Christina Burns, spa director at Emerson Spa at Emerson Resort & Spa (Mount Trempor, NY) shares her simple health and wellness tips for the holidays and New Year’s resolutions.
- Boost Your Immunity: With flu season, COVID, and beyond, immune system health is top of mind for many of us. In addition to listening to your doctor’s orders with the latest vaccinations, boosters, and taking vitamin C and D supplements, immunity-boosting spa treatments including reflexology can help your body to protect itself.
- Engage in Spiritual Healing: To head into 2023 refreshed, it is important to take care of our whole selves. Meditation and breathwork are just some of the simple ways you can heal your energy at home. At Emerson Spa, we offer a Chakra Renewal experience, which utilizes tarot card reading, a crystal reiki session, and more to guide your way through a natural relationship between the mind, body, soul, and spirit and a feeling of peace for the new year.
- Try “Movement Snacks”: Integrating the recommended 30-minutes-per-day of fitness does not have to be as daunting as it seems this new year. Instead, embrace “movement snacks” that break up your exercise regimen into smaller moments throughout the day. It is not only perfectly healthy, but it can also be more beneficial than forcing yourself to carve out a large amount of time for one longer workout session.
- Forest Bathe: The change of a new year can be a stressful time for many. To combat this, forest bathing is a Japanese practice that harnesses the power of the natural environment and its many therapeutic benefits for mental and physical health. While the Catskill Mountains could serve as a perfect setting, it can take place anywhere in nature, and can be as simple as a slow, mindful walk where you pay attention to your surroundings.
- Fuel Your Body With Natural Ingredients: After the holiday season, our bodies can use a break from sweets, indulgent foods, and alcohol. Instead of restricting ourselves, try focusing on healthier eating habits, including eating before hunger strikes and surrounding yourself with wholesome food choices, such as fruits and vegetables.
- Use Clean Products for Non-Toxic Beauty: Knowing what we put in, and on, our bodies will provide a clean bill of health and clean conscience for 2023.
- Focus on Flexibility: Because we get so caught up in our day-to-day routines, we often overlook stretching outside of a workout regimen. How we carry ourselves through the day, sitting hunched over our computers, crossing our legs, looking down at our phones, can all cause future injury. You can start at home, download a stretching app, or look for your local assisted stretching studio.
- Exercise Your Brain: Imagine your brain as one of the most important muscles: the more workout you put into it, the healthier it gets. Doing crossword puzzles, Sudoku games, and even your daily Wordle can increase brainpower. Because these types of games require multiple cognitive abilities, your brain will be challenged, therefore improving processing speed and memory.
- Art for Self-Care: Studies have shown that expression through art can help people with depression, anxiety, stress, and more. Whether it is trying a watercolor class or just doodling, a creative outlet can be a great release and way to express yourself.
- Be Kind to Yourself: The winter months that are upon us can be a difficult time. As the days get colder be sure to take care of yourself mentally and physically by practicing mindfulness and self-compassion. If we aren't kind to ourselves, we can't fully be kind to others.