Wind-Down Time

Something happened in the time between now and my last blog post. I had a baby. And in the short time she has been with us she has already taught me so many important lessons, such as:

Life is amazing.

Always wake up laughing.

Stop checking emails / texting / tweeting / posting on Facebook. The person in front of you deserves your undivided attention.

When you’re feeling sad, slow dance with someone you love. 

But perhaps the biggest gift she’s given me is our "Wind-Down Time". This is when we get into our coziest jammies, turn off the lights, turn on Renee and Jeremy’s It’s a Big World, Baby and silently stare at the neon yellow stars on the ceiling until our eyes get really droopy.

As I inhale the intoxicating scent of freshly bathed baby and run my fingers through her super soft hair, it doesn’t matter what craziness the day may have brought. She sighs her sleepy sigh and my heart rate slows down. The stress knots in my muscles begin to melt away. My breath becomes even. And in that precious moment, I am completely present.

In a world where everything seems to glow, beep or ring, demanding to be answered now, that kind of peace and is hard to come by. I’m so glad I get to enjoy it—even if it’s only for a little while. 

Quantum Physics and Creating Your Reality

In addition to my obsession with tongues, I’ve had an ongoing fascination with quantum physics ever since watching the movie What the BLEEP Do We Know? about five years ago. And with all the crazy things going on right now—wars, earthquakes, nuclear meltdowns—it’s hard to not feel like the world is spiraling out of control. It’s even harder to feel like we can do something about it. But we can, in our own small way.

According to quantum physics expert Dr. Joseph Dispenza, we can consciously alter reality with our thoughts. The interview excerpt above from What the BLEEP Do We Know? breaks down quantum physics, brain function, and the widely accepted notion of The Observer in a practical, easy-to-understand way.

I like to watch it every once and a while because it’s such a great reminder that the power to create our own reality lies within. It's a truth that comes in handy whenever we’re feeling a little powerless.

How Burnout Inspires Positive Change

Burnout can lead to a better life.
(Photo © Matthew Wakem)

In a recent post on one of my favorite blogs, Zen Habits, guest blogger Melissa Gorzelanczyk of Peace and Projects wrote about how burnout can be beautiful.

This got me thinking about how burnout has impacted my own life. A few years ago, I was living in New York City, managing multiple projects at a highly deadline-driven publishing job, working on my first book, freelance writing, and on top of all that juggling numerous family responsibilities. I was also eating a lot of junk food, drinking too many glasses of wine, and wasn’t getting enough sleep. (Is the scenario starting to sound familiar?)

One night after work, my husband Matthew found me slumped down on the bathroom floor (the only place in our studio apartment that had a door) crying inconsolably. Nothing in particular set off the tears. I was just really tired and really overwhelmed—a classic burnout case. Thankfully, I married a very wise man who wiped my tears and said matter-of-factly, “You don’t have to live this way, you know.”

I like to think of that day as the start of my new (and improved) life. I left my job, left New York City, and along with Matthew, gave birth to one of the most creative projects in our lives. It wasn’t easy, of course. In fact, the Asia Spa Project was a monumental task that took two years to plan and another two years to complete. But it gave us the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do what we love while devoting 9 entire months to healing—and by that I mean documenting healing techniques as well as healing ourselves.

I will be forever grateful to the beautiful locations who participated in this project:

Ananda in the Himalayas (India)

Kairali Ayurvedic Health Resort (India)

Heritance Kandalama (Sri Lanka)

Saman Villas (Sri Lanka)

Indigo Pearl Phuket (Thailand)

Six Senses Hideaway Yao Noi (Thailand)

Kamalaya Koh Samui (Thailand)

Papaya Spa (Laos)

La Residence d'Angkor (Cambodia)

FCC Angkor (Cambodia)

The Gangsa (Indonesia)

Ubud Hanging Gardens (Indonesia)

Kayumanis Ubud (Indonesia)

I am also indebted to each location’s unsung heroes—the therapists, instructors, and wellness experts who work tirelessly every day to make the lives of each guest better for having visited. Thankfully, I have thousands of gorgeous photos to remember these people and places by. (View a PDF version of the Asia Spa Project digital portfolio. It takes a few minutes to download.)

Two years later, the lessons of the Asia Spa Project have stayed with me (and there are more Spa Projects in the works). More importantly, I now live a life that’s a lot less stressful than the one I lived before. I still deal with deadlines, but mostly just the ones I want to deal with. I eat a predominantly vegan diet. I get enough sleep. And I give my yoga classes equal priority on my calendar than any other high-priority event. My point: I wouldn’t have done any of these things if it wasn’t for burnout. I suppose sometimes you have to hit rock bottom to be motivated to find higher ground.

