Destination Spa Vacations

Make it a No-Stress Summer for Mom and Dad

Memorial Day is over, which means summer is not far behind. For lots of moms and dads, the kids are off for the summer or will be soon. For me, my kids are now adults, so I’m off the hook! However, I have many memories of being a working mom and trying to keep the kids entertained and educated over the long, hot summer.

To help you out, I found this list of no- or low-cost ideas to keep parents from pulling their hair out. These are from the “mommy” blog Crystal & Co. What would you add? Here’s to a stress-free summer! Debra

1. Go to the library once a week. Check out books, join story time, see if there is a summer reading club.
2. Go camping. Front yard, back yard, living room, or make it a weekend trip in another town.
3. Go to your local recreation center and see what activities or classes they offer.
4. The park… hours of free entertainment.
5. Go fishing. Leave the electronics at home!
6. Go to your local home supply store or craft store and see if they are offering free children’s clinics.
7. Get in the water – kiddie pool, lake, pond, ocean

Healthy Recipe - Zesty Carrot Ginger Soup - New Life Hiking Spa

It's opening day for the season at Vermont's New Life Hiking Spa. It's a lovely place to get your hike on while dining on healthy, amazing food. The Zesty Carrot Ginger Soup is a sampling.

Zesty Carrot Ginger Soup

-2 qts carrot juice (or vegetable stock)
-2 cloves garlic, chopped.
-1 stalk of celery, chopped
-1 tbs minced ginger
-2 tbs minced shallot
-1/4 cup vegetable oil
-1/2 large white onion, chopped
-1 orange, zested and juiced
-6 - 8 carrots, diced
-White pepper

Sauté garlic, onion, celery, ginger and shallots. Add carrot juice or vegetable stock and carrots. Boil, then puree. Add orange. Season to taste.

April is Stress Awareness Month. Do you know how to Chill?

I like that there’s an entire month devoted to de-stressing. After all, who couldn’t use a breather? From the looks of stats on stress, there’s proof that excessive amounts of stress can place serious harm on our minds, bodies and spirits.

• Globally, three out of five doctor visits are stress related. In the U.S. alone, $22.8 billion is spent on anxiety-related healthcare each year
• Every year, more than 275-million working days are lost in the U.S. because of absenteeism resulting from stress
• Over 75% of the general population experiences some form of stress monthly (Source: The Heartland Spa)

So, what can you do? I’m a big believer in Destination Spas as places that help you decrease stress and learn how to manage stressors in your daily life. While a trip to a Destination Spa may not be feasible right now, Sherry Gossett of The Heartland Spa shares tips that are worth adding to your routine.

• Allow yourself plenty of time. Running from one thing to the next is a large source of stress.
• Find time to exercise.  Even a short walk around the block will help alleviate stress.
• Get plenty of rest and do your best to eat well.
• When you start feeling overwhelmed, take a time-out. A few minutes away from the problem can do wonders.
• Breathe deeply… slowly in and slowly out. When doing so, close your eyes and think of something that makes you happy.

What are your de-stressing tips? Debra

Do you play favorites when it comes to exercise?

A bit of gym time here, a beach walk there, yoga somewhere in between. When it comes to exercise, I play favorites. Do you? After all, it’s exercise, so anything is good for you, right? Not necessarily, as I learned from the pros at Canyon Ranch.

The experts at the Ranch say that, especially as you age, selective exercising may come back to bite you, as day-to-day tasks become increasingly difficult. For instance, neglecting flexibility and range of motion may result in frustrating struggles when you want to pull up that hard-to-reach back zipper.

A well-balanced exercise program should focus on all of the following:

• Cardiorespiratory (aerobic) exercise
• Muscular strength and endurance
• Body composition
• Flexibility
• Balance and agility

If hitting the gym daily doesn't appeal, explore new possibilities for exercising your whole body and staying in balance. Paddle a kayak, bike a scenic trail, go for a hike. These exercises require a balance element that the stationary bike and treadmill don’t . Go outside and play! You may have so much fun that you don’t realize you’re working out, Debra

 

A Healthy Hiking Shopping List

Go take a hike! We mean this in the nicest, healthiest way possible, of course. I am a big fan of hiking. Now that I live in Florida, I take long walks nearly daily. There aren’t hills, but I never grow tired of looking at the waves. When I lived in Kentucky, there were plenty of great places to hike.

