As women, we all face the daily pressures of careers and family. Many of us are ʺrunning on emptyʺ and forget to take care of ourselves.
Recently, wellness retreats have become a growing trend among women who want to pamper themselves. These retreats offer stress-free zones for women to recharge their batteries and temporarily escape daily stress.
Some retreats incorporate fitness and beauty treatments while others offer spiritual healing, colonics and special diets.
However, not every retreat is the same. Not to mention, the costs vary from hundreds to thousands of dollars.
Malibu Wellness Retreat - Michelle King Robson's Perspective.
Some women attend wellness or beauty retreats to bring themselves back into balance with their spirit. Others participate in these retreats for self improvement, spiritual healing or fitness/beauty treatments.
Experts all seem to agree that the best retreats incorporate fitness and/or yoga. One medical expert stated that yoga is a great way to exercise your mind and muscles. Yoga forces you to focus on your breathing as well as become in tune with your mind and body.
Other programs offer intense physical activity. The goal of many of the intense programs is to educate guests with the proper fitness information. This allows the guests to continue a healthy fitness regimen that will fit into their unique routine at home.
Some fitness retreats offer hiking, trail running, mountain biking, swimming and other outdoor activities. Most retreats allow guest to participate at their own pace.
Some wellness retreats or programs may include detox or cleansing programs. According to fitness expert Greta Blackburn there are so many types of programs that run the gamut from The Master Cleanse (mostly lemon juice and water and a touch of maple syrup) to water only to veggie juice only to raw fruits only to you-name-it. There are also products like supplements and powders that you take along with your regular foods and purport to be "cleansed". Some of these are strictly strong laxatives that give you a bad case of "turista" and offer no benefit at all.
The benefits of a legitimate cleanse include improved energy, clear skin, improved digestion, toxin removal, better sleep, clearer thinking and improved mood and on and on. Healthy, safe weight loss can occur with a legitimate cleanse.
Blackburn also stated, ʺThe beauty of a detox retreat is that one can focus on the cleanse and eating only the purest foods and juices without normal temptations. The environment is totally supportive and you learn the safe, healthy, correct way to rid your body of unhealthy toxins. Then, armed with a fresh start and good info, you can go back to the real world and continue if you'd like...or resume eating but with good habits fully integrated into your new daily eating plan.ʺ
Blackburn does not recommend products in a bottle that claim to be detox pills. ʺNothing more than laxatives making big claims,ʺ said Blackburn. Detox programs need to be gradual.
ʺBelieve it or not, they are a great way to deal with stress and even grief. The cleansing of the body helps to calm the mind and emotions for many,ʺ stated Blackburn.
Another trend at wellness retreats is colon hydrotherapy which is also known as colonic irrigation. Some claim the benefit of a colonic is to eliminate bacteria from the intestines. However, medical experts seem to disagree.
According to Dr. Stephen Barrett, the process of colonic irrigation or hydrotherapy may be uncomfortable for some people because it often causes cramping and pain. Dr. Barrett also cautions that if the equipment and tools used in the procedure aren't clean and sterilized, serious infection may result.
Another medical expert said, ʺYour digestive system automatically cleanses your system if you are eating the right food. So, the bacterium that is in your system doesn’t need any help coming out. With a colonic, you are eliminating good and bad bacteria. Some of the other negative effects include cramping, nausea and bloating.ʺ
The key is a successful retreat is to research the different types of retreats. Ask yourself, what kind of experience do you want from the retreat? Do I just want a day of beauty, a self-improvement retreat or a fitness/diet experience? Also, to guarantee a good experience, ask for recommendations from friends and family.
Sources:
http://www.fitcamp.com/About_Greta_Blackburn
http://www.livestrong.com/article/167782-the-disadvantages-of-colon-hydrotherapy/#ixzz1DVyDupb9
http://www.livestrong.com/article/167782-the-disadvantages-of-colon-hydrotherapy/