This year we followed one of our beloved yoga teachers, Andrea Maltzer, to the conference. Between assisting MC Yogi and Amanda and taking Stephanie Snyder’s class, we paused for a moment to reflect on the biggest yoga party of the month.

What brings you back to the YJ Conference?
I’ve been attending the YJ conferences for over 10 years now. At times as a participant, and this time as an assistant. It’s a great opportunity to be able to experience a lot of different teachers in a short period of time.

I always learn a lot about the practice and the yoga teachings that I bring back to the students I am blessed to serve.

What’s new for 2012?
This year, I had the inspiring opportunity to take a class with Stephanie Snyder who teaches in San Francisco. Her class was called ‘hips of a hero.’

She compared our hips to that junk drawer we all have. The drawer we throw the junk we don’t know what to do with into. I love that analogy.

So, how do we release the “junk”?
In the 2-hour workshop, we worked through a series of postures getting into the hip joint area. Focusing on poses that open up the hips: gomukhasana, pidgeon, double pidgeon—

But more importantly was the sequence: slowly leading up into these openings. I learned that when we tighten our jaw, our hips follow suit. Relaxing your jaw is one of the first steps in letting go of tension in the hips.

Why the hips?
We often hold onto unresolved issues, problems, things we wish we would have said – in our hips. That is the junk we are holding on to. By practicing yoga and doing some slow basic hip openers such as the ones above, we can start getting into these places and let go of some of the junk.

Andrea, with her inspiring playlists, teaches Monday and Wednesdays at 6:15pm and Sunday at 8:30am.

Namaste,
Sofia

To honor the silence and beauty in ourselves, we’ve been playing with our Tibetan Singing Bowls here at our San Francisco spa. Playing til our hearts content.

The Tibetan handbeaten singing bowls are a gift of simple beauty and art. Each singing bowl is hand tuned by Indian skilled artisans and made with a special 7-metal bell alloy that produces a unique sonic “voiceprint” when played.

According to Tibetan oral tradition, the existence of singing bowls dates back to the time of the historical Budda Shakyamuni (560-480 B.C.) and a tradition brought from India to Tibet, along with the teachings of the Buddha.

It’s the perfect companion for home decor, yoga, meditation or bodywork. The bowls produce sounds that invoke a deep state of relaxation, which naturally assists in meditation, yoga or any moment of silence you are treating yourself to.

Lisa, one of our Certified Massage Therapists, loves to place the humming bowls on the backs of clients. The sounds and vibration reverberates through the body, creating a healing affect on the chakras.

To make the bowl sing: place open palm in 1 hand and hold striker vertical like a pencil. Gently tap bowl with the stick and then move it around the rim with firm and steady pressure. Bowl will begin to hum and vibrate with rich melodic tones.

Available for purchase at the SHOP at IO: 4.75” bowl $84, 6” bowl $120, 8” bowl $170, 12” bowl $325.

Singing til our hearts content,
Sofia

TEACHER OF THE MONTH Leila Swenson
HOMETOWN Los Angeles
IDEA OF HAPPINESS Love…good friends, good company…and lots of yoga!
FAVORITE VACATION Hawaii…snorkeling in Hanauma Bay…eating Macadamia Nut pancakes
FAVORITE MUSIC TO PLAY IN CLASS Anything that inspires and moves the body… from Moby to Bon Iver, Architecture in Helsinki, Wah!, Krishna Das,The xx, and beyond…
SUPER HERO TALENT Empathy
FAVORITE POSE Ardha chandrasana (half moon)
OFF-THE-MAT PASSIONS Singing, dancing and watching movies
MANTRA Thank you.

STUDENT OF THE NONTH Tobin Schiller
HOMETOWN Fresno, CA
HEROES My parents
FAVORITE VACATION Hanalei, Kauai or Sunset Beach on Oahu’s north shore. Paradise and uniquely relaxing and inspiring.
TEACHERS WHO INSPIRE YOU Lots…but I love Kate Lumsden, Andrea Graham, and Lindsay Thomson
SING IN THE SHOWER SONG Lately I’ve been on a Carpenters kick…I’m a child of the 70s
5 THINGS THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY A sense of calm, an upcoming vacation, great food with great friends, a good belly-aching laugh, and clean sheets
OFF THE MAT PASSIONS Taking the road less traveled

For more tidbits on Leila and Tobin, read their complete profiles on the yoga board located outside of the studio. For our complete IO yoga schedule, please visit our yoga schedule here.

If you’d like to nominate a student, email Lindsay at lindsay@internationalorange.com

Namaste,
Sofia

Bridget Kavanaugh, who teaches an all levels vinyasa class on Monday and Fridays at 12noon at our San Francisco yoga studio and Holly Foster, a dedicated IO yogi who off the mat is a managing editor at an aquatics life sciences journal.

TEACHER OF THE MONTH Bridget Kavanaugh
HOMETOWN Grosse Pointe, Michigan
IDEA OF HAPPINESS Relaxing on sunny front porch after a really good yoga practice and catching up with loved ones
FAVORITE VACATION Any of the Spanish speaking countries
FAVORITE MUSIC TO PLAY IN CLASS Girish, Ben Harper, Michael Franti, Diogal, Carla Bruni, Bon Iver
SUPER HERO TALENT Miraculously finagling plane rides after my laundry list of stories and reasons for missing the flight
FAVORITE POSE Half moon and frog (a love/hate relationship!)
OFF-THE-MAT PASSIONS The papaya salad and green juice from Herbivore – yum!
MANTRA LISTEN, LAUGH AND LOVE as often as possible

STUDENT OF THE NONTH Holly Foster
HOMETOWN Toronto, Ontario, Canada
FAVORITE WRITERS Xinran, Paulo Coelho, F. Scott Fitzgerald, the Brontë sisters
FAVORITE VACATION Tough call…either Bermuda or Denmark/Sweden
TEACHERS WHO INSPIRE YOU Allie Edison, Lindsay Thomson, Rosemary Garrison, Zed Zaremba
IDEAL SUNDAY A morning hike with my husband followed by a picnic lunch and the Sunday paper while relaxing by a campfire
5 THINGS THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY Being surrounded by nature, canoeing on a quiet lake, traveling to new places, curling up in front of the fire
FAVORITE POSE Supta baddha konasana and I love arm and standing balances

For more tidbits on Bridget and Holly, read their complete profiles on the yoga board located outside of the studio. For our complete IO yoga schedule, please visit our yoga schedule here.

If you’d like to nominate a student, email Lindsay at lindsay@internationalorange.com

Namaste,
Sofia

Jodie, a member of our San Francisco spa front desk team, is also a Certified Yoga Teacher, and knows a thing or two about a beautiful wellness technique called dry brushing.

So this week, I asked Jodie a few basic questions on the who, what, when, where and why’s of dry brushing.

What is dry brushing?
A technique of exfoliating with a dry, natural bristle brush that gently brushes the skin.

Why is it important?
Our skin is the first agent that comes in contact with the outside world, protecting us from chemicals and bacteria. So, we must do it justice by taking better care of it.

What are the benefits?
increases circulation
removes dead skin cells and stimulates new cell production
cleanses the lymph system, which in turn strengthens your immune system
detoxes the body, digestive and nervous systems
aids in tightening the skin, toning muscles and fighting cellulite!

What do I need?
A stiff-bristled brush. At our retail SHOP at IO, we sell beautiful Iris Hantverk natural brushes ($21-26), made by visually impaired Swedish craftsman.

When and where?
Best to brush before your shower, on a dry body in the morning and not right before bed.

What is the technique?
There is a specific way to dry brush the body – always towards the heart.

Begin either from the feet and work up or from the neck down. It doesn’t matter which way you start, but always, always, apply long, slow strokes towards the heart. It can actually cause stress to your lymph system by encouraging circulation away if you do the opposite.

Thanks Jodie for sharing your tips on dry brushing!

Brush it all away,
Sofia

This week Jody shares her steps for the advanced yogi or anyone who’s seen the world upside down. If you have mastered getting up at the wall, now it’s time to figure out the balance away from the wall.

Part 2: Level 2/3 The advanced yogi
We now get into the head game again. Try not to think too much.

My favorite thing to tell people whether they move themselves further from the wall or into the middle of the room is to kick up to 12 o’clock.

1. Hands are at 6 o’clock. Just kick up to 12. We get into the habit when we are at the wall of kicking past 12 o’clock to find the wall.
2. So, move yourself about a foot or more away from the wall so that you have the wall for security if you need it.
3. Or move into the middle of the room (this is how I really got balance-by staying away from the wall).
4. Kick up to 12. Keep the legs energized.
5. You may fall. That’s okay. That is precisely how the body figures out how to balance.

Alternatively, at the wall:

1. Kick to the wall and then bring one leg away so that the heel is straight up from the pelvis.
2. You must bring the hips back toward the wall a bit to avoid ‘banana-ing’.
3. Then begin to hug/squeeze the inner thighs towards each other allowing the other leg to move forward in line with the leg that is already away from the wall.
4. Reach the heels up and push the hands down.
5. Keep some softness in the chest don’t become too rigid.

Is there a time one should not be inverting?
Women who are menstruating, those that suffer from shoulder or wrist injuries, or anyone with high blood pressure.

Any tricks for overcoming the fear of falling?
Yes! Fall a couple of times. You will realize that you will be ok and then you can get on with balancing. If you feel yourself losing balance, pick up 1 hand and cartwheel out instead of flipping all the way over.

Getting up or not getting up into inversions is not going to make or break your life. A lot of the time it’s a head game. Your doubt and fear will stop you. That’s life, right?

Be involved in the process and see what you learn about yourself. That’s really what yoga is about anyway.

Namaste,
Sofia

This month, I bring you October’s shining stars: Andrea Graham, who teaches an all levels vinyasa class on Monday and Wednesday at 7:45pm at our San Francisco yoga studio and Dina Mussano, a graphic designer for Whole Foods.

TEACHER OF THE MONTH Andrea Graham
HOMETOWN Louisville, Kentucky
IDEA OF HAPPINESS Feeling connected to all that surrounds me
FAVORITE VACATION Hawaii
FAVORITE MUSIC TO PLAY IN CLASS Upbeat, interesting, emotion provoking. Some of my favorite artists right now: Yofi Yah, Jamie Moon, WAH, Bombay Dub Orchestra
FAVORITE ARTISTS Andy Goldsworthy, JM Basquiat…and many others!
BEST AFTER YOGA SNACK A vegetarian taco!
FAVORITE POSE Revolved triangle
OFF-THE-MAT PASSIONS Wheat-free baking, traveling, camping, hiking
MANTRA All is as it should be

STUDENT OF THE MONTH Dina Mussano
HOMETOWN A little farm in Pennsylvania
IDEA OF HAPPINESS Losing my inhibitions
FAVORITE VACATION Spring in Paris
TEACHERS WHO INSPIRE YOU Bryan Kest, Allison Hodge, Andrea Maltzer
IDEAL SUNDAY Yoga, coffee, farmers’ market, beach, Giants game…all on a warm, sunny day in SF
FIVE THINGS THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY Exploring different cities, a good soy latte, the perfect vintage find, my friends and family and, of course, Hello Kitty
FAVORITE POSE Pigeon or hero. I’m a fan of arm balances too.
MANTRA Do what you love, love what you do.

For more tidbits on Andrea and Dina, read their complete profiles on the yoga board located outside of the studio.

For our complete IO yoga schedule, please visit our yoga schedule here.

If you’d like to nominate a student, email Lindsay at lindsay@internationalorange.com

Namaste,
Sofia

I’ve been on the handstand pursuit for years, receiving inspirational and practical guidance all along the way. And, in true yoga form, there is no right or wrong way to get into a handstand, but there is great guidance on how to get there.

This week, Jody Hahn, our very own “queen of inversions” shares with us her step-by-step guide on getting upside down. This week, Part 1: for beginners. Jody, who makes it a point to include inversions in her classes, teaches Thursday and Friday at 9:15am.

PART 1: Level 1 Beginners

Warm-up
You don’t want to just jump into any inversion without preparing and warming the body. So, start with a few sun salutations and some standing poses to warm and lubricate the body.

Pre-handstand
Now for the fun handstand prep pose: “L” Pose, which will get you more comfortable with being upside down with support from the wall.

1. Come to the floor on hands and knees with your feet against the wall, hips over knees and shoulders over wrist.
2. Spread the fingers, full palms and all fingers firmly pressing floor.
3. With your the feet against the wall, lift the knees up so you are in down dog with toes on floor and heels against the wall.
4. Walk the legs up the wall to hip height, straighten the legs and press your chest toward your feet.

1. Place your hands 4-6 inches from the wall
2. Lift into down dog and shift your shoulders directly over your wrists, slightly soften the chest toward the floor allowing the shoulders to broaden, look between your hands- looking at the floor. This is KEY!!
3. Bring 1 foot forward an easy comfortable step toward the wall (think of a runner in blocks about to start a race). The other leg remains very straight. Keep your core toned, kidneys slightly puffed.
4. Using the leg that just came forward push that foot firmly into the floor and jump with that leg and launch the straight leg up and keep it straight. This is your momentum leg.
5. The bent leg is the launch leg; the straight one is the momentum leg. Maybe you practice jumping with the legs in the correct position, the tummy toned, kidneys puffed to get the feel for it first…and then give it some muscle and GO FOR IT!!
6. Once you are up push the floor away with your hands, squeeze your legs together, take your pubic bone toward your belly button/tailbone toward the heels and firmly press your heels toward the sky.

A few other tips

1. Try to avoid the classic “banana” position when the belly moves toward the middle of the room and the lower back arches away from the wall. Ouch. Pull the belly and hips back toward the wall.
2. Remember to breathe through the whole process.
3. Now, you might not get up. That’s ok.
4. Practice. Realize that the alignment and strength are one aspect.
5. It’s also a head game. Don’t let your head tell you that you can’t. You can. You learned to walk, bike, maybe ski etc. the body knows how to balance. Even upside down. You can’t think your way into it. You can think through the elements of alignment but then let the body figure out the rest.

Step by step,
Sofia

But if you’re going to add-on anything these days, add on essential oils.

Specifically I’m talking about adding an In Fiore Body Balm ($15) to your IO massage at our San Francisco spa. It’s an addition that will enhance your massage ten-fold.

Not only will adding essential oils enable your IO Certified Massage Therapist to more readily address pressure points and muscles, but you will also receive the all-encompassing healing remedies of aromatherapy. The detoxification and healing benefits of your massage will linger for longer than sans-essential oils. Your mind, boy and soul will thank you.

Which essential oil to choose?
Take a peek at the menu below. Each In Fiore body balm is hand-blended and crafted with powerful essential oils and antioxidants to hydrate dull skin, bodies and minds.

THE BALMS

DALAYA euphoric blend
Jasmine and Lemongrass. This relaxing and euphoric blend promotes well-being, helps in pain reduction and improves circulation.

JOLIE balancing blend
Rose, Bergamot and Chamomile. This nourishing blend is ideal for treating dry and sensitive skin (including eczema and rosacea).

KASHMIR grounding blend
Patchouli, Neroli and Sandalwood. A rich, woodsy aroma with a floral hint, the essentials in this blend combat tension and anxiety.

SHEVANTI sensual blend
Ylang Ylang, Patchouli, Frankincense and Rose. Earthy and sweet, Shevanti is ultra-decadent and completely revitalizing.

TANGIERS uplifting blend
Lemongrass, Ginger and Tangerine. This balm is soothing to muscular aches and pains and can improve skin scars, blemishes and stretch marks. Not to be used during pregnancy.

TIAGI tranquil blend
Lavender, Neroli and Lemon. Put insomnia and anxiety to bed with this nervous system sedative. This blend is also ideal during pregnancy as it helps prevent and heal stretch marks.

My favorite? Tiagi.

The extra benefit? You’ll walk out of the treatment room with supple, dewy skin, and a beautiful relaxed glow.

Add-on,
Sofia

As one of the most overlooked body parts, the scalp is quite literally the root of maintaining overall balance and wellness for the body.

Michelle Lyn, a member of our San Francisco spa Certified Massage Therapist team, sheds the light on what it means to have a healthy scalp.

What is a healthy scalp?
A healthy scalp feels light and clean, allowing the hair lots of movement and provides greater blood flow and circulation throughout the whole head, which ultimately supports brain function and overall immune health in the body.

Energetically speaking, a healthy scalp helps to de-clutter the mind, opening us to greater mental clarity and presence. Yes, please!

Signs of an unhealthy scalp
Itching, dryness/dandruff, Eczema, an oily or filmy feeling left on your fingers after feeling the scalp.

