P.E.P. Talk - January 2022

Welcome to P.E.P. Talk dedicated to your
Physical, Emotional and Personal well-being.

Staying healthy, well and strong with
Brain, Body and Balance.
We are all in this together!

P.E.P. Talk is our Virtual Activities Program that will be sent monthly throughout the year. We hope that you enjoy these activities no matter where you are!
Please look for our one page weekly calendar and newsletter that will be sent every Wednesday from October through April.
In an effort to support our contactless environment the weekly updates will be sent through email.

Health Benefits from Soaking in Natural Hot Springs

A hot mineral bath can do all of the following:

Promote better sleep
Promote weight loss
Destroy harmful germs
Increase blood circulation and cell oxygenation
Reduce pain
Promote relaxation
Support healing
Support the immune system
Detoxify the body
Prevent sickness and viruses

If you are lucky enough to be at Caliente Springs or Sky Valley right now please take advantage of all of the benefits of the natural springs water.
If you are not here we hope to see you soon!
No matter where you are don't forget to use warm water to warm up your muscles during these winter months and hydrate, stretch and move your body.

I hope everyone takes the time to look through all of the information included in this month's P.E.P. Talk and use it to help take better care of you!

I look forward to hearing from you. - Erin

Health Benefits of Natural Hot Springs Minerals

Mineral hot spring soaks are great medicine. There are many types of hot springs to enjoy. Depending on the spring, different minerals are dissolved in the water, giving it different health benefits, colors and smells. During a mineral hot springs soak, ionic minerals such as iron, zinc, sulphur, calcium, magnesium and lithium are absorbed by the body, correcting deficiencies and providing healing effects to various body organs.
Each hot springs has its own healing effects due to its particular mineral mix. Depending on the mineral water content your body absorbs the effects are different.

Tip: Many of these minerals can be purchased online or from health food stores and can be added to your bath or hot tub at home if a natural hot spring is not near by at this time.

Chloride
This element helps maintain electrolyte balance and PH of body fluids and is essential for the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which aids in protein digestion.

Sodium
Sodium is an electrolyte that plays a crucial role in maintaining balance of positive and negative ions in body fluids.
Benefits:
• Helps maintain blood pressure levels.
• Vital components of nerves, blood and muscle.
• Plays a role in neuro-electrical transmission of cells.
• Assists in controlling mental apathy.

Selenium
This is a trace mineral needed for healthy blood cells, organs, prostate, testicles and liver.
Benefits:

Slows the aging process of skin and organs.
Assists in treatment of muscular Dystrophy, cancer, immune system and Alzheimers.

Silica
This is a trace mineral essential for bone formation and connective tissue. It promotes healthy hair, skin, nails and arteries.

Potassium
Potassium is the third most abundant mineral in the body and is an electrolyte, thus it maintains the bodies fluid levels.
Benefits:
• Regulates blood pressure and heart function.
• Assists in controlling convulsions, migraines, allergies and alcoholism.
• Promotes faster healing of burns, cuts and bruises.

Nitrogen
Nitrogen is a constituent of all living tissues and is an essential element for live, DNA and thus the genetic code.

Phosphate
This element is essential for proper utilization of calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and sodium. In combination with calcium it feeds the verves, aids in hair growth and helps counteract fatigue.
Benefits:
• As well as the above, it is important for regular functioning of the heart and normal kidney functioning.

Lithium
Lithium is one of the most powerful sources available for mood disorders. Lithium shows up in water notably in springs and spas where in earlier times people “took the waters” bathing in and drinking the lithium rich water for its soothing effects.
Benefits:
• Active in promoting the formation of new brain cells (neurogenesis).
• Protects against neurodegenerative diseases including: manic depression and brain injury.
• Known for its calming effects.

Manganese
This is a trace element essential for life, called the “brain mineral” due to its’ importance in the utilization of all mental/functions. It is also an important antioxidant.
Benefits:
• Thyroid and metabolism.
• Good for allergies, asthma, diabetes, fatigue and osteoporosis.
• Enzyme activation.

Magnesium
This element is essential for life and required for the formation of enzymes that release energy from food.
Benefits:
• Plays major role in metabolism of glucose.
• Strengthens muscles and verves, vital for the nervous system.
• Necessary for proper bone and teeth formation.
• Helps protect against cardiovascular disease and lowers high blood pressure.
• Important to neuromuscular transmission.

Iron
Iron is the oxygen-carrying component of the blood.
Benefits:
• Blood, bones skin and teeth.
• Hemoglobin production.
• Treats anemia, fatigue and menstrual problems.

Arsenic
Although an infamous substance, in small amounts it is actually beneficial to human health.
Benefits:
• Treats parasitic diseases.
• Used in treatment of certain types of blood cancer.
• Antibacterial.

Boron
This mineral is a major essential nutrient for humans and has numerous therapeutic uses.
Benefits:
• Plays a major role in preventing osteoporosis and arthritis.
• Involved in the metabolism of hormones, raising testosterone levels in men and regulates estrogen in women.
• Assists in building and repairing joints.
• Plays a role in brain function and cognitive performance.
• Helps prevent tooth decay.

