Category

Fitness

September 17, 2021
10

HOW TO BEAT THE HOLIDAY WEIGHT GAIN

By | Fitness, Health, Home, Nutrition | 2 Comments

We’re almost three weeks into September – exactly the time when your mind has already forgotten all about your last vacation, but the body is left to sort out the consequences.

Whether you hopped on a flight to your favorite spot, or staycationed closer to home, we definitely all indulged in that extra bowl of pasta and glass of wine this summer. To get you back to feeling your tip top best, here are our weight loss tips.

  1. Drop the soda… and the wine. Get back to basics with the good stuff, water. Try drinking warm water eight times a day – it acts like a dishwasher for your digestive system, cleaning out all the gunk and toxins as it goes.
  2. Take a break from stress. Stress hormones are brilliant at storing fat! Great when we were cave people, but terrible for modern day weightloss. We want to reduce the body’s instinct to produce the stress hormone. When stress can’t be avoided, make sure you give your body a reset with something calming like a hot bath, restorative yoga or meditation.
  3. Bring back breakfast! As tempting as it is to skip a meal, its actually counterintuitive for losing weight. Having a healthy breakfast featuring protein, fiber and healthy fats will keep cravings and snacking at bay as it stabilises your blood sugar.
  4. Make home cooking fashionable again. This is fundamental for weight loss success. Not only does this control your portion sizes, but it means you know exactly what’s going into your meal. There’s no chance of hidden additives, non-organic ingredients or secret sugar.
  5. Move your body. Increasing your daily activity isn’t just about calories burnt – it helps manage stress and boost your mood. Getting in those sweaty work outs is amazing, but don’t forget to have fun. Dancing to your favorite songs is just as effective. Remember to have a little protein after your workout to aid muscle repair.

Daisy Quin – Yoga Instructor and Nutritionist from LA

August 28, 2021
10

NEVER HAD A MASSAGE BEFORE?

By | Fitness, Health, Massage | No Comments

Many view massage therapy as unnecessary or a last resort in case of injury. Moreover, undressing and letting somebody touch your curves can often be the main reason for not getting a much-needed massage. These feelings result in people suffering through stiffness in the back or even impaired blood circulation for years.

The benefits of massage therapy are well known and do not really need repeating. The problem, however, lies in their underestimation as well as the unwillingness to see the preventative effects of massage. If you never had severe muscle pain, migraines or burnouts, it is easy to dismiss the necessity of treating your soul and body.

2021 American Massage Therapy Association

According to the American Massage Therapy Association, almost half of all massage consumers got their last treatment for health and wellness reasons, while the other major part needed the therapy to reduce stress and treat anxiety.

The chart above clearly demonstrates which symptoms drive Americans to discuss the possibility of massage treatment with their doctor. Most of these patients are experiencing muscle pain or migraines, which in most part could be avoided if only they used the massage as a preventative therapy.

WHERE TO START?

As odd as it sounds, getting your first massage can be stressful. The main thing to remember, however, is that all masseuses are people. They do their job just like any other person. Our clients often feel very surprised by the friendly and calm personalities of the providers. And this is exactly how it should be, as the main and only job of the masseuse is to make you feel at ease, almost as if you were lying in your bed at home. (Wait a second… with Glow Concierge it is actually the case😉)

For you first ever massage, treat yourself with a light Lymph Drainage Massage. It is aimed at stimulating the lymphatic system and improving the blood circulation. It is perfect for removing old blocks in your body and making you feel like a new person.

August 7, 2021
3

PERIOD MYTH BUSTING

By | Fitness, Health, Nutrition | No Comments

MYTH#1 – You shouldn’t exercise on your period

FALSE

Exercising can actually help with decreasing any PMS symptoms you may be feeling, particularly before your period. Exercise can help with fatigue and mood swings and regular aerobic exercise may lesson these symptoms. Exercise also tends to alleviate cramps, headache, or back pain associated with your period. Plus, don’t forget about that natural endorphin high! Exercise can generally elevate your mood and give you that boost of energy you need during your period.

