Destination Spa Vacations

FITNESS HAPPENS

Fitness opportunities present themselves everyday – even when you least expect it.  “Fitness happens!” sometimes in the most unusual circumstances and under peculiar, or not so peculiar, circumstances. When you’re plugged into those opportunities, you can reap the benefits even when you least expect it!

 

Top 10 "Fitness Happens" Moments:

1. Strength training: When you decide to throw the empty laundry basket down the stairs instead of walking it down after finishing folding.
2. Building lung capacity: When your child is throwing a candy tantrum in your local grocery store and you take 10 deep breaths before you gently explain to them, “Because I said so.”
3. Stretching: When you are frantically reaching up to the top shelf in your kitchen to grab the Halloween candy that you had left over and had stashed way, way in the back.
4. Cardio: When you are late for work and start running around the house trying to find your car keys in “the place you put them so that you would never forget.”
5. Building muscular endurance: When you decide that one trip from the car and back with your hands full of groceries is better than multiple smaller trips.
6. Squats for leg strength: When you realize that your light walk in the woods is going to be interrupted by your bladder, and only trees are in sight.
7. Interval training: When you find out last minute that your mother is coming over to visit and you start dusting and organizing everything in sight (i.e., shoving everything that is laying around into the nearest hiding spot).
8. Building shin strength: When you are in rush hour traffic and see an opening in the lane next to you and accelerate to get into the lane only to find that every car is still passing you. Chest strengthening bonus -- if you shake your fists in the air after you realize that you are no better off now then you were in the first place!
9. Building core strength: Keeping your balance on the subway or bus, while holding on to a small slippery metal bar that is far too high for you to reach.
10. Endurance training: Hopping on and off the diet rollercoaster numerous times in hopes that “this time will be different.” This exercise is a lot like tap dancing, only a lot less fun and never a good idea.

You can thank Jennifer Ricupero, BS, MS, AFAA the Fitness and Recreation Manager at Green Mountain at Fox Run for the laughs!

Learning to Thrive with PCOS

Almost eight years ago I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Like most people who get a diagnosis after many years of searching, I felt relieved to have a diagnosis and one that didn't have a death sentence tied to it.

Most people have never heard of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Yet at least one in 10 women have it. One in ten which means ~ 5 million women in the US alone! In fact, it is the most common hormonal disorder among women of reproductive age and is the leading cause of infertility. If you or anyone you know has irregular menstrual cycles, bad acne, and/or excessive facial hair, read on...

PCOS symptoms tend to start gradually and often start in the early teens. As was the case with me, PCOS symptoms are frequently mistaken for other medical problems and the diagnosis delayed. You may have several of the symptoms or only a few. It is different for everyone.

•irregular or no menstrual periods
•acne
•obesity/weight gain/inability to lose weight
•breathing problems while sleeping
•depression
•oily skin
•infertility
•skin discolorations
•high cholesterol levels
•elevated blood pressure
•excess or abnormal hair growth and distribution
•pain in the lower abdomen and pelvis
•multiple ovarian cysts
•skin tags

To be diagnosed with PCOS, your doctor looks for at least two of the following:

■ Menstrual abnormality. This is the most common characteristic.

■ Hormonal imbalance, specifically excess androgen. Elevated levels of male hormones may result in physical signs, such as excess facial and body hair, adult acne or severe adolescent acne, and male-pattern baldness.

■ Polycystic ovaries. Enlarged ovaries containing numerous small cysts can be detected by ultrasound.

Like many women with PCOS, I exhibit all three symptoms. But with the help of my dermatologist and OBGYN I have been able to manage the symptoms well. I eat healthy, exercise regularly, manage my stress well and take extra special care of my skin. Throughout the years, I have taken some prescription medications as well but for the most part I have been able to manage the PCOS without them. I feel this strategy is why I've not run into problems with the other conditions associated with PCOS: infertility, obesity, and diabetes. Working in the Destination Spa industry for the past 13 years has certainly helped me with all of this as well.

Very little support exists for women with PCOS. So, I am very excited that Green Mountain at Fox Run has teamed up with The inCYST network to offer a special PCOS program, Learning to Thrive with PCOS. I'm trying to clear my calendar so that I can attend.

What You Can Expect:

All the benefits of Green Mountain's renowned Healthy Weight Loss Program, which integrates workshops on eating restructuring, nutrition education, fitness/exercise, mindfulness/stress reduction and behavioral change.