Calcium
This is a mineral that serves a major structural and physiological role in many metabolic processes.
Benefits:
• Bone and tooth formation.
• Heart rhythm and blood clotting.
• Nerve transmission.
• Foot/leg cramps.
• Menstrual and menopause issues.
• Helps prevent osteoporosis in women, promotes stronger tooth enamel and bones.

Hot and Cold Water and Your Body

Throughout time, people have recognized the health benefits of using hot and cold water to increase circulation throughout the body and improve overall health. Some people even take cold showers as a way to promote their health. It may seem like a shock to the system to be in water that is colder or hotter than you are used to, but both temperatures have their own advantages.

Effects of cold water. When you immerse your body in cold water or even take a cold shower, the colder temperature of the water improves circulation because the body reacts by pumping blood more efficiently. Blood helps bring more oxygen to the muscles and tissues, which can help relieve swelling and remove lactic acid. Improved circulation is good for the body overall, including the heart. Some athletes or fitness enthusiasts may use cold water or ice baths to help muscle tissue repair itself after finishing a workout.

Effects of hot water. There's a reason people enjoy soaking in the hot tub or taking a long hot shower — it's relaxing. Immersing the body in hot water can help relieve tension, stress and muscle pain. The temperature of the water also helps to increase circulation throughout the body, while being in water helps give your body a break from the effects of gravity.

Combining hot and cold. Alternating between hot and cold water can have therapeutic effects. You can move between a hot tub, saunas, steam room and showers while you relax, detoxify and rejuvenate.

The warm water of a hot tub or swim spa can raise the temperature of your muscles,
helping to prepare them for stretching.
And the buoyancy allows you release tight muscles and lengthen the tissues in ways that you can’t do on land.

10 Stretching Exercises for the Water

Half Moon Pose

Standing in your hot tub or swim spa, place your hands on your lower back. Elbows are bent and tucked in. Push the hips forward, lift the chest and look toward the sky if comfortable. Be sure to keep feet planted on the floor.

Straight Leg Stretch

Use the stairs of the hot tub and place a foot up, leg straight but not locked. Keep a slight bend in the knee. Lean gently forward. Hold and repeat on the other leg.

Trunk Twist

Stand with feet shoulder width apart and bring arms out to the side. Rotate to one side and look over your shoulder, if it’s comfortable.
Rotate slowly to the other side.

Hamstring Stretch

Sitting in the hot tub or standing in a swim spa, lengthen one leg out in front of you. Flex the foot toward your shin. Hinge forward at the hips, keeping the spine neutral. Switch sides.

Upper Back Stretch

Give yourself a hug! Seated or standing, wrap your arms and try to touch your shoulder blades with your fingertips.

Chest Stretch

Keeping a soft bend in the elbow, bring the arms in front of you so that they form a circle. Create space between the shoulder blades and have a slight C-shape in the spine. Swim the arms back, squeezing the shoulder blades together, and lift your chest.

Ankle Circles

You can do this stretch whether you are seated in the hot tub or standing a swim spa. Extend your leg and make a circle with your foot. Switch directions. Repeat on the other leg.

Quad Stretch

Standing near a wall in the hot tub or swim spa, bend your knee and bring your heel toward your bottom. Gently hold your ankle with your hand. Bring the leg back and push the hips forward.

Knee Hugs

Seated or standing, lift your knee toward your chest and use one or both hands to bring it closer to your body. This stretch feels great on the hips!

Toes on the Wall

Heel of a foot is a few inches from the wall of the hot tub. Place your toes on the wall. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat on the other foot.

The subject of inflammation is everywhere and the hype is for good reason. Not only can adopting an anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle reduce chronic inflammation to help you stay healthy and slow down aging, but research also suggests it can reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, autoimmune diseases, joint pain and cancer.

Best part? You don’t have to wait for months or years to start seeing results and feeling better! Small changes you make today can start reducing your inflammation overnight.
Here’s what to do ASAP to start reaping the health benefits.

Eat a Salad Everyday (See A Great Recipe Below)

Keep a package or two of leafy greens on hand to toss in your lunch bag or on your dinner plate. Having a cup of leafy greens—like baby spinach, arugula, kale, or lettuce—each day is one of the most beneficial diet habits you can adopt. These leafy greens offer an anti-inflammatory double-punch, thanks to antioxidants and bioactive compounds that reduce inflammation and prevent free radicals from creating new inflammation.

Avoid Getting Too Hungry

Skip the vending machine and sweetened coffee drinks, and opt instead for a fiber-rich snack with a little protein like apple slices and peanut butter, raw veggies and hummus, or a few almonds and cheese cubes. The reason is that eating a balanced snack without added sugars and refined carbs is key to keeping blood sugar within normal parameters, which in turn helps you avoid cravings, hunger, and irritability. Not only is this nicer for those around you, but avoiding peaks and drops in blood sugar also prevents inflammation in the body that can lead to obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Go To Bed

Turn off Netflix, get off social media and head to bed a little earlier. While it may seem a little indulgent, getting 7 to 8 hours of continuous sleep is what’s considered adequate for adults and we should all aim for that as our norm. Routinely not getting enough sleep (6 hours or less) triggers inflammation.

