Les Nouvelles Esthetiques Spa Magazine #85

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Longevity

Spa

Lifestyle Relaxation & Health Therapies

s k i n v i t a l i t y b o d y b a l a n c e

A Professional take on SPA Business, Health Therapies, Products & Simple Relaxation 2022*ISSUE*85

C O N T E N T S *85

Esthetiques, France

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Les Nouvelles

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The GWS Annual Wellness Trends Report 2022 “The Future of Wellness 2022” 2 Five Easy and Essential Ways to Stop Your Aging Clock 4 Intermittent Fasting 6 4 New Rules of Eating for Aging Well 8 Slow Living - And How to Embrace It 12 Reinventing Life 14 The Touch Test 16 The Wellness Questionnaire with Noel Asmar:, President and CEO of Noel Asmar Group 18 What are Nootropics - and do they really work? 22 How Gym Culture Went From Punishing to Meditative 24 The Best New Wellness Trips to Book in 2022 26 Sustainable Business Went Mainstream in 2021 30 Discover the Vast Benefits and ask "Why CBD?" 32 Why Cognitive Nutrition Is the New Frontier in Healthy Eating 34 Healthy Breakfast Smoothies 36 The Spa Future is Bright 38 According to 140 CEOs These Are The 6 Trends Shaping Leadership Through 2030 and Beyond 40 How Software Can Help Market Your Spa 42 How Can You Spot Great Leaders? They Do These Things Well 44 20 Signs of Leadership Excellence 46

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W e l c o m e

Longevity is defined as "long life" or "a great duration of life." The term comes from the Latin word longaevitas. In this word, you can see how the words longus (long) and aevum (age) combine into a concept that means an individual who lives a long time. The most important part of this definition is the comparative nature of it. Long life implies longer than something—and that something is the average lifespan. How You Can Increase Your Longevity: Biologists sometimes define longevity as the average lifespan expected under ideal conditions. It's hard to say what's ideal. Plenty of medical research is ongoing about the "right" amount and type of exercise to get, the best diet to eat to maximize longevity, and whether certain pharmaceuticals or supplements can help improve your longevity. It's very possible that humanity's true longevity might be much higher. Humans might live longer if they can create the ideal conditions of a healthy diet and exercise. What Determines Your Longevity? You may think that your genes determine your longevity, but the truth is genetics account for a maximum of 30 percent of your life expectancy. The rest comes from your behaviors, attitudes, environment, and a little bit of luck. This issue of LNE is committed to various life extension techniques. Keep in mind that none of them have been proven, just theories. The only proven way to live longer is to live a healthy life. If you want to beat the average and maximize your longevity, what should you do? Make a commitment today to make one healthy change a week. Before you know you’ll be feeling better and on the road to longevity. Enjoy the read !

Dr. Nadine de Freitas

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques International Publisher I 7, avenue Stephane Mallarme 75017 PARIS Tel: 01 43 80 06 47 Fax: 01 43 80 83 63 www.nouvelles-esthetiques.com I Fondateur : H. Pierantoni I Directeur de la Publications: Jeannine Cannac-Pierantoni I Redactrice en chef: Michéle de Lattre-Pierantoni I International Editions • Argentina • Baltic • Benelux • Brazil • Bulgaria • Canada • China • France • Greece • Hong Kong • Hungary • Israel • Italy • Japan • Mexico • Poland • Portugal • Romania • Singapore • South Africa • Spain • Taiwan • Turkey • Ukraine • USA • Yugoslavia Les Nouvelles Esthétiques South African Edition I Max Cafe P. O. Box 81204, Parkhurst Johannesburg, South Africa 2120 I Tel: +27 83 267 2773 e-mail: info@lesnouvelles.co.za www.lesnouvelles.co.za I Publisher/Creative Director : Anthony de Freitas e-mail: tony@maxcafe.co.za I Managing Editor : Dr. Nadine de Freitas e-mail: nadine@maxcafe .co.za I Editor ial Assistant: Sarene Kloren editor ial @lesnouvelles.co.za I Adver tising Enquir ies: Dr Nadine de Freitas e-mail: info@lesnouvelles.co.za I Subscription Enquiries: Tel: +27 83 267 2773 e-mail: info@lesnouvelles.co.za or visit: www.lesnouvelles.co.za

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The Global Wellness Summit (GWS) Annual Wellness Trends Report 2022 “The Future of Wellness 2022” By Global Wellness Institute

The Global Wellness Summit (GWS) released its annual wellness trends report, the new directions in wellness that the organization believes will have the most meaningful impact on the industry and people worldwide. The 110-page report goes in-depth on the major shifts ahead in nutrition, wellness travel, wellness real estate, women’s health, men’s wellness, healthcare, technology, sustainability and spas.

10 WELLNESS TRENDS FOR 2022: 1) Dirt-y Wellness: The health of the world’s soil— and the impact of soil exposure on human health— become far more important. Soil is our planet’s most extraordinary ecosystem, a living microbial stew that for millions of years did its job: from cycling nutrients to plants to capturing vast amounts of atmospheric carbon. For 99% of human evolution, people lived deep in soil, as foragers and farmers. Now we’re soil-deprived, no longer bathing in that bacterial and fungal richness— an issue because mounting research indicates that soil exposure has an eye-opening impact on everything from immune to mental health. Industrial agriculture decimated the world’s soil. This trend explores how a soil-restoring regenerative agriculture, the hottest topic in farming, will become a hot topic in wellness: from “regen-certified” becoming the next food label (far more meaningful than organic) to more wellness brands moving to regen-sourced ingredients to regen-agrihoods being the trend to watch in wellness real estate. We also cover many trends getting people back to some “soil bathing”: from microbial architecture creating indoor spaces teeming with healthy soil microbes to the farm becoming as important as spa and fitness at new wellness resorts. 2) Toxic Muscularity Comes Clean: How bulging biceps and rippling abs have had a negative ripple effect on male body image A growing body of research is revealing that body image is no longer solely a “women’s issue.” A 2021 British survey found that half of men aged 16-40 had struggled with their mental health because of how they feel about their bodies—and half pointed the finger at media. “Toxic muscularity” can be literally poisonous. Steroid abuse is hiding in plain sight in the improbable shape of actors, athletes, influencers and action figures—and steroids are merely the most notorious of an ever-expanding pharmacopeia of image and performanceenhancing drugs (IPEDs) spreading everywhere, from high-end gyms to high schools. This trend looks at the activists and new initiatives that are driving a new male body positivity movement—the equivalent of the conversation about unhealthily thin female models and Barbie dolls. 3) From Wellness Tech to Technological Wellness: A fresh take on digital health

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Between fitness wearables, telehealth apps and smart home gyms, there’s no shortage of technologies promising to make us well. But the truth is that most technologies are harming our health, not helping it. That’s where the need for a new technological wellness comes in: a kind of wellness that doesn’t just remedy the toxic toll that tech takes on our minds or bodies, but rather puts health at the very center of how—and how often— we engage with technology at large.The future:

pausing, developing everyday technologies with wellbeing in mind, and treating our tech intake more like our food intake.

and wellness are transforming cityscapes—with new manmade beachfronts, boardwalks, pop-up wellness classes, and even water sports appearing in unexpected places, from New York to Tokyo.

4) Senior Living Disrupted: A wrinkle in time no more! 8) Next-Gen Naturalism: The return of self-reliance Healthier and more active than their cohorts in previous generations, today’s seniors don’t “feel old” and don’t want to be defined by age, nor socially segregated by it. That’s why today’s agesegregated models of senior living communities are no longer cutting it with a new generation that doesn’t accept being put out to pasture upon retirement. The future is a retirement of the “senior living” concept and a new focus on intentional intergenerationality. This trend looks at the development of pocket neighborhoods; innovative, mutually beneficial intergenerational co-living models; and strategies for designing for intergenerationality. 5) Wellness Travel Seekers: Welcome Post-pandemic travelers are ready for adventure and engagement. Intention is the future of travel in 2022. Social indicators such as the “great resignation,” record retirements and global nomadism reveal profound commitments to work/life balance and personal growth and happiness. To meet these new demands, the travel industry is rolling out the welcome mat for these new intentional travelers with the invitation: Seekers, welcome. This trend explores how the newest travel experiences tap into a sense of purpose and a desire to grow creatively: nature as a source of healing and awe, the surge in Indigenous travel experiences, the rise of farm-wellness resorts where people learn to grow food and giving back to academia in citizen science programs. 6) Innovative Tech Closing the Gender Gap in Medical Research: Artificial Intelligence (AI), apps, and wearables collect data for a wide range of women’s health conditions. Too many women’s health conditions (such as menopause, endometriosis and infertility) are underfunded and under-researched, leading to issues in healthcare: women with chronic conditions have a harder time securing a correct diagnosis and finding effective treatments. This impacts women’s view of mainstream medicine and they wonder: why aren’t there more solutions out there? This trend explores how startups and tech giants are increasingly trying to expand and improve research data on women’s health through AI, smartphone apps, wearables, and virtual trials. From data-gathering trackers to “smart bras,” Silicon Valley is reimagining a host of existing technologies that allow for better representation of women in trials, access to participants, and more longitudinal data. 7) Urban Bathhouses & Wellness Playgrounds: Affordable wellness is coming to a city near you Whether it’s new bathhouses featuring hydrothermal bathing (saunas, steam rooms, etc.); large-scale wellness-focused water resorts (some of which accommodate up to 8,000 visitors daily); or public parks where nature meets art and wellness, pandemic-weary cities around the globe are suddenly making the pursuit of wellness accessible, affordable and inclusive.This trend details how an urban bathhouse renaissance is underway, how urban sauna bathing is becoming more popular, and how public “playgrounds” that merge nature

For decades, the concept of progress has been about requiring humans to do as little as possible. We praise automation, reward businesses who deliver convenience, and admire nature from a safe distance—glorifying it without respecting it. But the looming threat of global upheaval is forcing us to change our ways. As we collectively reckon with the fragility of our planet and the instability of our supply chains, we'll see a long-overdue return to self-reliance. This trend details how the self-sufficiency boom is playing out in diverse ways, from the global growth of outdoor survival schools to the boom in foraging and homegrown produce. Next-gen naturalism is a back-to-basics wellness that refocuses on the natural world and ancient practices. 9) Health & Wellness Coaching Gets Certified: Coaches trained in the art and science of motivating healthy changes have been the missing link in both healthcare and wellness. The world spends $8.3 trillion a year on healthcare and $4.4 trillion on wellness, but we can’t stem the tide of chronic diseases and behavior changes are difficult. Health and wellness coaches rigorously trained in the art and science of motivating people to start and stick to healthy behaviors have been the missing link in both healthcare and wellness. This trend goes in-depth on how they’re finally here: how training programs and standards are growing fast, how new medical “care team” models are making this coach as central as the doctor, how an explosion of digital health platforms is claiming to put behavioral “coaching” at the center, and how the wellness world may be slowly waking up to it's power. 10) Wellness Welcomes the Metaverse: Health & wellness are attractive to the Metaverse which needs to diversify beyond gaming? The metaverse is happening…it isn’t a maybe. And thanks to a range of social forces, including the pandemic, the rise of the “Wellness Metaverse” is inevitable. Wellness is now front and center in consumer’s minds—and at the forefront of business and government strategies around the globe— and the world is seeking new technologies that can far better engage and impact the health of many more people. From virtual reality and augmented reality to merged reality and haptics, the coming wellness metaverse will create vast opportunities for each sector of the global wellness economy. This trend explores everything from the trending medical and wellness experiences now being created for the metaverse to how wellness companies should look at the future opportunities. “If it’s always daunting to predict trends in the fastmoving wellness space, it’s especially so two years into a pandemic where the long-promised ‘postpandemic world’ is becoming visible but is repeatedly delayed,” said Susie Ellis, GWS chair and CEO. “One thing that this forecast makes very clear is that the future of wellness will be anything but a ‘restart’ of 2019. What consumers need most, what they perceive as ‘true wellness,’ has profoundly changed.”

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The Global Wellness Summit (GWS) Annual Wellness Trends Report 2022 “The Future of Wellness 2022” By Global Wellness Institute

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pausing, developing everyday technologies with wellbeing in mind, and treating our tech intake more like our food intake.

and wellness are transforming cityscapes—with new manmade beachfronts, boardwalks, pop-up wellness classes, and even water sports appearing in unexpected places, from New York to Tokyo.

