Renew your inner and outer beauty this fall

Nothing beats fall when it comes to a sense of renewal. It's the beginning of a new school year, your favorite brand introduces new fall fashion, and you have nothing but cooler weather and the holidays to look forward to. What better time to adjust your beauty routine than the new season?
 

 

The change of seasons is a good time to cleanse your system, inside and out. The best way to prepare for the colder season is to get a facial, a body scrub, and a massage, and then check your diet and get plenty of sleep. This time of year is good for warming soups and stews, cooked vegetables and for a treat: fruit pies. It's also a good time to enjoy the health benefits of a cup of hot green tea and to detox before Halloween with all the candy.  

As summer surrenders to cooler temperatures, there is no better place to renew your Inner Goddess than with a renewing massage or spa service. Our tips will help you to prepare for your best fall season ever:

Detox At Home: Detoxing isn't just a dramatic one-time event, or something you do when you're at a detox spa. It's an ongoing process. And you can do much of the important work of detoxing at home by changing the way you eat and taking a closer look at what you put in your body.

Hydrate adequately by drinking eight to ten glasses of water every day. This flushes your system and replaces the water your body loses just through respiration and elimination. If you're bored with plain old water, try spa water, which is fruit-infused water. Get great spa water recipes at myspawater.com and Pam Wenzel's Spa Water book. Stop eating sugar and refined carbohydrates like white flour. They have no nutritional value and give you a sugar "high" that leaves you hungry and craving more sugar.

  

Get healthy fats into your diet. Essential fatty acids can be found in unrefined flax seed oils, walnuts and especially olive oil.

Sleep: Make your sleep a priority. Build boundaries around your sleep by sticking to a set bedtime, and by not eating or working in bed (no iPhone in the bedroom!). Avoid caffeine and alcohol, as they both interfere with normal sleep patterns. Prepare for healthy sleep by making a smooth transition from waking activity to quiet sleep. 

Facial: Face fall with a healthy glow, and select a facial that will clean, soften and smooth the skin. Summer sun can leave skin dry and damaged, so you'll feel relaxed and rejuvenated. Of course, it's impossible to think of fall without thinking of pumpkins, and spa pumpkin-based treatments. Though many think that the pumpkin found its highest calling in a Thanksgiving pie, the reality is that the familiar orange flesh provides tons of phytochemicals that nourish and treat the skin. An exfoliating pumpkin peel contains powerful natural enzymes and is an excellent way to instantly brighten post-summer skin by sloughing away dead skin cells and dull pigment.

Body Scrub: Fall skincare involves doing away with summer dryness and pampering your skin. For an utterly pampering experience, schedule a body scrub in the comfort of your home. Your skin is pampered and polished with essential oils and sea salts giving you a luxuriant glow. We add skin brushing to exfoliate, detox and rejuvenate. Your skin will look as great as it feels: heavenly smooth. For your daily routine, switch to a heavier moisturizer that will protect your skin as it adjusts to new, cooler temperatures.
 

Massage: For many of us a massage is the most relaxing wish-it-went-on-forever treatment. Aside from the sheer pleasure of having stubborn knots eased away, skin benefits greatly from nourishing oils. Depending on your needs you may find your massage therapist choosing a blend of delicious-smelling essentials oils to enhance your relaxation.

The great thing about fall is that it gives us all a chance to start anew and to make positive changes. May it be your best season of change yet .

Massage Helps Minimize Jet Lag

There were many highlights in my trip to Italy -- the food of course, the museums, the Italian hospitality, the amazing architecture and landscape, the spas…

But I can’t say I enjoyed the jet lag. They say it takes one day for each time zone you’ve crossed (more or less depending if you’re heading West or East) to adjust back to your new or regular time zone.

Symptoms of Jet Lag:

Symptoms of jet lag include: digestive disorders, disorientation, disrupted sleep, fatigue, grogginess, headache, inability to concentrate, insomnia, irregular sleep patterns, irritability and mild depression.

Recovery:

A certain amount of jet lag is unavoidable while traveling great distances by airplane because your body's natural rhythms have become out of sync with local time, but as a massage therapist, I recommend getting a massage to minimize the amount of time it takes to recover. It certainly helped me.

