doesn’t sound like much, but my ears could definitely feel the pressure. I had to learn the proper techniques to equalize my ears (adjusting them to the pressure) during this lesson. I wish I could say I was an expert at it. Clearly, I am not. I’ve always had issues with my ears on planes, but I was never sure if it was just an overreaction. My initial reaction to not being able to equalize my ears underwater, was that of dismay. What if it keeps me from finishing the course? Now this is a new fear I have to tackle. Continue reading “Kings County Scuba Lessons: Day 2”