Les Nouvelles Esthetiques Spa Magazine #94

Editors Welcome

Wellness trends and predictions for 2023 , circle around our mental health, sense hacking, synchronizing rythms like sleep, hormones and gut health, to joy, gratitude and skychology. All aspects of 'wellness' have had a shake-up over the past two years — from where we exercise to what we eat — but if one lesson has been learned, it's the importance of taking good care of ourselve s. Longevity is also being addressed more scientifically, from cellular repair, DNA analysis and biometric tracking. Cell biology is extremely complex, and we’re still learning more about it as time goes on, but it’s understood that cellular repair is essential for our body’s health and functionality inside and out and it’s necessary for our overall survival.

to Diarise: Les Nouvelles Esthetiques Spa Awards 2023, Deadline for entries: 19 April 2023. Les

Spa Conference and Spa Awards Gala Dinner 2023 are taking place on the 30 & 31st July 202, at the new @Sandton Hotel. Register today on www.lesnouvelleblog.co.za Enjoy

8 Wellbeing Trends And Predictions For 2023

By Lisa Joyner

From nurturing our mental health to cross-country swimming, the biggest wellbeing trends for 2023 have been revealed. All aspects of 'wellness' have had a shake-up over the past two years — from where we exercise to what we eat — but if one lesson has been learned, it's the importance of taking good care of ourselves.

As 2022 comes to an end, use it as an opportunity to reflect and plan for the year ahead. If you haven't finalised your goals for 2023, let these wellbeing trends help shape your habits and attitudes.

1. Sensehacking

Sensehacking — a big wellbeing trend for 2023 — highlights the crucial role that senses play in our everyday lives. Our senses (sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste) can change how we feel almost instantly, so this trend is all about becoming happier and more productive by 'hacking' our senses. But what does it mean? "Sensehacking has got to be one of the most exciting new wellbeing trends for 2023," Jasmine Eskenzi, founder of wellbeing and productivity app The Zensory, tells Country Living.

"Simply put, sensehacking means using the power of our senses to improve our mood. As we head into a time of economic turmoil, any way to boost your mood easily and cheaply will surely be welcomed by all. Once you learn to sensehack effectively, you can do it anywhere, at any time." Feeling unproductive or sleep deprived? According to the experts, sensehacking is said to help improve your cognitive and emotional wellbeing. Easy ways to boost the senses at home include using diffusers, candles, wax melts or pillow sprays, and using colour psychology to make our environment spark creativity, positivity and boost our mental health.

As the wellness sector continues to boom in a postCovid world, Holland & Barrett predicts 'sleep syncing' will be big next year. In 2023, Brits are expected to take sleep seriously by using smart tech to sync circadian routines, carefully timing biological clocks for regular daylight and dark exposure.

New research by the healthcare brand found that two in three people have had poor quality sleep in the last six months, while Holland & Barrett have also seen a 9.5% growth in sales of their sleep and calm ranges between 2021 and 2022. The experts tell us: "As the quest for a better night's sleep continues, we'll see circadian eating – switching from heavy evening meals to afternoon 'light' eating – grow in popularity. New sleep aid ingredients on the block such as Glycine will join bedtime favourites. As we aim to avoid 'lightmares' the big tech switchoff before bed will go mainstream."

Cross-country swimming is a brilliant trend to dive into next year. Perfect for adventure seekers, it's a unique form of exploring that combines hiking, camping and numerous cold-water paddles along a coastal route – all whilst towing your gear with you.

With wild swimming increasing by over 300% over the last few years, the team at AboveBelow predict cross country swimming will be big in the world of wellbeing and wellness. Why not take the plunge?

"Every trip, big or small, feels like an adventure and we've seen people take on multi-day expeditions towing their camping gear with them in a RuckRaft, right through to families spending the afternoon discovering hidden coves with a picnic," Will Watt, co-founder of Above Below, tell us.

"The past few years have seen a huge rise in wild swimming and with the cost of living on the rise, cross country swimming is an accessible way to explore nature, do something a bit different and experience that buzz from wild swimming and the great outdoors."

4.

Wellness travel is all about recharging the body and relaxing the mind. Sometimes known as wellness tourism, these trips and travel experiences focus on mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing. According to a recent Accenture study, 39% of consumers have already booked a wellness retreat for 2023, with more people looking for holidays that include yoga, sound healing, breathwork, and various workshops.

"After a pause on travel during the pandemic, many are now wanting to make the most of being able to travel. Combined with an increase awareness in our own health, many have vowed to take wellnessdriven expeditions to renew their mental, spiritual and physical wellbeing," luxury retreats company, Wylder, say.

5. Skychology

Skychology – the psychology of looking up at the sky – was coined by positive psychology coach Paul Conway. Set to be a big trend for 2023, research has found that the simple act of looking up at can be a highly effective form of emotional self-regulation, help to calm anxious nerves, and enhance mindfulness and feeling present in the moment. If you're looking to adopt healthier habits in 2023, give this one a go.

Paul explains on his website that character strengths – humour, humility, social intelligence, honesty and kindness – are the cornerstones of positive psychology. Its aim is to "develop a more optimistic attitude that will enhance, rather than disrupt one’s social, professional, and spiritual life," according to Psychology Today.

Paul began looking further into the practice of skychology during his masters degree, after finding it was a form of escape. It helped him to "feel better" as a child, as he grew up surrounded by alcohol, gambling and drug addiction.

"I also wanted to create an easy-to-use wellbeing activity people could benefit from use 24/7 wherever they are in the world."

to tackle SAD symptoms, including light therapy and SAD lamps, but plants within the home can also provide a welcome stress relief — and help our wellbeing.

"Plant care is intrinsically linked to self-care, seeing a plant flourish and grow from our care is an extension of caring for ourselves," explains Dani Turner, from online florist Bunches.

"We recommend replicating a connection to nature by filling your home with green plants, flowers, and dried flowers, and also letting the daylight in as much as possible by keeping curtains open during the day and letting the light flood your home – your plants will also benefit from receiving as much sunshine as possible."

According to research conducted by Bunches, houseplant ownership is an excellent way to help your mental health, and has been proven to lower anxiety levels, boost memory, and even increase productivity. Dani adds: "Not only can they help to diminish stress levels, but they also act as a reminder to look after ourselves, just as we look after them."

7. Biophilic design

Biophilic design is about incorporating nature with design. Although the concept of biophilia has been used for decades in architecture and design, the experts say it will continue to make moves in 2023. You don't need to be surrounded by open landscapes to embrace this trend. Key ways to add it into your home include making the most of available natural light by keeping windows clear and clean, adding greenery in pots, and using sustainably sourced organic materials such as wood, cork, wool, leather and stone.

"It's no secret that introducing biophilic features into the home improves wellbeing, and when it comes to the office they can also help with increasing our attention span by grounding us," Joanne Evans from Homescapes, tells us. "But those who don't have time to take care of real plants may benefit from an artificial design that has all the same benefits visually, and will add style instantly."

8.

Mood-boosting bathroom design

Planning a bathroom redesign in 2023? While there are lots of little things that can make our bathrooms feel more hotel-worthy (diffusers, fluffy towels, fresh flowers), next year is all about ensuring it's as uplifting as can be.

Ann Marie Cousins, founder of AMC Design, explains: "A bathroom isn't only a necessity in a home, but a wellness space to wake up in the morning or relax and rejuvenate in the evenings. In 2023, we will see an increase in bathrooms as wellness spaces in themselves, where homeowners can enjoy some true R&R.

Plants have long been praised for their all-around uplifting powers. There might be an array of methods

"The new year will welcome the luxuries and amenities of hotel suites and spas into the comfort of our own homes, ranging from double-vanity units and luxurious wallpapers, to striking light fittings and swoon-worthy tiles."

2. Sleep syncing

3. Cross-country swimming

Wellness travel

6. Plants to combat SAD

Trends We Got Right: Wellness Communites

In anticipation of the Global Wellness Summit Trends for being released this month, I felt it fitting to look back at previous predictions made by our team – with an emphasis on those we got right…and named before anyone else.

Wellness Communities, a trend that we originally (as far back as 2007) dubbed “spa real estate,” has grown exponentially and now means much more than having a “spa” onsite or spa-like features within living spaces. The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) recently reported that there are over 600 global Wellness Community projects that have been built, are partially built, or currently in the pipeline – each one with a unique “wellness proposition.”

The increased impact of wellness on architecture has been part of several of our trend predictions throughout the past decade, with each forecast further illustrating that while aesthetics are always important, building design and entire communities and cities are being conceived from the ground up with a focus on improving our health and happiness.

The first prediction of the importance wellness has on our living spaces came in the 2007 trend entitled “Move into a Spa Lifestyle Community,” noting a rise of luxury spa residences from the likes of Canyon Ranch Living and Miraval Living. That year, Spafinder.com reported over 250 global spa real estate listings. And, while the economic recession that immediately followed affected many of these properties, a seed was planted for living in an environment that supports our health.

Eight years later, in the 2015 Spafinder Trends Report, the trend continued with “Wellness Homes, Communities, and Cities,” in which we noted: “Now, with both the economy and stress levels on therise, we’re seeing the wellness living market roar back,but

longevity

By Susie Ellis , Chair & CEO Global Wellness Institute

with more comprehensive concepts of what amasterplanned healthy home, community or citycould be. Spa and fitness amenities are still very muchpart of the picture, as is eco-minded building. Butthe new wellness residences are thinking far beyondamenities, and tackling not just planetary but humanhealth in design and construction.

The most ambitious–at times even mindblowing–aspect of the trend is entire towns and cities builtaround the most complete concept of wellnessimaginable: from nature and fitness to master planningsocial, cultural, medical and educational“health” for every age. With growth happening fastestin Asia and the U.S., and with these communitiesoften built through public-private partnerships,the new wellness towns and cities aim to provide adramatically healthier living alternative to the drive everywhere,disconnected suburb or the stress — andpollution-crushed city, where people are increasinglypriced out.”

This trend towards living in well environments is not only good for the residents, but also for owners and investors! At Global Wellness Summit Top Future Shifts in Wellness Report, a panel of real estate developers shared that, “preliminary numbers indicate that wellness drives impressive returns. The results: between a 5-35 percent premium for wellness-branded, single-family homes (with more consensus on the higher number), a 7-10 percent premium for wellness rentals and a 15-30 percent average daily rate premium for wellnessbranded hotels. Developers also reported that “wellhomes” sell far faster than their traditional equivalents” (with GWI Research now putting the premium at 1025% higher).

Inthe Global Wellness Summit’s report, we forecasted the evolution from architecture focused primarily on surface aesthetics to “Wellness Architecture” that

prioritizes human health. Within the trend we predicted: “Everything in buildings will be rethought in the future: air, ventilation, water, light, sleep, and sound/acoustics – even designing “in” more human movement. As (2016) Global Wellness Summit presenter, Whitney Gray, PhD, of Delos Living put it: “I’ve never met an architect or real estate developer with any formal training in human health.” Architecture has been far too preoccupied with surface aesthetics: with architectgod-heroes conceiving designs to wow, shock, or lay claim to the cutting-edge. Much ego, much beauty on the covers of the Architectural Digests, but with oddly little attention paid to creating designs and using materials that improve the health and happiness of the humans who actually live and work in them –which, last time we checked, was the point of buildings.

But now, through new standards and technologies, building for human health – and a new “wellness architecture” – will be one of the biggest (and most impactful) future wellness trends. The strategies will span the simple, like deploying plants that excel at removing deadly air toxins to the highest-tech, like “living” buildings with walls made of algae biofuel cells that grow their own energy or new phone apps that alert you when you’re entering a “sick” building. From air quality to indoor acoustics, everything in the built environment will be reevaluated and reengineered.”

Technologies, standards, and interest for Wellness

Communities are increasing year-over-year and I only expect this trend to become more meaningful in the years ahead. The future isn’t just about buildings that don’t make us sick, it is about buildings (and complete environments) that improve our well-being and maybe one day even respond to our changing health and happiness in real time…I’m excited to see what the future “living well” looks like!

