Relaxation

Learn about the importance of relaxation as part of a healthy lifestyle. De-stress and improve your health by relaxing.

The Real Commitment That Will Turn Your Health Around

DeathtoStock_Clementine18

As a culture, we’re obsessed with quick fixes: the newest workout class craze, the buzziest new “superfood” ingredient, the shiny new supplements — we’re incredibly seduced by the idea that health and wellness is just one consumer decision away. The truth is, there is no pill for vitality. It’s not easy — as Kirk likes to say, “this is the warrior’s path.”

However, success is not a product of perfection. For the average busy, exhausted, overworked person, the first step to a lifestyle of health and wellness is getting used to prioritizing yourself.

No one “has” time: You have to make time

Our modern lifestyles demand much of us: time and energy are at a premium as we rush from workout to event, home to work and some quick shopping. For many people, the pressure causes them to deprioritize their own wellbeing. In order to maintain a healthful lifestyle that contributes to lifelong vitality, we have to create space for ourselves to exercise and eat nutritious foods, but we can’t do that if we are overextended. That’s why you must make time for yourself — to create and nurture the energy you need to make healthful decisions.

It’s in our nature — but not our own best interest — to put ourselves last

There’s a reason that airlines ask you to secure your own oxygen mask before helping anyone else with theirs: You can’t be useful or helpful to people if you don’t take care of yourself. Unfortunately, when prioritizing, too many people put themselves last. The effects of this can end up hurting your other priorities, however. Part of caring for others is caring for yourself.

Start small: Make plans with yourself — to relax

Get in the habit of rewarding your desire to be kind to yourself. Once per week, even just for 30 minutes, do something that relaxes you and makes you happy. Go for a walk in your favorite neighborhood, go catch a movie solo, treat yourself to a pedicure, cozy up and read a book by the fire — anything that makes you feel like your spoiling yourself.

Embrace deservedness for better health results

You deserve time, care, and energy you devote solely to yourself. Once you’ve allowed yourself this time, and gotten comfortable with the feeling of expending precious time and energy solely on yourself, making healthful decisions will come easier. At Mountain Trek, we delve into why this is, the behavioral science behind habit formation, and how to adjust your framework of time to optimize your health.

We promise that in the end, taking time for yourself will actually make you a better team member, parent, friend, and more. There’s no better way to jumpstart a resolution than commit a full week to yourself: come retrain your mind and nurture your spirit at Mountain Trek.


What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning health retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you detox, unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

Thriving During The Holidays

How to stay healthy throughout the holidays.

How to stay healthy throughout the holidays.

The Key To Surviving The Holidays? Kindness.

The holidays can be a fraught time for health goals. With an influx of food, family, and oftentimes stress, many people feel overwhelmed and powerless to maintain a healthy balance.

At Mountain Trek’s fitness retreat and health spa, we spend all week detoxing from what the body, mind and spirit don’t need (caffeine, empty calories, technology, stressful environments), and instead spend all of our time feeding our souls: with hale and hearty meals, 4-5 hours of cleansing physical activity in the pristine mountain air, and deep, restful sleep.

This lifestyle isn’t realistic for many — and is especially difficult around the holiday season — and towards the end of the week at Mountain Trek’s health and wellness retreat, we discuss the journey of goal-setting and habit formation, and how to take elements of what we experience in the program and apply it to your busy daily lives. Our biggest piece of advice tends to surprise people: The only thing you must do every day to make a serious change: Practice self-kindness. Being compassionate and understanding with oneself is the cornerstone of success.

A treat now and then or missed week of exercise won’t kill you — but the quest for perfection might.

Perfect is a myth. Perfection is the enemy of progress. Aspire to live healthfully 5 days a week, and give yourself 2 days off. One thing we see time and time again: People (Americans, especially) focus on perfection: They want to exercise 7 days a week, to journal every single day, and to never have a drop of wine ever again! This is not the successful path to meaningful change — by setting yourself up for failure, you sabotage your goals.

Your ultimate obstruction isn’t calories or sedentarism: It’s negative self-talk.

Keeping your thoughts and actions self-supportive is crucial in any long-term health goal. Creating a daily practice of self-care is the cornerstone of success. Too often, one setback sets people into a tailspin of guilt and shame, and the memory of guilt and shame stops them from pursuing the initial goal. You must create space for yourself to fall off track. You must give yourself permission to be human.