PCOS-specific workshops
"Anti-Inflammatory Eating,"
"Hair, Hair Everywhere—Except Where I Want It!"
"When Is It Hormones, When Is It Emotions, and When Is It Hunger?

In-depth program led by Monika Woolsey, MS, RD, a nationally recognized registered dietitian/exercise physiologist who specializes in PCOS.

Skills, knowledge and a personalized plan to return home empowered so that you take charge of your health and improve your quality of life.

For More Information about PCOS:

http://www.pcosupport.org/

http://www.hormone.org/Polycystic/

http://www.incyst.blogspot.com/

http://www.soulcysters.net/

http://www.pcosmagazine.com/

If there are other thriving cysters out there, let me hear from you!

A Glass of Wine Please!

“Wine is the healthiest and most hygienic of beverages.” It’s not me that said it first: Louis Pasteur did, somewhere around 1860. Since then, numerous researches tend to prove that to. 

Offering a quality wine list, which also includes a selection of organic wines, is just another way for Destination Spas to inform and raise awareness to the importance of healthful and natural nutrition. Wine has always been a natural product even though its therapeutic properties have been forgotten (with good reason!) as pesticides and herbicides became widely used in vineyards in the mid-twentieth century. Thankfully, organic agriculture has regained its role in numerous vineyards, which allows us to rediscover wine’s original properties…without the pesky headaches! 

Wine’s Therapeutic Properties
It is not alcohol in itself that has therapeutic properties, reducing the risk of cardio-vascular disease for instance, but rather red wine. There is often confusion between wine (an alcoholic beverage) and alcohol. Yet, the difference is quite substantial. When it is a question of beneficial alcohol, a distinction must be made between alcoholic beverages made by the process of fermentation (such as wine) and those made by distillation (aperitifs, digestifs and hard liquors). Wine - red wine in particular - contains a substance known as polyphenols which is found in the skin of the grape. The most widely known polyphenol is called resveratrol, a molecule that thins the blood and reduces the adhesion of blood platelets to the walls of the arteries and veins which can result in potentially deadly clotting. It is believed that the resveratrol found essentially in red wine can also reduce the risk of arteriosclerosis. It is also considered good against cancer.

During the wine-making process, the grape juice, pulp, skin, seeds and stems are left in contact for as long as possible (which is not the case when making white wine). This process results in an increase in the amount of flavonoids contained in the wine. This is especially true if the wine is prepared, stored and aged in oak barrels as was our European ancestors’ tradition which is not the case for wines aged and stored in metal, cement, ceramic or glass casks. Flavonoids inhibit the production of “bad cholesterol” or low-density lipids and increase “good cholesterol” or high-density lipid (HDL) levels and consequently, lower the risk of coronary heart disease. These anti-oxidant flavonoids have been found to be as beneficial as vitamin E.

Why Drink Organic Wines?
Generally speaking, the primary advantage gained from organic foods is the absence of pesticide residues. Organically produced wine increases the soil’s microbial activity by avoiding the use of all products that are not natural. Therefore, no herbicides or pesticides, fungicides or chemical fertilisers are used. Lands where organic farming is practiced are the home of rich compost and manual or mechanical weeding techniques. Also, predatory insects are used against aphids and other nasty pests. These practices take a religious care of the soil and prevent all risks of ground water contamination. Some may even go as far as to replace heavy tractors with horses in order to avoid compacting the soil. Of course, by using these organic methods production is significantly reduced, however productivity is sacrificed for a quality that greatly exceeds that which is obtained through modern practices.

The Therapeutic Virtues of Wines
Red wines are particularly helpful in reducing stress, flu (especially when taken warm with a pinch of cinnamon or clove), fatigue, anaemia, insomnia, heartbreak, arteriosclerosis, hypercholesterolemia and cardio-vascular problems.

Rosés are particularly effective against intestinal sluggishness and generalized oedema.

White wines, used in alternation with certain herbal teas or specific types of mineral water, are helpful against generalized oedema, lazy stomachs and articular pain.

Champagnes relieve various allergies, bloated stomach, flatulence, lazy stomach, anxiety, loss of appetite, depression, insomnia, senility and premature ageing.

