Leave No Trace Principles at Red Mountain

Leave No Trace™ Principles at Red Mountain

By John Ibach, Director of Outdoor Recreation

At Red Mountain Resort we take great pride in the good relationship we have with public land managers and the fact that we welcome thousands of visitors to our beautiful corner of Utah for hiking, biking, climbing and water sports each year. Because of the beauty and fragile nature of the desert we live in, our constant goal is to leave as little footprint as possible. We do this in part by adhering to the Leave No Trace principles. Because we use the principles listed below we are able to travel thousands of miles of trails each year while leaving a minimal impact on fragile environments and other peoples’ experiences. 

Leave No Trace Principles

Plan Ahead & Prepare

• Adequate trip planning and preparation helps backcountry travelers accomplish trip goals safely and enjoyably, while simultaneously minimizing damage to the land. 
• Travel on durable surfaces.
• Concentrate use on existing trails.
• Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet or muddy.
• Avoid places where impacts are just beginning.

Leave What You Find

• Preserve the past: examine, but do not touch, cultural or historic structures and artifacts.
• Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.

Respect Wildlife

• Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them.
• Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers.
• Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash securely.
• Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, or winter.

Be Considerate of Other Visitors

• Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.
• Step to the downhill side of the trail when encountering pack stock.
• Take breaks away from other visitors.
• Let nature's sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.

World Peace Garden

World Peace Gardens

By Betina Lindsey, Shaman Spirit Guide

THE DIRT

IT’S ALIVE!!!

I discovered this at six months old. It was the moment I crawled off a blanket and into the dirt. My chubby little fingers grabbed for the texture of it. And into my mouth the dirt went! Think about it…nothing and none of us on the planet would thrive without "The Dirt"!!!  

I will capitalize the “D” because to me, Dirt is sacred - it is the living skin of the earth! From Dirt we came and to Dirt we go. In the beginning comfort food came directly from the Dirt, not fast food drive thru as my grand kids think. The Dirt, the Waters, the Air, the Sun and the Plants are Nature’s living soul. We can’t survive without Nature, but Nature can survive without us. Yes, indeed folks!!! This is the rude awakening of the 21^st century.  

To me this world is a garden, a global garden in need of respecting. It is time to encourage all peoples, governments, corporate pirates, militaries, the jobless and the cyber children to walk outside in our world wide garden, kneel down and touch Holy Dirt.   

I am sure this is the spiritual shift needed.  

A tree can live for thousands of years with its evolved immune system, not so with stocks, bonds and derivatives. Governments, religions and overlords come and go, but the "Dirt" is always here. We fight over Dirt, blow it up, radiate it, draw boundaries on it, sell it, pave it, drive on it, farm it, defecate on it, exploit it, spray pesticides on it, yet we don’t acknowledge it as having rights or intelligence…but it does because it is alive! Sometime, take a hand full, smell it, and look at it in a microscope. Dirt is You!

A headline read: “Dirt Exposure Boosts Happiness.” Researchers at Bristol University in Britain treated lung-cancer patients with "friendly” bacteria found in soil, otherwise known as Dirt. The patients reported feeling happier and had an improved quality of life.

Where are the happiest places in the world? Studies show in our gardens!!! Want to be happy? Gardening is a number one happiness skill say happiness experts, along with counting your blessings and hugging friends and family. Even in one of the most unhappy countries in the world, when asked what made them happy, the citizens agreed that their locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables were one of the few happiness shots they had. Now, that is what I call a "happy meal."

I have this dream of seeing a Dirt flag flying on every flag pole in the world. Imagine a new movement in our institutions. “We interrupt this old programming of fear, greed, BS and mayhem with the One and Holy True Dirt!”

Imagine gifting the next seven generations with a new Pledge of Allegiance.  “We pledge allegiance to the Dirt, one Earth, unpolluted, with microbes, flora, fauna, pure water and balanced habitat for all.”   

Yes, we all die and go back to the Dirt for graveyard therapy. Mark my last request for my funeral, when the hole is dug and the "Dirt to Dirt" and "ashes to ashes" bit is spoken, I hope they will sing, “We are stardust, we are golden, and we’ve got to get back to the ‘Dirt’!” *

*Don’t miss the five star documentary: DIRT! THE MOVIE, A Story with Heart and Soil. Check it out at a library near you

Chilled Watermelon Cilantro Soup

Chilled Watermelon Cilantro Soup

Ingredients:
6 ½ Cup Seedless watermelon, peeled
1 ¼ Cup Unsweetened apple juice
¼ Cup Fresh cilantro, minced
½ Cup Coconut milk
1 tsp. Agave syrup
2 tsp. Cornstarch

Directions:

1. Bring 1 Cup apple juice to a rolling boil.
2. Add corn starch to ¼ C cold apple juice till smooth and creamy (no lumps).
3. Whisk in corn starch slurry to boiling apple juice (apple juice will become very thick).
4. Chill to below 40 degrees.
5. Purée watermelon, pour into strainer and use a rubber spatula to press the pulp through (discard small seeds that will be left).
6. Place all ingredients in blender and mix well.

Hint: fine mince 1 fresh seeded jalapeno, sprinkle on top of soup for garnish.

Recipe Nutrient Analysis, Single Serving:
Calories: 103
Protein: 1g                    
Fat: 4g
Fiber: 1g

10 Dos & Don'ts for Your Spa Visit

10 Do's & Don'ts for Your Spa Visit

By Mryna Beardshear, Director of Spa & Wellness

Below are 10 ways to make the most from your spa visit.

• Feel free to ask questions about the services and what to expect from your spa experience.
• You may ask question about the qualifications and certifications of the therapists working in the spa.
• Please leave all personal items in your resort room or in your locker. We recommend that you do NOT wear any jewelry during your spa service. 
• To preserve an ambiance of peace and tranquility, the spa is a cell phone free environment. Kindly turn off all cell phones prior to entering the spa. We ask that you speak quietly throughout the spa particularly in waiting areas and in treatment corridors.
• Please notify the spa concierge if you have high blood pressure, allergies, physical ailments, disabilities or are pregnant. While a few services should be avoided during pregnancy, there are treatments that can be enjoyed in the second and third trimester. When making your appointment, please notify the spa reservationist if you are pregnant so they can offer guidance.  If you prefer a male or female therapist, please make your request when scheduling your treatment.  Your information will be treated as confidential.
• Be aware that many spas will not accommodate anyone under the age of 18. Please advise the reservationist of any under age members in your party to determine how they may be accommodated.
• Shaving is recommended but not necessary for men prior to a facial. If you choose to have prior to your facial, be sure to do so at least two hours prior to the appointment; Shaving is not recommended prior to body treatments or hair removal services.
• Most body treatments are enjoyed without clothing. However, disposable undergarments are available on request. Spas practice professional draping and your modesty is respected at all times. If you would feel more comfortable, you may wear undergarments so that you can relax and enjoy your spa service. Robes and slippers are provided before treatments.
• Arrive 30 minutes prior to your scheduled spa appointment time or 15 minutes prior for the salon. Please keep in mind that arriving late for a service may require the spa to shorten the length of the treatment, with full charges applied, so as not to inconvenience other guests. Mostly, late arrivals will not receive extension of scheduled appointments.
• You have the right to be treated with courtesy and respect and, in turn, you will treat staff and other guests with courtesy and respect
• Please communicate with your therapist your concerns, needs or desires. They will take the lead from you as to pressure of the massage; ensure that your aesthetician understands the concerns you have and the results you are looking for.

Yoga Week at Red Mountain Resort

Yoga Week at Red Mountain Resort

By Kim Watters, Fitness Manager

I would like to invite you to our third annual Yoga Week August 26–Sept. 1. Whether you are a novice or a pro, we are offering numerous classes, lectures and workshops to help guide you on the path to enlightenment.

Yoga has a myriad of health benefits, too many to list in this article, but here are a few I feel are the most important for general well-being.

• Relieves stress and fatigue.
• Increases invigoration and vitality.
• Teaches a new lifestyle, a new way of thinking.
• Helps to bring balance to your world.

The benefits of pranayama (yogic breathing practices) according to Swami Sivananda are many. He says, "The body becomes strong and healthy. Too much fat is reduced. There is luster in the face. Eyes sparkle like diamonds. The practitioner becomes very handsome. Voice becomes sweet and melodious."

Indra Devi, author of many books on yoga suggests that with yoga, "You will be able to enjoy better sleep, a happier disposition, a clearer and calmer mind. You will learn how to build up your health and protect yourself against colds, fevers, constipation, headaches, fatigue, and other troubles. You will know what to do in order to remain youthful, vital and alert, regardless of your calendar-age; how to lose or gain weight; how to get rid of premature wrinkles, and keep a smooth skin and clear complexion."