Reward your intention to do your best — whether you fulfill the goals, or not.

Navigating our modern world — replete with foods bereft of nutrition, stressful city environments, at the total mercy of our devices — is the warrior’s path. It’s not easy, and there’s no button or quick solution. Kale isn’t the answer — neither is the newest workout fad or the most expensive blender money can buy. You must respect, love, and honor yourself before you can truly make everything we teach at Mountain Trek truly work.

If you’re ready to commit to change, ready to grow and deepen your relationship to yourself, your truth, and the breathtaking outdoors, click here to view rates and dates at Mountain Trek for 2018. Shepherding people back to their essential selves is our life’s work — come to our mountain lodge in Nelson, BC, and find out what the mountain has to offer.

What You’ll See Throughout The Seasons Hiking In British Columbia

Spring Hiking in British Columbia

At Mountain Trek, we spend the bulk of each day outside, immersing ourselves in the unbelievably pristine mountains and lakes, and reveling in Mother Nature’s seasonal splendor. Our British Columbia program runs from late April through late October and depending on which season you choose to join us, you’ll see slightly different sides of our beloved Kootenay Mountains. The guide below describes what natural beauty you’ll encounter — from temperature and greenery to the different hikes we take depending on the season. From temperate rainforests in the spring to the alpine rainbow meadows in summer, there is something to love each month at Mountain Trek.

May through June: An Explosion of Spring

In spring and early summer, Nelson, BC is warm, and we bear witness to the first blossoms in the forest. During this time, we hike mostly along the lakeshore and deep river canyons, and marvel as the melting snow off the mountain rushes down the valley, filling all the creeks to the brim. Spring explodes around us; a cacophony of birdsong, willful flowers bursting through the ground, and the rushing water of the mountain jolts everything to life.

Hiking in British Columbia in spring

July to mid-August: High Summer and a Spring Redux

As we approach high summer, the receding snows beckon us to hike higher into the alpine. For those dying to explore an alpine meadow, now is your time to come to Mountain Trek. In the mountains, we aren’t beholden to one climate — the range of altitudes provides changes in temperature. So in high summer, while we have low-humidity heat down at the Lodge, we relive spring when we hike into the mountains: alpine meadows covered in wildflowers provide a vibrant rainbow of flora, and mild temperatures imbue the area with a sense of spring. Moving from lakeshore hikes to alpine hikes, we constantly experience a state of spring-like coolness — perfect for those looking to escape the oppressive heat of summer.

Summer hiking in British Columbia

Summe hiking in British Columbia

Mid-August to September: Golden Indian Summer

As summer gives way to fall, the days are warm but not hot. July through September, we hike past tarns — alpine lakes formed through the melting of glaciers — and revel in the glacial views, as we bear witness to the last remnants of the ice age. This time of year is when the foliage begins to come alive — the perfect time for avid leaf peepers to come to Mountain Trek! We hike in the high country, where the meadows are now dotted with gold, and needled trees take prominence in the forests.

Autumn hiking in British Columbia

October: Autumnal Vibrance

In October, the growing snows chase us out of the alpines, and in these weeks we watch the deciduous forests — maple, birch, aspen, cedar, hemlocks, and conifers — turn a vibrant, stunning gold, creating a glorious green- and gold quilted panorama. The shapes and smells of autumn take root, as the nights become cooler and fall mushrooms pop up on the forest floor.

Hiking in British Columbia in Autumn.

 

The all-encompassing beauty of the Kootenays makes for a truly sublime experience. Come bask in the natural glory, as you breathe in the aromatics of the seasons and revel in the natural world as it reinvigorates your sense of vitality, rebalances your hormones, and brings you total peace and gratitude. Come to Mountain Trek to detox, relax, and completely revive your spirit. Click here to view all available dates.


What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning health retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia and featuring daily sunrise yoga and night-time restorative yoga, will help you unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress, anxiety, and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

More Than Just A Wellness Retreat: What Alumni Truly Take Away From Their Visit

Mountain Trek hikers

There’s a reason why we call guests “alumni” — Mountain Trek guests tend to want to return to our fitness retreat, and many are even 4-, 5-, or 6-time guests. While most people come to Mountain Trek for a well-deserved retreat, to refocus on a fitness journey, or to lose weight, most people take away something even deeper, sometimes even spiritual.

