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 - Grilled Asparagus Salad - Cal-a-Vie

Are there fresh asparagus in your neighborhood right now? They are a wonderful spring treat and this salad from Cal-a-Vie allows them to shine at their brightest.

Grilled Asparagus Salad (6 servings)

• 42 large asparagus
• 2 heads radicchio, sliced
• 1 head romaine, sliced
• 1 basket of clover or alfalfa sprouts
• 6 cherry tomatoes, cut in quarters

Peel bottoms of asparagus. Grill for several minutes until tender crisp. May also be steamed in place of grilling. Arrange asparagus on bed of lettuce and radicchio. Garnish with cherry tomato and sprouts. Drizzle top with Sherry Wine Vinaigrette.

Calories per 7.5 oz serving: 46 (without dressing)
Carbohydrate: 8 g: % calories from carbohydrate: 57%
Protein: 4.9 g protein: 35%; Fat: 0.5 g fat: 8%; Fiber: 3.6 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 11 mg

What is your defense against aging?

Do you see a slightly-different look to your face every time you look into the mirror? Some days my wrinkles are barely there. On other days, they look like I need an iron! Of course, this all depends on how I’m sleeping, eating, exercising and my stress level. Free Radicals also play a part. In fact, Myrna Beardshear, Red Mountain’s Director of Spa & Wellness says Free Radicals are the No. 1 cause of unnecessary aging and of several diseases.

What are Free Radicals? They are oxygen molecules that are incomplete because they are missing an electron. Beardshear says Free Radicals create more Free Radicals, thus inflicting damage on the components of ourhealthy cells, including their genetic information system (DNA).

Where do Free Radicals come from? Beardshear points to radiation, air pollution, pesticides, anesthetics, gasoline vapors, fried foods, drugs, solvents, alcohol, lead, and mercury. She adds that sunburn is caused by the Free Radicals formed by the UV light. The worst offenders are primary- and second-hand cigarette smoke.

How do you protect yourself? Antioxidants neutralize Free Radicals and make them harmless. Some antioxidants are proteins made by the body, while many are delivered to us in the food we eat. The most important of these are Vitamins C and E, Beta-Carotene, Selenium, Zinc, and some Amino Acids.

Let’s free those Free Radicals from our bodies! Debra

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

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

 

Traveling and Sickness - Healthy Tips for Smooth Sailing

Planning a spring break or looking toward a summer filled with travel? My daughter is visiting this week while on college spring break. Now that I live at the beach, people tend to come to me and I just hang out here instead of feeling the urge to wander. Of course, I do visit Destination Spas!

With spring in the air, I thought you’d find these traveling and sickness tips to be handy. These are from Nancy Byrd Radding, fitness director of California’s The Oaks at Ojai:

• Travelers are exposed to lots of people, meaning lots of germs – use wipes on all possible surfaces, wash your hands a lot, take an immunity booster before, during, and after travel.

• While traveling, people are often on a fast track and don't get enough rest – before traveling, take naps as often as possible and try to get a full night’s sleep.

• People notoriously eat and drink too much on the road – slow down on the alcohol and heavy food and make healthier choices. It's always up to you!

• Don't spend your trip sitting! Don't sit in the terminal - walk. Move on the plane. Walk at your destination. If you don't want to adjust to a hotel gym, bring DVDs for your laptop. Travel with resistance bands.

Now, where are you going? Debra

Healthy Recipe - Pistachio Tapenade - The Oaks at Ojai

Looking for a zing for breads and crackers or a topping for chicken and fish? This Pistachio Tapenade from The Oaks at Ojai adds a healthy zest to just about anything.

 

• 1 cup pistachios, toasted
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. organe juice concentrate
• 2 tsp. orange zest
• 1 TB. fresh lemon juice
• 1 TB. minced fresh mint
• 2 tsp. garlic
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 cup onion, cut in small strips
• 1/2 cup minced celery, added to the onions toward the end of cooking

Lightly caramelize the onion strips in olive oil. Add celery to onion mixture and mix in the nuts. In a small bowl, combine: orange juice concentrate, orange zest, fresh lemon juice, minced fresh mint, garlic, and olive oil.Add this mixture to nut/onion mixture, and gently combine. Serve and enjoy!

Approximately 15 one-tablespoon servings

Make your Home a Spa Haven for Spring

We love living in our new home state of Florida, but have not established a “home” yet. We’re renting a condo for a year that is four blocks from the beach. Great location. Great weather. Not great… much of our stuff is still in storage. I miss my stuff sometimes, and other times, I like that there’s less clutter.

What does it take to make your home a haven? With spring cleaning likely on your agenda, I talked with the folks from Canyon Ranch in Lenox, Mass. They say that by making a few simple, yet powerful changes, you can transform your home into a tranquil sanctuary for mind, body and spirit. Here’s what I learned:

• Be present. Clearing the clutter from your mind allows you to be present to the beauty and richness of your home and the people who share it. This prepares you to physically clear the spaces you inhabit.
• Turn off gadgets. Turning off the TV, internet and phone for periods of each day positively changes the energy in your home.
• Surround yourself with natural beauty. Things that are alive and/or natural, like plants, flowers, herbs, provide food for the soul.
• Play music. Beautiful music creates greater harmony in your home, whether you're relaxing in a tranquil area or attending to daily tasks.
• Create a sacred space. Set aside a space in your home for quiet reflection or meditation. Place some objects in it that are beautiful and special to you such as photos, things picked up on vacation, etc.

This spring, turn your home into a place that raises your spirits and soothes your senses. You'll leave stress at the door. Home Sweet Home, 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

 

The Heartland Spa with Tips to Love Your Heart

It's the month of love and the month to celebrate our hearts! February is National Heart Month. Let's put our focus on our heart and find ways to surround those around us with love. Also, don't forget to direct some of that great energy towards yourself.

Did you know that heart disease is the No.1 killer of women age 20 and over? In the United States, one in 30 women die of breast cancer; while one in three die of cardiovascular disease. Those are some scary statistics. What can you do to prevent an Achy-Breaky heart?

The team at the aptly-named Heartland Spa & Fitness Resort in Illinois suggests making simple changes to your diet that will keep your heart healthy and strong. I love this easy-to-follow checklist they created:

• Instead of: Whole or 2 percent milk and cream; Consider this - Use 1 percent or skim milk
• Instead of: Fried foods; Consider this - Eat baked, steamed, boiled, broiled, or microwave foods
• Instead of: Lard, butter, palm and coconut oils; Consider this - Cook with unsaturated vegetable oils such as corn, olive, canola, safflower, sesame, soybean, sunflower, or peanut
• Instead of: Fatty cuts of meat; Consider this - Eat lean cuts of meat or cut off the fatty parts
• Instead of: One whole egg in recipes; Consider this - Use two egg whites
• Instead of: Seasoning veggies with sauces, butter, and salt; Consider this - Season vegetables with herbs and spices
• Instead of: Regular hard and processed cheeses; Consider this - Eat low-fat, low-sodium cheeses
• Instead of: Salted potato chips; Consider this - Choose low-fat, unsalted tortilla and potato chips and unsalted pretzels or popcorn
• Instead of: Sour cream and mayonnaise; Consider this - Use plain low-fat yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, or low-fat or "light" sour cream

Small adjustments such as these are sure to make a positive impact on your heart health.  To your heart! Debra