Author: Joni Sweet

Categories
Nosh Nutrition x Advice

Asked And Answered: What Is Holistic Nutrition?

So you want to eat healthier, but you’re not exactly sure how. You can start at [linkbuilder id=”6523″ text=”the food pyramid”] (not a bad resource, but influence from industry lobbyists makes it far from objective). Then there’s the endless array of food philosophies—raw, plant-based, paleo, ketogenic—each of which come with its own caveats, promises, and ideal meals. But where does that leave everything else that goes along with [linkbuilder id=”6524″ text=”food choices”], like your lifestyle, your health, and your values?
Enter holistic nutrition, a philosophy that takes a broader approach to healthy eating. It’s rooted in the idea that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to finding an effective diet. Rather, it aims to help people build a healthy relationship with food that takes into account their personal preferences, spiritual beliefs, health needs, and lifestyle choices.
“Holistic nutrition looks at the body as a whole rather than individual pieces, and we try to address root causes, rather than offer band-aid solutions, to help people rebuild their relationship with food from the ground up,” explains Emily Gough, a registered holistic nutritionist.
Wondering whether holistic nutrition can have a positive impact on your health? Read on to learn more about this whole-person approach to eating and how it can apply to your life.

What is holistic nutrition?

There are countless voices out there telling us what to eat to look and feel our best. But is there really just one approach that can work for everyone? Well, yes and no. Holistic nutrition can apply to anyone’s life for a very unique reason: It treats every single person as an individual and aims to develop eating plans that fit their personal lifestyles, whether they love to spend hours in the kitchen or they’re always on the go.
“One thing conventional approaches to nutrition tend to ignore is the psychological side to eating,” says Gough. “Holistic nutrition takes everything into account when looking at the impact food has on our bodies and how it affects us emotionally.”
The goals of holistic nutrition aren’t necessarily to help you go down in dress size or to put you on a very restrictive eating plan. Rather, holistic nutritionists believe that the path to optimum health through food will vary for every individual and that the goal of any healthy diet should be to help you feel your best.
“Holistic nutritionists look at big-picture health issues and how you’re eating. They’ll help you determine what’s working for you in your unique body and what isn’t. It’s about taking the time and putting in the effort to really determine what’s going to work best for you as an individual,” says Gough.
It’s not about being perfect or dropping a certain amount of weight each week—instead, it focuses on building sustainable eating habits that will improve how you feel while helping you meet your goals.

Applying Holistic Nutrition to Your Life

Think holistic nutrition is the right approach for you? The best way to get started is by working with a qualified holistic nutritionist. Set up an appointment with a professional who has a holistic nutrition degree or certification. Generally speaking, health insurance doesn’t cover holistic nutrition counseling—so check with your benefits provider to see exactly what your plan offers and whether you should expect to pay out of pocket for services.
Your first holistic nutrition consultation will go in depth into your health history, eating habits, and goals, taking about 60 to 90 minutes.
“I have a full intake form that goes through everything from how you’re sleeping to your stress levels. I want to get to know you, too, so I’ll ask about your relationship, your work, and your health. Most importantly, I want to understand why you’re coming to see me and what your goals are,” explains Gough.
The most common goals for people seeing a holistic nutrition consultant are to lose weight, sleep better, and reduce stress. Your nutritionist will certainly keep those specific goals in mind but will likely approach them from the broader perspective of helping you feel your best and build a healthy diet that you can sustain long-term.
“Even for someone who wants to lose weight, I try to get them to refocus their energy on improving their overall health and building a healthy lifestyle. A lot of people have gone through life with food making them feel a certain way for so long that they have no idea how good they could feel if they made some changes,” says Gough.
After a holistic nutritionist understands what you’re hoping to achieve, they’ll then suggest specific changes to your diet and lifestyle that take your preferences into account. For example, if you absolutely hate cruciferous vegetables, your holistic nutritionist is not going to suggest adding steamed broccoli to every meal as the change wouldn’t be sustainable long term. If you already adhere to a particular food philosophy, they might encourage you to become a little more flexible to see if it improves your well-being.
“If someone’s eating a totally vegan diet and we’re doing what we can to sustain that, but she’s still feeling really crappy after a while, I may suggest adding a little bit of fish or an egg to see if it improves her health,” says Gough. “It’s great to have a value system, but you have to look at how your individual body will react.”
For holistic nutrition to be a success, you need to approach it with an open mind. Your holistic nutritionist will suggest making gradual adjustments to your diet during weekly meetings (either in person or by phone) over the course of three to four months. They might also ask you to document your transition to a holistic nutrition diet through food journals, mood trackers, and sleep logs to better understand how what you’re eating is affecting your overall health.
“Our measurement for success is whatever your specific goal is. There’s no single approach to holistic nutrition, and the way you get there will be tailored to the individual,” says Gough. “We need to see what’s working for you, and you need to be honest with your holistic nutritionist.”

Interested in becoming a holistic nutritionist?

Perhaps you’ve always had a passion for health and wellness, and you’ve found that holistic nutrition has improved your life so much that you’re ready to spread the good word to others. How do you become a holistic nutritionist?
The path varies depending on your background and location. In general, it’s a good idea to undergo formal nutrition education, such as by earning a bachelor of science in nutrition. Then, you can enroll in a holistic nutrition certification program.
For Gough, that meant attending the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition. The National Association of Nutrition Professionals also offers a list of holistic nutrition programs that can help get you trained in this field. Holistic nutrition training takes one to two years and will include science- and nutrition-based coursework, along with requirements to conduct case studies on real people. Once you earn your holistic nutrition certification, you’ll be able to pursue a license to offer your services in your particular state or country.
So after all that training, how much can a holistic nutritionist expect to make in a year? That’s a tough question to answer, says Gough.
“Salaries for holistic nutrition professionals vary widely, depending on what you’re willing to put into your business and how you go about it. Most people start at about $100 an hour, and that would only increase as you gain experience and undergo additional training. But as for your annual salary, it depends on how many hours you choose to work each week,” she says.
Overall, holistic nutrition can be a comfortable, fulfilling career option for people who are deeply interested in helping others adopt healthy lifestyles.
Whether you use it to improve your own life or go on to offer counseling to others, holistic nutrition aims to give people the tools and habits they need to develop life-long health and wellness. The idea is to find food solutions that work for your mind and body on an ongoing basis—and sometimes that means allowing for the occasional cupcake or cocktail.

Categories
No Gym Required Sweat

How To Show Your Body Some Love With Strength Training

Cardio has dominated women’s workout routines for decades. For far too long, we’ve been so focused on aerobics classes and treadmill marathons that many of us have neglected another critical part of exercise: strength training.
Heads up, ladies: Strong is the new sexy. That goes for everyone, from competitive bodybuilders and athletes to fitness newbies. Not only are powerful, toned muscles attractive, but getting them through strength training provides some serious benefits for both mind and body.
If you’re worried about getting too bulky, don’t be. Just because you lift some weights doesn’t mean you’ll leave the gym looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger—unless you want to, in which case, kudos to you!
“If you start strength training, you will build muscle, you will get toned, but you can’t get bulky unless you’re spending hours and hours at the gym specifically training for that,” explains Mara Marek, a certified trainer at New York Health & Racquet Club who specializes in endurance and strength training.
Are you ready to start lifting your way to improved health and self-confidence? We sat down with Marek to put together a handy guide to strength training, chock full of expert advice about getting started, mistakes to avoid, and exercises you can do right at home.

So…what is strength training?

Strength training—that’s the workout where you throw a bunch of heavy weights on a barbell, death grip it with two hands, start to lift, and hope for the best, right? Well, not exactly.
As Marek explains, “Strength training is any sort of exercise that encourages contraction of your muscles with a little resistance. It can include dumbbells, resistance bands, or anything that works your muscular system, including your body weight.”
Strength training complements other types of exercise, such as aerobics, by keeping your body strong and healthy. But instead of focusing on keeping your heart rate up, strength training is about challenging your muscles and sculpting your physique.
Many women resist picking up a dumbbell out of fear their muscles will get too large. While big biceps aren’t a bad thing, you won’t get them with a regular strength training program. Instead, you can expect to feel stronger, have more defined muscles, and enhance your overall body composition. Plus, you’ll reap other less visible (but no less valuable) health benefits.  

Why Women Should Strength Train

Only about 18 percent of women say they meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation of 2.5 hours of aerobic exercise and two strength training sessions each week. But why exactly should women incorporate strength training exercises into their workout routines?
Obviously, the main physical benefit of strength training is its effect on your muscle mass. The natural aging process depletes our muscle mass over time. Strength training can help preserve it, keeping you fit and active for life. Forcing your bones to bear weight also helps them stay healthy and ward off osteoporosis—a common problem in aging women.
If weight loss is one of your fitness goals, know that strength training can also help you see a healthier number on the scale.
“While aerobics burns calories while you’re doing it, strength training helps you burn calories over time by increasing your metabolic rate,” explains Marek.
When it comes to investing in your mental health, lifting weights might also boost your mood. A study published in June 2018 reported that resistance training was associated “with a significant reduction in depressive symptoms.” And like all exercises, strength training gives you a boost of endorphins that can make you feel great.
“Women put themselves through a lot, from stress and lack of sleep. Strength training can help counteract that,” says Marek. “It will help you tackle each and every day so much better.”

Getting Started With Strength Training

There’s a learning curve for every type of exercise, and strength training is no different. You’ll need to start by getting familiar with the equipment in the weight room at your gym (a personal trainer can help!) or by picking up some at-home gear.
“I recommend picking up some adjustable weight dumbbells, resistance bands (light, medium, and heavy), and a foam roller, which can be a great thing for helping your muscles recover,” says Marek.
There are two schools of thought when it comes to strength training: one that prioritizes focusing on a different body part each day (you’ve probably heard people say “Today’s leg day!” as they head to the gym) and another that opts to condition the whole body every time, which Marek recommends starting out with. So how often should you plan to pick up the weights?
“It depends on how often you’re committing yourself to a workout plan,” explains Marek. “In order to stay motivated, I suggest doing a full-body program two or three times per week to get started, and progress from there so you’re not overly sore or tired.”
Don’t go for the heaviest weight or toughest resistance band when you’re starting out, though—you’ll just end up hurting yourself. You can start by using just your bodyweight, and slowly incorporate light-to-medium weight dumbbells and moderate resistance bands. As you build strength over a couple of months and the equipment you used early on starts to feel easy, kick it up a notch. Remember—strength training is a marathon, not a sprint.
“Always focus on progressing and challenging your body. You can add an extra pound each week until it starts to feel difficult again,” says Marek. “Your body gets used to stuff over time, and then those exercises are less effective.”

Strength training is all about form.