Immersion in the pristine, invigorating forests, breathtaking mountains, and idyllic alpine meadows is indescribably therapeutic. However, there’s no need to rely on our word for it — Read on for excerpts from Mountain Trek’s (glowing) reviews of their stay at our award-winning health spa.

The Gift of Lifelong Vitality

“Doing something can change your life. Mountain Trek does change your life.” – Jack

The people behind Mountain Trek are amazing and truly inspirational, the lectures by Kirkland, Cathy and Jen will stay with me for a long time. Things we forgot about nature, nutrition, society, life. I had an amazing time and feel so much better after attending the retreat, I am also really inspired and have learnt so many new things I want to incorporate in my life to make myself healthier and better.” – Inia

Making Real Changes For The Better

“Body, mind and spirit leave functioning at a higher capacity than you might ever expect possible. I returned home strong, healthy and ‘alive’ again. Something is missing and you don’t know what it is…. Go find out on the most beautiful trails, in the most capable hands.” – Mollie

“Mountain Trek is a journey that teaches you a lot about who you are as a person. It is not an easy trek but nothing in life worth doing is easy. The staff’s insights, knowledge, and passion is second to none. The real-time community that you build with other trekkers makes the daily challenge fun and achievable.” – Aman

“They helped me changed my state of mind, which is where it all starts. Practical and sustainable. I am thrilled I invested the time and money in myself — I feel a shift in myself and it feels good.” – Kimberosie

Restoring Confidence + Reclaiming Your Life

“Thank you, Mountain Trek. You have given me back 3 years of my life, restored my confidence, and helped me find my way again. This is debt that can never be repaid, so I will just have to come back again next summer to show you how much the experience has enhanced my life.” – Christine

“Mountain Trek is amazing in so many ways: the staff, the facilities, the views! The most amazing thing MT did for me was to show me that I am strong and there’s nothing I can’t tackle with a little sweat, support and one tiny step at a time.” – Jen

“Our last hike was nearly five hours long and I really thought it would break me. But as I realized we were near the trail end where we started, I powered through the fatigue, walking tall and strong. I have NEVER been more proud of myself. And that, my friend, is something everyone needs to experience. We are capable of so much more than we realize.” – Lee-Ann

Learning How To Healthfully Navigate The World

“Kirk and his team are knowledgeable, well trained, and fun to be with. Mountain Trek does a great job of teaching you simple steps to a healthier way of life. I’ve integrated several changes to my life and have seen the results last.” – Janice

“What you learn stays with you; simple tips you can take home and easily add to your routine. Eight months on and I still use lessons learned from the amazing cast of characters at Mountain Trek just about every day. And just so you know, I’m a naysayer by nature.” – Amy

Mountain Trek isn’t just a place, or a retreat, or a distinct group of people: It’s a philosophy, a set of tools for reclaiming vitality in a world full of difficult choices, a retreat, a return to nature, and a return to the self. Eager to experience your own “aha” moment, and take a well-earned break? Ready to commit to lifelong vitality? Read more about the daily schedule at Mountain Trek, and book your trip today.


What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning health retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you detox, unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

Bedtime Yoga | Best Restorative Poses to Promote Sleep

Bedtime Yoga

One of the reasons we have difficulty sleeping at night is because we are over stimulated. Our brains are wired to process all incoming information from our five senses to predict the appropriate state for our body’s systems. “Should I be ready? Or should I rest?” These two autonomic nervous system states are called the sympathetic (fight or flight) and the parasympathetic (rest and digest).

Staring at screens and/or hearing loud noises automatically puts us into a state of readiness. This is why it’s so important to shut off our digital devices at least 30 minutes before bed and to follow the other “insomnia busters” we’ve detailed in previous posts. Another way to calm your mind and prepare your body for sleep is to use such tools as relaxation breathing or restorative yoga to promote our parasympathetic system, the state we need to obtain in order to sleep deeply.

Here are the four poses Katya recommends to do in order to prepare your body and mind for a perfect night’s sleep.

Legs up the wall

Legs up the wall pose

Begin by sitting on the floor or the bed with one hip against the wall. Swing both of your legs up the wall as you lay down on your back; your body should form a 90-degree angle with the wall. For increased benefits, slide a firm pillow or yoga bolster beneath your hips. Relax and belly breathe for several minutes.

Supported forward twist

Supported Forward Twist

Sit on the floor and have a firm pillow or bolster nearby. Bend both knees and swing your feet to the left side of your body. Place the bolster to the outside of your right hip extending away from you. Lengthen your spine and twist to the right. Lay your torso along the bolster, resting on one cheek. Breath into the sides of your body for 10 deep breaths. Repeat rotating the opposite way.