MYTH#2 – You shouldn’t get a massage while menstruating

FALSE

A massage can help relax the body when it comes to tackling your menstrual pain as you’ll likely experience a decrease in water retention, and a release of muscle tension. Keep in mind a massage does increase the blood flow around your body which means a massage may increase your menstrual flow for a day after the massage. But this isn’t always a bad thing! The increase in blood flow also has positive effects on menstruation and can help reduce cramps and back pain

MYTH#3 – You shouldn’t have sex during your period

FALSE

Don’t let your period put a halt on your sex life. You may feel more aroused during this time of the month. The release of endorphins during orgasms is also said to reduce PMS symptoms such as cramping and will certainly take your mind off any menstrual uncomforted. If that wasn’t enough to convince you, having sex may make your periods shorter. Muscle contractions during an orgasm push out the uterine contents faster. That could result in shorter periods.

Myth #4: You Can’t Get Pregnant During Your Period

FALSE

The facts are that although the chances are slim, it is possible to get pregnant if you have unprotected sex during your period, particularly if you have a shorter cycle. You’re most likely to get pregnant during ovulation, which happens about 14 days before your period starts. Yet every woman’s cycle length is different, and your cycle length can change monthly. If you have a short menstrual cycle, your risk of getting pregnant during your period is higher. Also consider that sperm can stay alive in your body for up to seven days. So, if you have a 22-day cycle and you ovulate soon after getting your period, there’s a chance you’ll be releasing an egg while sperm are still in your reproductive tract.

MYTH#5 – PMS isn’t real

FALSE

If anyone ever tries to tell you that PMS is all in your head, they are lying. PMS, or premenstrual syndrome, is the combination of symptoms you may experience leading​ up your period. These can include mood swings, feeling on edge, headaches, and spots (great!). Although medical professionals aren’t exactly sure what causes PMS, it’s definitely a real thing and is probably down to the fluctuation in your hormones leading up to your period. So next time you’re not feeling like your usual self, rest-assured it’s completely normal and okay for you to feel that way.

MYTH#6 – You shouldn’t swim when you’re on your period (especially in the ocean, as sharks will attack you)

FALSE

There is no reason whatsoever not to swim when you are on your period and what’s more it can help ease cramps (see Myth#1 above on exercise). As to being attacked by sharks: No No No …. While it’s true that a shark’s sense of smell is powerful and that menstrual fluid contains blood, there’s no scientific evidence that women swimming in the ocean while having their period are more likely to be bitten by a shark. Please enjoy a swim without fear of being a sharks breakfast.

MYTH #7 – Everyone knows when you’re on your period

FALSE

No one knows unless you choose to tell them! You don’t walk differently, look different or smell different. Menstruation is a natural healthy part of life. It is a normal bodily function. It is however common for women to feel self conscious about their period, but rest assured no one knows you are menstruating and your body’s functions are your own private business. It’s ok to be discreet and not talk about it if it makes you uncomfortable. That said you should not feel like you have to hide the fact that you are on your period, there is nothing dirty or shameful about menstruation. You might find it helps to be open about your period, particularly with people you trust. The bottom line is you are in control and you alone can decide who to share this with or not.

MYTH #8 – You cannot enjoy your life during “these days”

FALSE! Go out, do sports, organize spa days and party hard. Glow Concierge & Organic Mondays will be there to support you.

Glow Concierge would like to thank Organic Mondays for sharing this important information. Take part in our joint GIVEAWAY and win 200CHF worth of goodies from Glow Concierge and Organic Mondays.