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Five Easy and Essential Ways to By Dr. Frank Lipman Stop Your Aging Clock You’ve probably noticed that there are boatloads of products that bill themselves as “anti-aging” therapies. Clearly, the marketers have tapped into a deep human desire to escape the ravages of physical aging. What I care about, and what I try to educate all my patients about, are the every-day habits and behaviours that can slow down aging at the most basic cellular level. They don’t cost much, or in most cases, anything, and they can, and should, last a lifetime. It’s true that absolute lifespan, for instance whether your grandmother lived to 80 or 95, is very much influenced by genetics. But healthspan – how long you live well, is very much up to you. Here’s my most essential lifestyle strategies, my healthspan rules of the road to slow, or even stop, the aging clock, and increase the health in your years: 1. Respect Sleep. Your body has its own renewal system. We call it sleep, and the more you learn to respect it, by giving it 7-8 hours to do its thing every night, the slower your aging clock will tick, both physically and mentally. With the proper amount of sleep, the body is able to cycle in and out of the two most restorative phases of the night, deep sleep, and REM sleep, when we dream. During these two phases, our minds process the experiences of the day, locking only the important stuff into readily accessible memory. At a physical level, the body cleans out the cellular debris that accumulates during the day when the mind is working at full throttle. Of course, all this is happening below the level of conscious awareness. But when you wake up after too little sleep, or lousy sleep of the tossing and turning variety, and you feel sluggish, sleepy, grumpy, that’s what’s going on “under the hood.” And poor sleep habits, over the long haul, put you at higher risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s – and that’s one of the many reasons I am adamant that my patients take sleep very, very seriously. 2. Don’t just sit there, Get Moving! Sure, you probably know physical activity is good for you, but we don’t always appreciate that moving your body is about the most effective anti-aging therapy going. Why? It boils down to metabolism, how efficiently our bodies use the energy we consume in the food eat. Nothing ages the body more comprehensively than high blood sugar and extra weight around the midsection. There’s a reason doctors often call diabetes “accelerated aging.” When we move the body our muscles are burning the glucose fuel that circulates in the bloodstream. The more we use (or ‘burn’) the less gets stored as fat, and the more efficiently we make use of the hormone insulin which delivers the glucose to the cells. End result: a leaner, cleaner metabolism and less fat build-up. The mistake that a lot of health-conscious people make is thinking that only a 10 km run or long distance swim counts as exercise. It’ s just not so. In fact, working out

to near-exhaustion every day, or even every other day, can be positively counter-productive. It can over-stress your immune system leaving you feeling washed-out. But if health and boosting your healthspan is your first priority, it’s a much better idea to build small doses of movement into your day: walking instead of driving; stairs instead of elevators; and taking regular minibreaks away from the desk to do some stretches or yoga poses, or some quick strength boosters, like pushups or planks. With that as your base, feel free to add a couple of breaking-a-sweat work-out into the weekly mix, as you see fit. It all counts and it all adds up, and all that movement helps keep muscles supple and joints lubricated, which in turn makes moving through life much easier now and for years down the road. The old conventional wisdom was that our metabolism declined steadily after age 30, but the latest research has shown that the body’s energy-burning furnace doesn’t cool down until we hit our sixties. That means, all the “slowing down with age” that people think is inevitable in their middle years isn’t! It’s the result of conscious choices we make every day, especially about how we move and how we eat – two very pleasurable activities, which when done right, will also go a long way towards to maintaining the best parts of youth. 3. Eating your Way Young. Bound up with metabolic health is inflammation. In fact, researchers see inflammation, the chronic over-activation of the immune system, as so central to the aging process, especially “bad” aging, they coined the term, “inflammaging.” Inflammation is at the root of most of the chronic diseases that too often are the bane of our middle and senior years: heart disease, diabetes, dementia, even cancer. And the best way to slow down that inflammaging, besides moving more, is to eat more skillfully. If you know me at all, you know I can’t say enough good things about a diet that’s long on nonstarchy veggies (greens especially), healthy fats preferably organic meat and wild fish and plant sources like nuts and legumes. But just as important as the health-supportive nutrients these foods deliver to the system are their inflammation-fighting properties. The fiber-rich veggies especially feed the bacteria in your gut, the microbiome, which in turns help build up the lining of the gut wall. That means that toxins don’t escape into the bloodstream, triggering inflammation throughout the system. Not only that, the well-fed microbiome acts in concert with the human gut nervous system to recognize non-toxic visitors passing through the gut, like gluten or dairy, which otherwise might trigger an immune system inflammatory over-reaction. 4. Tune in to Your Mind. An unsettled mind can age you as reliably as an outof-sorts body. As with most things in the health universe, mind and body are deeply connected. If you’re chronically stressed out, the levels of your primary energy hormone, cortisol, will be stuck on “high,”

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pushing up the production of insulin, promoting fat storage, messing with your sleep and just generally making you feel old before your time.My tried-andvery-true remedy for a stressed out head is to carve out some time every day to escape the demands and pressures of the day and simply quiet the mind. Research has shown that these mind-body breaks can actually slow the aging of the brain, by lowering blood pressure and lengthening your telomeres (the ends of your chromosomes which regulate cellular aging). A regular sitting meditation practice is great. Find a quiet place, tune into a smooth, regular breathing pattern and follow the breath for as long as practicable or comfortable. Ten or fifteen minutes a day is enough to calm down the stress hormones. But with practice, you may find that a 30 or even 45-minute sit can take you beyond relaxation to a deeper, life-affirming kind of contemplation. Another way to meditate with out meditating in the traditional sense is to spend time doing a super-soothing activity like knitting or playing a musical instrument, or simply being in nature. Those meditative activities are exactly what your sympathetic nervous system ordered. 5. Tap into Autophagy Hacks. It turns out that one important way that healthy habits keep you young and support a better healthspan is by promoting autophagy, that is, upgrading the garbage collection system in your cells, getting rid of old and damaged cells and stripping them for parts to make new robust ones. In practice, they all stress the cells of the body in mild, healthy ways, sort of like doing pushups for your metabolism. The fancy terms for this is “hormesis.” How to turbocharge the process? Here’s a handy, start-doing-now list of autophagy “hacks,” to put you on the road to a better healthspan: • Cold comfort — No need to avail yourself of expensive hi-tech cryo-therapy sessions. Simply get in the habit of alternating warm and cold water in the shower (or finishing off a warm shower with a rousing cold blast). Or take a short outside walk deliberately underdressed. The cold will rev up the metabolism. • Spice up the system – Spices like turmeric, garlic and ginger boost autophagy, ditto polyphenol-rich foods like berries, nuts, beans, artichokes, green tea, coffee and dark chocolate. • Time restricted eating – Spacing out your meals, as little as ten hours or even16 hours between meals, is another booster, stimulating your metabolism. • Low-carb eating — is yet another healthy dietary stressor. A keto diet is the most aggressive form, weaning the body away from burning glucose to burning fat. • High Intensity Internal Training – HIIT-type exercise, be it running, cycling, swimming, hill walking or what have you, pushes the body harder, and the heart rate higher, for a relatively shorter time. And yes, it does promote autophagy, but don’t overdo it. For most people, two sessions a week, 20-30 minutes a week, is a sensible maximum.

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Intermittent Fasting Although I typically eat rather healthily, I know there is always room for improvement. Throughout the years, I’ve come across numerous people singing the praises of intermittent fasting (IF). It wasn’t until the pandemic that I thought I could actually pull it off. With no events, dinners, or any enticing plans at all involving food, I finally thought the time had come to see if it lived up to the hype. I’ve never been a fan of juice cleanses or fasting, in general. However, the science/idea behind intermittent fasting made sense to me, and I couldn’t help but think how I had practiced a variation of it years ago not knowing it had an actual name. In my 30s, I had the opportunity to visit Chiva-Som Health Resort in Hua Hin, Thailand. While there, I decided to use my visit as an opportunity to revamp my eating habits. When I returned home, I was determined not to fall back into bad habits. Instead, I came up with new rules I resolved to follow. First, no bingeing. Second, once I had eaten dinner, that was it for the day. And this last one, I’d weigh myself every morning to ensure I was staying on track. Before long, the pounds were melting off. I also found myself eating earlier in the evening and then going for 12 or more hours without eating. It wasn’t all that challenging considering I was asleep for at least eight of those hours. While I hadn’t set out to practice intermittent fasting, I had stumbled onto it. Si Si Penaloza, a spa and wellness writer and director JETSET magazine, discovered intermittent fasting after being invited to attend a themed press trip at the Four Seasons Santa Barbara. She didn’t immediately rush to jump in. “I had also been encouraged by my partner Doug Olear, an actor who shed 22 pounds of weight on a 10-day lemon and cayenne juice fast, before shooting a season of HBO’s The Wire, I could therefore give10 days to reinvent myself and my fitness narrative.

do not tolerate 16 hours, even fasting for12 hours between can be beneficial.” As the world grinded to a halt, Penaloza was finally able to put her self-care needs first. “Intermittent fasting gave pandemic days the critical infrastructure I so desperately needed,” she says. “The practice of fasting and yoga continues to give even my most stressful days a kind of elevated meaning.” For Penaloza, the 16/8 method proved to be life changing. “I feel reborn, finally in control after a lifetime of crippling issues associated with food and body image,” she says. “It’s become a life management tool of the highest order. More meaningful, it has evolved into a profound form of self-love that I am only beginning to comprehend.” Health Benefits Beyond the self-love that Penaloza experienced, there are also a host of health benefits.“Studies demonstrate that IF may be beneficial to prevent obesity, lower cardiovascular risk factors, improve insulin resistance, decrease inflammatory markers in the bloodstream, and preserves memory,” says Dal Farra. “Studies also show increased levels of the protective hormone adiponectin. Adiponectin plays a crucial role in protecting against insulin resistance, diabetes, and heart disease.” Decreased inflammation may be the most exciting longterm benefit. “An excellent study demonstrated improved biomarkers for cardiovascular and inflammatory disease in women,” says Dal Farra. “It was also equally effective as continuous caloric restriction. More studies are being done to investigate the benefits and safety of intermittent fasting as an effective diet for people with various inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases, such as arthritis and lupus.

Fasting Methods When most people think of fasting, they think of deprivation. While there is some truth to that sentiment, there is also so much more. Fasting is defined as when you willfully refrain from eating and drinking, limiting calories completely. Hydrating with water is usually allowed. According to Lauren Munsch Dal Farra, M.D., CEO of Palm Health, there are a variety of fasting methods, typically ranging between 12 and 24 hours of not eating. She notes the 16/8 method, which involves you fasting for 16 consecutive hours in a 24hour period, as being one of the most popular. The idea is to choose the eight hours to eat that makes the most sense for your lifestyle. “For example, if you start eating at 11am, you will stop eating by 7 pm,” says Dal Farra. “Fasting for more than 13 to 14 hours can increase cortisol, so it is not advised for those with adrenal dysfunction If individuals

One benefit that was new to me was the increase in human growth hormone (HGH). HGH is a key hormone that helps regulate metabolism, cell repair, and other important functions. It helps improve healing after an injury, build muscle, and burn fat, all of which sounded good to me. According to numerous studies, HGH levels can double or triple in just two to three days of fasting. Ariane Resnick, a special diet chef and certified nutritionist, began intermittent fasting to increase her HGH levels. “After a half decade of chronic illness, my human growth hormone level was very low for my age, at less than 100,” says Resnick. “I’d heard IF could increase it along with other benefits.” And it did just that, Resnick’s HGH level nearly tripled, landing her on the high-end average for her age group. Another appealing benefit is the clarity and focus it can provide. “Fasting can also help keep people’s energy levels up and improve mental clarity,” says Dal

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By Heather Mikesell - Well Defined Media Farra. “When we fast for more than 12 hours, our bodies burn through all available sugars for energy. The we start to burn fat for fuel. The ketone bodies produced in this process help us think more clearly, solve problems, and have more energy.” One thing that is not a given, however, is weight loss. According to Dal Farra, the quality and quantity of food consumed during the eating window matters. “Consequently, I recommend people eat plenty of whole grains, vegetables, and lean proteins” A Word of Caution Despite all the benefits, It isn’t for everyone. Resnick, who spent several years practicing IF, found it worked for her until it didn’t. Eventually, she moved into intuitive eating. “The idea that you can’t when your body is legitimately telling you its hungry, so I stopped,” she says. “It’s been a couple of years since then. Eating what I want, when I want, based on what my body tells me, serves me better than any restricted eating plan ever did.“ Mindfulness in Action Mindfulness may be one of the best takeaways. “I realized that 25 percent of what I ate on most days was out of sheer ritual” says Penaloza. “I clearly didn’t need the sustenance, eating late into the night or first thing in the morning was purely driven by emotional comfort. Intermittent fasting inherently cuts out midnight snacking, so nocturnal eaters are bound to see and feel benefits and big changes.” While the 16/8 method wasn’t right for me, I did eventually adopt the 12/12 method. For me, I found it helpful not to stress eat. It also made me much more mindful of what I was eating throughout the day, which probably proved to be the most beneficial to eating more healthily. “Fasting can lead to increased resistance against disease and support the central nervous, digestive, and cardiovascular systems,” says Dal Farra. “However, it needs to be done smartly by following a diet incorporating lots of healthy foods. About The Author: Heather Mikesell, co-founder of Well Defined and the former editor-in-chief of American Spa, is an award-winning journalist and content strategist, skilled in writing, and media relations. She is also a freelance writer and has contributed to Elite Tr a v e l e r , O r g a n i c S p a , a b c n e w s . c o m , jetsetter.com, and wellandgood.com, in addition to various custom publications. She is frequently called upon to comment on various spa and wellness trends for various media outlets.

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4 New Rules of Eating for Aging Well

Do you want to know how to defy your years with the help of my best anti-aging, pro-health and wellness techniques? Check out my book, The New Rules of Aging Well: A Simple Program for Immune Resilience, Strength, and Vitality!

By Dr. Frank Lipman

Aging – if you’re alive, you’re doing it. Considering the alternative, aging is a gift to be grateful for – and it’s up to you to age as well as you possibly can, even if you haven’t always treated your body like a temple. The good news is that many studies show that it’s never too late to launch new habits and start enjoying the health benefits. So, paying close attention to basic-but-essentials like how much you move, relax, sleep, and what you eat, it all can have a profound impact on your lifespan and healthspan (aka, how much healthy life you pack into your years). Though there’s no shortage of hacks you can use to age in a healthier way, if I had to call out just one anti-aging secret, I’d have to start with your diet – not only what you eat, but how and when. The way you nurture your body and mind with food has an enormous impact on how long you live and how vibrantly you live out those years. But pushing beyond the all-purpose “eat-your-greens” whole foods approach, there are specific dietary adjustments you can make that will begin to return visible and “feel-able” positive effects virtually overnight. To get started on tweaking your natural anti-aging processes, consider any one of these four dietary approaches – and tap into the fountain of youth.

1. Eat Less, Live Longer One of the simplest techniques to help slow the hands of time: moderate your total daily food intake. Also known as caloric restriction, this approach is great for those type A folks who like to keep a close watch on the numbers, and for anyone who’s struggled with weight issues and needs to exercise more control over what goes down the hatch. It’s also worth noting that studies in rats show that a 30% reduction in daily calories translates to a longer life. OK, we’re talking rats here, but another study on rhesus monkeys demonstrated the same principle – less food, more years. Although ‘restriction’ may sound unpleasant (and really, just about any conventional diet is a form of caloric restriction), it doesn’t have to be. When done intelligently and with appropriate amounts of protein, fiber and good fats on the menu, caloric restriction is an excellent way to improve mitochondrial function (which decreases with age) and increase longevity. We’re talking nutrient-dense; organic or local produce, nuts, seeds, legumes and limited amounts of wild fish, organic poultry and pasture-raised meats. You can try to game the system with a couple of Lean Cuisines and fistfuls of popcorn every day to keep the numbers low but the health and longevity benefits will go up in smoke.

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If closely monitoring your food intake is not totally your thing, you can get roughly the same benefits by following the Japanese precept of hara hachi bunme, the practice of eating only until you’re 80% full. That habit, along with a fish and veggie-rich diet, is thought to play a significant role in Japanese longevity.