Supported child’s pose

Supported Child's Pose

Get onto all fours. Sit back on your heels, separating your knees so that they’re about shoulder-width apart. Place a firm pillow or bolster between your legs extending away from you. Fold forward from the hips, lengthening the belly along the bolster. Rest deeply as you breathe into the back of your body for one minute.

Reclined butterfly pose

Supported-Forward-Twist

Sit on the ground or the bed with several firm pillows or a bolster propped up behind you. Bring the soles of your feet together, allowing the knees to fall outwards. Support the knees if you like with pillows. Lay back on the pillows so that you are at a 45-degree angle. Place a folded towel beneath your neck for support. Place an eye bag over your eyes if you’d like and belly breath for several minutes.


What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

How to Reduce Stress With Meditation

Mountain Trek’s program director Kirkland Shave says more often he’s meeting guests at the lodge who are struggling with stress. Whether it’s their work, family life, or personal troubles, he says that many people come to the lodge to escape their daily stresses, immerse themselves in nature, get a good night’s sleep, and, ultimately relax. However, when their stay at the lodge nears its end, their stress levels begin amping up again as they consider returning to their regular day-to-day.

As part of the educational component of the program, Kirkland spends time sharing various tips for how to reduce stress. For example, in this video below, he discusses the causes of stressors and what you can do to alleviate them and relax, and, ultimately enjoy a more fulfilling life free of chronic worry.

Kirkland also recommends meditation as a great form of relaxation. It used to be that meditation was viewed as something only “old hippies” did. But now its benefits are being touted by the likes of Oprah, Hugh Jackman, and Arianna Huffington.

Related Article: The Rise of Forest Bathing

There is so much new research available since brain imaging equipment came into existence 20 years ago that its benefits are proving it can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and slow Alzheimer’s. Also, in a recent study by John Hopkins University, it was proven that mindfulness meditation can be just as effective as antidepressants for treating anxiety symptoms. It also boosts our feel-good hormones (serotonin, dopamine), lowers our stress hormone (cortisol), lowers our blood pressure, alleviates pain and inflammation and it invokes our parasympathetic nervous system to help balance our digestive and elimination systems.

If you’re considering trying meditation for the first time, my recommendation would be to start simple.

Steps to Begin Your Meditation Practice:

  • Find a quiet space and remove all devices such as your smartphone
  • Sit comfortably with a straight spine
  • Breathe slowly and fully while concentrating on a candle flame, or the sound of ocean waves, or the sensations of your breath as it passes through your nostrils
  • Notice how your concentration gets interrupted by your thoughts. Don’t worry though as this is the normal function of our mind to generate thoughts.
  • Gently (and without judgment of the content) come back to concentrating on your focus of attention.
  • Practice increases the power of concentration so start with just 5 minutes a day and then build from there.

What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning health retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you detox, unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

4 Tips: How to Sleep On Airplanes

a person sleeping on an airplane

Many of our guests at Mountain Trek travel for work and spend a lot of time in hotels, at airports, and on airplanes. When enduring cross-continental flights, it can feel impossible to sleep on the plane.

Related Article: 7 Tips To Help You Sleep Better

Sleeping on a flight has its challenges, but there are a few best practices that can help you get some rest between runways. First, don’t force sleep if it’s the middle of the day and you aren’t changing timezones as it will disrupt your circadian rhythm and make it harder to sleep that night. If you are on a night flight or are traveling through timezones, here are some hints to get some shut-eye.

4 Practices to Get to Sleep on an Airplane

Get a good seat

Choose a window seat on your preferred side to sleep. If you book early and can choose the best option using this: helpful tool.

Don’t drink

Although booze is a muscle relaxant and depressant, it disrupts our rapid eye movement sleep and lowers the quality of our rest. Try a herbal tea instead.

Eye pillows and earplugs

Come equipped with your own supply. Specialty earplugs and a good eye pillow will block out the too most difficult environmental interruptions; light and noise.

Get Comfy

The best position for your body, from a spinal perspective, is to have the seat reclined as there is less direct loading on the lumbar. Next, bring something to pad the lumbar curve (like the extra sweater in your carry-on) and a neck pillow as it will prevent total collapse of the neck. Lastly, stow your carry-on above you to give your legs room to stretch out and avoid cramping.