Without proper form, the effort you’re putting into strength training could be going to waste—and you’ll be risking injury every time you lift.
“I like to work on core engagement to start,” says Marek. “That will help you stay stable and protected.”
When you move into the strength training exercises, practice standing up straight (core muscles help with this!) with your shoulders, hips, and feet in one long line. Your eyes should be focused on the horizon—looking down could strain your shoulders—and your knees should be in line with your ankle and second toe. Many people make the mistake of turning their feet in or out and bending their knees too far, which puts strain on the joints.
The right form will change slightly for each strength training exercise. It’s worth brushing up on exactly how to position your body by watching some YouTube videos or even working with a personal trainer.
Form isn’t just about what you do with your body, though—it can lead to making healthy lifestyle choices as well.
“Get enough rest and eat a healthy diet. If you’re approaching strength training correctly, you should start to see results in three to four weeks, especially in your abs,” says Marek.

At-Home Strength Training Exercises for Beginners

Ready to give strength training a try? Here are four trainer-approved moves that will start to challenge your muscles. (And you can do them right at home!)

Leg Lunge

Stand up straight with your arms at your sides, a dumbbell in each hand, and your palms facing in toward your legs. Step forward with your left leg and bend your knee so that your thigh is as close to parallel with the ground as possible and your back knee is slightly bent. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other leg for a total of 5 to 10 reps on each side. Do this exercise for 3 to 4 sets.

Lateral Lunge

Start in the same position as you did for the leg lunge. Lift your left leg and take a step to your left, pushing your hips back and gently bringing the weights downward in front of your body. Bend your left knee until your thigh is parallel with the ground. Return to the starting position, then repeat on the opposite leg, performing the motion 5 to 10 times each side. You could strap a resistance band around your ankles to make the move harder. Do this exercise for 3 to 4 sets.

Shoulder Press

Stand on your knees, keeping them roughly hip-width apart with your back straight. Grab a dumbbell in each hand, then create a goalpost with your arms. Your elbows will be bent 90 degrees and your wrists and palms will face forward. Bring your arms straight overhead until they’re extended and your dumbbells are close together. Pause, then bring your arms back to your goalpost position. Repeat 10 to 12 times. Do this exercise for 2 to 3 sets.

Renegade Row

Start in a push-up position, but instead of having your hands on the ground, place two dumbbells on the floor in line with your shoulders and grip them with your hands. Lower yourself down to perform a push-up, taking care to keep your back straight. When you come back up, lift the left weight up about halfway toward your body and bend your elbow at 45 degrees so your upper arm is in line with your back. Bring the weight back to the ground. Do the same with your right arm, then repeat the entire exercise 8 to 10 times. Do this exercise for 2 to 3 sets.
As you get more comfortable with strength training, you can increase the challenge by using heavier weights and adding reps to each exercise.

Give your body time to recover.

Recovery is so important if you want to build strong healthy muscles, maintain endurance, and feel your best. It should be as much a priority as lifting when you’re working on strength training. At least two days each week should be reserved for active rest.
But don’t expect to sprawl out on the couch all day when recovering, says Marek.
“You’ll get really stiff if you stop moving. Stay active by doing housework, playing with your dog, and keeping things fun. Don’t forget to [linkbuilder id=”6504″ text=”stay hydrated”],” she says.
You might also experience delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) when you start strength training. If your muscles are feeling sore on recovery days, give them a little extra TLC in the form of foam rolling, ice packs, and warm baths.
Strength training can be demanding on your body when you’re starting out, but stick with it. Lifting the weights gets easier over time, and the payoff is huge for your health.

Categories
Happy x Mindful Wellbeing

What Are Chakras? Understanding The Mystical World of Internal Energy

Chances are pretty good you’ve encountered imagery or descriptions of chakras before—perhaps without even knowing it. At a spa, you may have seen that classic outline of a person resting in lotus pose with the seven rainbow orbs stacked along the center of their body. Or in a yoga class, your instructor might have mentioned a pose intended to reconnect you to your root chakra or open up your heart chakra. Sounds cool, but what are chakras, and how do they influence our lives?
First things first: If you’re looking for hard, physical evidence of chakras, well…it doesn’t exist.
“Dissect a corpse, and you won’t find chakras or nadis—the conduits through which prana energy flows,” explains Susan Shumsky, author of The Power of Chakras: Unlock Your 7 Energy Centers for Healing, Happiness, and Transformation, and Maharishi & Me: Seeking Enlightenment with the Beatles’ Guru. “But that’s because Western science only focuses on your gross physical body, whereas chakras are located in your subtle body. It’s important to realize that this physical world we live in isn’t the only game in town.”
The principal ideas of chakras have helped people stay well, boost their happiness, and get to know themselves for thousands of years (yes, really!). Chakras are part of the foundation of dozens of healing practices including yoga, acupuncture, and reiki. And studying these energy vortexes aims to help you find balance in all areas of your life—creativity, sexuality, emotions, health, discipline, and spirituality. Who can argue with that?

What are chakras?

Those colored balls of energy you see in chakra diagrams look pretty, but they represent ancient ideas that go far beyond aesthetic imagery. Chakras relate to universal issues of humanity that people have strived to understand and address for thousands of years.
The word chakra is rooted in Sanskrit and translates to “wheel” or “disk.” Even though you might find chakra books and accessories in New Age shops, this concept is far from new. It dates back to early Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist traditions. While each philosophy has a slightly different take on chakras, they generally agree that the chakras are vortexes of powerful energies swirling inside of us.
“Chakras are not only physical; they are related to our states of mind, our beliefs, our habits, our conditioning,” explains Shumsky.
In an ideal world, our chakras would be perfectly healthy and we’d be living our best lives all the time. The reality? Our energy centers get blocked by forces like stress, illness, conflict, and loss. That prevents the flow of prana, or vital life-force energy through the body. The chakra system then gets out of whack, causing all sorts of bad juju, health issues, emotional blocks, lack of inspiration—you get the picture. And it can be frustrating!
So how do you unblock your chakras? Whatever you do, don’t bother booking a chakra “balancing” treatment at your local wellness center, warns Shumsky.
“There’s nothing in the ancient scriptures of India that talks about balancing your chakras—there’s really no such thing,” she notes. “Your chakras are either open and prana is flowing well or they’re blocked and closed.”
A blocked chakra is a temporary state that can be resolved with a little TLC. That’s where chakra healers come in. These practitioners understand the finer points of unblocking chakras and can help you restore the healthy flow of prana throughout your body. Techniques will vary depending on exactly who you work with, but you can expect a little meditation, stretching, breathing exercises, and visualizations.
Don’t have access to a chakra healer? Don’t worry—you can work on unblocking your chakras right at home, no experience necessary.
“I don’t think you need to pay someone $100 to $200 an hour to unblock you. I’m a DIY gal, and I have several exercises in my book The Power of Chakras that can help,” says Shumsky. “For example, there’s pranayama breathing exercises, an ancient technique from India, that can help clear your nadis. Even the yoga exercises, called asanas, can help. I have a few healing affirmations in the book, which can be helpful, as well.”
Some people also rely on chakra stones or crystals to help keep their prana flowing.
“They’re extremely powerful and carry the energy of the planets, and those particular planets are associated with the seven major chakras. Each one is associated with a gemstone, so that’s important to know about, and a Vedic astrologer can prescribe the right gemstone for you,” says Shumsky. “You can wear the gemstone around your neck or put it under your pillow at night to experience a profound effect.”
The chakra system can take years to understand—after all, there are actually some 114 energy centers along with 72,000 energy channels throughout our bodies. But learning the seven main chakras, which run from the base of the spine to the crown of the head, may help you get in tune with important areas of your life and build your personal power.
“Each chakra performs a specific function and is related to certain body parts and aspects of mind. Some chakras embody the five elements, days of the week, planets, gemstones, and colors,” says Shumsky.
Here’s a quick overview of these important energy centers and tips on how to unblock your chakras.

What are the seven chakras?

  • [sol title=”Root Chakra” subheader=”Color: Red”]Located at the base of your spine in the coccygeal plexus, the root chakra relates to your organs of elimination and adrenal glands, explains Shumsky. The first chakra is also connected with the basic needs of survival, such as food, shelter, and money. You can tell your root chakra is blocked if you show signs of aggression, experience deep anxiety about basic survival, or feel a restrictive need to avoid spending money, she adds.
  • [sol title=”Pelvic Chakra” subheader=”Color: Orange”]Sometimes referred to as the sacral chakra, the pelvic chakra is located where the name suggests: in the genitals and the prostatic plexus, says Shumsky. It’s associated with your reproductive organs, sexuality, and pleasure in general. Feeling like you’ve got an unhealthy relationship with sex, trouble building trust, or attachment issues? A blocked pelvic chakra might be to blame.
  • [sol title=”Navel Chakra” subheader=”Color: Yellow”]The third chakra of your body, referred to as the navel chakra or solar plexus chakra, can be found between your navel and solar plexus. It’s considered responsible for the health of your pancreas, abdominal organs, willpower, and confidence. “If there’s a blocked navel chakra, you might be overly controlling and dominating, or very weak-willed and allowing of people who take advantage of you,” explains Shumsky.
  • [sol title=”Heart Chakra” subheader=”Color: Green”]As you might have guessed, the chakra that’s associated with your lungs, thymus, love, passion, and joy is situated in your heart. A broken heart is the fastest way to cause a blocked heart chakra, and it’s why you feel so down in the dumps after a breakup. “Other signs include feeling emotionally damaged, holding onto a lot of resentment, feeling despondent, loneliness, and depression,” says Shumsky.
  • [sol title=”Throat Chakra” subheader=”Color: Blue”]Going up the body, your fifth chakra is located at your throat and laryngeal plexus. It’s strongly associated with your thyroid gland and abilities to communicate, share your truth, and express creativity. “If you feel you are overly shy or repressed, can’t quite express yourself, have some great gifts that you can’t put out into the world, have a speech impediment, or difficulty communicating, your throat chakra might be blocked,” says Shumsky.
  • [sol title=”Third Eye Chakra” subheader=”Color: Indigo”]Found at the center of the cranium at the pineal gland, your third eye chakra relates to higher consciousness. It’s associated with your wisdom, intuition, spiritual discernment, and ability to focus. “If the third eye chakra is blocked, you might feel really unintuitive, make bad decisions on a regular basis, be unable to read people well, or even have a spiritual superiority complex,” notes Shumsky.
  • [sol title=”Crown Chakra” subheader=”Color: Violet or White”]Your highest chakra, located at the crown of the head, is associated with your hypothalamus and pituitary gland, as well as your spiritual enlightenment, Shumsky explains. It has to do with connecting you to God. “If you’re feeling isolated from spirit, if you feel God is out there somewhere and you’re separate from that power, if you feel God is great and you are nothing, those are all seventh chakra problems,” she says.

The ideal state is to have all seven chakras open, allowing for the healthy flow of energy through the body. Focus inward to see which of your chakras needs attention at any given time. A journal can be a useful tool in noticing changes throughout your mind and body and can give you clues on how to keep your energy flowing.
“When you increase prana flowing through your energy field and radiating from your chakras, you become more magnetic, charismatic, healthy, strong, influential, and successful,” says Shumsky.