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Why Well-Being Needs a Fresh Look

In the wake of the COVID pandemic, the prospects of increased well-being are a problem. The last few years exposed people to disruptions that led to increases in anxiety, depression, loneliness, and frayed relationships. At worst there was a rise in domestic abuse and suicide attempts. In fact, few risk factors did not increase, which calls into question how well-being should be approached in the first place.

We can break the whole problem down into a few critical issues, as follows:

• Well-being isn't the same as avoiding risks Standard prevention is based on reducing your risk of illness, which is medically reasonable. But the motivation behind risk prevention is fear of something going wrong, and fear is a bad motivator. When they forget to be fearful or grow tired of seeing life thorough anxious eyes, people stop complying with what they know is good for them.

•A piecemeal approach has practical drawbacks. There are so many parts to a wellness program that you could spend the whole day attending simply to diet and exercise for yourself and your family while attending to the demands of work and everyday duties. Millions of people race against the clock every day and are lucky if they can squeeze in time for yoga, meditation, relaxing, and finding a source of enjoyment that feels fulfilling.

• Confused priorities. Once wellness becomes complicated, it is hard to adopt the right prioritiesthere is too much to choose from. Between trying to do the right thing and backsliding, countless people turn to pharmaceutical drugs for sleeplessness, worry, and depression. Fast food chains continue to thrive, as do packaged and processed convenience foods at the supermarket.

This picture of a lifestyle rife with confusing and fragmentation can be turned around, beginning with a new starting point. If you see yourself first as infinite

consciousness expressing itself as a mind, body, and spirit, you are in a new position. You can base wellness on the totality of your awareness. From this starting point, practical benefits derive not by struggling to lead the “perfect” lifestyle but by discovering for yourself that consciousness can take care of you. Right now your mind is taking care of you, and mind isn't the same as consciousness. The mind is filled with activity while consciousness is unmoving and unchanging. The mind experiences good and bad ideas, emotions, memories, and desires. Consciousness simple is. The mind is personal, shaped to fit your story and no one else's. Consciousness is universal. It allows you to be free of our story and all the problems it has created, which include many kinds of limitations.

To get down to particulars, a wellness strategy based on the totality of consciousness puts its highest priority on being conscious. I've devoted a recently published book, Total Meditation, to this issue. The main thesis is that if a person is aligned with the infinite field of pure awareness, life will begin to display the most important values that have their origin in pure awareness, namely, love, compassion, beauty, creativity, intelligence, inner peace, and personal evolution. By putting these values first in your life, you will be coming closer to your source.

The secret of total well-being is to live as close to your source as possible. This represents a major change of direction in almost everyone's life. Constantly immersed in mental activity, a typical life attempts two impossible things, first, to create wholeness out of bits and pieces. The state of fragmentation and separation cannot be cobbled together into wholeness. Second, people attempt to find fulfillment by thinking and desiring. Thoughts and desires are constant companions. They come and go, having no stability in which you can place your trust.

You can, however, place your trust in consciousness. In everyone's life there are glimpses of consciousness

By Deepak Chopra MD

through the values just mentioned, beginning with love, compassion, and beauty. But a large quotient of our days are spent in unconscious living. We are bound up in habits, conditioning, fixed beliefs, selfdefeating attitudes, the practice of avoidance, delay, and denial, and the struggle to get ahead. Wellbeing consists of reversing the quotient so that your daily life is more conscious than unconscious. To achieve this reversal, it helps to set time aside for meditation, but that alone isn't sufficient. A hit-andmiss approach to meditation provides a small oasis of calm during the day, but that's not your real goal. Your real goal is to being present, aware, alert, and restful without stress. In that light, I am recommending something new, total meditation. Its basic principle is that the mind wants to be calm, centered, open, alert, present, and free of stress.

Therefore, your daily life should be focused on noticing whenever you are distracted, stressed, fatigued, worried, or in any way displaced from a sense of feeling centered and content. This new focus represents a big change, but there's an axiom to keep in mind: You cannot change what you aren't aware of.

Awareness brings you back to yourself with calm clarity. Being centered is possible at any moment. You simple sit by yourself quietly, close your eyes, and take a few long, deep slow breaths. Place your attention in the center of your chest and relax. Usually this centering exercise works in a few minutes.

Repetition is critical. You need to center yourself as soon as you notice that you have lapsed into unconsciousness. Each time you center yourself, you are calling upon pure awareness to rebalance the whole bodymind system. In essence you are reminding yourself, and all your cells, that you are first and foremost a conscious being. In time this will become your truth more and more. Total well-being is possible only through total awareness, yet every moment of waking up has its short-term benefit, too. That's the beauty and promise of wellness as a total project that anyone can undertake here and now.

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U.Well By Unvrsl To Launch SA’s First Futuristic Sensory Reality Wellness Pod

The world of sensory reality is here, and excitingly, the very first wellness sensory reality device has just arrived in South Africa.

“Sensory reality allows for a range of multi-sensory real-life and fantasy-based experiences to be replicated in superb detail, with the body's five senses activated simultaneously. Multi-sensory digitisation of experiences will help 'bridge the gap' between reality and simulation,” explains Fred Galstaun, Director of Sensiks, the developers of the range of Sensiks Sensory Reality Pods who are based in the Netherlands.

“The metaverse will change the way humans live, work, play, socialise, travel, heal, shop and entertain themselves. Developments in multisensory metaverse technology will also bring profound discoveries in the field of neuroscience, unlocking new exiting capabilities of the human brain.”

“What computer programming did for the digitisation of society and economy in recent decades, is what sensory reality will do for understanding and optimising the mental states of human beings” Galstaun says.

The U.WELL x Sensiks Express Wellness Pod provides

a safe space to calm down both mind and body, with soothing experiences that involve synchronised visuals, audio, fragrances, airflow, heat fluctuations, haptics, and vibrations. Over 2000 therapeutic multi-sensory reality experiences are available for relaxation, burnout prevention, anxiety reduction, mindfulness, guided meditation, pain relief, education, and entertainment. Customised content can also be created.

The emotional state of users can be assessed and directed via interactive biofeedback sensors that measure and align biometrics such as heart rate, HRV, GSR, respiration facial expressions and more.

Sensory reality pods - which are situated at prestigious addresses around the world, including Selfridges stores across the UK, and utilised by corporate clients including Barclays Bank, KLM and Lufthansa airlines, the Dutch Ministry of Defence, the NHS in the UK, and many others - have been shown to have a significant positive impact in the treatment of mental health disorders, stress reduction and burnout prevention, PTSD, addiction, anxiety, neo natal illnesses, muscular skeletal disorders and more.

The use of cognitive distraction as a pain and anxiety management strategy is well tested and proven. Being

immersed in the sensory reality provided by the pod offers distraction from physical and mental adversities. Sensory reality in the healthcare field is the futureand together with virtual and augmented reality, is set to become a part of our everyday lives.

The vanguard U.WELL x Sensiks Express Wellness Pod that has recently arrived in South Africa is now available to the public at a pop-up location in the V&A Waterfront until 31 May 2023 and will later be housed, alongside several larger sensory reality pods - the U.WELL x Sensiks Wellcare Pods - in a futuristic AI-enabled wellness facility that is opening its doors at the iconic V&A Waterfront. U.WELL will be the exclusive partner for pod experiences and distribution of the Sensiks pod range in South Africa.

UNVRSL are the pioneers and inventors of 'WellCare'that aims to implement disease modifying strategies through risk identification, early detection and interventions, and prevention of disease manifestation using various bio-psycho-social management strategies, thereby maintaining wellness.

“We are so excited to be launching this futuristic technology in South Africa” comments Chalandra Naidoo, CIO and Programme Officer for U.WELL.

Creativity Actually Improves Your Health

Do you find yourself craving a little creativity in your life? Turns out, tapping in to that creative energy can actually improve your overall health. It might sound too good to be true, but simply engaging in creative behaviors (even just coloring in those trendy adult coloring books) improves brain function, mental health, and physical health.

The theory of cognition postulates that being creative is actually a basis for human life. Basically, being creative is pretty important!

So how can playing music or doodling make you healthy? There are a few different ways. Let’s look at the various health benefits to creativity, and break it down from there.

1. Increases happiness.

You’ve probably heard of flow — it’s the state you get in when you’re completely absorbed in something. Have you ever been working on a project and completely lost all sense of self and time? That’s flow. It reduces anxiety, boosts your mood, and even slows your heart rate.

It’s not just being in flow that helps your happiness. Repetitive creative motions like knitting, drawing, or writing help activate flow, and are all tasks that create a result. And when you succeed at creating a result, no matter what it is, your brain is flooded with

dopamine, that feel-good chemical that actually helps motivate you. Whether or not you’re aware of your increased happiness, the hit of dopamine you get after being in flow will drive and influence you toward similar behavior.

2. Reduces Dementia

Creativity goes beyond just making you happy… It’s also an effective treatment for patients with dementia. Studies show that creative engagement not only reduces depression and isolation, but can also help people with dementia tap back in to their personalities and sharpen their senses.

3.Improves mental health

The average person has about 60,000 thoughts in a day. A creative act such as crafting can help focus the mind, and has even been compared to meditation due to its calming effects on the brain and body. Even just gardening or sewing releases dopamine, a natural anti-depressant.

Creativity reduces anxiety, depression, and stress… And it can also help you process trauma. Studies have found that writing helps people manage their negative emotions in a productive way, and painting or drawing helps people express trauma or experiences that they find too difficult to put in to words.

By Ashley Stahl

4. Boosts your immune system.

It’s time to start taking journaling seriously. Studies show people who write about their experiences daily actually have stronger immune system function. Although experts are still unsure how it works, writing increases your CD4+ lymphocyte count, the key to your immune system. Listening to music can also rejuvenate function in your immune system.

5. Makes you smarter.

Music lovers, this one’s for you. Studies show that people who play instruments have better connectivity between their left and right brains. The left brain is responsible for the motor functions, while the right brain focuses on melody. When the two hemispheres of your brain communicate with each other, your cognitive function improves.

It’s pretty amazing that doing the activities that make us feel good (see that dopamine rush) are genuinely good for us. Grab a pen and start writing, doodling, or coloring. Get your hands dirty with pottery or gardening. Listen to some music, or pick up an instrument. Whatever you decide to do, it’s time to start getting creative!

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The Gift of Resilience

As they carve out their own spiritual path, people seek to find love, compassion, and grace—these are among the spiritual attainments that have been valued for centuries. But human nature doesn’t distinguish between spirituality and psychology. Both are rooted in consciousness, where all experience occurs.

It might never occur to you, for example, that resilience is a spiritual quality. Resilience is the same as being flexible; it is the opposite of being rigid or stuck. In Buddhism resilience is defined by a simple image: in a storm, the grass bends with the wind while the mighty tree is blown over.

Translate this image into human terms, and a whole list of opposites defines what it feels like to be resilient versus what it feels like to be rigid and stuck. At this moment, if you have inner resilience, you will experience: Openness, Acceptance, Empathy for others, Lack of resistance, Self-reliance, Absence of fear and Present-moment awareness.

On the other hand, if you are rigid or stuck, you will experience: Closed mind, Insecurity, The burden of the past, Resistance, Separation from other people, Isolation, Tension and fear.

These two lists present a stark contrast, which plays out in everyone’s life. Psychology long ago showed that the Buddhist axiom is right. People who display resilience have the same challenges in their lives that happen to everyone. The difference is that they bounce back instead of being marked by a lasting wound or trauma. The more resilient you are, the better your life will turn out compared to someone who carries around the burden of the past.

But why is resilience a spiritual quality? The answer lies in the Sanskrit word Samskara. Samskara is a mark left by karma, and everyone carries around such marks (they even have a genetic equivalent in markers that experience leaves in the epigene, the surrounding sheath of proteins around your DNA). The obstacles we face on the spiritual path are the result of the samskaras that block the way or pull us backward.

It isn’t necessary to know about the existence of samskaras. Experience tells the whole story. Everything on the list that describes stuckness is the creation of

your samskaras. Although they are invisible, these marks from the past give rise to habits, stuck patterns of behavior, predispositions—in other words, all the things that turn a infant into an individual ego.

