Having never been to a health and wellness spa before, I decided I’d like to try it out, and I had my daughter, Chloe, go with me. We live in different states now, and it seemed like such an excellent way not only to reconnect post-pandemic but to celebrate her 29th birthday before she becomes a mom herself!
Our first experience was a class entitled Six Tips to Master Your Metabolism*, taught by Registered Dietician Eloisa Mena. During the 45 minute presentation, all I could think about was wanting to share the information with two dear friends I’m coaching to complete an April Whole30. It occurred to me that I should share these important tips to improve your overall health with all my readers.
The following are my Top 7 Ways to Improve Your Health:
- Become an observer of your behavior and bodily functions.
- Feed your emotional and physical body. Move more naturally. Include 2 minutes of exercise snacking after every hour of work; Connect with others.
- Preserve muscle mass. Muscle is metabolic currency. Try for 2x/week of weight resistance training.
- Neutralize stress. One surprising form of stress is not eating enough! Stress alone could account for 11 additional pounds/year. Examples of ways to destress:
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- Take three deep breaths. So if you feel anxious and several times a day attached to an activity you’re already doing; After I ________, I will take three deep breaths.
- Change gaze to a more panoramic view 2-4 min/day.
- Sleep is the foundation of all wellness practices. Sleep 7-9 hours a night is critical for optimal hormone and blood sugar balance, flushing brain of waste materials, and reduction of 250-500 caloric consumption/day.
- Love breakfast. It sets the tone of the day.
- Eat natural (Whole, unprocessed) food. The more natural the food, the more energy your body uses to digest it! Win-win for your immune health and your body composition!
Our second experience was a class entitled Mindfulness at Miraval. We learned that mindfulness is the simple practice of cultivating awareness and acceptance. When we strengthen our ability to be mindful, we can be fully present and responsive to both the pleasant and difficult circumstances of our life. Of the three beginning steps, the most critical, from my point of view, is attending to the breathing. I loved the idea that breathing is an anchor.
After a water fitness class, we took a walk around the property. We both were delighted to find a seesaw, which we immediately had to try out!! We weren’t quite as adept at getting on and off as when we were younger, but it sure was fun!!!
I’ll leave you with a sign that was above one of the restroom faucets: Recite the following mantra three times while washing your hands.
“May I be happy. May I be well. May I be safe. May I be peaceful and at ease.”
Namaste,
Val
P.S. The more we know, the more we don’t know. If you have any questions related to the information above, please email me: [email protected].
*the chemical process that keeps us alive