Categories
Food Philosophies Nosh

Today’s Trendiest Food Philosophies: The Ultimate Guide

When it comes to finding the right food philosophy for you, there are countless things to consider. Are you trying to lose weight? Fuel an intense athletic training program? Manage a chronic condition? Save the planet? Or maybe you’re just trying to look and feel your best. (And who isn’t?) What you eat to help achieve those goals is a deeply personal decision that requires careful thought.
As if that weren’t complicated enough, there are also hundreds of trendy food philosophies out there, each of which comes with its own distinctive set of rules, prohibited foods, eating plans, and purported health benefits. There’s just so much information to take in—let alone put into practice. Why isn’t there just an objective, easy-to-follow guide that lays everything out in one place?
Lucky for you, there is—and it’s right here. We worked with registered dietitian Allison Dostal Webster, PhD, associate director of nutrition communications at the International Food Information Council Foundation, to delve into the ins and outs of today’s most popular food philosophies, from paleo and ketogenic diets to flexitarianism and veganism. Here’s what you need to know about nine trendy diet plans.

The Food Philosophies

Ketogenic Diet

The short version:

This high-fat, moderate-protein, extremely low-carb diet is meant to cause the body to rely on fat for fuel.

A closer look:

“There are different iterations of the ketogenic diet, but generally about 80 percent of your calories will come from fat, 10 to 15 percent of calories come from protein sources, and about 5 percent of calories come from your carb intake,” says Webster. Eating this way is intended to put your body into a state of ketosis, during which your body converts fat into ketones that can be used as energy.

The goals:

Primarily weight loss, but the ketogenic diet has also been shown to be effective at reducing seizures and in treating other neurological illnesses.

Similar to:

The paleo diet, which is less rigid about carb sources

Be aware:

“There are certain side effects people usually run into during their first days on the ketogenic diet, known as the ‘keto flu.’ As you convert from getting your energy from carbohydrates to fat, you might experience nausea, headache, and fatigue,” explains Webster. “You might also not get enough vitamins, nutrients, and fiber when you’re on the ketogenic diet.”
[related article_ids=1005797]

Whole30

The short version:

This elimination diet involves cutting large groups of foods for a 30-day “nutrition reset.”

A closer look:

Whole30 eliminates a large range of foods—including dairy, legumes, grains, alcohol, added sugar, carrageenan, MSG, sulfites, and junk food—for a month. “The focus is eating meat, eggs, fruits, veggies, and that’s pretty much it,” says Webster. “Healthy fats, like avocado, are also allowed.”
[pullquote align=”center”]“Diets with lots of rules and restrictions … can be triggering for people who have a history of disordered eating.”
—Allison Dostal Webster, PhD[/pullquote]
After the 30 days are up, Whole30 switches to a gradual reintroduction phase, during which you’ll start eating previously eliminated foods one at a time to see how your body responds. “If you drink milk and feel crummy, you might realize you have a sensitivity to lactose,” explains Webster.

The goals:

Weight loss, improved nutrition, disease management, and an increase in body awareness

Similar to:

The paleo diet, but with some differences in allowed foods

Be aware:

“Diets with lots of rules and restrictions, like Whole30, can be triggering for people who have a history of disordered eating. Giving a reason to be restrictive can push people back into old ways of thinking, which can be damaging,” says Webster.

Paleo Diet

The short version:

The paleo diet only allows foods that our ancestors could hunt or gather thousands of years ago.

A closer look:

“The theory behind the paleo diet is that our bodies are not evolutionarily adapted to eating things like processed grains and sugars and that they can cause all kinds of bad symptoms in the body,” says Webster.
The paleo diet emphasizes grass-fed meat, wild-caught fish, eggs, vegetables, certain oils, and getting carbs from sweet potatoes and some starchy veggies. “Almost anything you can buy in a package off the store shelf is out of bounds for paleo,” says Webster.

The goals:

A healthy lifestyle, weight loss, disease management, and community—“This diet has a huge online community, so it can be rewarding for people who belong,” says Webster.

Similar to:

Other low-carb diets, like Whole30 and the ketogenic diet

Be aware:

The cost of going paleo can put this food philosophy out of reach for many people. “Grass-fed meat and wild-caught fish can be much more expensive than the conventional versions, if they’re even available at your [linkbuilder id=”6472″ text=”grocery store”],” warns Webster.

Atkins Diet

The short version:

The commercialized weight-loss diet restricts carbs and sugar and encourages consumption of fat and protein.

A closer look:

This low-carb diet takes a four-phase approach to weight loss based on the idea of “net carbs.” “The Atkins diet has more math than other food philosophies. You take into account the amount of fiber you might get from a source of carbohydrates and subtract that number from the amount of carbs to get your net carb value,” explains Webster.
The first phase is the most restrictive part, during which adherents are limited to about 20 grams of net carbs (“roughly what you get in a piece of bread,” says Webster). After the first two weeks, you slowly start reintroducing healthier carbs, some fruits, high-fiber vegetables, and other healthful foods as you get closer to your weight-loss goals.

The goals:

Weight loss and possibly reducing the risk for type 2 diabetes

Similar to:

The ketogenic diet, but with Atkins-branded products [linkbuilder id=”6476″ text=”on grocery store shelves”]
[pullquote align=”center”]“People following restrictive, low-carb eating plans will probably see weight loss at the beginning, but it’s not sustainable over time. You’re likely to regain that weight as you start introducing carbs back into your diet.”
—Allison Dostal Webster, PhD[/pullquote]

Be aware:

“While not unique to the Atkins diet, people following restrictive, low-carb eating plans will probably see weight loss at the beginning, but it’s not sustainable over time. You’re likely to regain that weight as you start introducing carbs back into your diet,” cautions Webster. “Really restrictive diets aren’t suitable for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, either.”

Mediterranean Diet

The short version:

This mostly plant-based diet with an emphasis on healthy fats has proven benefits for the cardiovascular system.

A closer look:

Unlike other food philosophies, the Mediterranean diet is sustainable for the long term, says Webster. Followers eat loads of plant-based foods (like fruits and veggies, whole grains, nuts, and legumes), swap out butter for healthier fats (especially olive oil), and try to season their foods with herbs and spices rather than salt. Seafood and poultry make an appearance on plates a couple of times a week, while red meat is generally eaten only a few times per month.
“Part of the Mediterranean diet plan is also that meals should be enjoyed with friends and family as much as possible, and drinking a moderate amount of red wine is encouraged,” says Webster.

The goals:

Health and longevity

Similar to:

The DASH diet, but without specific sodium restrictions

Be aware:

“There are very few warnings about this diet. However, people with dietary restrictions, such as gluten intolerance, would not be able to consume whole grains with gluten, which are part of the Mediterranean diet,” says Webster.

DASH Diet

The short version:

This diet was designed to reduce high blood pressure by reducing sodium intake.

A closer look:

The food philosophy behind the DASH diet can be found right in its name, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. “It was designed several decades ago with the intended goal of helping treat or prevent high blood pressure associated with high sodium intake,” explains Webster.
The DASH diet cuts sodium levels down to federal guidelines: 2,300 milligrams per day. Some adherents take it a step further, using the American Heart Association (AHA) recommendation of ideally no more than 1,500 mg of sodium daily.
High-sodium products such as canned goods, salty snacks, and some processed foods generally don’t work with this diet. Overall, though, the DASH diet isn’t very restrictive. It encourages eating whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy while allowing a small amount of fats and sweets.

The goals:

Preventing or reducing high blood pressure

Similar to:

The Mediterranean diet, but with a greater focus on cardiovascular health

Be aware:

“There is some debate about whether or not the AHA’s sodium intake recommendation is too restrictive for some people—you’ll sometimes see pushback on that number,” says Webster.

Flexitarian Diet

The short version:

Just what it sounds like: vegetarianism with a bit of flexibility.

A closer look:

“The flexitarian diet is a purposeful movement away from a meat-heavy diet but isn’t quite as strict as a vegetarian diet,” says Webster. Adherents of [linkbuilder id=”6473″ text=”the flexitarian diet”] strive to eat mostly plant-based meals made up of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes. “People try to substitute meats with tofu and eggs,” says Webster.
Many people switch to this diet in an effort to reduce their environmental footprint, as animal production requires a lot more natural resources than plant foods.

The goals:

Health, weight maintenance, and environmental conservation

Similar to:

The vegetarian diet but with occasional meat and seafood

Be aware:

This is largely a healthy diet, but people will frequently ask you if you’re getting enough protein. “It’s really not too difficult to get enough protein, even if you’re not getting it from an animal. Just make sure you eat a variety of foods to cover your nutritional bases,” says Webster.

Vegan Diet

The short version:

Vegan diets prohibit all foods that come from an animal.

A closer look:

Start with the vegetarian diet, take away eggs, dairy, and honey, and you’ve got veganism. “Animal welfare is a huge reason many people decide to go vegan,” says Webster. “There’s also a good body of research showing the health benefits of following the vegan diet.”
She adds that the vegan diet has been associated with a lower body mass index, reduced risk of diabetes, lower instances of cardiovascular disease, and a potential reduction in your risk of colon cancer.

The goals:

Ethical eating, weight loss, and health

Similar to:

The vegetarian diet, but without eggs and dairy

Be aware:

“B12 is the vitamin that’s only found in animal products. So if a person is following the vegan diet for a long time, he or she might need to get a B12 shot or take supplements to keep their levels up,” says Webster.

Plant-Based Diet

The short version:

The plant-based diet is a food philosophy that encourages adherents to fill their plates with non-animal foods.

A closer look:

There are no hard and fast rules to this eating plan. Instead, it’s a dining choice in which you get most of your fuel from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other plants.
Adherents to the plant-based diet may still eat meat, dairy, and eggs, but they generally limit those foods to a few times a month. With this approach, “you’d be more mindful of when and how often you choose to eat animal products,” says Webster. People who follow a plant-based diet also strive to avoid processed foods.

The goals:

Health and ethical eating

Similar to:

The flexitarian diet, but with a heavier focus on plants

Be aware:

“Vegetarian, vegan, and plant-based foods aren’t always healthy. On any of these diets, you need to put in the work to eat healthfully and make sure you’re getting enough nutrients. A plate of fries, while plant-based, just won’t cut it,” says Webster.

Choosing a Food Philosophy

“If you are considering going on one of these eating plans for a specific health reason, like weight loss, and if you already have certain risk factors, such as diabetes, involving your healthcare team in your diet will be critical,” explains Webster.
[pullquote align=”center”]“Keep in mind that improving your health is a lifelong endeavor, and you need to make sure your diet and lifestyle changes are sustainable over time.”
—Allison Dostal Webster, PhD[/pullquote]
“But if you are already pretty healthy and interested in seeing if one of these food philosophies might help you lose weight or get healthier, it’s OK to strike out on your own. Just keep in mind that improving your health is a lifelong endeavor, and you need to make sure your diet and lifestyle changes are sustainable over time.”