If you had to fight against your samskaras, you would find yourself in a continuous loop, because the very struggle you are mounting leaves new marks and new samskaras. This is ultimately why the spiritual path isn’t a path of self-improvement. The ego that fights to get better may win some struggles, but it will still be trapped in the invisible machinery of samskara.

The way out is to go beyond the struggle. In Vedanta the level of pure awareness that exists in everyone is untouched by samskara. Love, intelligence, compassion, creativity, bliss, and the potential for inner growth are part of your design. No one had to invent them. All that was necessary was to go beyond the ego and its struggles in the field of karma. In fact, you go beyond every time you experience, even for a moment, the higher values we label as spiritual. They are actually woven into the fabric of everyday life. Without them, existence would be meaningless.

Which is the same as saying that the human design gives everyone a purpose. Once you realize this fact, the ups and downs of everyday life aren’t so important. Samskaras come and go. The more lasting ones take their time going; the shallow ones move quickly. Samskara isn’t good or bad. If you were born with great musical or mathematical talent, you can thank your samskaras. If you were born with a short temper, you won’t thank your samskaras.

What it all comes down to is this: Samskaras are record keepers. They give you your present and future reality by keeping track of your past reality. This is absolutely necessary in everyday life. Thanks to samskara, you learned how to read as a child, and you still know how to read. You didn’t have to relearn the same skill over and over.

Now that the picture is clear, we can turn to resilience. You and everyone else alive, are caught between two forces. One force pulls you back into the past, which is samskara. The other force pulls you toward unknown possibilities, which is evolution. You stand at the junction of these two forces. If your life is

By Deepak Chopra MD

dominated by stuckness, you are basically a robot of the past; the machinery of samskara will be in charge.

On the other hand, if you are resilient, you consciously turn away from the pull of the past in order to embrace the infinite potential that lies within, waiting to unfold. Look again at the qualities of resilience, and you will see the choices that encourage evolution and higher consciousness. They describe an overall attitude toward life. It is the attitude of creative evolution.

It is much easier to evolve than to be stuck. This is a secret the vast majority of people don’t appreciate. It might seem on the surface that being stuck involves no effort—you just give in to inertia, routine, habits, and the “same old, same old” way of life. But you can see how self-defeating that is, and with self-defeat comes a host of problems, beginning with failure at work to failed relationships. Struggling against these problems makes stuckness a constant drain of time, energy, and resources.

Resilience is the opposite: it increase your energy; it brings the unfolding of inner potential; the future becomes brighter than the past because the future is the realm of evolution. Resilience is yours to embrace, first by having a vision of what it really means. Second, you make conscious choices to reject any sign of stuckness. Third, you cultivate a simple, open state of awareness. Meditation is a great aid here, but you can also learn to center yourself and return to simple awareness as soon as you experience stress and distraction.

One step leads to the next, so we are talking about a process that unfolds according to your conscious intentions. Change is inevitable. The direction of change is up to you. Resilience is the attitude of making every change positive, life-enhancing, and evolutionary, no matter what happens to befall you in life’s ups and downs.

About Deepak Chopra™MD, FACP, founder ofThe Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, andChopra Global, a whole health company at the intersection of science and spirituality, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation.

2023 Business Thrive Guide –Your Amplification Blueprint!

This year will go down as the year you brought your A-GAME! Get ready because it sure will be a special one – and you’re about to receive the perfect roadmap to catapult your business success! I’m giving you more than just a 'Business Thrive Guide', we're talking about an AMPLIFICATION Blueprint here: 10 expert steps that will skyrocket your earning potential and take you far beyond what you forecasted. Double or Triple (even more!)?

My ten AMPLIFICATION steps are:

Step 1 – Mindset Check

Step 2 – Plan for ABUNDANCE

Step 3 - KPI meetings NO MATTER WHAT!

Step 4 – Google Reviews

Step 5 – Rebook Rebook Rebook

Step 6 – Personal Connections

Step 7 – Staff “purpose” plans

Step 8 – Align with Trends (QUICKLY)

Step 9 – B2B collabs

Step 10 – MAKE TIME TO LEARN/GROW

Let’s look into each step in a little more detail.

1. Mindset Check

Before you can make a major jump in your revenue, it's essential to look inward and ensure that what lies within matches the ambition of where you want to go. Having an abundance mindset means recognizing all the possibilities ahead—and believing they are achievable. Let’s dive into creating this mental landscape for success!

How Can You Develop an Abundance Mindset?

The first step towards developing an abundance mindset is understanding how our thoughts impact our actions and results. Once we understand this connection, we can begin to make conscious choices about which thoughts we focus on. We should make sure these thoughts are positive ones that will lead us towards our goals rather than distract us from them.

Another way to develop an abundance mindset is by taking time each day to focus on gratitude for what we already have instead of worrying about what we don't have yet or focusing on lack or scarcity. Taking time each day to be thankful for what we have achieved so far helps us stay motivated while also allowing us to recognize how far we have come since beginning this journey. Finally, surrounding ourselves with people who share similar values as ours can help keep us accountable while also providing muchneeded support during challenging times.

2. Plan for ABUNDANCE

No matter how many times we've heard it, planning is a critical part of success and when you fail to plan, well…you plan to fail! Spend some quality time crafting your plan - make sure the goals and targets are ambitious yet achievable! Let loose with creativity during this phase- think outside the box and take risks that will help you reach those double and triple revenue dreams! Abundance awaits when intention meets action so, let's get to work! Once you have

your overall target in mind, divide it into revenue centers such as therapists, vouchers, bookings etc. Remember to plan your annual target first and then break that down monthly as well. Then, let those inspiring juices flow and dream up creative ways of reaching each goal!

3. KPI meetings, no matter what!

We've all been there - too busy, overwhelmed and missing out on the important meetings. But what a spa manager I work with recently experienced proves that KPI meetings are highly impactful. After noticing her team's retail ratio to service plummet to below 10% (her usual standard is 25%), she took control by holding an immediate KPI meeting which led to improved morale and it immediately demonstrated discipline in the workforce! She now makes it clear: no matter how swamped things get, “I will never miss a KPI meeting with my team again” – wise words! This is one management tool you simply CANNOT skip, not even one month. It as your monthly business health check-up, and without it disease will spread!

4. Google Reviews

Making Google Reviews your top priority is a nobrainer - it's free advertising that takes minimal effort!

To maximize the benefit, make sure you're making reviews easy for clients by providing them with a QR code that links directly to where they can leave their review. Another consideration for success is to incentivize staff members each week so everyone remains focused on obtaining those valuable ratings! You could provide a weekly prize for the staff member who was mentioned most often in reviews that week. These reviews are often consumers' first point of research when looking into your business, so take extra care to ensure they have an enjoyable experience.

5. Rebook Rebook Rebook

Rebooking can be the key to unlocking success for any spa! One of our members, Joanne, understood this when she was able to get her spa fully booked in January. She credited it to establishing a habit of rebooking every single client with each therapist as well as her receptionist. A happy knock-on benefit is building client loyalty as well as client habits along the way since they get used to the well-organized system and will not leave without ensuring their next appointment is secured. It's an easy solution that helps keep your revenue growth consistent as well as turnover guaranteed and predictable -- allowing you to plan ahead confidently towards hitting your big goals with additional activities that will support your fully booked spa!

6. Personal Connections

Developing personal connections with all your business contacts has the potential to double your income! When you make meaningful, heartfelt connections with clients it ensures their loyalty and increases how much they are willing to spend. Have you ever been so loyal to a doctor or dentist that no matter where life takes you – even if an appointment falls on the same day as one for another provider –you’re always going back? That level of trust is exactly what we want our customers feeling about us; because when

By Marisa Dimitriadis - The Spa Consultants

those relationships become rooted in personalized care, everyone wins. Furthermore, the success of your business relies on your team and brand partners and is often dependent on the strength of personal connections you foster with them. Spend time understanding their needs, dislikes, loves etc. Responding thoughtfully can lead to meaningful relationships that will go beyond just business partnerships; these are people who have a vested interest in helping you succeed!

7. Staff “purpose” plans

Your staff are your greatest asset. Unlocking their potential and helping them achieve greatness starts with understanding and developing individual “PURPOSE PLANS” or better known as personal development plans. These plans must recognize the unique set of skills they each bring to the team. By working together, you can create achievable goals for personal progress - allowing every team member to manifest their true ambitions in a safe environment. Achieving this takes ongoing commitment; regular monthly check-ins will ensure everyone is on track towards achieving success. You will find you are surrounded by much more loyal team members who share a vested interest in your business success since you are interested in their success!

8. Align with Trends

Keep up with the times! When you shift your business to match what consumers are looking for, it can have a huge impact on revenue. More importantly, the speed at which you align your business to the trends in the marketplace is the speed at which it will make a difference to your revenue. That's why our next coaching session is dedicated to uncovering trends and providing tangible strategies on how to best take advantage of them - before someone else does.

9. B2B collabs

While local business collaborations are the key to unlocking new opportunities and indeed additional revenue streams, have you considered whether a collaboration is working both ways? A 'one-sided' partnership won't work in your favor; make sure that your collaborations bring benefits for everyone involved. Let's look at an example: teaming up with a dietician and offering customized meal plans related to hormonal health can be great - but what do you get out of it? Make sure every connection yields mutual success!

10.

MAKE TIME to learn & grow

As the saying goes, if you build it, they will come. And when it comes to meeting your revenue targets that statement couldn't be truer! Investing in yourself through learning and personal growth is a sure-fire way of creating a strong foundation for success - so don’t forget to make time for self-improvement on this journey towards reaching those ambitious goals! The more you invest in personal growth, the better the outcome!

With these 10 steps, spa owners can maximize their chances of AMPLIFYING their revenues during 2023! So why wait? Get started now & start AMPLIFYING today!

Cellular Repair: How Does it Work?

Most of our day-to-day lives feel pretty autonomous, but there’s much more going on in various parts of your body that allow us to function that way. If it weren’t for the process of cellular repair, our bodies simply wouldn’t be able to make it through the day or function at all. All the different internal and external elements that affect our cells need to be repaired and regenerated every day.

Cell biology is extremely complex, and we’re still learning more about it as time goes on, but it’s understood that cellular repair is essential for our body’s health and functionality inside and out. This article will focus on how cellular repair works and why it’s necessary for our overall survival.

How Does Cell Damage Occur?

Each person may experience cell damage to varying degrees based on many environmental factors. When our DNA is attacked, our cells quickly work on repairing the damage that’s been done. This process occurs daily, and although you may not be able to feel the difference, you can thank your cells for keeping you up and running for the day ahead. When cell damage occurs, cells will stop their duplication and division process from focusing on repairing the damage. Once this is complete, the cells return to their normal cell cycle.

They rarely get a break, but they’re built for the job. Although cells might display a surprising determination, they still have their own needs to ensure they can do their job. For the most part, the body generates what it needs to keep your cellular health in check, but this can be more challenging for the body as we age.

For cellular repair to work how it’s supposed to, it needs the help of a vital coenzyme called NAD+. This molecule is created with the help of precursors such as NMN, but unfortunately, NAD+ levels in our body drop as we age, making cellular repair increasingly difficult. This is one reason older people have a harder time healing from injuries in some circumstances. Generating cellular energy requires NAD+ as it helps to activate sirtuins which aid cellular health regulation throughout the body.

Although age is a significant factor in our NAD+ levels, other factors such as a lack of exercise, minimal sleep, and poor nutrition can also lower the amount of NAD+ in the body.

Cell damage isn’t something that can be avoided, but you can aid your body in promoting the cellular repair process to ensure you remain as healthy as possible. It’s also important to understand that not every cell in the body operates the same way, as some simply work on repair, while others can create entirely brand new cells to compensate for the cellular damage. Even though our cells are hard at work, they need time to repair and regenerate, which means it’s far from an instant process. Many lifestyle choices can support cellular repair, with sleep and a healthy diet being some of the best known. Considering how important NAD+ is to the process of cellular repair, it’s in anyone’s best interest to make sure their NAD+ levels stay healthy.