2. Curb Carbs, and Don’t Fear Healthy Fat Doubtless, you’re familiar with idea of a ketogenic diet which, in simplest terms, is a fat-friendly, moderate protein, extremely low-carb plan – as in, virtually no sugar or refined carbs – which, over time, shifts your metabolism from a carbohydrate or glucose-burning machine to a fat-burning one. While most people who gravitate to this style of eating love the rapid weight loss and high satiety benefits, very low-carb diets also have another less well-known upside, which is, that they also help slow the aging process by suppressing the mTOR (mechanistic Target of Rapamycin) gene. Activation of this mTOR gene can contribute to many of the diseases of aging and decrease longevity. Though low-carb and ketogenic diets aren’t immediately thought of as youth-boosters, when done right with extra leafy greens, non-starchy veggies and minimal ‘dirty keto’ shortcuts (whose recipes tend to involve a lot of processed, low-sugar, low-carb Frankenfoods), going low carb can help turn back the clock on any number of aging markers, without letting hunger pangs get the best of you.

3. Eat Late in the AM, Early in the PM For thousands of years, fasting – the practice of abstaining from food and drink for a prescribed period – has been used for religious reasons, as a form of political protest or simply to minimize the effects of overdoing it at the buffet table. No matter the reason why, however, the physical upsides of fasting include eating less overall, balancing blood sugar, supporting weight loss, boosting cognitive performance, promoting mitochondrial function, stimulating autophagy (cellular repair) , protecting against most diseases of modern civilization and probably the best anti-aging hack there is. While the practice of fasting has remained mostly unchanged through the ages, fasting’s modern incarnation is the easier-to-manage protocol referred to as time restricted eating, the simplest form being intermittent fasting or ‘IF’ – and it’s more about meal timing, and less about skipping meals. So, what is it? It’s about doing breakfast late and dinner early. Why do it? Because the fasting period between your last meal of one day and the first day of the next lightly stresses your metabolism, in a good way, allowing you to metabolize food more efficiently and yes, turn down the mTOR, which is what you want to do as you get older.! And, it is a hassle-free way to improve basic health measures like blood sugar, blood pressure, weight and cut disease risk. For some people, it’s positive effects can be enough to even eliminate the need for pharma drugs – and that’s a big plus in my book.

4. Decrease Animal Proteins And finally, if you want to age well, then I highly recommend, you step back a little from the meat counter, and cut back somewhat on animal protein, especially red meat. It contains high amounts of branched chain amino acids like leucine, which stimulate mTOR. Plant protein doesn’t have nearly as much, keeping your mTOR in check and keeping autophagy – the ingenious cellular renewal process which salvages worn-out cells and recycles them for energy and new cells – in fighting trim. All good reasons to dial up the plant protein and turn down the meat and dairy. Trade them in for excellent sources of plant protein, like lentils; chickpeas; almonds; walnuts; sunflower seeds; organic tempeh; nut butter; pea protein powder; hemp powder, etc. I am not suggesting you ditch animal protein altogether, but rather, consider reframing your approach to animal protein. Enjoy it occasionally or 2 -3 times a week instead of daily, and when you do tuck in, make your animal protein serving more of an accompaniment, as in a side-dish-sized accent rather than the main event on your plate. Also don’t worry that by cutting back you won’t be getting enough protein; be it plant or animal style. Most folks until age 65, get enough without having to try that hard, so for a middle-aged, 150pound person, roughly 55 grams a day should be fine. However by about the age of 65, protein needs shift and getting enough becomes extremely important to help slow sarcopenia— loss of muscle mass—a natural (but frustrating) part of the aging process. At this point, I recommend upping protein intake by about 25 percent, plus exercise and strength training to help preserve muscle.

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4 New Rules of Eating for Aging Well

By Dr. Frank Lipman

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Slow Living - And How to Embrace It By Good Spa Guide

Are you so busy these days you can barely hear yourself think? Too time-starved to read this article? Just stop for a moment and take a very deep breath. Why are we rushing about like blue-a***d flies? We have machines to do our chores, we have transport to whisk us from A to B - in theory, we should have more time on our hands. Of course, we have to work and earn money to survive – some of us have two jobs and kids to juggle, too. But that’s surely an argument against filling our spare time with judgemental to-do lists, scrolling and comparing our lives with others. And what about faking busy experiences to post on social media, buying things hoping they will make us feel better, feeling pressurised by all the Netflix shows we haven’t watched… you get the point. Slow living is a reaction against people who feel that being busy is a good thing. You know the saying the Devil makes work for idle hands? It has become ingrained in our society: those who work hard are good, those who take their time are lazy. But, as various philosophers have pointed out, being busy is closer to madness than goodness. For counsellors and psychotherapists, a busy client is someone avoiding something bigger: I must keep busy or I’ll realise how miserable and empty my life/marriage/job is. “A fast approach tends to be a superficial one,” writes Carl Honoré in In Praise of Slow. “But when you slow down, you begin to engage more deeply with whatever it is you are doing. You’re also forced to confront what’s happening inside you – which is one of the reasons why I think we find it so hard to slow down.” But slow down we must – make time to think about what really matters and what we can do to make our lives more meaningful and beautiful.

Slow Food movement in the 1980s, slow cookers and organic fresh ingredients replacing the speedy microwave and processed fast food. SLOW meant Sustainable, Local, Organic, Whole. Slow grew into a lifestyle choice with the popularity of Hygge (taking time to connect with friends, family and home), Lagom (the Swedish concept of less is more) and minimalism (same thing with more style) - all reactions to mass consumerism, overspending on stuff we don’t need, instead shopping sustainably, with intention and being mindful of the effects of our choices. Slow living is not about giving up our careers and social life but being more present and aware as we go through each day – it is being more alive and less, well, busy for the sake of it.

The Need to slow down A 2018 study in the UK found that almost 75 percent of the population felt overwhelmed and unable to cope. The glorification of busy-ness in our society – the idea that being busy is linked to our self-worth – leads to stress, burnout and a lack of meaning or purpose in life. Our haste to consume and be productive has also had a hugely damaging effect on the environment. There is a strong case for slowing down, being more mindful and connected and to take the time to revisit our true purpose. What are you really here to do? What matters to you most? You can still have a fulfilling life without being busy: it’s just that your diary will contain things you love doing rather than things you are afraid to miss out on.

How to embrace Slow Living

What is Slow Living?

Spas are the perfect places to embrace slow living’s concepts. Indeed, if the office is the shrine to busy-ness, a spa is its antidote.

The Slow Living Movement really began with the

1. Make time. In slow living, time is the most valuable

currency. Yes, time is often the preserve of those rich enough to take time off, who don’t have to juggle several jobs and childcare. But any of us can make some me-time – whether it’s reading a book, going for a walk or booking a spa treatment. Ditch the Netflix binge and book a five-hour Spa Treatment. If you do anything slowly it should be sipping in a warm pool on a rooftop, gazing at the stars while pondering universal truths, no? 2. Get to know yourself. We spend so much time tuning into technology, information and the outside world, but we really need to make time to tune into ourselves. Becoming self-aware is a natural byproduct of meditation, which the wellness experts unanimously agree we should all practice every day 3. Eat healthy, locally sourced food. You want the distance between the source of your grub and the fork to be as small as possible. It’s not only healthier but takes the pressure off those few remaining HGV drivers and helps keep CO2 omissions low. Slow Food – the food is grown in their own kitchen gardens, or sourced locally, and is delicious. 4. Do what is essential. As author Greg McKeown writes in his bestseller Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, living an essential life is about saying no to the non-essential and focusing on what matters. He cites a lot of successful business CEOs that use this mindset to be successful –even Bill Gates takes a day off to read a book. 5. Find meaning. Why are you here? How can your life be more meaningful? These are not questions we can ponder on while grabbing a coffee, texting and making a call while running late for a meeting. You need to create space. You also need to not focus on the questions, but allow yourself to daydream, play, explore, listen, debate and... think. When was the last time you followed a thought or idea all the way to the end without being interrupted?

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Reinventing Life Whether you call it personal growth or spiritual evolution, it would be helpful to disentangle the threads of advice, myth, mysticism, outworn traditions, and stubborn conditioning that block a person’s progress. For that purpose, there is one thing needed for personal growth and also spiritual evolution. With this one thing, the experiences of daily life can be easily sorted out and underlying reality revealed. The name of this one thing is second attention, and even if the term is new to you, you already have second attention. The issue is how to use it. First attention is directed at any experience you might be having. Whatever you are paying attention to right this minute occupies first attention. Reading this article will lead to another experience, or have a cup of coffee, and then you might make a phone call, and in this way first attention guides you through your day. Second attention lies behind the screen of first attention. It is there in the background all the time. When you pretend to be listening but are actually thinking of something else, you have fallen back on second attention. If you leave home on a trip and are nagged by the worry that you didn’t lock the door, this too is second attention. The human mind is designed to maintain first and second attention at the same time, yet the spiritual significance, along with the possibility for personal growth, is largely hidden. That’s because the examples I’ve just given illustrate second attention as a thought at the back of your mind. While pretending to listen, the thought might be “This is so boring.” The deeper, hidden possibility that makes second attention so valuable is only revealed when the mind is quiet, as in meditation. Then you experience what is called your sense of self or simple awareness. Second attention comes from here. It is the unchanging witness that doesn’t get involved in all the things that first attention cares about, whether it is work, family, or relationships. As involved as you are with first attention, the reason you are conscious at all is second attention. It tells you that you are real, alive, alert, and aware. Without this foundation, the mind can produce no thoughts at all, not even a simple sensation or feeling. Second attention fulfills the axiom “Be here now.” This sounds so basic that you’d hardly suspect the enormous

potential that exists behind the screen of first attention. Here are some glimpses of those times when second attention makes itself know in a positive way. • You are talking and suddenly realize that the other person is paying attention. • You meet a friend who acts cheerful, but all at once you know that she is hiding something that troubles her. • You think of an old or sick person who is something of a burden, yet suddenly this doesn’t matter, and you feel a burst of sympathy. • You see a group of people whose race, religion, or politics feels foreign or disconnected from you, and yet all at once you feel their humanity. In all of these examples the same thing happens. You override what your mind habitually thinks. In place of the same old response, opinion, or emotional reaction, awareness shifts. This isn’t second attention intervening, because it doesn’t act out in any way. What happened instead? You chose to pay attention deeper than your thinking mind. Thanks to second attention, impulses of love and compassion emerge of their own accord; we notice beauty, see the truth, have a moment of insight, or feel inspired. None of these things are thoughts. They go beyond thoughts to another level of awareness. This movement is known as transcendence. Typically the moment passes, which is natural. First attention always produces the next thought, feeling, or sensation.Yet if you pause to look at the situation, you will see that you naturally have the ability to transcend. I’ve devoted a whole book, Metahuman, to the promise and possibilities of going beyond the thinking mind to reach the field of pure awareness that is our source. But the essence of all spiritual experiences, along with experiences of love, compassion, empathy and creativity, is second attention. This opens up the path of personal growth immediately. If you favor second attention easily and naturally, you are on the evolutionary path. By the same token, if you favor the same old repetition, routine and reflexive responses that first attention

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By Deepak Chopra automatically falls back on, you will remain stuck. Evolution depends on aligning yourself with fresh responses that arise as soon as you fall back on second attention. There are 3 basic ways to fall back on second attention. •Whenever you catch yourself repeating an old habitual response, stop, pause, and let yourself recover until you feel quieter inside. Consciously reject the old response and wait. Even if nothing new occurs that very minute, stopping and pausing is better than being stuck. • If you find that you are distracted, preoccupied, or over-burdened during the day, get to some quiet place. Sit and take a few deep breaths. Place your attention in the middle of your chest and breathe naturally. This exercise, known as centering, brings your awareness back to second attention. •. Start meditation, yoga, or a contemplative practice that gives you a more extended experience of simple awareness. In this way you shift your allegiance to second attention. It takes time, but so does any healing practice, and ending your addiction to first attention with all its demands and worries is certainly a form of healing. Second attention, witnessing, the sense of self, and simple awareness—these are all synonyms for the same thing—above any teaching or spiritual secret. Such teachings gain their true value only when you are positioned to receive them, and this is achieved by second attention. All spiritual evolution and personal growth depends on this one thing, which everyone can benefit from. Author: DEEPAK CHOPRA™ MD, FACP, Founder of The Chopra Foundation , a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a whole health company at the intersection of science and spirituality, is a worldrenowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Chopra is the author of over 90 books translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. His 90th book and national bestseller, Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential].