Learn & enjoy!
I learned all this from a workshop on the Therapeutic Properties of Organic Wines, given at Spa Eastman by chief sommelier, Gérard Marinovich. With its organic, natural wine list, Spa Eastman hopes to re-educate and rehabilitate wine consumption and call attention to its therapeutic properties without sacrificing the pure pleasure of savouring a truly good wine. Likewise, since its wine list offers a wide range of privately imported wines, Spa Eastman allows its clients to discover the charms of several natural wines. 

Among the Destination Spa Group, you can also enjoy a glass of wine at Lake Austin Spa Resort, Red Mountain Spa, Copperhood Inn & Spa, Echo Valley Ranch & Spa and Rancho La Puerta!


Cheers! Santé!

Lucie Octeau
Blog Writer
Spa Eastman 

Need to Relax? Try Guided Imagery

"Begin to create a picture in your mind. Imagine that you are floating on a soft, fluffy white cloud. Feel the surface beneath you becoming softer... more cloud-like... Feel the cloud rising out of the surface you are on, surrounding you in it’s protective support... soon you are floating on just the cloud..."

Are you starting to relax yet???

This is part of a guided imagery script that I have used to help relax, sleep, and reduce stress for many years. While it is a considered a form of meditation, guided imagery is easier for most westerners to use than traditional meditation, as it requires less time and discipline to develop a high level of skill. This is because it seduces the mind with appealing sensory images that have their own natural pull.

My first introduction to guided imagery was in college, while enrolled in a relaxation course. I know,I know -- you are laughing at the idea of a college relaxation course. It was a required .5 credit class for all "health" majors, so as a dietetics major I was mandated to take it for graduation. All laughs aside, the class really helped me survive my last year of college. At first I thought I was sleeping, and maybe I was. It frankly doesn't matter as you reap the benefits regardless. You feel so refreshed, clear and ready for anything after wards. Because of these feel good effects, I kept doing it on a regular basis through my internship. And again, I think it is what help me survive the year. Unfortunately, I stopped using the imagery after the internship ended.

It wasn't until my visit to The Oaks at Ojai in 1996, when I rediscovered guided imagery. At the end of the yoga class, while we are all in Savasana ("Corpse pose"), the instructor lead us through a simple guided imagery. There I was floating away with the clouds once again. AHHHHH... Since that day, I have continued to use guided imagery through CDs, yoga class, and on my own.

Over the past 25 years, research has proven the positive impact of guided imagery on health, creativity and performance. Here are just a few of the health benefits:

• Increase feelings of self-esteem
• Improve mastery and performance
• Reduce anxiety
• Reduce panic
• Reduce worry
• Promote feelings of calm, peace and safety
• Reduce hopeless feelings
• Reduce addictive cravings
• Release grief
• Regain energy and focus
• Decrease pain
• Ease sleep problems
• Boost immune function

And the best part is anybody can do it! If you haven't already tried it, I highly recommend trying guided imagery. It can't hurt and it certainly can help as you can see by the list above. Here are three easy ways to get started:

1. Go to www.healthjourneys.com and download a free audio session.
2. Purchase a guided imagery CD online from Amazon or others. The Kerr House offers a box set narrated by the owner, Laurie Hostetler.
3. Take part in a class at your local day spa or when visiting a Destination Spa. Not all spas will offer guided imagery, but almost all Destination Spas will. Check the activity schedules.

Let me know if you have a favorite guided imagery that you use.

See you in the clouds!

Sleep Well This Spring

If you’re like most people, you welcome the longer days of spring and summer.   Many people actually feel happier and more energetic with exposure to more hours of sunlight every day, maybe taking their workouts outside and enjoying the shot in the arm that the change of scenery provides.  But for some, longer days can actually result in less sleep at night, which poses serious health risks.

With the days getting longer, many people pack more activities into their daytime routines or stay at work later because the daylight makes it feel like it’s still “early.” They get home later, have dinner later, their entire evening routine is pushed back and they get to bed later, but continue to wake up at the same time as usual the next morning.  The net result is less sleep – and that could be a problem.  Recent studies have shown a number of sleep deprivation health risks, from obesity to accidents.  Here’s a quick rundown followed by ideas for safeguarding your precious slumber. 