Support Cellular Repair with NAD+

Healthy eating, exercise, and rest are important for our health, but if we aren’t focusing on our health at a cellular level, then there’s a lot we’ll miss along the way. Dropping NAD+ levels in the body may be a natural process, but you don’t have to accept it as your fate for the rest of your life. High NAD+ levels support cellular repair with excellent efficiency, and you can increase the amount of NAD+ in the body with exercise, intermittent fasting, and sauna – and with the help of supplements. There are multiple ways you can approach this supplementation, but your best bet is to choose NMN supplements, as it’s the best precursor for creating NAD+. With a consistent regimen of NMN supplementation, you can guarantee that your NAD+ levels are maintained throughout your body as you age. This will ensure that your body’s ability to handle cellular repair and regeneration stays relatively consistent for as long as possible.

Even with everything we know about our cells, scientists, medical professionals, and researchers continue to learn something new about how they operate. It’s understood that without healthy cells, everything else about our body will start to suffer,

By Dawn Brighid & Dr Frank Lipman

and it doesn’t take long to notice in severe circumstances.

We Need Cellular Repair to Heal

Cellular repair is needed to get us back to normal, from minor cuts to more serious physical injuries or ailments. Most people don’t consider this when it comes to healing, as many of us quickly rely on various medications for recovery. In reality, it’s our cells that are carrying the weight of the work. Our cells also work hand in hand with many other processes within the body to achieve the outcome it’s looking for. We need our cells to ward off infections, fight inflammation, regenerate capillaries, and many other functionalities within the body.

You simply can’t take your cellular health for granted because it plays a major role in every aspect of your body’s health and functionality. Many people spend their entire lives without understanding how their cellular health works, leading to health complications that could have otherwise been avoided for many more years.

NAD+ supplementation is starting to receive an increasing amount of research due to its promising results across many aspects of our health, especially at a cellular level. No matter what efforts you take toward bettering your health, your cellular health will dictate how your body heals, functions, and rests at a fundamental level. Maintaining cellular health is no easy task. A simple lack of essential vitamins and minerals, poor blood flow, and low platelet levels can affect how your body handles cellular repair.

Each person’s cellular health will vary depending on environmental factors and personal life choices. Some people may be better off than others, but all of us can expect our NAD+ levels to drop over time regardless of how healthy we are. Using NAD+ supplements and improving lifestyle choices for your health will give you the best chance at long-term vitality so you can enjoy life instead of dreading the day ahead.

innovation

Biodermal Skin Tech LucentBright Complexion Capsules

Hyperpigmentation affects approximately 5 million people in the United States alone with a prevalence rate up to 40% in certain populations.

Chronic exposure to sunlight results in photoaging of the skin. Photoaging is clinically manifested as multiple adverse effects such as wrinkling, inelasticity and hyperpigmentation.

Hyperpigmentation is believed to result from changes in the melanocytes present in epidermal cells. Melanocytes, which are located at the base of the epidermis, lose their normal regulation process with aging and produce excess pigment. This excess production leads to the formation of dense perinuclear clumps of melanin in keratinocytes within the epidermis, resulting in areas of hyperpigmentation or "age spots".

Conditions which result in defective or missing tyrosinase, an enzyme involved in the formation of melanin, lead to a loss of pigmentation. Tyrosinase is present within the melanosomes in epidermal melanocytes and catalyzes the committed step in the formation of melanin from tyrosine. Binding of an inhibitor to the active site of tyrosinase results in decreased melanin formation.

BRIGHT COMPLEXION CAPSULES - LUCENT is formulated with a powerful combination of vitamins, minerals, amino acid and antioxidants to promote an even skin tone, as well as a glowing complexion. L-Glutathione, the key ingredient in our formulation reduces oxidative stress in the body to improve overall complexion, boosts collagen, resulting in lighter, brighter skin tone and reduces dark spots. Enriched with powerful antioxidants, N-AectylLCystiene (NAC), L-Ascorbic Acid and Alpha Lipoic

Acid (ALA) to improve the efficacy of Glutathione, as well as Zinc which helps protect cells in the body from damage caused by free radicals.

LUCENT's combination ingredients does not only promote an even skin tone but also fades age spots, melasma, hyper-pigmentation and reduces the appearance of fine lines. The combination of two powerful plant-based carotenoids, Lutein and Zeaxanthin (L/Z) filters high-energy blue light, protects against photoinduced oxidative damage and ultraviolet light (UVA & UVB).

Carotenoids, Lutein and Zeaxanthin filter blue light and protect skin from environmental factors including high-energy sources. These two powerful carotenoids may be able to block the formation of melanin pathways, decrease cytokines, and increase antioxidants.

Inhouse studies have shown the positive effect of LUCENT on reducing hyperpigmentation by inhibiting melanocyte stimulating factors and protects from harmful blue light damage. Melanocytes are cells responsible for production of dark pigment, melanin. Higher levels of melanin lead to darkening of skin, pigmentation and uneven skin tone.

Key Active Ingredients:

L-Glutathione - Aids in skin whitening by reducing the activity of Tyrosinase, (melanin bio synthesis) resulting in skin lightening. L-Glutathione not only whitens, but keeps skin looking young

N-Acetyl L Cysteine (NAC) - is a basic building block of the antioxidant glutathione. N Acetyl Cysteine may reduce the appearance of blemishes,

age spots and even wrinkles. A great benefit to fight signs of ageing and to give skin a natural glow.

L-Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) - A natural antioxidant aiding in the absorption of Glutathione, reduces melanin formation and provides a skin whitening effect. It assists in slowing down hyperactive melanocytes and thus resulting in lighter skin.

Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) - ("The Universal Antioxidant") - Alpha Lipoic Acid is soluble both in water and in fat which is 400 times stronger than Vitamins E and C combined. It lightens/brightens skin tones, reduces fine lines and promotes a beautiful complexion.

Zinc - Zinc has anti-inflammatory properties and reduces hyper-pigmentation, by suppressing Melanocyte stimulating factors.

Lutein - Lutein, an antioxidant extracted from Marigold, protects against harmful UV rays and blue light, as well as environmental factors including high-energy sources. It also increases skin hydration and elasticity of skin.

Zeaxanthin - Zeaxanthin filters blue light and blocks the formation of melanin pathways, decrease cytokines and increase antioxidants.

Biodermal Skin Tech believes healthy skin is achieved by supporting barrier function, calming inflammation, restoring hydration at a cellular level and targeting treatable skin conditions. Each product is expertly designed to perform to these requirements, while creating a pleasurable user experience.

longevity

Staying Curious Keeps Me Going

A friend asked “What are your plans for this coming month?” I explained that I no longer make plans. When I was younger and I needed to make sense of the big world, I carefully made and executed plans. This was my way of announcing to the world, “I am here. I’m no longer a kid. I can take care of myself.”

It was also a factor of my economic condition. I needed to acquire and provide the basics for myself. I needed to be self sufficient, to not want and to not lack. I needed to be safe and have a sense of security. Planning meant that I understood what was important in life. I knew how to strategize, to execute, to make a task list, to take decisions, to choose wisely, to prioritize, to sacrifice, to delay gratification, to stick to a plan, to assess risks and to be smart enough to have a Plan B.

Back then, I needed to control everything around me and be more than I was. I had to be the smartest, the most prepared and I needed to win.

Over the years, as life unfolded, I have accepted that I am not here to make sense of the world, but to experience it. I have seen how “controlling” the world keeps me marching along a path, without ever stopping to notice the glory that exists on either side of the path.

I know that my notion of control is a false belief that keeps me in a small box, mitigating risk and protecting myself. It manifests itself in the rules, the must-haves and in the judgements.

In the past, I was limited by what I know, by what I learnt, by my fears of not having enough, by my concerns of failure and by the sum total of my experiences. I dreamt in uni-color of what I had predetermined, so my imagination could not take flight. Consequently, my plans were myopic, mundane, uncreative and limited.

Now that I don’t plan I see beyond the immediate and obvious and am free to enter the realm of the impossible.The things that I want, are so important to me that I refuse to plan for them. Planning is an old and obsolete tool, that no longer serves me. It is limiting, for me.

I want what I want on a grander scale than I can imagine. I want to open my desires to the wonder of the improbable and impossible. I want to embrace them with fascination when they emerge and remain curious about how they will appear.

I don’t know what I don’t know. I am a human being and limited in my thoughts. I focus on what I want, surrender my desires to a higher power and wait for the magic of the universe to serve them up on a platter of its choice.

How To Sleep Better: 18 Healthy Habits To Start Now

By Lisa Joyner and Sarah Barratt

Are you wondering how to sleep better in 2023? Sleep and mental health go hand-in-hand, which is why good sleep (and early nights) are essential for helping your body and brain function properly.

"It's the start of a new year and while some resolutions are best left in January, others can reap lifelong benefits," Alison Jones, Sleep Expert at Sealy, says. "Making a resolution to improve your sleep in 2023 could have a multitude of benefits, including improved mood and better mental and physical health."

Whether you're unable to unwind, worried about work, or stirred by stress, here are our top tips to help you sleep easy from now on...

1. Reset your routine

If you want to be a better sleeper, reset your routine. According to The Sleep Council, 51% of adults struggle to dose off and over a third of us scrape by on five to six hours sleep a night. This is two to three hours less than the recommended seven to eight hours we should be getting.

"While you might be tempted to catch-up on lost sleep from the week, this can play havoc with your body's circadian rhythm – the internal 'clock' which controls your energy levels," Alison adds. "A regular bedtime, will signal to your body that it's time to feel tired, meaning you'll be more likely to drop off to sleep no matter the day of the week."

2. Keep a sleep journal

A sleep diary or sleep journal is an easy tool to help you learn how much and how well you sleep. Grab a pen and paper and start tracking what might be getting in the way of your well-rested night.

"Make a note of everything from your sleep times and what wakes you up during the night, to the food you've eaten, your amount of screen time, and your day's activity," explains Alison. "After keeping a record of your sleep for a month, you'll be able to see any trends on things during the day that are impacting you at night."

3. Reduce your light pollution

Light exposure at night can hinder transitions between sleep cycles, reducing the quality of sleep. Switching off unnecessary lights at home, keeping lights dimmed before bedtime, and limiting the amount of blue light you're exposed to from screens will help you sleep soundly. Artificial light can wreak havoc on the body, so try to stick to this habit in 2023.

"Light is one of the key influencing factors in your natural body clock, which is why it's important to limit the amount of light you're exposed to in the run up to bedtime," says Alison.

"Melatonin, the hormone responsible for controlling our body clock, is produced in the brain at night, meaning exposure to light before bed can have a negative impact on our sleep by suppressing its production and preventing us from feeling tired."

4. Don't eat a big meal within two hours of going to bed

If our body and stomach are awake, trying to digest our evening meal, our minds will not fully shut down either. It's important to let food digest for at least two hours before going to bed, so try and eat dinner as early as you can.

5. Establish a calming nightly routine

It may seem obvious, but the key to combating troubled sleeping is to reduce anxiety. Of course, this is easier said than done. Ronan de Burca of Sleep Bristol, advises that you "find something which calms you down and do it a lot. If you do it every night, this new routine becomes an association, and new positive habit." This could be anything from a relaxing meditation video, a hot bath or a good book – so long as you find it calming.

6. Put down the phone

The blue light omitted from our devices is said to inhibit the release of melatonin (a sleep-inducing hormone). So, step away from the iPad. The hour before bed should be completely restful – and staring at bright screens is not.

7. Exercise

When you don't even have the time to squeeze in a full eight hours, exercise can be tricky to prioritise, but if you do try to do some form of physical activity during the day (aim for at least 30 minutes), you're likely to find you're able to drop off more easily.

8. … But don't exercise too late in the day While exercise is important, it's also worth noting that, if you leave it too late in the day, you might compromise your night's sleep. Physical activity increases our heart rate and raises our blood pressure to such an extent that it has the same kind of impact as a shot of espresso. For the best quality sleep, try exercising in the morning.

