May 21, 2014 | Uncategorized
Everyone wants to be strong, fit, and look great, but let’s face it, our schedules and lifestyles often make this hard to do. And once we do finally find a chance to make space for those workouts, our dedication to a more toned body can lead us to over do it (from our lack of time) and we really end up paying for it in the days to follow. While it’s wise to modify your workout to be at a more efficient and healthy level, it’s also smart to have a few tips on hand to make recovery both faster and smoother! So – keep up your (healthy) routine and enjoy some of these all natural, post workout recovery tips!
ALWAYS STRETCH BEFORE & AFTER!
Gentle stretching before AND after a workout is a key component not to be dismissed. Trust me, I’ve been there and sometimes you just don’t want to ‘waste your time’ stretching. I want to emphasize the gentle part for a minute as well. Especially before a workout, your muscles are not warmed up. This will cause them to be more tight and stiff – like a dry rubber band. Over stretching or stretching to forcefully will actually weaken the muscle, making injury more likely. Once your workout is complete – consider stretching in a sauna (still gently) and really make use of the extra heat. More about saunas below…
HYDRATE!
Water is so easily lost during exercise and you’ve to to replace it during and after the workout to not only hydrate those cells, but also to speed up recovery time! Water aids your metabolic function and supports the transfer of nutrients in the body. So staying properly hydrated will improve each and every body function. This is even more vital for endurance athletes who sweat more during periods of strenuous and peak activity.
LISTEN TO MUSIC
Music is a great tool that can help us through a tough workout, at least by distracting us from the burning feeling in your legs. But on a more serious note, listening relaxing tunes can surprisingly aid in your workout recovery. So my recommendation is to listen to the faster heavier beats during the workout and switch it up to the slower tempo songs while you stretch and cool down, as the slower music can reduce blood pressure and pulse rate, which is especially useful after an intense workout!
REFUEL!
Are you feeding your body with the right fuel? Machines require fuel and so do our bodies. You’ve got to make sure you eat within 60 minutes of a hard workout. Your energy stores have just been depleted pretty badly, so you’ve to restore them if you want your body to recover, repair, gain strength and be prepared for the next challenge! So great go-to and simple snack ideas that will speed your recovery along are protein shakes, bananas, nut butters, hummus and red peppers, yogurt with berries, fish and all green plants. Let’s not forget the obvious- green plants are the foods to eat pre and post anything, really!
HOT COLD!
Take alternating hot and cold to an even better level. The traditional advice of alternating applied ice and heat have great purpose but are better for targeting specific areas. Instead, try taking a really hot shower and then switching to the coldest setting for about 30 seconds (or whatever you can handle) and then switching back to hot again. You could even include the sauna with this one. Sit/stretch in the sauna for 5-10 minutes, go out and take a cold shower (or ice bath if that’s available) and then return to the sauna. Repeat this process 2-3 times for best results.
DID SOMEONE SAY SAUNA?
Sauna is the word on the street these days for health and fitness advocates all over the world. For good reason too. The health benefits that saunas deliver cause me to wonder why homes all over the world don’t invest in installing one in their own homes. If you’re already going to be stretching in all that heat, enhance that experience further and add Eucalyptus Oil Spray to the heat and even steam. Simply spritz the spray into the steam or heat. The oil in the air will then be activated by the heat, enter your lungs and be carried off to nurture those needy parts and well-worked muscles!
Congratulations. You are working out more regularly and committing to bettering your health. You will soon be looking and feeling better and that’s something to be proud of. Please take care of yourself with proper diet, rest and recovery as you life your life to it’s absolute fullest!
From all of us at Eurospa, we toast to your health!
May 8, 2014 | Uncategorized
Not everyone is a morning person, but most people need to function in the morning for one reason or another. With that in mind, let’s make the most out of those morning blues with these 7 positive ways to create an energized and productive day!
1. START THE NIGHT BEFORE
Everyone has personal weaknesses in their morning routine, so we want to reduce the confusion and chaos the night before. For example, gather your clothes (yours and the kids) together and set them aside to save yourself the anxiety of staring into your closet and making those choices in your morning zombie mode. Then, take some essential oil of lavender with a little coconut oil and massage into your feet. The oil will be absorbed through your feet and travel to the rest of your body, aiding in added relaxation.
