Spring is the season of new beginnings and for my family an extra special celebration with the arrival of our second daughter - Grace Pearl Mitchell.

It is the joy of new beginnings in whatever form they arrive that makes spring extra special. It is the ideal time to reflect on those plans you have been thinking of starting and taking the first steps to making them happen. Make a fresh start and awaken the spring spirit within.

In this edition of Keeping in Touch we begin our chapter by looking at some practical advice on how to combat the hayfever blues with common foods we find in our local organic or fresh food markets. We explain how the body can come back into balance with the seasons through a process of incorporating rituals in your spa treatments and we work out the connection between breathing and feeling less stressed.

We've found some fabulous new products that we know you will love and a brilliant giveaway from our very French spa range, Phytomer. Finally we take a trip to London to give you a taste of the uber-chic Bliss Spa - definitely my favourite.

Enjoy this relaxing read in the crisp clean air that only spring can deliver.

Good Health & Happiness,
Lyndall

Spa Life - Breathe Easy
by Yoga Instructor, Jane Nelson

If you lead a stressful lifestyle, it is important to learn to switch off at the end of a busy day with therapies or practices that can easily be incorporated into your routine. Never use lack of time as an excuse to prevent yourself from meditating, doing yoga or practising breathing exercises.

Make the time.

One of the most effective ways to manage stress is though the age-old practise of deep breathing.

When we breathe we usually only exhale about one tenth of the air that is in our lungs. The oxygen-rich air we inhale has to mix with the stale, carbon dioxide-laden air that remains in our lungs. When we are stressed, we are often tense, especially in the jaw, chest and diaphragm, and we take very shallow breaths. This means that the amount of oxygen in our blood stream is reduced; impairing our ability to think clearly and feel relaxed.

To enhance your breathing ability, incorporate this simple exercise into your daily routine. Sit in a chair with your chin parallel to the floor and your back straight. Inhale slowly through the nose, filling your abdomen and chest completely. Breathe out slowly through your mouth to expel all the oxygen from your lungs. Breathe in deeply again through the nose, lifting your torso muscles to fill your body with air, and then breathe out slowly through the mouth. Repeat several times until you feel relaxed and revitalised.

Spa Cuisine - Food as Medicine
by Lindy Cook, naturopath, nutritionist, herbalist

With the sun finally making an appearance and taking the chill out of our days we know spring is finally upon us again. The earth begins to reawaken from its slumber and the flowers and shoots push their way outward and upward towards the light. Fresh flowers and newly budding trees come hand in hand with the season of spring and along with their beautiful smells and brilliant colours comes something not quite so joyful...pollens and hayfever! Hayfever is an allergic reaction to pollen, especially wind borne-pollen. It is generally a seasonal allergy that commonly occurs in the spring months, particularly mid spring to early summer when those north winds kick in.

Symptoms of hay-fever include nasal congestion, a clear runny nose, sneezing, itching of the eyes and nose, tearing eyes and red eyes. Medical treatment includes the use of anti-histamines and steroid-based nasal sprays which have various, unwanted side effects. However, there is much you can do naturally to strengthen your body and reduce those tiring allergenic symptoms.

The therapeutic use of food as medicine is a great way to help settle allergenic symptoms which you can initiate at home. Try including the following foods in your diet and see if you can cut down the use of those tissues!