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The Touch Test Don’t underestimate the power of touch. It can convey emotion faster than words. It can affect how we feel, who we like and dislike, and even what we buy. In contemporary society, some people feel starved of touch while others feel that we touch too often. But it’s an under-researched field and so to fill in some of the gaps BBC Radio 4 launched The Touch Test in collaboration with Wellcome Collection and psychologists at Goldsmiths, University of London. Here are seven things you should know about touch… 1.Touch is the first sense to develop In the womb, a foetus is thought to experience touch before it can hear, smell or taste. As the pregnancy progresses, twins even reach out to touch each other. After birth, we know that “kangaroo care” – where the baby is held close to a caregiver’s skin – helps the baby to feel calmer and to sleep better. Physical contact with other people can reduce the effect of stress on our bodies. 2.The skin is the body’s largest sense organ Human skin covers a surface area of at least two square metres. Sensors in the skin allow us to experience pressure, vibration, and pain as well as temperature and physical pleasure. These sensors adapt rapidly to light touch, which means that within moments of putting on our clothes, we forget that they’re touching our skin. 3.The touch of another human being can reduce stress in adults as well as babies

Research has shown that physical contact with other people can reduce the effect of stress on our bodies. In an experiment conducted in 2013 people were asked to watch a five-minute romantic video while holding hands with their partner, followed by a 20second hug. After that, they were given just two minutes to prepare a speech which was recorded and then played back to them. Tests like this are designed to be so stressful that usually the blood pressure and the heart rates of the people taking part shoot up. But holding hands and having a hug from their partner meant they only rose half as much as usual. 4. We use different kinds of nerve fibers to detect different kinds of touch Fast nerve fibers respond when our skin is pricked or poked, relaying messages to an area of the brain called the somatosensory cortex. But in recent years, the neuroscientist Prof Francis McGlone has been studying another type of nerve fiber (known as afferent C fibers) which conducts information at around a fiftieth of the speed of the other kind. They relay the information to a different part of the brain called the insular cortex – an area that also processes taste and emotion. So why has this slow system developed as well as the fast one? Francis McGlone believes slow fibers are there to promote social bonding through gentle stroking of the skin. 5. Even a simple touch on the arm can convey a range of different emotions Experiments have shown that people can convey a list of emotions to a stranger through nothing more than a touch on the arm. If their arm was stroked or pressed or squeezed, a stranger could correctly

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By Claudia Hammon: BBC Radio 4.

identify the emotions the person was trying to communicate up to 83% of the time, with emotions ranging from anger, fear, and disgust to love, gratitude, and sympathy. 6. We have rules which permit us to us touch each other more in some situations than others Strong cultural norms tell when it’s OK to touch each other. When you see a colleague in the office you might well greet them differently from when you bump into them on a night out. And in cafés, for example, there doesn’t tend to be much interpersonal touch, while at an airport people behave rather differently. In an observational study conducted in airport departure and arrivals lounges, 60% of people touch each other physically, hugging, kissing or shaking hands. 7. In our digital age touch still matters when it comes to shopping Although we live in a visual age where our attention is grabbed by how things look, we still care about how things feel. Despite the convenience, only 9% of shopping is done online. Is this partly because we want to touch items before we buy? Marketing professor Joann Peck spent hours observing the way consumers behave in shops. She found a lot of individual variation in how much we touch the goods laid out in front of us. Some people just look, but others, the “high need for touch” people, are so keen to touch before they buy they tear packets open so that they can feel what’s inside. Texture affects our purchasing decisions too. We like objects we can imagine gripping in our hands, such as the traditional glass Coke bottle or deodorant with indentations where you hold it.

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By Heather Mikesell - Well Defined Media

The Wellness Questionnaire with Noel Asmar: Noel Asmar, President and CEO of Noel Asmar Group Discover how this Canadian designer maintains her personal wellbeing Noel Asmar has always had an eye for design. She founded the Noel Asmar Group in 2002 as SpaUniforms.com, the first company to provide stylish uniforms to spa and wellness professionals online, elevating their look with high-performance fabrics and styles. She didn’t stop there though. This female founder then went on to launch two more successful brands, PedicureBowls.com and Asmar Equestrian, a consumer brand that also outfitted the Canadian Equestrian Team for the Rio 2016 Olympics. In 2019, she launched a line of sustainable fabric collections made from recycled plastic. Here, she shares how she stays healthy and the best piece of wellness advice she has ever received. What does wellness mean to you? Wellness for me is about being in tune with my own energy and the energy of those around me—being kind, sensitive, and respectful to myself. Understanding where I’m at in a specific moment and recognizing where I’m at in a specific stage of life. It’s taken time and experience to get there, maybe it comes with age. I also think good food plays a huge role in wellness and for me. It makes me feel very grounded, especially being in my garden, being able to grow my own veggies, and cooking for those I love. What are your favorite things to do to maintain your personal wellbeing? I am creative person at heart with a deep connection to family, close friends, and animals. They are my daily dose of vitamins. I also highly value my morning routine. It’s sacred. Each morning – whether a workday or a weekend, I enjoy a coffee with my hubby in bed before our day starts, and then I take my time with a beautiful skincare routine. It feels good to start each day taking care in some way. Is there a specific fitness activity that you love and why? I recently bought a Peloton and love it. Sometimes we focus on carving out long stretches of time to work out, but even those 15-minute rides do wonders for you both physically and mentally. You have to fit it in where you can, and remember, any movement is good movement.

What is your favorite healthy food, and do you have a favorite way of preparing it? I love tabbouleh. It’s Lebanese parsley salad that is fresh and delicious and a mega source of antioxidants. It brings me back to the years I lived in Lebanon in my 20s. What is your greatest wellness achievement? Raising our children to love and live an active lifestyle in an era that is so focused on digital pastimes. I love seeing my kids getting involved and finding their passions and hobbies that they enjoy. I’m also incredibly proud of how The Noel Asmar Group has continued to grow and our continued commitment to sustainability. When we talk about wellness, we look at how it impacts both people and the planet. We’re working very hard to offer more and more styles that not only look and feel good, empowering the people who wear our pieces, but that have been created in such a way that they can actually do good for the planet by utilizing recycled materials and supporting reforestation projects. What person in wellness do you most admire and why? My parents both placed a lot of emphasis on fresh food. They liked to cook, used fresh ingredients, lots of herbs and spices, and inspired me to find my own passion in cooking. I also admire Susan Harmsworth. I look up to her for her commitment to creating true spaces of wellness. She’s vibrant and very passionate and educated—it radiates from her as a result. Another person I admire is architectural wellness guru is Clodagh. She’s applied sustainable practices since she began her career. She’s a forward thinker and has used her creative talents to elevate the human experience by considering how materials in interior design and architecture impact our wellbeing. What is the best piece of wellness advice you have ever received and from whom? Celeste Hilling from Skin Authority told me how integral vitamin D is to our overall health and wellness. Living in Canada, where we are severely vitamin D deficient, I had no idea how it impacts hormones (hormone D25 lives in our skin—and when hit with the sun, it produces more vitamin D). I didn’t realize how critical it is to understand this and ensure our

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children, family, and friends understand it. It’s possible to bring our levels up and correct the issue, ultimately contributing to overall mental and physical wellness. What is your idea of balanced healthy happiness? Sleep, love, connection to nature, and kindness to oneself. You don’t need to worry about following “the rules” just follow your heart and your intuition. What do you think is the most overused word or words in wellness? The term “green” is everywhere these days, but it’s lost a lot of meaning. It’s great that brands want to “go green” but there needs to be actions behind that, things that are tangible and can be measured when it comes to sustainability, being better for the environment, and better for customers. Do you have a secret health or wellness tip you would like to share? Sleep, sleep, and more sleep. It takes nine to 10 hours a day to feel restored! What is your go-to for de-stressing? Time outdoors. Being outside, even in my own back yard, helps me to refocus and get away from being in front of a screen or on the phone. Fresh air does wonders. What aspect of your wellbeing do you struggle with the most, or would most like to improve? Finding peace with my eating. As hormones change, my body is changing—and what worked in my 20s and 30s doesn’t work in my late 40s, but that’s okay! How do you celebrate small victories? Acknowledge them. I think it’s important to take a moment to celebrate when we achieve a goal or learn something new, no matter how small those things may be, and then share what we’ve learned with others. Knowledge is power, and it’s meant to be shared. About Heather Mikesell: co-founder of Well Defined and the former editor-in-chief of American Spa, is an award-winning journalist and content strategist, skilled in writing, copyediting, and media relations.

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What are Nootropics and do they really work?

By Neurologica SA A quick Google search and you’ll discover that nootropics – otherwise known as ‘smart drugs’ – are rising in popularity, but one question we get asked frequently is do these supplements for energy and focus really work?

the range provides you with options to mix and match – catering for your specific situation.

In short, yes – but it’s vital that you opt for a product that’s safe and has been manufactured responsibly, using only the very best ingredients. Gone are the days of quick, pick-me-up stimulants; modern innovations and technological advances when it comes to neurological products mean that ‘smart pills’ have come a long way. More than just a quick fix for fatigue and flagging concentration levels, these clever little pills can help unleash your mental energy, bolster your creativity, conquer your stress, and even tame anxiety – and naturally so.

Take regular breaks and go outside

But what exactly are nootropics? The term ‘nootropic’ comes from the Greek for ‘to bend or shape the mind’ – and that’s exactly what they do; they help to enhance your memory, improve overall cognitive function, and even reduce stress and aid sleep. Nootropics can contain both natural or synthetic ingredients (or a combination of both). Neurologica is committed to using only the highest quality ingredients for optimum brain function. Which natural ingredients should I look out for? The brain health supplement you choose is largely dependent on your own, personal needs. If you’re looking for a natural energy boost and to increase your productivity, pick a product that contains Bacopa monnieri (to speed up information processing in the brain), Shilajit (to combat chronic fatigue), or energyboosting Guarana, among others. For a natural anxiety treatment or to help combat stress, try Rhodiola rosea or L-Theanine, which both have a proven track record when it comes to treating these concerns. Neurologica’s products have been designed with the knowledge that we all have unique needs, and

Need help finding the smart supplement suited to your lifestyle? Take the nootropics quiz!

Make sure that you take regular ‘brain breaks’ and try to get as much fresh air as possible. This will not only help prevent cabin fever, but it will also help keep you awake and alert. Let Neurologica help Get brain health support to help you concentrate Nootropics are gaining recognition worldwide, and with good reason: these brain boosting substances harness the power of natural ingredients to enhance mental focus and flow, while helping you to stay on top of your game as you tackle working from home. They’ve become an increasingly popular way to enhance concentration, improve mental performance, treat anxiety, and even help you get a good night’s sleep. Certain nootropics are also adaptogenic, which means that they calm the nervous system and help your body manage stress. Nootropics can be taken as and when needed, but since they work best cumulatively it’s likely that you’ll get the most out of them when used consistently on a daily basis. If you’re battling to focus and would like to better manage your stress – or even if you’d simply like to get a better workout in – you might want to consider adding nootropics to your daily routine. How do nootropics work? Ashwagandha, provide natural anxiety relief and may help those who can’t sleep. Nootropics can either be taken alone, or combined

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with other nootropics for enhanced benefits. This is known as stacking. Given the incredible benefits of nootropics, it can be tempting to go all-out and try everything at once, but it’s better to start with a good quality product that has already ‘stacked’ several nootropics for you. Neurologica has a number of products to target specific concerns, and since the nootropics are already stacked for optimum functioning, it reduces the risk of overwhelm (or going overboard!) For more information on Neurologic’s brain health products, visit our product pages to help pinpoint the right one for you! Website: www.neurologica.co.za E-mail: hello@neurologica.co.za Tel: 079 348 1754

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How Gym Culture Went From Punishing to Meditative By Maggie Lange-The Cut

I used to complain, very charmingly, that my competitive spin class wasn’t competitive enough, because it divided its ranking of its fastest participants by gender. My argument was less “gender is a construct” and more “put me in, coach, I’m faster than all of them.” Coincidentally, I was also dependent on physical therapy and, not infrequently, I couldn’t walk without seizing pain in my glute. One appointment, my physical therapist questioned my activity earlier that day: Had I really biked across boroughs to a spin class, then to work, then to our meeting to address muscular fatigue? Of course, I answered: Biking was the most efficient way to get anywhere; spin class was the most efficient way to exercise. At the age of 28, I was overexerting myself. And I might never have learned my lesson if left to my own devices, but in early 2020, exercise studios shut down and I stopped hurtling my bike across the city, because I had no plans anymore. Six months later, the competitive spin chain I used to attend filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and permanently closed its studios. More than two years of pandemic — which shuttered gyms and boutique fitness studios globally — have quaked the fitness world and created an entirely new landscape in workout culture. This new mindset increasingly prioritizes restorative, mindful movement over punitive and aggressive challenges. Fitness companies market themselves as tools for mental health. Top-tier exercise platforms — like Apple Fitness+, Peloton, Alo Moves, and Obé — foreground meditation classes, and Mirror, for example, reported that completion of its meditation classes grew by 80 percent in 2021. Market forecasters indicate that “holistic fitness” — an approach that emphasizes recovery and mindbody practices like Pilates or yoga — is set to become a dominant force in the exercise field. And there are signs that the most challenging workouts are losing their stronghold; the American College of Sports Medicine’s Health and Fitness Journal showed that HIIT, high-intensity interval training, dropped in popularity from its No. 2 spot in the worldwide survey of fitness trends (sent to thousands of professionals in that field) to No. 5 last year — being just surpassed by the wholesomesounding “outdoor activities.”

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chief technology officer, “and now it’s pandemic stress management.” Mindbody’s 2021 trend report confirms this point: The new, leading motivation for exercise among its consumers is mental health. Rajasekar — who, when I met him a few months ago, told me he’d used an Instant Pot filled with water as a makeshift kettlebell in the early pandemic — says this is a dramatic shift in clients’ outlook. With the priority of reducing stress in mind, says Rajasekar, “People are expanding their fitness routines.” One of the sharpest examples of this transition in fitness culture — from looking good to feeling good — is the Pilates platform Studio Qila. Until recently, the program was known as Body by Bridget, named by founder Bridget O’Carroll in 2016. “Back then, the goal was making it as hard as possible,” says O’Carroll. But more recently, the Body by Bridget name smacked of diet culture, and O’Carroll couldn’t stand it anymore. She needed to shed a destructive, high-intensity mind-set. “I want this to be something I could sustain over a long period of time,” she says. She started to talk not about physical transformations, but mental ones. She turned to a dictionary for her Alaskan native language of Aleutian and found qila, a word for spirit, and relaunched her program this past November. “I loved the shift of the focus from body to spirit.” The new prioritization of physical sustainability is promising, according to Pilates instructor Lia Bartha, who has developed a particularly restorative form of the practice called B the Method. “People are trying to find ways to connect deeper, inside of their bodies, instead of distracting themselves with movement — like you would with something highintensity,” she says. “With the pandemic, people are focused on long-term health to protect their body for the future.” CityRow founder Helaine Knapp agreed that for many of us, our new relationship to fitness might reflect that we’ve gained a general sense of mortality: “We are realizing that we’re going to be moving every day for the rest of our lives, so we better be careful with our one body and not pound the pavement with high-intensity workouts seven times per week.”

In the past year, lower-intensity programs like dancing became one of the top-ten most popular fitness activities for the first time (in terms of attendees), according to Mindbody, the fitnessmanagement and booking software. Walking, both silly and serious versions, was one of the buzziest physical activities in the past two years. Some of these qualms about HIIT workouts might be based on new information: A prominent NIH study published in May 2021 reported that excessive exercise training impairs health functions in otherwise healthy volunteers.

