Spa Girl gives a shout out for National Heart Health month

February is all about hearts.  Cupid's delightful Valentine's Day, where I hope you headed to the spa for a chocolate facial or fabulous couples massage; and February is also National Heart Health month,

Together, heart disease and stroke remain the principal causes of adult deaths and unhealthy behaviours places everyone at risk of developing cardiovascular disease, hypertension and strokes. A shocking four out of five Canadians over the age of 20 have at least one risk factor for heart disease or stroke--and that is four to many!

If you haven't already done so, it is definitely time to change our habits in order to live longer, happier and healthier!  And while it seems simple enough, it is hard to break old patterns, but do it for your heart!  So, get active, eat healthy, preferably organic balanced meals because a healthy diet equals a healthy heart, if you smoke, STOP, keep your blood pressure in check, maintain a healthy weight for your age and build, reduce stress, meditate, and limit how much alcohol you drink.

 

Moderation, moderation, moderation!

The Mayo Clinic, some of the most respected health professionals suggest eight steps in taking care of your heart. 

1. Control your portion size--How much you eat is just as important as what you eat.

2. Eat more vegetables and fruits--Vegetables and fruits are good sources of vitamins and minerals. Vegetables and fruits are also low in calories and rich in dietary fibre.

3. Select whole grains--Whole grains are good sources of fiber and other nutrients that play a role in regulating blood pressure and heart health. 

4. Limit unhealthy fats and cholesterol--Limiting how much saturated and trans fats you eat is an important step to reduce your blood cholesterol and lower your risk of coronary artery disease. 

5. Choose low-fat protein sources--Lean meat, poultry and fish, low-fat dairy products, and egg whites or egg substitutes are some of your best sources of protein.
6. Reduce the sodium in your food--Eating a lot of sodium can contribute to high blood pressure, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease 

7. Plan ahead: Create daily menus--Create daily menus using the six strategies listed above. When selecting foods for each meal and snack, emphasize vegetables, fruits and whole grains. 

8. Allow yourself an occasional treat--Allow yourself an indulgence every now and then. 

The link below from the Mayo Clinic staff provides  important details surrounded these eight points, and offers suggestions on what to eat, the best oils to use and many other worth-while initiatives to maintain your heart health.

Enjoy February, spring is just around the corner and remember to remind yourself everyday that good health and beauty are no accident--you need to be diligent, because as the old adage goes... If you haven't got your health, then you haven't got anything.

The good news, generally you can turn the ship around by following these great suggestions on heart health.

By Mayo Clinic staff

Although you might know that eating certain foods can increase your heart disease risk, it's often tough to change your eating habits. Whether you have years of unhealthy eating under your belt or you simply want to fine-tune your diet, here are eight heart-healthy diet tips. Once you know which foods to eat more of and which foods to limit, you'll be on your way toward a heart-healthy diet.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-healthy-diet/NU00196

Public Health Agency of Canada

www.publichealth.gc.ca

http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/cd-mc/cvd-mcv/heart-coeur/index-eng.php

Heart Healthy Lesson Plans provide elementary teachers with a resource which promotes participation in physical activity. Each plan is tailored for a specific grade, from kindergarten to grade eight, with suitable lessons and activities for kids of all ages.

http://www.heartandstroke.on.ca/site/c.pvI3IeNWJwE/b.5115339/k.F062/Healthy_Kids__Heart_Healthy_Lesson_Plans.htm

Spa Girl continues her quest for Safe and Clean Cosmetics

It has long been said you are what you eat and the signs of good health, as our mom's and their mom's before them used to tell us, are healthy skin, shimmering hair and rose-coloured cheeks.

What we eat is equally important to what we put on our skin as many products contain chemicals and additives we should be avoiding.

I have blogged many times on achieving The Perfect Face and cautioned of the need to beware of certain additives and always, whenever possible, purchase organic products.

This week a fabulous book arrived in the mail titled NO MORE DIRTY LOOKS by Siobhan O'Connor and Alexandra Spunt extolling the truth about your beauty products and the ultimate guide to safe and clean cosmetics.

The book is an important wake-up call.  We need pay close attention to the ingredients in skin and hair products and be aware than many contain toxic ingredients that should be avoided.  After spending thousands of hours digging up facts not widely promoted by the beauty industry the authors carefully outline that safe and healthy alternatives can co-exist.

So if you are interested in making smart decisions about your overall well-being, and let's face it, who isn't, this is a must read!

Get Proactive Spa Girls...