• Local Honey Eating local honey is one of the oldest methods of relieving hayfever. Honey contains traces of the pollen from which it was made, so honey from your local area should contain the pollen that causes your allergenic reaction. By consuming it you are encouraging your body to build up a natural immunity or tolerance to it. Beeswax has a similar action and may also be consumed.
• Use garlic and horseradish in cooking Both of these delicious, warming herbs exert an action known in the herbal medicine world as ‘anti-catarrhal’. That is, they actually help to break down mucous in the body. Garlic is also antibacterial so if there is any associated low grade sinus infection it will exert an antibiotic action thereby clearing the congestion.
• Increase Essential Fatty Acids We all know fish oils lower cholesterol and reduce heart disease. However, a lesser-known fact is that these all-round good fats also have an anti-allergic action by downgrading inflammatory prostaglandin pathways in the body. Eat oily fish a minimum of three times per week, snack on walnuts and add 1 to 2 tbsp of flaxseed oil to your breakfast cereal. Oily fish include sardines, tuna, cod, mackerel, trevally, blue grenadier, herring, rainbow trout and whiting.
• Ginger Ginger makes a great addition to stir-fries, tea and fresh vegetables juices. It also has a powerful anti-inflammatory action that may help reduce hayfever.
• Bioflavonoids These brightly coloured fruits and vegetables are one of the anti-oxidant miracles of nature. A regular intake of berries and brightly coloured vegetables is associated with reduced levels of certain cancers yet they can also reduce allergenic processes in the body. Bioflavonoids help inhibit histamine released by mast cells in response to allergens. In nature, bioflavonoids are found together with Vitamin C and both work synergistically to reduce allergies. Bioflavonoid foods include citrus fruits, berries, apricots, grapes, papaya, green tea, capsicum and tomatoes.

Naturopathic Treatment

• Herbal Medicine By drinking two cups of fenugreek tea daily you can reduce your hayfever symptoms. Fenugreek has a locally healing and anti-inflammatory action on the mucosal membranes, reducing those annoying symptoms of nasal irritation. Anti-allergy herbs include Baical Skullcap and Albizzia. These combine well with anti-catarrhal herbs such as Eyebright, Golden Rod and Golden Seal.
• Food Sensitivities It is extremely common for a dairy sensitivity to be associated with hayfever. After all, if dairy is not digested effectively it produces excess mucous in the body. Other food sensitivities may also contribute to this process. To confirm if this is part of your problem your Naturopath can organise an appropriate blood test that checks for IgE and IgG levels in the blood, markers of food allergy and the milder food sensitivity respectively. At home you can start simply by greatly reducing or eliminating dairy from your diet. This is found to be most effective if you start pre-hayfever season. However, if you do eliminate dairy from your diet be sure to bring in adequate amounts of calcium from other sources. Include unhulled (dark) tahini, fish with edible bones (sardines and salmon), hummus, green leafy vegetables, almonds and soy or rice milk fortified with calcium.

Practical Tips

• Dab a thin layer of paw paw cream inside your nasal passages to help trap the pollens
• Pollen count is highest in the early evening and at night so keep windows and doors closed
• Keep your sunglasses on to protect your eyes from the pollen
• Avoid exposure to diesel fumes as it sensitizes the nose to pollens. Oxides of nitrogen can destroy the delicate hairs that line the throat and result in the build-up of mucous.

Armed with the knowledge of how to combat the hayfever blues, feel free to get outside as often as possible and fill your lungs with fresh spring air. Enjoy this beautiful period of new life and new beginnings and embrace the season that is spring

Recipe – Soy pancakes with apricot sauce

2 cups buckwheat flour
½ cup soy flour
1 tbsp bicarb soda
½ tbsp salt
1 cup plain organic yoghurt (can substitute soy yoghurt if dairy-free recipe is desired)
1 tbsp raw honey
1 egg white

Preparation
Sift all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Combine yoghurt and honey in a small bowl and add to the dry ingredients. Beat egg white until stiff and fold into the pancake mixture. Cook the pancakes in a hot and lightly-greased non stick pan.

Apricot sauce
6 ripe apricots, halved with stones removed
½ cup sugar
1 vanilla bean
2 tbsp plain organic yoghurt (can substitute soy yogurt if dairy-free recipe is desired)

Any stone fruit could be used for this recipe such as peaches, plums or nectarines.

Enjoy!

Spa Body - Ritual Healing
by therapist trainer Leonie Magee

Living in harmony with the seasons is an ideal way to bring balance to our mind, body and spirit. For centuries past humans used only the foods that grew seasonally in order to nourish and replenish their bodies. In recent years we have the convenience of a vast array of fruit and vegetable options at our fingertips from both local and imported sources.