Obesity. A Columbia University study involving nearly 10,000 people found a correlation between lack of sleep and a higher body mass index (BMI). Those who got only two to four hours of sleep every night were 73 percent more likely to have an elevated BMI; those getting five or six hours were more prone to obesity by 50 percent and 23 percent, respectively. Researchers believe that sleep deprivation triggers an imbalance in the levels of the hormones ghrelin and leptin, raising the former (which increases the appetite) while lowering the latter (which induces feelings of satiety).

Diabetes. Not getting enough deep sleep can make your body less sensitive to insulin and decrease its ability to regulate blood sugar levels, which can lead to the onset of type 2 diabetes, according to researchers at the University of Chicago. The study found that when the slow-wave sleep patterns of young, healthy subjects was disturbed, the participants were 25 percent less sensitive to insulin and experienced a 23 percent increase in blood sugar levels.

Heart Disease. Participants in Harvard University's Nurses Health Study who slept for just five or six hours a night were shown to be at a significantly greater risk for a coronary event. Lack of sleep has been associated with high blood pressure and elevated levels of stress hormones such as cortisol. Additionally, a study conducted at Pennsylvania State University found that people who didn't get sufficient sleep had higher levels of cytokine in their blood, triggering inflammation, which damages tissue and plays a significant role in heart disease.

Cancer. Lack of quality sleep can also cause an imbalance in hormonal levels. Melatonin, a hormone that the brain produces while you sleep, plays an important role in wiping out free radicals, so any factor that diminishes its production also diminishes the body's cancer-fighting capabilities.
Accidents. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania reported that study participants who got only four to six hours of sleep a night over a two-week period exhibited significant cognitive deficiencies on par with those who hadn't slept for three days in a row. Worst of all, they were unaware of how sleep-deprived they were or how much it was affecting their ability to function. Such cognitive dysfunction can lead to accidents in the workplace, at home, and on the road. The National Sleep Foundation estimates that 100,000 highway crashes a year are caused by fatigue.

So, what’s a sleeper to do?  Well, health officials strongly recommend that adults get at least seven and a half hours sleep each night and provide these tips to help: 

1. Maintain a regular sleeping and waking up schedule including the weekends.

2. Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine such as soaking in a hot bath or hot tub and then reading a book or listening to soothing music.

3. Create a sleep-conducive environment that is dark, quiet, comfortable, and cool.

4. Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows.

5. Finish eating at least two to three hours before your regular bedtime.

6. Exercise regularly, but be sure to finish your workout at least a few hours before bedtime.

7. Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol close to bedtime

8. Maintain positive relationships with friends or family and vent to them when something’s bothering you, run your problem-solving ideas by them when you’re grappling with an issue, laugh about things whenever possible.  This will reduce the number of things “on your mind” that may keep you up at night.

9. Sometimes a change of scenery is helpful to break a bad cycle, such as staying up all night watching TV or tossing and turning.  Taking a week away to refuel and return to healthful habits can be just the thing to help you adopt better routines and rituals.  A week at a destination spa, whose entire focus is on helping people recapture a sense of wellbeing, may be a week well spent. Several Destination Spas  (Canyon Ranch, Red Mountain, Rancho La Puerta) even offer special sleep-related programming.

So give it a shot.  Enjoy kicking back and see what helps you bring sweet sleep back into your life. 

By Joan Wolff, Owner/Director, Deerfield Spa

Registered Dietitians available at Destination Spas

March is National Nutrition Month® and today, March 11, is National Registered Dietitian Day.You may be familiar with Dietitians working in hospitals and clinics but surprised to learn that many Destination Spas have Registered Dietitians (R.D.) on staff. They lead nutrition discussions, conduct cooking classes and are available for individual consultations. 

Green Mountain at Fox Run- a staff of RDs facilitate daily classes and are available for individual consultations while visiting the spa and as part of the follow-up home program. Nutrition classes include: Recipes for Living™, Supermarket Savvy and Food Labeling, Eating in Restaurants, Managing Food Cravings, Designing a Personal Eating Plan, Eating on the Run, The Green Mountain Option Approach™, Why 1200 Calorie Diets or Less Make You Fat, Mindful Eating Series™. Green Mountain also has a blog authored by dietitians - A Weight Lifted.

Canyon Ranch- a staff of RDs available for consultations. Daily nutrition class and Lunch & Learn cooking demo. Classes include: Supplement Savy, Vitamin D - the Sunshine Vitamin, Maximize Your Calorie Burn, Beyond Organic, and several others.