A sense that life is short and fleeting has also reduced any patience, says Amanda Butler, a personal trainer with Onyx. She tells me, with emphatic, energetic pride: “Diet culture is finally starting to be shamed. There’s been a lot more progress in the two years than in the past ten years.” People are starting to insist that exercise express the pleasures of how they can move instead of being an obligatory regimen to punish the way they look. Butler, a former cardio obsessive, now loves walking — “I really love anything low-impact” — and has been trying to pass this appreciation along to her clients. “It has been ingrained into us that the harder you work, the more you sweat, the better the workout.”

Just a few years ago, “the primary motivation was to look good,” says Sunil Rajasekar, Mindbody’s

Over the past couple years, it’s also been cheaper and easier for people to test new programs. Digital

classes were often free to try, and no commute to work freed up a hunk of time for some of us. Mindbody’s survey noted that on days people work from home, they are twice as likely to try out a new fitness studio. Upended schedules prompt exploration and more introspection of what feels good, says Dr. Chloe Carmichael, a psychologist and author of the book Nervous Energy. A former yoga teacher as well, Dr. Carmichael has a bird’seye perspective on people’s relationship to fitness. Rather than a maximization approach, she sees a joyful sampling taking hold of attitudes about exercising. “It’s like the Montessori school of fitness — where a child gets to run around and do what they want to do.” Pre-pandemic, I was constantly asking my body to do things for me — to pump my legs faster, to do this harder, do it for the glory and to ignore the warnings from my perpetually disappointed physical therapist. My body listened to my requests, because I am very convincing, but it also kept having meltdowns. Now, I think that my constant question to my body has adapted from something like, What do I want you to do today? to something more like, What do you want from me today? It’s possible I’ve become more humble. My relationship to exercise started to become less gladiatorial. Now, I prefer lower intensity. I do dancerly aerobic routines that I would have never wasted my time with, or even considered exercise. I keep thinking about something O’Carroll often repeats in her Studio Qila classes: “Form over ego.” In the old-school hierarchy that I learned, ego (the mind) is meant to rule over id (the body). But this never quite worked out for me. And, though I never expected it, getting ego out of the way has been gloriously painless.

spa therapies

How Gym Culture Went From Punishing to Meditative By Maggie Lange-The Cut

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’85

Just a few years ago, “the primary motivation was to look good,” says Sunil Rajasekar, Mindbody’s

Over the past couple years, it’s also been cheaper and easier for people to test new programs. Digital

spa lifestyle therapy oasis to an herbology center led by a resident herbalist who creates natural treatments inspired by traditional Anatolian remedies. Consider signing up for one of the property’s specialty immersion programs, which offer various workshops, classes, and treatments focused on their four pillars of well-being—mind, microbiome, skin, and energy— and range from five nights to three weeks. Best for a dose of Vitamin D: The Standard, Hua Hin, Thailand

The Best New Wellness Trips to Book in 2022 By Annie Daly - Vogue Welcome to the age of wellness travel. After nearly two years of uncertainty and unease, people seem to be craving the serenity and healthy boost a wellness trip can provide. A recent survey from American Express found that 68% of world travelers are likely to plan their next trip around improving their well-being—and the travel industry is listening. In the past year or so, there’s been a slew of new wellness hotel and spa openings around the world, all of which answer our craving for rest and relaxation. Because who wouldn’t want to treat themselves to a little TLC after the ~time~ we’ve had? (That said, make sure to check travel restrictions and requirements well ahead of your trip.) Read on for the best new wellness trips to book this year, from tropical getaways to mountain adventures, so you can start 2022 off on the right (moisturized, tension-free) foot.

Best for communing with nature: Joali Being, Maldives Though it’s hard to imagine not feeling amazing in the Maldives, there hasn’t been a resort there specifically dedicated to the wellness cause—until now. Joali Being, opened in November 2021, was designed to help you reconnect with yourself through reconnecting with Mother Earth. Tucked into the lush coconut palm groves of Bodufushi, a secluded private island in Raa Atoll, the 68-villa property is surrounded by crystal-clear lagoons and beautiful beaches so unspoiled, they’ll make you feel more fresh and free just by looking at them. But Vitamin Sea is not the only natural healer here. Joali Being also has all sorts of incredible wellness facilities that harness the power of the earth, from an overwater meditation deck to an outdoor sound

In December, The Standard opened an outpost in Hua Hin, a seaside city just a few hours from bustling Bangkok. With 171 rooms and suites and 28 pool villas, the property—The Standard’s first in Thailand— has all the usual offerings the playful brand is known for, from colorful decor to a lively pool scene. But it’s also big on the wellness front. The spa is focused on integrative medicine, with an emphasis on meditation, breathwork, and energy healing practices (think vibrational sound bowl ceremonies and crystal and quartz-infused oils). Thai-inspired massages are also a highlight, of course, though the standout must-try treatment is the DIY Mud Lounge, where you lather yourself with healing essential-oil-infused clay and sunbathe on the private beachfront lawn. Like most Standard hotels, the food is tasty, too, with a mix of Thai, Italian and American bites, plus a juice bar for living the green life. And for a true Thai fitness experience, head to the gym, where there are all sorts of workout classes taught by local instructors, from Muay Thai boxing to tai chi. Best for a rainforest retreat: The Well at Hacienda AltaGracia, Costa Rica

Could this even be a wellness travel story without Costa Rica on the list? The country is worldrenowned for its luxurious wellness offerings, and THE WELL at Hacienda AltaGracia certainly fits the bill. As a collaboration between beloved New York City-based wellness center The Well and Auberge Resorts, the new 50-casita well-being resort, opened in November 2021, is the epitome of holistic luxury. Set among 180 acres of lush Costa Rican rainforest, the retreat provides a highend blend of eastern and western therapies, from energy healing to lunar gong baths to craniosacral facials to an immersive riverside meditation at a nearby stream. All treatments begin with a purifying local clay treatment and herbal exfoliation at the property’s pièce de resistance, Casa de Agua, a sunny, greenhouse-style relaxation room that overlooks the sweeping treetop canopy below. Though simply chilling in your casita is enough to feel totally immersed in nature, the resort also offers lots of guided excursions to help you explore the surrounding tropical forest and wildlife even further, including a stargazing session led by a local astrologer. TL;DR: With eight treatment rooms, five seasonally-inspired restaurants, a hydrotherapy tub and thermal suite, an assortment of mindful movement classes, and endless potential for outdoor adventures, The Well at Hacienda AltaGracia truly has everything you need to leave feeling better than you did when you arrived. The only hard part? Actually leaving.

targets one of the seven chakras, or energy centers, of the human body through traditional Andean healing ceremonies, vegetarian farm-to-table meals, immunity-boosting juices and teas, yoga, breathtaking hikes, and time spent in their beloved Seven Chakra Gardens. Don’t miss the coca leaf reading with Layka, a traditional Andean healer who’s been with the property for more than 20 years.

Best for a digital detox: Willka T’ika Wellness Retreat, Peru

Chances are, you’ve either been to Iceland or know someone who has. The secret’s definitely out on the country’s life-changing potential, especially its naturally healing geothermal waters. But there’s a new spa on the scene that’s worth planning another trip around if you’ve been already (and worth factoring into your first-timer’s itinerary if you haven’t). Sky Lagoon, opened in March 2021, is built into a cliff just 15 minutes outside of Reykjavik town and is meant to honor authentic Icelandic bathing culture. Like its now-competitor Blue Lagoon, the longstanding must-visit spa on everyone’s Iceland bucket lists, Sky Lagoon embraces the country’s geothermal waters—but it also has its own signature skin-care line and offers sweeping panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean from its breathtaking infinity pool. The treatment to get here is the Seven Step Ritual, which takes you through a series of traditional bathing experiences, from a cold glacier pool to a bright sauna to a warm waterfall shower, all of which leave you feeling like a softer, silkier, cleaner, and more rejuvenated version of your old self. Bonus: If you can go soon, you may be able to catch the Northern Lights while you’re there—peak viewing season in Iceland is October through February. And while the spa does not have accommodations, there are plenty of hotels in nearby Reykjavik to book. 101 Hotel is a favorite among design lovers, and The Reykjavik EDITION just opened in November 2021 with 253 rooms and a rooftop perfect for processing your epic adventures.

Sometimes you just need to disconnect, and Willka T’ika is one of the most incredible spots in the world to do so. Located in Peru’s Sacred Valley of the Incas, near Machu Picchu and other ancient ruins, the 26-room boutique hotel is surrounded by the Andes mountains and was created in part to honor Pachamama, the Andean deity who represents Mother Earth. With such a strong focus on nature, it should come as no surprise that Willka T’ika doesn’t have TVs or phones in the rooms, and only offers Wi-Fi in designated areas—perfect for a soulreviving digital detox. And while the property has been a staple in wellness circles since it opened in 1995, they launched a new seven-day “Essential Wellness” program earlier this year, designed to help you restore your body, mind, and soul during difficult pandemic times. Each day of the program

Best for a healing soak: Sky Lagoon, Iceland

Best for a breezy seaside getaway: Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa, New York In March 2022, the Gurney’s you know and love is relaunching with a serious upgrade: a newlyrenovated seawater spa. Designed with the help of Alonso Balaguer Designs, best known as the

Best for a digital detox: Willka T’ika Wellness Retreat, Peru

Best for a healing soak: Sky Lagoon, Iceland

spa lifestyle Mayan healing stones, and an “energy purification ritual” that uses Mayan crystals, metal, vibration, smudge smoke, and local herbs known for their mystical properties. The property also offers traditional cooking classes and workshops, as well as weekly spiritual rituals led by the in-house shaman, Yaotekatl, who will guide you through ancient Mayan practices. The beachside sunset fire meditation is especially transformative, as the Maya viewed fire as a bridge between earthly and otherworldly realms. Gather around the flames for a blessing from Yaotekatl, and then cover yourself in local Mayan clay to connect to the earth before rinsing off in the ocean under the moonlight. For more cultural lessons, be sure to visit some nearby ruins—the hotel offers a guided trip to the ancient city Chichen Itza, or you can rent a car and go on your own. creator of the acclaimed Aire Ancient Baths in Manhattan, the 30,000-foot spa will have more of a Roman bathhouse feel. Upgrades include co-ed relaxation rooms, eucalyptus-infused steam rooms, a heated stone bench, a traditional dry sauna, and four new bathhouse-inspired pools: a caldarium (warm pool), a vitality tub (hot tub with jets), a very cold plunge pool (meant for a quick dip), and a cool bath (slightly warmer than the cold plunge; meant for a 10-15 minute soak). The treatment rooms are also getting a major makeover, featuring new indoor/outdoor spaces that let you feel the breezy ocean air on your skin as you’re being pampered. Even the ocean-fed saltwater pool—the only one of its kind on the East Coast—is getting a face lift to match the rest of the spa’s new look. Book early, because this iconic 158-room Hamptons spot fills up fast. But once you get there, it’s time to chill out, hit up the new spa, and enjoy the legendary property—not to mention a post-plunge cocktail.

Bes t f or a tropical transf ormation: BodyHoliday, St. Lucia

Best for actually catching up on sleep: Rosewood Miramar Beach, California

Best for getting grounded in ancient wisdom: Etéreo, Auberge Resorts Collection, Mexico

Located in Mexico’s Riviera Maya, the stretch of land from Cancún to Tulum that was once home to ancient Maya civilization, Etéreo, Auberge Resorts Collection is as much a cultural hub as it is a place to beach. Opened in December 2021, the new 75-room hotel—whose Spanish name translates to “spirit” or “heavenly”—highlights traditional wellness wisdom throughout its various offerings. The SANA spa menu, for example, includes detoxifying Mayan clay wraps, a massage that incorporates sacred

so you and your partner have your own separate settings).

Is it a bit counterintuitive to go somewhere just so you can sleep? Yes. But is it a great idea nonetheless? Also yes. Welcome to 2022, where nothing really makes sense and the world’s a bit dazed and confused and we’re all just trying to get by. Rosewood gets this. In January, they’re launching a new global wellness program focused on rest called “Alchemy of Sleep.” Designed specifically to promote quality rest, the program takes a holistic 360-degree view of sleep and offers all sorts of treatments and activities that target the different areas that affect your bedtime habits, from sleep-inducing treatments like CBD massages, to nutritional consultations to help you learn which foods impact sleep the most, to movement-heavy activities meant to regulate your circadian rhythm (think sun salutation yoga to help produce sleepregulating melatonin, and sleep release meditation to unwind and settle your body and mind). As part of the program, guests also receive a curated sleep box filled with scented oils, tea blends, linen mists, and silk masks. “Alchemy of Sleep” will be offered at 20 Rosewoods around the world, though the 160-room Rosewood Miramar Beach, located right on the beach in Montecito, is particularly noteworthy as they are also launching three new Bryte Sleep Suites. The suites feature restorative beds with circadian climate technology that heats or cools the mattress according to your core body temperature (and you can even divide up the bed

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’85

Thanks to its pristine beaches and crystal-clear emerald waters, St. Lucia is already a pretty solid spot to clear your mind and feel at peace in the world. But check into BodyHoliday, the Caribbean’s first destination spa and one of its most well-known retreats, and you will feel even more balanced and zen—especially now. The 155-room healthy living hotel recently debuted four new wellness programs in response to the pandemic: the boost your immunity program (focused on prevention over cure), the COVID convalescence program (meant for COVID survivors), the wellness rehabilitation program (designed to help you get back in the wellness zone if you fell out for a bit due to ~these times~), and the corporate well-being program (focused on those suffering from burnout). Each program can range anywhere from five, seven, 14, or 21 days and is highly customizable, with a range of mixand-match treatments like ocean swimming, bike riding, beach volleyball, tai chi, Reiki, Ayurvedic therapies, Bhutanese healing, chanting, hypnotherapy, holistic nutrition, and more—it all depends on what your goals are. The programs all include consultations with experts, including prearrival meetings if you like, so the experience can truly be whatever you want it to be. Just don’t forget to do a bit of nothing, too—you are in the tropics, after all.

spa business In 2021, many climate trends that were gaining steam in years past became the norm. In this article, which describes the biggest climate and sustainable business stories.

enforcement mechanism. The bottom line is that emissions are still rising.

How do you know when something becomes the Norm?

The acronym “ESG” took over in the sustainability world, mostly because it’s more of a financial sector term and banks are, finally, serious. The message is that managing climate and other ESG issues is core to business value. Many banks agreed: JPMorgan Chase, Citi, and Bank of America (to name a few) committed from $1 trillion to $2.5 trillion to invest in climate action (clean technologies) and sustainable development (e.g.,affordable housing and efforts to improve racial equity).