2. BE THE SUNSHINE IN YOUR own DAY
The sun is going to rise regardless of what side of the bed you choose to wake up on. And, yes I said “choose”. I know you might be tired (maybe go to bed earlier?) or dreading the day ahead but only you can decide how you feel about your day and whether your fears or frustrations will rule you. When you wake up – just smile. Even if you feel stupid and inauthentic, smile anyway and keep it there. While (possibly staging) you grin, think of everything you love and are thankful for. Life can be crazy but it doesn’t mean YOU have to be. So make a different choice. You be the sunshine!
3. PRAYER and STILLNESS
Find a quiet place in your home (especially helpful for parents) that’s free from distraction, but not in your bed. Turn on some relaxing music, read or just sit in the stillness. Take one, then two, then ten deep breaths. This is your opportunity to set your daily intention for a peaceful and productive day.
4. GET MOVING
It’s common knowledge that physical activity is important for both your mind and body, but it can be really difficult to find the time to fit it in to our busy schedules. If you can go for a run or stop by the gym first thing in the morning, great! If not, make a plan to implement a small routine into your morning so you at least set a pattern and habit to care for your mind and body which will in turn, not only set up your day with energy but also the rest of your life.
5. WAKE UP WITH WATER
Inside and out is best! Make sure to drink a glass of water, as the hydration really does wake up your cells and start your day with a metabolic cleansing. Then head to the shower. Turn up the heat and let your muscles both relax and rejuvenate! Add menthol crystals to the shower steam as well to further awaken and even reap the health benefits! Menthol crystals open up your bronchial passage ways, allowing you do breathe deeper and get more oxygen to your brain. More oxygen to the brain means more clarity and mental peace. These crystals will add a great vibrance to your day!
6. BODY FUEL
Some people are morning eaters and some are not. Meet with a nutritionist or do some research and try to hone in on what your particular body type is. Some people are the hot tea and toast type and others are the full spread of fruit, bacon and eggs. Whatever feels best and fuels you for the next couple of hours should be considered your energy spark for the day and committed to. When you take time to eat a balanced meal, you are giving your body the fuel it needs for everything else. Chinese medicine states that the morning meal is the fuel your body pulls from most, the rest of the day. Only the oiled machine can truly perform!
Your health is our goal at Eurospa. Let us know how we can make life better for you.
Apr 23, 2014 | Uncategorized
Nobody likes it when they take a look in the mirror and notice the surprise of a breakout. It’s always untimely and pretty embarrassing! Now, while I can’t promise you they’ll go away immediately, I can share with you some ways to speed along the process and hopefully prevent them from happening in the future!
First of all, our skin is our largest organ. It breathes. It takes in and it releases. It’s a filtration system for both the external and internal. When we break out, our bodies are telling us that something on the outside or inside in NOT happy and it’s time we do something about it.
So you’re thinking, topical medication right? No. Because that doesn’t fix the problem and ultimately you’re just going to teach your body to be quiet when there’s a problem in the future and we just don’t want that.
Preventative? Be clean inside and out. Ladies, if you go to bed with your makeup on you’re just asking for trouble. Our bodies go through so much when we sleep. Our hormones shift, we sweat, our pores open and all the makeup and skin oils mix together in the folds and pores of our skin, basically suffocating it and causing it to get stuck (for now) and expelled later. It’s the expelling part that we irritated about! Back to being clean? Be clean on the inside – and the best way to do this daily is getting a good water intake- at least 60 ounces a day. Water flushes out the garbage we store inside with refined foods, sugar, alcohol, excess salt and preservatives. So hey – make it easier and DON’T consume so much garbage. You’re skin will thank you.
Solution to the NOW problem?
1. Go SANS makeup. I know, hard. If you’re feeling to attached, then go with some eyeliner and mascara with some gloss. But leave your skin ALONE.
2. Sweat it out. Get to a sauna or make a steam shower/bath and sweat that nasty stuff out. Enhance the sweat by spraying Eucalyptus Oil Shower Mist into the steam. It’s anti-microbial and will cleanse your body (inside and out) even deeper!