Safe Cosmetics

wwwsafecosmetics.org

NO MORE DIRTY LOOKS BLOG

http://nomoredirtylooks.com/

The Story of Cosmetics

http://www.storyofstuff.org/movies-all/story-of-cosmetics//

Buy the Book

http://www.amazon.ca/More-Dirty-Looks-Products-Cosmetics/dp/0738213969

Spa Girl rings in the New Year at Le7Ke Spa

Quaaout Lodge Main Lobby

Mount Peter and Paul, Kamloops British Columbia

After a few weeks exploring the California coast, a number of spas and a week in Palm Desert which included a fabulous day at Two Bunch Palms my sister and I headed back to the chilly winter which had settled into the interior of British Columbia.  

We spent Christmas in a winter wonderland at my brother's ranch and after a pretty lazy week, we started to prepare for a New Year's celebration at the renowned Quaaout Lodge and;Talking Rock Golf Course and their new Le7Ke Spa.  We were there to celebrate the ringing in of the New Year at the wedding of a dear friend.

Le7Ke Spa pronounced La--(pause)--Ka meaning "I am good" in the Secwepmc (Shuswap) language has been in operation just over a year and I have had it on my Spa radar to visit, so this was ideal. As part of the complex, the Spa also offers an Aqua-fit Water Fitness program in the pool.

Known as the "Land of the Great Spirit" Quaaout Lodge is owned and operated by the Little Shuswap Band.  The lodge is located on the beautiful shores of Little Shuswap Lake with panoramic views of the Lake, snow-capped mountains, and many natural scenic wonders including an abundance of wildlife.  In the summer the flora and fauna of the area are a photographers dream and while I am not a golfer, I gather it is a golfers paradise.  It literally leaves you breathless!  

The Spa "welcomes you for some serious pampering with a philosophy of Holistic Wellness" and offers an array of treatment options for both men and women.  Le7Ke has also created its own line of skin care products with First Nations principals in mind whereby many of the ingredients are certified organic and grown under organic conditions without the use of synthetic preservatives and fertilizers. They also use Julia Lawless Aqua Oleum pure essential oils.

What they say...

Quaaout Lodge and Le7Ke Spa offers you a place of holistic renewal and rejuvenation in a setting of complete tranquillity.  

A sense of well-being is enhanced by infusing First Nations medicine with today's spa modalities.

Our “Philosophy of Purity” includes clean energy sources, eco-friendly manufacturing, fair trade ingredients, recyclable materials and cruelty-free practices. Our products are free of Parabens and synthetic preservatives, animal products, GMOs (genetically modified organisms). 

Le7ke Spa products are good for your skin and good for the planet! 

"Aqua Oleum is a company with a long history, starting with Julia’s late mother Kerttu, a Finnish biochemist.  Kerttu studied essential oils and had a lifelong interest in herbs, as did her mother before her. Family knowledge goes back at least three generations and our interest in essential oils pre-dates the advent of Aromatherapy in the UK by many years."

Of the many treatments offered including: Facials, Manicures, Pedicures, Massage, Exfoliation, Body Wraps, Makeup Application, Infrared Sauna, Vichy Shower and hydrotherapy treatments, I opted to end the year in style and enjoy five hours having the ultimate Shea butter salt scrub and Vichy shower (50 minutes $89), relaxation massage which included the use of hot stones (50 minutes $89 / 80 minutes $125) and wrapped up with a classic facial (80 minutes $139).

The Spa's Vichy shower is absolutely stunning; the newest technology in a seven-headed shower system with a table that was especially crafted for Le7ke in the shape of a fish and made in Australia out of a beautifully designed solid and slatted wood drainage system.  It was the first Vichy shower I have ever had--and I have had many--where I didn't feel Iike I was going to drown. The Shea butter salt scrub left my skin feeling total soft, gently ex-foliated and ready for the heavenly Aqua Oleum essential oils used for my massage treatment.  As for the facial, my face was glowing after, however, by the time the therapist started on my face I was fast asleep and entertaining her with the music of my elegant (I hope) soft snoring.

Le7ke Spa is very tastefully designed and laid out in a modest space, with First Nations art decorating the walls, specially designed doors to the treatment rooms, top quality sterilization equipment, rich robes and towels and simple spa shoes.  Being the spa girl that I am, I always bring my own robe, foot wear and of course a linen towel.

Happy New Year everyone. May 2013 be kind to all of us, and that we take the time to look after ourselves, and that means of course, a regular agenda of Spa visits.

Check out the Quaaout Lodge & Talking Rock Golf Course and Le7Ke Spa

http://quaaoutlodge.com/

Hot Stone Massage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtDh985Wv5U

What is a Vichy Shower

http://spas.about.com/od/bodytreatments/a/vichy.htm

Julia Lawless pure essential oils

http://www.aqua-oleum.co.uk/

Spa Girl enjoys the lead up to Christmas @ Two Bunch Palms Resort & Spa

The "Grotto" at Two Bunch Palms

Quite literally an oasis in the desert the renowned Two Bunch Palms has a fabulously interesting history.  Located on the geological fault at Miracle Hill with its life-sustaining artesian mineral well, it was inhabited  by First Peoples for thousands of years, prior to the building of a get-away retreat for the notorious Al Capone. 

