WARM FOOD

During the colder winter months and in our more mature years, its actually very important to eat warm foods. Ancient food philosophies from Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda both espouse warm foods as supporting the digestion and healing the body.

It takes a lot of digestive energy whenever we drink something cold or eat raw cold foods, as the body has to work very hard to raise the temperature of the food or liquid we have ingested, so that the nutrients can then be absorbed. Unfortunately, a great number of people (both young and particularly beyond age 35) already suffer from a weakened digestive system due to our modern day diet and lifestyle.

When eating warmed cooked foods, more energy is available for digestion and absorption of nutrients. In many cases bloating and digestive discomfort is eliminated and the whites of the eyes even become brighter. This was certainly my experience when I made the transition from eating a diet that was mostly raw foods to that of cooked foods, after I had a consultation with a doctor of chinese medicine. At first I was distraught that I was being asked to give up my enzyme rich raw food diet, after all of the information that I had read and personally espoused on raw foods. However, the results I experienced from my warm food trial were so positive that I have continued to honour my own personal physiology, rather than following a food fad that is not suited to me.

It is always important to develop a food philosophy that suits your individual body and mental characteristics. Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine go a step further in that they look at a persons ‘dosha’ or ‘element’ to better understand what types of foods and lifestyle practices will best support.

However, coming back to warm foods, remember to chew well and eat whilst in a relaxed state. Different foods have their own unique properties too. For example; vegetables such as potatoes, pumpkin, squash and carrot are very grounding. Certain spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon and cayenne are very warming. Stewed fruits and honey hit that sweet spot for those with sugar cravings. And small amounts of protein and bone broths heal and repair the gut and body.

Finally, there’s nothing nicer than sipping on warm herbal tea throughout the day and before bed time. So enjoy the nourishing and contented feeling you receive when taking care of yourself in these colder months. 

THE STRESS LESS LIFE

As we power through the 21st century, it can sometimes feel as though we exist in a perpetual state of busyness. Often, with busyness, comes the inevitable... stress. Whether it’s the stress to perform well at work or in our studies, or to keep abreast of what’s happening in our lives. Generally at some point we may all experience the effects of stress.

When talk turns to stress, we immediately associate it with negative implications and something we should strive to avoid. In fact, we actually need a good dose of stress to get us moving, enticing us to move forward in our daily lives. However, there is a fine line between having enough stress to motivate without causing too much pressure. The key to good health and wellbeing is finding that very balance that enhances rather than incapacitates us.

Research suggests that at least one in four Australians experience moderate to severe levels of stress1. Think about how often you have heard friends and family say that they are stressed? You’ve probably said it a million times yourself. But what is stress?

Stress is a natural response to a challenging situation, which may be caused by what’s happening around us as well as the demands we place on ourselves. It causes the ‘fight or flight’ response in our bodies that enables us to react to the stressors in our lives. When most people talk about stress they primarily refer to emotional distress, which includes feelings of anger or irritability, anxiety and depression, which is attached to a whole range of physical and physiological responses such as muscular and digestive problems.

If not managed, a build up of stress can lead to health issues such headaches, muscular tension, sleeplessness and a heightened susceptibility to colds and flus. Left untreated, the strain on the body from the symptoms of stress can manifest into serious health conditions leading to heart disease, depression, diabetes, high blood pressure and anxiety disorder.

It’s not all doom and gloom, because when managed, stress can work for you. Every body reacts to stress differently, and while some may cope, others may struggle when confronted with the same issues. The key is in recognising your own limits and implementing strategies to keep you from crossing over that fine line to destress.

As spa and wellness professionals, its particularly important that we walk our talk and make a consistent habit of supporting our wellbeing so as to maintain a healthy level of calm. Here are some tips and reminders toward living a calm balanced lifestyle. 

Exercise - whether that’s a heart thumping run or a stroll along the beach or through the bush, whatever it is, get the body moving.

Sleep – it is recommended that adults need between seven and nine hours sleep a night to allow the body to repair and rejuvenate.

Eat well – fuelling up on nutritious wholefoods not only boosts the immune system, but also creates calm in a body that’s already functioning in a high state of arousal. 

Share your stress – talk about how you feel, if not to friends and family, to a qualified health professional.

Explore relaxation – regularly practice meditation, yoga, breathing techniques, tai chi or treat yourself to a spa treatment and time out from your daily routine.

Life is for living and the more present we can be, the more we can enjoy the magic of each moment and share the calm with friends, family and clients. 

THE WELLNESS SPA

The future of spa lies in attending to the ‘whole person’ and as we shift into this new era of wellness it becomes increasingly important to weave wellness into our usual treatment menu. Fortunately the options are both endless and interesting, limited only by your ability to embrace complimentary therapies as befitting spa. 

During my 3 year tenure as the spa and dreamtime manager for Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat I had the opportunity to work with over 30 practitioners who offered their own unique signature experience within the healing environ of the spa. I had the privilege of working alongside specialists in ayurveda, traditional chinese medicine, naturopathy, nutrition, kinesiology, psychotherapy, reiki, sound healing, intuitive reading, advanced massage therapies, chiropractic, buddhism and many other healing modalities. The interesting thing was that guests were actually seeking the unique and extraordinary. They wanted profound transformation of mind, body and soul. 

Spa’s and wellness retreats offer guests the opportunity to disengage from their stress, and as such, we are now quite literally in the stress management and health enhancement business. A spa offers a means to graceful ageing and skilful living and is perfectly placed to educate, inspire and empower. But how then, do we weave wellness into spa? 

First, take a look at your business and how you utilise your treatment rooms. Do you have a room that is unused or under utilised on certain days of the week? If so, you have the space for a specialty therapy. You might choose to offer one specialty therapy on one set day each week, or given more room to utilise, you might promote several therapies on a given day each week. For example: Kinesiology on Monday, Acupuncture on Tuesday, Naturopathy on Wednesday etc. If your spa is placed within a luxury resort you might host 'specialty practitioners'' during peak seasons and use this as an added PR exercise.

Why not enhance your current therapies by introducing healing elements such as reiki, reflexology, restorative yoga, meditation or chi nei tsang. Not only does this add a unique point of difference for your client, it also keeps your team learning and embracing new healing skills. You might send them off to training or run the training in house with one of your new or visiting specialty therapist's.

Know your wellness cuisine and always offer genuinely healthy refreshments. Liase with your chef and have him create a healthy spa menu that compliments the spa wellness experience. 

Base your business on a wellness culture. Consider the environment, recycle, use natural cleaning products, switch to rechargeable tea lights, incorporate natural skincare and ban smoking and sugar at work. It is important to remember that wellness begins at home and in your daily life. So be the change, set the example and show your team what wellness looks and feels like. And as the enthusiasm for wellness grows with your team so it does for your clients.