3. Gently Exfoliate. I love to use baking soda because it’s natural and cheap. Just shake a few sprinkles of it into your hands and massage in small, gentle circles around your face, being careful to avoid the area and be extra nice to those open blemishes.
4. Tone it up. Top choice for me is witch hazel. It’s anti-inflammatory and regulates your skin’s ph. Add anti-microbial tea tree oil to the mix as well to further your cleanse.
5. Moisturize. My top two choices are (in order) Jojoba Oil and Coconut Oil. Jojoba is the oil that’s closest to our skin’s ph and is readily absorbed. Coconut is similar, but heavier. So if your skin tends toward oily, go with jojoba.
So there you have it! No miracle cures here, but stick to the ‘clean inside and out’ routine and I promise you will begin to see the difference! Eurospa is committed to your health and would love to hear from you. Stop by and let us know how we can make your life a healthier one!
Mar 19, 2014 | Uncategorized
Stress is a hot topic everywhere whether you are male or female and so often it has to do with our busy lives and family dynamic. But how do you relieve that stress when you feel there’s just no time to handle it? It’s time we talk about the simple and affordable tips to relieve stress quickly at home and on the go.
Let’s talk about the men first. We know you guys. You are a hard working crowd with a lot of pressure on your shoulders. And whether you are the game watching or fine dining type, you have the right to experience the relaxing fruit of your labor!
And Ladies? We know you too. Whether you are a mother at home, working hard at your career or the busiest of the two worlds: BOTH, we invite you to take the time here and there to reward yourself for your thorough dedication to your many responsibilities!
I know we all have heard of the dangers stress brings to our lives, but I do want to touch base on a few major points (before I go into the fixes) so that we remember to take it seriously and take charge of the stress relief we so greatly deserve.
So what is stress? It’s simply a fact of nature. Forces from the inside or outside world affect people in various ways and the individual responds to stress in ways that affect both themselves and their environment as well. Due to the overabundance of stress in our modern lives, we tend to think of stress as a negative experience, but from a biological point of view, stress can be a neutral, negative, or positive experience. In general, stress is related to both the external and internal factors. External factors include the physical environment, such as your job, relationships with others, your home and all the situations, challenges, and expectations you have to deal with on a daily basis. Internal factors determine how your body responds to and deals with the external stress-inducing factors. The internal factors that influence your ability to handle all that stress include your nutritional state, overall health and fitness levels, emotional well-being, and the amount of sleep and rest you get.
Now that that’s clear, let’s talk about some simple ways to deal with it all!
- Move Your Body: Pretty clear, don’t you think? When we move our bodies via running, dancing, yoga, weight training, cycling and other forms of movement, we release dopamine (a happy hormone) and get rid of cortisol (the stress hormone that wreaks havoc). Our heart rate increases and our whole bodies get into a groove of joy and excitement.
- Eat Well, Live Well: Just a few simple rules here. Stay away from white foods as much as you can. This includes white breads, pastas, rice and sugar. These cause peaks and lows with our blood sugar, contributing to mood swings and feelings of anxiety. Make sure your food includes veggies and fruits in a variety of color (extra greens if you can) and that you are adequately hydrated. DRINK WATER. You may be surprised at how much that single tip helps!
- Breathe Deep: Annoying people and frustrating circumstances are all around us and this is the most easy tip yet the hardest to remember. Breathe in through your nose slowly and deeply, pausing at the peak of inhalation. This activates the back of your brain, causing a slower and calmer reaction time.
- Relax: This is, of course the most enjoyable tip. What relaxes you? Whether it’s a massage or a slow walk in the park, you can determine what you will enjoy. I know for me, my favorite two things are to sit in a hot tub or sauna or to sit in the sunshine with a book.
- Gratitude: Be thankful. Yes, times can be hard. I’m not at all saying it’s easy. We can recognize the pain, feel it and then take a deep breathe and really be thankful for the beauty that *is* in our lives – the things that are working, the people that do love us and the health we are experiencing.
- Laugh: Enjoy your laughter! Talk to an old friend and think back on old times. Recall stories that make you smile. Play with children. Invite friends over for charades! Watch a comedy. Laughter is healing. Don’t underestimate it’s power.