Enticed by the magical allure of the mineral waters, natural beauty and the therapeutic relaxation,  many guests including celebrities needing a much needed escape  have come to make their spiritual mark on Two Bunch Palms Resort & Spa.

Fondly called two Bunch, it is located in Desert Hot Springs, California and is nestled in a unique location that is sacred because of the natural elements.  Home to one of the hottest artesian mineral wells in the country, it is quiet (whisper only) and respectful atmosphere, offers renowned treatments in its very humble Spa facility dedicated to contemplation and rejuvenation.  You can also expect gourmet dining, yoga meditation, various water activities including watsu, qi gong, mud baths and of course the Grotto where you can just float about in the healing waters.

Whisper Only Policy @ Two Bunch

Dr. Augustus Broue, a native of Australia and master metallurgist, chemist, geologist and physicist, visited Desert Hot Springs in 1938. Dr. Broue had spent many years traveling around the world analyzing naturally occurring curative waters. The following statement was made by Dr. Broue after analyzing the waters found beneath Desert Hot Springs:

"I made an investigation of the waters found in Desert Hot Springs, also the soil and geological formations. From the analysis of these waters, I have not found the like of them in any country I have explored…. It would appear to have qualities far superior to any waters known to me. Under proper directions, Desert Hot Springs could become a very important health center."

Situated on 56 acres you are invited to take hikes, borrow a bike and go for a ride, or walk the many trails and photograph the various wildlife, fragrant plants and majestic mountain views. The property also supports several tennis courts, an outdoor pool,  barbecue area, dry sauna and tee time at several local golf courses.

What they have to say about the healing waters...

From the cradle of time deep within the Coachella Valley, nature created one of the hottest mineral wells in the world. These famed waters of health emerge from the Earth at 148 degrees Fahrenheit and descend from the geological fault at Miracle Hill to the mineral springs and resort of Two Bunch Palms. It is here at our world-renowned resort that the mineral waters cascade into a temperature-controlled grotto with two pool areas carved from stone. The smaller pool maintains a temperature of 104 degrees while the larger pool is a steady and constant 99 degrees. We are proud to have one of the few mineral pools with no sulfurous odor, simply a woodsy scent that is reminiscent of a long-lost era. A canopy of trees filters the desert sun during the day but allows for the shimmer of moonlight and sparkle of stars to shine on the waters of The Grotto. Whether shared as a romantic indulgence or solitary pleasure, The Grotto at midnight is a heavenly delight. 

The main Spa is located in a very humble building and offers more than 50 unique and soothing treatments to select from.  All the therapists are highly qualified some being at Two Bunch for over 25 years.  There are also several outdoor treatment gazebos to river rock alcoves, outdoor showers, mud cabanas and newly renovated facial rooms.

Casino Restaurant

Two Bunch Palms Resort and; Spa has been recognized many times: Spa Finders Readers Choice Awards: 2007, 2008, Spa Magazine's Silver Sage Readers Choice Awards: 2007, 2008, and one of Ten Greatest Places to Relax Your Mind and Body by USA Today: November 2008.

Two Bunch Palms also welcomes day guests and I opted for their fabulous World Away Spa Day package, available from Sunday to Friday for $165.00 per person and Saturdays for $185.00 (retail value $215.00).   This amazing package includes one 60 minute Spa Treatment (choose from 12 different treatments.) with Day Spa Fee waived, 15% gratuity for spa treatment, $15 credit for lunch in the Casino Restaurant and unlimited soaking in the "Grotto".  I opted for the Mud Bath/Poultice and added a personalized facial for an additional $99.00.

After a day at Two Bunch not only was I relaxed and rejuvenated, but I felt detoxed, and oddly thinner!  

I would like to extend a very special thank you to Ana Davis who took care of me with such grace and style. 

Two Bunch Palms Resort and; Spa website

http://www.twobunchpalms.com/the-resort.htm

Take a tour

http://www.twobunchpalms.com/virtual-tour.htm

Spa Girl enjoys a Warm Stone Massage @ the Morgan

Hearst Castle, San Simeon, California

Just minutes from the historic Hearst Castle where my sister and I spent the day, nestled along one of my  favourite coastal drives is the Morgan at San Simeon.  A lovely boutique-style  hotel with a warmth and personality all its own.  

Serving as a midpoint between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the Morgan at San Simeon is convenient not only when visiting Hearst Castle, but all the wineries in Paso Robles.  Named after renowned architect Julia Morgan, who in 1919 designed Hearst Castle.