What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning health retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia and featuring daily sunrise yoga and night-time restorative yoga, will help you unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress, anxiety, and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

5 Surprising Health Benefits of Massage

a woman getting a massage

Those who have had the luxury of enjoying a massage know that it can really help with tense and sore muscles. While that’s definitely a key reason why we include Swedish massages as part of our all-inclusive retreat package, there are many other benefits to massage therapy that you may not know about.

5 Surprising Health Benefits of Massage

Helps your body release toxins

Release toxins with massage

Your body is designed to flush harmful chemicals, viruses, and other toxins via the kidneys, liver, lungs, intestines, skin, and lymphatic system. We can help with this task by drinking lots of water, eating healthy foods, doing exercise, and, yes, getting a massage! A massage helps drain toxins through the lymphatic system, which clears your body of cellular waste.

Lowers cortisol levels

Massage for good health

Human touch is a powerful tool. By physically interacting with another person, you are socially validated and that has physiological impacts: it lowers your levels of cortisol (stress hormone) and releases dopamine. If you don’t have the opportunity for daily physical interaction with a loved one in the form of a hug, for example, the skin-on-skin contact offered by a massage therapist is the next best thing.

Boosts immunity

massage to lower cortisol

In 2010 a study was published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine that determined the effects of a single session of Swedish massage on neuroendocrine and immune function. It was recorded that Swedish Massage Therapy increased oxytocin levels within participants, which helped decrease hypothalamic, pituitary & adrenal activity and enhanced immune function. The authors also concluded that massage boosts patients’ white blood cell count, which help defend the body against disease.

Soothes anxiety and depression

massage

As mentioned above, human touch in a safe, friendly environment has positive physiological impacts. Not only does it lower cortisol levels but it can ease negative moods. According to a 2005 study published in the International Journal of Neuroscience, women diagnosed with breast cancer who received massage therapy three times a week reported being less angry and less depressed.

Improves sleep

Massage for better sleep

Not only does massage encourage relaxation but it can also help lead to a restful sleep. That’s why we prefer to offer our Swedish massages in the evenings at Mountain Trek – by easing muscle pain and encouraging your body to relax, you’re then set up for deep, restorative sleep.


What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

How to Know if Energy Healing is Right For You

Brunette-woman-having-Cranial-Sacral-Therapy

What is Energy Healing?

“Energy work” or “energy healing” are terms used to describe different forms of therapies that manipulate the energy circuits in our bodies to regain balance and facilitate healing. Some people swear by their effectiveness, while others believe it to be pseudoscience. We encourage you to test out a session and decide for yourself. Some energy practices include:

  • Cranial Sacral Therapy
  • Acupuncture
  • Reflexology

Here we explain how each of the above works and whether they might be right for you.

Cranial Sacral Therapy

This type of therapy concentrates on the connections between the cranium and the sacrum. In other words, the skull and the bone at the bottom of the spine between the two hipbones. This is an incredibly gentle and non-invasive form of healing touch during which a practitioner applies light pressure to a patient’s skull, face, spine, and/or pelvis. As we’ve mentioned on the Mountain Trek blog and during the program, the human touch is incredibly powerful and can help stimulate endorphins but in the case of Cranial Sacral Therapy, the intent is to also gently manipulate the flow of cerebrospinal fluid in the body. This form of therapy is typically used to relieve symptoms of tension or stress and patients usually report feeling deeply relaxed during and after treatment.

Acupuncture-Puppet

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is the key component in traditional Chinese medicine, which has been in practice for over 2,000 years. The treatment involves inserting tiny needles into various meridian points of the body in order to relieve blockages of energy. (If needles make you squeamish, there are other forms of the therapy that involve the application of heat, finger pressure, or laser light.) A patient will usually lie on a massage table and might feel the tiniest of pricks from the needle but mostly the therapy is relaxing and can be effective for pain relief.

Reflexology

Reflexology

Reflexology involves the application of pressure to the feet and hands using specific techniques and without the need for lotions or oils. It’s similar to massage therapy but, as with acupuncture, the intent is to remove blockages in a patient’s energy meridian. The idea is that certain areas of the feet and hands correspond to organs and zones within the body and that by using gentle finger manipulation on these areas, positive impacts can be experienced in other areas of the body. As with massage, this is a very gentle healing technique and is used to relieve stress among other ailments.


What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below: