I’ve just returned from Australia where we officially launched Kerstin Florian. Our products have been available Down Under for about a year, but we waited until we had some fabulous spas before officially announcing our launch to the spa industry and media. My trip started in Melbourne, a creative, exciting, ever-changing city with extraordinary surprises. Upon landing, I took a run along the Yarra river in South Wharf. It was an unusual and extraordinarily lively hot day. Street musicians entertained as people flooded the cafes and boardwalk.

We work with a delightful day spa in St. Kilda, Melbourne called Aurora (whose name means “charged particle”) connected to the Prince Hotel (www.theprince.com.au) which is reputed to be quite the trendy hotel in town. The Prince is a luxurious art-and-design-focused 40-room boutique hotel in cosmopolitan St. Kilda minutes away from the beach and many of Melbourne’s finest restaurants. Lyndall Mitchell, owner of Aurora, lived her early life in the rhythm of nature on an idyllic tropical fruit farm. Aurora has a great team and incredible energy, cozy and unassuming. The Spa hosted a cocktail event for its loyal guests one evening. It was very busy and as anyone in business knows, it’s easy at times like these to go without dinner. The next day, Lyndall described how, upon getting home late, she went out to her organic garden and picked a salad and plucked a few eggs from her chicken coop. I knew she was a true spa girl living the life dedicated to passing along the message of lifestyle, health, peace and well being. Aurora is also taking over the spa at the luxurious Palazzo Versace on the Gold Coast, a gorgeous hotel. We are excited about this partnership.

After Melbourne, it was on to Brisbane, then Surfers Paradise where I was delighted to see the new eforea Spa at the Hilton Surfers Paradise. Beautiful staff and peaceful, this spa has a light, and airy ambiance, a true home away from home feeling. After Surfers Paradise, we hosted eight media at the Gibraltar Hotel in Bowral (www.gibraltarbowral.com.au) the Southern highland’s best-kept secret. Gibraltar Hotel Bowral, which sits on a 100-acre estate, is truly a magical getaway. It’s modern yet down to earth. There’s an 18-hole golf course (regarded as one of the better in the region); a Lifestyle Centre with Kerstin Florian treatments, a gym and indoor heated pool – a great place to relax and enjoy the natural surroundings. After a day of treatments, yoga and a vegetarian lunch of greens, lentils and herbs, it was off to Biota (www.biotadining.com). The Biota dining experience supports both local farmers and growers, focusing on artisan produce incorporating seasonal botanicals in all aspects of its menu and environment, local products, foraging, as well as propagating. There is a glasshouse where there are more than 40 varietals of seeds imported from France and the Netherlands, along with local suppliers, providing a constant seasonal harvest of shoots, cresses and seedlings. The ambiance was modern and gorgeous and the food creative and delicious.

Back at Gibraltar, our 7 a.m. morning walk was a highlight. The yoga instructor from the previous day shuttled us through groves of eucalyptus and other beautiful mature tropical trees. My attention was focused on spotting a kangaroo, koala or Kookaburra bird. Since I didn’t see any on this trip, I’m convinced I’m meant to go back soon. Next time, I will spend time with the Aboriginals. I have a long list of remote nature areas highly recommended by nature-loving Australians (local recommendations are always the best).

Our final destination was Sydney, beautiful Sydney, where just prior to leaving I had to see the famous Opera House. It was a cloudy day, but walking by the water was empowering and seeing the magnificent architecture of the Opera House made my trip complete.

With love,
Charlene

Last weekend Kerstin and I went on a four-hour hike in the heat of the desert sun in Ladder Canyon located about 40 miles southeast of Palm Springs, California. The geologic formations, some 600 million years old, are among the most unusual of their kind in the world. The canyons were formed by the convergence of the North American plate and the Pacific plate along the San Andreas fault. The desert flowers were blooming. It was magnificent. We wore hats and of course sunscreen (Multi-Vitamin Day Crème SPF 30), but hiking in the desert for four hours reminded me how intense the sun can be.