The masking of seasonal elements has given us the ability to work around the clock but at what cost to your natural rhythms? At Aurora we aim to bring balance to the body with the seasons through our rituals, all of which incorporate different healing aspects.

Our tea ceremony is the first ritual you will experience when arriving at Aurora. Once settled in the reflection lounge our Spa Attendant will offer you an organic herbal tea blend which corresponds with the current season.

Our Tea blends have been prepared to work with the quality and therapeutic focus of each season. Spring is the season of Bliss, the season linked with the Air element. In spring we take a deep breath and relax after the stagnant winter months. We take time to calm the nervous system and relax the mind and body. Our Bliss tea blend continues this philosophy with specially selected herbs of chamomile, lemon balm and hibiscus flowers designed to relax the mind and body and bring you into balance with spring.

The next ritual you will experience at Aurora is the Balancing Ritual. All of our treatments begin with a Balancing Ritual. We use warm basalt stones and place them over two powerful chakras. Basalt stones are the most abundant type of rock in the earth's crust. As a volcanic rock, it consists of a polycrystalline structure, which allows heat waves to be retained and slowly distributed throughout the body for the time they are being used in the ritual. The heat that the stones provide helps stimulate the dilation of blood vessels within our circulatory system to allow blood to reach the extremities of our body.

According to Eastern philosophy and medicine, chakras are the main energy centres of the body.

There are a total of 7 chakras located in the centre of the body, starting at the base of the spine and running to the top of the head. In our balancing ritual we focus on the solar plexus and the hara chakra. There are seven colours associated with the chakras: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Each colour is associated with one or more of the chakras. Employing the use of an appropriate colour with a specific chakra can enhance the speed of the healing process significantly.

The word hara is Japanese and literally translated means belly. It is located about an inch below the navel. It is our centre of gravity; all movement comes from this point. The Hara is a powerful centre within the body where energy is stored and heated before spreading throughout the body. As energy is translated in the way of heat, by placing the warmed Basalt stones over the Hara we are increasing the energy within the body. The Solar Plexus chakra is the energy centre for our emotions, personal power and self confidence. It radiates the characteristic of fire - it has qualities of expansiveness, warmth and joy. By placing a basalt stone over the Solar Plexus we can open up this chakra and allow energy to flow through it freely.

During the Balancing Ritual your therapist will ask you to take some deep breaths and focus on a specific colour. The suggested colour will be related to the season and also has its own therapeutic value. As all colours originate from light, a form of energy, they each have their own wavelengths and frequencies. All matter within our bodies, from individual cells to entire organs, also have vibration frequencies. If a part of the body isn't functioning well, its vibration and therefore colour will either drop or increase, therefore creating an imbalance. These imbalances can be corrected by using a colour with a corresponding frequency. Our bodies need a balance of colour, all vibrating at different frequencies in order to make us feel healthy in mind, body and spirit. By focusing on the colour of the season we strive to bring our bodies into balance with that season. For example, the colour of spring is blue. Blue reminds us of the sky, the seas and lakes. Blue is a symbol of communication, infinity, peace, inspiration, rest, truth, hope, dreams and imagination. Physically, blue is used to relax the body, reducing blood pressure and calming both breathing and heart-rate. It has anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxing effects, fights both physical and mental tension and is used mainly to assist in relaxation.

Our Awakening Ritual is performed at the end of each treatment to revive you and once again bring an element of the season and its focus into your treatment. In this ritual your therapist will ask you to start focusing on your breathing again, to bring your mind back into the present moment and become aware of your surroundings. A seasonal spritz is then sprayed in the air to help reactivate the senses. In the season of spring, we use the Bliss essential oil blend of geranium, german chamomile, clary sage, sandalwood and bergamot. These essential oils are deeply relaxing, calming and soothing for the mind and body.

By experiencing these three Aurora rituals, no matter what treatment/s you have when you are with us, we can help to bring your body and mind into balance with the season through different healing modalities.