Refrences: https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-during-period#benefits https://www.healthline.com/health/womens-health/sex-during-periods#pregnanc

up your period. These can include mood swings, feeling on edge, headaches, and spots (great!). Although medical professionals aren’t exactly sure what causes PMS, it’s definitely a real thing and is probably down to the fluctuation in your hormones leading up to your period. So next time you’re not feeling like your usual self, rest-assured it’s completely normal and okay for you to feel that way. MYTH#6 – You shouldn’t swim when you’re on your period (especially in the ocean as sharks will attack you) There is no reason whatsoever not to swim when you are on your period and what’s more it can help ease cramps (see Myth#1 above on exercise). As to being attacked by sharks: No No No …. While it’s true that a shark’s sense of smell is powerful and that menstrual fluid contains blood, there’s no scientific evidence that women swimming in the ocean while having their period are more likely to be bitten by a shark. Please enjoy a swim without fear of being a sharks breakfast. MYTH #7 – Everyone knows when you’re on your period FALSE No one knows unless you choose to tell them! You don’t walk differently, look different or smell different. Menstruation is a natural healthy part of life. It is a normal bodily function. It is however common for women to feel self conscious about their period, but rest assured no one knows you are menstruating and your body’s functions are your own private business. It’s ok to be discreet and not talk about it if it makes you uncomfortable. That said you should not feel like you have to hide the fact that you are on your period, there is nothing dirty or shameful about menstruation. You might find it helps to be open about your period, particularly with people you trust. The bottom line is you are in control and you alone can decide who to share this with or not.

July 24, 2021
3

WHICH YOGA TYPE IS BEST FOR ME?

By | Fitness, Food for thought | One Comment

Chakra, Ayurveda, Nidra, Vinyasa, Tridosha – unless you studied Sanskrit, you probably have no idea how to get your head around so many types of yoga.

If you don’t have time to try all of these yoga types for your own, read this article and discover which one will cater to your personal needs.

VINYASA

Vinyasa Yoga, also referred to as “flow yoga”, is one of the most common practices in the world. Some translate Vinyasa as “to place in a special way”, meaning that it requires conscious movements from each and every part of our bodies.

The Flow Yoga is all about calm and balanced movement. Together with your breath you flow from one posture into another, constantly changing and yet remaining still.

No Vinyasa practice is ever the same. This yoga type is so intuitive and different for each individual that you can even start doing it on your own after a while.

It is best suited for those working office jobs or with the low-activity lifestyles. Vinyasa Yoga brings you back to movement while stretching all the limbs and bones of the body.

CHAKRA

In ancient Sanskrit Chakra means a spinning wheel. According to the yogic belief there are 7 of these wheels surrounding our physical body. They are responsible for the flow of life and energy through us.

Every Chakra is of special significance and regulates the way we experience reality through the different emotions, aspirations or fears.

Therefore, if even one of the spinning wheels becomes blocked, the whole mechanism gets impaired. This can lead to anxiety, lethargy, digestive or other health issues. 

The focus of Chakra yoga is to locate the impaired or even blocked chakras and help you feel like yourself again. This is usually achieved by a combination of asanas, physical movements and meditation.

NIDRA

This practice is best suited for treating anxiety, insomnia and burnout symptoms, as it can be compared to a full 3hour sleep!

In Yoga Nidra you don’t need to freeze in uncomfortable poses for minutes, stretch, use muscle strenghth or do any kind of physical activity. You will start and finish the class lying on your mat.

The main goal of this session is to get you into a deep state of conscious sleep. Unlike meditation, where you normally observe your thoughts come and go, the yoga nidra sleep is the state of conscious dreaming while remaining awake.

Yoga nidra works with autonomic nervous system, which regulates the unconscious processes in our body, like heartbeat or breathing.

A recent study found that while both yoga nidra and meditation had the benefits of reducing stress, yoga nidra was more efficient in reducing anxiety.

AYURVEDA & TRIDOSHA

Practiced all over the world for more than 5000 years Ayurveda is one of the fundamental elements of the ancient Indian teachings. It literally translates as the science of life and well-being.

Ayurveda is based on the principle of three doshas – three pollutants in the human body. Each of these pollutants regulates our skin type, digestion patterns and many other aspects of who you are.