"Make sure that you exercise during the daytime and not too close to bedtime, as exercise in the evening can sometimes be disruptive to sleep, due to the release of endorphins and adrenaline," Dr Lindsay Browning, psychologist, neuroscientist and sleep expert at And So To Bed, advises.

9. And relax, properly

We live such hectic lives, that we never really switch off from them. Even when watching the television, we'll often be simultaneously scrolling through our phones or shopping on our iPads – so the mind never really switches off. Put down the phone and do something genuinely relaxing like reading a book, having a bath or listening to soothing classical music.

10. Create a soothing atmosphere

Many of us work, eat, socialise and watch television in our bedrooms, but for optimum sleep quality, it's important to associate your room with rest. Try to do work elsewhere and eat in the kitchen, then when bedtime comes, you'll associate your bed with being a restful place.

11. Know how to manage your stress

"Generally, while people are aware of stress, they are not aware of how to deal with it," says Ronan. Watching television shows on repeat or scanning the internet late at night won't help improve your stress levels. If listening to soothing music de-stresses you, do that. Or perhaps going for an afternoon run will banish the worries from your weary mind? It's about taking control of your own state of mind and training yourself to switch off.

12. Declutter your bedroom

A cluttered room equates to a cluttered mind – and cluttered minds cause troubled sleepers. So, here's

another reason to keep your bedroom tidy – you'll sleep easier if you do.

"While a comfy and supportive mattress is crucial to helping you rest, the environment in which you sleep also plays a huge part in the quality of your slumber," explains Alison. "In fact, studies have shown that those who have a messy and cluttered bedroom have a worse night's sleep due to increased stress levels - compared to those that keep their bedrooms clean and tidy.

"Make sure to have a clear out and tidy to create the perfect sleep oasis that will leave you feeling calm and relaxed, rather than stressed out."

13. Got milk? Drink it

Calcium helps the brain to use tryptophan – this is an amino acid, which makes melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that helps us sleep. To cut a long story short, milk contains a lot of calcium, so drink up!

14. But don't drink alcohol before bed

Ever grown sleepy after a few glasses of merlot, only to wake up a few hours later? Well, that's because alcohol acts as a sedative, which the body rapidly absorbs. When absorbed, the body craves more and wakes up. Alcohol is also a diuretic (meaning it makes you need the loo) – so night time trips to the bathroom become more frequent the more you drink.

15. Get your temperature right

Too cold and you could have nightmares, too hot and you'll be restless. -18C is the optimum sleeping temperature according to Oxford University. You could also make time for a hot bath before bed. Dr Lindsay adds: "Having a relaxing warm bath before bed will not only help you to wind down after a busy day, but also the temperature of the bath will help you sleep. When you go to sleep, your body temperature naturally decreases.

16. Wake up the same time every day

Yes that's right, even at the weekend. According to scientists, 70 to 80% of us could banish our sleeping issues by spending less time in bed, not more. Waking up at different times each day confuses your biological clock. Rising at the same time each day will help you fall asleep easier and wake up more alert.

17. Get outside in the morning

Through exposing ourselves to natural light first thing in the morning, our body's sleep/wake cycle is regulated, this in turn helps us sleep better. In fact, according to previous research, spending an hour in the morning sun enhances sleep quality. When we expose ourselves to morning sunlight, our bodies become better at increasing or decreasing melatonin levels.

18. Go to bed at a sensible time

"The reason you might feel more refreshed if you go to bed early is because you are likely to get more sleep overall," Dr Lindsay says.

"It's much easier to go to bed earlier than it is to sleep in in the morning because you probably have responsibilities like a job and children that will keep you from getting extra sleep in the morning, at the end of your sleep-time."

The joyconomy: Joy and play are setting the tone for 2023

Consumers are gravitating towards positive feeds and social circles, showing resilience, innovation, and joy in the face of continued hardship. A joyconomy is in motion this year, with brands offering bold color pallets, positive channels for connectivity, uninhibited play for all ages, and exercise classes that elevate moods and heart rates in one celebratory leap.

Elevated Expressionism

The Pantone Color Institute is projecting a year of boldness and joy. The Pantone Color of the Year 2023, Viva Magenta, is a bold, energetic hue that the company describes as “an unconventional shade for an unconventional time.” Against the current global climate of looming recessions, environmental uncertainty, and surging inflation rates, the color encourages brightness and hope by channeling inner strength. “It’s brave, it’s fearless, it depicts optimism and joy,” says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “It is a color that is audacious, full of wit and inclusive for all.”

American paint manufacturer Benjamin Moore echoes a similar sentiment with its Raspberry Blush Color of the Year 2023. “As much as we love the muted softer colors, we felt ready to do something a little bolder,” Andrea Magno, director of color marketing and development at Benjamin Moore, told Architectural Digest. “It has a very happy quality to it,” Magno says. “I think we need some happy.” Feel-good feeds

App designers are formulating new platforms to foster positivity. The number one free download in

the app store for several weeks in 2022, Gas is the ultimate compliment app. Users are asked multiplechoice questions that are positive and oriented to compliment their classmates and peers. Aimed at teens, the app requires users to designate their school and distributes compliments across its platform while motivating users to continue to compliment others, fostering a positive and cooperative app environment.

“We see social media getting smaller, more intimate. People are moving towards these networks with likeminded shared interests, backgrounds, or identity,” Christopher Gulczynski, cofounder and CEO of Niche, tells Wunderman Thompson Intelligence. The future of social media, according to Niche cofounder and CTO Zaven Nahapetyan, is a place where “people have options, control, and power in their social interactions online the way they do in person. People don’t see the stuff they don’t want to see; they’re able to connect to people that help them with what they enjoy spending time with.”

Ageless Play

Brands are encouraging playfulness and joy for consumers of all ages. McDonald’s introduced Happy Meals for adults in October 2022, serving up a toy with popular menu items. “Everyone remembers their first Happy Meal as a kid ... and the can’t-sit-still feeling as you dug in to see what was inside,” the company says. “And now, we’re reimagining that experience in a whole new way— this time, for adults.”

Canadian cannabis company Houseplant released

By Global Wellness Summit

new packaging in April 2022 that takes inspiration from Lego blocks. The colorful boxes, made for building and connecting as the popular toys are, inject a dose of playfulness into its product experience. “We wanted to leverage Houseplant’s playful identity and design into something that could be collected and reused over time,” Javier Arizu, cofounder of Pràctica design studio, a collaborator on the redesign, told Dezeen.

Joy Workouts

Consumers are embracing physical activity for more than the physical workout. Psychologist Kelly McGonial unpacked what she calls the “joy workout” for the New York Times: a series of exercises made up of different exercises intentionally selected to make people happy. “The Joy Workout is just one way to lift your spirits through movement,” she wrote, indicative of a new wave of intention to move for happiness, rather than fitness.

Fitness tracking brand Fitbit is now monitoring stress through its wearables, pivoting each wearer’s attention to their mental health. The Sense 2, released in August, includes a new “Body Response” tracker that monitors heartbeat, skin temperature, and sweat levels throughout the day. When a shift in these temperature norms occurs, the Sense 2 flashes a notification on its screen to check in with the wearer, prompting them to reflect on their mindset and situation.

Brands are meeting consumers with uplift and positivity this year, prioritizing joy, community, and jubilance within their social spaces.

What the Longest-Lived People Can Teach Us with Dan Buettner

By Global Wellness Summit

Have you ever wondered what the secret to a long and healthy life is? Could it be the food we eat? Studying the areas of the world where people live exceptionally long lives, known as the Blue Zones, Dan Buettner may have found the answer.

Dan Buettner is a National Geographic Fellow and best-selling author who recently gave a keynote at the Global Wellness Summit in Tel Aviv in Tel Aviv, Israel. Dan has dedicated his life to understanding the world’s healthiest cultures. He famously identified five regions, which he has dubbed the Blue Zones, where people live the longest and healthiest lives.

In addition to his books, Blue Zones: 9 Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest, Blue Zones Solution, and Blue Zones of Happiness, Dan’s newest book Blue Zone American Kitchen: 100 Recipes to Live to 100 was released on December 6th, 2022. In it, he shares recipes from the Blue Zones, focusing on plant-based dishes that are both inexpensive and easy to make while passing the American-palate taste test.

Food plays a critical role in longevity. Much of the life expectancy lost in the average American is due to eating processed, meaty, and cheesy foods — the kinds of foods you don’t typically see in Blue Zones.

So how can we take this knowledge into our own kitchen? One quick fix Dan suggests is substituting beans for more unhealthy sources of protein and adding spices and herbs to make vegetables more palatable. Or look at some of the incredible recipes in Blue Zone American Kitchen and you’ll wonder why you ever thought healthy food was unappetizing in the first place.

The secrets of longevity that we can learn from Blue Zones extend far beyond food. Dan speaks of a concept known as the “grandmother effect” to live a longer and better life. This effect is seen not only in human populations but also in animal populations, where a grandparent remains in the immediate ‘pod’. Studies have shown that children who live in a home with a grandparent have lower rates of disease and mortality and can sometimes do better in school. It is a common practice in Blue Zones to keep aging parents in the home, rather than putting them in a retirement

home. The wisdom and knowledge of grandparents can be very beneficial to the family and have been linked to a longer life expectancy in children. Harnessing their resilience and childcare benefits, as well as keeping the food traditions alive, grandparents can truly have a positive effect on the family and the generations to come.

Another key to a long and healthy life beyond food is the importance of friendship in the workplace. According to recent research, having a best friend at work was the biggest determinant of whether or not someone enjoyed their job and was productive.

This is why Blue Zone workplaces encourage employees to form non-commercial connections with each other, such as sponsor lunches, happy hours, and even walks. It is important to remember that friends can have a powerful influence on our lives and habits and that it is beneficial to have a variety of friends in our social circle. Having a vegetarian or vegan friend can also teach us how to make delicious plant-based food, which can help us lead a healthier lifestyle. All of this underscores the importance of forming meaningful relationships with the people around us and the positive impact they can have on our lives.

It’s no secret that being unhealthy can lead to a variety of diseases and illnesses, including dementia. Recent research has revealed a shocking statistic – since 1970, the rate of obesity in America has increased from 15% to 43%, while the dementia rate for older people has gone from 10% to 50%. This means that if you are 85 years old, there is a 50% chance that you are either suffering from dementia or on the road to developing it. The statistics are particularly dire for women, as the rate of dementia is higher than it is for men.

However, this doesn’t mean that dementia is inevitable. In fact, studies of the Blue Zones of the world suggest that dementia is, in large part, avoidable. In a study of 10,000 people in Ikaria, Greece, only three mild cases of dementia were discovered – a rate that is one-tenth of what is seen in the United States. This suggests that living a healthier lifestyle, as is often seen in Blue Zones, can significantly reduce one’s risk of developing dementia. We need to wake up to the fact that

we have to do more than just search for a cure – we have to do what we can to prevent it in the first place.

Our conversation with Dan also highlights how Dan’s team works with cities to change their policies and environments to favor healthy choices. From reducing junk food advertising to offering certification to restaurants, grocery stores, workplaces, schools, and churches, Blue Zones Community Well-Being encourages healthier behavior and lifestyles that lead to better health outcomes. What’s even more impressive is that Blue Zones Community Well-Being is only paid when they lower the BMI or the obesity rate of the entire city, which is a testament to their success.

Blue Zones is about taking ancient wisdom and putting it to work in the modern world. We have clear evidence of what works in these places, so it’s time we put that knowledge to use in our own backyard.

To learn more, visit Dan Buettner’s site at DanBuettner.com.

Your Hormones Want to Help You Thrive

By Annie Tomlin

If you haven’t heard, Alisa Vitti — she is the pioneer of female biohacking, Johns Hopkins alum, women’s hormone health expert and founder of the periodpositive platform FLO Living. Just launched her latest book, In the FLO. It’s full of radical, groundbreaking information meant to help women understand and reconnect with their unique biological rhythm, just as nature intended.

Annie Tomlin: This book introduces a concept called the infradian rhythm. What is that?

