Destination Spa Vacations

Celebrating Mom

Is your mom (or are you) a Goddess? I like to think so! Did you know that past celebrations of Mother’s Day had strong symbolic and spiritual overtones. Rather than actual moms, Goddesses and symbols, such as the “motherness" of the planet, were celebrated.

Today, the focus is placed on an actual person, making Mother’s Day a $16-billion industry says the National Retail Foundation. While the gifts are great, there are cost-effective ways to celebrate mom, including:

• Using your smart phone, capture video of people who know your mom and let them express how she is meaningful to them. I love this one! My adult kids live in other states, so I would love to receive messages like this from them.
• Leading up to Mother’s Day, let mom know specific things she has done to manifest positive change in your life.
• Surprising mom by helping her do something she has talked about for some time but hasn't taken action on.
• And, don’t forget the healthy breakfast-in-bed recipes from our spa members.

What are you doing to make this year extra special for mom? Debra

Healthy Recipe - Pumpkin Pancakes - The Heartland Spa

Pancakes are the classic breakfast meal and this recipe jazzes things up a bit. We think these would be great with some Nutella for a Mother's Day breakfast-in-bed. Thanks to our friends at The Heartland Spa for sending along.

Pumpkin Pancakes (6 servings)

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 cup fat-free (skim) milk
• 2 tablespoons cholesterol-free egg substitute
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

In small bowl, combine flours, baking powder and spices. In large bowl, combine pumpkin, milk, egg substitute, oil, honey and vanilla. Pour dry ingredients over pumpkin mixture; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix. Cover pancake batter; refrigerate 30 minutes to thicken slightly. Lightly grease griddle or large skillet and heat until hot. For each pancake, spoon 2 tablespoons batter onto hot griddle. Cook until bubbles appear on tops of pancakes, then turn them over and continue cooking until golden. Serve immediately.

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

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

More from my week at Rancho La Puerta...

And the food at the Rancho La Puerta … oh my. I quickly realized that simple is often better. Meal after meal, I continued to be amazed at how incredible the food tasted and how close to the Earth they kept the meals (there is little added that is not natural.) 

Herbs and spices easily replace all the artificial flavors, sweeteners & salts we so eagerly add to our own cooking. While seafood was served occasionally, we relied primarily on a fruit and vegetable diet. I didn’t feel like I missed a thing.  

The Ranch also afforded me the opportunity to create space within my day to read, reflect and journal. I had set the intention to go inward and spend time waiting for some moments of clarity to naturally arise.  By the third day I was seeing things that are masked within my often busy life. I discovered being alone is actually cool, that I do not have to label and categorize everything in my life in order to understand it and that sometimes it is ok to wait for the dust to settle before making decisions. I found a place of deep appreciation not only for where I am at in my life, but for all the people who have shown up to share their love with me over the past couple years.  

Ending on a note of gratitude, I am extremely grateful for being in a position to visit this place of miracles and I eagerly await my next journey here.

Hasta que nos volvamos a encontrar, Debra

My Week at Rancho La Puerta...

Discovering a hidden artist begging to come out, acknowledging the introvert in me and loving the amazing low-fat, low-sugar and low-salt meals straight from the Organic gardens are just a few of the highlights from my week at Rancho La Puerta. Edmond and Deborah Szekely created this beautiful sanctuary in 1940 with the intention to transform their guests’ understanding of their role in the care and feeding of their bodies, and to appreciate and protect nature.

As I eagerly counted the minutes until I arrived, I set my intentions for the week, including a strong desire to not over-schedule so there would be opportunity to go inward and find insights on current life situations. I also wanted to spend time purposefully visualizing what the second half of my life could be like. With about 50 exciting classes offered each day, this was a little challenging, but I held true to my commitment.

The magnificent property rests on 3,000 acres, much of which is a nature preserve and I often found myself walking property paths to find hidden landscaping treasures and sculptures. One of my favorite spots to hang out after a class was my back patio. There was an amazing view of the mountain and a solitary tree at the top crest. As I gazed upon the tree and let my mind clear, many personal insights unfolded.

More insights unfolded during Jose’s sculpting class. This is where I met my artist within. I’ve always had a passing interest in sketching, but have never taken the time to explore anything beyond an introductory class. Deciding to take the sculpting class with Jose’ (a fabulous sculptor and teacher), I found myself completely immersed in creating a woman’s head from the clay. When she was done, I named her Free.

Hmmm, maybe there are some art classes in my home town. To be continued.... Debra

Energize Your Get Up and Go in 2012

Worn out and weary from ringing in a New Year? It seemed that every magazine I picked up over the holidays addressed how a lack of energy is becoming an epidemic problem. I agree and am tired of feeling drained. To take action, this Saturday I'm embarking on a transformational journey that will energize me for years to come. I'll spend three weeks visiting some of the best known Destination Spas: Rancho La Puerta in Mexico, The Oaks at Ojai in Calif., and Red Mountain in Utah.

To say I'm excited is an understatement. I plan to return home feeling lighter in body and spirit, with some newly-found energy to help me have a bold 2012. You are invited to share the lessons learned on the journey. I'll blog right here as well as sharing photos on Facebook (DestinationSpaVacations) and Twitter (@DestinationSpa).