Trends in corporate sustainability have been mostly consistent — an expanding climate crisis, lightningspeed growth in clean tech, rising pressure from many stakeholders, and more. But I generally felt a sense of, “these trends are growing and will be dominant…someday.” In the past year, however, “someday” seems to have finally become “today” — and there is no going back.

Sustainable Business Went Mainstream in 2021 By Andrew Winston- Harvard Business

Sustainable Finance and ESG explode.

The discussion around what most now call “ESG” (environmental, social, and governance) has become far more common than I’ve ever seen in my 20 years in the field. Virtually all of the world’s largest companies now issue a sustainability report and set goals; more than 2,000 companies have set a science-based carbon target; and about one-third of Europe’s largest public companies have pledged to reach net zero by 2050. On the social side of the agenda, companies have been expanding diversity and inclusion efforts, committing funds to fight racial inequity, and speaking out on societal issues they used to avoid. No business leaders seriously doubt that sustainability should be on the agenda, and companies are moving from incremental improvements to bolder, systemic approaches that create a net positive impact on the world.

Supply chains

So what happened this year that built such momentum? It’s hard to summarize a complicated, volatile time period. For example, is global inflation a reflection of a long-term resource constraint — a mega-trend that’s driving efficiency and forcing an exploration of circular and regenerative business models — or is it just a hangover from the warped buying patterns of the Covid years?

Auto industry goes all-in on electric vehicles.

The dramatic shift in the flow of goods from distribution to businesses to at-home buying has not worked itself out yet. But it’s not just about manufacturing and shipping. We’re also seeing shortages in truck drivers still willing to do the job at current pay and conditions. Some pushback from people seeking more meaning or higher-paid work in jobs where wages have been stagnant for decades is a sign of inequality hitting a breaking point. But the mess hasn’t stopped companies from making supply chains more sustainable. Companies are demanding more information, setting higher standards, and pushing suppliers to, for example, place climate and human rights demands on their suppliers.

I’ve tried here to touch on big themes and stories from 2021 that seem more lasting, and offer some thoughts on what to look out for in 2022.

There are many indications of the blistering pace of the shift to the clean economy. But nothing seemed as dramatic this year as what’s going on in the auto industry. It’s been building for a few years, but now major automakers and dozens of countries say that they’ll stop selling gasoline cars in the next 15 to 20 years. With this pace of investment, it seems there’s no turning back and EVs are the future. To put a final point on it, Tesla’s Elon Musk was named Time magazine’s Person of the Year.

The Big Stories of 2021

Tech industry does its best Jekyll and Hyde.

Business defends Democracy. On January 6, insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol, supported by many in Congress. Starting on January 7, many companies pulled their donations from all politicians. I never would have imagined companies picking sides — but the threat to democracy was real, companies took a stand. A few months later, corporate giants also spoke out against state laws meant to restrict voting. This is important, if only for how far it expands the role of business in society.

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’85

An ESG Tug-of-War The rush of money into ESG will continue. Much of the pressure is coming from, again, younger people — members of wealthy families asking for more focus on impact investing. But we’re starting to see pushback on what ESG even means. A former Blackrock exec published an essay saying that ESG was “a dangerous placebo.” The concern he raises is legitimate — does putting money in funds labeled “ESG” really tackle issues like climate and inequality? It’s unclear, and the world of ESG is undefined. Companies providing ESG metrics are growing and evolving, but it’s early days. We need patience. Remember, the 3 major financial statements that we take for granted took centuries to evolve. More Standards and Regulations. To help manage the ESG anarchy, regulators will continue to develop standards for companies to follow. The IFRS foundation, the body that sets international financial reporting standards, announced the formation of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) to develop disclosure standards. There will be an increasing harmonization of how companies report on their impacts and assess the environmental and social issues that are material to their businesses. It’s wonky, but standards make the world go ‘round. Continued expansion of business’s role in society.

Issues that have long been avoided such as taxes, CEO pay, and corruption, that my co-author, Paul Polman, and I talk about in our book Net Positive — will hit boardrooms and C-suites. This year, the G7 nations signed a pact to set a minimum tax for corporations. There’s more like this to come. Revisiting issues that got Lost.

Tech giants can be major advocates for sustainability. Some like Salesforce try to help with the housing crisis and homelessness in their home cities, and others continue their aggressive push on climate action. Microsoft and Google are working toward 24/7 renewable energy. Google also offered new tools to “help one billion people make more sustainable choices,” like showing users which flights they searched for have the lowest footprint. The search giant also started to tackle our biggest problem: misinformation.

While the broader sustainability agenda did not slow down during the pandemic, some issues took a back seat. Concern about plastics and packaging, for example, was a huge issue in 2019. But then we needed disposable medical equipment and we increased shipping to homes, so it was hard to make progress. But stakeholders didn’t forget. Plastics, human rights, and other issues remain, and companies will need to focus on them again. More partnerships to solve big challenges.

A loud, growing Youth Voice.

In 2021, the number of partnerships created to tackle the biggest issues seemed to accelerate. For example, companies came together to work on decarbonizing the steel industry, and a range of companies with big fleets partnered to call for federal standards on EV charging and payments. It’s early days for most of these collaborations, but we should have achievements in the near future.

At the climate summit in Glasgow, while the Boomer leaders stumbled toward moderate improvement, Swedish climate leader Greta Thunberg led youth groups in chants of “blah, blah, blah.” Young Millennials and the Gen Z-ers that are entering the

Author: Andrew Winston is one of the world’s leading thinkers on sustainable business strategy. He is an adviser and speaker on how to build companies that profit by serving the world. His books include Green to Gold, The Big Pivot, and Net Positive.

What to Look for in 2022

Global climate meeting falls Short. The COP26 meeting in Glasgow ended the same as every COP: there was clearly progress in what countries committed to, but given the scale of a crisis that the UN Secretary General called “code red for humanity,” it was woefully inadequate. If all countries hit their targets, we may hold warming to 1.8 C. That’s much better than where we were headed before the conference, but still above the 1.5 C that will helps us avoid much worse outcomes. And these are still just commitments, with no

workforce today are speaking out. The talent war is real, and engaged workers looking for values — especially the younger ones that make up 50% or more of the workforce — have the power. Expect them to use it.

There are some other trends that were more promise than reality in 2021, but could gain steam in the year ahead.

spa business In 2021, many climate trends that were gaining steam in years past became the norm. In this article, which describes the biggest climate and sustainable business stories.

enforcement mechanism. The bottom line is that emissions are still rising.

How do you know when something becomes the Norm?

Sustainable Business Went Mainstream in 2021 By Andrew Winston- Harvard Business

Sustainable Finance and ESG explode.

Supply chains

Auto industry goes all-in on electric vehicles.

I’ve tried here to touch on big themes and stories from 2021 that seem more lasting, and offer some thoughts on what to look out for in 2022.

The Big Stories of 2021

Tech industry does its best Jekyll and Hyde.

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’85

A loud, growing Youth Voice.

What to Look for in 2022

There are some other trends that were more promise than reality in 2021, but could gain steam in the year ahead.

spa therapies

Discover the Vast Benefits and ask "Why CBD?" Scientific research on the effects of CBD remains scarce, growing anecdotal evidence shows it could help people with everything from general aches and pains to insomnia and may even help cancer patients overcome chemo-related nausea. A recent Harris Poll (https://theharrispoll.com/) surveyed more than 2 000 people in the US about their experience, knowledge, and opinions regarding CBD and found that more than 85% of Americans have heard of CBD, and of those, more than one in five have tried it. And what are all these people using CBD for? More than half of the CBD-users surveyed – some 55% – said they use it to relax. Half reported using it to reduce stress and anxiety, and the proportions of people who use CBD to improve their sleep and relieve pain (including muscle, chronic, and joint pain) were not far behind. Also on the list were relief from migraines, menstrual symptoms, nausea, and sexual enhancement. The majority of available evidence suggests that CBD may complement cancer treatment by stimulating appetite, reducing inflammation and combating nausea. CBD indirectly acts on the certain receptors, which may help with widespread pain relief by reducing inflammation. Will I get high on CBD? Straight answer is No! Did you know that there is a system in our bodies comprised of receptors that interact exclusively with cannabinoids like CBD? The discovery of receptors in the brain that respond to cannabis – and the subsequent identification of endogenous cannabinoid compounds in our own bodies that bind to these receptors – has significantly advanced our understanding of human biology, health, and disease. This concept is the cornerstone of cannabis as medicine. These active ingredients in Cannabis directly interact with a complex network of receptors in the human body called the Endocannabinoid System (ECS).

Think of it as a system of docking sites located in the brain and throughout the body, specifically designed to interact with substances like CBD. The receptors in the ECS are the most prevalent neuro-receptors in the brain and are prolific in the immune system, organs, bones and skin. Studies in humans and animals have shown that CBD has effects which are simply astounding. In contrast to THC, CBD has no effect on heart rate or blood pressure under normal conditions, but in certain cases of stress it reduces heart rate and blood pressure. All natural lock & key Think of the ECS like a lock-and-key system inside your body. The lock (or internal receptor) is always present, waiting for the key. We know of two forms of ‘keys’ that can activate the receptor, one of them being endocannabinoids. These are naturally occurring compounds found in the human body. Phytocannabinoids are the ones found in plants that interact with the body in the same way. These phytocannabinoids found in cannabis that make up our CBD products.

experiences that can enhance quality of life. Their premium suite of CBD products are currently sold in more than 1,000 outlets in South Africa. Goodleaf has been at the forefront of a number of health trends, launching a variety of new products over the last 12 months. These include their very popular water-soluble CBD powder sachets which can be added to your favourite beverage. Goodleaf have now ventured into the functional mushroom space with the launch of their very own Functional Mushroom brand, GOODMIND, designed to nourish the mind and enhance mental well-being. Always looking to stay ahead of the curve, goodleaf has now launched of their functional mushroom brand, GOODMIND™. After many years of promoting good health and well-being through CBD, goodleaf is committed to improving quality of life and have introduced a new product range, committed to mental well-being. Functional mushrooms have become a hot topic in health and wellness circles across the globe, and with good reason. While CBD focuses on restoring calm, Functional mushrooms have been proven to assist with boosting your immune system and energy levels.

Committed to cultivating an improved quality of life, goodleaf is creating the next generation of wellness rituals, engineered by nature to restore balance with the mission to bring you the best products and share t heir deep-rooted cannabis knowledge.

Goodleaf Facts: • Safe: CBD & functional mushroom products are safe to include in your daily routine with recommended dosages clearly indicated on all packaging. • Natural: Engineered by nature and scientifically extracted, CBD & functional mushrooms are an allnatural products. • Traceable: All goodleaf CBD & functional mushroom products are fully traceable to the original source of manufacture, whether local or global. All products are manufactured in SA. • THC-Free: There's no chance of getting high. All CBD products are lab tested and free of THC •100% Legal: Derived from the Hemp plant, goodleaf CBD products are legal to buy and enjoy in a variety of easy to take forms.

Offering a premium range of 30 products that create harmony between mind & body, goodleaf is more than a CBD business, but a world leader in lifestyle and personal well-being creating products and

Website: www.goodleaf.co.za E-mail: theherbalist@goodleaf.co.za Tel: 021 286 9055

About Goodleaf Since launching Africa's first dedicated CBD retail store back in 2019, in the heart of Cape Town's city centre, goodleaf has emerged as one the preferred CBD and wellness brands to consumers across South Africa. Focused on unlocking the healing power of cannabis by providing high-quality CBD products, the brand offers an extensive product range including oils, skincare topicals, CBD infused sparkling drinks, natural vapes and CBD powder sachets.

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’85

spa therapies

Why Cognitive Nutrition Is the New Frontier in Healthy Eating By Arianna Huffington, Founder & CEO at Thrive Global It’s never been more important to build food habits that sharpen focus and improve mental health. At some point in our lives, most of us have tried to eat better. But while we routinely change what we eat for our physical health, like losing weight, reducing our risk of diabetes or hypertension, we rarely pay attention to how our food choices affect the health of our body’s most complex organ: the brain. A growing body of science in the field of cognitive nutrition shows that this food-brain connection is actually one of the most powerful drivers of our overall wellbeing. What we eat matters not only for our physical health but for our cognitive and mental health, affecting our risk of anxiety and depression. The science is clear: we can eat our way to better brain health, with both short- and long-term benefits. As Uma Naidoo, author of This Is Your Brain On Food, writes, “The most potent medicine for mental health might be in your pantry.” This food-brain connection is the core of Thrive’s new Nourish Your Body and Mind cognitive nutrition program, filled with the latest science and with Microsteps we can take to sharpen our focus, reduce anxiety and reconnect with the joy of food. Once we know the fundamentals of cognitive nutrition, it becomes much easier to build habits that lead to better brain health — and stick to them. If you’ve ever made a New Year’s resolution, you know that when it comes to making better food choices and creating lasting habits, willpower isn’t enough. A recent study from the U.K. found that about two-thirds of people abandon their New Year’s resolutions — many of them diet-related — within a month. Nearly two years into the pandemic, as many of us continue to struggle with “pandemic brain,” we have an opportunity to improve our focus, productivity and decision-making just by making small changes to our diet. As the pandemic continues, these changes make our bodies and minds more resilient — and even help boost our immunity to the virus itself. And over time, our food choices can affect everything from our risk of dementia to our ability to live longer. We all know that eating better is never just about food. It’s about our environment and the mindsets we bring to each day. That’s why our Nourish Your Body and Mind curriculum, led by our cognitive nutrition director Tess Bredesen and already resonating with Thrive’s enterprise customers, is based on the truth that our relationship with food is about so much more than just food. It’s about our history with food, our family and cultural traditions and our daily rituals. What we eat is deeply connected to every aspect of our life: our sleep, our emotions, how much we move, how we respond to stress and anxiety and our ability to focus, be productive and connect with others. And if we’re

living breathless, frenetic, always-on lives, our eating habits inevitably deteriorate. For example, if we’re sleep-deprived, we enter a vicious cycle: we’re more likely to crave sugary foods and other refined carbs, which in turn deplete our energy and make it harder to get the sleep we need. And when it comes to our relationship with technology, nearly 9 in 10 of us are “zombie eaters” — eating while watching T.V. or scrolling through Instagram or TikTok, which can lead to mindless snacking and overeating. But when we practice what experts call “attentive eating” — which is simply avoiding distractions and being aware of our food as we’re eating it — we experience increased feelings of fullness and reduced levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Essential to Nourish Your Body and Mind is the fact that it’s a judgment-free zone. For many of us, our feelings about food are intertwined with guilt and judgment — coming not just from the outside but also from ourselves. We may hear the voice I call the “obnoxious roommate living in our head” telling us that we’re bad or weak for making the choices we make, that we should be ashamed of ourselves. That’s why our approach is all about taking Microsteps, which really are too small to fail. For example, you might know that chronic inflammation is bad for our bodies. But you might not know it’s linked to mental health issues as well, including anxiety and depression. It’s also recognized as the underlying basis of a number of age-related diseases, including Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia. (Researchers sometimes call it “inflamm-aging.”) When we reduce inflammation, we set ourselves up for better mental health over time. And what we eat is a key factor. One Microstep is adding just one high-fiber food to your meal. Foods like spinach, collard greens, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, avocados, flaxseeds, chia seeds and hemp seeds can help calm both our body’s and our brain’s inflammatory response. And if you enjoy seasoning your food with a variety of flavors, good news: many herbs and spices have anti-inflammatory properties. Ginger, cinnamon, cloves, sage, rosemary, oregano — they’re all great for your brain! And studies show that turmeric not only suppresses inflammation, but also can improve cognition, attention and memory. Similarly, small changes to your diet can have major benefits for relieving stress in your gut and your brain, since the gut-brain connection affects our digestion, mood and overall health. It comes down to the fact that your gut and your brain communicate much more closely than we might think. Probiotic-rich foods, for example, contain good bacteria that help keep the intestinal lining intact and aid healthy digestion. And since good bacteria is also responsible for making