Alisa Vitti: There are many different biological rhythms. We have the circadian rhythm, which is something that we experience in the course of 24 hours. We have the ultradian rhythm, which are things that we experience that are shorter than a 24-hour period. And we have the infradian rhythms, which are cycles that are longer than 24 hour period—and for women, we experience it in our monthly cycle most noticeably, and it turns out that it affects key systems of the body.

"Our hormones are a powerful gift." —Alisa

Vitti

Annie Tomlin: Why haven't we heard about it already?

Alisa Vitti: There are a few reasons. First, research in medicine, fitness, and nutrition has historically focused on male biology. Female biology is being overlooked. Also, chronobiology is still a relatively young field; people are just now understanding that there is something called a circadian rhythm and that it needs to be supported with lifestyle adjustments. Third, in our culture, we have a history of not giving a name to female biological experiences, so we tend to have a lack of vocabulary to describe our biological reality.

Annie Tomlin: So, is the infradian rhythm the same as our monthly cycle?

Alisa Vitti: Not exactly. It's one of the ways that we experience it, but it is just one aspect of the rhythm. What is so important is for women to understand that with this infradian rhythm, we have to understand how to stop disrupting it. Otherwise, it has negative effects on six systems: the brain, the microbiome, the metabolism, the stress response system, the immune

system, and the reproductive systems. When we optimize and care for the infradian rhythm—just like when you start to take care of your circadian rhythm— you have more energy, you get better sleep, and your body functions the way that it should.

Annie Tomlin: Does this apply only to adult women?

Alisa Vitti: The infradian rhythm is active from puberty to menopause—only about four decades, and that's why it's so precious. Because the degree to which you support and align with your infradian rhythm will dramatically impact the quality of your health and life both while it’s active and post menopausally. While it's active, you have access to all of this amazing fluctuating creative, productive, inventive energy to apply to all these different major life areas.

Annie Tomlin: What sort of research led you to this concept?

Alisa Vitti: Almost 20 years of taking care of women: looking at their hormonal issues and writing WomanCode, which looked at the root causes of endocrine disruption. I said to myself, "Well, there's got to be a deeper reason behind this epidemic of women with hormonal problems." Over 50% of women are struggling with hormonal issues; fertility issues and period disorders are on the rise. Why is this happening? Aside from the endocrine disruption, what else has been overlooked?

I'm a researcher. I think it's important for us to have the facts because we have a whole cultural narrative that says being female and having the biological impetus to be dynamic or fluctuating is somehow a liability. That's toxic propaganda based on completely inaccurate science. The truth is, women have an extremely complex, efficient, powerful system from your brain to your ovaries. This intriguing rhythm predictably creates a dynamic shifting energy within your body—and that is such a gift.

"Women have an extremely complex, efficient, powerful system from your brain to your ovaries." —

Alisa Vitti

Annie Tomlin: Can you walk me through the cycle syncing method?

Alisa Vitti: The cycle syncing method is the practice I created to help myself and women live in alignment with our infradian rhythm. It’s really simple and logical—and most importantly, based on your biology! You have four predictable hormonal phases in one month. You change what you eat and change which workouts you do to match the metabolic and cortisol changes you experience each month. You also organize your day-to-day tasks to be in optimal alignment with neurohormonal focus that are present in each phase.

Annie Tomlin: What kind of changes do people see from doing this?

Alisa Vitti: One way to describe it is in the inverse— that while you're living in a continuous state of infradian disruption, you feel drained at the end of every day, and that feeling gets particularly worse in the second half of your cycle. After months, you can develop an actual hormonal imbalance. You never feel as clear-headed as you want to be. That becomes your norm. But once you start aligning these basic self-care practices, the energy gain is dramatic. By supporting the infradian rhythm, you boost energy, reduce cortisol levels, keep blood sugar stable, promote efficient detoxification and a balanced microbiome, nourish proper hormone levels, and promote cognitive health. It’s the most elegant and efficient way to care for yourself in your reproductive years.

Annie Tomlin: What do you wish more people knew about female hormones in general?

Alisa Vitti: Women are taught that we can't trust ourselves because of our hormonal fluctuations. The story we tell about female hormones is a villainous one. But this book extols the virtuous story of what I think we should be telling ourselves around our biology and our hormones and our infradian rhythm— that the key to your well-being is not what you're doing so much as when you're doing it. Our hormones are a powerful gift.

"The story we tell about female hormones is a villainous one." —Alisa Vitti

To Eat for Health Vs Eating for Pleasure

By Pevonia Marketing

With the holiday season behind us, its time to lose weight and get healthy. But how do you stay committed to your diet and weight loss goals?

We got together with Steve Siebold, a psychological performance coach and author of Die Fat or Get Tough: 101 Differences in Thinking Between Fat People and Fit People, and he offers these 10 tips to our readers…

Focus on the long term goal: It’s easy to get consumed into the short term satisfaction of all that great tasting food, yet you must be strong and resist the temptation. Focus on the long term pride of achieving world-class fitness and health which leads to a leaner and stronger body, more confidence, better sex and a better all around you.

Remember your ‘why:’ When the going gets tough and you feel like you’re going to stray from your diet, remember your ‘why.’ Why am I doing this? Why do I want to really lose weight? Why do I want to get healthy? This will shock you back to reality and keep you motivated to stay on track.

Stop and think: Before you put anything in your mouth, stop and ask yourself one very important question: How is this piece of food or beverage going to impact my health? If the answer doesn’t foster good health and wellness, put it down and walk away.

Don’t eat for pleasure: We’ve come to associate

the holiday season with great tasting foods, items that are usually high in fat, calories and sugar. Many people eat for pleasure this time of year. If you’re serious about your weight loss goals, this is the time to eat for health, not for pleasure.

You need accountability and support: If you’ve struggled with food your whole life, walking into fabulous dinner is no different than a recovering alcoholic walking into a bar. You need support and accountability to stay strong. Find someone you trust who has your best interest at heart. Ask them to be your support person and to help hold you accountable for your actions.

Seeing is believing: One of the best strategies for staying compliant to your weight loss plan this time of year is creating a vision board filled with pictures of lean, fit and sexy people. Hang the vision board in a very visible location. When you constantly see the person you want to become, it will reinforce your goals into your subconscious mind. If you feel like cheating on your diet or giving up, look at the vision board and it will remind you why you’re fighting.

Expect a challenge: Be realistic and know that remaining compliant this time of year is going to be extra challenging. Expect to feel pain or suffer. Most people feel the pain or run into an obstacle and seek escape right away. Have a plan to push forward when this happens and don’t let it catch you off guard. If you’re not ready to suffer during adversity, you’re not going to be successful.

Get really clear about your weight loss goals Don’t just say, “I want to lose weight.” Get specific and say, “By April 1, I want to lose 15 pounds. I’m going to eat well, exercise each day and get really committed to doing this once and for all. The holiday season isn’t going to stop me.” When you set a timeline and have specific goals, you’re going to avoid procrastination.

You can’t cheat and then start over: You can’t cheat whether it’s Christmas or any other day. Stop telling yourself that you can just start over on Monday. Monday is never coming. This isn’t a game or a hobby; it’s your health. Until you’re at a healthy body weight, 99% compliance is failure. You wouldn’t cheat on your spouse in a committed relationship, so don’t cheat on something as important as your diet.

It’s up to you: The mantra of fit people is: I am responsible. If losing weight and getting healthy is something you want bad enough, it’s up to you to make it happen. Nobody else is coming to the rescue. The choice is yours. Your weight is your responsibility. How bad do you want it?

“The holidays to the millions of dieters is like heroin to a recovering drug addict: it’s full of temptation and ultimately results in a negative outcome,” Siebold says. “It doesn’t take much to derail a diet and completely ruin the road to a healthier life and better body. The key to weight loss, getting fit and staying on track is mental toughness.”

Collagen Loading: The Vitamin C Science Behind It

Is it time to push your RESET BUTTON?

Vita C Baobab for Collagen loading may be your personal recipe for fixing Collagen related deficiencies.

The idea of loading appears in different forms of therapies. Take Mike Davis who had a sleep problem. Night after night he battled with every trick that was suggested on Dr Google. The harder he tried the more sleep resisted. He then discovered a sleep clinic doctor who suggested resetting his personal circadian rhythm. Testing research from a famous study, he was placed in a dark room for a week with no light to guide his knowledge of night or day. In short, he was darkness loaded. Within the week he began to sleep naturally for eight hours and always fell asleep at the same time (of which he was unaware), but the recurring magic hour of sleep was recorded by the clinical team. After that, all he had to do was put the lights out at the discovered Mike Davis time, every night. The doctors used science for his reset button.

Press your reset button

What has this got to do with Collagen? There is a parallel. Mike had chronic insomnia. Collagen deficits are more common than sleep deficits, and research suggests it may be a global problem in Westernised countries that love processed food diets. Most people in their early to mid twenties start to silently lose 1% of their Collagen a year.

Collagen and Vitamin C loading, equals three equally spaced, 10g servings per day

Remember that Collagen is the scaffolding of your entire body - the glue that holds you together. Ignoring deficiencies in Collagen could have serious consequences. Think about it. More than 90% of major connective tissue: hair, skin, nails, gut lining, ligaments, tendons, your vascular system, and spinal intervertebral discs has a common ingredientCollagen. No guessing how important it is to your health. You have more Collagen in your bones than

calcium. To this add its contribution to your posture, lungs, liver, gut and brain health, speedy wound healing, flexibility, and mobility.

Dietary Collagen is part of ancient Chinese wisdom

Ancient Chinese medicine is known for its wisdom, and Collagen loaded food was a conscious choice. To Chinese women, Collagen is the fountain of youth. Why? Because they have always recognised the value of food choices to bring about youthful changes to skin, movement, and bones.

Today our focus is on the booster effect of Collagen loading. Here is the discovery. The correct way to ingest Collagen, particularly if you are 'loading', is 'with Vitamin C and NOT without it' according to Dr Willem Serfontein. Vitamin C is essential for the biosynthesis of collagen and elastin. Elastin is a key protein of connective tissue that allows muscles to stretch and return to their original shape. Imagine pulling your face and your face refusing to return to normal. Your artery walls need Vitamin C as a structural protein, or they will thin out, Serfontein adds. And you need it, he says, in relatively large quantities.

Load up for a kick start. Deficiencies in this vitamin is widespread. That means you have less than an optimal supply to synthesise Collagen. Collagen and Vitamin C are in a marriage for life.

You are in good company. Collagen loading is gaining traction globally for cyclists, runners, personal trainers, coaches, triathletes, and gym enthusiasts. It is already supported by new age doctors who specialise in personalised medicine. You can't ignore the Collagen/Vitamin C, combo's promise for enhancing muscle and body tone, performance, and longevity.

By the way, does the word 'loading' worry you? It may trigger negative media messages about a similar word, that of 'carbo-loading,' believed to enhance performance. Please do not confuse the two. One

By Dr Denise Bjorkman - Tawa Labs

third of athletes, writes famous cardiologist and author of Wheat Belly, Dr William Davis - are overweight, and unhealthy because of it. An inflammation causing carbo fest before a marathon - is considered by him to be both dangerous and foolish. His opinion is shared by famous medical specialists, Prof Gary Fettke and Prof Tim Noakes as they explode carboloading myths again and again.

Collagen, unlike sugar loaded foodstuffs, has antiinflammatory, pain reducing, wound healing properties. Amino acids within collagen help to detox the liver. It proves lifesaving for skin health, mobility, preserving the structure of the human body and promoting longevity.

You can eliminate your Collagen deficiency and possible inflammation, as seen in arthritis, pain, and poor wound healing.

Jumpstart your health resolutions with our perfect combo: Renew & Restore Collagen with Vita Vita C Baobab, and if your'e looking to target and toneMuscle Active Collagen with Vita C Baobab . As doctors say - if you are over 25, deficiencies are common. 25 may not be old in your eyes but your body has its own rules about the ageing process.

