Trick or Treat!

Wishing you a Happy Halloween and Dia de los Muertos! BODY hopes you are enjoying the festivities and the joys of the season. Remember that Body café has a variety of treats for take out or to enjoy right here in the café. From our chocolate love cups to our raw pumpkin pie (you won't believe it doesn't have pumpkin!), there truly is a sweet for everyone. There are no tricks inside of these treats, all ingredients are raw, nutritious, and are completely sugar free! We use agave nectar to sweeten our desserts. Come taste for yourself!

~Check out our menu ~

-Keryn

The Continuous Path of Going Green

I asked google what it means to be green. Up popped many articles coming from different sides and perspectives on what it meant to be green. Many of the articles had conflicting statements and none of them had a straight forward definition. My question is can we ever really be green? Can our entire society leave no foot print on the world? Can every thing we do be green? The best that I can find is that being green is more about an ongoing process. I do not think that one day you can just be green. We all must strive to do better each day. Take the car less, walk more; Recycle all your scrap paper, find ways to reduce your energy usage; Keep your water usage to a minimum; Keep your heat down and air conditioning up; Turn off computers and lights; Use Energy Star rated bulbs; and the list can go on. Going green is about a promise to the people in the community and the mother earth. It is not something you are. It is really about what you do each day.
I know that I may be repeating myself, but I guess we all need a reminder. When I get reminded then I want to pass it on to others as well. Each day we can get a little further to being green.
Kendra

(Unconditionally) Love your BODY

“When you stumble...make it part of the dance.”

Being human means facing imperfections. Struggling to attain perfection in one’s life will only create unhappiness and obsession.

With this in mind this weekend, I will try meditating on acceptance of imperfection, in myself and others. Besides, flaws to one person may be character and charm to the next! When you find that you are judging yourself, know that you have the ability to transform that negative thought into something positive. By accepting your own humanity and flaws, you will grow to truly understand the nature of compassion.

So don’t be so hard on yourself - In many ways, life is just a dance.

-Keryn

Salt of the Earth

Natural, organic food is always healthier than processed food, and apparently this fact is true all the way down to seasoning. Standard table salt, despite its pure appearance, is chemically processed, heated up to 1200 degrees, and may contain anti-caking agents. Conventional salt processing intends to remove impurities, however it removes healthy minerals and natural elements as well. Historically, salt has been an essential part of life, with uses ranging from food preservation to therapeutic bathing, but in contemporary times, it is better known for causing high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Intense processing has turned salt, a natural whole food, into simply sodium chloride, which is hard on the body.

Replacing your table salt with naturally derived Himalayan crystal salt is a way to flavor your food and get 84 essential minerals and electrolytes that are lost in refined salt. Minerals are an important part of the body’s digestion, and electrolytes regulate the hydration of the body, blood pH, blood pressure, and are crucial for nerve and muscle function. Himalayan salt is mined from a source that has been underground for millions of years and thus protected from the pollutants that are found in today’s atmosphere. Find this flavorful, pure, Royal Himalayan Pink Crystal Salt in BODY’s food marketplace, or taste it in your meal the next time you’re eating in BODY Café. It is one of the many special ingredients that our cooks use in our food!

-Keryn

The Wonders of Cashmere!

Cashmere is comes from the neck of a cashmere goat. The highest quality cashmere has to be hand combed from the goat and cannot be cut or sheared, that is why cashmere is so expensive. Cashmere is collected during the spring molting season when the goats naturally shed their winter coat. The production of cashmere does not hurt the goats in anyway. Cashmere is one of the softest fabrics and can last for years when it is high quality. The hair from the goats neck is the highest quality cashmere and can be very expensive. Cheaper cashmere comes from the goats legs and back. The cheaper cashmere is more apt to pil and is not as warm. In the long run it worth paying the extra price for better cashmere, it will last for years, even decades. Another fantastic aspect of cashmere is that is can be hand washed in cold water. One of our wonderful lines is Qi Cashmere is a contemporary knitwear company that is sexy, chic and always modern. Qi creates new contemporary knitwear each season, with the use of imported yarns, cotton, cashmere, and cashmere blends. Their goal is to offer “Affordable Luxury”. Drop into body boutique to check out some of our beautiful cashmere and stay warm this winter! As our boutique buyer said, "Some women want diamonds, but all I want is cashmere!"

Seasonal Depression and the Blahs

With the clouds over hanging and the rain poring down, I was reminded of seasonal depression. Between 4 and 6 percent of the U.S. population suffers from SAD(Seasonal Affective Disorder) and 10 to 20 percent suffer from a more mild form of winter blues. Symptoms include fatigue, insomnia, decreased levels of energy, weight gain, increase in appetite, difficulty concentrating, depression, and increased desire to be alone. The symptoms of SAD are intense and begin at the end of fall and do not disappear until spring. It is a very serious disorder that often requires medical attention and light therapy, which has been found to reduce symptoms. The exact cause of this condition is not known. One theory is that with decreased exposure to sunlight in the winter, the biological clock that regulates mood, sleep, and hormones is delayed, running more slowly in winter. Exposure to light may reset the biological clock. SAD is diagnosed in women more often then men, but men's symptoms are often worse.

The winter blahs are not fun, but are not as severe as SAD. With winter blahs it is best to get yourself up and moving and do something that you enjoy. Get out, take a class, and get some exercise. Siting around in doors and being sedentary can very often make the blahs worse. Go hiking, skiing, sledding, try something you have never done before like yoga, nia, or dance.