Categories
Health x Body Wellbeing

How To Track Your Period—And Why You Should

Every woman experiences menstruation a bit differently regardless of whether she’s using a period tracker. The luckiest ones have light, regular periods that come and go like clockwork. For many others, menstruation is somewhat of a mystery. Some months are heavy, crampy nightmares, while your period hardly makes an appearance in others.
But if there’s one universal experience, it’s having your period show up at the worst possible time—at the beach when you’re wearing a white bikini, on an airplane when you forgot your tampons, or maybe when you’re on a run a couple of miles from home. Ugh! The only way to get some sense of when Aunt Flo is coming to town is by using a period tracker.
Yes, period tracking: that thing most of us were encouraged to start doing when we got our first period, but we got annoyed with (or even embarrassed by) making little red dots on a calendar and gave it up entirely. I’ll admit it—I’ve become a sex-positive, health-conscious woman who still bashfully shrugs at the gyno’s office when she asks the date of my last period and who scrambles to find a tampon when my period shows up seemingly out of nowhere. Not an ideal situation—and let’s not even get into the pregnancy scares that can happen if you aren’t tracking your menstrual cycle.
Fortunately, getting a handle on your cycle isn’t that hard. A range of period tracking methods—from high-tech apps to old-school, pen-and-paper calendars—can help you learn when to expect the crimson tide and how long it will take to ride it out. We asked Diana Ramos, MD, a board-certified OB-GYN and chair of the National Preconception Health and Health Care Initiative, to share the best ways to track your period and the benefits of being disciplined about it, once and for all.

Period Tracking: What’s the point?

It’s thought of as a tedious task that requires discipline and a willingness to tune in to your body on a daily basis. Why should you even bother with period tracking?
“One of the most important benefits of period tracking is getting to know your body—this is especially important if you’re of reproductive age and you’re trying to become pregnant or avoid pregnancy,” Ramos explains.
Using a period tracker can help you notice disruptions in your menstrual cycle. You might realize that your period has become irregular or changed in frequency, which could be symptoms of bigger health concerns.
“Sometimes a woman’s period is happening more often and for longer duration—signs that something could be abnormal. Heavier bleeding might also indicate a hormone imbalance, fibroids, or an underlying disease. Unless you know what’s normal for your body, you’re not going to know when something’s potentially wrong,” says Ramos.
And of course, one of the main benefits of period tracking is knowing when you should throw a couple of tampons in your purse. Who doesn’t want that peace of mind?
But despite all of these benefits, most women still haven’t figured out how to track their periods. Ramos estimates that only about a third of women use a period tracker—the rest of us are in the dark about our menstruation and ovulation. Yikes!

How to Track Your Period the Old-School Way

You don’t need to get fancy when it comes to tracking your period. The old-school approach of using pen and a calendar has helped women track their periods for centuries (maybe longer)—and can give you a better understanding of your body.
Start by putting a mark on the calendar on the first day of your period. That signifies the start of your menstruation cycle, says Ramos, and it’s the date gynecologists want when they ask when your last period was. Continue marking every day that you bleed with a red dot or whatever symbol resonates with you (a heart, a skull and crossbones, a frowny face—we don’t judge). Then, start the process again the next time you menstruate.
Your calendar should also include information about how much you’re bleeding, Ramos says. You could measure it based on how many pads and tampons you’re using or by giving your flow a loose estimate of light, medium, or heavy.
Other symptoms, like your emotions, cramps, and overall health, can also be noted on your period tracker, depending on how much information you want to include. After about three months of tracking your period, you will learn the length of your cycle (typically 21 to 35 days), roughly when you’re most fertile (usually the mid-point between periods), and other patterns related to your menstruation.
“The longer you do it, the more you can learn,” says Ramos. “Period tracking should be a lifelong habit and can give you something to refer to if your body changes.”

Bringing Period Tracking Into the 21st Century

Technology has made a lot of things easier for us—including period tracking. Monitoring your cycle has gone modern with a range of femtech apps that can help you track everything from your flow and period length to your moods, weight, and birth control use. Here are three of our favorite digital period trackers:
Dot: Rated 4.7/5 stars in the App Store, Dot Period & Fertility Tracker “works like a weather forecast for your menstrual cycle.” All you have to do is record the first day of your flow, and the period tracker gets to work predicting your likelihood of getting pregnant any day of the month, when you’re going to ovulate, and the date of your next period. You can note your moods, period symptoms, and sexual activities right in the app. Dot’s pretty smart—it’ll let you know if your cycle is off and you might need medical attention.
Clue: Clue has earned high marks for its accuracy, features, and functionality. Its intuitive design makes it easy to track your period, the heaviness of your flow, and even the types of menstrual products you use. Clue also encourages users to log their birth control, cramps, sleep, skin and hair conditions, and tons of other health-related symptoms. The more information you provide, the better Clue becomes at analyzing the state of your reproductive health.
Flo: While it brands itself as an ovulation and period tracker, the Flo app does much more than just record the days of your cycle, although it’s great at that! It’s an overall lifestyle monitor that allows you to record your weight, travel, stress levels, sex drive, sleep duration, water consumption, and just about every other healthy lifestyle activity you could imagine—earning it an average of 4.8 stars from more than 200,000 people who’ve rated it in the App Store.
While digital tools have taken the guesswork out of period tracking for many women, the pen-and-paper method is still perfectly acceptable. Healthcare professionals just want you to track your period in whatever way works best for you so they can be aware if something’s amiss.
“Period tracking is a good habit to get into as young as possible, but you can start any time,” Ramos notes. “The most important thing is that if you notice something abnormal, go see your healthcare provider. Don’t try to guess what might be happening.”
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Categories
Conscious Beauty Lifestyle

What Natural Beauty Means To 9 Different Women

Take a look at anything related to “natural beauty”—the ads, magazines, websites, and billboards. They all seem to look a little monochrome, no? All the women seem to have the same skin tone (fair), the same shape (slim), the same hair (long, tousled). It’s like there’s one sole definition of beauty—one that leaves a whole lot of women out of the picture.
Not to mention the fact that the beauty industry has gotten us all a little too focused on what’s on the outside. It’s all about fixing our perceived flaws (too wrinkly, too dark, too whatever) with products that they sell (how convenient). What about a more holistic view of natural beauty? One that cares just as much about our compassion as it does our concealer?
It’s time for a new face of natural beauty—one that celebrates the vast diversity of people on the planet, encourages women to unabashedly own their style (whether that’s a cat eye and red lip or just a smile), respects our values, and honors the fact that some days we just don’t feel like putting in the effort (and that’s okay).
Redefining natural beauty won’t happen overnight, but it starts with listening to the voices of all women and amplifying the ideas of people who aren’t typically invited to the conversation.
Here’s what nine strong, opinionated women shared when we asked what natural beauty means to them—the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Natural beauty gets creative.

“Natural beauty is an interesting phrase when a major part of your body is literally artificial. My left leg is amputated above the knee, and so I wear a prosthetic leg to move around the world. For years, I had a ‘cosmesis’ (the cosmetic cover that goes over a prosthetic limb) that was meant to emulate a ‘real’ leg. It was a piece of soft foam carved to the same shape as my right leg. I wore thigh high nylons over it to match my skin tone, but of course, my skin tone doesn’t have a matte finish or a consistent combination of color—it’s human and can be scratched, scarred, bruised, hairy, sunburned…so it always looked fake.
“I decided that since it looked like a fake leg, I might as well get creative with it. I picked out a floral linen upholstery fabric that I adored and had it laminated to the fiberglass shell. The result: A stunning accessory that looks like a hand-painted work of art and is part of my body. And while there’s nothing ‘natural’ about it, it’s an integral part of my mobility, my identity, and simply part of what makes me whole.”
Christa Couture, 39
Toronto, Canada

 

Natural beauty surprises you.

“When I think of embracing natural beauty, I immediately think of wearing my natural hair. Throughout elementary school and middle school, my mom blow dried and straightened my hair for me every single day. I didn’t even know that I had curly hair until I was in ninth grade and I let my hair air-dry one day. Even after I discovered my curls, I still felt the need to straighten my hair to feel ‘presentable.’ Four years later, my curly hair has become one of my favorite features about myself because it’s something that I didn’t know I had growing up. I think any characteristic that accentuates someone’s diversity is a marker of natural beauty.”
Nisha Sweet, 17
Ithaca, New York

A post shared by Nisha K Sweet (@nisha.sweet) on

Natural beauty promotes self-love.

“Natural beauty means unconditional self-love and acceptance. Black female beauty is often denigrated, overlooked, and stereotyped. We come in all shades of black and brown, all of which are naturally beautiful. Black women are left out of the mainstream beauty industry and it’s a shame. What about our gorgeous full lips, high cheekbones, big eyes, our hourglass shapes, and sexy bodies? I embrace my natural beauty through positive self-talk and extreme self-love for what is reflected back in the mirror. I take a lot of selfies and remind myself each day that black is beautiful and I’m amazing.”
Lucie Lindner, 51
Stockholm, Sweden
Natural Beauty

Natural beauty puts you in control.

“When I was diagnosed with Graves’ disease 13 years ago, I lost a lot of weight really unevenly. I also dealt with eating disorders, so I really struggled with my appearance in general. College was particularly hard—I’d see my friends getting ready, going out. How beautiful they looked made me feel both appreciative and envious. Here they were having this amazing college experience, and I didn’t feel well enough to get to class or even out of bed.
“It’s weird to be sick but not look sick. Over the past year, I’ve gained weight from having a desk job. I look like this normal, fit, healthy, happy person, but my chronic illness makes everything 50 percent harder. But I’ve learned that natural beauty means that my chronic illness isn’t controlling me, and that carries over into how much effort I put in as I get ready in the morning. Wearing a nice shirt or my favorite dress requires a level of energy that I don’t have some days. But being able to look fluid when I dance is important to me. I try to be fully present when I’m practicing or performing, going full force without worrying about wearing myself out or hurting myself, and it feels awesome.”
Jessica Cameron, 29
Boston, Massachusetts
Natural Beauty

Natural beauty needs context.