The sun is good for our health and well-being. We need our healthy dose (minimum 20 minutes a day) to ensure a proper amount of Vitamin D uptake (and as we all know Vitamin D deficiency is a big issue these days. Testing your levels is recommended). The sun also helps to enhance our mood and energy. But we must pay attention to how much exposure we get. Small things, like driving a car without adequate protection, can contribute to skin aging and hyperpigmentation over time.

Of course there are things we can do to protect our skin. This includes using sunscreen with antioxidants and mineral-derived sun reflecting ingredients like Titanium Dioxide when out in the sun for long periods of time.

For golden color (without damaging sun rays), KFI offers a Sunless Tan – which I’m thrilled to say, won a top beauty award this month from SELF MAGAZINE. The magazine will be on newsstands in the middle of April and we are certainly celebrating here at the office. We knew we had a great product a few years ago during the development process when Kerstin was taking all of our final production samples for her personal use. We actually had to hide the last few samples from her so we would have an original retain for our files. This moisturizing formula delivers a rich, natural-looking tan with a sun-kissed glow. It is enriched with Sweet Almond Oil and sustainably-harvested, fair-trade Shea Butter from West Africa to deeply hydrate and smooth the skin for a radiant, streak-free appearance. The product has a great texture and is made with a vegetable-derived Dihydroxyacetone, the active ingredient which reacts with Amino Acids in the top layer of the skin to produce the golden sunless tan. It also contains other botanicals including Green Tea, Calendula Flower, Echinacea and Chamomile. Many of our staff members mix the sunless tanner with their favorite KFI moisturizer for everyday use (they recommend Rejuvenating 24-Hour Moisture Crème for face and Vita Lotion for body) and apply frequently to face and body for just a hint of color (we do live in southern California after all).

For those times when you inevitably receive a little too much sun exposure, Aloe Vera is one of my favorite remedies. I keep a large Aloe plant at home. Simply break open an Aloe ‘leaf’ and apply the gel directly to the skin for instant soothing relief. Be sure to use a mature plant to ensure it has medicinal benefits. The bulk of the Aloe Vera leaf is filled with gel, which is approximately 99 percent water, while the remaining 1 percent contains over at least 75 known nutrients including 20 Minerals, 12 Vitamins, 18 Amino Acids, 200 active plant compounds called Phytonutrients and Enzymes. Aloe is also an excellent anytime skin moisturizer (I use our Aloe Gel at night). It supplies oxygen to the skin cells which in turn increases the strength and synthesis of skin tissue – rejuvenating the skin, hydrating it and increasing flexibility. Try our Aloe Gel with Organic Aloe Vera, Organic Arnica, Organic Calendula, Organic Green Tea and a special Laminaria Algae from France that according to research has proven powerful anti-inflammatory benefits. Aside from topical application, Aloe is the drink of choice for some people seeking physical endurance and stamina. I put it in my smoothies. Discard the skin and only use the gel.

Enjoy the season change and enjoy the blessings of the sun… just remember to enjoy it wisely.

With love,
Charlene

Ponchos, alpacas, coca leaves, artistry, brightly colored textiles, ancient ruins and mystery. Peru is a magnificent country. I’ve just returned from an amazing trip to study Amazonian herbal medicine, experience ancient sites including Saqsaywaman, Machu Picchu and springs (Tombomachay), the heart of the spa industry. Trips such as this always inspire me – help me to understand the healing culture of indigenous people, how they connect to nature and how we can incorporate some of their practices into our own healing rituals.