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’85

many neurotransmitters, probiotics also improve our cognitive functioning. They’re found in fermented foods, including yogurt, miso soup, kimchi, kombucha, tempeh, kefir and sauerkraut. So a great Microstep is adding just one of these foods to one meal a day. Here are some of the themes at the heart that you can take to Nourish Your Body and Mind: Sleep and nutrition are connected in fundamental ways. For example, sleep deprivation fuels the production of neurotransmitters associated with excessive hunger and craving sweets and other sugary foods. Our energy levels are deeply linked to the foods we eat, but also to how much we move our bodies. When we move and exercise, it actually affects our food choices, and from there our energy levels and overall well-being. Studies show that movement and exercise can reduce our cravings for unhealthy foods. And it doesn’t have to mean going to the gym. So, take a one-minute stretch break whenever you can throughout the day. Frequent movement fuels your body and mind. Stand up, change positions, walk around the room — anything to get your blood flowing. Even better, walk outside, since sun exposure is a great way to get an energy-boosting dose of Vitamin D. The not-so-hidden link between food and burnout. We’ve all had days when powering through exhaustion is fueled by sugary drinks, or sugary, salty, highly processed snacks, which can contribute to serious health issues, including heart disease and diabetes. But we can make small mealtime changes that provide us with sustained energy and focus, without the jittery ups and 2 p.m. slumps. Eating isn’t just about necessity, convenience or health. If we only thought about it in those terms, we’d be miserable. Because we’d miss a fundamental part of what food offers us: joy. Even small moments of connection over food can be powerful. And in disconnected times, finding ways to do this is more important than ever. So if you think that eating well means sacrificing joy, think again! Reconnecting with the joy of food is a fundamental part of nourishing our body and mind. When we shift our mindset, we can see nutrition as much more than a never-ending test of our willpower. Instead, we can see it as a daily opportunity to enhance our focus, energy, creativity, mood and joy — all the things we want more of in our work and our lives.

spa therapies Breakfast Smoothies are an easy way to enjoy a healthy breakfast on busy mornings. These healthy smoothie recipes provide filling fiber and protein to give you energy all morning! You can sip on a smoothie as you get ready for work or get the kids ready for school. Most of these recipes are kid-friendly. Smoothies are an easy way to get plenty of servings of fruits and/or veggies for a healthy start to your day. Many of these smoothie recipes also have oats, too, which makes them super filling. These smoothie recipes are designed for every time of year, from healthy fruit smoothie recipes to pumpkin to year-round green smoothies. Drinking a smoothie for breakfast can give you a burst of energy in the morning and helps you to start your day on a healthy note.

Healthy Smoothie Ingredients • Fresh or Frozen Fruit: You can use a combination of frozen and fresh fruits in your smoothies. The frozen fruit helps the smoothie to blend up thick and creamy. I like to freeze extra ripe bananas, peeled and cut into smaller pieces, so they are always ready for adding to smoothies. Ice dilutes the flavor of a smoothie so use frozen fruit instead. • Vegetables: Veggies are nutrient powerhouses and working them into your morning smoothies is a great way to start your day off on a healthy note. Spinach, kale and other greens blend up well in smoothies. You can add frozen cauliflower to a smoothie and not even taste it. If you have a high powered blender, try adding carrots to your morning smoothie for a healthy dose of sweetness. •Avocado: Have you ever tried an avocado smoothie? Avocado adds healthy fats to a smoothie, it blends up smooth, and you don’t taste the avocado (as long as you don’t add too much). •Oatmeal: Adding old-fashioned oats is an easy way to take any smoothie and turn it into a breakfast smoothie. You can add raw oats (be sure to use old fashioned, or rolled, oats) to your blender along with the rest of the smoothie ingredients and blend until smooth. •Greek Yoghurt: Unless you need a dairy-free smoothie, plain Greek yoghurt is a great way to add protein to your smoothie. Yoghurt also makes smoothies creamy. •Nut Butters: I love adding a scoop of almond butter or peanut butter to my smoothies. Nut butters provide healthy fats and protein, which give your smoothie staying power so you’re not hungry again right away. •Seeds: Flax seeds, chia seeds and hemp seeds can all add fiber and nutrition to your smoothies. • Liquid: You need to add a liquid ingredient to your smoothie to help it blend well. There are many options, from plain water to coconut water, milk, almond milk or other nut-based milks, coconut milk, oat milk and juice. I try not to use juice because it can add too much sugar to a smoothie, especially if you are also adding fruit. •Flavor Boosters: A pinch of cinnamon or a few drops of vanilla extract can really boost the flavor of a smoothie!

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’85

Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie

Immunity Boosting Orange Smoothie

Ingredients •1⁄4 cup old-fashioned oats (uncooked) •1⁄2 medium banana •1⁄2 cup plain Greek yogurt • 3⁄4 cup frozen mango • 3⁄4 cup frozen strawberries or 1⁄2 cup frozen blueberries • 3⁄4 cup milk of choice (dairy, almond, etc.) Instructions

This Immunity Boosting Orange Smoothie packs a hefty dose of Vitamin C! It has a refreshing orange flavor with a hint of vanilla!

Blueberry Smoothie Ingredients • 3 tablespoons old-fashioned oats • 1 cup fresh spinach • 1 cup frozen blueberries • 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt • 3⁄4 cup milk (whichever type you prefer) • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon (optional) Method Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately. Nutrition Nutrition information is for smoothie made with plain low-fat Greek yogurt and 2% milk. Serving: 1/2 recipe | Calories: 168kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 73mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 16g

Green Monster Smoothie You won’t taste the spinach in this Green Monster Smoothie… not even one little bit! This smoothie is packed full of healthy ingredients, including a good dose of Vitamin C! Ingredients •1 banana (frozen for a thicker smoothie) •1 cup frozen pineapple chunks •1 pear (cored and sliced) •1 orange (peeled and chopped) •3 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves •2 tablespoons ground flaxseed (optional) •1 cup cold water Method Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately. Nutrition Serving: 8ounces | Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 27mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 20g

Spinach & Apple Detox Smoothie A delicious green smoothie made with green apple, spinach and lemon for a bright and flavorful snack! Ingredients • 2–3 cups spinach (packed) • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk • 1 banana • 1 Granny Smith apple (cored and cubed) • 1 cup chopped cucumber • 4 dates • 1 tablespoon flax seeds • Squeeze of lemon Optional toppings • Shaved coconut (unsweetened) • Chia seeds • Hemp seeds Method Add the spinach, almond milk and banana to the blender and blend until combined. Add the apple, cucumber, dates, flax seeds, and lemon juice, and blend until completely smooth. Serve immediately.

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie A healthy smoothie made with just 4 ingredients (plus ice). This Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie is thick, creamy, and a great energy booster! Ingredients • 3⁄4 cup ice cubes • 1 medium banana (peeled, cut into chunks) • 3⁄4 cup Greek yogurt • 1⁄2 cup milk (whichever type you prefer) • 2 tablespoons peanut butter Method Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy immediately. Nutrition Calories: 456kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 255mg | Potassium: 1002mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 275IU | Vitamin C: 10.2mg | Calcium: 317mg | Iron: 0.9mg

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’85

Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie

Immunity Boosting Orange Smoothie

This Immunity Boosting Orange Smoothie packs a hefty dose of Vitamin C! It has a refreshing orange flavor with a hint of vanilla!

spa business

The Spa Future is Bright - Good Spa Guide After a year of uncertainty, the spa/wellness industry is beginning to see the light, with fully booked treatment rooms, a host of new treatments to try, and plenty of helpful gadgets to buy. The key to survival? The ability to evolve and think outside the box, with plenty of investment happening behind closed doors and a re-think of the spa offering. The result: a more nurturing, more empathetic experience. The future's light The loneliness many people experienced during the pandemic has encouraged us to reach out, and an element of that human kindness is seeping into spas, with treatments aimed at relaxation and emotional wellbeing proving more popular than bootcamps and anti-ageing. The summer's rewilding trend of immersing ourselves in nature is also set to continue until the end of 2022. Those spas with meadows, lakeside accommodation and forest treehouses will continue to welcome wellness seekers yearning for the great outdoors. Equally, therapists are expecting to see a rise in solo spa-going, with wellness breaks regarded less of a special treat with your bestie than a vital routine in our calendars. More people are peeling away from their tribes to check into a sleep retreat or selfimprovement weekend - or just bunk off for an afternoon at their local wellness centre. Even companies are seeking wellness ideas for their staff. Alternative therapies, such as sound baths, light therapy, sleep therapies, energy healing and Ayurveda, are gaining currency in the high-end spa

market, too, with the rise of brands including ila, Elemental Herbology and The Organic Pharmacy - which you might even see alongside CBD oils. Small, ethical brands are set to take on the bigger names as we continue to look for environmentally friendly products made closer to home.

prevention the outcome over cure. Connected devices and fitness/body scans are key, with more spas investing in investigative equipment in their gyms, as well as in-house nutritionists, Osteopaths, Physiotherapists and Naturopaths for all-round health.

Tech for Wellness

Food for Thought

Of course, if the pandemic has taught us one wellness lesson, it's that you don't have to check into a rural retreat - or even open your front door - to boost your wellbeing. After all, we conduct entire relationships via WhatsApp, and Zoom has become a household name... conducting therapy over a smartphone seems no crazier than commuting to a small treatment room.

The veganism food movement continues to grow in popularity as concern for the environment rises; evidence also points to more dietary intolerances and allergies, as well as further demand for vegetarian and pescatarian dishes.

Apps such as MyTherapy, Breathe2Relax, Moody Month and MoodTracker help us meditate, track our moods and keep us in harmony with our hormone cycles, as well as offering life coaching. Tech wearables - bracelets, rings, and headbands - have turned the art of staying well-balanced into a science, monitoring our glucose levels, heart rates and steps, and even calculating our stress levels. The latest Apple Watch uses a built-in blood-oxygen monitor to sense quick and shallow breathing and help detect panic attacks, while the upcoming Fitbit Sense can track stress through the skin's electrodermal (electrical) activity. Headbands such as Cove, meanwhile, vibrate to soothe our brain waves and encourage sleep - something we all need to stay healthy. The younger generation will continue to use technology as a pre-cursor to staying well, with

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’85

Feasting in your robe may be an intrinsic part of the spa day but if spa cafes don't take a good look at their menus in the future, they will get left behind. Simply catering for dietary requirements as an aside will not cut the mustard anymore, with vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free dishes needing to take centre stage. Spas will also continue to try and source their produce locally, with more outdoor space being turned into herb gardens or allotments for food production at home. So, whether its ground-breaking treatments, brand new spas, more mindfulness, technological advances or a wider culinary offering, the spa and wellness the industry will most certainly continue to evolve in 2022 - for the better.

spa business

By Jacob Morgan- Future of Work

According to 140 CEOs These Are The 6 Trends Shaping Leadership Through 2030 and Beyond As I've said many times in this newsletter, leadership is changing...but why? I have interviewed over 140 CEOs around the world from companies like Audi, MasterCard, Unilever, Oracle, Kaiser and dozens of others recently. This was all done as part of research for my new book, The Future Leader, which examines what it will take to be a leader in 2030 and beyond. One of the questions I asked was around the greatest trends shaping the future of leadership. These are the six trends they identify that will play a major role in shaping future leaders over the next decade and beyond. AI and Technology When I asked CEOs what they viewed as the biggest trends impacting leadership, the most common answer I received was the growth of artificial intelligence and technology. It’s no secret that technology is evolving at a breathtaking pace. Artificial intelligence has the power to completely transform how businesses operate and people work. But with the excitement of AI and new technology comes fear and uncertainty. It’s up to leaders to assuage those fears by looking for ways to implement AI that adds to employees instead of replacing their jobs. Leaders need to calm fears and remain positive about new technology. They need to be well-versed so they can help others understand the potential impact on their jobs. “We will succeed in the digital era only if we engage with enthusiasm and welcome opportunities that digital tools, data analysis, and new technologies will bring.” Pace of Change Right alongside the growth of AI and technology is the overall pace of change. How we live and work is drastically different today from what it was five years ago — let alone 20 years ago. Change surrounds us in the form of climate change, globalization, diversity, and dozens of other things. Change is constant and has always happened. What’s different about today is the rate at which

change occurs. To be successful, organizations must be constantly looking forward, and leaders must lean in and embrace change instead of shying away. Future leaders need to be agile, adaptable, and comfor table challenging the status quo.

strive to develop diverse teams and create an inclusive environment. They need to invest in upskilling employees while also finding ways to involve older employees and motivating employees of all ages to take control of their own career development.