“When I moved from Iran to the U.S., I learned that culture plays a strong role in our appearance. In Iran, I was basically considered a blonde. I’m not blonde, but my hair and skin were lighter than the average there. My girlfriends spent a lot of time waxing their facial hair, but I left mine alone.
“That changed when I moved to the U.S. and I quickly learned it was no longer acceptable to leave my facial hair alone, and I did not have the lightest skin in the room. A lot of what I learned about beauty here was loaded with racial conflict (a history that we don’t really have in Iran). People look down at non-white girls, and while my lighter skin afforded me some privileges, people can tell I’m not Caucasian and I’m not American.
“All of that gave me an identity crisis. I had to rethink what I considered natural beauty and how I dress myself, how I do my hair and my makeup. I now get rid of my facial hair. And while I had to wear a hijab on a daily basis in Iran, I’ve changed my relationship with it here. I mostly wear it as a fashion statement or a way to cover up a bad hair day or even a political statement sometimes (like the day Trump was elected). As soon as I put a scarf on my head, people start treating me differently, turning their heads as I walk down the street. It identifies women as Muslim and leaves them more vulnerable to attacks, but I wear it in solidarity sometimes. There’s a delicacy in this choice.
“If I moved back to Iran, I would stop waxing my facial hair, and I would have to wear the hijab when I go out. Natural beauty means being able to accept myself fully and all of the variations that come with that, depending on culture and place. I want to feel beautiful when I have facial hair and when I don’t. We can’t live without context. There’s something really beautiful in having strength in those choices we make.”
Homa Sarabi-Daunais, 26
Boston, Massachusetts
Natural Beauty

Natural beauty knows no harm.

“Natural beauty means working with what I have, not trying to be or look any other way, but rather highlighting what makes me, me—flaws and all. No contouring away this pointy nose or Spanx-ing myself into a stomachache (though I’m not opposed to filling in my brows). Natural beauty just means being authentic, and that also includes supporting brands that align with personal values, which for me means buying products and items that cause no harm to animals. Cosmetic testing on animals and using animal-derived ingredients is unnecessary and unethical. I would feel ugly wearing cruel makeup or fashion. Facing the world each day with cruelty-free cosmetics on my face and vegan clothing on my back helps me feel naturally beautiful.”
Jessica Scott-Reid, 34
Montreal, Canada
Natural Beauty
 

Natural beauty means following mom’s advice.

“My mother defined natural beauty for me at a young age. I grew up believing she was the most naturally beautiful woman in the world. She never did anything fancy—no heavy makeup or wigs, just slapped on some lipstick and said to me, ‘When you’re as naturally beautiful as me, it doesn’t take you long to get dressed.’ It was just about making sure you took care of your hair, had clear skin, and ultimately looked like yourself. What else did you need?
“I’ve carried those lessons throughout my life. There’s a lot of pressure out there to look like other people, like celebrities, and buying stuff to fix your imperfections. But I’ve never felt that pressure, since I thought being a natural beauty was the norm from a young age. And it’s more than how you look—it’s also how you behave. I have no problem getting older because I have a young, kind spirit that shines through. I get up in the morning, make sure my hair and skin look clean and clear, and I put on some lipstick—just like my mom.”
Robyn Mancell, 59
Rancho Cucamonga, California
Jessica Scott-Reid, 34 Montreal, Canada

With natural beauty, less is more.

“We take our natural beauty for granted when we’re young. As we get older, we realize the value of being healthy and being naturally beautiful from the inside out. Natural beauty comes from the soul, and it’s something you feel within, not just on the surface, not just skin deep, but much deeper than that. We don’t need to have a ton of things on our faces to cover us up. What we need to have is our beauty shine through, and that only happens if you have a young spirit, a healthy outlook, and a positive persona. You have to take care of yourself, consistently, and work to be happy, feel good, have a childlike attitude, and a peaceful soul.”
Irene Michaels, 72
Chicago, Illinois
Natural Beauty

Natural beauty balances strength and vulnerability.

“I grew up as a feminine tomboy with an athletic style. I was constantly told I should try modeling because I was so tall. The glamour of that world appealed to me, but when people in the industry looked at me, they told me I could only be a plus-size model, and it crushed my self-image. I threw myself into the world of sports and eventually tried fitness modeling years later, but my body still wasn’t right. This time, they told me my muscles were too big—that girls don’t want to see that. It hurt, but I didn’t let it crush me, and I kept pushing my body. Three years later, everyone saw me in a Vogue magazine piece on self-defense workouts. They thought I was unstoppable.
“People, especially my fitness clients, see me as a superwoman. That feels good, but I remind them how much I’ve cried, how many times I’ve fallen—people need to see that I’m human. Natural beauty finds balance between being strong and vulnerable. I dye my hair purple to match my strong personality, and I work out in booty shorts not to be sexy, but to show the people I’m training that I’m comfortable in my own skin. What’s beautiful is not your appearance, but being able to persevere through adversity with strength and humanity. I’m grateful to be a leader who can show people another side of natural beauty: the side that embraces physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual strength to conquer anything.”
Courtney Roselle, 29
Jersey City, New Jersey
Natural Beauty
[related article_ids=1005614]

Categories
Well-Traveled

Wellness Retreats Are The Perfect Way To Travel Alone

Solo travel empowers women to step out of their comfort zones and see the world on their own terms. There’s nothing quite like having everything you need right on your back with a drive to see, do, and experience complete freedom in a foreign destination. But the idea of traveling alone is so scary that many people write it off altogether. Truth be told, they’re missing out—but there is a happy medium between hitting the road completely on your own and taking an organized vacation.
It’s called a wellness retreat, and it might be the most addictive travel experience on the planet.
Imagine a mix of cultural immersion, healthy eats, adventurous activities, and therapeutic treatments—those are just some of the amazing things you can expect on a wellness retreat. These kinds of trips nourish your mind, body, and soul with a diverse, structured itinerary and plenty of time for inward reflection. You’ll feel completely at peace and connected with the destination. Plus, when you go on a wellness retreat, you’ll meet other boss babes as deeply interested in experiencing all of the amazing things the world has to offer—without neglecting their self-care along the way.
Ready to hop on a plane, you jetsetter, you? Fab. We’re here to tease your wanderlust with a roundup of the best wellness retreats for solo women travelers eager to explore the world, both externally and internally. These are the wellness retreats that will help you heal your mind and soul, step outside your comfort zone, make new friends, and ultimately reconnect with yourself. Here are the wellness retreats that should be on your bucket list.

Wellness Retreats for Healing and Empowerment

Wellness retreats aren’t just about relaxing at the spa. Sometimes, you need a little healing and empowerment in a special place. Here’s where to find it.

The DEN Wellness Retreats (various global destinations)

Popular Los Angeles meditation studio The DEN hosts wellness retreats that infuse travel with a heavy dose of meditation and alternative healing treatments. Each retreat takes place in an invigorating destination with a theme to inspire the itinerary.
Palm Trees in Los Angeles
The Peru wellness retreat, themed around mysticism and the spirit, will set your heart on fire with a week of growth and discovery in the Sacred Valley that includes yoga, dharma talks, group healing with a Peruvian shaman, and meditation on sacred ruins. You can add a few extra days to the trip to tour Machu Picchu and Cusco with your new friends.
The DEN also has wellness retreats coming up in the Himalayas, the Adirondacks, and a special New Year’s celebration in Nicaragua, themed around “reiki, magik, and manifestation.” No matter which one you choose, these wellness retreats are sure to fill you with a deep sense of gratitude, inner peace, and wonder.
Price: Starts at $1,000

Pura Vida Retreat & Spa (Alajuela, Costa Rica)

With a mission to empower women and make them feel alive, Pura Vida wellness retreats celebrate community building and get you moving in yoga classes hosted by experienced teachers from around the world.
Woman hiking solo in Costa Rica
While every wellness retreat offers plenty of time on the mat and accommodations in calming, eco-chic rooms that overlook the San Jose Valley, no two itineraries are exactly alike—some include tours of coffee fields, self-care sessions, salsa dancing, wildlife boat tours, zip-lining, and surprise excursions. The beautiful natural setting in the lush mountains will give you the restoration your mind and body crave.
Price: Starts at $1,290

AdventureWomen (various global destinations)

What could be more empowering than getting up close with Mongolian eagle hunters, horseback riding through Viking trails in Iceland, and getting caught up in the whirlwind of Morocco’s famous marketplaces? How about doing it with a group of spirited, adventurous women like yourself?
That’s just the start of what AdventureWomen wellness retreats offers attendees, more than 70 percent of whom are repeat customers. The all-female team behind the company has taken women on inspired trips around the world for almost 40 years. From wildlife and adventure sports to immersive experiences with local communities, these wellness retreats offer a little something for everyone who wants to have an adventure. Don’t forget to pack your sense of humor!
Price: Starts at $3,290

Wellness Retreats With Adventure and Fitness

If stepping out of your comfort zone and getting your heart rate up puts you in a state of bliss, you’ve come to the right place. These adventure and fitness wellness retreats will indulge your sense of adventure.

SwellWomen Surf & Yoga Retreats (various global destinations)

This boutique wellness retreat organizer takes women to the best surfing destinations in the world, from Sri Lanka and Indonesia to Costa Rica and El Salvador, for wellness retreats that are as much about hanging 10 as they are about hitting your mat.
Woman taking surf lessons in the ocean
If you’re looking to make some pals, SwellWomen wellness retreats are for you—the company focuses on building tight-knit communities among members who expand one anothers’ passions and feel empowered to pursue the unknown. Expect daily yoga and surf lessons with pros, photo shoots capturing you on your board (get ready for lots of Instagram love!), massages, life coaching sessions, and accommodations in luxurious villas and bungalows right on the sea.
Price: Starts at $2,795

REI Women’s Adventures (various global destinations)

Beloved outdoor gear store REI has been taking people on adrenaline-boosting retreats for more than 30 years. They push groups of like-minded ladies to their limits on a huge array of women’s-only adventure retreats (led by women guides), which include climbs up Mount Shasta, safaris in South Africa, hiking and camping in Utah’s Zion National Park, and backpacking along the Pacific Crest Trail.
While each itinerary of these adventure–wellness retreats is different, attendees can expect plenty of female bonding, outdoor vistas, and experiences like none other. And you can feel good knowing that these retreats have an emphasis on responsible travel that strives to do good for local communities.
Price: From $749

Pursuit Series From the Outbound (various U.S. destinations)

Want to relive those childhood memories of summers spent at camp? Check out Outbound’s Pursuit Series—a range of wellness retreats that described as “outdoor adventure camps for grown-ups.”
The quickie three-day retreats kick off with unwinding under the stars. Then, make the experience your own, packing your days with adventurous activities like rock climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, stand-up paddle-boarding, and so much more. You can refresh your Girl Scout skills in outdoor first-aid classes, basecamp cooking lessons, and backpacking instruction. You’ll bond with other campers around nightly socials, the fire pit, and (of course) s’mores. Don’t forget to do a little forest-bathing while you’re there!
Price: Starts at $225

Cheap Wellness Retreats

Think you can’t get out of town without spending a fortune? Think again—these affordable wellness retreats give you plenty of opportunities to bliss out without breaking the bank.