This practice recognizes that every individual has her/his own prevalent Dosha. The Ayurveda and Tridosha practitioners usually access the needs of their clients to develop a unique exercise routine.

This practice is somewhat similar to the flow yoga, with its continuous movements and breathing exercises, but is at the same time more personalized and directed at treating your own disbalances.

As you might have already noticed, yoga is not about getting your body into the perfect shape. Yoga is the science of mental and physical balance, of feeling who you are and what your body needs.

A personal class at your home is the perfect opportunity to dig in deeper into your feelings and discover the hidden imbalances within yourself.

July 17, 2021
3

LEARN BODY LOVE FROM CALLISTHENICS

By | Fashion, Fitness | No Comments

Callisthenics may sound like a fancy and complicated word but in reality, most of us are already doing it as a part of our workout routines. In short, callisthenics is a workout type oriented at working with your own bodyweight.

The name has Greek origins, where “Kàlos” means beauty and “Sthénos” means strength. Many callisthenics lovers suggest that this sport is the pure art of movement or the most natural exercise.

Callisthenics incorporates the elements of gymnastics but is mainly performed outdoors. It focuses on what your body can do rather than how it looks and the result – fit shape, defined muscles and a couple of gymnastic exercises you would never think you can do on top of that.  

If you ever found yourself saying “I would never be able to perform a handstand”, callisthenics might prove you wrong. This exercise routine is mainly based on helping you achieve your wildest fantasies about what your body can do.

PHYSICAL BENEFITS

Let’s take a handstand as an example. This exercise engages arms, shoulders, the core and glutes aka. the most wanted muscle groups!

Callisthenics teaches you to use your body as an integrated unit, instead of just viewing it as groups of isolated muscles. Being able to balance the weight from hands to legs requires not only strength, but also coordination and balance.

A study looked at the benefits of callisthenics on male participants over an 8 week period. The posture, strength and body composition accessed and measured through the before/after comparison of the participants’ abilities. In the end, the men demonstrated a significant body weight loss and posture improvement. They were also better at doing push-ups and pull-ups which indicated the increase in general body strengths.

MENTAL BENEFITS

Many people judge the success of their workout routine by their appearance, but as we already mentioned, callisthenics is not about that. Instead of having to look at your abs after every workout, you test your abilities with each exercise. For example, can you make the push-up better today compared to how you performed yesterday.

This kind of tracking can bring lots of fulfillment and motivation to work harder. And as soon as you master that handstand for the first time, you will get that enormous feeling of joy and would not want to stop for a second.

To sum up, callisthenics is a captivating art of working with your own body, feeling it and taking care of it. This workout teaches you patience, resilience and love for who you are.

With Dan you get a 50% discount on your first callisthenics session! Try it out, and you will not want to stop.

July 10, 2021
3

CUPPING IS ALWAYS IN FASHION

By | Fashion, Fitness, Massage | 2 Comments

Cupping is a massage technique that has been used by numerous celebrities over the years. How do we know? The marks.

The trend first started about a decade ago, when athletes at the Olympics and TV-stars started showing up in the public with colorful circles on their backs. Among the cupping therapy lovers are Victoria Beckham, Lady Gaga, Kim Kardashian and many others.

So what is it about cupping that makes us put up with this colourful after effect. Cupping is an ancient massage therapy first used by the people of China and Egypt. Some suggest that it was used to suck out the venom of poisonous snakes, but it soon became clear that there are way more benefits behind it.

A traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner Ada Ooi in her interview to Vogue states that cupping “… brings in oxygen and nutrients, guides immune cells into the area to loosen tension, and enhances qi [life force] flow in order to aid recovery and healing”

This incredible therapy does not only bring so much good into the body, it also helps flush out toxins. Yes, our body does have its own mechanisms to eliminate the build up of waste. However, modern lifestyle makes it too much for our natural systems. That’s where cupping comes into action. According to Ooi, “It creates broken blood vessels just beneath the skin, breaking up adhesions that are blocking the flow of qi and nutrients to different parts of the body”.