Golden Door- Wendy Bazillian, DrPH, MA, RD, HFI is available for consultations and leads nutrition classes throughout the 7 day stay.

Red Mountain Spa - Kathy Egan, RD is available for individual nutrition assessments which include a bio-impede analysis. She also leads several health & nutrition discussions and is an integral part of the Detoxification and Weight Loss programs.

Cal-a-Vie Spa- Linda Illingworth, Cal-a-Vie's exclusive Registered Dietitian, offers individual counseling sessions to treat each guest’s nutritional concerns.

Lake Austin Spa Resort- Terry Shaw, MA, RD is available for consultations and teaches several group workshops. Classes include: Sugar & Stress, Simple Ways to Go Green, Healthy Hunger, Metabolism Matters, Top 10 Healthy Foods, Eating in Season and Balance Your Food Cravings.

Mountain Trek- A registered dietitian is available for private consultations for your dietary concerns or for setting up your own food program. He also facilities nutrition discussions and lectures.

Fitness Ridge Resort & Spa- Emily Fonnesbeck, RD, CD is available for consultations and leads several progressive classes throughout the week. Classes include: Label reading/portion control, Exercising efficiently, Weight training, Mindful eating, Calorie counting and Cooking demonstrations.

Who is a Registered Dietitian?
Registered dietitians are food and nutrition experts, translating the science of nutrition into practical solutions for healthy living. The expertise, training and credentials that back a registered dietitian are vital for promoting positive lifestyle choices

Trust a Registered Dietitian
When you need food and nutrition information based on fact or need to know how a healthy diet improves health and fights disease— rely on qualified professionals in the field. Registered dietitians draw on their experience to develop a personalized nutrition plan for individuals of all ages. They are able to separate facts from fads and translate nutritional science into information you can use. A registered dietitian can put you on the path to lowering weight, eating healthfully and reducing your risk of chronic disease.

RD=Expert
Registered dietitians know the science of nutrition. They have degrees in nutrition, dietetics, public health or a related field from well-respected, accredited colleges and universities.

Looking for a Registered Dietitian?
When you need trusted, accurate, timely and practical nutrition advice, seek the services of a registered dietitian. If you are not visiting a Destination Spa and want to find a dietitian in your area, visit www.eatright.org  and click on “Find a Nutrition Professional”.

Stress-free Tips from the Spas

WORLDWIDE, STRESS IS THE No.1 REASON PEOPLE SPA, According to the latest ISPA study.  OK – this probably isn’t news to any of us, but it is interesting to know that other countries visit spas for the same reason. And worldwide, massage is the most popular treatment.

Besides visiting a Destination Spa for stress-relief and eating, sleeping, and exercising regularly, here are few surpising stress-management tips from the spa experts.

From Yvonne Nienstadt, Nutritionist at Rancho La Puerta:

• Learn meditative breathing:  deep, abdominal breathing triggers 'the relaxation response' in the nervous system and permanently restructures the brain and rewires the nervous system to become permanently stress hardy. 

• Belly Laugh:  Watch funny movies and hang out with friends that know how to tell a good joke. Laughter heals. Here is a link to a site that gives you something to laugh about http://www.laugh-of-the-day.com/.

• Journal your woes away: Get it out of your system and on to paper. Write the 10 most challenging stressors down. Then, write the best case scenario outcome for each. If you were the script writer, how would create the happiest ending, given the set of circumstances? 

From Joan Wolff, Director at Deerfield Spa:

Focus on satisfying social connections. Comfortable, meaningful social connections are one of the most powerful means of boosting everything from immune function to self esteem, lowering everything from cortisol (the stress hormone) to blood pressure levels. Enjoy the people around you, surround yourself with people who are authentic, caring, fun to be with, supportive, generous of spirit, and who make you feel good about yourself. Avoid situations where you're likely to feel pressured or competitive and where you'll be tempted to compare yourself unfavorably with others.   If you find yourself in a situation where you don't have a confidante, please hire a counselor or life coach, talk with a minister, priest or rabbi and/or join a support group. Staying connected can really save lives. Little furry or feathered friends that love you unconditionally really help, too. So, adopt a pet!