Discover Calabria Retreats (Calabria, Italy)

Unwind under the southern Italian sun on five-day yoga retreats set in the ancient seaside village of Scilla. Each morning of these wellness retreats kicks off with 90-minute yoga sessions on a terrace overlooking the picturesque Tyrrhenian Sea. Explore the area’s shops and restaurants, or chill out on the beach during your free afternoons. Then, join the others on your wellness retreat for evening yoga and meditation, followed by a four-course meal at a local restaurant.
Not down with downward dogging all week? Consider jumping on Discover Calabria’s women’s-only wellness retreat. Hosted at a historic farmhouse, the retreat includes organic meals, nature walks, meditation, visits to a medieval village, and a sacred circle ceremony that will stimulate “the divine feminine within.” Talk about transformative!
Price: Starts around $900 for yoga retreats

Museflower Retreat & Spa Thailand Getaway (Chiang Rai, Thailand)

At Chiang Rai’s Museflower Retreat & Spa, you can get pampered from head to toe—without doing serious damage to your wallet. Four-day packages include daily herbal steams, signature massages, body scrubs, foot massages, and Japanese-style energy balancing.

Museflower Retreat & Spa in Chiang Rai, Thailand, at night
Museflower Retreat & Spa

These all-inclusive wellness retreats will also nourish you with organic vegetarian food from the on-site organic garden—perfect fuel for activities like visiting the nearby elephant sanctuary, biking around local villages, sweating it out in yoga classes, or splashing around the Himalayan crystal saltwater pool. If that doesn’t sound like a rejuvenating experience, we’re not sure what does.
Price: Starts around $513

Mountains & Mystics of India Tour (India)

Few places carry the mystical energy found in India, and you can take it all in on Intrepid Travel’s wellness retreat–style tour of some of the country’s holiest destinations. The 13-day tour kicks off in the capital, New Delhi, where you’ll visit temples, sacred tombs, and one of the country’s largest mosques. Then you’ll go up to the mountains via the World Heritage–listed train to chill out in Shimla for a couple of days. Next up, check out Dharamsala, the Dalai Lama’s home, where robed Buddhist monks stroll to monasteries and prayer flags flutter in the breeze.
Monkey Temple in Jaipur, India
You’ll then make your way to Amritsar to learn about Sikhism and see the famous Golden Temple before finally chilling out on the holy Ganges River in Rishikesh, a town that’s often referred to as the “yoga capital of the world.” This is one wellness retreat that’s as much about immersing yourself in culture as it is about getting in touch with your spiritual side.
Price: Starts at $1,280

Luxe Wellness Retreats

Got some cash to burn? Lucky you—with healing ceremonies, one-on-one attention from shamans, and accommodations fit for your inner queen, these luxurious wellness retreats are worth the splurge.

Holistic Wellness Retreats at Fivelements (Hong Kong)

If Fivelements’ recently opened urban retreat center in Hong Kong is anything like its well-reputed property in Bali, you’re in for a treat. The three-night rejuvenation retreats include gourmet raw foods, a wellness consultation, two massages, aquatic body work, yoga and meditation, sacred arts classes (like tea ceremonies and Qigong), and beautifying spa treatments. (The superfood facial is a must!)
A view of Hong Kong
It sounds like a jam-packed schedule, but Fivelements leaves plenty of time for quiet reflection and exploration of its beautiful grounds. These integrative wellness retreats are perfect for solo travelers who want a peaceful getaway with opportunities to develop intimate connections with like-minded folks on a path to healing.
Price: Around $2,200

Marry Yourself at Rosewood Mayakoba (Playa del Carmen, Mexico)

Do you ever dream of destination weddings? Now you can have one—for yourself—at Rosewood Mayakoba. The serene property, nestled along the Caribbean coast, is launching a “Marry Oneself Journey,” a four-day wellness retreat dedicated to cultivating self-love and steeping guests in ancient Mayan traditions. You’ll reconnect with your soul on a series of guided experiences led by a local shaman, water therapy treatments, purifying body rituals, and relaxing spa treatments, along with daily lessons focused on the four major elements of the universe (earth, water, fire, and air).
On your last day, you’ll have your own sacred “wedding ceremony,” wherein you’ll commit to personal vows and a promise to pursue happiness—no white gown required. Our only question is where to have a honeymoon after a wedding this incredible!
Price: Starts at $1,293 per suite per night

Como Parrot Cay (Turks and Caicos)

Wellness retreats go luxe at Como, a private island resort with airy, colonial-inspired rooms, a stunning spa with Ayurvedic treatments, and restaurants with diverse cuisines. Respected yogi Elena Brower, author of Art of Attention and Practice You: A Journal, is hosting a “Well of Grace Workshop” at the resort that sounds absolutely divine.
A palm tree in Turks & Caicos
The wellness retreat includes hours of daily yoga, meditation, and journaling. In between, check out Como’s other creative travel activities like snorkeling eco-tours, plantation trail walks, bike excursions, diving, and fly fishing—or use those options as the basis for your own personalized wellness retreat.
Price: Workshops start at $7,444
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Categories
Refresh x Recover Sweat

Thinking Of Trying Reflexology? What To Know Before Kicking Off Your Shoes

Reflexology—you see it on almost every spa menu, from the refreshingly affordable, no-frills massage joints to the decadent day spas you might hit up on vacation. From the outside it looks like your run-of-the-mill foot massage. (Not a bad thing when you work on your feet all day!) But one look at that mesmerizing foot chart every reflexologist has hanging in their office and you begin to understand that the objective of this therapy is to do a whole lot more than just open up your arches.
“With a traditional massage, the intention is to work from the musculoskeletal system inward for pain relief and relaxation. With reflexology, we’re working from the internal organs and glands and going outward,” says Amy Kreydin, a board-certified reflexologist in Austin, Texas.
In other words, practitioners believe that putting pressure on specific areas of the body (not just the feet!) can actually trigger a positive health response in target organs. Sounds cool, but does it actually work?
The jury’s out on whether reflexology lives up to all its many health claims. But there are some compelling facts that make this alternative healing practice worth a try. Here’s why.

Reflexology: a Relaxing Foot Rub or Something More?

If you happen to catch a glimpse of someone getting reflexology, it looks like they’re just indulging in a foot massage. But it’s actually much deeper than that. It’s a systematic practice that involves applying reflexology massage techniques to sensors on the feet, hands, and ears to provide benefits to other parts of the body.
It relates back to those fancy diagrams reflexologists have hanging on their walls. These always bewildered me when I looked at them, but after speaking with Kreydin, I discovered that a reflexology foot chart isn’t all that difficult to understand.
“The reflex maps are thought to be a mirror image of the body,” she explains. “If you look at the hands and feet, the fingers and toes represent the head, neck, and top of the body. The ball of the hands and feet represent the chest cavity, including the pectoral muscles, mammary glands, lungs, and heart. The middle of the hand and arch of the foot point to the diaphragm and pelvic line and includes your digestive organs and kidneys. And when you get to the heels of the feet and hands, you’re talking about the reproductive organs, tailbone, and glute muscles.”
So do reflexologists press harder on say, the top of the middle finger, if someone comes in with a headache?
“It’s actually not the amount of pressure, but the size of the nerve endings you’re working on that makes a difference,” says Kreydin.
Reflexologists use specific massage techniques, like kneading, pressing, holding, and rubbing, to stimulate the nerves that connect through energetic pathways to organs and glands throughout the body—kind of like acupuncture and acupressure.
“They’re kind of the cousin to reflexology. The main difference though is that we’re using very specific finger and thumb pressure techniques on the reflex maps of the feet, hands, and ears in reflexology,” says Kreydin. Acupressure and acupuncture, on the other hand, focus on reflex points lining the entire body.

Can reflexology do more than relieve aches and pains?

Reflexology is, in and of itself, a relaxing experience. You sit back while an expert gets to work, giving your hands, ears, and feet some pleasant pressure. But practitioners believe that the therapy can actually offer major health benefits that extend beyond self-care.
“You might see a reflexologist for infertility or irritable bowel syndrome. I specialize in women’s health, so I use it for all kinds of issues related to that,” says Kreydin.
However, evidence for reflexology’s effectiveness in helping to manage or treat severe health issues is anecdotal at best. One small study found that reflexology had no positive effect on symptoms related to irritable bowel syndrome. In another report, reflexology was not found to have an effect on ovulation. It seems that reflexology is not the magic cure-all some believers proclaim it to be.
That being said, reflexology won’t hurt you, and it’s been connected to some legitimate health benefits that elevate it from a pseudoscience to a bona fide treatment. The most legitimate benefit of reflexology is stress relief.
“I’ve tried a couple dozen styles of bodywork—reflexology is by far the most relaxing modality,” says Kreydin. “Since most of the brain maps to the feet, you just go into shutdown mode when you’re getting reflexology. My clients will be in the middle of telling me a sentence when I’m working on them, and then they can’t quite find the words anymore. It gets you to total relaxation a lot quicker than anything else.”
And since stress can be a contributor to a number of diseases and health conditions, finding some relief (whether that’s through reflexology or another method) could promote positive health benefits that go deeper than you might expect.
One study supports the use of reflexology as a potential way to reduce the severity of colic in infants. Other research indicates that reflexology can be used by nurses to help reduce anxiety, blood pressure, and heart rate after patients undergo heart surgery. Reflexology, which is considered safe for pregnant women, has also been shown to reduce anxiety and other problems during labor.
Meeting with a reflexology practitioner can also bring to light conditions you may not even know you have.
“A lot of people are surprised that the feet, hands, and ears give us clues as reflexologists. We’ll look at textural changes, like a callus over the foot, which could indicate stress or a gait change, so we’ll do some detective work to find out why the callus is there and how it’s affecting you,” says Kreydin.
Reflexology might not cure cancer, but if you’re looking to soothe physical and mental stress, it could be just the solution you’ve been waiting for.

Finding a Quality Reflexologist

Reflexology is offered pretty much everywhere you can get a massage—even in airports. But if you really want to reap the benefits of this treatment, it’s important to work with someone who thoroughly understands the technique and has experience administering it. How are reflexologists trained, anyway?
“We study anatomy and physiology, and we go in-depth into what the liver does. So we’ll learn the hundred standard activities the liver participates in on a daily basis. We also look at internal anatomy and how organs interact with each other,” explains Kreydin. “But we also look at things you don’t usually study in anatomy, like traditional Chinese medicine and energetic combinations.”
Between taking the in-depth training on how the body works and learning reflexology massage techniques, it can take anywhere from 6 to 18 months to become a reflexologist. But not everyone who claims to be a reflexologist has completed the necessary training. Only a few states license reflexologists, which makes it easy for illegitimate practitioners to set up shop in other locales. Talk about a confusing situation.
So how do you know if the reflexologist you’re seeing is legit?
“You can see if they’re listed with the Reflexology Association of America,” says Kreydin. “There’s also a voluntary board certification exam that reflexologists can take, which has an online directory. The exam tests both your knowledge of anatomy and physiology and requires you to do a practicum exam to show that you know how to practice the techniques.”
What the practitioner charges for the service could be a clue as to whether they are qualified.
An hour-long reflexology session should run you between $50 to $80 in a rural area and slightly higher in a city where rent costs more, says Kreydin.
“An overcharge might just be a spa charging for a glorified foot massage, not true reflexology. High prices don’t necessarily mean a better practitioner, but with a lower price, you’ll get what you pay for. Try to pay what’s average in your area,” says Kreydin.