Five rivers come together in the ancient colonial city of Cusco where Saqsaywaman (which means “satisfied falcon” in Quechua) was originally built by a civilization older than the Incas and with an apparent celestial knowledge. Massive stone blocks are everywhere – the biggest weighs over 155 tons – and this site is quite simply, a mystery. Tunnels run beneath the site, some say acting as a storage place for Incan staples and treasures. Next to Saqsaywaman is Tombomachay, a sacred spring in the Southern Peruvian highlands, and a great example of Andean architects’ skill to harmonize construction and landscape. They say the spring was a “royal bath,” an important shrine to the Incas to whom water was a sacred element of life and a symbol of purity of the soul. All Inca rites were preceded by a cleansing ceremony. Locals refer to the site as the “Bath of the Inca” and certainly the sound of the water and the pastoral setting make it a very memorable and peaceful place. While I wasn’t able to bathe in the spring, I drank plenty of the crystal clear spring water and filled my water bottles to last several days.

Each day was spent exploring ruins, eating the best vegan meals ever, hiking to waterfalls and into the most beautiful countryside, and learning about indigenous plants such as Coca leaves which are a staple product in Peru. Coca leaves are high in essential fatty acids and loaded with essential minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, chlorophyll and amino acids. Coca leaves are, in fact, considered one of the most nourishing plants in the world. Locals chew the leaves and infuse them with prayers and offer them to Pachamama (mother earth), the Apus (mountains), the sun and moon. I drank lots of Coca tea to help acclimate to the altitude, and was also deeply touched by the respect and honor the people have for the land. We participated in incredible ceremonies including a Chakana ceremony honoring the earth’s elements (fire, water, earth and air), spirits and directions.

My ascent to Machu Picchu on the Spring equinox was the highlight of my trip. I woke up at 4:00 a.m. to be on the first bus up the mountain. I watched the sun rise over the mountains and clear the clouds and mist hanging over the famous ruins. I have been blessed to travel extensively with my job but nothing has come close to the feeling I had seeing these ruins when the mist dispersed. It was in 1911 that American Hiram Bingham from Yale discovered Machu Picchu when he was led there by an 11-year-old Quechua boy. It is clearly a sacred religious site based on sacred geography. The sundial at the Intihuatana stone was incredible. During the Spring equinox (the day I was there), the sun shines overhead and casts no shadow, a wonder of Machu Picchu. The energy of this rock was unworldly, and combined with an impending storm, literally made my friend’s hair stand up on his head.

I hiked up Huayna Picchu, the tall dome mountain that stands behind Machu Picchu, and picked baby strawberries along ancient terraces. The hike is restricted to 400 daily visitors. Steep and at times exposed, the climb leads to the summit. Some portions are slippery and steel cables provide some support during the one-hour ascent. The top of the mountain was believed to be the residence of the high priest. As I sat on the summit eating my lunch dangling my feet over the valley below, I felt an indescribable feeling of peace, wonder, excitement and complete awe. For the short time I was there, I felt like I was floating, a feeling that will forever inspire and live within me.

With love,
Charlene

What are peptides exactly?

Peptides. Also known as “mini proteins” – are one of the hottest ingredients in skincare (and yes, found in our Caviar and Correcting lines).

Our skin is made up mostly of collagen; it is the foundation that gives your skin its support and thickness. Young people have lots of collagen and taut, smooth skin. In contrast, older people have much less collagen and thin, more wrinkled skin. Collagen is protein and is made up of long chains of amino acids strung together, like chains of linked building blocks. When it is broken down, short segments of three-to-five amino acids form, called peptides. Among other messages, Peptides signal your skin to make more collagen. Peptides and proteins represent a wide world of possibilities, and many molecular biologists spend years researching the functions of single peptides and proteins to learn more about how the body works.

Scientists can make peptides to perform any number of functions including to help rejuvenate, rebuild and to lighten the skin. And yes – signal your skin to make more collagen. Applying peptides directly to your skin is a way to trick your skin into thinking that it has lost collagen recently and needs to make more. You can find peptides in the Caviar Age-Defense Serum, Caviar Night Crème and Caviar Eye Crème in our Caviar Skincare Collection and in our At-Home Professional Peel and Brightening Eye Crème in our Correcting Skincare range. Its prefix determines the number of peptides it is made up of. For example, Penta means it has five, Tri, three and so on.