3 Steps to Stress Relief

Lavender-scented aromatherapy oil has a calming effect.
(Photo © istockphoto/elenathewise)

Feeling stressed? A massage is one surefire way to relieve tension, but you don’t always have the time (or the money) to get one. So what do you do to get some peace of mind in a pinch? Here’s a 3-step process I personally swear by:

Step 1: Play an ongoing om. There’s a reason yogis chant the mantra “om” before a yoga class. This sacred syllable is believed to be the sound of the universe, and reciting it or reflecting on it has a deeply meditative, harmonizing effect.  (This is the Om CD I use at home.)

Step 2: Light some lavender essential oil. Lavender is one of the most powerful remedies in the plant world. When used in aromatherapy, the scent of lavender helps calm the nervous system, providing relief for mental tension, anxiety, depression, emotional stress, and even migraines.

Step 3: Put your legs up against a wall. Viparita Karani or Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose is an easy, restorative yoga pose that relaxes your nervous system and adrenals, lowers your heart rate, and reduces tension in your legs, feet, and lower back. Check out Yoga Journal for a photo of the pose along with some great tips on how to do it.

Bonus Tip: Five minutes will do the trick, though I highly recommend at least 15. Let me know how it goes!

Light Pollution and Your Health

Light from the TV at night may be harmful to your health.
(Photo © istockphoto/joshblake)

My amazingly talented friend Amy was recently interviewed on a Denver radio station for a story she wrote about the link between light pollution and cancer.

According to Amy, science shows that “Humans, as well as many animals and plants, need regular exposure to darkness to maintain what’s called the circadian rhythm—essentially the body’s internal clock, which governs various bodily functions.” She adds that, “In several studies conducted over the past decade, scientists have found that increased exposure to light at night correlates to higher cancer rates, particularly for those cancers like breast or prostate that require hormones to grow.” (Read Amy’s full article on GOOD, and listen to her radio interview. It starts at about 29:45.)

What I find most fascinating about the recent studies Amy talks about in her article is how closely they intersect with ancient Eastern medicine. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), for example, uninterrupted rest is essential for maintaining good blood and qi—two of the five vital substances that need to be in harmony for optimum health.

From 11 P.M. to 3 A.M., the blood goes into repair mode. According to TCM, the functions of the blood include providing nourishment and moisture to the body. It is also the material foundation of the mind, and resides within the yin, which has a relationship with all bodily fluids. In addition, the hours of 3 A.M. to 7 A.M.  are crucial for qi. Qi is our primary life force, and it not only gives us our vitality, but also the flow of qi helps bring nutrients to our tissues and boosts our immune function.

The connection: Exposure to light—from cell phones, computer screens, your TV, etc.—disrupts these natural cycles creating imbalances that make you more susceptible to disease-causing external pathogens. So it seems regardless of whether you take an Eastern or Western stance on your personal health, it’s important to turn the lights off at night, and embrace the dark. 

Eat Well, Feel Better

Join a CSA and feel good about your food.
(Photo © istockphoto/jasmina007)

Ever since Matthew and I joined Eatwell Farm CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), every other Wednesday is like Christmas. It’s the day we pick up our CSA box down the street, flip through recipe books, and plan meals for the next two weeks.

It feels good to know exactly where our food is coming from. We know where the farm is (Dixon, California), who runs it (Nigel and Lorraine), and who’s in charge of planting and harvesting the crops (Jose and his crew). There is also the satisfaction of knowing we’re part of a community that is helping to provide a local organic family farm with a dependable revenue stream to protect them from being beat out by some large-scale, less environmentally friendly agriculture giant. Plus, on top of all that goodness, the food looks and tastes better! I especially love that when I pull carrots out of the box, they still have the green leaves on top and some soil on the roots. I’m pretty sure it’s the closest I’m going to get to picking it myself.

The funny thing is, Matthew and I used to be packaged food junkies. Crispy mandarin chicken from Trader Joe’s and Amy’s burritos were permanent fixtures in our freezer. These days the contents of our kitchen reflect the season. Today’s box, for example, had lemons, oranges, tangerines, parsley, spinach, chard, cauliflower, green garlic, leeks, apples, carrots, and red cabbage. Sure, it takes a little more thought to figure out how to prepare and eat all the fruit and veggies, but that’s the fun part. Have you had spicy, crispy, carrot fries recently? YUM!

Find out more about CSAs at Local Harvest. And if you don’t live within Eatwell Farm’s delivery zone, use the Local Harvest map to find a CSA near you.

What Your Tongue Says About You

Tongue diagnosis is an important part of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
(Photo © istockphoto/sdominick)

I started an Introduction to Oriental Medicine class at Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine College in Berkeley a couple months ago, and it has led to an ongoing obsession with tongues.