So why has cupping become more popular than a regular deep tissue massage? Some suggest that it’s because of the immediate effects not just on the body but also on your psyche. The unblocked blood vessels and improved oxygen and nutrient flow works well to ensure your whole body feels well.

Glow Concierge has a few cupping gurus of its own. Eleftheria and Alexandra have many years experience in massage therapy and, on top of that, a calming, friendly personality.

Trying this incredible massage technique out has now become even easier. Open glowconcierge.ch in your browser, choose from Cupping or Facial Cupping from Eleftheria and wait for your provider to knock on your door.

July 3, 2021
3

WHY LOVE YOGA

By | Fitness, Food for thought, Health | One Comment

Most of us are well-informed about the benefits of yoga. We associate this activity with healthy lifestyle, flexibility and mental well-being. But sometimes it seems so hard to force ourselves to do it. If you are one of those people who think “Yoga is not for me”, here are some good news! YOGA IS FOR EVERYONE.

Let’s first reexamine some of the benefits in comparison to other physical exercises.

There’s a tremendous amount of research confirming that certain yoga types can improve health through down-regulation of hypothalamic– pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). These two systems are the main responders to stress in our bodies. Therefore, the more often there’s a need for them to work, the more disbalanced your body’s response to triggers gets. This dysfunction then leads to obesity, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, depression, substance abuse, and cardiovascular disease.

Yoga has immediate effects on stress hormones and increase of natural killer cells. Studies even suggest that it reverses the impact of stress on the immune system. Moreover, you can actually feel the change, as yoga has also been shown to decrease anxiety and increase feelings of emotional, social and spiritual well-being.

Many studies have compared the effects of yoga and other physical activities such as fitness, stretching, walking, running or dancing. And, while the results on blood sugar reduction were similarly positive, yoga has been shown to have much greater benefits on the psyche.

In most of these comparisons yoga has been shown to be as effective as or superior to exercise on nearly every outcome measured.

The research conducted on women in labor or experiencing menopause confirmed the ease of the symptoms as well. While the pregnant women practicing yoga experienced an increase in maternal comfort and shortened labor time, the occurrence of hot flashes for menopausal participants reduced significantly.

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT YOGA

Time Consuming

A lot of people who have never practiced yoga believe that it is really hard to choose a studio, yoga type, instructor or the time to start. However, they forget that the main focus of any yoga type is to bring balance to one’s life. It doesn’t matter if you start with Asana Yoga or Ayurveda, your instructor is going to focus on your specific needs.

Thus, all you need to do is click on “Book an Appointment” at glowconcierge.ch and your instructor will come straight to your door and care for a smooth start in your yoga journey.

Women’s thing

Surveys show that men can feel uncomfortable in yoga classes, either because they are surrounded by women or because they do not feel comfortable doing some exercises. Other than that, it is a common belief that if an exercise does not include weight lifting or enormous calorie burn, it is not worth doing.

But as we have mentioned earlier, yoga has many benefits on your general well-being. A skinny, exhausted figure is not a guarantee that you won’t get burned out the next day.

The bottom line is that everybody, men or women, want to stay healthy and yoga is an easy solution for that.

Doesn’t burn enough calories

Maybe yoga will not burn as many calories as an hour of running on a treadmill. But it has been shown that people who practice yoga tend to make healthier nutrition choices. Combine this fact with the lowered stress and blood sugar levels, and here you’ve got all the calories you would have burned doing something else.

Yoga is boring

This one is a classical fear of people willing to start yoga. They view it as standing in one position for 10 minutes without anything to do. However, yoga offers a huge variety of exercises oriented at different muscle groups at once. After all, in 3000 years of existence of yoga there must have been developed some exciting exercises.