The Morgan at San Simeon Hotel

http://www.hotel-morgan.com/san-simeon-hotel

San Simeon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-BiPBe6pZY&feature=player_embedded

The Legacy of Julia Morgan...

American architect Julia Morgan designed over 700 buildings in the state of California, 100 in Hawaii and multiple buildings for institutions serving women and girls. 

Born in San Francisco and raised in Oakland, Morgan was one of the first woman to graduate from University of California Berkley with a degree in civil engineering. Morgan worked on several buildings on the Berkeley campus, including the decorative elements for the Hearst Mining Building and the Hearst Greek Theater. She is the first woman to receive a certificate in architecture from Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. 

In 1904, Miss Morgan opened her own architectural firm and quickly established herself as a fine residential architect. Within no time she secured a number of commissions in the Piedmont, Claremont and Berkeley neighborhoods. 

Julia  Morgan is perhaps best known as the mastermind behind Hearst Castle, also known as La Cuesta Encantada, which overlooks the San Simeon harbor. She was handpicked by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearts for this particular project, which proved to be her largest and most complex. As impressive today as the day it opened, Hearst Castle is now a National Historic Landmark and the pinnacle of Julia Morgan's genius. 

Other notable projects by Julia Morgan include: the rebuilding of the Fairmont Hotel after the 1906 earthquake, the Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, California, and a series of YMCA buildings throughout California, Hawaii and Utah. Julia Morgan retired in the early 1950's and led a quiet life until her passing in 1957.

History of Hearst Castle...

In 1865, George Hearst, a wealthy miner, purchased 40,000-acres of California ranchland that included the Mexican Ranchos of Piedras Blancas, San Simeon and Santa Rosa. 

In 1919, his only son, William Randolph Hearst, inherited the land from his mother, Phoebe Apperson Hearst. By then the ranch had grown to encompass 250,000 acres. 

 Originally known as “Camp Hill,” its wilderness offered a place for family members and friends to “rough it” on camping trips. Despite elaborate arrangements with separate sleeping and dining tents, Hearst envisioned more comfortable accommodations. His simple instructions to famed San Francisco architect Julia Morgan in 1919: “Miss Morgan, we are tired of camping out in the open at the ranch in San Simeon and I would like to build a little something”

Hearst and Morgan’s collaboration was destined to become one of the world’s greatest attractions and showplaces. As they were planning and constructing his dream home in the Central Coast of California, Hearst renamed the rocky perch from which it rose “La Cuesta Encantada” – The Enchanted Hill. By 1947, Hearst and Morgan had created an estate of 165 rooms and 127 acres of gardens, terraces, pools and walkways. 

The estate’s magnificent main house, “Casa Grande,” and three guest houses are of Mediterranean Revival style, while the imposing towers of Casa Grande were inspired by a Spanish cathedral. The blending of the architectural style with the surrounding land, and Hearst’s superb European and Mediterranean art collection, was so seamless that world-renowned architectural historian, Lord John Julius Norwich, was moved to say that “Hearst Castle is a palace in every sense of the word.”

Visit Hearst Castle

http://www.hearstcastle.org/

Over the years many guests have visited Hearst Castle including: Lionel and John Barrymore, Charlie Chaplin, Gary Cooper, Joan Crawford, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Errol Flynn, Clark Gable, Greta Garbo, Cary Grant, Jean Harlow, Buster Keaton, Carole Lombard, Harpo Marx, Louis B. Mayer, David Niven, Mary Pickford, Dick Powell, Barbara Stanwyck, Irving Thalberg, Jack Warner

It was an marvellous day which I wrapped up with the Morgan's Hot Stone Massage.  

The RMT who took great care of me was Cindy Noble, a skilled practitioner who moved to San Simeon from LA to enjoy a more quiet and less frantic lifestyle.  Cindy works as an animal rescue worker, and attends to Spa appointments primarily in the evenings. 

If you are planning a visit, make sure to ask to have Cindy for your evening massage and check out their relaxing Morgan Massage Treat which includes:

• One night stay in your choice of room
• Two 60-minute "The Morgan" signature massages
• One bottle of red or white wine from Harmony Cellars, local favorites!
• Two souvenir logoed wine glasses
• Free continental breakfast, parking and Wi-Fi

The Morgan is by no means a full Spa, it is one room offering both traditional and modern massage therapies designed to eliminate tension and energize: warm stone therapy, relaxing and deep tissue massages, facial massages, hand and foot massages or reflexology.  They also offer a couples massage, all to revitalize both body and mind.  

What I liked is their 30-minute enhancement to any service, offered for $45. 

 If I had known just how skilled Cindy was, I would have added on several other treatments!

Massage Services at the Morgan at San Simeon Hotel

http://www.hotel-morgan.com/san-simeon-hotel-massage