Tawa Labs is your go-to, all-purpose, Collagen supply. We give you a complete solution to Vitamin C and Collagen deficiencies in nutrient dense VitaC Baobab Collagen Combo. Start your booster shot - Collagen loading - with no regrets. For more info: www.tawalabs.c.za

About Dr Denise Bjorkman is one of the regular expert contributors to our education platform, providing insight into personalised medicine, longevity, mental and physical health, integrative nutrition, body language and neuroscience. She is CEO of the Neuro Business Institute, the founder of the SA Council of Coaches and Mentors and one of the leading global authorities on human body language. She has combined life careers as an educator in diverse fields.

28 Foods For Healthy, Youthful Skin

Avocados

Overall, fats can help nourish your skin and prevent dryness. "Lucky for our skin, avocados are packed with monounsaturated and some polyunsaturated fats – the good fats," explains nutritionist Jackie Newgent, RDN, CDN. "In fact, avocados are nutrientpacked in general!"

Studies suggest that there's a beneficial association between avocado consumption and skin health, and research finds that the lutein and zeaxanthin in the fruit may help protect your skin from UV damage. Avocados are also nutrient boosters, which means they can help enhance the body's absorption of vitamin A and other fat-soluble nutrients. "Ultimately, this function may lead to boosting the protective effect some of these nutrients have on skin health – and overall health," Newgent explains.

Eggs

Protein is the fabric of collagen, and eggs are a top source of high-quality protein. But don’t just eat egg whites, as the yolks contain other skin-boosting nutrients – including biotin. Biotin has been shown to help promote healthy skin, hair and nails.

Prunes

"Prunes are best known for promoting healthy bones and digestive health, but they provide many other benefits," explains Newgent. One of those benefits is beautiful skin. Prunes offer a tasty and convenient way to boost your intake of polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants. Polyphenols may help to protect your skin from the potentially negative impact of UV rays, in addition to wearing sunscreen.

Pomegranate seeds

There's a good reason pomegranates are an ingredient in so many beauty products. "Pomegranate seeds contain the potent antioxidant anthocyanins as well as ellagic acid, which both increase collagen production," explains Lisa De Fazio, MS, RD.

Blueberries

Blueberries are excellent sources of powerful antioxidants that fight against free radicals that can damage the collagen in your skin, making it more wrinkle-prone. De Fazio says they also contain vitamins C and E, which will brighten your skin and give it a healthy glow.

Extra-virgin olive oil

"Quite simply, olive oil will keep your skin looking younger," De Fazio says. It all has to do with the 'good' monounsaturated fats offered by the oil, which are associated with increased skin elasticity and firmness.

Green Tea

You might want to replace your morning cup of Joe with green tea if you want to look younger. "Green tea is particularly high in polyphenols, which protect collagen," explains De Fazio.

Salmon Salmon, along with other fatty fishes, are great for turning back the hands of time due to their abundance of skin-saving omegas-3s. The popular freshwater fish also contains the carotenoid antioxidant called astaxanthin, which improves skin elasticity and hydration, according to De Fazio.

Sardines

Sardines might not look pretty, but they can help you look your best. They're packed with omega-3 fatty acids.

Oysters

Even if you don't find a pearl in your oyster, you will find a whole lot of beauty benefits. Oysters are good sources of zinc, which can aid in cell renewal and repair. Zinc alsopromote hair regrowth.

Dark chocolate

The antioxidant profile of dark chocolate is even more powerful than acai berries, blueberries and cranberries, De Fazio points out. "Chocolate contains antioxidants called flavanols, which protect the skin from sun damage," she explains.

In other studies comparing high-flavanol and lowflavanol cocoa on skin function, people in the highflavanol groups experienced better blood flow to the skin and improvements in thickness, hydration and smoothness. But the higher the cocoa content, the higher the flavanol content.

Carrots

Carrots are super high in beta carotene, a carotenoid that offers an abundance of health benefits, including those related to skin and hair. Not only will it get your skin glowing and protect it from sun damage, but it can help stimulate hair growth and prevent dandruff. It's no wonder that beta carotene is a popular ingredient in many skin and haircare products.

Sweet potatoes

Like many orange-hued vegetables, sweet potatoes are also loaded with beta carotene.

Pumpkin

While it's not quite as high in beta carotene as other orange vegetables, pumpkins are also a great source of the skin-boosting carotenoids, De Fazio says.

Leafy greens

Vitamin C encourages collagen production. It also helps protect the skin from damages caused by the sun and environmental pollution. Leafy greens, including kale, spinach and collards, are good options, according to De Fazio.

Bell peppers

Another great source of vitamin C. Whether you choose yellow, green or red, bell peppers contain more of the wrinkle-fighting vitamin than an orange.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes, as well as tomato juice, are great sources of vitamin C.

Broccoli

Broccoli is just as rich in vitamin C as it is in vitamin K, which can keep your bones and heart strong.

Flaxseeds

Sprinkle flaxseeds over your porridge, smoothies, and salads. De Fazio says they're a great source of an omega-3 fatty acid called ALA, which protects your skin from the sun's powerful rays and may help reduce sun-related skin damage.

Walnuts

For graceful aging and beautiful skin, Laura Cipullo, RD, CDE, and co-author of Diabetes Comfort Food Diet and Everyday Diabetes Meals Cooking for 1 or 2, recommends including a variety of dietary antioxidants to counter free radicals that contribute to ageing. "These 'power' nuts have the highest amount of antioxidant activity compared to other foods and nuts," she says. Among its many health benefits, they also contain vitamin E, melatonin and non-flavonoid polyphenols.

Bone broth

What do you get when you combine chicken bones with water and veggie scraps? Bone broth. The longer you allow the broth to simmer, the more collagen and gelatin are released from the bones. Bone broth is filled with collagen, amino acids, and minerals that promote healthy, younger-looking skin.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon has been found to have large quantities of proanthocyanidins, a class of polyphenols with powerful anti-inflammatory properties, according to Elizabeth Adler, MS, RD, CDN. "Enjoy a sprinkling of cinnamon in your morning latte to promote healthy cell production for skin health and beauty," she says.

Chili peppers

According to Adler, chili peppers are especially rich in vitamin C, which as we know, aids in the production of collagen.

Ginger

Fresh ginger contains a compound called gingerol, which has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties to help control the aging process, says Adler. "Ginger is also recommended for improved blood circulation to aid against inflammation in the body," she says.

Shiitake mushrooms

Adler maintains that shiitake mushrooms are a wonderful source of the essential mineral copper. "Copper aids in the synthesis and stabilisation of proteins found in the skin, including collagen and elastin," says Adler. "It also aids in the production of an antioxidant enzyme found in the skin for protection against free radicals."

Edamame

Young soybeans, aka edamame, are high in protein. Additionally, they contain a variety of vitamins and minerals, including calcium, folate, and vitamin A. They also contain a group of polyphenols called isoflavones, which strengthen your skin's defense against UV radiation and skin inflammation.

Grapefruit

The vitamin C found in grapefruits is a potent antioxidant, according to Cipullo. As noted earlier, vitamin C helps prevent cellular damage and aids in collagen production.

Mango

Mango is a plentiful source of vitamin A and carotenoids, says Adler. "Carotenoids are effective antioxidants involved in cell growth and immune function," she explains.

Lentils

Lentils are rich in polyphenols such as procyanidin and prodelphinidin. These polyphenols have been shown to help prevent oxidative stress, which is a factor for ageing skin. Lentils are also a rich source of protein, fibre, and minerals like copper and nonheme iron, and B vitamins.

Acai berries

Acai berries aren't just delicious, but they may also help prevent skin cancer. Research that suggests the berries may even help decrease your risk of skin cancer. "One specific study specifically evaluated acai oil and melanoma (skin cancer) in animal models and found that acai was associated with a decrease in cancer incidence and tumour growth," she explains.

3 Ways to Turn Influencers Into True Fans of Your Brand

In 2022, more than75% of brandshad a dedicated budget forinfluencer marketing, and68% of companies surveyedsaid they planned to increase their influencer marketing spend going forward. Influencer marketing is on the rise, and it's more likely than not that your company will soon engage in this kind ofmarketing strategyif it hasn't started already.

Influencer marketing refers to any collaboration between an online influencer and a company to market their product or service. These collaborations can be very fruitful if done correctly, but if done wrong can be a complete waste of money. At their best,influencerbased marketing strategiescan boost brand awareness, bump up sales and generate buzz and free publicity for your company. However, if the collaboration isn't genuine, the audience can pick up on that, and your influencer marketing strategy could quickly wind up a complete flop.

To ensure you get the most out of your influencer marketing spend, you must take the time to turn these influencers into bonafide brand fans rather than fostering a purely transactional relationship with them. If the content creators you're partnering with are genuine fans of your product or service, it'll come through in their representation of your company.

Ideally, their enthusiasm should rub off on their audience, and you would grow a network ofloyal brand fanswhospread the wordabout your company and generate further brand awareness and sales.

Do these three things to help make it happen.

1. Identify The Right Type Of Influencer

In order to make the most out of your brand's influencer collaboration, it's vital to find real-world influencers who truly align with your brand's mission and audience. If you miss the mark here, your entire partnership could come off as insincere and do damage to your brand and the influencers' image.

True influencers have worked hard to curate their content, organically build an audience base, and maintain a genuine relationship with their followers. You can see it in their content or on their preferred social media platform if you look closely. You should like their online persona. They should be protective over their image and even unwilling to work with a company unless they genuinely believe in the product. Doing your research about the personal brand they've created for themselves improves the likelihood your collaboration is successful. Hopefully, they should appreciate the time and effort you've carved out to consider how a partnership would be mutually beneficial for both parties. Celebrity influencersmight appear attractive at first, but if the audience members they bring to the table don't fit your customer profile, then the potential relationship may not be a match.

2. Turn the business relationship into more of a friendship

When working with an influencer, remember that above all else you're dealing with a person, not a company. Business jargon, tense negotiations and complicated contracts aren't generally a part of influencer culture. Instead, speak in casual terms and behave as if you're nurturing a real friendship.

If possible, put one person at your company in charge of your brand's relationship with the influencer. Having a sole contact person helps bridge a genuine connection between your company and the influencer.

Once you've found the right influencer, give them as much information as possible and make sure they know the story behind your brand. Share your company's mission with them and any othercorporate social responsibility (CSR) initiativesyour team engages in. The more influencers know about your product or service, the more they'll be able to communicate that with their fans.

Keep these partners up to date with new product

By John Boitnott

launches or influencer marketing campaigns. Or, simply check in with your influencer from time to time to keep your connection strong. Your influencer will feel special and cared for if they're kept in the know.

3. Use their input for marketing strategy instead of ordering them around

Quality influencers with loyal followings have put in countless hours to build their niche. It's through a deep understanding of their audience that they've been able to change opinions or drive measurable outcomes through the platforms they use. Because no one understands an influencer's audience better than they do, you should leverage their expertise when devising a collaboration strategy.

Once you've converted an influencer into a true brand fan, you should lean on them for advice about how to steer the collaboration with your company. Instead of telling them what to do, which inevitably comes off as flat to their audience, you should hand them the reins. Get them thinking for you, and be openminded about their creative ideas, even if they're out of the realm of your company's typical operations.

Remember you approached them for a reason, so don't be afraid to trust them when it comes to collaborating. Be careful not to force your company's standard practices onto them if it doesn't make sense for how they interact online. Influencers have a very good understanding of how to create marketable content that is native to their platform, and this expertise shouldn't be undermined or ignored.

Getting them on your team

Influencer marketing strategies can be powerful when your influencer partners are on your team. However, it takes time and sustained effort to turn your influencer into a true brand representative. Once you have taken the time to convert your influencers into genuine fans, your collaboration will yield returns.

spa business

Industry Intelligence - December 2022

By esp online

As an industry total revenue has increased by 16% overall when comparing December 2021 to December 2022 with the Hair Industry increasing by 16% and the Beauty Industry by 14%. Overall service Revenue increased by 23% and Retail has increased by 9%. We are seeing an average Docket charge increase of 4% and an increase of 10% in the number of dockets.

Overall, the Industry has decreased by 2% from last month, November 2022. The Beauty Industry decreased by 20% last month to 14% in December 2022. The Hair Industry has increased from 18% to 16%.