From Cindy Clemens, Life Coach at Red Mountain Spa:

Reframe stressful situations so they become tools for personal growth and learning. This is especially helpful when the bad stress comes from the energy vampires in one's life - the drama queens, victims, whiners and complainers that zap large amounts of time and energy. Instead of feeling trapped and frustrated by these people, we can use it as an opportunity to speak up and communicate what we need them to do or stop doing. It can be a tool for learning how to set boundaries - asking for what we need in an adult, mature way. Either we become the victim of the energy vampire or we use it as a reminder to find our voice.”

From Leslie White, Director of Fitness & Mind-Body-Spirit at Cal-a-Vie Health Spa:

Qigong Practice Qigong. Qigong meditation requires minimal space, no special equipment and can be performed in minutes (at work or at home, indoors or outdoors!). It is made up of slow, gentle, flowing movements coordinating with breathing. The movements are easy to do and simple to learn, yet their effects are profound.  Qigong practice strengthens the body, calms the mind, opens the joints and relaxes and energizes the muscles and tissues. Studies have shown that continued practice optimizes blood pressure, improves sleep, and regulates metabolism and more.

All Destination Spas offer stress-free vacations and offer classes and workshops on how to bring the stress-free environment home with you. OK maybe not stress-free, but you will be able to manage your stress better - guaranteed!

My Healthy New Year Resolution - Focus on Me

by:  Debra Koerner

“The recession’s upon us” the TV declares

I turn it off not needing this fear

Picking up a magazine, hoping for something more

The headlines announce, “ USA…Still at War”

Pitching the mag, I opt to meet friends for lunch

Seeing familiar faces should cheer me a bunch

As the chitchat settles, one friend quietly tells

“Joe’s lost his job, they’re not doing well”

A heaviness settles and rests in my chest

I know from experience a lesson to learn is abreast

Sometimes my best teachers wear masks that scare

The lesson harder learned, but eventually comes clear

Knowing how easy it is to get mired in the debris

I make a vow this year to focus time on “me”

I’ll start by regularly planning quiet time alone

I’ll ignore email and while I’m at it, the phone

I’ll skip the news and find an inspirational read

Chopra, Millman and Dyer, they’re all I need

Instead of buying an mp3 with the newest trick

I’ll have a massage, In fact, I should schedule it quick

If anxiety creeps up and starts to dig in

I’ll draw a hot bath and add drops of lemon

I figure my clothes should last for another year

Besides, it’s the style to have holes and a tear

If fear about my finances starts to fill me with dread

I’ll take a walk giving thanks for what I have instead

As I contemplate whether my vacation to forgo

I’ll find a spa sanctuary to nurture my soul

Deep down I know there’s a lesson to learn

Maybe, it’s time to go inward and give spirit a turn

By the time the year ends, I should be in good shape

There’s even a chance…

I’ll have found love for this murky landscape

When contemplating what New Year resolutions to make this year, pick a few that are all about improving you… at a deeper level.  Surround yourself with positive things, and when you decide to cut back, choose things that in the end don’t matter.  Place the focus on a healthy you this year.

Happy New Year!!

Staying Healthy During the Holidays

With the holidays already upon us, many are gearing up with New Year Resolutions to stay healthy and lose weight.  Temptations abound through the rest of December and early January.  Fortunately there are things you can do right now to ease the adjustment into a healthier lifestyle and not gain weight in the next few weeks.

Take time for you

As easy as it is to hear, it seem harder and harder to take quiet moments.  A good friend of mine has a great strategy for taking more “me” time.  When he pulls out his calendar to schedule the next month of activities, the first days he blocks out are his “me” days.  By blocking personal days first you are guaranteed time to relax and focus on personal things.  Also, you can find a few moments every morning to sit quietly before your day begins to just be before the doing takes over.

Eat breakfast

I can not stress the importance of eating breakfast enough.  I used to be one of those people who got up in the morning, grabbed some coffee and jumped into the car trying to get to work before 8:00.  I viewed breakfast as a time drain and not worth the effort to get up earlier.  I would be starving by 10am and the only options available were processed snack foods or high calorie desserts my co-workers had brought in.  These non-nutritional choices led to more hunger and eventual weight gain.  Take the time to plan ahead for breakfast and make healthy choices to start your day off right.

Here’s a recipe for muffins you can freeze and grab as you run out the door.

 ORANGE OAT MUFFINS  18 muffins: 95 calories/serving  carbs:8mg  protein:3gm  fat:1gm  sodium:13mg.  No Wheat or Dairy.

