You Snooze, You Don't Lose

by Susan Tomback, BalanceBoost Spa Blogger

With A recent study by the National Sleep Foundation reports that the average American gets 6 hours and 40 minutes of sleep per night (down from the 7+ hours reported last year). We know that sleep is needed for mental clarity, immunity, preventing premature aging and mood stabilization, but did you know that a good night's sleep also provides cellular detoxification and renewal of the skin?

Sleeping is actually the easiest way to look better! It will therefore come as no surprise that many orally administered medications prescribed by dermatologists for skin conditions such as acne and eczema contain small amounts of sedatives; looks like even modern medicine is forcing us to sleep more for enhanced beauty results.

Even if you don't have specific skin problems, puffy under-eyes and a pale complexion is never a good look, so why do we routinely deprive ourselves of this much-needed restoration? An increased average workday is the top culprit, but other factors such as lifestyle, increased stress levels, poor food choices and sleep disorders are also to blame.

Ever-dedicated to encouraging all to reach full wellbeing potential, the spa world's answer to this imbalanced dilemma is The Sleep Spa, of course!!

One of the top trends in the spa industry in 2008 is the prevalence of sleep programs in the spa environment, according to Spa Finder's CEO, Susie Ellis. That's right, the power nap has returned, and this time, it's trendy! For European and Latin Americans, the siesta midday break has been more of a staple than a trend- they may have been on to something this whole time.

If you pay attention to your inner circadian rhythm, you'll find that there is a late afternoon lull, about 8 hours after you wake up, and that it is natural to want to sleep. So, instead of going for that 4pm coffee jolt, it's actually more natural and beneficial to take a 20-minute nap.

Yelo, a Manhattan-based sleeping haven, is on the cutting edge of this trend. They offer signature YeloCabs, ideal cubbies for optimized napping that can be booked in 20 or 40-minute increments. I treated myself to their 20/20 therapy (20 minutes of reflexology followed by a 20 minute nap), and the experience was unlike any other I’ve had.

The anti-gravity chair positioning was truly restful, and before the reflexology was over, I had already succumbed to nap-land. A LED light mirroring the sunrise awakened me naturally, and I felt completely rested and revived! This natural awakening process was key in rounding out a truly restful and restorative nap, and left me with a peaceful feeling as I returned to reality.

I treated a friend to this same sequence, as he had complained recently of chronic exhaustion (and looked it!). Doubting the power of the power nap, he went in a skeptic, only to emerge a believer! I took pride in complimenting him on his newfound de-puffed and bright-eyed, refreshed appearance, and he felt, to his surprise, well-rested. It was fantastic to know that I was not the exception to the rule and that the Yelo formula and its components were truly vetted and right on point.

In just one nap therapy I saw a dramatic shift in appearance in my friend, as if he had just received a facial! The drained face and puffy eyes were replaced with color and an awakened gaze. Looking and feeling well-rested brings an obvious change in appearance and also attitude!

Look for more dedicated sleep spas and designated sleeping areas and therapies to be incorporated into your local spa soon...sleeping never looked so good!

Will you be a true sleeping beauty?

From the Founder: Raw Milk

The topic of Raw Milk has a lot of buzz around it right now due the legal issues of how and where it can be sold. It’s interesting to me because once again the FDA wants us to believe what’s best for their bottom line which now a days seems to be more business-related rather than concern for our education and safety.

I personally wrote off milk back in 2004, when I became serious about living a wellness lifestyle. As I mentioned in the past from my findings in the book Ultra Prevention, I discovered that that medical research has linked milk to many common and preventable health problems.

This sentence is what that made me give up milk forever, “For many, milk is the cause of allergies, sinus problems, eczema, and ear infections as well as a potential source of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and digestive problems.” Most of which I used to suffer from, until I stopped consuming the majority of the dairy products in my diet.

The book states that over 75% of the world’s population suffers from lactose intolerance. The book also goes on to say that we should not consume milk from a cow unless we are a calf.

I know some of you are wondering, “Where will I get the calcium by bodies needs if I am not drinking milk?”

Ultra Prevention also notes that most women in Africa ingest little calcium – perhaps 300 to 500 mg a day – yet they rarely come down with osteoporosis. This is because they are not drinking alcohol, colas, caffeine, or eating salt or excessive animal protein – all of which leach calcium out of your bones and into the toilet.

Now, I know most of you may want to stop reading this, but while living a wellness lifestyle I also insist upon balance – not giving up the things that make you happy. Most of us do enjoy a cocktail, a cup of coffee, a steak and other indulgences, but there are other amazing sources of calcium such as broccoli, bok choy, french beans / haricot verts, quinoa, dried figs, sardines, parsley, sesame seeds and almond butter. (For more foods that contain calcium, click here.) There is also supplementation, but find out which form calcium is best for your needs.

Back to the topic of Raw Milk, my vote is yes due to the hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides found in our pasteurized milk supply. Bovine growth hormone, used to increase milk production, may increase the likelihood of breast cancer. So on top of the everyday ailments, the additives in our milk supply can also lead to major diseases!

Overall, my suggestion is to avoid dairy at all costs. With all of the information we discovered while researching this topic, if consuming dairy makes you happy I say stick with the raw. Yes, it takes an extra step or two to get it, but aren’t you worth it?


Were you aware of all of the issues involved with what was marketed to us as an innocent and beneficial drink? Ever wonder what happened to all of the “Got Milk?” advertisements?????


Tiffany Houser
BalanceBoost