Go For A Walk

Missed your workout today? Take a quick walk around the block! While regular exercise is ideal for treating and preventing most all health issues, some days there’s not enough time for a full-blown workout. Getting just 20 minutes of movement reduces inflammatory blood markers.
So, lace up your shoes and get going!

Spice Things Up

Look for ways to add a little garlic or spice when you’re cooking dinner tonight. Fragrant and pungent spices seem like they would have the potential to aggravate inflammation, but research suggests they actually do the opposite. In fact, there’s evidence to suggest incorporating garlic, or herbs and spices such as turmeric, rosemary, cinnamon, cumin, ginger and fenugreek, decreases inflammation that could eventually lead to heart disease, brain degenerative conditions, cancer and respiratory issues.

Take A Break From Alcohol

If you like having a nightly cocktail or glass of wine, consider abstaining for a few days. This doesn’t have to be long-term, but cutting out alcohol briefly (while making other anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle changes) helps the body calm down and reduce existing inflammation. While research suggests that moderate alcohol consumption offers some benefits, the problem is that it’s easy to cross the line from beneficial and anti-inflammatory to harmful and inflammatory.

Swap One Coffee For Green Tea

If you drink 1 to 3 cups of coffee or other caffeinated drinks a day, consider swapping one of those for a cup of green tea instead. Green tea leaves are packed with polyphenol compounds, which can help reduce free radical damage to stop further inflammation. Studies suggest that regularly drinking green tea can help reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and joint conditions.

Be Gentle To Your Gut

There’s lots of hype around probiotics, but are you supporting those good microbes already living in you? Protect those existing good bacteria by cutting out added sugars, trans fats, and focusing on choosing primarily whole and minimally processed foods. It’s also worth consuming probiotic-rich foods—such as yogurt, sauerkraut, kombucha, miso, or kimchi—every single day.

Consider A Fast

Research continues to find benefits when it comes to intermittent fasting (IF), largely due to the anti-inflammatory effects the eating pattern induces. There are several ways to approach fasting, but an easy way to start is with a 12-hour fast. This means if you finish dinner at 7 p.m., then you only consume water or black coffee until 7 a.m. the next day. Studies suggest regularly doing IF may reduce heart disease risk and improve insulin sensitivity, brain health and inflammatory bowel disease.

Cut Out Dairy And Gluten (Temporarily)

Dairy and gluten are not usually inflammatory in healthy individuals (unless you have an allergy, intolerance, or celiac disease), but they can be irritating when there’s already existing inflammation. Some people may find it beneficial to cut out dairy, gluten, or both for a few weeks. The thought is that this gives the body time to “calm down.” After which, you can slowly start to incorporate dairy or gluten-containing foods to see if they cause any irritation.

Chill Out

No matter how healthy your diet, low-grade inflammation isn’t going away if stress levels run continuously high. And even if stress isn’t too much of daily problem, learning how to manage and cope when it does occur is key for preventing new inflammation. Finding healthy ways to escape that stress—for example, by practicing yoga, meditating, or taking a short walk—provides quick relief psychologically and anti-inflammatory effects physiologically.

Be Picky About Ingredients

Additives, dyes, preservatives, and other ingredients regularly added to foods all have the potential to trigger or aggravate inflammation—particularly if you have a weaker gut barrier—so take a look at the ingredient list on products in your pantry and fridge. Are the ingredients listed what you might use if making the food from a recipe at home? If yes, then this is likely a minimally processed product and a good choice. If not, opt for another brand or substitute when shopping next time.

Anti-Inflammatory Salad

Transform a bag of Sweet Kale Salad Mix into a power packed Anti-Inflammatory Salad in minutes with only a few ingredients.
Gluten free and vegan.

INGREDIENTS

24-28 oz bag Sweet Kale Salad Mix and nut/seed and dried fruit packet included*
1 1/2 c fresh blueberries
16 oz cooked beets quartered or chopped

Tumeric Dressing

1/3 c extra virgin olive oil
2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
1 TBSP lemon juice
1 tsp turmeric
1 clove garlic, grated
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix or shake together dressing ingredients. You can also blend them together if you want a smooth dressing.
Divide salad mix between bowls, top with beets, blueberries, and the nut/seed mixture.
Serve or drizzle with dressing.
Enjoy!

Tip: Get the 28oz Eat Smart bag from Costco, or use 2 12oz bags of Eat Smart or Trader Joe's Sweet Kale Salad Mix.

You will use the included nut/seed and dried fruit packet that comes with the salad but not the dressing packet.

Locals Only
Welcome to the Coachella Valley's locals only recommendations for you. This is a list of local businesses, excursions and happenings throughout the desert. They can be experienced as a single event or group them together to customize your own adventures and day trips.
Some local businesses are currently closed or have limited hours due to COVID restrictions in Riverside County.
Please visit each website to confirm the days and hours of each location.

Cabot's Pueblo Museum
Local Tip: Make sure to get tickets in advance if you want the guided tour. Lots of history, artwork and artifacts in this historic house museum. Highly recommended.