Aprivé Wellness Blog
What is Wellness Consulting?
It's a service that offers products and programs to help a person or company achieve better physical and mental wellbeing.
Whether you're a health retreat looking to expand your services or a corporation needing expert insight into wellbeing, a wellness consultant can help.
The best wellness consulting services use a combination of evidence-based knowledge and holistic medicine. That's the professional approach we use at Aprivé Wellness.
Why has Wellness Consulting Emerged as a New Industry?
'Wellness' is the word of the moment, and Wellness Consulting is the newest vocation to evolve from this 3.4 trillion dollar industry. As a health professional, I've always endorsed a holistic approach for patient treatment and therapy. This holistic approach to injury, health and wellbeing is now recognised by the rest of the world as the wellness industry, and as it affects each and every one of us, it's gaining rapid momentum.
What Knowledge do Wellness Consultants Have?
To guide people along their path of mental and physical wellbeing and change, wellness consultants have emerged from a variety of fields. I'm a qualified Physiotherapist, Pilates instructor and personal trainer, but other wellness consultants can be anyone from nutritionists to wellness retreat proprietors, entrepreneurs and fitness gurus.
Thanks to my background, I can offer wellness consulting services in a myriad of different ways:
- Wellness Retreats: Implementing holistic, evidence-based programs
- Corporate Wellness Programs
- Hotel Wellness Strategies from in-room services to gym programs
- Personal Trainer Education in medical and holistic wellness
- Nutrition programs with safe, effective strategies
Wellness isn't a trend, it's a necessity.
Thanks to vocal advocates for mental and physical wellbeing like Arianna Huffington, the world has begun to recognise the importance of a well-rounded approach to lifestyle.
Do you need a Wellness Consultant to Enhance Your Business?
If you need help adding a competitive edge to your wellness retreat or wellness services, I'd love to hear from you: Click the "Contact Aprivé Wellness" button on our home page and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
Love social media? Connect with me on twitter
Wellness Trends: The Luxury Hotel Pillow Menu
Why you should use the pillow menu
A pillow menu is now a common feature in luxury hotels, but do you really need it? Yes! Luxury hotels have recognised spinal health as an important element of health and wellness. These opulent accommodations have seen the rise in exercise trends that optimise spinal mobility like yoga, Pilates and Barre, and they want to help you retain your progress.
Maintain the Results of your Wellness Routine
Luxury hotels know it's difficult to maintain your wellness routine while you're away, so they're doing their best to help. A pillow menu is now a vital ingredient in hotel wellness offerings. If you have neck pain and work hard on your deep neck flexor strength and cervical spinal mobility at Pilates, all your hard work can go to waste by sleeping for a week on a bulky, oversized pillow. Thanks to a pillow menu, you can choose the right pillow for you to maintain all your hard work and keep your neck pain at bay.
Recognise the Importance of Sleep
Wellness has been recognised as a status symbol of luxury, and sleep is a vital part of wellness. Thanks to sleep advocates like Arianna Huffington, the importance of sleep is now ingrained in the luxury lifestyle. By offering a pillow menu, luxury hotels are showing you it's OK to sleep well, and they encourage you to enhance your sleep as much as possible by choosing the right pillow for you.
Decrease Your Allergen Exposure
Some of us may love the mobility of a duck-down pillow, while others will be up all night sneezing from the feathers. The low allergenic options are endless at luxury hotel chains; like Sofitel that offer the Polyball Pillow: a firm pillow made odourless and non-allergenic for those sensitive to allergens. This is just one example of a pillow menu item designed to decrease allergen exposure to keep you 'living well.'
Indulge in the Personal Touch
Guests are expecting more personalised luxury hotel products than ever before, and a pillow menu helps add that personal touch. With some hotels offering six or more pillow items and others offering a choice between three, by selecting your pillow preference you have more control over your luxury stay, enhancing your hotel experience.
Photo: Sofitel So Bangkok
Tips for Choosing Your Pillow
The hardest thing about being offered a pillow menu can be making your choice. Below are some tips for choosing the best pillow for you:
- Most people only need 1 pillow, not 2 stacked
- Your neck should always be in a neutral position on your pillow - If it feels like your chin is being pushed toward your chest, the pillow is too big and bulky.
- If you lie on your side to sleep, you can have a slightly bulkier pillow, but only enough to fill the space between your ear and the tip of your shoulder.
- If you lie on your stomach to sleep, try to change this habit! It puts excessive torsional stress on your neck. If you can't break the habit, choose a very flat pillow to decrease the forces on your neck.
- Whatever filling you choose for you pillow, try to make it consistent throughout, rather than letting it bulk on one side.
- Always see a good health professional for treatment if you encounter neck pain. The earlier you get treatment, the better it is.
Now you know how to select your pillow - Which pillow would you choose?
The 5 Best Parks for Working Out
My favourite parks around the world for exercising outdoors
Travelling can stifle your wellness buzz, disrupting the balance you try so hard to maintain when you're at home. Research has shown working out outside has mental benefits that far outweigh those you get from a gym session. Big cities can feel like a concrete jungle, but the beauty of these inner city parks will surprise you. Perfect for working out, meditating or doing outdoor yoga or Pilates, visit these unexpected gems next time you're in town.
1. Stanley Park - Vancouver
Nestled right near the CBD, Stanley Park blends beautiful waterside views with luscious green forests for the perfect bike, walk or run. You'll love the totem poles, the ocean views and the hill-top cafe for a mid-run snack. I love seeing the squirrels and racoons you find in the park year-round.
2. Lumphini Park - Bangkok
Thailand's capital is hugely populated, so this green oasis is a welcome break from the hustle and bustle. Lumphini Park is one of my favourite places in the city, and houses an array of animals to keep your walk interesting yet safe; from huge monitor lizards to little turtles.
You'll see countless exercise groups during your run or walk; from a running group who uses an air horn to warn oblivious runners of their approach, to the elderly Thais doing Tai Chi in the beautiful white gazebos.
Aprivé Wellness Tip: Take the Sky Train (BTS) to Silom Station and you'll arrive right near the Lumphini Park gates. End your run there, and grab a freshly squeezed orange juice for 30 cents on your way back to the train.
3. East Coast Park - Singapore
When I lived in Singapore, I heard so many people complain about how hemmed-in the city felt, but it doesn't have to. East Coast Park is the perfect place to unwind, hire a bike, go for a swim or take a long walk.
Running along the east coast of the island, you'll see small sandy alcoves, palm trees and blue sky to get your outdoor workout fix. My favourite part of the park was hiring a bike and riding it the full length of the track, stopping to watch the wakeboard park as people tried their best at a new sport.
4. Central Park - New York City
You can't mention inner city parks without including the infamous Central Park, and it's the ideal place to get your outdoor workout fix while in NYC. If you prefer running on a track, head to one of the oval spaces where you can run laps. If you'd rather mix up your run, take one of the paths around the park, and cut in wherever you choose to see the duck ponds and features of the inner city oasis. If you cut in around 36th street, there are park benches and playground equipment you can use to help you stretch.
5. Royal Botanic Gardens - Melbourne
Next to the CBD, just over the river, are the luscious botanical gardens, the perfect mid-day workout spot. Join Melbourne locals and run 'The Tan,' the brown gravel track that wraps around the gardens, or make your own way through the gardens on the multiple tracks and pedestrian roads. Stop in at the café after your run, and enjoy the stunning lake views. You might even see a turtle pop up as you make your way through the park.
If meditation or yoga suits you more, you'll find plenty of grass for your practice by the lake.
Aprivé Wellness Tip: Jump on a tram to get to the Botanic Gardens, and jump off when you see the huge Anzac War Memorial if you're not sure where to go. The Garden gates are next to the memorial.
Whether you're visiting a city on business, or you need an outdoor escape during a holiday, visit these parks for an outdoor workout. They're all luscious escapes from the busyness of the city, and an ideal way to help everyone 'live well.'
Aprivé Wellness goes to Crown Spa
Melbourne's Ultimate Indulgence: Crown Towers Aqua Retreat
Do you ever crave a mental health day, but need more than an hour-long massage? Melbourne's Crown Casino is infamous, but the Crown Towers' Aqua Retreat deserves its own fame too. Instead of rushing through a treatment at a day spa, treat yourself by booking a day at the Aqua Retreat.
I spent a day here with my sister, and we were both so impressed with the luxury and affordability of the spa facility service, we couldn't believe we hadn't done it sooner!
Spa Review: Why Crown Spa is the Epitome of Wellness
A Gym with a View
After paying to use the spa's facilities, you can head to the gym for a workout. The cardio equipment has the best view in the house, looking out over the Grecian-style lap pool, complete with towering columns. These architectural elements conjure memories of the stunning Venetian hotel in Vegas.
Aqua Retreat - Hammam & Vitality Pool
Let go, and let the whirling waters of the Vitality Pool warm you from the inside out, relaxing every muscle in your body. The rushing water gently massages you, stimulating blood flow to your muscles, preparing you for the relaxing still waters of the hammam.
Image: Crown Melbourne
Steam Room and Swiss Shower
Lie down and relax in the luscious steam room. Built to cater to even the busiest days, there's plenty of room for multiple guests, and silence is recommended by the staff. Lie down on the mosaic tiled benches, and breathe deeply as your pores are cleansed naturally. Wash off the excess moisture in the Swiss Shower as you swap your bikini for your Crown robe, and prepare to unwind in much-appreciated silence.