Tongue diagnosis is one of the primary methods of examination in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Your tongue tells all—what you’ve been eating, how you’ve been feeling emotionally, and how well your organs and other bodily functions are doing. If you’re in tip-top shape, your tongue will be smooth, moist, bright, pink, and firm.  It will fit comfortably in your mouth and will have a thin white coating on top that’s sheer enough to let the pink peek through. However, if you’re not doing so well, it will also show on your tongue.  For instance, if you have a cold or flu, your tongue may be red at the tip with a thicker yellow or white coat on top. Or if you’re really stressed, your tongue may start to tremble when you stick it out.

While I could go on and on about my fascination with tongues, instead, I urge you to take a look at yours. What color is it? Are there any cracks or spots? (Cracks and spots are not normal, by the way.) What does the coating look like? Does your tongue look different at different times of the day? Does it look different when you’re feeling overworked versus when you’re feeling relaxed? (This chart is a good cheat sheet.) 

Ultimately, the path to well-being involves being able to recognize when you're not doing so well. Your tongue is a great place to start.   

Salt That’s Good For You

A salt room at Halo/Air Salt Rooms in New York City.
(Photo © Maria Wakem)

Low sodium. Less salt. No salt. Check out food labels at your local supermarket, and you’ll realize that we’ve been conditioned to think that salt is bad. Of course, anything in excess can have harmful health effects. But if the salt room therapy trend is any indication, salt can be good for you, too.

What It Is: Salt room therapy, also known as halo therapy dates back to the 1800s when Polish doctor Felix Boczkowski noticed that people with pulmonary and respiratory ailments found relief by breathing in the air in Eastern European salt mines. Modern-day salt rooms typically recreate the atmosphere of the salt mines by using machines to pump dry salt aerosol into climate-controlled rooms.

How It Works: Salt has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have shown that when the salt particles are breathed in, they can help absorb bacteria and clear mucus, easing respiratory problems like asthma, allergies, and bronchitis. The salt mist in the room is also charged with the same negative ions you find by the ocean, resulting in a state of calm similar to the one you feel when you breathe in salty air at the beach.

What It’s Not: An instant cure-all. If you’re suffering from asthma or severe allergies and you're expecting to walk out entirely better, this is not the therapy for you. It takes a series of sessions for salt room therapy to actually work, and depending on how your body reacts to it, the effects can be as subtle as clearer sinuses or a feeling of relaxation.

Where To Find It:  The Spa at Aria, Aria Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, NV; The Salt Room, Orlando, FL; Halo/Air Salt Rooms, New York, NY (Temporarily Closed)

3 Beauty Products You Can Eat

Kimberly Parry and me at Montage Laguna Beach, where she created seasonal spa treatments.
(Photo © Maria Wakem)

Kimberly Parry is widely recognized in the spa and organic beauty world for her namesake line of natural, preservative-free, made-to-order face, bath, and body products. (I personally can’t live without her Learn to Love It Kit, which cleared my post-pubescent pimples for good.)

While Parry is oh-so-passionate about her products, perhaps what I love most about her is that she’s equally passionate about things you can use even if you don’t buy her products. Here are 3 great tips she shared with me on how to swap everyday beauty essentials with edible ingredients from your kitchen:

Beauty Essential: Makeup Remover  

Natural Substitute: Organic Olive Oil         

Beauty Bonus: Olive oil gets rid of makeup and doesn’t clog your pores.

Beauty Essential: Facial Serum

Natural Substitute: 1/2 Fresh Orange (Squeeze it into 1 cup of cool water.)

Beauty Bonus: Orange is a great exfoliant with the added benefit of Vitamin C.

Beauty Essential: Hydrating Masque

Natural Substitute: Organic Honey

Beauty Bonus: Just slather it on your face and leave on for 20 minutes. It’s a little messy, but it smells (and tastes) better than packaged masques.

Vegan Vacation in Mendocino

The vegetable and herb garden at Stanford Inn By the Sea.
(Photo © Maria Wakem)

Have you ever come home from a vacation feeling like you need to go on one? Too much food, too much wine, not enough sleep. It makes returning to reality—especially work—really hard to do. I swore off vacations like that after one left me bloated and eight pounds heavier a few years ago. So now I’m always on the lookout for getaways that will leave me feeling good. And I just found one.

My husband Matthew and I recently had the pleasure of being guinea pigs for Stanford Inn By the Sea’s  Vegan Getaway. During our two-night stay, we had a nutrition class with Sid Garza Hillman, helped plant fennel in the resort’s vegetable and herb garden, learned to cook our own gourmet vegan meal, and sat outside admiring the scenic Mendocino views.

To be clear, the getaway was less about becoming a vegan, and more about eating wholesome, locally sourced, organic food. There were no lectures about animal rights and no pamphlets to make you feel guilty about eating that steak the other night. Ultimately, it was about learning why you should care about the health effects of the food you're putting into your body and why you should care where your food comes from.

If you're searching for something different to do one weekend, save your "Where do you get your protein?" questions for Sid, and give it a shot.