While effective alone, peptides work even better in conjunction with antioxidants, alpha hydroxy acids, natural marine ingredients and essential oils. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals (molecules that want to join with other molecules and when doing so, cause cellular damage), so having antioxidants in your skincare products is a must.

Some desirable antioxidants (and we use them) include Sea Algae (Spirulina among many others), Aloe, Green Tea and Vitamin C. Inflammation is responsible for many or even most of the challenges we face in skincare like rosacea and hyperpigmentation – which is why proper nutrition also plays a key role in having beautiful skin, and protecting and calming the skin with anti-inflammatory ingredients is important.

Using advanced peptides helps to restore and maintain skin’s smooth, youthful look. The skin also gets a firming boost since peptides help support development of connective tissue.

Peptides can be powerful wrinkle fighters when combined with great antioxidant products and a healthy lifestyle.

With love,
Charlene

I’ve just completed a 30-day internal cleanse. While a month may sound like a long time, I fasted (on vegetable juices) for five days and the remainder followed a clean, mostly high-raw diet and took a regimen of herbal tinctures (Blessed Herbs) before each meal. Cleansing is a way to boost healing when systems are taxed and beginning to show signs of stress. It is a challenging topic to discuss, as it is somewhat controversial and even makes people uncomfortable talking about it. I get it. If you’re not familiar with the concept of cleansing or how it works, it can seem foreign.

Last May, I moderated a panel “Innovations in Spa” at the Global Spa Summit in Bali and the topic of cleansing came up. On one side, we had Ayurvedic doctors (and many other health professionals) advocating cleansing, and on the other side, doctors who disagreed. All agreed however, that we live in a polluted world where most people eat some form of unhealthy or synthetic foods, and that body is not able to fully expel all of the toxins it takes in. This can lead to inflammation in the body and premature aging. The discussion was heated and motivated me to research and decide for myself.

Fasting has been part of nearly every religion for thousands of years. For a good insight, Dr. Alejandro Junger has written a New York Times bestseller book CLEAN. Dr. Junger is board certified in internal medicine and cardiology, and has studied Eastern medicine in India. His Clean program is designed to be easily incorporated into any busy schedule while providing all of the practical tools necessary to detoxify, support and rejuvenate the body. Included are several incredible recipes.

I did my first cleanse about a year ago – a simple, five-day liver program – and I saw incredible results. My skin looked amazing. I felt great, and the true-beauty is that cleansing can come in many forms. For some, it may start with eliminating sugar, caffeine, alcohol, white flour and dairy for a couple of weeks. Drinking 6-8 glasses of pure spring water each day and substituting, at least one meal, with a vegetable juice or green smoothie. For others, it might mean a guided cleanse of maybe five days of juice fasting. Remember to take a toxin absorber like chlorella. Once your body starts to release toxins, most experts agree that you need to bind those toxins to carry them out of your system; otherwise they can get reabsorbed into your body. The finale of cleansing – the more controversial part – is to add three colonics during your fast to help aid the release of the toxins and unwanted guests (I’ll let you research that one on your own. But more than 50% of the population has them).

I’ve heard many incredible first-hand stories of restored health through cleansing, how people look and feel more vibrant, and how it motivates people to make small improvements in their daily diet. The key is to keep it balanced and do it responsibly. One cleanse a year is a great commitment. So, how do I feel after my cleanse? My skin is glowing, I have an amazing amount of energy and an incredible sense of peace and happiness.

I feel clean…

With love,
Charlene

Last week, in my post on India, I spoke of a wonderful man, Deepak, whom I met while traveling and exploring the spa industry in Mumbai. Deepak credited daily meditation for his longevity, and shared with me the following yoga mudras. I am currently practicing them, and hope you will join me!