Crown Spa Lounge
Not the drawcard for many, but one of my favourite elements of the spa was the modern yet private lounge. Beautiful chaises are separated by a curtain, allowing you to sit and read your favourite book or the magazines provided while you sip the complimentary herbal tea. After the warmth and comfort of the Aqua Retreat, this is the perfect time for you to take a moment for yourself, close your eyes and breathe deeply. Try not to fall asleep!
Image: Crown Melbourne
At any time throughout your day of relaxation, you can book a facial or massage treatment, but it's nice to know you don't have to if you just wish to relax in your own time.
Using A Spa's Facilities - The New Day Spa Experience
Like many other wellness fans, I love day spas, particularly those in hotels, and this is one of my favourites. Paying to use the facilities of a spa is a new service many luxury spas are offering, a service that affords you a full day to pamper yourself, clear your mind, and treat yourself to a time out. It's also a fun activity to do with friends or family, and as the men's and womens' facilities are separate, it can give you and your partner both an indulgent yet individual day of relaxation.
Image: Crown Melbourne
Check in soon for another spa feature on my favourite spas from around the world!
Aprivé Wellness writes for Live the Process
Changing the Gluten-Free Mindset
Aprivé Wellness was asked to write for Live the Process about gluten-free living. Live the Process is an online activewear store with an inspiring, motivational blog, and I'm thrilled to be a part of it. Their emphasis on living well is exactly in line with Aprivé Wellness' ethos, and this post outlines how to live well with a positive mindset when you're diet is constrained to being gluten-free.
Living gluten-free can leave you feeling isolated and excluded, but it doesn't have to. By changing your mindset; you can be stop substituting your old favourites with new gluten-free versions, and explore all the new, exciting menu options of your diet. A positive change in mindset can be the key in enjoying being gluten-free, rather considering it a burden.
"1. Remember: Gluten-Free Living Is Healthy
Gluten has no business in some foods, but it’s used to “pad out” the product. For instance, wheat is used in most commercial soy sauces, yet traditional soy sauce contains no wheat at all. By cutting out sauces and foods that use gluten to water down the genuine ingredients, you’re consuming food without extra additives.
Still, keep in mind that cheap gluten-free products are often more refined than their wheat-y counterparts. Don’t grab something because the label says “gluten-free.” Check for quality. From experience I can tell you that cheap gluten-free bread is awful, and cheap gluten-free cereal is packed full of sugar. So, make sure to choose good, quality products."
Which Health & Wellness Articles Should you Trust?
Health and wellness is now a multi-trillion dollar industry, so everyone is jumping on board. With many unknown companies dishing out health advice to the masses, it’s hard to know who to trust. As a Physiotherapist and personal trainer, I’ve heard the crazy myths and recommendations some of these wellness writers share, ranging from odd to dangerous. These journalists are wonderful writers, but when you’re seeking out health, fitness and wellness advice, here’s how to determine if it’s from a trusted source.
1. Real health and wellness links & sources
A safe and accurate article with recommendations should have links to journal articles, or be written by a registered health professional with industry knowledge and experience. Trusted journals will be found on Google scholar, and include titles like BJSM (British Journal of Sports Medicine) and the American Journal of Sports Medicine.
2. PAIR online advice WITH an in-person consultation
Each article, even if it’s written by a health professional, should recommend you see a trained professional in addition to its recommendation.
For example: If you’re reading an article on calf pain and its soul recommendation is a massage, you should definitely be cautious. If you calf pain is originating from a DVT (deep vein thrombosis) a massage could be incredibly dangerous and even fatal. Always see a health professional in addition to reading any article.
3. Genuine Statistics
Have you ever read a health statistic that says 19 out of 20 people find…A study group of 20 people is miniscule, and advising people to behave in accordance with the results of a study including twenty people is ill-advised. If you’re taking the advice of an article that cites statics, check that they’re reliable and valid enough to influence your behaviour.
4. No Ultimatums
Health, fitness and wellness all depend on the body, and each and every one of us is different. No article should recommend you must 100% adhere to their guidelines for a certain outcome unless it’s been proven over and over again in evidence-based studies.
Eg. 'Don’t stretch before running because it causes injuries' vs. 'Don’t smoke because it will cause cancer.'
It’s clear which one of these ultimatums has been proven over and over again (For more information on how to stretch check out my newest guest post for Fitfluential)
The internet is full of health and wellness advice thanks to articles, social media and the ever-popular hashtag: #fitspo. Before you launch into a program of lunges to rehabilitate your knee pain (ouch!) check the legitimacy of your source, who wrote it and where they found their information.
Whether you’re enquiring about weight loss, rehabilitation, injury, training techniques or training plans, always see a health professional in-person for a reliable recommendation in conjunction with anything you read online.