In breakdown: the Beauty Industry increased Service Revenue by 21% and Retail decreased by 3%. Average docket revenue increased by 7% and total client visits by 8%

While the total industry revenue increases seem like small incremental changes its important to note that December is the peak revenue period. By comparison the total revenue increase in December 2021 compared to 2020 was 9% which then puts the December 2022 increase of 16% into perspective.

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How Do I Know When a Customer Has Decided to Buy?

I love technology, but I can still be old-fashioned when working with clients. How? I like to put pen to paper and illustrate what I am saying with a handcrafted visual aid. My analog serves two purposes:

1. These handmade creations will hang on a museum wall with a plaque because of the tremendous amount of raw talent exposed.

2. I can see when a client is engaged and buying into my pitch, usually because they pick up a pen and start drawing, too.The drawing prompts their thought process regarding our topic of discussion.

I bring up my mad scribbling habit because our podcast listener, Jason Bradley, wrote in with a question asking us, "how do I decode when a customer has mentally decided to buy?".

There are physical and verbal tells that people give out. For example, when a client switches from talking about the product to what they want, it indicates that they are making a mental switch to the purchasing process.Also, when customers start asking you much more detailed questions, they are turning a corner in the decision-making process.

Some examples are:

•How exactly does the product work?

•When would I expect delivery?

•What are the payment options?

These questions indicate a mental choice to begin grappling with the unknowns in a new environment.

The Rubicon Model

The Rubicon is a river in Italy. Under the Roman Republic's laws, if you were a general, you could come to Rome whenever you needed to, but the rule was your army had to stay north of the Rubicon. So, if you brought your army with you, you were committing treason and could be put to death.When Julius Caesar

went to seize control of the Roman Republic and turn it into an empire, he crossed the Rubicon. That was the point of no return.

The Rubicon model is a general-purpose psychological concept. Psychology names this the Rubicon model because if you decide and commit, it's like crossing the Rubicon. In this mindset switch, our perspective changes from deliberative to implementive.Therefore, once your customers ask about detail, like the questions I listed earlier, it represents a mindset about implementation. They had crossed the Rubicon.

Defending Your Position

When people are in a deliberative mindset before they've decided, they're much more open-minded. After deciding, people get defensive about their decisions. We're committed, and those mental gears switch over. We don't want to hear any more options or about what's best for different scenarios. Instead, we want to feel confident about our decision.

So, if you get somebody saying, "All right, well, what's the next step?" that's a pretty good sign that they've switched from deliberation to implementation. However, people in an implementation mindset are prone to feeling invulnerable. They have decided, so they are no longer worried about risk. They can handle it. Psychologically, we feel pressure to believe we made the right decision, so we don't want to feel defensive about it.

Some Other Signs of Moving Into Implementation Mode

Involving more people is another excellent sign of buying. One of the things I have noticed in my work with clients is the change in contacts.

Sometimes the person has an even better understanding of the product than you think, which is another sign

ByColin Shaw - Why Customers

Buy

of implementation. For example, in my experience buying something like a TV, I often know more about the product than the big box electronics store salesperson. That's because I have decided I want a TV, and now it's a matter of choosing one, which is implementation behavior.

Getting Through Death Valley

Death Valley is a desert in eastern California in the U.S. During summer, it is the hottest place on earth. Its name comes from pioneers who ostensibly thought this stretch of travel would be their death of them.

We had a sales training about getting through Death Valley in my corporate days. In this context, Death Valley refers to the time between delivering a retail suggestion to a client and waiting for their answer. Many people think this stretch of silence from a potential customer will be the death of them. One of the coping mechanisms taught in training was to maintain contact.

Have a plan for connecting with your customer about something other than the product. It could be about something unrelated, like the weekend's plans. It could be asking their opinion on something unrelated. The idea here is that you are staying in contact and keeping your name in the person's mind while they decide.

So, How Do We Know A Customer Has Decided to Buy?

To summarize, a customer's behavior transition will help you determine when they are ready to buy. Look for changes in mindset, perspective, and the types of questions they ask. For example, do they use different language to discuss the product or ask detail-oriented questions? Are they diving deeper into the details online beyond the benefit statements on the home page? All of these changes can indicate a decision— and hopefully one in your favor.

The Seven Key Strategic Questions Essential for Spa Growth in 2023

It’s time for an update.Before we get started, you should know that typically, people don't know the answer when I ask these questions, which is why I ask them. Or should I call them provocations? The idea is to get people thinking about things they had never considered before and help them reframe their experience through the lens of the customer rather than operations.

questions to companies, particularly if I suspect they are Naïve or Transactional.

#3: How Would Customers Articulate the Time They Spent with You?

ByColin Shaw - Why Customers Buy

addresses an organization's ability to leverage customer behavior inputs from the past into anticipating customers' needs.

#1: What

is the Experience You Are Trying to Deliver?

This one is an old one that I have been asking for 20 years, and not many companies can produce a coherent reply for it. Yet, interestingly enough, individuals can answer the question. The problem is that no two answers are typically the same, nor are they something the company have agreed upon and set a deliberate strategy to deliver.

This question is a vital strategy point—and so is having a coherent reply. Without consistency, every individual in the company will end up doing something different.

Michél Patterson from Maersk Line,the world's largest shipping container company, was recently a guest on my podcast. Maersk wanted their customers to feel they could trust Maersk, that the company cared for them, and be pleased with Maersk's service. A finer answer to this question is hard to imagine.You might notice that all these things that Maersk wanted are also emotions. That was unusual. When I ask this question, clients typically say they want to be convenient, reliable, or both. Those things are essential to an experience you deliver; however, they are not emotional. So, if you get a similar answer to your query, I will implore you to encourage your client to dig a little deeper to find the emotions of the interaction.

#2: How Customer-Centric is Your Company?

Customer-centricity is foundational to delivering an excellent Customer Experience. Many companies tend to be pessimistic in their answer regarding this one. They often tell us that they are not customer-centric at all.We measure Customer Centricity on a model from low to high.

•Naïvecompanies could not care less about customers.

• Transactionalcompanies care about customers, but not as much as they care about operations.

• Enlightenedcompanies realize that customers should be their focus but aren't there yet in practicality.

• Naturalcompanies put the customers at the center of everything they do.

Right now, in all but the Natural companies, we see a backslide away from customers and a renewed internal focus. Customer satisfaction scores reflect a 17-year low.

Eventually, things will turn in favor of the customer. Meanwhile, I would continue to pose these two

In a recent podcast, we hosted Lou Carbon, author ofClued In, and Joe Pine, author ofThe Experience Economy. We talked about this third strategic question at great length.

Joe has three categories for the answers:

1. Time well-saved: was it easy, frustrating, complicated, or frictionless for customers?

2. Time well spent: Did they enjoy themselves, or was it a waste of time?

3. Time well invested: Did they get what they needed out of the time with you?

Which way would your customers answer these questions? If it isn't what you want, how can you revise your experience to get them to change their answer?

#4: What Do Customers Want, and What Drives or Destroys Value?

This strategic question plays into the last one well. How customers articulate their time with you is an example of customers expressing that they did or did not get something they wanted out of the experience. Moreover, if their future behavior is affected by that last experience, it shows what they value.

However, as I have said before, asking customers what they want or value is not the best way to determine the answer here.It sounds counterintuitive, I realize. After all, who would know better than the customers?

The problem is what people say they want or value is not always reflected in their behavior. The difference here is best illustrated in my oft-used example of Disney Theme Park guests' responses to a survey about the food offerings in the park. For example, many customers told Disney they wanted the option of a salad in the park. However, Disney also knows that salads don't move in the garden; chicken nuggets and burgers do.

It's not that the customers lied. The customers thought they would want a salad. However, when push came to shove, customers still chose junk food instead of healthy food.

So, the critical question is, what do your customers want, and what value does the experience provide? Knowing these answers is essential to gain growth in today's business environment.

#5: How Well Do You Predict Customer Behavior?

This year and over the next decade, we will see the competitive battleground in experiences shift to predictive Customer Experiences. This strategic question

For example, Apple can predict what music I want to listen to by what time it is and will offer to play it. When I went to Starbucks, my phone pulled up my app.How will you do that kind of helpful stuff for customers? You probably aren't a phone manufacturer, so these examples are not practical. However, there are possible ways that you can anticipate your customers' needs at various moments in the experience.

#6: How Well Are You Embracing The New Wave of Customer Science?

I have discussedCustomer Sciencebefore, blending customer data, artificial intelligence, and behavioral sciences. Customer Science is the next wave of customer experience. It facilitates the predictive experiences we talked about with our last question. However, you must use all three formula parts to get a reliable readout of Customer Science. If you only have data and AI, you miss out on a critical factor: the "why" of things. You see what people are doing and what they will do next, but you don't know why.

#7: Are the Memories You Build with Your Customers Deliberate?

We have talked about the critical nature ofcustomers' memories before. I like to say customer loyalty is a function of memory because they come back based on what they remember you provide.

Are you doing that with precision and strategy? Do you provide an experience that evokes emotions you want customers to remember?

If not, you are not alone. Most companies haven't thought about this part of the experience. However, it is essential. Without that memory, you can provide an excellent experience to someone and never see them again.

So, Now That You Know Them, Use Them

These seven questions uncover the areas that will comprise the future of customer experience and everything else. Every company should be able to answer these questions.

By taking time to address these strategic questions, you can change course and focus on those long-term adjustments that lead to year-over-year success. It's a new year. So, you can't change the past. However, you can change the future through what you do today. Focus on what needs to be done in the next several years instead of the next several hours, and you might have a different future for your company, too.

About: Colin Shaw has conducted numerous educational workshops to inspire and motivate your team. He prides himself on making these topics fun, humorous, and practical.

You Can’t Have a Successful Team Without This Thing

By Art Markman

The termtrustgets thrown around at work a lot. We use it so often that you’d think we all collectively understand what it is and why it’s so important. But it’s worth unpacking this concept a bit to make sure we really do know why it plays such an important role in teams.

TRUST refers to an intersecting set of beliefs about the relationship between what other people say and do and what they mean and accomplish. Trust reflects that you believe that team members are telling you the truth and not omitting crucial information in their accounts. It reflects that people will follow through on their commitments. Trust also involves a belief that other people are capable of fulfilling the tasks they set out to perform.

Here are the three reasons why trust is so crucial.

Future Planning

A critical part of planning for the future is having a clear sense of what is going on within an organization. A plan starts with knowledge of what is happening in the present. That means when someone gives you information about their capabilities and the current status of project, that information has to be accurate.

A lack of trust in the information you get from team

members adds uncertainty to the planning process. You may no longer feel like you have an accurate sense of the current situation or the capabilities of the group. That can make it hard to get a project moving. As a result, you may feel like you have to verify information you’re getting from others before moving forward. Not only is that process time-consuming, but it may also make team members feel like you are checking on up them, which can further erode trust.

Distributing Work

Trust is also crucial for ensuring that every member of a team is assigned a reasonable share of the work. When you don’t believe that your team members will follow through on their commitments (or that they are capable of doing a good job with the tasks), then you shy away from giving them responsibilities. As a result, the rest of the team must carry more of the load.

In addition, when you are forced to rely on the teammates you do not trust, you end up micromanaging their work. You may find yourself telling them how to carry out key aspects of the job, checking up on each step, and asking for confirmation when things are completed. Not only does that take away from your own effectiveness, it leads to frustration from those being micromanaged.

Your Motivation

At times, your supervisor has lost your trust. That can undermine your energy and enthusiasm to work. Lots of research suggests that your motivation to complete a task is influenced by whether you think the task can be completed as well as your sense of whether your efforts will be rewarded. When you don’t trust your supervisor, both of these facets of motivational strength are diminished. That can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy in which you believe that a job will fail, so you don’t put in much work, which then leads the job to fail.

Unfortunately, this pattern feeds on itself. Your mistrust of management increases the chances that a task will go badly. When the team does not achieve its goals, leadership loses faith in the effectiveness of the team, which affects the way they treat the team in the future. Likewise, the team members are reinforced in their sense that management is ineffective.

Art Markman, PhD, is a professor of Psychology, Human Dimensions of Organizations and Marketing and Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin.

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