Regular practice of the yoga mudras are said to contribute to ultimate health and vitality. Continuous practice will create minute changes in the corresponding body parts. Mudras are performed with both hands at the same time. They can be incorporated into a breathing routine as we recommend here or they can be used on their own throughout the day. To begin the meditation, sit in Butterfly (soles of feet together), Lotus or a simple crossed-leg position. Breathe by expanding your lower belly. Hold each mudra for five minutes concentrating on the breathe:

1. Gyan Mudra: (Combining Fire with Air)

How To Do It: touch the tip of your index finger and thumb, keeping your other three fingers straight and stretched.

What It Does: good for mental peace concentration, stress, depression, migraine, loss of memory and insomnia.

2. Vaya Mudra: (Taking Air)

How To Do It: Bend index finger downward so it’s touching the base of the thumb and cross thumb on top. Keep your other fingers straight.

What It Does: helps with acidity, gas, good for bones, arthritis and the back.

3. Shunya Mudra: (Touching Sky)

How To Do It: Bend middle finger downward so it’s touching the base of the thumb and cross thumb on top. Keep your other fingers straight.

What It Does: good for vertigo and the ears.

4. Surya Mudra: (Touching Earth)

How to Do It: Bend ring finger downward so it’s touching the base of the thumb and cross thumb on it. Keep your other fingers straight.

What It Does: good for stomach, diabetes, cholesterol, corns, lungs, sinus, cold, cough, thyroid and weight reduction.

5. Apang Mudra (Touching Sky and Earth)

How To Do It: Touch middle, ring finger and thumb. Keep index and pinky fingers straight.

What It Does: good for the heart, eliminating toxins and constipation, eliminating toxins.

All mudras except Surya should be done 1-1/2 hours after eating.

6. Stretch your hands up. Inhale – make a fist with both hands. Lean to one side and then the other.

7. Stretch your hands back. Make a fist with both hands. Inhale. Raise your arms. Push your chest forward and shoulders back. Stretch.

8. Straight hands in front – inhale and make a fist. Exhale, turn your hands with fist up and raise your arms above your head. Stretch.

9. Alternate nostril breathing 10 times. Place your right ring finger on your left nostril. Inhale through the right. Plug the right nostril with your thumb and exhale through the left nostril. Inhale through the left nostril, plug your left nostril with you ring finger and repeat 10 times.

10. Relax and rotate shoulders both ways.

See below link for a visual diagram of the Mudra finger positions:
http://openitguru.blogspot.com/2010/03/healing-power-of-mudras-therapy-for.html

With love,
Charlene

Being an avid yogi and spa girl, India has always held an allure for me. A calling. And recently, I had the amazing opportunity to travel there.

Kerstin Florian is opening a few spas in India this year and next (more to come on that!) and so I combined business with some spa adventure. Post-meetings and guest-speaking at the Spa and Wellness Conference in Mumbai, I took a few days to visit several resort and day spas in the city. Mumbai did not disappoint.

I found such incredible contrasts in Mumbai, between the beige buildings, dirt lots, shanti towns and the notoriously terrible traffic and the amazing fruit markets, stalls of marigold, tuberose and mogra garlands (offerings to Hindu gods including Ganesha and Shakti), colorful saris, beautiful faces, boys playing cricket everywhere and anywhere. I experienced amazing hospitality, aromas of sandalwood and jasmine, outrageously flavorful vegetarian food, stories of the Himalayas, and of the progress and the lack of progress in this future economic powerhouse country.

The concept of health seems to pale against the immediate challenges that people face. Although India is known worldwide for its ancient, 6000+year-old practice of Ayurveda (“the science of life”), I found few here actually follow the system of traditional medicine, opting more often for the quick fix of western medicine. Ayurveda stresses the balance of three elemental energies or “doshas” in the body. Vata (air and space), Pitta (fire and water) and Kapha (water and earth). It is a system that helps maintain health in a person by using the inherent principles of nature to bring the body back into equilibrium with nature and one’s true self. Ayurveda involves a personal consultation which includes reading the pulse, herbs and beautiful treatments such as: marma energy balancing, shirodhara (head relaxation), abhyanga (oil application), garshena (brushing) and panchakarma (cleansing and rejuvenation program) and education.