To sum up, yoga does not only improve physical and  psychological conditions, but is also a great relaxation technique. It engages many muscle groups while keeping your mind at peace at all times. If you are suffering from lower back pain, cardiovascular disease or experiencing stress, yoga is exactly what you need.

We always test the providers before they start to work with us. So you can be 100% sure that the person who comes to your home has the friendliest personality and is well qualified. If you still haven’t fallen in love with yoga, let them help you make the first step.

Your Glow Concierge

June 26, 2021
3

THE PLANK TO EASE LOWER BACK PAIN

By | Fitness, Health | One Comment

Everyone knows the plank, not many people love the plank! It strengthens the core muscles involved in ‘anti extension’ which is basically any movement that resists extending the lower back. This exercise uses all of your abdominals, as well as glutes, legs, arms, and shoulders, doesn’t it just sound magical?

In 2018 a study was conducted, where 30 people of both genders who had lower back pain (for more than two weeks) were asked to do 5 plank exercises every day for three weeks. The results have shown that a plank not only strengthens various muscle groups, but also reduces back pain and improves the quality of life.

The key to the perfect plank is keeping your hips in line with the rest of your body, don’t stick your bum in the air and equally don’t let it fall towards the floor making an arch in your back…easier said than done! It is crucial to focus on doing the plank correctly, otherwise you might hurt some muscles, or even worse – suffer for no result!

The best way to start is from kneeling, come onto your forearms with your palms flat on the floor, next you need to activate your thigh muscles to straighten your legs. If you really push your elbows into the floor, then your shoulder blades will open up. Next tuck your tailbone, squeeze your glues and draw your stomach in, try pulling your feet towards your elbows and vice versa. Now for the hard part…hold it!

If you’re not used to it, then try holding for 30 seconds and repeat 3 times. As you get used to holding the plank position, try and extend how long you’re holding it for. See if you can work up to 2.5 minutes and again, repeat 3 times.

As plank activates all your muscled it might be a good idea to do it in the very beginning of your workout as a mini warm up (it does not substitute a proper warm up). Next time you roll your yoga mat out to exercise start with a series of planks switching from the regular elbow plank to the side ones.

If you stick to the instructions and do it often enough, there’s a chance you will love this exercise at some point. Good luck! You can do it!

Your Glow Concierge

June 12, 2021
3

BENEFITS OF HAVING A WORK-OUT BUDDY

By | Fitness | 2 Comments

In general, we all know that working out is great. Great for our health, mood, eating patterns and overall well-being. Still, for many it is not enough to commit to exercising for a long time. But would having another person doing it with you change something?

Studies show that having an exercise buddy can have positive effects on the life attitude, relationship building and class attendance. But let’s take it one by one.

  1. Improved attendance

When you are on your own, it is quite easy to decide against a workout. But what if there is a coach and a close friend waiting for you just outside your house. You will not only stop creating excuses, but go out there looking forward to spending some time with them.

2.Workouts can get more productive

Generally if we see another individual doing what we are supposed to, it gives us motivation and makes the task seem more achievable. It is also be quite fun to discuss this tough workout with your friend afterwards.

3.Find a fit friend

A 2016 study has shown that people gravitate towards the exercise behaviors of those around them. So, overweight people tend to lose more weight if they spend time with their fit friends — the more time they spend together, the more weight they lose.

And these are just some of the benefits. The main advantage of sharing your workouts with a friend with Glow Concierge is that you get a personal coach for half the price!

Here’s some math, so you get our point:

  1. Workouts with Christina

For 2 – 60CHF per person (10xPackage – 50CHF)

For 3 –40CHF per person (10xPackage – 33CHF)

2.Tridosha Yoga with Melanie (also available online)

For 2 – 75CHF per person (10xPackage – 62 CHF)

For 3 –  50CHF per person (10xPackage – 41CHF)

For 4 –  37CHF per person (10xPackage – 31CHF)

Your Glow Concierge