What to Expect From Your First Reflexology Session

It’s natural to be a little apprehensive before trying any new treatment. But getting familiar with the experience ahead of time can help put you at ease for your first reflexology session. What’s it going to be like?
Many reflexologists, include Kreydin, ask clients to fill out a health history form that asks about recent surgeries, any pain or other issues, and medications.
“It paints a pretty big picture of what’s going on with their health. My client’s an expert in her body, so I’ll ask about how she’s feeling, what’s been going on, and whether there are specific wellness goals for this session,” she says.
If you’ve had a massage, that’s a good baseline for a reflexology experience. (The main difference is that you leave your clothes on, so wear something comfy!) Reflexology is typically practiced on a massage table or chair. The appointment will take 45 to 90 minutes in total. Generally you’ll start to relax after about 20 minutes. The reflexologist will work her way around the target areas throughout the session.
“It should feel really good and comfortable, especially on the feet and hands. These are workhorses, we use them all the time, so it will feel really relaxing. Occasionally we do come across a speed bump where there’s an increase in sensation in a nerve ending. It won’t hurt, but it can feel a little zippy,” Kreydin says.
During reflexology, or any physical treatment, feel free to ask the practitioner to adjust the pressure (lighter, firmer, whatever you need!). A good practitioner wants you to feel absolutely amazing, and they won’t be offended if you ask for adjustments as needed.
After your first session, you should feel a deep sense of peace and relaxation. Regular reflexology sessions can help bring on longer-lasting health benefits as well. Kreydin recommends starting off with weekly appointments then dropping down to once a month or so as you begin to hit wellness goals.
“Generally, the improvements we’re looking for include better sleep and less of an acute response to stress. For example, if you’re out driving and someone cuts you off, we want to you feel like, ‘That’s cool, he probably had to pee,’ to reduce that fight or flight mechanism,” she says. “We also want an overall balance in the body systems. Digestion should improve—a lot of us don’t realize we don’t have good digestion until it gets really fantastic. Finally, we also want your body to maintain a comfortable homeostasis during extreme weather.”

Should you try reflexology?

You’ve read up on reflexology and you think it might help you, either through relaxation or a deeper health benefit. How do you know if it’s right for you?
Almost anyone, including pregnant women, can try reflexology safely, says Kreydin. “The only people we turn away are those with a blood clot or deep vein thrombosis. I would want clearance from a doctor before working on those clients.”
When asked about potential downsides to reflexology, Kreydin could only come up with one.
“I’ve found reflexology to be rather addictive. I tease my clients that it’s kind of like a taco—once you try it, you’ll need it for the rest of your life,” she says. “We’re not penetrating the skin; it’s not invasive and doesn’t work against traditional medicine. We’re a complement to medicine, and reflexology can come out a clear winner for people who want an alternative to prescription pain pills.”
Kreydin admits that while some people experience immediate benefits from reflexology, others need to try it a few times before noticing results. Search until you find a practitioner who meshes with your personality and fits your budget. Then schedule a couple of sessions.
If it doesn’t work, the worst thing that happens is that you relaxed for a few hours. But there’s also the chance that reflexology becomes one of the best ways to care for your body—and if it makes you feel amazing, it’s worth it.
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Categories
Well-Traveled

Capturing The Journey: Travel Photography Tips For Your Next Getaway

Instagram has no dearth of inspiring travel photography. Scroll through your feed on any given day and you’re bound to spot a sunset painted a million different colors, a decadent brunch bursting with fresh fruit and pastries, hikers striking a triumphant pose at the peak of a mountain, and truly epic landmarks standing tall in all their glory. The overall effect is an idealized version of every vacation we take.
But for every amazing photo you or anyone else posts on social media, there are hundreds of others that didn’t quite make the cut: Perhaps the horizon line was askew, a selfie at the beach didn’t showcase your most flattering angle, or that famous statue you were so eager to see wasn’t in focus in your shot. It’s a total bummer.
These mistakes linger in our travel photography archives for eternity, embarrassing smudges on an otherwise picture-perfect gallery of the world. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just nail every single shot the first time?
While perfection is rarely achievable, practicing your travel photography skills can definitely improve your ratio of duds to wow-worthy shots. And you don’t need years of training or innate talent to hone these skills either.
To take better pics on your trips, you just need to learn a few basic tricks of the trade—and Robin Layton, a Pulitzer Prize–nominated photographer and Nikon ambassador, has some pro tips to help you get better at travel photography.
I spoke with Layton about how to capture every magical moment on a getaway and create images that will help you relive the experience for years to come. Read on to learn some travel photography tricks you can use on your next big adventure. And see what happened when I took a Nikon D3400 camera out for a spin and put Layton’s advice in action on a trip to Roanoke and Virginia’s Blue Ridge.

From Casual ’Grammer to Travel Photography Pro

So you’re pretty happy with the shots you’ve managed to take casually but you’re ready to take travel photography a little more seriously. How do you move up to the next level?
Start by upgrading from your smartphone, says Layton. While smartphone cameras have gotten better over the years, they just can’t deliver the crisp, dynamic shots that you can get from more powerful tools, like a digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR). Which DSLR is the best option for people who want to take their travel photography to the next level?
“Amateurs should make sure that the camera they choose can shoot high-resolution photos and videos and is lightweight to travel with. The Nikon D3400 is a great entry-level camera for anyone looking to step up from smartphone photography,” she says. “The camera is sold in a two-lens kit, so you can experiment with different focal lengths. The camera also has a guide mode that gives step-by-step instructions to learn as [you] go.”
There are tons of great cameras on the market right now—work with the professionals at a well-established photo store, like B&H, to find the equipment that fits your needs and budget.
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In addition to making sure you’ve got the right tools, doing some advance planning for your trips can go a long way toward helping you take stunning shots. Do some online location scouting to find places to practice travel photography on your next trip, Layton suggests.
“Before traveling to a new city, make sure to research the area so you can capture the most picturesque spots. This will be different for everyone, depending on their individual passions and interests,” she says.
Love plants and flowers? Look up botanical gardens and natural parks on your next hiking trip. Are you obsessed with sunsets? Use Google Maps to research sites that face west. Or maybe you’re really into local artisans—make note of some craft markets and small workshops.
But those spots aren’t the only travel photography opportunities you’ll have on a trip, so be prepared to snap some pics anywhere you end up.
“Take your camera with you every place you go. You’ll never know what you’ll see, and if you don’t have your camera, you’ll kick yourself for it,” says Layton.

I tried it:

I have to admit: I didn’t love lugging around the camera all day. It was heavier than I was used to, and I like to travel light. But after seeing how much better my travel photography was compared to my usual iPhone pics, it felt worth the extra weight. I hardly noticed it after a couple of days.
As for research, I asked around and looked online for suggestions about the best places to watch the sunrise in Roanoke. It turns out that there are some fantastic overlooks along the Blue Ridge Parkway, a majestic road that goes straight through the mountains. So I woke up bright and early and drove up there just before dawn to capture the sky turning from lavender to salmon to gold.

HealthyWay
Joni Sweet

Travel photography may have been the motive for the early wake-up call, but this adventure enhanced my experience in another way: enjoying the peaceful beauty of nature and breathing in the fresh mountain air while the rest of the world was fast asleep. I’ll never forget it.

Master of Light

The way you capture light is a dead giveaway for whether you understand the finer points of travel photography. How the light hits the subject has a direct impact on the overall mood of the photo. A high-contrast shot with dark, rich shadows gives a sense of drama, while softer light creates a more serene atmosphere.
“Lighting is everything in travel photography, so it’s important to take advantage of the best lighting to get the best quality photos,” says Layton.
If you’ve explored photography before, you may have heard the advice to shoot with your back to the sun. This principle helps you make sure your subjects are properly lit and your photo doesn’t end up blown out. But when it comes to travel photography, it’s worth throwing some of the old rules out the window, says Layton.
“Don’t be afraid to shoot into the light where your subject is backlit. You can get some beautiful images that way,” she says.
The quality of your travel photography can change depending on the time of day you’re taking pics. Bringing your camera to the beach at noon will create a completely different look than going to the same location at dusk.
“[For nature shots,] the best light to take photos is early morning (before the sun rises) and during and just after sunset,” says Layton. “Midday light can be harsh and challenging, so for beginner photographers, I’d recommend taking advantage of the time of day to capture the best shots.”

I tried it:

Throughout my time in Roanoke, I kept noticing this really striking steel sculpture on the outdoor balcony of the Taubman Museum of Art, an architecturally beautiful institution that puts an emphasis on local and regional artists. I knew I had to take it home with me (in photo form, of course).
So at about high noon (I know—not the ideal time for travel photography) I climbed up to the balcony, crept up close to artist Paul Villinski’s Self-Portrait, and took Layton’s advice, pointing my camera directly into the sun.

Joni Sweet

With one press of the button, I captured this cool shot—along with some artwork that I could actually squeeze into my carry-on.

Queen of Composition

How do you compose a beautiful shot when practicing travel photography? Spoiler: It definitely doesn’t involve putting your subject front and center. Think of travel photography as a way to show the subject in a setting—not shine a single spotlight on it.
“Compose your photo with your subject according to the ‘rule of thirds.’ Meaning, imagine your photo divided into nine equal parts using two vertical lines and two horizontal lines, making a grid. Place your subject at one of the four points in the middle of the grid,” says Layton.
Placing your travel photography subjects at one of the horizontal or vertical thirds of the photo gives the viewer’s eye a natural place to land when it hits your image. It also leaves plenty of space to tell a story with your photo.
And if you plan to include landscapes in your travel photography, you’ll rely on those horizontal lines for another purpose: keeping the horizon straight. A crooked horizon can ruin your sunset photo, says Layton.
The angle of your image is also important. Amateurs tend to take every image at eye level, which can look a little dull. Travel photography pros aren’t afraid to crouch down and shoot low or take images with their cameras pointed upward to capture a subject in a fresh way. The angle of your photos is especially important when shooting architecture and art, says Layton.
“Try different angles and distances from the monuments and buildings. Focus on the details, too—close-ups can be just as gripping as overall photos,” she says.
As for food, go for an overhead angle, says Layton.
“If you have one, use a 35mm or 50mm lens and stand above your plate for an interesting shot,” she says.

I tried it:

A tour of Black Dog Salvage, a treasure-filled salvage yard with cool furniture and art made from repurposed materials, proved to be a gold mine for practicing different travel photography angles. (You may have an idea of just how fascinating this place is if you’ve seen Salvage Dawgs, featured on the DIY Network and HGTV since 2012, but trust me when I say it’s even more visually captivating in real life!)