One of the highlights of my trip was meeting a prominent man in his mid 60’s named Deepak, who was clearly forging the future of India. He possessed a rare explosive vitality, compassion, rich style and deep wisdom. I asked him for the secret to his vitality and his answer confirmed my belief in the power of lifestyle choices. He has practiced yoga daily for 40 years. He meditates 30 minutes each day, drinks green vegetable juice in the morning and adheres to a healthy diet (mind you he travels all over the world for business). I am convinced his regular meditation practice contributes to his charisma.

In next week’s blog, I will share with you Deepak’s yoga nidra meditation straight from India. This meditation has completely inspired me to meditate more regularly. After trying it, I hope it will inspire you as well.

Namaste,
Charlene

Beauty manifests in many ways. There is physical beauty of course. But there’s also beauty of spirit, beauty of action and beauty of the heart. While I’ve never been one to set New Year’s resolutions, I do find setting intentions to be both grounding and helpful. Here are my top 12 beauty manifests for 2012.

Beauty of Physical:

1. Eat mostly vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes. You’ve heard this before, but it can’t be said enough. It’s the foundation. Keep pre-cut vegetables or fruit in the fridge. Select foods highest in nutrients. Aloe and coconut are a couple on the top of the list. I was introduced to Noni on Kauai and fell in love with it (my favorite was a noni, lime and ginger juice).

2. Get healthy fats from nuts, seeds and avocados rather than refined oils. Did you know Brazil Nuts are really high in selenium and make a delicious nut milk? Blend with pure water in a Vitamix and strain through a nut bag. You can add honey (amazing longevity food) to sweeten.

3. Jump on a trampoline. Yes, I’m serious. Just 10-15 minutes a day spent jumping on a small, indoor trampoline (Cellerciser) gives every cell an isometric, isotonic, callisthenic, aerobic and flexibility exercise. I start many mornings this way.

4. Start a skincare regimen. Begin with a good facial cleanser, exfoliant, day crème and eye crème. A great basic program for most skin types in winter includes Correcting Complete Daily Cleanser, Clarifying Exfoliating Scrub, Correcting Rescue Crème and Correcting Brightening Eye Crème. Treat yourself to a facial or a series of K-Lift, Age Management System treatments to improve tone and elasticity.

5. Consider a responsible cleanse. Read CLEAN by Dr. Junger.

Beauty of Heart:

6. The beauty of the heart is the lasting beauty. Find small ways to show acts of love and compassion to others. A simple thank you or a hug is a great start.

7. Love Yourself. Begin every day by appreciating something you love. Treat yourself to a massage.

Beauty of Spirit:

8. Meditation, contemplation and BREATH. Everything starts with breathing: health, vitality, LIFE. Breath connects everything.

9. Practice Yoga.

Beauty of Action:

10. Make one small upgrade to be more sustainable. Carry cloth bags to the grocer; upgrade your water quality. Drink pure filtered spring water.

11. Set your reading intention for the year. Reading changes lives. I listen to books in the car while I’m driving.

12. Take an inspiring trip – maybe somewhere you‘ve always dreamed of going.

Wishing you a happy and healthy 2012!

Love,
Charlene

A debate has ignited recently with my daughters Alexxa (8) and Milan (7) as to whether Santa Claus is real or not. They’re not completely sure, but seem convinced that Santa is either one of our friends or a nice old man with a white beard in a Santa suit. Milan asks me frequently, “Is HE the real Santa?”

Last year, we were in Sweden at Kerstin’s home in the countryside. Snow was piled everywhere, temperatures hit below-30F and the Baltic Sea surrounding the house was frozen over. Inside, we kept the three fireplaces and multiple candles in the house ablaze to stay warm, and on Christmas Eve celebrated Christmas the “Swedish way“ — with a traditional family dinner of glögg, a hot mulled wine with raisins, meatballs, red beets and pickled herring (this is an interesting tradition to maintain as a vegetarian). Following dinner, Santa (as if on cue), carrying a lantern and large red bag filled with gifts, tapped on the frosted window from his snowy tundra, and was quickly ushered inside. In Sweden, Santa looks a little different from our jolly American Santa. He is older, a little thinner, carries a lantern and prefers porridge outside over cookies and milk by the fireplace. Perhaps that’s why Alexxa and Milan began to wonder. Does he change appearances as he travels the world?

When “Swedish” Santa entered Kerstin’s cozy house, my girls embraced the spirit, greeting him with a hug and lots of excitement. Watching the joy on their faces reconfirmed my belief that Santa IS real. He may not come in physical form, but his spirit of joy and possibility is definitely real. And his greatest gift – the belief that the things we think are magic are real – rests in what we choose to think, believe, do and say. The Spa is just one of the places that teaches this essential truth – that we are creators of our reality, and that in keeping the magical feeling alive, amazing things will manifest in our lives.

This year, our Christmas will be very different. Instead of the serene snowy countryside of Sweden, I will be spending the week after Christmas at a farm on the north shore of Kauai, eating raw foods, doing a lot of yoga, hiking and continuing my quest to learn about healing plants and herbs. I will pack plenty of Multi-Vitamin Day Crème SPF 30, Neroli Water and keep my favorite hat on and yes, I’ll be on the lookout for “Hawaiian” Santa, whom I imagine roams barefoot, with scented leis around his neck, spreading the aloha spirit.

Thank you for being a part of our Kerstin Florian family. We sincerely wish you and your family a warm and heartfelt holiday season.

With Love,
Charlene

Although I live in Southern California, I love the changing seasons and nothing speaks Winter and holiday Christmas season more to me than ginger (aside from Douglas Fir perhaps).

Warming and pungent, ginger (Zingiber Officinale) – the main ingredient in gingerbread – has a rich tradition in American and Swedish homes during the holidays. But beyond its homey scent, ginger is healing. Revered in China and India, and actually all over the world, ginger has made its healing mark on the world map. Dubbed the ‘universal medicine’ in Ayurveda because it benefits all three doshas, ginger contains potent anti-inflammatory compounds called gingerols. Confucius reportedly ate ginger with every meal. Hippocrates praised the twisty rhizome while Pliny penned his love for it.

So what is it about ginger?

While the delicate green leaves of the ginger plant (which resemble baby spinach) can be eaten in salads, it’s the root of the plant – the rhizome – where the great medicinal benefits lie. Taken internally, ginger aids digestion by breaking down proteins; treats nausea (even in pregnant women) and motion sickness; stimulates circulation and relaxes muscles, and is even believed to help lower LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol. Taken as a tea (steep 5-6 fresh slices with hot water with wild honey and lemon), ginger can help alleviate winter cold and flu symptoms, reduce fever (by inducing sweating) and boost the immune system. Externally, ginger works magic on the skin by warming the body, stimulating blood circulation and adding that golden, gingery glow.

This past season, we introduced a professional Ginger Body Oil (available in retail with the relaunch of our Essentials Body Care line in 2013), an over 98% organic blend of Ginger, Plai, Coriander, Eucalyptus Citriodora and Lavender with an aroma of fresh cut ginger. We developed the oil for its healing benefits on muscles and joints as well as its universal aromatic appeal.

The oil is used in our new Ginger Renewal treatment. Nourishing mineral salts combine with ginger’s healing properties in an invigorating full-body exfoliation, followed by a warming back, neck and shoulder massage with the oil and heated healing stones. A warming wrap, followed by a luxurious foot and pressure-point-scalp massage complete this head-to toe service. It is 90 minutes of pure heaven and the perfect balance for anyone’s hectic holiday schedule.

Happy Holidays,
Charlene