In the meantime, let's begin to put an energized pep in your step for 2012:

- Start the year with a full medical assessment to eliminate medical concerns. Issues with your thyroid and hormones, as well as intestinal disorders can zap your zest.

- Take your vitamins. Find a high-quality, natural, non-chemical multi-vitamin and consider adding in Omega 3 and a probiotic.

- Incorporate natural movement. Stand up and stretch several times during the day, take the stairs, and use half of your lunch break to move around.

- Reduce drama. Nothing can zap our strength quicker than holding onto anger and allowing drama to run havoc.

- Watch caffeine and sugar intake. Replace half the sugar you use in tea and coffee with stevia, an all-natural herbal sweetener.

Be watching for updates and tips from my journey, Debra

Healthy Recipe - Gluten-Free Walnut & Fig Muffins - Rancho La Puerta

The holiday season is here! In just a few days, we'll be munching on turkey to be followed by a month's worth of holiday feasting. The holidays can be tough for folks who don't eat gluten, which is where these muffins come in. From our friends at Rancho La Puerta, Gluten-Free Walnut & Fig Muffins - perfect for the season!

Gluten-Free Walnut and Fig Muffins (Makes 12 muffins)
Dry:
3 cups flour mix*
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt

Wet:
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup grape seed oil
1/2 cup fresh or dried figs, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, lightly beat eggs and other "wet" ingredients together. Pour wet into dry and mix with a spoon by hand until some dry flour is still evident (do not over-beat). Use ice cream scoop to dollop muffin mixture into olive-oil-misted muffin pan (preferably one that makes small, cork-shaped muffins). Bake approximately 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted comes clean.

*Gluten-Free Flour Mixture
Rancho La Puerta uses all Bob's Mill ingredients, which are commonly available in health food grocery stores. For precision, this mixture is by weight: Combine equal parts of corn, quinoa, and sweet brown rice flours until weight is 700 grams. Combine equal parts potato starch and tapioca flour until weight is 300 grams. Mix all together. Store excess in airtight container and use soon for any baked-goods recipe. Experiment with amounts to accentuate certain flavors (ie. corn) you might like best.

Avoid a Holiday Meltdown - Destination Spa Pros Spread Calm

The calendar says mid-November, do you know where your calm is? While we should be thinking about thankfulness and planning for holiday jolly; screaming into a pillow is likely to be your mindset. Before you throw a Clark Griswold-style tantrum, take a time out, breathe and take a few minutes to read these tips for thriving, not simply surviving, during the holidays (and maybe even having some fun!)

For starters, something I do and highly recommend is hiring virtual assistance for items you can delegate. There are many online resources that can help with gift buying, invitation design and overall organizational logistics. I love elance.com.

The folks at Green Mountain at Fox Run in Vermont suggest creating a 911 Emergency Self-Care Kit. You’ll need:

1. A box to decorate with sparkles and glitter.
2. Self-care goodies to put in the box that help you to remember to take care of yourself. A massage certificate, can of chicken noodle soup, a list of affirmations, photographs of relaxing places you’ve visited, DVD of your favorite feel-good movie, etc.

Rancho La Puerta’s Barry Shingle suggests, “Practice deep breathing. It has been proven over and over again that taking a time out to do some deep, cleansing breaths counteracts many of the physical symptoms of stress. It could be as simple as breathing deeply in for five counts and then exhaling just as slowly five to 10 times.”

While you are breathing deeply, Harold Lebovic of The Heartland Spa in Illinois suggests two more simple things:

1. Make a list. When the holidays seem to become overwhelming, make a list so you know exactly what needs to be done and when.
2. Learn to say no. Realize that it's okay to set boundaries and say no when necessary. Too many "yesses" can lead to unnecessary stress.

Ahh, I feel better already! Next week I’ll tackle visiting relatives, working out, and how not to let holiday stress lead you to eating an entire box of chocolate-covered cherries. Until then, stay cool… Debra

Stay on Track during the Holiday Season

It’s November. Bring on the food! Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, depending on which study you read, most of us gain an average of between one and 10 pounds. I can say for certain that I have gained my share on any given year. Between pumpkin pie, mounds of candy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cocktail yummies, etc., what’s a girl (or guy) to do? After all, you do want to be festive!

So, how do you stay on track during the holiday season? Elizabeth Danowski, RD, with the Heartland Spa in Illinois has the dish on enjoying the holiday season without tipping the scale. Her tips:

1. Everything in moderation. Don't avoid a food you love because you think it is too fattening. Often if a craving is not filled, we over-eat another food choice and end up consuming more calories than if we had given in to the craving. Have one serving of what you want.
2. Bring a favorite healthy choice with you to parties for the host or hostess to serve. If that isn't an option, eat a light meal before you go so that you are not starving when you arrive.
3. If you are the host, stock up on disposable plastic containers. Pack up the leftovers and send them home with your guests. If they are not in the house, you can't eat them.
4. Be the designated driver. A six-ounce glass of white wine has 120 calories, red wine 128 calories, 12-ounces of regular beer 150 calories, light beer 100. Stick to water or diet soda and save the calories.
5. Don't forget to exercise. Schedule time for yourself away from the "hustle and bustle." Burning those extra calories will allow you some leeway so that you can have a small treat.

And, my personal favorite, buy something cute and form-fitting for parties. Keeps you looking nice, feeling great and from eating too much! Debra