2 c. carrots, chopped in food processor

1/4 c. brown rice flour

1/4 tsp. coriander

1 c. orange juice

1 egg

2 egg whites

1 tsp. vanilla

ADD the above to carrots in food processor and process to mix.

3 1/2 c. rolled oats (not instant)

1/2 c. dates, chopped

FOLD oats and dates into batter. Form muffins with a 1/4 cup scoop (heaping) and place on nonstick sprayed cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until lightly browned.

The Ultimate Recipe for Fitness: Spa Cuisine from The Oaks at Ojai by Eleanor Brown and Sheila Cluff.

 Snack on healthy items during the day

Arriving at a party or scheduled event famished is probably the worst strategy ever.  Often we think cutting calories early in the day in preparation for a big meal is a good plan.  However, more than likely (especially if alcohol is involved) you will end up eating more calories for the day due to overeating and compensation for the lack of calories early in the day.  Keep healthy snacks around you and munch on them throughout the day to keep your metabolism up, and the starving meter down.

Ask for gifts of health
There are many health related gifts you can ask for this year to get and keep you motivated.  Make a commitment by requesting one that interests you.  Consider some of the following; gym clothes, new running shoes, a spa respite, healthy focused trips, gym memberships, fitness computer programs, recipe books and yoga classes.    With a little bit of concentrated focus and intent, you can get through the next few weeks in a healthier way.

Click below for:

More Healthy Recipes

Other Healthy Cookbooks

New Destination Spa Vacations Magazine

Contributed by Debra Koerner, Executive Director, Interim

Dietitians are THE nutrition experts

March is National Nutrition Month and today (March 10) is Registered Dietitian Day!

Who is a Registered Dietitian (RD)?
Registered dietitians are food and nutrition experts, translating the science of nutrition into practical solutions for healthy living. In other words, registered dietitians know the science of nutrition. They have degrees in nutrition, dietetics, public health or a related field from well-respected, accredited colleges and universities. RDs must also complete a supervised examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration and earn professional education credits to maintain registration.

Note - a Nutritionist does not mean the same thing as a Registered Dietitian. If someone claims to be a nutritionist, you should ask if they are also a registered dietitian. To read a funny article about "Eddie the nutritionist" (an 8 year old cocker spaniel), visit http://eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/media_16217_ENU_HTML.htm

What can an RD do for you?
When you need food and nutrition information based on facts or need to know how a healthy diet improves health and fights disease — rely on qualified professionals in the field. Registered dietitians draw on their experience to develop a personalized nutrition plan for individuals of all ages. They are able to separate facts from fads and translate nutritional science into information you can use. A registered dietitian can put you on the path to lowering weight, eating healthfully and reducing your risk of chronic disease. Top 10 Reasons Why Consulting with an RD Can Benefit You

Looking for a Registered Dietitian?
With approximately 65,000 members, the American Dietetic Association is the nation’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. When you need trusted, accurate, timely and practical nutrition advice, seek the services of a registered dietitian that belongs to ADA. To locate a registered dietitian in your area, visit the American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org.

There are several spas that employ registered dietitians, especially Destination Spas, where the entire environment is geared towards health and life enhancement. In fact, Canyon Ranch and Green Mountain at Fox Run have a team of dietitians available to work with guests, while others generally have one or two dietitians on staff. At the Destination Spas, dietitians conduct nutrition and wellness discussions, market tours, cooking demonstrations, and interactive classes for guests as well as individual private consultations.

Examples of classes include:
Stress Busters
Master Your Metabolism
On the Run – fitness and eating
Supermarket Savvy and Food Labeling
Eating in Restaurants
Managing Food Cravings
Realistic Resolutions
Designing a Personal Eating Plan
Cooking for Fun, Pleasure, and Health
Mindful Eating Series™
Body Image and Self-Acceptance
Organic Gardening

Individual consultations are generally 50 minutes, similar in length and price to most spa treatments. The sessions are designed to provide guest’s with practical, customized, science-based advice about food, nutrition, and eating so that they can implement strategies when they return home. In a private session, dietitians will ask personal health and lifestyle questions to assess the guest’s needs and preferences and proceed to recommend an individualized eating plan.

Celebrate National Nutrition Month and schedule a session with a registered dietitian - at home or at the spa!