Take of yourself over this long cold winter. Continue to exercise and eat right even though your body wants to hibernate. You'll feel better in the long run, suffer less blahs, and enjoy the winter more. If your blahs are on going or severe, get help. It could be something much more then the blahs, it could be Seasonal Affective Disorder.

The Adventurous Spa

One of the greatest pleasures of traveling is to visit a local spa to try the local treatments. Spas frequently feature treatments that reflect the region’s natural resources, and often will incorporate local beauty secrets into high end facials and body treatments. The goal of all of these spa trends is ultimately the same; to detoxify, rejuvenate, relax, improve skin texture, and of course beautify! But, as many of us spa lovers know, enjoying the unique processes of special spa treatments is equally important as the end result of glowing skin and relaxed muscles. The following spa treatments range from simply unconventional to intriguingly quirky. They truly make one question, how adventurous are you when it comes to beauty and therapeutic wellness?



When traveling to the Czech Republic, spa loving tourists flock to Chodovar brewery to indulge in their infamous herbal beer bath. Bathers soak for 20 minutes in a reinvigorating concoction of dark beer, mineral spring water, and a mixture of aromatic herbs. This luxurious bath comes with a free pint of Chodovar’s naturally brewed high quality beer!



If your next vacation takes you to Turkey, Malaysia, Japan, or Korea, your feet are in for a treat with a session at a Dr. Fish resort. Adventurous people in need of a pedicure remove their shoes and dip their tootsies into a tank full of Garra Rufa fish, also known as nibble fish. These tiny toothless fish feed on dead skin and calluses, giving feet an extremely effective (and painless) pedicure. The sensation of a Dr. Fish treatment is likened to a tingling machine.



In California, the trendy facial du jour comes straight from the sea in a protein rich caviar facial. This treatment boasts powerful antioxidants and ultra hydrating moisturizers that smooth fine lines, promote collagen production, and lift the skin. This facial’s power comes from the high mineral content naturally found in high quality caviar.



If you’re not planning a trip anytime soon, or you simple prefer a stay-cation instead of traveling, we have many special body treatments here at BODY. If you’d like to experience a locally derived treatment, try the Sedona Mud Bodywrap. This staff favorite will detoxify your entire body while reconnecting you to the healing properties of the Southwest.

- Keryn

Surviving the Holidays

With the holidays coming it is easy to get wrapped up in shopping, traveling on top of our normally busy schedules. I want to remind everyone to stop and take a break. Just take a few minutes a day for yourself, whether you go for a walk, take a yoga class, or go get yourself a spa treatment. When we get stressed out the holidays are not as enjoyable and they are a time for celebration. There is no need to drive yourself crazy. There is no such thing as a perfect holiday. But we can always enjoy them more when we are calm and relaxed. So don't forget to take time for yourself!

Kendra

Sattvic Sleep

A couple of nights ago, at 4am, I was woken up by my typically quiet dog, barking and growling into the night. Normally this wouldn’t bother me at all, but as I tried to fall back asleep, my mind began to move at lightening speed as I mentally went through every task I had planned for the day ahead of me. Ironically, the following day I was dragging in everything that I did, and my eyes closed at any chance they got.

Determined to prevent this from happening again, I did a little of detective work. I changed my sheets, fluffed my pillows, stayed away from caffeine & sugar all day long, and ate an early dinner. Suspecting it was exercise that my body & mind needed, I took a long uphill walk with my dog and then enjoyed a hot shower.

And then I got serious. I reopened a book I read a few years ago – Light on Life by B.K.S. Iyengar. The premise of this book is that health is earned specifically through sweat. Light on Life frequently elaborates upon the fact that yoga improves anatomical health equally as it helps psychological health. This is because the mind and body are essentially one, which simply must be aligned through yoga and mediation. Iyengar writes a long passage about sleep, and how it is time of renewal in sattvic sleep. This certainly was not the type of sleep I had the night before, and I was reminded that I could not pinpoint whether my restless sleep was a problem with my body or mind, because it was both.

Unfortunately, we all have experienced a night of restless sleep. Next time you experience one, I strongly recommend the Halasana Asana (Plough Pose) preceded by Salamba Sarvangasana. It really has given me a good night’s sleep. This pose calms the nerves, relieves tension in the neck and upper back, improves mental poise and mood, benefits the thyroid, and, of course, is a natural sleep aid. I only wish I had thought of it sooner!

1. Spread a folded blanket on the floor. Lie flat on your back with both legs and feet touching each other. Keep your palms facing the floor.

2. Exhale and bend knees over the chest. Press hands down on the floor and, with a swing, raise waist and hips.

3. Support hips with the hands and lift the trunk.

4. Raise hips and thighs further, supporting them with the back of your hands. From the shoulders to the knees, the body should be perpendicular to the floor.

5. Straighten legs towards the ceiling.

6. Stay in this position for two-three minutes. Gradually increase the duration to about seven-eight minutes.

7. Exhale. Bend the knees and gradually slide down buttocks and back. Release hands from the back and extend legs on the floor.

8. While exhaling, lower your legs over the head, one by one.

9. Inhale, then exhale, extending your legs over the head without bending them at the knees. Place toes on the floor.

10. Stretch arms on the floor in the direction opposite to the legs.

11. Interlock fingers and turn the wrists, so that thumbs rest on the floor. Tighten arms at the elbows. Extend them away from the shoulders. Also extend palms along with the fingers.

12. Stay in this position for about five minutes, breathing normally. Increase the duration gradually to about 15 minutes.

13. To come out of the posture, bend the legs, take the buttocks back, and slowly slide down, keeping palms alongside hips.

Wishing you sattvic sleep,

- Keryn