- Sleep: Here’s the most medicinal one. We tend to slack on sleep because our work and family load can keep us busy until midnight. Then we wake to being our recurring routine at 6 am the following morning and then wonder why we are burnt out. Many medical studies agree that we need to turn off all media at least an hour prior to bed time. In that hour, practice the art of being in the present moment and just letting everything else go. Take a hot bath with some drops of lavender oil and a few sprays of eucalyptus shower mist to the steam – and do the same with the lavender and eucalyptus to your pillow and bed sheets for an even deeper sleep relaxation. Read, pray and be thankful. Trust that tomorrow will have plenty of beauty of it’s own to be thankful for as well.
Your health is so important and it begins with your state of mind and being. Take care of your mind, body and soul and the rest will begin to fall more peacefully into place. At Eurospa we want to know that people’s live are enriched and full of beautiful health. Don’t hesitate to ask what we can do for you!
Enjoy the day that awaits you!
by: Navae Fiona
Mar 8, 2014 | Uncategorized
We all want to be strong and fit, but let’s face it. In our dedication to a more toned body, we can often times over do it and really pay for it in the days to follow. Sorry folks, the solution is NOT to work out less – though some may wish it that way. Exercising on a regular basis let’s our bodies know we are thankful for it’s hard work and would like to keep this whole ‘life thing’ lasting as a long and beautifully as possible. So – keep up your healthy routine and enjoy some of these all natural, post workout recovery tips!
STRETCH BEFORE & AFTER!
Gentle stretching before AND after a workout is a key component not to be dismissed. Trust me, I’ve been there and sometimes you just don’t want to ‘waste your time’ stretching. I want to emphasize the gentle part for a minute as well. Especially before a workout, your muscles are not warmed up. This will cause them to be more tight and stiff – like a dry rubber band. Over stretching or stretching to forcefully will actually weaken the muscle, making injury more likely. Once your workout is complete – consider stretching in a sauna (still gently) and really make use of the extra heat. More about saunas below…
HYDRATE!
You lose so much water during exercise and while it’s best to replace it during exercise, refilling your personal hydro-tank after exercise is a great and simple way to speed up your recovery time. Water supports every metabolic function and transfer of nutrients in the body. Having plenty of water will improve each and every bodily function. Adequate fluid replacement is even more vital for endurance athletes who lose larger amounts of water during hours of sweating and peak activity.
REFUEL!
It’s SO important to make sure you eat within 60 minutes of a hard workout. You just depleted your energy stores and now it’s time to refuel them if you expect your body to recover, repair tissues, get stronger and be ready for the next challenge. Some great go-to foods for a speedy recovery are protein shakes, bananas, nut butters, hummus and red peppers, yogurt, berries, fish and all green plants. Let’s just face it – green plants are the food to eat pre and post anything!
HOT COLD!
Take alternating hot and cold to the next level. The old advice of ice pack and heating pad have great purpose but are better for targeting certain areas. Try taking a really hot shower and then switching to the coldest setting for about 30 seconds (or how long you can handle it) and switching back to hot again. As well, if you have access to a steam room or sauna – go stretch in the heat for 5-10 minutes, go out and take a cold shower (or use the ice bath if it’s available) and the return to the sauna. Repeat the process 2-3 times for best results.
DID SOMEONE SAY SAUNA?
Of course I did. I would almost go as far as saying that I’m one of the biggest sauna fans in the world. It’s for good reason too. The health benefits that saunas deliver make me wonder why more people don’t invest in building one in their own home! {If you DO want one built, talk to THESE GUYS and you’ll be on your way to better home health in no time!} But back to muscle recovery… If you’re already going to be stretching and alternating hot and cold in that gift of a sauna – enhance the experience further and add Eucalyptus oil or Spray! For the oil, mix the essential oil into another base, like almond or jojoba and you’ll quickly have a muscle recovery rub! The oil penetrates deep into the tissue (more so in the heat of the sauna) for an anti-inflammatory effect. When using the spray, simply spritz into the shower steam or the sauna/steam room. The oil in the air will then enter your lungs and be carried off to nurture the needier parts of your well-worked muscles.
You are working out and exercising to better your health and look your best. Congratulations! That’s a big commitment you should be proud of! Please take care of yourself with proper diet, rest and recovery as you live your life to it’s absolute fullest!
-Navae Fiona