Earlier this year, I went on amazing hikes at Destination Spas Rancho La Puerta, The Oaks at Ojai and Red Mountain. I quickly learned that hiking requires some special equipment. We love this shopping list from The Oaks at Ojai…

1. The Spot. Oaks President/CEO Cathy Cluff says the Spot comes in handy for hikes into places where there is no cell phone reception, “This device allows our hike leaders to contact us or emergency services, if needed.  All messages come with a satellite map showing coordinates of their location.”
2. Cathy adds, “We also love the water bottles by Vapur because they roll up when empty and are very light-weight.”
3. And, Cathy recommends having bee sting- and poison ivy kits on hand.

What are your favorite hiking tools?

Debra

 

Spring into Spring: Five Steps to a More Active Lifestyle

Happy Leap Day! It’s the end of February and it’s already feeling like spring in a lot of places. Of course, here in Florida, it has felt like spring all winter! From friends in Kentucky, Missouri, etc., I understand that flowers are popping, birds are singing and folks are wearing flip-flops.

What can you do to make this great time of year healthier? My friend Christine Denney of The Oaks at Ojai gave me a helpful list. Christine is the Food Services Director for this popular Destination Spa in California, which I visited in January. 

Spring Into Spring:  Five Steps to A Healthier Heart and a More Active Lifestyle:

1. Plan ahead. If you don’t live too far from work, carpool in the morning and walk home as a great starter to your evening. Park your car over the weekend and make a commitment to walking as much as possible. 
2. Commit yourself to a wide range of foods and eat for your health! Feed your body and not your emotions. Eat foods that vary in categories (fruits, veggies, grains, etc.) and in colors. 
3. Sleep regularly and enough! Studies show that those who sleep less have a higher incidence of obesity and report being hungry more often. Feed your body what it needs: regular and ample rest void of SmartPhones, iPads, etc.
4. Think fiber, think health! Fiber enables our bodies to regulate digestion and provide an even stream of nutrients to the places they need to go. Whole wheat is only the beginning: think quinoa, barley, brown rice, oats, beans and lentils. Reduce the risk of heart disease by 25% with 2.5 servings of fiber daily.
5. Turn off the TV and the computer. Call a friend to work out with you, go for a walk. You can keep each other on task and engage with someone you love!

What are you planning to help your health spring into spring? Debra

 

Healthy Living at and away from Destination Spas

Having recently spent three weeks on a Destination Spa trek, I picked up a slew of healthy living tips along the way. In the amazing surroundings of Rancho La Puerta, The Oaks at Ojai and Red Mountain Resort & Spa, it became second nature for me and my fellow spa-goers to live healthy from morning to bedtime.

But, what happens when it’s time to go home? I am going to the Farmers’ Market, walking daily, drinking fresh coconut milk and putting pots of fresh herbs in my kitchen. I found more tips when I read an article this week by Jen Adkins of About.com. Jen wrote, “Every once in a while it seems we take stock of where we stand when it comes to healthy living. Are we taking care of our bodies? Are we doing our best to take care of our earth? Or are we stuck in a rut and need a little help digging out?”

It’s true that we can all use a healthy nudge every now and then, and this article makes it simple with seven healthy living tips. Shameless plug, I am quoted in the tip on detoxing your body along with Sue Donnellan of BodyVerde Naturals. Sue recommends drinking warm water and lemon every morning to help your body eliminate toxins and give skin a healthy glow.

Jen goes on to cover how to make your own body lotion and organic shampoo, waste not with your products, and keeping chemicals out of your hair. The piece is a great read - http://skincare.about.com/od/insiderinterviews/a/7-Tips-For-Healthy-Living.htm

What are your healthy living tips? I’d love to post them. Let’s chat, Debra

My Week at Red Mountain Resort and Spa...

My time at Red Mountain Resort and Spa was amazing and I can’t even begin to describe the incredible environment where the spa is located. The pictures and descriptions do not even begin to capture the beauty of the brick-colored mountains. 