Purpose and Meaning

Morality, Ethics, and Transparency

While companies used to be able to easily attract top talent with the promise of a high salary, that’s no longer the case. Employees now want to work for an organization that offers purpose and meaning, and they’re even willing to take a pay cut to get it. Purpose is the reason for an organization’s existence and often includes things like investing in employees, making a difference in the world. Meaning is the personal impact of each employee’s work. Employees want to see that their efforts are impactful and contributing to the overall purpose of the company. To set the example, leaders must first understand their own purpose, impact, and meaning before helping their employees do the same. They need to get to know employees individually to understand what motivates them. Before he passed away, I had the opportunity to speak with Bernard Tyson, the Chairman of Kaiser, one of America’s leading healthcare providers. He told me: “Companies of the future can no longer think that they can just exist … significant companies of the future cannot just exist in this isolated place. We are a part of greater society and a greater society is a part of us. I think the trend of when and how we engage in the bigger societal issues will continue to be the future of leadership.”

Gone are the days of controlling leaders trying to be the smartest person in the room. A recent push for morality, ethics, and transparency has led to more authentic and humble leaders. Companies with ethical foundations perform better financially and have higher customer and employee satisfaction. These types of organizations are created by moral leaders. At the same time, leaders are being observed as people demand transparency. Leaders can no longer hide behind their title—they must be open and honest to their companies and the public. Leaders of the future must determine their own moral compasses and have a strong sense of their personal beliefs. Simply standing still is no longer good enough; leaders need to take a stand and be as transparent and aut hentic as possible.

New Talent Landscape Recent years have brought tremendous change to the overall talent landscape, and it’s only just beginning. Many companies find themselves on the constant hunt for skilled employees. At the same time, diversity and inclusion are becoming even more important. The new talent landscape is more than just changing demographics; it’s a new approach to attracting and retaining talent while also training and upskilling employees to be prepared for the future of work. Leaders of the future should

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’85

Globalization As technology grows, the world becomes more connected. All businesses are now global and have the potential for worldwide employees and customers. Globalization brings complex geo-political issues and great opportunities to collaborate and share cultures. Future leaders need to embrace globalization by becoming global citizens who appreciate different cultures and know how to communicate across cultural and language barriers. Foreign ideas should be viewed as opportunities, not fear-filled challenges. Leaders of the future need to pay attention to global issues and understand what is happening around the world. Future-ready leaders need to understand trends and adapt their leadership approach for changes in the way we think, work, and live. These six trends will be crucial for leaders in the coming years. So the question is: what are you doing to prepare yourself and your organization to face them?

spa business

How Software Can Help Market Your Spa Marketing is an important part of your spa business. Here’s how software can help market your spa. Marketing can be a struggle for spas. Many don’t have the resources for a dedicated marketing team, and even for those that do, marketing can be hit and miss and a lot of work. A marketing solution that integrates with your spa management software system can help you reach larger audiences, maintain existing customers, and increase revenue while saving you both time and effort. There are a number of such solutions. Using these systems integrate and sync each every hour, meaning that information put into each is automatically shared with the other and does not require separate manual input so you can manage your marketing communications all in one central space. Taking charge of your spa’s marketing allows you to do the following, and more: Take charge of your client communications A good, cloud-based, marketing integration tool is accessible from anywhere and allows you and your team to send communications from wherever they are. You don’t have to be at your front desk or even at the spa. With the app, for example, team members can respond to client messages from anywhere on or off the property, even from their home office. With an app, you can receive pop up notifications whenever there is a communication from a client and respond in a timely manner. In today’s world, it makes little sense to set restrictive parameters to the timing of client communications. A great customer experience means being there to respond and answer questions – even when you’re not in front of a computer. People don’t want to wait and, if they have to, you risk losing their business.

Automate and segment your messaging

Manage your email campaigns

Reaching out to clients spas haven’t seen in a while to let them know they are missed has been an integral part of COVID recovery. While many hotel, resort, and destination spas are struggling to attract travellers, a marketing integration allows you to connect with customer segments of people living in your community, so you can reach out to local guests and invite them to return to your spa. Your software syncs to see who has not visited in some time and makes those contacts for you. Two-way texting also allows your front desk staff to have a conversation with the client after the message is sent from within the integrated solution, and respond to any replies.

Email is another integral element of marketing and still one of the top strategies, but don’t just blast off mass messages that say the same thing to everyone. That’s called SPAMMING, and everyone hates it. An email marketing platform can make your life much easier, customizing your communications to specific audience segments, and optimizing for mobile. Optimizing for mobile is a must these days, as a majority of people now read email on their mobile devices. Your software integration can pull your existing customer information from your software system to help you send mobile-optimized email campaigns customized to specific audiences.

Manage your online reputation Reviews are one of your most powerful marketing tools as they have the benefit of being user generated. People will only give so much credence to your own assessment of your own products and services. A third party take is another, more reliable, story. Reviews are incredibly important when it comes to building a spa’s brand and reputation and research shows that a vast majority of people look at online reviews before making a purchase decision. A marketing integration, can ask clients to leave reviews and broadcast those reviews to relevant search engines. It’s also important to engage with online reviews. If you receive a negative review, there’s an opportunity to step in and perhaps turn it around with a well thought out response and attempt to understand and make reparations. And a good review should receive a heartfelt “thank you for taking the time to write these kind words.” A marketing integration can notify you when you do get a new review and facilitate replying.

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’85

Increase average tickets and retail sales with customized recommendations If a guest has tried one of your services but not another, a marketing integration can pull this information from your software and reach out to those people to offer them the opportunity to try another service, increasing your ticket size. Similarly, your software integration can send refill reminders when someone should be about to run out of a product (say, three months after purchase), and promote retail products to specific customers and increase your upsells. Is a beloved service provider away on maternity leave? Let their devoted customers know about the other wonderful providers they can see in the meantime. Your software works in partnership with you to bring these marketing strategies to life for you. This is the power of integrated solutions.

spa business So, I'm curious. Did any of you this year work for someone in a high-level leadership role, perhaps an owner or senior manager, and suddenly it dawned on you at some point: This person is not leadership material. Your next thought may have been, How in the world did he (or she) make it to their position.

core values, the research found, had a considerably higher and more satisfying employee experience than those in organizations that do not offer formal recognition programs.

It's a fair question. People are promoted into leadership roles every day who have no business belonging there. I know this because I coach leaders and I wonder the same thought myself!

One of the best things a leader can do is give employees the freedom and opportunity to decide, participate in, and determine how work is best accomplished. Research has found that employees who feel their ideas and suggestions matter are more than twice as likely to report a positive employee experience than those who don't (83 percent vs. 34 percent). A similar pattern emerged among employees who have the freedom to decide how to do their work (79 percent vs. 42 percent). Employees thrive in entrepreneurial work settings, which make them feel like they're invested in the company. This means giving them freedom in and ownership of their work. When you do, they're likely to perform at a higher level.

Sometimes it's political; other times it's the easier choice--promote individual contributors from within and avoid the high cost of recruitment--but a bad choice, nonetheless. The biggest challenge most leaders face hasn't changed: it's performing to the set standards that define great leaders. This means raising the bar really high by learning and applying the leadership competencies that lend to success on the job. In the end, you'll find the leadership journey is predicated on two things that drive that success: Results and relationships. You can't have results at the expense of people. And serving your tribe well without getting results.

6 Ways To Raise Your Leadership Bar High As we head into 2022, I will keep my eye out for great leaders to document their approach in my columns and podcast for the world to witness. If you know of such a leader, send them my way. As the evidence asserts, high levels leaders who walk the talk do so by fostering a positive work environment that elevates the employee experience to new heights. In order to get you off to a great start, here are six things that I absolutely recommend leaders do consistently well throughout 2022: 1. Make Regular Feedback A Priority This is a core principle of effective communication in great leadership, whether it's to address performance issues, clarify direction, or set expectations on critical tasks or strategies. Practice these techniques regularly: • Keep it simple and avoid information overload. • Approach the other person directly. • Be specific and use examples. • Describe the behavior you would prefer; focus on the issue, not the person. • Check for receptivity and understanding so both parties are on the same page. Does what the employee heard match the feedback given? If not, clarify. • Remain open for discussions. 2. Scheduled Ongoing Planning Sessions Leaders need to set the expectation of having one day, usually Monday, to get together and discuss each other's priorities for the week. Yes, leaders also share their biggest priorities for the week and help their direct reports to refocus their priorities to be in alignment with the most important initiatives for the week. This strengthens bonds, helps boost engagement, and gets you more focused results. 3. Employ The 'Stay Interview' To Retain People

How Can You Spot Great Leaders? They Do These By John Peitzman - Entrepreneur Things Well 44

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’85

The last thing leaders want to foster is a negative work culture of "how long do I wait before jumping ship?" For leaders to turn The Great Resignation into The Great Retention, one cost-effective leadership habit is to conduct "stay interviews," especially with those "at risk to leave" employees who may be updating their resumes. Unlike the exit interview, you're getting fresh knowledge and insight about what you can do to improve and retain those valued employees -- today -- not after they have emotionally and mentally disconnected and stopped caring. Here are some strategies for pulling it off with ease. 4. Recognize Your Workers To drastically improve the employee experience, leaders need to tap into the innate and necessary human need for recognition and appreciation. It's in the human design to be acknowledged for excellence at work and research confirms this. Employees working for organizations that offer recognition programs, and particularly those that provide rewards based on demonstrating

5. Give Employees Ownership To Make Decisions

6. Expose Employees To New Opportunities Leaders need to stretch their employees with work that will expand their knowledge and sharpen their skills. This means allowing your valued employees to explore opportunities both inside and outside your company to learn something new, such as joining a cross-functional project, picking up another skill, or leading or participating in a "lunch and learn." Your turn: What would you add to this list that will help make leaders better in 2022? About Marcel Schwantes; a global speaker, leadership expert, executive coach, author, podcast host, and syndicated columnist with a worldwide following. He teaches emerging leaders the skills to build great work cultures where people and businesses flourish.

core values, the research found, had a considerably higher and more satisfying employee experience than those in organizations that do not offer formal recognition programs.

It's a fair question. People are promoted into leadership roles every day who have no business belonging there. I know this because I coach leaders and I wonder the same thought myself!

How Can You Spot Great Leaders? They Do These By John Peitzman - Entrepreneur Things Well 44

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’85

5. Give Employees Ownership To Make Decisions

spa lifestyle

20 Signs of Leadership Excellence

By John Peitzman - Entrepreneur

There is ample discussion about the best styles of authority and how to emulate them, but far less about the more nuanced attributes of excellent leadership… until now. Depending on what books or articles you read, there are more than twenty different leadership styles. An autocratic leader, for example, is generally a unilateral decision-maker, while a democratic one encourages input before making decisions. A delegative style, meanwhile, assigns responsibility and decision-making to other managers. But, as with most things in life, style is not nearly as important as substance. So, whether you aspire to be a person of authority or already are, here are 20 attributes that great ones encompass. 1. Compassion and empathy: When a leader demonstrates these qualities, they earn the respect and loyalty of those around them: it’s that simple. 2. Emphasis on open communication: Leaders should ensure that employees have a voice and a platform for expressing thoughts. 3. Articulates clear expectations: A person in authority has a responsibility to express expectations in a manner which employees can follow, as well as regularly assess process and progress. 4. Always teaches: Most great staff members are made. A great manager recognizes that a critical aspect of their job is to teach and grow employees’ knowledge base. Think of it as akin to banking: You can either stick money in a savings account and watch it grow slowly or invest and see it grow exponentially faster. 5. Inspires others: Inspiration is about engendering creativity, loyalty, dedication and every other positive attribute we want employees to possess.

authority should hold themselves to the same expectations to which they hold others. 7. Embraces opportunities: Change and challenges can be seen as problematic, but a capable leader embraces them as opportunities to adapt, learn and grow. 8. Fosters creativity: Employees inevitably possess capability resources beyond their assigned tasks. Each one of them has the ability to bring new perspectives and ideas, so encourage that. 9. Encourages feedback: All leaders generally have the final say, but great ones solicit and listen to feedback and take it into consideration before taking action. 10. Empowers others: The best way to grow successfully is to encourage others to constructively contribute — to freely entrust staff members with important tasks, and to solicit innovations from them. 11. Offers transparency: Whether what needs saying is good or bad, a leader offers communication clarity, which engenders trust and loyalty and reduces stress. 12. Takes accountability: No one is perfect and no one should expect perfection from others. Part of being a winning authority figure is owning mistakes. 13. Is authentic: Most people do not want to feel patronized or pandered to. Be yourself and be genuine, and you will inspire others to do the same. 14. Acknowledges effort and results: Recognition is a powerful tool: It sends the message that you see and appreciate the actions of those around you. Every employee is valuable, yes, but each one of them need to told exactly why.

6. Leads by example: Anyone in a position of

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’85

15. Is loyal: From turnover to productivity (or their lack), loyalty manifests itself in many ways, and the best way to foster it is to demonstrate it. 16. Rewards excellence: Superlative work should be a high bar not easy to reach, and for those who do achieve it, there should be a suitable reward. 17. Shares in success: Whether through profit sharing, career advancement or other bonuses or opportunities, when a company experiences success, it should share it with the people responsible for making it possible. 18. Avoids distractions: A great leader has the vision, mission and values that help define a company. If something does not align with or deters from these principles, it should be removed or avoided. 19. Actively listens and observes: We learn by watching and listening, not by talking and directing. Take time every day to fine-tune those managerial antennae. 20. Asks for help: There is likely no better way to make someone feel valued and appreciated than asking them for help. Your humility as a leader in doing so will pay off tenfold. After all, great leadership is not inherent to everyone, and should not be limited to those with power; it is a process that can and needs to be cultivated. About John Peitzman: Entrepreneur Leadership Network Contributor. John Peitzman is a Certified High Performance Coach™, professional speaker, bestselling author and creator of The BUILD Framework®. He teaches his clients how to successfully integrate ancient techniques, proven business methodologies and high-performance concepts in life to obtain greater success.

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques Spa Magazine #85

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