The culprits
Stress, weather, sun, poor diet, pollution, chemicals in hair care products, pool chemicals, hair dryers and the list goes on and on…

5 things you may not know about your scalp

1. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, throughout the scalp you can find treatment zones affecting all areas of the body and body functions. People are familiar with the idea of the body and organs represented in the feet… well, it’s true for the scalp too!
2. Rotate shampoo + conditioner so that you’re not using the same every day
3. Lather for a 3-5 minutes to fully remove excess build-up from hair and scalp
4. Massaging the scalp releases tension in the neck and shoulders
5. Give yourself a mini scalp massage in the shower by lathering your shampoo with your knuckles rather than fingertips

Michelle’s at-home scalp care
IO ENRICH Body Cream: not just for your body, but also great for de-frizzing hair

Organic extra virgin coconut oil: we use in our treatments at IO. Perfect for de-frizzing & adding shine. Sometimes I’ll use in place of my normal hair gel.

IO ANOINT Body Oil: great for scalp, hair and body. Use as a hot oil treatment!

Start from the top,
Sofia

So much so that each month we proudly feature a student and teacher of the month.

Here are September’s shining stars: Erika van Gemeren, who teaches an all levels vinyasa class on Thursdays at 7:00-8:00am, and Bessie Lee, manager of Cielo Boutique, one of our Fillmore Street neighbors.

TEACHER OF THE MONTH Erika van Gemeren
HOMETOWN Walnut Creek
YOUR FAVORITE VACATION Anywhere with a body of water, close getaways – Tahoe, Russian River
YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC TO PLAY IN CLASS I really play an eclectic range. Anything from Ravi Shankar-Radiohead-Mc Yogi-Nick Cave-Dj Drez, come and check it out!
YOUR HEROES Janet Stone, all the Mommas and the Papas in the world, and anyone who truly lives from their heart
BEST AFTER YOGA SNACK Kale crunchy chips
YOUR FAVORITE POSE Yoga squat (malasana) – a favorite way to eat lunch also!
SUPER-HERO TALENT I can do the worm – not sure how Super Hero that is, but it is a good party trick!
YOUR OFF-THE-MAT PASSIONS Snowboarding, reading, hiking, spending time with my kitty, Karma Yoga

STUDENT OF THE NONTH Bessie Lee
HOMETOWN Menlo Park
PROFESSION Manager of Cielo Boutique on Fillmore Street
YOUR IDEA OF HAPPINESS Inner peace
YOUR FAVORITE VACATION Being in Paris and strolling along the Sienne
TEACHERS WHO INSPIRE YOU Everyone has an inner teacher so I find inspiration in all people
BEST AFTER YOGA SNACK Chocolate
YOUR OFF THE MAT PASSIONS Shopping, clothes, art, music
YOUR FAVORITE POSE Half moon pose
YOUR MANTRA Live to the point of tears – Camus wrote that!

For more tidbits on Erika and Bessie, read their complete profiles on the yoga board located outside of the studio.

If you’d like to nominate a student, email Lindsay at lindsay@internationalorange.com

Namaste,
Sofia

So, where to go to hide out in the sun? Come over to our IO sun deck. I bet you didn’t realize that we had one, did you?

I call it one of our best-kept secrets. There are few spas, let alone San Francisco apartments, that can boast of a proper rooftop/sun deck.

Located at the back of our San Francisco spa, the IO sun deck is a gem of its own. Smack dab in the middle of the city, our redwood sun deck is peaceful, pristine and lush with succulents and calming bamboo. Sadly, I don’t think the deck is used to its full potential.

When to go? Right before your treatment.

Cozy up in your robe, bring your mint tea and organic nibbles and walk through that glass door. Spend 10-15 minutes on the sun deck. On the deck you will find reclining chairs, tables of all sorts set up for you to read, nap, meditate, write in a journal or simply soak in the summer sun.

For the full IO experience, I recommend the triple threat: yoga, steam and sun deck right before your treatment.

Then before you know it, your practitioner will be greeting you on the deck and off you go into IO bliss.

Ready to visit? Book an appointment online or call 415.563.5000 and come in for sunny San Francisco spa day.

I heart sun decks,
Sofia

(Something I thought that I could never do, I’m doing!)

Outside of the positive benefits of increased energy levels and lower stress, training for the triathlon has brought on a continuous series of muscle pain and soreness – from my shoulders to quads – all of my muscles have been talking to me!

While I live for massage therapy with our San Francisco Spa and Certified Massage Therapist team, I’ve discovered an easy and painless daily practice to help to relieve my soreness: taking baths with IO Bathe, a bath soak.

IO Bathe has been the key to releasing my muscle pain and tension. It’s almost too easy. BATHE bath soak, one of the products from the IO Organic body care collection, and is a radiant and detoxifying treatment to harmonize overactive bodies. (Not to mention it was named best bath soak by allure Spa Magazine)

All you have to do is draw a warm bath and dissolve ¼ to ½ cup of the treatment salts. Add more salt if you desire a more intense bath. Then slip in up to your shoulders and soak for at least 15 mins.

So what’s doing the work?

The key ingredient: Vetiver root. It aids in the release of muscle pain and tension and helps to move the lactic acid built up in the muscles.

There are a few other active ingredients in IO BATHE that does wonders. Sea salt, Epsom salt and baking soda help to draw out toxins and encourage circulation. Orange blossom puts the nervous system at peace. White Lotus is softly sweet and brings you quickly into la-la land.

For many of us Type-A personalities, stopping to take a bath is harder than we think. But all that more important. Ease muscle soreness, create space and simply giving your body a good soak are enough reasons to BATHE.

Any other tips on easing pain or soreness?

In BATHE I trust,
Sofia

Do you know what your skin needs throughout the ages?

This week, I sat down with Rahnie Smith, a member of our San Francisco spa and Esthetician team, to break down the most common complexion offenders and what we should be paying attention to as we transition through the decades. As a former makeup artist, Rahnie brings a deep understanding the skin’s needs from cleansing to waxing to makeup application.

We all want to look fabulous at every age. What should we focus on at each decade?

20s: The Radiant 20s
Skincare in the 20’s is about keeping the skin clean, fresh and protected from the sun and the environment. Because skin in the 20s has an abundance of collage and elastin, the skin always appears firm, plump and has healthy glow.

Your 20s regimen:
Cleanse: Arcona White Tea Purifying Cleanser ($42)
Tone: In Fiore Toning Floral Essence ($60)
Antioxidant: Arcona Desert Mist ($32)
Hydrate: Arcona Magic White Ice ($38) is a great all purpose, all skin types hydrator.
Protect: Use at least SPF 30 daily.

30s: Prevent wrinkles + pigmentation
Skincare in the 30’s is similar the 20’s, but in the 30’s signs of sun damage begin to appear as a result from our teenage years spent in the sun. Also some aging signs such as pigmentation and fine lines may appear in the mid-to-late 30’s.

This is the perfect time to start introducing alpha/beta hydroxy acids and retinoids into your evening regime so the skin can repair while we sleep.

Your 30s regimen:
Cleanse: Dr. Alkaitis Organic Purifying Facial Cleanser ($65)
Tone: Dr. Alkaitis Organic Herbal Toner ($55)
Antioxidant: Arcona Youth Serum ($87) (a Vitamin C in the AM) and Arcona Vitamin A Complex ($68) (a retinoid or alpha/beta hydroxy acids in the PM 2-3x/week)
Hydrate based on your skin type (normal, combination, oil, acneic)
Protect: sunscreen (at least 30 SPF daily)

40s and 50s+: Reverse the damage + strengthen
In these 2 decades, the skin begins to lose radiance due to declining levels of estrogen, which effects skin elasticity, pigment, firmness and tone.

Time to introduce peptides! Peptides stimulate collagen and improve the skin’s texture and elasticity, and are perfect for anti-aging, age reversal and minimizing fine lines and wrinkles.

Your 40s and 50s regimen:
Cleanse: If your skin is on the drier side, be sure to use a cleanser that is nourishing and gentle so you don’t strip away your skin’s natural oil: In Fiore Treate Gentle Cleansing Base ($58)
Tone: It’s important to use a hydrating toner: Arcona Cranberry Toner ($32) with cranberry extracts and rice milk
Antioxidant: Skinceuticals Phloretin CF (normal to oil skin) or Skinceuticals CE Ferulic (dry skin)
Hydrate: Arcona Peptide Hydrating Complex ($95)
Protect: Sunscreen (at least SPF 45 daily)

What is consistent throughout the ages?

1. Know your skin type
People of all ages have acneic, oily, dry or combination skin. Any of these types may also be sensitive. It’s very important to know your skin type to buy products designed for your skin.

2. Get facials, the ultimate anti-aging treatment
A little TLC on your face goes a long way. Facials will give you a deeper cleanse, exfoliation and hydration. Facial massage detoxifies, increases and stimulates circulation so your tone and complexion will be radiant!

3. Retinoids are the whole package and proven
Retoids fight acne, build collagen and fade spots. They are DO-ers. What more could you ask for?

4. Always wear your sunscreen
The only way to keep your skin at its best is to always wear a sunscreen of at least SFP 30. Daily. No exceptions. Yes, on those foggy SF days, our skin is still exposed to the harmful UVA/UVB rays.

And, then get out there and smile!

With secrets in the steam,
Sofia

Without you all, we’d be devoid of our passion: bringing wellness transformation to all.

Though, I must confess. Too often do I see clients rushing in-and-out and missing the best parts of IO. By arriving late, rushing or not taking full advantage of the spa’s calming nurturing amenities and space, you are only hurting yourself. Your wellness, your experience and your happiness.

So in the spirit staying present and living life to the fullest, here are my top 5 tidbits for getting the best, most complete San Francisco spa experience:

1. Cut down on phone time: book IO appointments online
No more letting your officemates (or boss!) in on your spa dates or waking up a sleeping baby during naptime. Take care of your spa booking needs online with ease and simplicity. (NOTE: for same-day booking, please call us at (415) 563-5000.)

2. Don’t sell yourself short: Arrive 20-30 minutes early
Most clients arrive with less than 15 minutes before their schedule appointment time. This leaves barely enough time to check-in, undress and unwind before your appointment.

Instead give yourself ample time and arrive 20-30 minutes to make full use of the amenities: shower and steam. Steaming and showering are essential before any treatment, as the beneficial oils used in IO spa treatments are best absorbed through clean skin and softened pores. You’ll be selling your body short without.

3. Relax on our redwood sun deck
Did you know that we have an outdoor urban oasis, our sun deck? It’s one of our best-kept secrets and is the perfect place to perch, soak in the sun and unwind before your treatment. Don’t worry, your IO professional will meet you there.

4. Go for the Triple threat: Yoga + Steam + Spa Treatment
For the ultimate experience, the IO triple threat is the best way to experience IO. The order of operations is yoga + shower/steam + treatment. This way you’ll be sure to rid yourself of all toxins – mental and physical before your treatment.

5. Request the last appointment of the night
This is my favorite time slot. By snagging the last appointment of the day, all you have to do is go home and roll into bed, relaxed and ready to go. Your journey off to la-la land will be ever-so-sweet, I promise.

Have more questions about IO Spa and Yoga 101? Call or read for more information.

Here’s to making the most of the best,
Sofia

Overwhelmed by the thought of it? Not to worry, I’ve brought Ashley Smith to the rescue to break down the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How’s of exfoliation.

With over 5 years of experience, Ashley brings an unparalleled passion for exfoliation to the IO team. (Just look at her ever-glowing skin!) She practices what she preaches. Outside of our San Francisco spa, Ashley can be found cooking at home or noshing at La Taqueria in the Mission.

Without further ado, here’s are Ashley’s 5 W’s and How on exfoliation:

Who needs it?
Everyone! Mature, acneic, dry, oily and pigmented skin types all benefit from exfoliation. Exfoliation is essential to making any major differences to the skin. Exfoliation makes the skin look alive! (After all, it is our largest organ.)

What are the benefits?
There are 2 types of exfoliation: manual and chemical.

Manual exfoliation, or scrubs, encourages removal of dead skin, which contributes to congested skin, and also helps brighten up dull or aging skin.

Chemical exfoliation encourages new skin cell growth every 5-7 days to every 28 days. It helps to even out skin tone and bring overall brightness and clarity to the skin.

When is the best time to exfoliate and where should you exfoliate?
Apply a manual exfoliant on your face and décolleté in the morning or before a night out. For optimal results, use 3 times per week, preferably having used a chemical exfoliant the night prior.

Chemical exfoliants work best while we sleep, when the skin is regenerating itself. Because ingredients can cause sun sensitivity, avoid using during the day. In general, it is essential to protect yourself from the sun with a broad-spectrum sunscreen while using an exfoliant.

Why exfoliate?
As the skin begins to mature, it naturally regenerates more slowly. Exfoliation helps stimulate collagen and elastin fibers, which keep skin looking younger, brighter and firmer.

How often for each skin type?
Normal skin: 2-3 times/week.

Problematic: (acneic/congested) Use a salicylic or glycolic acid 3-4 times/week. Skin with blackheads benefit from a scrub, while skin with breakouts should focus on chemical exfoliants.

Dry: Lactic acid is ideal for dry skin because it is gentle and can hydrate the skin. Use a gentle scrub 2-3 times per week to remove dead skin cells. Enzymes also work magically on this skin type.

Sensitive: This skin type can benefit from very gentle exfoliation such as using the Clarisonic brush with a gentle cleanser and a non-acid based chemical exfoliant like Skinceuticals Retexturizing Activator. Both of products can be used daily.

Mature: Mature skin can benefit from lactic acid, glycolic acid, and retinol to target fine lines, wrinkles, hyper-pigmentation and loss of elasticity up to 5 times per week.

When shopping for an exfoliant, what are the key ingredients to look for?
Lactic acid, glycolic acid, salicylic acids, and retinols are the most effective chemical exfoliants. Choose based on an individual’s skin type (see above).

Best all-time exfoliators?
1. Arcona’s Gentle Solution and Raspberry Resurfacing Peel are my favorite chemical exfoliants.
2. Skinceuticals Retexturizing Activator: great for dry or sensitive skin.
3. In Fiore Lustra Cleansing Balm: The best scrub at IO. Devotees call it, “divine mud” and “facial in a jar.”

With secrets in the steam,
Sofia

This week I sat down with Monk Wellington (yes, a Monk!) to get the scoop on why this is so. Counterintuitive, but true. What we think are seemingly unrelated parts are in fact, the key to relieving discomfort. Here’s a holistic moment: it’s time to stop fixating.

Monk, a member of our San Francisco spa Certified Massage Therapist team for 5 years, is a dancer and an artist, whose experiences have deeply influenced his bodywork techniques. His belief in mind and body integration is steadfast. Outside of IO, Monk can be found dancing at a studio in the Mission or studying Japanese or physics.

Monk, enlighten us. What does “unified/complete health” means to you?
Unified/complete health means always being aware of what goes in and out of your body and mind. Equal parts on both ends will always keep you balanced.

What do you do to take care of yourself?
Physically: I dance and run 2-3 times a week. I lift weights to keep tone. Being nimble is my goal, not bulk. I work with my hands a lot, so I ice twice a week, but that’s just preventative care.

Mentally: I love learning, so I read a lot. I try to meditate everyday. I love art, watching it or creating it. Not necessarily because of the community, but because it’s about expressing, sharing, releasing, which helps the body a lot. The body processes all kinds of information, and if we don’t let it out, it gets to the point where you need to see someone like me!

We all know that the mind-body connection is inseparable. What are some “hidden” places of stress/pain that we often overlook?
It’s different for everyone, but the place most are surprised they have tension is in their armpit. We use our arms everyday for everything, and massage focusing on shoulders definitely alleviates the back. However, what really helps the most is that funny spot underneath your shoulder that may have never ever been touched before.

What’s your secret to unlocking the lower back?
The lower back is where the pain is felt, however not always, but often times the source is the hips. The hips are at the core of the body, so if they’re tight, they pull on every thing else. When that happens, people often feel it in the lower back or in the hamstrings. Having tight glutes is the main source of sciatica, which can be felt in the foot too.

What is your IO favorite treatment?
The Four-Handed Massage with another therapist, because it’s a fun experience to share. It’s like dancing with a partner versus dancing alone.

We all have them, favorites. What are your favorite products?
1. In Fiore Pur Face Oil: my skin is a little oilier than average and this has helped me balance out my skin’s pH.
2. OM of NM Lavender Tangerine Salt Scrub: perfect for alleviating the mind and extracting toxins from sore muscles.