Benefits of Massage:

Improved sleep is one of the benefits of massage therapy and jet lag is considered a sleep disorder. Don’t we instinctively rub someone’s shoulders to help them relax or gently stroke the head or backs of babies to coax them back to sleep? Isn’t therapeutic touch what massage is all about?

Many people have said they’ve slept well after receiving a relaxing massage and some people even fall asleep in the middle of a treatment – I know I nodded off in an Italian spa while I was getting a pedicure! I think it was during the foot massage.

So if you’re experiencing jet leg like I did recently, get a massage. It can help you get a better night’s sleep and get over your jet lag sooner.

Kids back to school? Five steps to help you be calm and relaxed

During the summer, schedules are relaxed and you can stay up late and sleep a little longer. And while your sleep patterns change it's tempting to fall into "endless weekend mode".

But before you know it, the clock will rule the morning again. Summer is winding down, just a few more supplies to buy, and then the kids will be headed back to school. After a relaxed, easy breezy summer lifestyle, the end of August can be tough. Suddenly you are confronted with a much tighter schedule.

How can moms and kids adjust from the relaxation of summer to the schedules of school? Luckily there are lots of ways you can stay calm and relaxed. Here are 5 easy ways to ease your routine.

Be prepared. What worked last year may not be a perfect fit this year. Be open to new ideas and adjustments when necessary. Prepare ahead of time. Donate clothes that no longer fit your child. It's also a good opportunity to go through YOUR closet and donate clothes you no longer like or need.

Put your family on a routine and emphasize sleep. For bedtime, focus on relaxation and sleep will follow. Accept that sleep is a very important part of life. Plan healthy breakfasts and lunches. Remember that nutrition is an important factor in daily performance. Studies have shown that people who eat healthful, balanced breakfasts and lunches are more alert throughout the (school) day than those who have an unhealthy diet.

Create a stress-free morning routine. Plan for the mornings the evening before. Take out the uniforms or clothes for next day, make sure that backpacks are packed, and that lunchboxes are clean and, if possible, packed as well. Make sure you've put your car keys, cell phone and wallet with the driver's license in it within reach.

Set the breakfast table the night before, and make sure healthy breakfast foods are easy to reach. Also make sure sports bags or musical instruments are packed and ready to go.

Repeat a mantra. It can be something you recently read or one that you came up with yourself. When you start to feel yourself getting stressed and overwhelmed, repeat your mantra in your head over and over again. Close your eyes if you have to. You'll start to feel all the tension drain from your body and it will be replaced with a relaxed feeling and positive energy.

Focus on relaxation. Most women already know what the statistics say: You are still carrying most of the load. You juggle kids, work, home, volunteering and everything else in between. Of course, you know that running yourself on empty isn't good for your health or your family.

Take a relaxing, refreshing bubble bath, light your favorite scented candle, read a good book, or listen to calming music:

Why not plan some extra treatment and get a facial, massage, manicure or pedicure? No matter how organized you are, life can be challenging and you need some downtime to recharge your batteries! Do not be tempted to devalue the worth of relaxation.

One of the most effective ways to achieve a state of true relaxation is by booking a Serve The Goddess® Mobile Spa Services appointment and getting a massage in the comfort of your home. No need to travel (which might add some extra stress) - we bring the relaxation to YOU! A massage relaxes and refreshes your body in multiple ways. To function your best you need to feel your best. Why not invite some other moms and make a back-to-school Spa party out of it? Everything is so much better in a group. Just pick your date, time, and favorite services, and Serve The Goddess® Mobile Spa Services turns your home into a relaxation haven.

Get daily exercise. It is so beneficial to get daily exercise. Plan a walk in the early morning, or after you drop the kids off at school. Do a workout DVD, ride your bike or join a gym. Just find some way to incorporate at least 30 minutes of activity into your daily routine. The healthier you stay, the easier it is to be the best mom you can be to your children.

All these things can help you and your family have a happier, relaxed back-to-school experience without having to give up on that carefree summer feeling yet. Which reminds me: it's time to slap on some sunscreen and head to the beach.