Joni Sweet

A piano just outside the building was waiting to be turned into something fabulous (maybe a cabinet?). As Layton suggested, I zoomed in on one of the more interesting details of the instrument—the mangled keys. It allowed me to explore the artsier side of my travel photography.
The inside of the salvage company was like a maze of junk-turned-to-gems. My photos from ground level couldn’t quite depict just how huge and packed this place was.
Joni Sweet

So I climbed to an upper level and shot at a bird’s-eye-view angle to get an image that showed a charming snippet of everything this unique store has to offer.

Selfie Improvement

Who doesn’t want fabulous photos of themselves and their friends on a trip? Travel photography should definitely include you as the subject at one point or another! But straight selfies can get monotonous after a while. Instead, plan your shot ahead of time and grab a friend.
“You could ask a friend to stand where you want to have the photo taken, focus on them, and then switch places. Or ask a stranger to do the same and either take a photo of you alone or with your friend,” says Layton.
But remember, you don’t have to be depicted in every single photo. Travel photography that shows your loved ones (or even strangers) enjoying themselves captures your perspective of the trip. Rather than asking everyone to line up for another cheesy group shot, try to be a little more discreet and spontaneous behind the camera, says Layton.
“Take candid photos of everyone having fun. It’s best to do when your subject doesn’t notice the camera is pointed at them,” she says.

I tried it:

For travel photography that included me in the picture, I ditched my selfie stick and instead set up a shot of me in front of a vintage bus at the Virginia Museum of Transportation. Then I grabbed a friend and handed her my camera. Voilà—an adventurous shot of myself that’s far more interesting than a regular selfie.

Joni Sweet

Virginia’s Blue Ridge has a prominent craft beer scene. But I found that the friendly staff at the breweries were as much a part of the local food and drink culture as the flavors of the beers themselves.
I put some of Layton’s travel photography tips to the test when I snapped a few photos of the staff members at Deschutes Brewery as they brought out samples of one of their most popular beers.
Joni Sweet

Then I put my camera down and picked up a glass to savor this part of the culture in a more sensual way.

When to Put Your Camera Away

For some people (myself included), travel photography can help jog a memory of the experience a few months later. When I see that pic of a giant chocolate croissant, I remember the sweet fragrance and glimmering case of pastries at that bakery in Paris.
But sometimes we get so focused on travel photography that we forget to take in the once-in-a-lifetime experience of being in a new destination. Part of developing your travel photography skills is knowing when to put the camera away—such as at live performances, says Layton.
“When you’re at a concert nowadays, all you tend to see is a mob of people holding up their cameras rather than taking in the moment around them. As a photographer, I believe it is important to capture images to cherish our favorite memories. However, I also think there is a balance of capturing the moment and living in it. Know when to put the camera down and simply appreciate the music around you,” she says.

I tried it:

The activity I was most excited about on my trip to Virginia’s Blue Ridge was going to a live bluegrass concert at the Jefferson Center, an intimate venue for local arts set in a former high school. I had my camera out and ready when the opening act came on.
But as soon as I heard Claire Hitchins, a local musician who sings soulful folk melodies, start talking about how good it felt to be home and begin crooning her first song, chills ran up my spine. The camera hung from my neck for the entire mesmerizing performance.
Then it was time for the headliner, Grammy Award–winning bluegrass band The SteelDrivers, to kick off the main show. I could feel the excitement from the locals—who came out in droves—buzzing through my body, and my camera stayed just where it was. Travel photography means nothing if you don’t know when to live in the moment.

Categories
Happy x Mindful Wellbeing

How To Read Tarot Cards To Gain Insights About Your Life

Can a deck of tarot cards tell the future? Well, that’s what I was convinced of when I was 10 years old, and movies like The Craft and Practical Magic filled my mind with the power of the occult. I picked up a deck of tarot cards and a guidebook on a witchcraft-themed trip to Salem, Massachusetts, and spent every evening of the following month learning how to give myself readings. It was pure childhood magic.
But then, those jaded teenage years set in, and I stopped believing in pretty much everything I couldn’t literally see or feel—including tarot. My cards sat gathering dust at my dad’s house. Investing time, money, or headspace to unproven things like tarot felt absolutely foolish to me well into my twenties. Tell me you’re going to see a tarot reader, and you could expect a royal eye roll—judgmental, I know. But what could you possibly learn from a deck of cards with cryptic pictures?
Apparently a lot, but gleaning anything from tarot cards requires a shift in mindset and expectations. My change of heart happened at a recent fashion launch party, where tarot card reader Calley Nelson was offering free five-minute sessions.
Nelson presented tarot as “an ancient form of storytelling.” Hey, I’m a journalist—storytelling’s kind of my thing—so I immediately opened myself back up to the practice. She clued me into the fact that tarot card readings are not about predicting what’s to come, but rather tapping into insights about your life and exploring possible outcomes to problems. All of a sudden, the popularity of tarot made sense again—skepticism be damned. What’s more: Nelson’s tarot card reading definitely opened me up to new possibilities.
“Small tools like tarot can help you connect and find meaning to life,” she explains. “Life isn’t fun without meaning, so why not find it in this ancient way?”
Want to gain insights about your life from tarot cards? Read on to learn about choosing a deck that speaks to you, getting familiar with the meanings of major cards, and giving yourself quick readings that might just spark new ideas about living your best life.

What’s the deal with tarot cards?

With a total of 78 cards, tarot decks seem like a complicated thing to master. But the truth is, these cards actually have a lot of similarities to something that’s probably bouncing around a junk drawer in your home right now: the standard 52-card deck (the one you use for regular card games). Tarot cards have four suits, numbered ace to 10, and four face cards—all of which are part of the “minor arcana.”
The remaining 22 cards are unique to tarot decks. That group is called the “major arcana” and it includes those classic tarot tropes like the Fool, the Chariot, the High Priestess, the Devil, and the Star.
“Those major arcana cards have the archetypes that transcend cultures and ways of life,” explains Nelson. “They’re the topics that everyone deals with in their lives, from justice and the sun to temperance and death.”   

Finding a Tarot Card Deck That Suits You

The artwork featured on your deck will play a huge role in inspiring you during readings. But with thousands of tarot card decks on the market, ranging from a Legend of Zelda-themed deck to Celtic fairy sets, how do you find the right deck for you?
Nelson says that many people start with the classic Smith-Waite tarot card deck, created in 1909 by illustrator Pamela Colman Smith. An attempt to appeal to the art world, the cards depict tarot figures in full scenes that have a timeless appeal.
“This tarot card deck is the most popular. It has very bright colors and it helped Western culture embrace tarot a little bit more,” says Nelson.
However, just because a tarot card deck’s been around for a while doesn’t mean you have to pick that one. Start browsing for options to see which kind of art speaks to you.
“Instagram is a great place to see tarot card art. Since indie publishing has grown, designing decks has become such an art form,” explains Nelson.
You should also consider the quality and size of the cards. Some people like oversized tarot decks, while others prefer cards that slip into their hands more easily.
While you’re shopping for a deck, it’s also worth picking up a guidebook to help you learn the meaning of each tarot card. Nelson recommends that beginners read The Creative Tarot: A Modern Guide to an Inspired Life by Jessa Crispin.

Getting Familiar With the Tarot Cards

Before you can learn how to read tarot cards, you’ll need to understand the meanings of the various archetypes. The minor arcana cards tend to symbolize things in life that you’re already connected to. The major arcana are considered “trump cards” and indicate larger events to pay attention to.
Nelson has put together a brief guide to some of the most important major arcana cards and their meanings:

  • The Fool (0) is a card of infinite potential. When the Fool is drawn, ask yourself what’s holding you back, and use curiosity to propel you into unknown territories.
  • The World (XXI) embodies the completion of a journey, a union between the four suits of the minor arcana: wands (passion and creativity), swords (thought and action), cups (feeling and intuition), and coins (prosperity and security).
  • Judgment (XX) asks the player to be more decisive and act with conviction—the worst you can do is nothing.
  • The Empress (III) is the eternal mother, the embodiment of creativity and grace—she is confirmation that all ideas can be manifested physically.
  • The Star (XVII) asks players to dream big. When it’s upside down, it can mean that you are progressing, that you’ve chosen your North Star and can use it to guide you forward.
  • The Wheel of Fortune (X) can be used to manifest your own luck by steering toward the center of the spinning, ever-changing wheel. This element of chance keeps life exciting, so the Wheel asks us to embrace it instead of fearing it.
  • Death (XIII) reminds us of our own mortality, and that through our lives we experience small deaths that lead to new things. It reminds us to fearlessly embrace progress and change and to leave behind what we no longer need.
  • The Tower (XVI) is an epiphany or natural disaster. It’s an event that rocks your reality and makes you question your beliefs. The tower asks what can be built from the wreckage.
  • The Hanged Man (XII) can signal a waiting period. It encourages players to be proactive with spare time, using it for rest, observation, and self-analysis so that it doesn’t lead to stagnation.
  • The Devil (XV) should be used to analyze restrictions, like toxic relationships and outdated beliefs that keep us feeling limited. Acknowledging those shadows is tough work, but accepting them as issues that can be worked on can be so empowering.

How to Read Tarot Cards (and Gain Insights About Your Life)

Many believers visit a professional for their tarot card readings. However, the practice is easy to learn, and giving yourself readings might be the best way to tarot for the purpose of tapping into deep insights about your life.
First, shuffle the tarot cards. There are no rules or traditions about how many times you should shuffle or how you should mix up the deck, says Nelson.
Once you’ve shuffled your cards, ask yourself a question to guide your reading.
“You can ask things like, What should I be focusing on today? What should I be looking for or working on? Try to avoid asking about other people, and keep it positive. You can ask anything you want, but tailor your questions so it’s helpful to you,” advises Nelson.
Giving yourself a simple one-card tarot card reading is a great place for beginners to start. Flip over one card onto the table and take a look at the art.
“What does the art on the tarot card remind you about in your current life? A guidebook can help you learn meanings, but how a card makes you feel is more important than what’s in the book,” says Nelson.
If the card is flipped upside-down, it generally indicates the opposite of the traditional meaning. It’s trying to draw your attention, so give it some extra focus, says Nelson.
She also recommends turning your readings into a ritual. Choose a time or day that works for you (she suggests doing it while you have your morning coffee) and journaling about your tarot card reading for a few minutes.
Once you get the hang of one-card tarot readings, you can move onto more complicated spreads.
“Three-card tarot readings are going to be very similar to one-card readings. Draw three cards and look at what each of them means and how they relate together,” says Nelson. “You could think of it as a timeline of things to focus on for the next three weeks, or looking at the tarot cards as a story related to your life.”
The beauty of tarot is that it’s a really free-form practice you can modify to fit into what you need on any day, throughout your life. You don’t need to be a psychic to give yourself a tarot card reading—you just have to have an open mind and a willingness to dive into the intuition that’s already deep inside yourself.