Spa News - Free treatment mask offer from Phytomer

Purchase your favourite moisturiser from the Phytomer range of products and receive a full-sized treatment mask absolutely free!

Our team will be able to guide you in choosing the moisturiser that best suits the needs of your skin and we'll give you a 50ml mask to complement your moisturiser.
This offer is available from 3rd September while stocks last. Be quick, this one will be popular!

Prices for moisturisers start from $48
Treatment mask value $42

(This offer excludes the Phytomer Contour Radiux Smoothing and Reviving Eye Mask)

Spa Shop

Phytomer Gelee Fondante Autobronzante
Tanning Gel for Face and Body

This gel allows you to obtain a natural, even-looking tan without the harmful effects of the sun. Its non greasy texture allows for easy absorption on the skin for visible results in hours and leaves your skin beautifully bronzed and smooth. A favourite of many Aurora staff and clients alike.

Retail Price: $54.00 for 150ml

Funkis Swedish Forms - Brushware

Funkis Swedish Forms produce a range of beautiful brushware made by visually-impaired craftsmen and women using traditional brush-making techniques. The bath brush can be used for dry body brushing which helps assists circulation in the body and can help improve skin tone and help reduce the appearance of cellulite. Dry body brushing is also great for exfoliating the skin. Funkis brushes are produced entirely from natural materials and are now available at Aurora

Prices start from $22

Spa Competition - Win a Guku Treatment for two this Race Season

Prepare your body for the Spring Racing season with a professionally mastered express file and polish in Aurora's express beauty studio. All pre-paid file and polish treatments in the lead-up to Melbourne's famous racing season will go into the draw to win a complimentary Guku Cocoon Signature Treatment for two. To enter, pre-book and pay in full for your express beauty polish and you'll automatically go into the draw to win. Good luck!

Guku Cocoon™ Signature Treatment (translation - honey)

Experience the mystical powers of Jellybush honey, or Guku, in this heavenly treatment designed to accelerate healing and restore elasticity and firmness to the body. While lying in the steam room warm, loofahs and an aromatic body cleanser are used to exfoliate the body. Seasonal essential oils, honey and ground walnut shell is then gently massaged over the body prior to a delicate application of Jellybush honey to nourish and heal the skin. Restores equilibrium to the body and delivers a vitamin and mineral boost to the skin.

Prize drawn on 30th November 2007. Winner will be notified by phone and/or email

(Bookings must be made for file and polish treatments only between 1st September and 30th November. Treatments must be paid in full at the time of booking to be eligible to enter in the prize draw. Bookings made with gift vouchers will not be considered as valid entries into the prize draw)

Spa Travel - Bliss London

Overview

This ultra chic bliss spa is part of the expanding BLISS SPA group that now have 8 locations, with this being their first location out of America. The culture of Bliss is magnificently repeated and they just get savvier as they continue to expand.

Bliss really likes to bring fun to the spa experience, from the chocolate brownies in the waiting lounge to the names of treatments, and the furnishings of the spa. They are the creators of the funky BLISS style and it works. Expect a fun and serious spa experience all in one.

Environment and facilities

They have 8 multi-functional treatment rooms downstairs, but the highlight is the upper floor: quick-service manicure and pedicure stations which have ergonomic manicure and pedicure units (complete with sanitary sink liners, sterilized tool delivery via sushi-style conveyor belt, flat-screen TVs playing 'Sex and the City' and 'The Sopranos' and fresh fruit smoothies). This is nail care with attitude!

Highlights and improvements

Bliss just seem to manufacture their philosophy so accurately that from the moment you walk in you live and breath BLISS SPA. It's a great spa to visit for some fun. The rooms are a little small - but after all it is London.

Score out of 10: 8

Website Address: www.blissspa.com

You have received this newsletter because you have visited or contacted Aurora Spa Retreat. To unsubscribe from this e-newsletter list, click here

Aurora Spa Retreat
2 Acland Street
St Kilda VIC 3182
T 03 9536 1130
F 03 9525 3729
E info@aurorasparetreat.com