To close, here’s a poem of reflection, written by Monk himself:

“Science is the process by which to clarify reality.
Philosophy is the process by which to clarify the mind.
Art is the process by which to clarify expression.
Beauty is the process by which to remain undefined.”

- Monk Wellington

With Table Time,
Sofia

Can’t make it to Bali this year? Read on for Karen’s secrets in the steam:

Where in the world have you experienced the best facial?
Bali!! More for the uniqueness of the facial and the beautiful outdoor spa it was in!

What made it outstanding?
The Balinese incorporate the island’s riches into their treatments. Getting treatments was a great way to experience all that the island has to offer.

What are the skincare rituals of the Balinese?
The Balinese utilize the island’s treasures and foods such as honey, oatmeal and flower petals. What goes on their skin is what they eat at home.

For example during my traditional honey cucumber facial, oatmeal was used to exfoliate my skin while the honey softened my skin. Honey is a great antioxidant. The cucumber was used as a finishing mask for its cooling, tightening and moisturizing properties. I had a rose petal bath following the facial. Rose is a wonderful anti depressant and astringent treatment.

Throughout your travels, have you found common elements across the cultures you’ve experienced?
I’ve found that no matter who you are or where you are women (and men) all over the world have beauty rituals. It’s inspiring to me that all women have this in common. Though the ingredients may be different, beauty rituals are something that are passed down to children and grandchildren, etc. So, it’s important for us to think about what we are passing down!

What have you learned from your travels?
I have learned to appreciate and embrace what you have, but be open to finding new ways to incorporate other culture’s practices into your own skincare ritual.

For instance, the Balinese women use ingredients from their own kitchen. There are skincare gems at our fingertips that we often overlook!

What are your 3 essential skincare products?
1. Skinceuticals Phloretin CF: Preventative care that creates a strong foundation and fights free radicals.

2. In Fiore Lustra: With crushed organic flower petals, it’s the most beautiful exfoliant I have gotten my hands into! Along with exfoliating, it has great hydrating and detoxifying properties, which will leave your skin glowing like you wouldn’t believe.

3. Arcona Night Worker: Perfect for outdoor types and dry skin. A night serum packed with Vitamin C and fruit enzymes that helps hydrate and promote collagen production. Collagen is important for everyone. Collagen breaks down faster with sun exposure, so it is important to protect your skin while out in the sun!

What are your top 3 skincare rules to live by?
1. Never go to bed with a dirty face
2. Always use preventative treatments
3. Exfoliate!!!

With secrets in the steam,
Sofia

My dad has always been there for me, yet I succumb annually to the standard “fatherly” gifts, of which I’m never sure if he actually uses.

So this year I decided to bring him into IO for a day of wellness, San Francisco spa style. Here’s what I’m gifting him:

Pure 100% Deep Tissue Massage ($180) + Foot Reflexology ($75)
This is 120 minutes of true bliss for my workaholic dad. Between putting in time at the office and working on home improvement projects, my dad never stops.

So head to toe, he’ll be receiving deep tissue muscle therapy, penetrating the 2nd muscle layer, which is famously known to store pent up tension. With the Foot Reflexology add-on, pressure point work helps to balance bodily systems and give his chi a boost.

Malin+Goetz Shave Cream ($22 for 4oz.)
Instead of a facial, I’m giving him the best shave in town.

My dad doesn’t have the slightest clue as to what his skin needs, which is why the Malin+Goetz Shave Cream is perfect. Non-irritating, the cream is suitable for all skin types, yet soothes and hydrates the skin with natural Vitamin E and amino acids. I know my dad will proudly display it in his bathroom. The packaging doesn’t scream “girly.”

Arcona Tabula Rasa ($22 for 35mL)
Never perfect, razors have a mind of their own. Ouch. This is the perfect weapon for soothing razor burn and ingrown hairs. Enough said.

Best of all, Father’s Day, Sunday June 19, is still a few weeks away. So there’s still plenty of time to plan your fatherly treat.

To the paternal powers that be,
Sofia

It’s infamous for meandering, dreaming, fixating and dominating our state of being. A good day turns bad simply because the mind can’t walk away from an email, an unexpected comment or a to-do list.

Admittedly my quest to finding ways to calm the mind is still in its infancy. So when I learned that May is National Meditation Month, I welcomed the chance to shift my meditation practice to a new level.

I’ve committed to 31 days of meditation in May. Studies say that it takes 21 days (or 3 weeks) to start a habit. I threw in extra 10 days for good measure.

Since I started last Sunday, I’ve found a few tips for calming my monkey mind. Truth be told, I am a perfectionist, (who probably needs meditation the most!) and wanted to share what’s worked for me:

1. Start small: 5 minutes up to 10-20 minutes
Like others, I held an expectation to sit for 30 minutes (or even an hour) in order to receive the full benefits of meditation. Quite the opposite. By starting small and quieting the mind for just 5 minutes daily, you will benefit from the positive effects of meditation and eventually work your way up to 10-20 minutes (or beyond!). Twenty minutes is just under a half hour, and for me, is an easier time commitment to integrate into my lifestyle.

2. Uniformity is boring: variety is OK!
There are a variety of ways to meditate. Knowing that each day is different, I adjust my meditation daily to accommodate how I’m feeling. Some days I practice focused meditation, other days I engage in activity-based meditation, such as yoga in San Francisco.

Focused Meditation means close your eyes and focus on something intently. This could be a visual (like an image), something auditory (like a sound or your own breath), or repeating a mantra (like “practice silence”).

Activity-based meditation doesn’t really look like meditation. Through an activity such as yoga, walking or gardening, you engage in a repetitive activity that helps to quiet the mind and allow your brain to “shift.”

3. Schedule it
Like dates with my girlfriends, I block time in my calendar for my daily meditation. It’s helpful if you can find a consistent time each day in order to build routine. However, if one day you shift to an alternate time, that’s just as good, too!

They say April showers bring May flowers. So here’s to blooming your meditation practice and challenging your mind to give yourself a break.

To 5 minutes a day,
Sofia

The one membership in town that you’ve got to get in on is the cost-friendly IO Memberships to our San Francisco spa. It’s all about stripping away the chaos and getting back to life’s essentials: wellness.

With a savings of up to 25% OFF, you’ll have the peace of mind that each month you’ll be taking care of yourself. Of your body. Of your skin. Of your mind. No more work-takes-over-my-life. Putting yourself as a priority is life lesson #1 in my book.

Frankly, the benefits are long lived. Members receive priority and personalized continued attention with your favorite bodyworker or esthetician. Much like a bootcamp or marathon training program, this is your wellness program.

The road to better health is long, and with more time on the table, you’ll get to know your body and skin in ways you never thought you could. With consistent treatments, problems melt away much faster, and 60 minutes starts to feel like 90 minutes.

The 4 levels of membership:

As an IO member, you will receive special benefits such as the ability to share your membership with a guest up to 4 times per year.

What more could you ask for? Save money and get good on your health with the best spa in San Francisco? Double down, please.

For more details, visit our Spa Membership page. To inquire about Membership at IO, please email our Membership Coordinator at membership@internationalorange.com.

Join us,
Sofia

This week, I chatted with Christy Swenson to discuss one of her loves: aromatherapy and her personal tips for easy at-home relaxation techniques.

Christy, with her wealth of massage expertise from her experiences in NYC and Fiji, helped to develop the IO Scalp treatment add-on, a treatment based on essential oils. Outside of IO, Christy can be found painting cards (which she sells at Verde SF), teaching yoga, taking 2 baths a day and cooking healthy recipes from 101 Cookbooks.

Let’s talk about the other person in the treatment room – you! You spend all day taking care of others. What do you do to take care of yourself?
Epsom salt baths, aromatherapy, and T-Spheres are my saviors. My friend Stephanie in New York invented T-Spheres, aromatherapy-infused massage balls, which we sell in our San Francisco spa. Designed to use at home or traveling, they are the perfect self-massage tool that combines aromatherapy and massage into one. I bring them everywhere – even to yoga!

What’s the magic behind aromatherapy?
I love essential oils, because, they help you breathe with intention. And that’s what aromatherapy is, the practice of using plant oils, or essential oils, for physical and psychological well-being.

There are so many scent options. How does one choose the right one?
In Fiore Body Balms give me what I need to get balanced. If I’m un-grounded, I use Shevanti, which has ylang ylang, rose, sandalwood, and patchouli. If I’m feeling too serious and un-loving Dayala is great. If I’m having trouble sleeping, I use Tiagi, which has lavender, lemon, and bergamot, which is great to calm the mind. If you have sore muscles, I dry brush my skin and then apply Jolie. Jolie’s chamomile properties help with inflammation.

Now that it’s spring, what do you recommend for a cleansing of the body and mind?
Sage burning is always good for a cleansing of spaces and the body. For the mind, I recommend rosemary, lavender or mint to help ease pain, promote healing and relaxation. For homes, boiling eucalyptus or taking a bath with it will help to cleanse and detoxify. Lemon, tea tree, and lavender have anti-microbial properties, which are great to use for a deep cleanse of the home.

Last but not least, what are some easy, at-home relaxation techniques?
1. Apply 7 drops lavender oil to an old cloth and put it in the dryer to infuse aroma in your clothes, sheets and towels.
2. Rub peppermint oil on hands and then rub your sheets to infuse the oil for a better nights rest.

Then breathe your way through it.

With Table Time,
Sofia

So let me take a moment to ooze in my love for private yoga sessions.

Private yoga is like learning how to ride a bike for the first time. With just a little bit of assistance, you’re off and running. Off into the sunset or down the street, the adventure is yours for the taking.

Through 3 one-hour sessions, I worked with an instructor to strengthen my arms and shoulders. The experience was unlike any other group yoga class I’ve taken. It was exponentially more challenging, more engaging and more “me.”

With all eyes on me, I had no chance of cutting corners. The session elevated my sense of awareness, something that can be difficult to master in a group session where there are plenty of distractions. I discovered that my body is smarter than I realize and it seeks efficiencies: stronger muscles overcompensate for not-as-strong muscles. After my 1st session, I felt I had unlocked my practice, my physical boundaries and my yoga practice.

The reasons why people seek out private yoga are varied. Some are new to yoga, some need help getting started, others are at a plateau in their practice, while some are working through injuries.

Yet the real deal is that you don’t need a reason beyond the simple desire to practice yoga as it was originally practiced: as a personal and unique experience for your mind and body.

Now, where to start? Many SF yoga studios offer private yoga. At IO, we offer private or semi-private yoga classes ($105 for 60 minutes and $140 for 90 minutes). All sessions, taught in our sunlit studio, are tailored to address your specific needs.

Ready to sign up? Send a note to Alice at alice@internationalorange.com and she’ll get you all set up.

Kudos for simply getting yourself on the mat.

Namaste,
Sofia

Sir Ken is a Brit who makes the rounds speaking about education reform, and he’s also a charmingly funny character. In this video, he rouses a good argument about how important it is to encourage creative, right-brained thinking in our schools.

Sir Ken says: “All kids have tremendous talents, and we squander them ruthlessly.” We’re all born creative; we really are. The silly, endearing things that kids say? They’re figuring out how to think. And they’re willing to make a lot of mistakes in that process.

But as we get older, we’re less and less willing to take risks and make mistakes with the way we think. We become self-conscious, and attached to our cultural notions of success and being “right.” We become disinclined to fritter away our time on tasks that don’t seem productive.

It’s never too late to embrace your right brain. And you don’t have to be an “artist” to do so! Grocery store baggers, bus drivers, day traders… everyone has a right brain. We access it every time we decide what to make for dinner, or find a new solution to a problem at work, or envision our future. In fact, all problem solving is inherently creative.

And I’ll wager an argument that learning how to express ourselves creatively is one of the most empowering things we can do to become successful individuals in this left-brained world.

After all, as Sir Ken says, creativity is just as important as literacy.

Artistically yours,

International Orange

Chinese Medicine advises us according to the seasons. How we eat, sleep, and act in winter is different than what we need in the summer. And interestingly, there is a fifth season in this ancient Eastern modality: LATE SUMMER. This is the season we just passed through. It started in late August and lasted until the Autumn Equinox (September 22, this year).

Chinese Medicine’s Late Summer Season is associated with the earth elements—and the harvest. This is the time of year, traditionally, when farmers reap the benefits of all their hard work through the spring and summer. And for us urban dwellers, we can consider it the time of year when we harvest the mental and spiritual work we may have begun earlier this year.

Did you make New Year’s Resolutions? Now is the time to reflect on how those intentions have manifested (or not). And then in this next season—FALL—we being to wind down for the winter rest. So, right now, we’re in the transition from yang to yin energy. Perhaps a perfect time for a nice restorative yoga class?

Happy Fall!
International Orange

Revel in what is here in the season of the sun with sweet sunsets, backyard BBQs and playful sundress wearing weather. If you live in San Francisco proper, perhaps a jaunt over one of the bridges for a taste of summer will help you feel the season more fully. And, here is a little summer sun poem for you, by Mary Oliver called THE SUN…

Have you ever seen
anything
in your life
more wonderful
than the way the sun,
every evening,
relaxed and easy,
floats toward the horizon
and into the clouds or the hills,
or the rumpled sea,
and is gone—
and how it slides again
out of the blackness,
every morning,
on the other side of the world,
like a red flower
streaming upward on its heavenly oils,
say, on a morning in early summer,
at its perfect imperial distance—
and have you ever felt for anything
such wild love—
do you think there is anywhere, in any language,
a word billowing enough
for the pleasure
that fills you,
as the sun
reaches out,
as it warms you
as you stand there,
empty-handed—
or have you too
turned from this world—
or have you too
gone crazy
for power,
for things?

Receive the sun,
Amy

When she tearfully told me what she had to have done, we both cried. I love her so much. She is scared, to say the least, scared of the risks and scared of the loss and scared of it not being the same, the familiar, and the body she’s called home and grown attached to for 30-some years.

So we talked about it. She told me that she knows her lesson now is to learn that she is not her body and her love of self as well as others love of her is not about her beautiful body, it’s about something so much more vast that it cannot be contained in a skin-suit. I have never seen my friend so brave and so vulnerable and so beautiful as that night when she unveiled this news to me.

Exposed, disoriented from shock and deeply frightened, my friend is embarking on the biggest lesson she’s had in this lifetime about body identification. Only a powerful woman like she could see through this trauma to find her lesson in it, already, and what a blessing and inspiration that is.

Bless her,
Amy

IO Foot Reflexology, a 30-minute soothing pressure point treatment is a worthy add-on to any IO Massage. Often misunderstood, reflexology is an ancient art that is more than a fancy foot rub. Each IO Foot Reflexology treatment begins with hot towels to soothe and cleanse. Luxurious In Fiore Pedicure balms in peppermint, chamomile or ginger are used to help heal depending on the client’s needs and constitution:

1. Peppermint is cooling and a classic choice for relieving overburdened feet.
2. Chamomile is calming and subtle and promotes grounding for body and mind.
3. Ginger is warming and stimulates circulation for those who need a chi boost.

Happy feet could mean a very happy whole entire body!

Be good to your feet,
Amy

Recently I got talking about dance to one of my teachers, a great healer named Doctor Linda who is a master level Naturopath, Homeopath, Acupuncturist, and a trailblazer in the study of Energy Medicine and Radionics. And she just so happens to love to dance. I love to dance too, although like most people, I am often shy about it. Linda told me that when she went through some very tough times more than a decade ago, dance saved her. She said she literally danced her way out of depression.

Now I can think of a lot of ways people try to undo depression. I can think of a lot of medicines and pills and counseling and recommendations and remedies that doctors and laypeople try in order to get un-depressed, and many of them work, but I really love the idea of this way back to balance. It is so empowering, body-healthy and just plain fun.

Okay, I’m not suggesting a person jump off Prozac or lithium in every case without a plan besides “dancing yourself well”, but hey I’m not claiming to be your doctor. I do, however, feel inclined to make a case for dancing as a joyful healing practice. There’s something about the rhythm of moving your body in whatever way feels liberating to you, at a given moment. And some people would even call it art.

When dancing to music, your body begins to re-rhythm itself. Re-alignment begins. I can report firsthand that dancing helps immensely to unwind me on a mental, emotional, and physical level. Following a drumbeat in movement initiated in the hips can actually help re-balance the second chakra where our will resides.

If you want some guidance on the road to letting it out on the dance floor and feeling really good doing it, here are two superior suggestions that have helped me dance along the path:

1. Dance Your Bliss
2. Five Rhythms

Keep on dancing,
Amy

My girlfriends tell me massage helps a lot.

I’m not a mom yet so I clearly can’t speak first hand about this, BUT just about all my close girlfriends have a baby or two on their hip these days and they ALL coveted some time on the massage table and took up the offer if they got the chance, especially in the third trimester.

Of course post-natal massage is a godsend for moms too but starting out the journey before baby with a little help from our massage friends, seems to be the desired path, and for good reason.

Although “eating for two” may be a bit of a misconception (with a baby on board the female body only needs an average of 350 more calories per day), the reality of making a baby is a tall order, and the body of the mama IS really “working for two”. And it does a body good, when it’s working so hard to have a lot of extra TLC.

For my friends and IO clients who are making babies, here’s a special treat for you…

IO PEACEFUL PREGNANCY PACKAGES
Soothe your soon-to-be-here bundle of joy and breathe your way to relaxation. Opt for 5 or 9 60-minute IO Mom-to-Be massages customized to accommodate expecting needs and schedules. Suggested full program: 2 during 8th month, 4 during 9th month and rest as you see fit.

Essential Package (5 massages) for $445 (save 15 percent)
Pamper Package (9 massages) for $775 (save 18 percent)

Thank you mamas. You work hard for the kiddos.

Your sister,
Amy

Over New Years I did a Kirtan Camp, of sorts, with Gaura Vani in Costa Rica. It was the cleanest and clearest celebrating of a new year maybe ever for me as we joined another kirtan group with Jai Uttal to sing in and ring in 2010. Connecting one voice with the voices of others, makes one singular powerful, uplifting, freeing common voice. The feeling attached can be rapturous even though it may sound hard to believe.

I encourage anyone looking to feel inspired to try singing a little (or a lot) but not in the interest of performance. Try a kirtan sometime and let loose to the power that is evoked when sacred mantra is sung. Kirtan is popping up more and more all over the Bay Area and in many cities around the globe. Gaura Vani and Jai Uttal and David Stringer are all great fun to sing with.

This weekend I will be singing kirtan with Sean Johnson from New Orleans at Laughing Lotus. Join me if you are interested. And you don’t have to ever have tried sometime like this to enjoy it. There’s a certain mysterious resonance to it all, especially if you suspend your disbelief.

And if nothing else, it sure feels good to use your voice and SING YOUR HEART OUT.

Get together and sing,
Amy

To put it plainly, hot mineral water is a great way to soothe and relax both body and mind. Sulfur, one of the main components in hot springs, smells like hard boiled eggs but is actually great for your skin, hair and nails. (It’s actually a prominent component of the keratin in your body.)

Mineral water is detoxifying and cleansing and draws out impurities. It’s kind of like immersing yourself in a whole-body facial, and having fun while you do it.

Indian Springs, in historic Calistoga, is a great resort if you want to incorporate an entire spa experience into your trip. They’ve converted their hot springs into an Olympic-sized swimming pool replete with lounge chairs and umbrellas. Growing up, it was a place a journeyed yearly with my family for a little hot water and mud baths getaway.

Esalen’s hot springs, located on the side of a stunning cliff halfway down Highway 1 in Big Sur, offer hot springs infinity pools with a panoramic view of the plummeting cliffs and the Pacific ocean. You should see the view from the baths. It’s world class. They only offer public access to the springs in the middle of the night, which sounds kind of strange, but can actually be a great twist on a camping trip in one of the nearby state parks or sign up for a workshop (they offer almost everything under the sun) and stay on sight.

My personal favorite is Wilbur. My friend and rocking yoga teacher, Sarana Miller was born on the property itself and her father still owns it. On a recent getaway to Wilbur, I quickly remembered how to relax and forget my stresses (or perhaps boiled them away in hot water!?). The special sauce was the combination of country sun and warm, healing water. Their motto, “In all the World, No Waters Like These,” holds true for me. Not only does that environment relax my body nearly immediately, but it relaxes my knotted mind.

Other folks say they really like Orr Hot Springs (in Ukiah) which is a lot like Wilbur, I’ve heard. Harbin is another well-known favorite near San Francisco although I’ve heard it’s more of a scene so I’ve tended to shy away.

Click here for a directory of hot springs across California!

Take the waters,
Amy

The woods, on the other hand, inspires me to bliss. Just like it did Thoreau.

Even though my heart tells me I could fall into full-time country living with joy, I am still tethered to city life. Some portion of urban life for me will be a reality in the foreseeable future. And I like the balance of both.

So the question becomes, how can I bring more country into my city life? How can I begin to bridge the gap that exists when I cross the GG Bridge from San Francisco into Marin County?

Some people enjoy strategically-placed houseplants or even a white-noise maker. For me, aromatherapy is a great way to inspire calm and remind me of the essence of nature. Evergreen-scented candles and rich woody incense are some of my favorite reminders of the wild.

Most importantly, I aim to spend time in the fresh air every single day – usually in the morning before the hubbub really starts – by going on a solitary walk around the quieter streets of my city neighborhood. Even a short walk counts for me. It’s a priceless way to reconnect with the glimpses of nature we’re lucky to have in San Francisco – the fog rolling in, trees wet with raindrops or dew, cherry blossom buds beginning to open, or a sweeping, majestic view of the bay and the ocean beyond.

Find your urban-country balance,
Amy

At IO, we do our best to offer an authentic variation on the theme. In keeping with tradition, our Thai massage sessions take place on a mat on the floor so more body mobility is possible for both giver and receiver.

Thai massage is a very powerful, therapeutic form of treatment that incorporates breath and bodywork with movement and stretch. It’s a sort of hybrid of yoga and massage. In fact, it’s often called “lazy-man’s yoga”.

Technically, Thai massage works by releasing and manipulating energy along a system of meridians and channels of breath within the body. For this reason, breathing through the treatment is essential to experiencing the full therapeutic effects of the work.

If you’ve never tried Thai massage, you might be surprised at the deep level of relaxation and balancing that it imparts.

If you have an existing yoga practice, this style of bodywork can act as a wonderful bridge between your more active asana routine and the lazy bliss of getting a massage. If you have never done yoga in your life, it can be a nice introduction to the releasing sensation of yogic stretching.

Either way, Thai massage is just one of the many ways that we strive to offer you a full range of balancing, relaxing and health-imparting options at IO.

Keep stretching,
Amy

That’s a quote I love, by James Michener. Pretty much covers it, right?

In a nutshell, this message captures how I aspire to treat my own life. Rather than compartmentalizing work versus personal time, I treat the two as extensions of one other. And while it hasn’t always been as clear as that for me, and it continues to be a work in progress, I love to integrate. When I practice taking my yoga “off the mat” and into the world, this integration brings more connection, balance, and breath to my experience.

I know it may be easier for me to set out on this goal of integrated work and play since I co-own a business and intentionally created an environment with more freedom to connect my life. And I know that for many of my friends who choose instead to work a “job” job, it can be a tougher project to stay connected to themselves at their 9-5.

Wise folks say that the key to success in a career (or even a job) is to find a way to get paid for what you already love to do. For myself, founding International Orange, fostering a wellness community, and developing a line of organic skin and hair care products that I truly believe in, has been very energizing and rewarding (although not always a breeze). And the adventure continues.

When we have the guts to seek out our own blessings, the world begins to morph for us and it can actually happen quickly. In the way that the choices we make open up certain doors for us, what we choose, becomes who we are. And we always have choices, as frightening as they may sometimes seem.

But if we still feel we can’t make a shift now, then what do we do? Make one anyway. Okay, but if we still aren’t ready to do that, then what? Then we find the part(s) of our job or situation that do feed us, and focus there. A calm, joyful attitude will open a window in the mind to let the breeze in.

Integrating,
Amy

A local sangha (or community) group called Urban Dharma that I drop into on some Friday nights in SF’s Richmond District, was started by Noah Levine and a group of folks who discovered Buddhism and meditation through their paths in recovery from substance abuse.

Meditation – and particularly in a sangha format – is such a powerful tool for helping us to get past our addictions, whatever they are. Insight meditation, in particular, helps us to connect to the emotions behind our cravings and learn to sit with our feelings, no matter how painful and difficult they may be.

A regular meditation practice helps me to stay grounded and real with myself. Because I sit every day, I am more inclined to pause and notice my behavior ‘off the cushion’, as we say. When I find myself mindlessly reaching for that cup of coffee or that second glass of wine I don’t even want, my witness voice pauses. Even that pause itself is helpful in affirming my personal awareness, regardless of if I choose to have the drink.

Certain friends of mine who really struggle with their addictions have found concrete relief through their participation in sanghas and their exploration of Buddhism. Although I myself have not attended, I’ve heard of a group that meets at the Zen Center every Monday night at 7:30. It’s an alternative to AA if that format or the traditional ‘higher power’ verbiage and philosophy doesn’t compute.

One of the most empowering aspects of meditation, in my mind, is that it encourages us to find the higher power within, or, to put it another way, to surrender to the fact that even if we believe in a higher power, it’s not going to make our decisions for us or walk our path for us. That’s our own job, task or privilege, depending on our perspective.

And cultivating faith within this landscape is wise work. It helps us walk on our own, without the crutches.

Have faith,
Amy

Conceptually, the practice of Slow Food has been around since humans first became a civilized people: eating food made with consciousness and care, from only local and seasonal sources. (In essence, it’s the opposite of fast food.) The phrase “Slow Food”, however, is a relatively new one.

In California, we are lucky to have a large variety of local and seasonal fruits and veggies year round. Not to mention the plethora of local organic farmers and vendors who raise their animals ethically for meat and dairy. So it’s not much of a hardship to eat according to the Slow Food rules.

Buddhists call it “Right Eating”.

Unfortunately, unless you have a lot of time on your hands to research what’s in season and organic, it can be intimidating to devote yourself to Right Eating. When was the last time you were at the grocery store and bought okra? Or persimmons?

There are several Bay Area organic vegetable delivery companies that make Right Eating incredibly easy. Getting your groceries delivered to your house sounds pretty lazy and decadent. But it’s actually a great deal.

They literally drop a box of amazing, seasonal, local, organic and actually quite diverse veggies and fruits at your doorstep once a week. You don’t have to do any of the work to figure out what’s in season, and sometimes they even include recipes and suggestions on how to use your produce.

There’s a freedom in not having to decide what to buy, although with some delivery companies, you can manage your orders to detail. Two of the biggest box delivery companies are Planet Organics and Farm Fresh to You. It’s easy to sign up and requires virtually no effort on your part once you get it going.

If you’re interested, there are a lot of great books on the subject, favorites being “Omnivore’s Dilemma” by Michael Pollan and his new one, “In Defense of Food“.

Slow down and enjoy,
Amy

The chakra system is a perfect example of this.

A lot of us are into yoga. We love the physical practice, the calming effect, and even some of the more exotic rituals like chanting and breathing practices. But when teachers start talking about chakras, many of us glaze over.

As Western thinkers, it’s easy to write off the idea of chakras as a hocus-pocus new age idea with no tangible link to our physical beings. But within this ancient Sanskrit belief system, I believe there is a lot to be learned about our present-day relationship to physical, mental and spiritual balance.

In the most basic terms, chakras are energy centers in the body. We have seven of them:

1. Muladhara (the root chakra)
   
2. Swadhisthana (the sacral chakra)
   
3. Manipura (the solar plexus chakra)
   
4. Anahata (the heart chakra)
   
5. Vishuddha (the throat chakra)
   
6. Ajna (the third eye chakra)
   
7. Sahasrara (the crown chakra)
   

Working with our chakras – even as symbols of how we treat ourselves – gives us an opportunity to create real transformation within us. Visualize the connection between your chakras, and you take a step toward Building a Bridge between what may seem like disconnected parts of yourself, but are actually intrinsically linked.

For instance, when the link between your heart and throat chakras is blocked, you will have trouble communicating your feelings and intentions clearly. Yoga asanas or breathing exercises that serve to open up the chakras and connect them together can help you bring attention and awareness to your lines of communication.

The fact that this energy system is typically illustrated with beautiful drawings and vivid colors and symbols shows how the chakras are integral to your own creative nature (and you do have one).

Chakra-love,
Amy

The Organic Detox Facelift is our brand new facial on the menu at IO. To call it a facial is underselling its magnificence, as it’s really a holistic combination of a whole body skin-invigorator, blissful head and neck massage, and skin savior.

The Organic Detox Facelift employs a pristine selection of my favorite skincare products, some of which we sell in our boutique, and some of which we reserve for back-of-house treatments. For this skin-pampering experience, we use the best of the best.

An exact formula is always tailored to your particular skin type and needs, but we’ll customize a combination of all-organic luxury products by Kahina, In Fiore, Dr. Alkaitis and Dr. Hauschka… all personal favorites of mine.

Oh, and some raw, local, organic honey for your face. Yum.

Getting a facial is a sensory experience that always reminds me to treat my skin a little better. And spending 75 minutes in the loving hands of our one of our experienced estheticians is a gift I give myself whenever I can.

Beyond caring for your skin, it’s about caring for your whole self – body mind and soul. ‘Cause ain’t that what it’s all about?

Happy face,
Amy

As a longtime yogi myself, my philosophy is that yoga should enhance your life in more than just a physical fitness sense. Or, to put it another way, soothing your nervous system and learning how to breath is just as healthy for your body as building muscle tone and stamina.

We look for “real Mccoy” yoga teachers (mostly of the vinyasa style) who can provide a strong asana flow with substance and rhythm. We look for and find, teachers who really get the soul of using yoga to build a healthier body, mind and spirit.

I like to think it’s because they “get it”. They come from a grounded place with authenticity, personal practice, and spiritual awareness – despite their varying backgrounds and levels of experience – and to me, that je ne sais quoi is crucial in carrying a class and encouraging a transcendent yogic experience.

So to you, my favorite IO yoga teachers (which means all of you, because we wouldn’t have you here if we didn’t love you), a paean of gratitude for your heartfelt service.

See you in class,
Amy

This time, though, I was inspired by some reading I’ve been doing on growing vegetables. Living in a city apartment, I’ve never really considered growing my own food, although my parents are gifted farmers / gardeners and I was raised around fresh, homegrown fruits and veggies.

I decided to see what would happen if I set these baby peas aside in a dish of water.

A few days later, they turned into fledgling pea plants. They thrived in the water and the sun, and started reaching their brave little shoots up to the sky.

I transplanted them into some leftover soil I had lying around from a less hardy houseplant, cracked my kitchen window, and watched them grow, enthusiastically and almost visibly. Every day, they added a few inches of tendrils and fresh leaves.

I don’t know if I lucked out, or if the non-GMO, organic peas I culled these seedlings from were just naturally inclined toward vibrant life, but watching them grow up has been an empowering, metaphoric experience for me these last few weeks.

If an unassuming little pea can turn into a beautiful, shiny plant in a matter of weeks, surely our existence on this planet is not as doomed as some seem to think it is these days.

Thank you, pea plants, for reminding me of the miracle of life. And thank you for reminding me to appreciate a few of the most divine yet simple things I have available to me every day: water, sunshine and fresh air.

Plant miracles,
Amy

And if, of course, I can’t find the time, I know where to buy the real-thing already whipped up and packaged for me at IO. Options can be empowering too, but here’s a way to do it yourself. Here’s a recipe I recently mixed together:

Rose Geranium Coconut Balm

Rose geranium is a lovely plant that’s edible, pretty, and extremely pungent… in a good way. This time of year, you can get your hands on a bunch at local farmer’s markets for about $2.

It only takes a tiny bit of the leaves to impart a lot of flavor to your balm, so rinse off a wee pinch, and then put the rest in a small vase to freshen up your loo or bring some Spring to any corner of your house.

Throw it in a blender with some coconut oil… the good old cooking variety will do. (Here’s a little tip: chop up the rose geranium first, then blend in the oil at a very low speed, only briefly. Too long and too fast will alter the chemistry of the oil in less than desirable ways.)

Pour it into a recycled jar, and voila! You have yourself some fresh, practically edible hand balm.

Of course, you can substitute the rose geranium with just about anything from your kitchen that smells good to you.

Experimenting like this is what inspired me to develop IO’s very own line of IO Organic Products, and if you use some imagination, perhaps you too can invent your own line of wellness items. Or at the very least, create a few balms or scrubs customized to your very own skin.

Here’s yet another empowered way to be a bridge to your better side.

Experiment and HAVE FUN.

Kitchen-unconfidential,
Amy

The basic premise of reflexology is that areas of the feet correspond to other areas of the body, and that by massaging, pressing, rubbing and otherwise probing these areas, stimulation of the body’s qi will create healing and decrease pain. How cool of an idea is this?

I love the metaphor of the feet being a bridge to the entire body. I also love to have my feet rubbed. Feels so good, especially when those dogs are barking.

At IO we supplement our reflexology treatments with the luxury of In Fiore Pedicurie balms in peppermint, chamomile or ginger. Depending on your constitution and your particular needs that day, each aromatherapeutic balm carries with it a specific healing capacity:

• Peppermint is cooling and a classic choice for relieving overburdened feet that are stuffed into hot shoes all day.
• Chamomile is one of the more calming herbs and its subtle, earthy scent conjures up a grounding low vibration for your body and mind.
• Ginger is warming and stimulates circulation for those of us that tend to need a little qi boost.

Whether or not you believe that areas of the feet literally map to other systems of the body, the basic truth is this: a foot rub sure does feel divine, and we all deserve to pamper our piggies once in a while.

Be your own foot bridge to health,
Amy

In particular, supporting local farmers is one of the most proactive choices you can make as a consumer. Buying local, in-season food not only boosts our local economy, cuts out the agro-industry middle men, and cuts down on fossil fuel waste; it’s also better for you.

And here’s a not-so-secret fact: local organic food that goes from farm to plate in a matter of days (sometimes even same day) tastes way better too. That’s because it contains more nutrients, less chemicals and modified genes, tends to be picked when ripe, and doesn’t spend half its life sitting on a truck.

I like to think it’s also because fruit and veggies that are grown and picked by a local farmer are raised with love. The same might be said for buying local beef, pork and chicken that were allowed to lead stress-free, normal lives before their time came.

(If you really want to horrify yourself sometime, try googling the word “CAFO”, or simply click here to read the EPA definition.)

If you need some inspiration to take it local, read Barbara Kingsolver’s marvelous memoir Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life.

Or check out your local farmer’s market. You have one. Here is a list of Bay Area Farmer’s Markets.

Last tip, and my favorite new web resource: The Local Food Wheel.

Eating seasonally and supporting local farming bridges the gap between your cash and the hand that feeds you.

Bridge the food gap,
Amy

In the yoga world especially, there’s a lot of talk about being “on the path”. In other words, heading in the direction of being in a “better way” with yourself and your world. Plodding ever closer to enlightenment and freedom where there is no suffering for body, mind or spirit. Sounds like a worthy cause, right?

I do believe that it’s important to teach kids, and adults alike, that our potential is limitless and that we should dream big. This is an empowering, democratic attitude. And it’s the language of hope and of the visionary and the believer that is available in all of us.

But there’s definitely room for more than one philosophy. It’s not a one size fits all thingy. Try this one on for size: accept yourself just the way you are. That’s quite a slippery spiritual endeavor actually and could take a lifetime or ten to master. And it’s as good a pathway into transformation as any.

Pick a door, any door. The key is to pick one. And open it. Pandora might jump out, but then again she probably looks freakier than she really is. It’s a Wizard of Oz sort of situation, more smoke and mirrors than reality, more of a mirage than material. Fear always looks bigger than it is.

So why not love ourselves as is? I see a lot of friends working their hearts out to achieve career success, the perfect weight, a balanced social life, and some degree of spiritual peace. And of course, I am not immune to the ambition trap myself. In fact, I am a self-proclaimed seeker with a background in consumerism.

But I like to take a step back and tell myself, in the dorky and insightful words of Mark Darcy of Bridget Jones’ Diary fame, “Amy, I like you just the way you are.” And, yes, I did just quote a chic-flick.

Anyway, it has a nice ring to it. Who has ever heard enough of that in their life? Try it on yourself. Or try something more creative and paint yourself a love-mandala, like this one shown above. I don’t care if it sounds silly. Let’s get beyond that for a minute. Do something, anything, out of the ordinary that’s about loving who you are in this moment.

While I’m at it, let me remind you of another message we hear a lot in the “spiritual-sector”. It’s the simple and liberating message of being present, living in the here and now. Being present and loving yourself go hand in hand. Allowing what is true now to be as it is, honors it and, in a way, loves it just the way it is. And oh what a relief it is.

What are you waiting for? Be your own bridge to your better side.

Love yourself now,
Amy

One recent Saturday, I woke up to the dreariness of a socked-in June day in the city. I easily could have stayed in my toasty bed for hours. But, due to a hiking date with a friend who doesn’t take flaking lightly, I nudged myself into gear and over the GGB to Mill Valley.

As usual, I’m glad I did.

There’s something so invigorating about fresh air. High on Mt. Tam, the air takes on an energizing, healthy quality that makes me feel like I am inundating every single cell with nourishing oxygen and, dare I say, longer life.

It’s like being in an anti-pollution oxygen chamber, replete with the background symphony of happy birds and the intoxicating smell of sun-warmed sagebrush and manzanita. It’s a sensory experience that I wish I could wrap up and gift to all my friends.

And the best thing about fresh air is that it’s so democratic. (At least, if you have access to a place where you can be out-of-doors with no smog, and I realize that I am privileged in this world to be able to take that sort of thing for granted.)

Fresh air is, more or less, available to everyone; it’s free; and there’s no limit to the amount you can have.

I can’t encourage you enough to get over that bridge and treat yourself to a dose of nature’s finest.

Fresh air enthusiast,
Amy

Truly, taking care of yourself is your first line of defense against the health-degrading effects of anxiety and tension. What that means for you is open to interpretation, but taking a little time out for yourself every single day is so important to maintaining the equilibrium of mental, physical and spiritual health – three things that are integrally linked.

Maybe it means you opt to take a yoga class instead of unwinding with a glass of wine after work. International Orange has some great classes designed specifically to dissipate tension, such as our Friday night Mellow Flow and our Sunday evening Restorative Yoga.

Or immerse yourself in the sanctuary of an IO spa massage. Even better, treat yourself to any two IO spa treatments in the same day, and we’ll invite you to take a yoga class for free.

One of my personal favorite ways to unwind these days is with a Dayna Decker botanical candle (a recent addition to the Shop at IO). And I swear, it transcends any candle experience you’ve ever had. For real, taking one of these beautiful candles home will exponentially enhance the calming effects of your bath, meditation session or chill-time.

Here’s another worthy splurge I recommend for stress therapy: REN rose bath oil. I’ve given this to a few friends who aren’t huge “rose flavor” fans, and they’ve come back begging for more. It smells exactly like a rose bush. In your bath.

These are just a few ideas, courtesy of IO. In truth, any steps you take to nurture your own sense of peace and trust in the universe are bound to pay off, more than any economic stimulus plan possibly could.

Your personal wellness is a bridge to your better side.

So treat yourself well,
Amy

Not everyone in this world has access to rolling hills, fresh air, gangs of wildflowers, not to mention maintained hiking and biking trails accessible from convenient trailhead parking lots. But that’s a bigger issue. I know that my rights to use this land to begin with is a luxury these days. How messed up is that? And now that’s in jeopardy too?

When I cross the Golden Gate Bridge to invest in some me-time outside in Marin, I am also investing in building a bridge to happier, healthier, more centered Amy, and surely that impacts those around me in an infectious way. I like to think so anyway!

And if you are a budgetary pragmatist, consider this: closing the state parks won’t actually save the state any money at all, when you consider the inevitable spike in crime, littering, and forest fire that will have to be dealt with as the result of an unsupervised, unmaintained park system.

Even those of you living outside California still have a vested interest in the fate of its parks. Every year, tens of thousands of out-of-state visitors go to there enjoy its scenic beauty and spend our tourist dollars. California isn’t a prime travel destination because of its governmental structure, let’s put it that way.

Check out this smart LA times op-ed piece about how the closing of our state parks will create calamity. And another good one from SF Gate.

We go to state parks with friends and family to inexpensively escape the craziness of modern life. Especially in these lean times, our state parks are a benefit we shouldn’t have to live without. To me, they are the very foundation of health and happiness, and without them, well, we wouldn’t be living in the same California.

If you are a believer that parks should be protected then take a minute right now, and add your name to this petition to Gov. Schwarzenegger.

Help keep California’s parks open.

Open-space advocate,
Amy

Self-helpers say, “the first step is admitting the problem.” I’ve slipped a little lately. Unfortunately, recognizing the need for change doesn’t automatically make change happen. Like cleaning up a really messy house, cleaning up our bad eating habits can seem overwhelming. Where to start?

With housecleaning, it’s sometimes easiest just to pick one random area and home in. Clear out the junk drawer, and the motivation and momentum gets a kick start. All of sudden, you’re in the housecleaning zone.

So if your body is your temple then your sugar consumption (or coffee habit, or carb ODing) is the junk drawer of your corporeal and spiritual house, if you will.

Break one bad habit, and you might find that it’s a lot easier to get on a healthy roll.

For me, it’s often about drinking more water. I know I should be drinking eight full glasses of the good stuff a day, but sometimes I get lazy or forgetful. My skin starts to look dry, I’m constantly thirsty, and my energy level plunges.

So I write myself a friendly little reminder note. I post it somewhere that I will see it regularly (on my computer, for instance) like this:

“Amy, drink water NOW.”

I find that once I incorporate the healthy water drinking back into my daily rituals, I’m less inclined to reach for caffeinated beverages or sugary drinks. Plus, drinking a healthy amount of water smooths out my digestion and I get more “regular” which most of us find helpful. My skin looks more dewy and my organs must be thanking me too as water plumps up there cells up and helps to flush out waste.

When the positive effects of water drinking kick in, I’m usually inspired to make other changes to my eating habits. One realistic step at a time or “one day at a time” as the 12 steppers say.

Off to drink my water,
Amy

Scientific studies are showing that longtime meditators have thicker frontal lobes – the parts of the brain that control focus and concentration. That sounds good to me. Especially since meditation practice is one of my most consistent and balancing daily practices.

Still, I’m not so concerned with developing a bigger frontal lobe this lifetime, but the added concentration is certainly one reason I dug into meditation in the first place. It helps to balance out brain state and how I handle my emotional body. But apart from the brain changes, scientists are also on their way to proving a connection between devoted spiritual beliefs and physical health.

I read a Time Magazine article that spouted about a trillion statistics and scientific justifications for how regular prayer or meditation can positively impact our biological functioning. Out of all this convincing data, one simple statement rang especially true for me:

“…people who maintain a sense of gratitude for what’s going right in their lives have a reduced incidence of depression.”

This is a good reminder for me to get back to practicing gratitude: taking time every day to be thankful for something in my life. It can be anything. It can be tiny or grand. Being thankful for my health, a friend that reached out to me, a smile from a stranger, or a sweet morning walk I took to enjoy the wildflowers springtime offers up.

Being grateful for the little things reminds me of how precious life really is. I try to take a moment after yoga, meditation or before bed, and make a simple list in my mind. A sort of prayer, if you will. Science is also showing that prayer and meditation have a similar impact on both mental and bodily health.

These practices have served me especially well when I’m going through a hard time. Like lately. And I have to say I do think they make me a happier and healthier person.

A bigger brain or not, I’m a believer.

Be your own temple,
Amy

A part of me thinks that we’re all just looking for a justification for our bad habits. But then again, how can something that makes me so happy be all that bad for me?

How can a tasty little substance known as “the champagne of the Mayans” be wrong? So let’s talk about chocolate.

The facts: chocolate contains a certain amount of sugar, fat and caffeine. But chocolate also contains a powerful antioxidant in the form of flavonoids.

Sure, vegetables also contain flavonoids. They just don’t happen to present the flavonoids with quite as much aplomb, in my opinion.

(Actually, the reason that chocolate contains flavonoids is that it’s made from plants. No mystery there.)

It’s actually the cacao plant, the cacao bean in particular, that contains the healthy goodies.

Antioxidants improve blood flow (especially to the skin, which helps makes us healthy AND beautiful), positively impact heart health, and lower cholesterol.

Other chemicals in cacao are thought to improve memory and reaction time by increasing blood flow to the brain.

Some claim that cacao can balance out certain hormones in the body and provide a rush of euphoria for a matter of hours. I think I’ve felt this one first hand.

Bottom line: chocolate makes me feel good. In moderation, dear ones.

I choose to believe that a well-deserved hot cocoa from Bittersweet on Fillmore Street in San Francisco (my ‘hood and right up the street from IO) makes my day a little sweeter.

It might not add ten years to my life. But then again, who knows? It might.

Chocolate lover,
Amy

Yet, amidst the gloom and doom, when I continue to wait in line for a seat at a restaurant on an average Tuesday night in my neighborhood and see smiling faces and hear laughing, I can’t help but think; wow, people are still having fun.

Many San Franciscans are finding ways to keep joy in their lives. And it’s encouraging. People are simplifying, because they have to, and many seem to be keeping some fun in the mix. Fun and laughter is my light in the dark. Having fun seems to carves out a space deep enough for hope to live in. A fun-well of sorts that I can dip in for a sip of hope when I’m thirsty for it.

At IO, our mission is to be A Bridge to Your Better Side. A subtitle to our mission statement is this: to be A Bridge Over Troubled Water.

Everyday our team at IO attempts this mission by consistently offering exceptional wellness care knowing full well that it’s always important to take care of your body and mind but even more so in stressful times.

Our hope at IO is that we make that a little easier for our community. We have always offered wallet-friendly options for our wellness rituals during weekdays, but we’ve dialed it up to answer the call.

7×7 Magazine listed us in April’s “The Seven: Best Spring Spa Deals”, citing our Massage Stimulus Package (our 60-minute IO Signature Massage for only $89 – a 15 percent savings).

We’ve always got a healthy handful of other spa offers that combine our consistently excellent treatment quality with wallet-friendly rates during off-peak hours. Check out our Spa Specials page for the nitty-gritty.

And remember, no matter what’s goes on in our crazy world, the stability of your own health and well-being depends upon treating yourself with care first. It starts with you and radiates outward.

We live in a world in flux. In our own hearts may we be steady, strong, rich in spirit, and as relaxed as humanly possible.

TLC time,
Amy

Wise words, and zen advice. In addition to my daily morning walks, I’ve often found myself trying to get from point A to point B in the city, too impatient to stand on a corner and try to flag a cab or wait for the bus. So I start walking, with the thought in mind that eventually I’ll end up hopping a ride on some sort of transport. More often than not, I get so caught up in the reverie of simply walking, that before I know it I’ve reached my destination, sometimes even great distances.

Walking – or “urban hiking”, as it could be called – is not just good exercise and an awesome way to save cash. It’s also a fantastic method to clear the head and shift your energy. It’s earth, body and mind-friendly. Do be careful of potholes and road-ragers however.

Beyond all of those things, there’s something about seeing the city on foot that transcends our daily view. I liken it to a cross-country road trip. Until you’ve had that eye-level, real-time experience of cities merging into farmland merging into plains merging into mountains, and back into cities, you can’t really fathom the great expanse and true soul of the country.

On a micro level, it’s the same way walking through San Francisco (or any other city). To get where you’re going on foot is one of the most empowering, enlightening experiences you can have. There’s a freedom in it. And a beautiful feeling when you are a tourist in your home city.

Here’s one more simple way to slow down, be mindful and experience more joy in the process. Try it. You might like it.

Urban hikers unite,
Amy

I’m keen on learning about “miracle” herbal medicinals. I learned that it’s not just prescribed for (ahem) PMS and women’s health issues which I’d heard. Yes, another remedy to avoid feeling and acting like a grump a few days out of the month. But it’s more than that.

Evening primrose oil is also touted to promote heart health, aid in weight loss, reduce high blood pressure, and relieve pain and inflammation. And traditionally, it’s been used topically to treat skin conditions like eczema and inflammation.

Evening primrose oil’s primary weapon against bad health comes in the form of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid (EFAs). Fatty acids are essential for human health and are not produced by the human body.

Ideally, of course, we get GLAs from our diet in the form of things like fish, flax seeds, canola oil, and some nuts. But in lieu of a perfect diet, it’s good to know how to supplement, especially with targeted EFAs that are specifically designed by nature to affect our individual health needs.

You can pick up evening primrose oil in capsule form at Rainbow Grocery or any other natural food market that has a decent supplement section.

And we carry several products at IO that contain evening primrose oil specifically for the skin.

In Fiore, a favorite product line of mine and one we’ve stocked in our Shop at IO since its inception, is loaded with the stuff. I’ve been using In Fiore oils and balms on my face and body at least once a day since 2002. I’m a believer.

In Fiore is one of my “secrets” although not so secret anymore. Evening primrose as well as loads of other healing and smell-like-heaven flower essences and oils help make In Fiore powerful stuff. Both healing and heaven-scent.

Although the jury is still out on whether evening primrose oil is the magical elixir some claim it to be, why not give it a whirl.

Plus, it has just about the most romantic name for a nutritional supplement that I’ve ever heard. Say it. Evening Primrose. It makes you want to buy a bottle just to display it on your armoire.

As prim as a rose in evening-time,
Amy

One of my favorite things to do is make up my own herbal teas, or, as they are technically called, tisanes. Tea being the dried leaf of the camellia sinensis plant. This is what we think of as black, green or oolong tea.

Herbal “teas” are really just infusions of dried or fresh plants. Tea geeks and foodies like me call these tisanes.

Anyway…

In South American countries like Peru, it’s common to be served fresh mint leaves straight from the garden, steeped in hot water and called “tea”.

These medicinal (and yummy) concoctions have been an integral part of South American cultures presumably for thousands of years.

I take a page from that belief system and on occasion brew myself a nice steamy cup of hot water infused with somethin’ special.

Fresh ginger root (for belly aches), mint leaves (for cooling down the belly), or licorice stick (for throat soreness).

A spritz of lemon here, a dash of local honey there, and I swear, it’s better than coffee. (Well, maybe not for everyone but its worth a try.)

Find a source book like “Healing with Whole Foods” by Paul Pitchford if you’re interested in the medicinal properties of various herbs, or wing it and use the imagination of your taste buds.

All you need is a cup but I recommend a beautiful teapot (you can get a cheap one in Japantown), some hot water, and the flavorful substance of your choosing.

Really, you can make tea out of almost anything edible, and it’s a great way to use up neglected herbs and roots that are lying around your kitchen in danger of withering.

Tea partying,
Amy

And I shouldn’t forget to mention some of the delicious doctored salts like smoked salt and spiced salt and rose petal or hibiscus-flavored salt.

This new millennium trend toward fancy salt is not surprising when you consider that salt is one of the oldest and most revered minerals known to the humans. In days of old, salt was a rarefied luxury known only to the most decadent tribes.

Since then, salt became widespread. It’s not just a basic food item; it’s a basic taste — as far as your tongue is concerned — and one of only four (the others, of course, being sweet, sour and bitter.)

Salt is crucial to humans because it helps regulate the fluid balance of our bodies. It sometimes gets a bad rap because of its relationship to high blood pressure, but, truth is, we need a certain amount of salt to survive.

All of this aside, salt is also one of my favorite beauty ingredients. Salt is a great exfoliant when suspended in a skin-friendly oil. And here’s a little secret: you don’t need to buy an expensive prepackaged salt scrub. You can actually make your own concoction at home.

Following is a basic recipe, but keep in mind that you can’t go wrong with improvisation. PS: this is also a great Mother’s Day gift idea.

HOMEMADE SEA SALT SCRUB

1. A coarse-grained sea salt. (You can find this in the bulk section of your local natural grocery.)

2. A skin-friendly oil like jojoba, olive, almond, or sesame. (In a pinch, canola oil will do.)

3. Try essential oils. Spring is a great time to scavenge for local aromatherapy favs like lavender, rosemary or rose petals. Give them a few days to dry out, then crumble into your salt mixture. Or experiment with spices from your kitchen.

Give it a try. And if you don’t feel like making it yourself, I recommend the one my mom makes by hand for us at IO called Lavender Tangerine Salt Rub by OM OF NM. It’s fabulous, organic and made with love by my mom, Jane… so it’s almost like you made it yourself.

Salty and happy,
Amy

San Francisco Magazine sung our praises this way:

“If two hands are better than one, then it stands to reason four hands are divine. International Orange puts the theory to the test… The treatment utilizes two massage practitioners working to bring you to a state of total relaxation and we can put our hands together to applaud that.”

Picture this:

You are sequestered in the calm sanctuary of a soundproof treatment room at IO, with two of our most experienced massage therapists beholden to you for one hour. Soft world music is lulling you into a trance-like state.

The delicate aroma of our heady IO body care products floats across your skin to your nose. You are more relaxed than you ever thought possible, in four capable hands.

Rather than rely on a systematic approach to the treatment, the massage therapists will communicate with each other non-verbally to focus on muscles that need the most attention. You can trust their intuition to provide you with a transcendent self-care experience.

I bet this will be the most decadent massage you’ve ever had. And you might ask for Lisa and Christy. They are a powerful pair and that’s certainly true when it comes to Four Handed Massage.

Ceremonial is the word that comes to mind. Yes, I am laying it on thick. But it’s an amazing experience.

Double your pleasure,
Amy

Just as I suspected. When you’re new to yoga, it’s tempting to go to class every day, if not more. Our type-A culture has us convinced that if something is good for us, we should do it all the time, even if it’s difficult.

“Wow,” I said, “How do you find the time to go to class that often?”

“Well,” he confided, “Sometimes I go to a yoga class. Sometimes I go surfing. And sometimes I just hang out at home and meditate. It’s all yoga to me.”

Meaning, I suppose, that it’s not the activity that makes it “ahimsa yoga”, but the intention and the sense of presence while you are doing it.

This was an early and profound yogic lesson that has slowly shaped and shifted my attitude toward how I practice yoga. In the beginning, I did find that going to a regimented asana class was helpful in that it gave me a sense of focus and self-discipline. It instilled a strong foundation for a physical and breath practice that I have never abandoned.

As the years have passed, I’ve learned for myself that sometimes foregoing the “workout” to stay home and read a book in bed does indeed feel more yogic and definitely more ahimsa. The concept of ahimsa, which is a concept often brought up in yoga classes, means the avoidance of violence or non-harming. I practice ahimsa starting with myself. In my personal life it often means, for instance, not forcing myself to do something that doesn’t feel right.

There is a compassion that accompanies truly “listening to your body” or your mind or emotions. Sure, sometimes I still push too hard and do things that don’t serve my body and mind, but I am getting better, more aware and skilled at bringing myself back to center and practicing ahimsa, starting with myself.

That said, it’s important for me to recognize the different between ahimsa and sheer laziness. Not engaging in the world can also be a concern. So I try to participate in at least one or two group yoga classes a week.

The other days, my ahimsa yoga practice consists of meditation in the morning, a little bit of asana practice at home, a brisk morning city hike, and yes, the delicious peace and coziness of reading in bed in the evening.

Practice ahimsa,
Amy

We hear so much in our culture about how skinny is “better”. I’m not sure I am buying in. I have girlfriends who are utterly gorgeous (staggeringly so, in fact) though they might also be called “heavy” or “healthy” girls (a term which is often quite accurate). They don’t seem to have any trouble finding fabulous partners and certainly not any more trouble than our thinner sisters. Their husbands/boyfriends/partners seem to think they are goddesses.

So where does all this push for skinny come from? Is it from the fashion industry? The media? Consumerism? Perfectionism? Control? Our parents? Ourselves?

It would be fun to see Michael Moore direct an expose on this subject called “The Skinny on Body Image—An American Obsession”. In the meantime, I try to resist buying in. Sure, I like to look fit, but the key is to feel fit which is never fully reflected in our mirror image nor in a number on a scale. So I exercise to feel invigorated and healthy, not to feel skinny. Striving for skinny makes me struggle more and feel less powerful.

I eat what I want but try to remember to stop eating when I’m full, or when I recognize that I’m eating for reasons other than hunger. And I’m so not perfect. When I “fall off the bike”, I dust myself off and get back on. If I gain a few pounds in winter, like I usually do, so be it. It’s natural, after all, for our bodies to store up a little bit when it’s colder, and as we age.

When I see a movie or read a magazine, I am barraged with images of impossibly thin, fashionable women who I am pretty confident diet themselves into misery to maintain their size. But when I look around me at my friends and family, I see a lot of beautiful, healthy, realistically-shaped women. And thank goodness their aren’t on perpetual starvation diets because going out to eat with them is one of my true pleasures in life.

The funny thing is, for hundreds of years, rounder, more voluptuous women were the “in” body type. Check out any painting of a Raphaelite goddess for confirmation of this truth. Even up through the 50’s and 60’s, women with a little extra padding were considered the paradigm of beauty. The current TV show Mad Men hearkens back to a few decades ago when bigger, curvier women were considered more attractive. Marilyn Monroe and Jean Harlow were no size 2s.

When I catch myself “feeling fat” I try to remember to pause and grab a little perspective on the subject. It’s my body image ideal not to succumb to the unrealistic expectation that western culture tries to put on us to match up to some sort of notion of thin = beautiful. The more I look around, the more I realize that happy = beautiful. And much of the time that happiness has to do more with enjoyment of life than restriction of it.

Let’s revel in life’s pleasures, riches, and the truth that those things aren’t exclusively bestowed upon skinny magazine waifs anyway.

Love your hips,
Amy

Our western culture particularly tends to drive us more heavily toward the Yang – ambitious careers, workaholic addictions, the whole concept of “working out”. So it stands to reason that we have to try a little harder to integrate the Yin into our lives.

That’s where restorative yoga comes in. Although any style of yoga is popularly considered to be a relaxing, mellow activity in the first place, the types of yoga that many of us practice (power, vinyasa, flow, ashtanga) are about as far to the Yang side of the spectrum as asana can get. We hope to relax and unwind, but also to build strength, stamina, discipline and focus.

Restorative yoga, on the other hand, is absent of ambitious western ideals. It’s truly just about letting go. When you step into a restorative class, you abandon any aggressive, goal-oriented tendencies and surrender to the opportunity to, quite simply put, laze about.

In that inert state, there is the potential for our Yin energy to come back into balance. Liken it to bodywork, or to taking a nice hot bath. The truly soulful effects of an hour spent in simple, unengaged yoga poses contribute to greater health and relaxation. I often find myself strangely energized after taking a restorative yoga class.

Committing to cultivate your Yin side is anything but a waste of time. It’s a vital component of becoming a whole, healthy, happy person.

Relax into it from time to time,
Amy

For one thing, plastic, as we all well know by now, is barely recyclable and basically never decomposes. Turn over any plastic container and you’ll see a number in a little triangle on the bottom. That number denotes what kind of plastic it is and whether it can be recycled. For the record, only numbers 1, 2 and 3 can currently be recycled in the state of California (and we’re a pretty progressive state when it comes to environmental standards.) That means that all of the other numbers simply get thrown away. And by “away”, I mean that they actually never go away.

I found this nasty little fact on the California Integrated Waste Management Board’s web site: “… plastic film, packaging containers, durable goods, and other plastic items make up 9.5 percent, or 3.8 million tons, of the disposed waste stream in California. However, plastic is only recycled at about a 5 percent rate statewide.”

Even closer to home, recent studies have found that one of the key ingredients in many plastics, BPA (bisphenol A), leaches into our body and at even small doses may play a key role in high rates of breast and other cancers, as well as instigating early onset puberty and triggering immune system disorders. The scariest part of all is that a lot of this plastic toxicity comes from sources you would least expect…. the lining of canned foods, water coolers, Nalgene bottles, and even baby bottles.

What can we do about it? It’s not realistic to cut plastic out of our lives completely. Plastic is in everything, mostly because it’s incredibly versatile as well as inexpensive to manufacture. We live in a world conditioned to believe that disposable is better. Watch a few TV commercials and you’ll quickly see: products that can be used once and then thrown away are all the rage. Don’t even get me started on the over-packaging of almost every product out there.

I’ve made small steps to cut down on plastic in my own life. I avoid buying food or drinks in disposable plastic containers whenever I can. I buy certain foods in bulk and re-use my own containers when I shop. I never, ever microwave anything in plastic (and for that matter, I try to avoid microwaving in general… but that’s another story.) I don’t run plastic through the dishwasher. And I avoid any plastics with a 7 in the little triangle on the bottom, because those tend to be the worst BPA culprits.

I’d love to hear more proactive ideas from you. What else can we do to cut out plastic?

Trying,
Amy

Fats have traditionally gotten a bad rap in our culture. They are often accused of being literally “fattening”. But in truth, they are a necessary part of a balanced diet. It’s just a matter of choosing the right ones and eating them in reasonable amounts. Because eating a small amount of fats daily is crucial to maintaining metabolic health focusing your fat intake on eating MUFAs is actually considered a good way to lose weight by most dietary experts

Replacing the “bad” fats (saturated fats and trans fats that is) and replacing them with MUFAs has been associated with weight loss (especially in the pesky belly area) and better overall health. The skin benefits greatly as well. In fact, Mediterranean cultures with their high consumption of olive oils and other MUFA-containing foods have an impressively low rate of heart disease and a high rate of healthy, pretty looking skin.

Finding MUFAs is easy. Besides olive oil, they are rampant in such yummy stuff as nuts, avocados (oh how I love you, avocados), popcorn, olives and whole grain wheat. Find out the breakdown of foods that contain MUFAs.

Oils high in MUFAs (like olive oil and peanut oil) are considered especially good for cooking because they remain stable at higher temperatures and do not become “hydrogenated” easily.

This is what the American Heart Association has to say about MUFAs: “Monounsaturated fats can help reduce bad cholesterol levels in your blood and lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. They also provide nutrients to help develop and maintain your body’s cells. Monounsaturated fats are also typically high in vitamin E an antioxidant vitamin most Americans need more of.”

They’re the experts, I suppose. I’m sold on any excuse to eat more of my favorite things.

Cheers to the MUFAs of the world,
Amy

I have to rave about IO Massage Therapist, Mieze Steinberg, and the amazing IO Organic Fusion Massage she gave me the other day. The Organic Fusion is a specialty massage that combines three of my favorite things: massage, yoga, and aromatherapy.

I learned that Mieze is trained in Thai yoga massage, which is bodywork that is like letting someone else put your body through yoga poses without you ever lifting a muscle, so to speak. She raised me gently into a heart-opening cobra pose which made my cranky back feel fantastic, and then stretched out my hips by manipulating my legs in the most subtle, effortless way.

IO Organic Fusion also incorporates basic Swedish massage and a little bit of shiatsu: the practitioner uses their fingers to apply pressure to traditional points along the body in order to stimulate the meridians (in eastern medicine) and key points along the nervous system (in the western philosophy). Shiatsu is a traditional therapeutic form of massage, and utterly relaxing.

Here’s my favorite part of the experience: having the highest-quality organic IO Enrich cream methodically and sensually applied to my skin, all over, to re-hydrate from the drying effects of winter. That’s followed up by a liberal application of IO Anoint body oil. Both are organic products that have lasting effects on my skin. Even after sitting in the steam room for a good twenty minutes after my massage, my skin still felt baby-soft for quite a while.

I like to be really warm, especially when I am trying to relax. And the warmed, citrus-scented towels that Mieze laid under my neck, across my back, and around my feet had the most cozy and comforting effect. If it sounds like there’s a lot going on with this treatment, trust me, it all blends magically into a sensory experience that will leave you feeling like a happy noodle.

Thank you for the perfect fusion. When can I come back?

Joslyn

I chose lunchtime. For an hour, I simply ate lunch. I didn’t eat lunch and read. I didn’t eat lunch and talk on the phone. I didn’t eat lunch and work. I even tried not to daydream.

At first, I felt anxious about the lost time. There are so many things we can accomplish by eating while we do something else. Growing up, my parents were never keen on the idea of eating in front of the TV, which of course made it practically irresistible whenever I could get away with it. But now that I am older, I understand why they didn’t want me to develop that mindless habit of shoving food into my mouth while my attention lay elsewhere.

There is a ritual in enjoying food. To actually be present to the taste, the sensations of swallowing, the change in your body chemistry as you integrate the nutrition, and to notice the moment when you are no longer hungry. This, to me, is a way to develop a healthy relationship with food.

These days, I try to integrate the non-multi-tasking concept into cooking. When I cook dinner for myself, I relish the time spent alone in the kitchen. I don’t succumb to the ringing phone. I don’t play music. I enjoy the silent reverie that allows me to appreciate the rhythmic chopping, rinsing, sorting, frying, and even the cleaning. I think it makes for a more delicious and appreciated meal. And at the very least, is a peaceful respite from my cluttered urban life.

So now I challenge you. For one week, or even one evening, can you prepare yourself a lovely meal, without doing anything else? Let me know if it tastes a little different.

For once, resist the urge to multi-task. Sit back and enjoy the present moment.

Bon appetite,
Amy

This is why aromatherapy is such a powerful therapeutic tool. Well, at least that’s my theory. But when you smell essential oils, the initial hit has a powerful affect on your body and nervous system. When we become numb to the scent, the effects are more subconscious.

A friend of mine swears that peppermint oil is the only thing that makes her feel better when she has a stomach ache. But here’s the catch – she doesn’t simply smell it. She rubs it on her belly. Peppermint oil, like many other essential oils, has powerful absorptive qualities. In a more direct way than peppermint tea or a peppermint candy could penetrate via the digestive system, actually applying peppermint oil to her belly allows the healing fumes to sink directly into the tissues and organs. As an added bonus, the sharp, sweet scent of peppermint oil has an association for her that speaks to healing and reviving. The mere smell of peppermint oil can now have a positive effect, thanks to smell’s strong nostalgic association.

At IO we use this science of aromatherapeutic oils in many of our products and services. The benefits range from somatic to emotional. Many of our massage treatments are customized with essential oils, such as our in-house IO Anoint Oil or In Fiore’s Dayala, Jolie, Shevanti or Tiagi Body Balms.

Pretty much every beauty product we sell or use at IO was selected in part due to its scent. And, of course, the quality of the essential oils in our products have to be up to par for us to stand behind them. Period.

Scent yourself, naturally,
Amy

There’s the whole wisdom-of-experience thing. And as I enter my mid-30s (okay, I know I’m not that old), I’ve realized that thankfully I’m just not as hung up on how I look anymore. And what a relief. There’s a magical and freeing equation that operates like this: the older I get, the less I care about the superficial stuff.

Feeling good matters much more than looking good to me. Making a positive impact on the world matters way more than looking hot in a bikini (and, yes, I still care about how I look in a bathing suit, but thank the lord I don’t panic like I used to, weeks before I knew I’d be seen in one).

That said, I still do my best to look good since that helps me feel good too. Fortunately, I’ve found ways to look good that don’t involve plastic surgery or other terrifying medical procedures. Okay, I admit it helps to work in a spa, where I have immediate access to all sort of age-defying treatments like invigorating facials, relaxing massage, and toning yoga, not to mention fabulous organic products.

Of course by now we know the import of staying in shape, eating right (greens and veggies, healthy oils, minerals, vitamins, and plenty of water) and taking care of ourselves to stay vibrant and healthy. In addition, in my travels and research, I’ve stumbled on more obscure graceful aging techniques like acupuncture face-lifts. Tiny little needles (really, almost imperceptible) are inserted at key points in the face to tone it up. It’s absolutely not invasive, and over time, it actually works to strengthen elasticity in the muscles and settle down fine lines and facial tension. We tested these out briefly at IO, but it didn’t stick (wink. wink). Perhaps someday we’ll offer them again.

So when doubt starts to creep in about aging, I remind myself of this simple and powerful fact: it’s just natural. It’s natural to be concerned about aging. And it’s natural to age. Let’s face it, nobody is getting out of here alive. And if I’m lucky, one day I’ll end up looking like Helen Mirren, who is pretty much a babe, at any age. She’s an elder-hottie with more wisdom and poise than a whole gaggle of cheerleaders.

Don’t be shy, share your age-defying tricks with me for my arsenal. We’re in this together. And you know what they say, “the clock is ticking”…

Ha! Just kidding. Don’t buy into that junk. Throw away the clock. And vow to try, at least, to love yourself as you age. Grace is beautiful, in and of itself. It’s the struggle, the resistance that can make a face and body harsh and more wrinkled than they need to be.

So relax more, and find ways to lighten up in the process.

Aspiring elder-vixen,
Amy

Here’s how it works: hand-sized smooth basalt river rocks are heated to just the right temperature (not too hot, not too cold, just perfectly warm) and placed on select areas of the body – like the hands, feet or along the back. The heat selectively warms and relaxes particular muscles, allowing the massage therapist to affect your body in a deeper way, without overheating you systemically. The subtle heat radiates throughout your nervous system, promoting relaxation and stimulating circulation. It’s a very comforting experience and a sweet twist on standard massage.

At IO, we personalize our hot stone massage with the addition of our Anoint body oil. The aromatic effects of white lotus and jasmine flower combined with the antioxidant properties of grapeseed oil elevate this massage experience to a higher caliber of relaxation. The lubricating property of the oil allows the massage therapist to smoothly massage the stones along your muscles for a more dynamic effect.

If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you’ve heard me herald the benefits of our IO Organic Product line. I helped design these products, I really believe in them, and I especially love to see them integrated into our amazing bodywork sessions. If you’re looking for an interesting alternative to traditional massage, might I suggest you give this one a try. I bet you’ll love it.

Stay warm,
Amy

With ten years of yoga practice under my belt, I’m in a place where a shorter, more concentrated class packs a vital punch, especially in the middle of my workday. Most standard yoga classes range from 90 minutes to two hours, but that time commitment doesn’t always work for me. A solid hour of no-nonsense physical yoga serves a couple of purposes.

First, it resets my day. I often find that when I step away from the tasks at hand, I get a clarified view of the bigger picture that lets me come back to work creatively re-energized. Like I mentioned in my last blog about yoga, the simple act of hanging upside down and breathing is a great way to “drop my brain” and get rid of all the clutter. Then, the solutions to my daily problems can shine through.

Metabolically speaking, throwing some physicality into my afternoon keeps me on track to eat healthier and sleep soundly that night. Yoga reminds me to take better care of myself.

And, when I can’t rationalize spending an hour outside in the sunshine in the middle of my day, I can at least lounge in the sunny yoga studio at IO. Not that our somewhat rigorous Power Lunch classes necessarily constitute “lounging”. But if I’m lucky, I’ll chance upon one of those golden moments where I feel calm and at peace with my universe. I love those moments.

Whether that sense of peace comes from the relaxing exhaustion of physical exertion, the joy and harmony of chanting “OM”, or simply the time spent focused on me, it feels awfully good.

Now that’s my idea of a Power Lunch.

Food for thought,
Amy

Since 2002, we’ve offered exceptional yoga and movement-based workshops at IO, but this year we move beyond our old paradigm and expand our offering to bring you new meaningful experiences. All of these workshops aim to supplement your health and well being by introducing you to new tools and practices that have worked for me, and the IO Team, first hand.

The first workshop is just around the corner on Saturday, January 24: Rejuvenation with Indigo Stray.
If you love yoga but think of it as a way to work out and get in shape, this is a great opportunity to experience the other side of yoga – the one where you simply let go, relax, and reap the benefits in a passive way. This is the exact opposite of the “no pain no gain” mindset a lot of us get trapped in when it comes to our physical practices.

Restorative yoga is the asana equivalent of a hot bath or a good massage, and it’s appropriate for a wide range of experience levels. This can be your first yoga experience or your one thousandth. Either way, I highly recommend indulging in a Saturday afternoon of peace, quiet, and lounging about (in a beneficial way) in our tranquil, warm IO movement studio. I love Indigo’s teaching and I L-O-V-E restorative yoga.

On Saturday, February 7, Dance Your Bliss with creator Rachel Fleischman as we roll up the yoga mats and dance. Rachel has the credentials to guide us in a truly transformative afternoon of dancing, intention setting and just plain fun. She is a successful psychotherapist as well as a pioneer in the art of healing-based movement. But don’t worry; she won’t be analyzing you, just empowering you to let go for a few hours. Think of it as a mini-retreat for body and soul.

And here’s one very close to my heart: on Saturday, February 28, I will co-lead an Urban Wellness Retreat with Dr. Brenda Wade, a renowned psychologist and motivational speaker known for her “love centered approach to transformation” (and yes, she has even been on Oprah). This afternoon will be a rich collaboration of yoga, spa treatments and wellness guidance. It’s a perfect opportunity to experience what IO is truly all about.

Early this year we’ll also be hosting a Yoga Inversions workshop, a class on energizing Ayurvedic Food and watch out, we’re just getting warmed up… Stay tuned to our workshop schedule.

See you there,
Amy

As an antidote for these times, we introduce our new cost-friendly IO Memberships available during January 2009. Just in time for all those resolutions you’ll be making. Here’s one resolution we can help you commit to… the commitment to your own body, to balance and to regular stress-relief.

Introducing three new memberships with superior wellness benefits including consistent and exceptional care of your body and mind. We offer Spa and Yoga, Spa-Only and Yoga-Only Membership options with exceptional pricing and including some very special perks:

Savings of Over 30% – deeper than our weekly offers stretch

Ease of Booking via Email – with your dedicated Membership Coordinator

10% Retail Savings – on all products purchased at IO

Share Your Membership – share 4 treatments per year with the guest of your choice

All of us at IO are dedicated to your wellness transformation. Now all you have to do is dedicate yourself.

Stretch your Mind. Move your Body. Feel your Skin.
Amy

What happens when I get on my mat and practice yoga, is that the stress energy starts to dissipate. I reconnect to my physical self. I remember again that the breath moving in and out of my lungs is a constant, soothing rhythm that connects every moment of my day. It’s a welcome reminder that there’s more to me than what’s going on in my head. Thank goodness.

On a physiological level, there’s something to be said for hanging upside down. It’s calming. So much of yoga involves dropping your head below your heart. The simple inversion – whether it be in downward dog, shoulder stand, or a simple hanging forward bend – recalibrates my perception of my head being in charge. For me, it’s an opportunity to let all the clutter flow out of my brain for just a little while. What I’ve found is the monkey-mind chatter tends to quiet. Suddenly, in that more relaxed state brought on, oddly enough, by physical exertion, I find myself solving problems and creating solutions to all those little nagging issues that have been bogging down my day: how to draft that difficult email; what to get my mom for her birthday; how to handle a situation that’s been vexing me.

From a more esoteric perspective, my experience has proven again and again that the breath and focus required to practice yoga creates a circulatory healing energy that pushes out mental and physical blocks. The movement and breath combine to create a dynamic flow in my body and mind that keeps my enemy – stress – from getting a foothold. With a moment of mental space, I come back to things that really matter the most: taking care of my body, my mind and my heart. It’s a gift I give myself so that I can be the best “me” for all the people in my life.

Yoga helps. Sometimes it’s just that simple.

Say YES to Yoga,
Amy

The better care you take of your “vessel”, as the ancient eastern traditions called it, the richer you will ultimately be in spirit and soul. This time of year, it’s so easy to focus our energy outward – squeezing in all those holiday parties, finding the time to buy gifts for everyone, helping out those in need – and we often forget to take care of ourselves with the love and care that we deserve. It’s vital to take time out for yourself during hectic times.

This is a great reason to indulge in massage therapy. IO offers a blissful gamut of bodywork alternatives in our sanctuary of a spa: from deep-tissue massage to reflexology to acupuncture to our favorite, the IO Organic Fusion Massage, which combines Swedish massage techniques with Shiatsu and Thai Yoga in order to melt tension and awaken energy pathways (while hydrating and softening the skin with our very own IO Anoint Oil.) This combination of aromatherapy and the power of touch is beyond relaxing. And relaxing, as any stressed out soul knows, is healing.

My favorite quality-control responsibility as co-owner of IO is that I am “obligated” to sample our massage therapists regularly in order to ensure that we are really offering the best. Although it’s a requirement of my job, I secretly cherish this opportunity to indulge in regular bodywork with our amazing team of professionals. From the moment I slip off my shoes, ditch my Blackberry, and wrap myself in a comfy IO robe, I feel pampered and taken care of. I try to arrive a little early so that I can lounge in the peace of the waiting area and hydrate with sips of cucumber water before my treatment. And after my session, I make time for a dip in the steam room to evaporate any last toxins before I step out into the world again.

The best thing about a great treatment session is that it relaxes the mind and spirit as well as the physical body. If you can enter this physical and mental sanctuary often enough, I think you’ll find a global shift in your day-to-day experience. I know this has been true for me.

When considered from this point of view, massage is not a luxury at all. In fact, regular massage is such a bargain for your body, mind and soul that you might say you can’t afford not to do it.

Take care of your best possession, YOU,
Amy

The truth is, somewhere inside myself, I was holding out for a big game – pressuring myself to get to class every day, pushing myself to work hard in every session, silently comparing myself to my fellow yoga practitioners. Working towards that nebulous future moment when I would be really, really good at the asanas, perfectly sedate in my emotions, my ultimate enlightened yogic self. It got to the point where the pressure I put on myself was sucking the life out of my yoga practice.

Now, ten years later, I am finally “enlightened”.

Not really. But, in a sense, my yoga practice has matured to the point where I think I do get what it’s all about. The original yogis in the motherland of India practiced yoga postures as a way to prepare themselves to sit and meditate for long hours. All the stretching and moving the spine and joints was meant to tone the body so sitting would be less uncomfortable.

I am proud to say that I can also finally call myself a diligent meditator. I used to dabble, but the daily commitment just never stuck, until a year ago on November 1, 2007. It hasn’t been a breeze so I am patting myself on the back at this one year anniversary. But, for those of you who aren’t into regular meditation, I highly recommend yoga as it does really allow me to clear my mind, at least for a few precious, savored moments. I come to my mat, and I drop my brain, if you will. I shake off my day, and I connect back to me.

Like so many of us in the Western world, I live in my head most of the time. Hardly aware that I am even breathing… unless something challenges that breath. When I come to my mat, that moment in my day becomes a simple ritual of breathing in and out. Hanging upside down, I can finally drop my brain, let all those worrisome thoughts drip out, confident in the knowledge that the important stuff will stick around.

It may not be Buddhic enlightenment, but with all humility and gratitude, it’s the closest thing I’ve got in my clutter-filled Western life. Let’s call it peace.

Wishing you peace in tumultuous times,
Amy

Here’s the kicker: what makes us better in the face of challenge is the ability to stay calm, keep perspective and lighten up.

When our battery is well charged, we’re far better problem-solvers. We can give more fully to life, to family, friends and work. It’s not selfish to take care of ourselves, especially when the going gets tough. It’s actually wise. It just takes some prioritizing.

The best news is that you are the best person on the planet to clarify and meet your needs. So go ahead. Rise to the occasion. Below are some of my tools for doing just that.

Relaxed Under Pressure
In her recent New York Times article about what makes the best Olympic athletes, Gina Kolata points out that staying relaxed is crucial to peak performance under pressure. She puts it like this:

“Relaxation. It is a trait that is often underappreciated, coaches and athletic trainers say. Yet it can make the difference between doing your best and not doing well, between feeling dragged down or soaring…An ability to relax while pushing hard, exercise researchers say, is one reason why winners win.”

Lighten Up & Have Fun
Give yourself permission to have fun. Joy breeds more joy, just like negativity breeds negativity. During stressful periods there’s usually not as much time to blow off steam, but try to keep at least a thing or two that you love in your daily ritual.

Simplify
What’s weighing you down? Look at your To Do list. If it’s not helping you feel balanced, make real progress or bringing you joy then take it off the to do list for now.

Be Efficient
All of us have to do things we don’t love (pay bills, put away laundry, clean up messes). With those items make sure you are efficient. Find a schedule or system that allows you to do these tasks with maximum ease. Ask for help. Delegate. Most importantly, realize that no matter what, you can’t do it all. Shrink your To Do list to the critical items. You’ll have more time to do each item well and more free time to do what you love.

Move Your Body
Exercise = stress relief. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that Americans should get about 150 minutes of moderately intense activity per week. That doesn’t sound so difficult if we loosen our modern definition of what “exercise” is. A brisk walk, push ups, raking leaves or doing household chores, anything that activates the body works. It doesn’t require a gym. Although I do recommend a good yoga studio. And yes, I am biased.

Quiet Your Mind
In this performance driven country of ours, the mind get a lot of “exercise”. Have you noticed that we have a tendency to stress out? Allow fear and worry to dominate our mental hum? Me too. Try meditation, yoga, tai chi, deep breathing, a bath or a nap. These practices help quiet the mind. When the mind is quiet, creative solutions bubble up without effort. Calm replaces stress. Ease replaces burden.

These wellness tips are simple, low or no cost, effective, healthy ways do well in the face of challenge. I hope they help you. They work for me. It is an art to be well in hard times, but I believe we can do it.

Be well,
Amy

I close the bathroom door behind me and submerge myself in a warm bath.

I love to use our Bathe Bath Soak. Sea Salt, Epsom Salt, and Baking Soda draw out toxins and encourage circulation. Orange Blossom helps put the nervous system at peace. Vetiver Root aids in the release of muscle pain and tension. White Lotus is ethereal and softly sweet. If I don’t have Bathe on hand, a few drops of essential oil and/or just plain Epsom Salts work nicely.

When I am sufficiently cooked to a tender and relaxed state, I wash and hydrate my hair with Restore and Nourish. Essential oil aromas of Bergamot, Lavender, Jasmine and Tuberose help me drift into a semi-sleep. My stresses fade to black. I just wish I could always feel that good.

That’s a work in progress.

Tonight I’ll be soaking my bones again after my workday is done. Now more than ever, give yourself permission to relax. Nobody else can do it for you.

Peace,
Amy

As we begin to focus our energies inward again to reap the innate benefits of the fall season, it is a good time to help the process along by internally cleansing the body, letting go of unneeded waste and allowing the new phase to transition smoothly.

Here’s a healthy green drink that helps me move from summer to fall and cleanse my digestive system and skin. This drink has diuretic qualities so it helps release excess water weight that may have stored itself in bodily tissues. I say goodbye to lackluster skin and slow digestion as I welcome the fall.

I drink this smoothie first thing in the morning for a week or so before, or instead of, coffee. It’s an incredibly energizing drink that’s nice and tart, just slightly sweet, and very energizing.

Ingredients
3-4 Celery stalks, cleaned very well
1 Lemon, remove skin but leave the white pith (if in a hurry, juice it instead)
1 handful of Parsley, washed and stalks removed
1 Granny Smith green Apple, cored

Directions
Coarsely chop all the ingredients. Place ingredients in a blender and add water to about an inch above the contents. Blend until smooth. Serves one or two people.

Blending is preferred to juicing for this recipe so that all the helpful fiber is left in the green drink. Ideally, this drink is best when consumed within the first few hours of making it, when it’s still the most vibrant and full of nutrients.

Clean, green and ready for fall,
Amy

Even though I own a spa and yoga studio, have a daily meditation practice and take pretty darned good care of my body, I haven’t renounced alcohol or a good party night from time to time. Thankfully, I still know how to celebrate.

My Chinese Medicine doctor once advised me, “Amy, sometimes you gotta let the pig out.” Sometimes letting your hair down and having a little fun is just what the doctor ordered, literally.

So, last weekend I “let the pig out” to play. It was the bachelorette weekend of a very close friend of mine. We went south, past Half Moon Bay to Costanoa, a luxury nature retreat with tent cabins and a beautiful lodge (and soundproof party room) that we made the most of with our gaggle of girls. Our night was outstanding. We thoroughly enjoyed plenty of sushi and sake at Sushi Main Street and more champagne afterward in our dance party suite. All this had us smiling, laughing, toasting and preparing our girl, Lisa, for her upcoming nuptials and her brave and beautiful step into marriage.

Now what would life be like without a little debauchery now and again? Answer: life would be boring and out of balance. The key is to choose the debauchery wisely and to know how to recover after a late night out.

Coconut water is my secret. It rehydrates like the dickens. Sayonara Gatorade. Nature’s got a quick-fix hydration tool that is low in sugar and high in potassium and other minerals that work wonders on a dehydrated body. Yes, it’s also fat-free unlike coconut milk. I like the Young Coconut Juice with Pulp from Amy & Brian or 100% Coconut Water from O.N.E.

Yes, coconut water does a body good.

The bride-to-be knows my secret too. I saw her first thing the morning after with a coconut water in hand, looking a little ragged around the edges, but on her way to recovery with memories to last a lifetime.

Go on…let the pig out (if you have coconut water handy),
Amy

Born in India, Mother Meera is thought to be an incarnation of the Divine Mother (the mother of the universe in Hinduism). It is said she can tap into the “Light”, a healing, loving energy that makes spiritual progress easier on earth.

Thousands of seekers from all religions flock to Mother Meera to receive darshan. She holds the person’s head in her hands, then stares into their eyes for several seconds. During this process she is said to “untie knots” in the person’s karmic/subtle body and infuses them with Light.

Last night when I arrived at the Presbyterian Church a few minutes early for my 7:00 PM reservation (you are required to signed up online to secure your spot), the hall was already full of seekers. It was an interesting social experiment to watch all these people coming to receive darshan. Many people acted very serious and pious; some were smiling blissfully and seemed a little ‘checked out’, others appeared unfazed as they waited quietly for something in silent expectation or perhaps true openness.

I enjoyed my first darshan experience for its intrigue and calming result. I did indeed feel more relaxed, receptive and happier after receiving darshan. I wasn’t sure what to expect when Mother Meera was looking into my eyes, but her gaze felt comfortable and loving even as she did it in silence and with a straight face.

Afterward, I sat in meditation for 15 minutes and felt what I would call an electric quality of heat in my body, especially in my chest and midsection. I rested very well last night and had sweet dreams. A sense of deeper calm is still with me today.

And, it sure would be nice if some of my other ‘knots’ were untied for me. I could handle that.

Mother Meera now lives in Germany and was on a short visit to the Bay Area, but if you’re interested you can track her visits in the U.S. and perhaps experience darshan with her sometime.

Namaste (the divine in me honors the divine in you),

Amy

1. REFRESH-MINT: A Delicious Mint Cooler
This refreshing and healthy drink is one of my favorites for summertime.
It’s a cold version of fresh mint tea. It’s healthy (no refined sugar and better for you than a can of soda), invigorating and stomach settling.

Ingredients
Teapot full of hot water
One bunch of Mint (either Peppermint or Spearmint)
Honey to taste
Ice to chill

Directions
Clean the mint and put aside a mint sprig or two to add at the end.
Boil water then pour it over the mint in a heat resistant container.
Steep for about 5 minutes or until the water is light green.
Strain the mint from the liquid.
Refrigerate the liquid or let it sit out until room temperature or cooler.
Add honey to taste for sweetness. At least a tablespoon per cup, generally.
Add the fresh sprigs of mint and ice into individual glasses and pour.
Refresh and enjoy!

Alternative Recipes
Add the juice of several lemons for Mint Lemonade. This one is very cleansing.
Add vodka to the Mint Cooler for a cocktail version of this summer refresher.

2. SPRITZ YOURSELF: Organic Lavender Hydrosol
This “plant water” from my family’s organic farm in New Mexico is a by-product of the distillation of essential oils.

OM OF NM Organic Mountain Lavender Hydrosol makes a cooling, antibacterial refresher that can be sprayed copiously on face and body. Trust me, I am generous with the stuff. I practically bathe in it during the summer and when traveling. It fits easily into a purse or carry on bag. Keep one in the car or next to the bed for quick refreshment, hydration and a sense of ‘ahhhh’.

3. CHILL OUT HOT & TIRED FEET: Yogurt and Cucumber Foot Bath
Nothing chills the feet out more than a refreshing foot bath with cool water, one cup of yogurt and a cucumber (slice half and dice the other half). Yogurt adds extra hydration and lactic acids for light exfoliation. Cucumber calms and gently draws out heat in the feet as well as impurities. In their native hot climates, Greeks and Indians love to eat a cooling salad/side dish of the same ingredients. The combo is soothing on the inside and out.

4. CALM YOUR PUFFY EYES: Pack Your Bags They’re Leaving
Watermelon and cucumber sooth, relieve and refresh the under-eye area naturally and like none other. Farewell to puffy, tired, over-partied, overworked eyes. Treat them with Pack Your Bags They’re Leaving, a fabulous eye product from Simply Divine Botanicals, infused with the healing power of Reiki. And, this product even smells like summer! Available at International Orange.

5. COOL & SOOTH SORE MUSCLES: Sombra, Natural Pain Relieving Gel
Camphor, Menthol, Aloe Vera and Green Tea extracts, Rose water and Witch Hazel make for cooling and tingly relief from sore muscles, arthritis, strains, sprains and bruises. I love to put Sombra on my neck, shoulders and low back before yoga, while working at my desk or before bed to sooth my muscles into a refreshing sleep. Available at International Orange.

Chill out this summer,

Amy

People in my life know how much I love natural products as an enjoyable and healthy part of my daily ritual. I might even be accused, at times, of being a “pusher” of natural and organic products. If that’s a crime, then I guess I am guilty as charged.

It makes me happy to use natural scent (aromatherapy really works in lifting spirits). In addition, my body reaps the benefits of the healing properties of my favorite natural body care. I like to think that I also bring a smile to the faces of my friends when they say, “ahhh, you smell like a spa!”

One of my favorite products, I helped create for our IO organic product line. It’s our IO BALANCE Deodorant, an all-natural way to refresh. This product has a novel concept at its core. Instead of covering up bad body odor, it actually helps to purify and strengthen the immune system with Echinacea and Lavender, as well as neutralize odorous bacteria.

It seems utterly backwards to me to use deodorant with aluminum or other chemicals that are bad for your health, especially in an area as receptive as the underarm and so close to the lymph system. Instead of jeopardizing your health, treat your delicate areas with a gentle elixir, like IO Balance. While it can take a few weeks for some bodies to detox from an old chemical deodorant routine, in the long run you will be thankful.

For the record, humans are meant to sweat.

If you are still set on using a name brand deodorant, do your body a favor. Don’t use the antiperspirant variety that prevents sweating. It’s not natural or healthy. Instead, work on purifying your bodily systems and minimize odor by drinking lots of water, eating clean foods and consider switching to products that cleanse and scent, naturally.

Smell fresh, like a spa, and ‘balance’ the only body you’ve got.

Peace,

Amy

There is a Chinese saying, “good things come in pairs.”

As a child growing up in a Chinese home, this adage was one of those “parental phrases” where the meaning was lost in translation (and / or by virtue of age).

But, as I continue along the journey of life, I have begun to understand and realize the power of 2. In fact, life brings us many pairings. Night and day, yin and yang, cheese and wine, and heart and head. Sometimes it is the contrast or the combination of the 2 (ideals, people, things) that creates life’s most fulfilling and illuminating experiences.

Just this past week, I experienced a healing yet powerful pairing at IO: acupuncture and massage with Ilya Jacobson. As a deep tissue massage junkie and a committed client of IO’s massage practice, I always thought of massage as simply a solo treatment. It wasn’t until I arrived at the spa on Friday with an insurmountable headache (which ungodly amounts of water and acetaminophen could not cure), that I woke up to the beauty of the acupuncture and massage combo.

Acupuncture, an ancient healing practice of treating pain and medical, emotional or mental issues, is a powerful method of healing and aligning body and mind. The origins of the practice can be traced as far back as the Stone Age, when the Mongolians used sharpened stones to treat ailments. Today, thanks to its demonstrated history and powerful effects, acupuncture is not to be dismissed. Naysayers are converts once they experience the relaxing and healing effects of acupuncture.

After entering the circular treatment room, Ilya, with his kind, warm and “just be” nature, suggested with ease that we address my headache through acupuncture added to the session. “Yes,” I said, and the rest followed. We began with a gentle acupuncture treatment tailored to my specific needs, which Ilya seamless integrated with a full body deep tissue massage. Ilya’s work unarmed my mind and body issues. After the 90 Minute session, I felt supremely restored.

What I carried into the room – my headache, cumulative emotional stress, and personal inhibitions – was released. Light and free, I became.

Thanks, Ilya, and the team at IO for bringing this dynamic combination, acupuncture and massage, to us. You’ve coupled a beautiful pairing. Now, I can rightly say that good things DO come in pairs.

Reiki means universal life force energy and it’s a balancing and healing art with a broad range of happy benefits to both giver and receiver. This healing technique was developed in Japan by Mikao Usui (1865-1926).

Reiki works on the energy flow in the body, otherwise know as Chi in Chinese Medicine or Prana in the Yogic tradition. It has a healing, balancing and extremely relaxing effect on the mental, emotional and physical body. Reiki empowers the body’s innate self-healing ability.

Reiki is usually performed fully clothed and utilizes the light touch of the practitioner’s hands on specific energy centers of the body often channeling heat and sensation from the crown of the head to the soles of the feet. This kind of bodywork is, in one way, the opposite of deep tissue massage in that it is very gentle and calming.

But, I must say, as someone who L-O-V-E-S deep tissue massage, Reiki works beautifully for me. Deep tissue work addresses the musculoskeletal system in the Western medical tradition of treating a specific symptom as opposed to Reiki’s more holistic and Eastern approach of treating the cause of a symptom or the root of the problem, in this case the places where bodily energy gets stagnant or blocked.

Similarly to deep tissue massage, Reiki can help with tension or old holding patterns “stuck” in the tissues of the body. Reiki can also center us with such power that it effects our connection to self and spirit. My business partner and friend, Melissa and I often talk about Reiki being a way to plug into something larger than ourselves, a way to press the reset button on whatever junk or stress might be caught in the mind and body at a given time.

Reiki is powerful stuff and without getting too woo-woo about it, it’s something I believe everyone should experience. Reiki is healing and enlightening. Plus, afterwards I always feel happy as a clam and buoyant as a butterfly. Truly.

Our very own IO Massage Therapist, Carrie Stone, is a Reiki Master. She’s genius. Even though we don’t list Reiki on our spa menu, book a regular massage with her and ask her to do Reiki for either the entire session or to work it in to your regular IO 60 or 90 Minute Massage. You will be thankful.

Namaste,

Amy

White teas are made from buds and young leaves picked in the early spring. Shortly before the buds have fully opened white tea retains high concentrations of catechin, the active compound that is responsible for many of the health benefits of both white and green teas. The tea takes its name from the silver fuzz that still covers the buds, which turns white when the tea is dried. Because white tea leaves are left close to their natural state, by undergoing less processing than all other teas, white tea contains more of the powerful anti-oxidant properties that fight and kill cancer-causing cells than any other type of tea.

Similar to the way oxidation causes a car to rust, oxidative stress of the skin (exposure to everyday elements) causes a breakdown in cellular strength and function. White tea’s anti-oxidative properties have been shown to protect against this stress, suggesting that the compound may provide anti-aging benefits to the skin over time.

The latest white tea product to grace my bathroom counter is Arcona’s White Tea Purifying Cleanser. This antioxidant rich cleanser includes white and green teas along with cranberry enzymes to nourish, clarify, and strengthen skin while soothing yucca, vitamin E, and aloe extracts maintain balance.

Happy Spring Cleaning,

Amy

My family farm in the high desert of New Mexico produces several specialty products for us at International Orange. My parents’ products represent the high quality we believe in at IO. I have been using one of their products in particular lately, the Lavender-Tangerine Salt Rub.

As the weather chills out and my skin starts to pucker, I am using their OM OF NM Salt Rub to keep supple skin even under all these clothes! I am, by the way, an avid believer in salt as a natural remedy.

As we move deeper into fall and winter, body exfolliation becomes more and more important to the quality of our skin. I bet ‘Salt’ sounds like a weird skin remedy to some of you?

So why Salt?

Eating too much salt is unhealthy for us, but using salt on our bodies in the right ways produces solid results.

Think again about skin itself. We know it’s the body’s largest organ, but what do most other organs actually do in the body? They remove toxins we have taken in by breathing, drinking or eating. The liver, the kidneys, and even the lungs have varied ways to eject unwanted debris from our systems.

Our underrated and misunderstood skin does the same.

Indeed various body systems move toxins to the surface of the skin via perspiration and other migration. When the skin is not in its top form, these unwanted materials cannot find an easy way out of our system. Even the classic “liver spots” which some people experience on their skin, especially with aging, are in fact deposits moved there from the liver when it cannot expel undesirable substances otherwise. A salt rub used on the skin, for example, helps this removal process and puts the skin in a position to clean itself out.

Both my parents’ OM OF NM Salt Rub and BATHE, our own International Orange bath soak, are two rare products that have this set of facts in mind. And, they both have salt as their main ingredient. With both of these products we want to help the skin do its natural work, while lightly anointing it with essential oils that promote healthy skin, protection and add mood-soothing, ethereal scent.

Bathing in warm water with Sea Salt and/or Epsom Salt is one very effective way of helping our biggest organ release toxins through the pores. Comprised only of Sea Salt, Epsom Salt, Baking Soda and Essential Oils of White Lotus, Orange Blossom and Vetiver, BATHE, our IO bath soak is one spirit-lifting and body-calming way to detoxify beautifully. Ahh, I LOVE taking baths.

Gently applying a salt rub on damp skin in a circular motion, moving away from the heart, is another way to slough old skin, improve its texture, and stimulate the capillaries to move additional oxygen and nutrients to the scoured areas. Adding natural body oils to the mix for hydration and natural skin protection will leave the skin singing all the way to ‘smooth’. (Only scrub gently or try using finer grained sugar instead if you are sensitive-skinned.)

To rap this up, I want to remind you all of the obvious: Our world is not perfect. That’s no news flash. So, we need to help our skin overcome inattention, less than perfect dietary intakes, and assaults from our environment. Salt is not the first thing we think of when we think about such rejuvenation, but for the skin of our bodies, it can scrub it back to its own natural functioning. We want to find other such opportunities that can help the body’s systems work their best.

Beauty follows.

Thanks for the products mom and dad. We love you.

Wishing you well,

Amy