I began most days with a hike and as the week progressed, ventured into the more challenging hikes. My confidence soared as I walked thin ledges, crab-crawled vertical inclines and slid down steep embankments. You cannot visit this location and not venture out into the amazing hills for the morning hikes.

Being in the massage industry, I am a pretty good judge of massage sessions and I have to say I had one of the best massages. Jennifer was not only excellent at the technique part of doing a massage, but excelled in the soft skills. We break a massage into sections and there are key things which are important within each section.  She delivered in every area:

• The greeting: We encourage all therapists to make eye contact, state their name and shake the hand of the guest.
• The intake: This is the time to see what the guest is looking for in their massage and if there are any concerns to be aware. It is also a time when the therapist can offer to customize the massage based on the feedback the guest has provided, making the guest massage meet the guest's current needs.
• The first part of the session: Very quickly a therapist should check in on pressure and ensure they are working at the right depth.  Pressure is subjective and should always be gauged by asking, “For the pressure, would you like me to go deeper, come out or stay here?” This forces the guest to choose what pressure they desire.
• Customization during the massage: Mid-massage, I asked for her to skip my arms and work extra with my feet. She was more than happy to accommodate this “in the moment” request.
• Presence during the massage: Often I have found that therapists check-out during the massage.  I could tell my therapist was staying present with me and the strokes she was applying. This makes a huge difference in the quality of touch delivered.

Great Job Jennifer! Love, a very relaxed Debra

More from my Week at The Oaks at Ojai...

The Oaks at Ojai draws a very loyal and long-term guest. During my week there, I was able to meet many great people who had been coming for years and viewed the Oaks as part of their family. Many shared wonderful stories of weight loss and health. One guest visits at least four times each year so she can stay on track and not gain back any of the 60 lbs the Oaks helped her lose. She loves the feeling of returning to a comfortable place and being greeted by people who know and love her.

I was very happy to see how active Oaks' founder Sheila Cluff (pictured with me) is with the spa. Sheila is the 75-year old mother of four and grandmother of four who lives the lifestyle she teaches. A former star and host of her own fitness talk shows on NBC and KABC, Cluff began her career as a Sonja Henie professional figure skater. She introduced “Cardiovascular Dance” to the world in the l950’s which today is known simply as “aerobics”.

At the Oaks, she continues to teach fitness classes, lead walks and share educational information to the attending guests.  I participated in her morning walks, stretch classes and art tours and honestly, had a hard time keeping up.  Her energy and positive attitude is infectious and encourages me to take the right steps so I can age with grace, beauty and strength.

All in All, I had a fabulous week and am leaving feeling inspired, detoxed and ready to dance! On to the next amazing Destination Spa, Debra

My Week at The Oaks at Ojai...

Dancing my heart out, hearing amazing stories and being inspired by fitness goddess Sheila Cluff (pictured) are just a few of the memories I carry from my week at The Oaks at Ojai.

Nestled in the beautiful Ojai Valley of California I arrived late in the evening and was greeted by Christine the Executive Chef with a hot and healthy meal. Being totally honest, I had been nervous about the 1,200 calorie diet plan most guests adhere to. My concerns were immediately put to rest when I saw the dinner waiting for me (pictured). Not only was it flavorful and delicious, but it was a lot of food for only 350 calories. In fact, for the entire week I felt completely satisfied and didn’t miss anything. And…I never snuck down the road to the tamale stand to gobble up some contraband food!

Looking at the weekly schedule, I was very excited by the variety of dance classes offered. For a long time I have wanted to take some fitness dance classes, but shied away from trying them because I was having visions of the class being filled with perfect J. Lo Barbie dolls who knew every dance move. To my relief, the classes were filled with beginners like me.

Starting out with a cardio dance class, taught by the amazing Elizabeth, I quickly realized that not only was I having a blast, I was sweating a lot and burning some serious calories. (Me pictured post-dance). Even when I woke up in the middle of the night with shooting pain in my hips, I didn’t care because I was so excited my hips could still move after a decade or so of sleeping. Yay, they woke up! I think I’ll be finding a Zumba class when I get home.

To be continued... Debra