Are these stress reducers in your routine?
The world of BODY is a mindful emporium beaming with wellness at every corner. From a spa to pilates, we find ways to help our clients find relaxation to promote mindfulness in everything they do. For many, this environment can feel like a treat or something celebratory, but the real work we do is showing people how to live with less stress and toxicity with tools that see them through their day-to-day. We want our spa, classes, boutique, and cafe to not only serve as the moments you need to restore and heal, but also as a preventative measure you use in conjunction with a lifestyle that puts your well-being first mentally and physically.
Mental
While none of us have an easy off button when it comes to stress and anxiety, lifestyle choices we adopt can aid in making these responses less present. Tools such as meditation, journaling, and breathing exercises can all help create new neural pathways to move toward positive ways of thinking that eschew negative thoughts. Whether you meditate in silence or use a guided meditation on an app or YouTube, this starts your day feeling grounded and you can use this as many times a day as you’d like. On big days for job interviews, work projects, events, and more, we love using quick guided meditations to get in a positive zone!
Another mindful practice is journaling and we love to do it in a way that expresses our affirmations and what we are grateful for. Reminding ourselves of the things in life both big and small awakens an attitude of gratitude shifting focus into what is good rather than dwelling on what isn’t. You can also affirm what you’d like to bring into your life, from a work opportunity to affirming how protected you are in life.
Physical
Many elements of BODY are centered around movement, from Pilates and yoga to Nia and massages. Endorphins gained from exercise are proven to reduce stress, it’s just about finding what exercise is right for you. At BODY we offer low-impact exercise classes that give you results, without the added stress and impact on your body like many trendy HIIT classes do. We love a sustainable approach to fitness that strengthens your body, releases tension, and boosts your mood.
With movement, we are big believers in massages as a way to ease tension and move trauma out of the body. If we could re-frame the idea of massages as 'treats' you get now and then when you ‘deserve it’ to necessities to incorporate into your routine to support your body’s function, we would and it’s exactly the kind of narrative we aim to push at our spa.
Diet
Elimination diets can be life-changing for those who struggle with stress, anxiety, and depression. Processed meat, dairy, and refined sugars take a toll on our mental health. When a person's diet is high in sugar and processed foods, it increases inflammation in the body which can change the brain’s structure affecting mood, often leading to depression. Think of your brain as any vessel with an engine, like an airplane or car, which operates best with quality oil and fuel. You can also envision a family pet on a processed food diet loaded with animal by-products and grains over a diet with human-grade food like whole meats and vegetables. The whole foods diet will always be better for your pet in the long run.
At BODY, our cafe serves the purpose of nourishing and inspiring our clients with how to eat an organic whole foods plant-based diet that supports the overall health of the body, from the microbiome to mental and cardiovascular health.