We will be offering a wonderful blend of movement, meditation and mantras. To start your day, we suggest our Meditation Hike or our Breath Walk, followed by a 10 am gentle yoga class. After lunch you will be able relax and digest while you listen in on one of our many mind-body lectures. Throughout the day you will enjoy additional yoga classes including Active Yoga, Aqua Asana and Yoga on the Ball. We also have many workshops available including a beginner's series for those who want to learn how to begin a practice (continuing education credits are available for yoga teachers in this series). You won’t want to miss Canyon View Yoga; This yoga experience takes place in the magnificent Snow Canyon State Park, which provides the perfect backdrop among the red cliffs and petrified sand dunes for those seeking adventure in their yoga journey.

See our activity schedule for details on classes, days and times.

Tips to Improve Your Emotional Health

Tips to Improve Your Emotional Health

People with balanced emotional health have learned healthy ways to cope with the daily stresses that occur naturally in life. Change is one of the most common stressors we will all have to deal with.  Whether the change is for good or bad we can plan on experiencing change several times through out our lives.

Sometimes when we are stressed, or hurt emotionally it comes out in a physical way and we may feel some of the following symptoms:

• Back pain
• Change in appetite
• Chest pain
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Dry mouth
• Extreme tiredness
• General aches and pains
• Headaches
• High blood pressure
• Insomnia (trouble sleeping)
• Lightheadedness
• Palpitations (the feeling that your heart is racing)
• Sexual problems
• Shortness of breath
• Stiff neck
• Sweating
• Upset stomach
• Weight gain or loss

Recognizing these symptoms of stress and learning how to cope with stress now is important, as some of these symptoms get worse with time. Also, investing in your emotional health now will prevent medical costs later.  

The following are some helpful tips from Red Mountain Resort and familydoctoroctor.org.

1. Express your feelings in appropriate ways. Keeping these feelings inside can make you feel worse. At these times, ask someone outside the situation such as your family doctor, a counselor, a religious advisor or life coach - for advice and support to help you improve your emotional health. You can also express your feelings through movement and dance. Many guests enjoy The Nia Technique at Red Mountain Resort. This energizing technique provides a way to express your feeling through dance, sound and voice.
2. Live a balanced life. Some research has shown that having a positive outlook can improve your quality of life and give your health a boost. Let go of the negative things in your life and make time for the things you enjoy. You may need to get away from work and the stresses of home for a while to recharge your batteries and bring the work/relax ratio into a balanced state. In addition, you can balance your mental energies through acupuncture, zero balancing, Tai Chi and other types of energy work.
3. Develop resilience. People with resilience are able to cope with stress in a healthy way. Resilience can be learned and strengthened with different strategies. These include having social support, keeping a positive view of yourself, accepting change and keeping things in perspective.
4. Calm your mind and body. Relaxation methods, such as meditation, yoga, Tai Chi and slow stretching are useful ways to bring your emotions into balance. These methods should be done in a peaceful environment and can be performed inside or out in nature.
5. Take care of yourself. It’s important to take care of your body by having a regular routine for eating healthy meals, getting enough sleep and exercising to relieve pent-up tension. Aerobic, strength and flexibility exercises are equally important and should all be enjoyed as part of your essential routine. Avoid overeating and don’t abuse drugs or alcohol.

For a more intense look at your emotions and how to find emotional peace, check out our Emotional Fitness Add-on package.

Chocolate-Chile Pumpkin Seed Pesto

Chocolate- Chile Pumpkin Seed Pesto

½ Cup Pumpkin seeds
4–5 cloves fresh garlic
1 tsp. Paprika
2 tsp. Chile powder
2 tsp. Cocoa powder
1 tsp. Coriander
2 tsp. Chopped cilantro
1 ½ tsp. Agave
Olive oil (enough to reach the consistency you desire)
Salt to taste

Directions:
Mix well in a food processor until reaches desired consistency.

How to Maximize your Spa Time

How to Maximize your Spa Time

In order to benefit from the relaxing atmosphere of a spa and to enjoy your treatment to the fullest, it is important to “relax your soul” too.

Whether you’re in the relaxation room or on the treatment table, allow yourself to move into a quiet space and leave behind the distractions of life that create so much tension. Consciously breathe deeply and slowly. Listen to your breath and feel it moving and fueling the energy in your body. Listen to the quiet that lies under all the sounds around us. Concentrate not on the music, the rustling of the therapist or the guests in the chairs next to you, but on the stillness under all that sound. Rather than be distracted by the presence of everything around you, touch it, feel it and acknowledge it and then feel the quiet that is within everything and you will draw into your being a peace that will bring you to the ultimate state of relaxation.