8zone Nourishes the Body 'Round the Clock and Ensures Absorption

In an earlier post, I introduced 8zone, Apolo Anton Ohno's nutritional supplement and all the potential good that it offers.  A little more now on the meaning behind the name.  8zone was derived  from the three zones of the day that Ohno recognizes as the key times in which nutrients can be uniquely targeted.  Moreover, the ingredients in each zone are specifically delivered and - key word here - absorbed.

Claims that vitamins are not treated equal are true. Most of it has to do with absorption rate and potential blockers that prohibit absorption.  8zone is a health supplement that not only delivers usable vitamins and minerals, but also natural ingredients that promote balance, focus, weight loss and energy.  The supplement facts are there for you to read in full on the 8zone site.

Now about the zones.  8zone is delivered three times per day and is respectively called the red, white and blue zones.  The Red Zone, to be taken at the most active part of the day, offers a proprietary energy blend that promotes balanced energy and mental clarity without stimulants or caffeine.  In addition, the Red Zone boosts the metabolism to promote weight loss and provides a full-spectrum multi-vitamin complex to deliver "usable" vitamins and minerals.

The White Zone replenishes nutrients that are lost during the day and enriches the body with antioxidants from super-fruit extracts to support immunity.   It's also formulated to reduce the effects of aging and prolongs weight loss management throughout the day.

A late night complex, the Blue Zone promotes restful sleep and recovery without dependency.  There's no grogginess from a sudden awakening.  The body's muscles are repaired and released of oxidative stress. 

Besides the fact that 8zone is effective,  taking it is also a conscious reminder, if you will, of being  proactive with your body. This sets in motion (and I hope it will for many others) an effort to eat well and start (and stick to) a regular exercise program for optimum benefits.

That's why I call it wellness in a bottle.

Apolo Ohno's 8Zone, Wellness Spa in a Bottle

With the exception of the occasional indulgence in licorice whips and peppermint patties, I'm generally good to my body. I make conscious choices in what I eat and drink, often engage in outdoor activities, and maintain an upbeat outlook on life - all which contribute to my health and well being.

Having said that, I have to add that I don't normally take vitamins or supplements to enhance my health. Why? Because I like knowing where my body stands without any "help," and I try to fulfill my nutritional needs through a well-balanced diet.

Now, I've come across a product called 8zone and have been raving about it simply because of the fact that it has provided me with positive results.  I compare it to a total wellness spa in a bottle (actually, three bottles).

8zone, a supplement line developed to promote weight loss, strength, focus and energy, was founded by eight-time Olympic Champion Apolo Ohno.  It is unlike other products endorsed by high-profile personalities that have just slapped their names on the labels.

After doing some research, it's clear that this product is true to Ohno's heart.  Ohno collaborated with his trainer John Schaeffer, a renowned elite athlete trainer and nutrition/conditioning expert.  Through careful research and development, the duo has delivered an effective product that is changing people's lives.  Not only suited for athletes, 8zone is geared for busy moms, business professionals, health nuts ... anyone who cares to take their health seriously.


8zone is based on the idea that nourishing the body with the right ingredients, delivered at the right times, provides optimum benefits for a healthier lifestyle. Combined with a nutritious diet, regular exercise and rest, the typical result is weight loss, strength, focus and energy.

Personally, my small frame didn't need to loose anymore pounds; I was more interested in boosting my energy.  I took advantage of 8zone's one-month risk-free trial.  As a magazine writer, I needed to try it first-hand before I could write about it.   In just one week (or less) 8zone provided the energy and focus that helped me to start a regular exercise program and stick to it.  So, not only have I shaved off a few pounds, I've also become physically fit, which is more important in the big picture of things, right?

8zone also increased my productivity at work and promoted a healthy, positive mindset. Additionally, as a busy parent, I'm challenged by our two boys that need undivided attention. 8zone has helped me find a balance to stay in calm control and even make light of the things that used to bother me.

Needless to say, 8zone has made an impact in my life, and that new energy has radiated to positively affect my circle of family and friends.

In another post, I'll share more details about 8zone's three zones.

Vdara Health & Beauty - First LV spa on Green Spa Network

Committed to sustainable luxury, Vdara Health & Beauty inside Vdara Hotel & Spa at CityCenter in Las Vegas, sets the stage for social and environmental responsibility, as it is the first Las Vegas spa to be part of the Green Spa Network.  From the rich Sapele wood that gracefully line the corridors, to the water-saving bath and shower fixtures and the vibrant vegan nail polish line,  Vdara Healthy & Beauty makes it easy to be green.  The spa focuses on holistic health, with an emphasis on using nature's healing elements.  At 18,000 square feet, the spa is a refreshing retreat that is not only revolutionary in design, but intimate and luxurious.

On the lobby level, you are encouraged to enjoy the fitness center, the salon, the champagne bar, and a boutique, which features a discerning selection of products that support the spa lifestyle.  One level above, is a co-ed relaxation lounge centered around a trickling rock fountain that meets as cascading chandelier of glass bubbles.  From withing 11 private treatment room, Vdara Health & Beauty offers a variety of body treatments, skin care therapies, massages and more.  One of the spa's specialty massage is the French Lavender Soothing Massage.  Calming lavender oil helps your body unwind, promotes restfulness, and balances the central nervous system to recharge your mood.  For the face, the Herbal Enzyme Facial is the ultimate purifying treatment that uses either black cherry of pumpkin enzymes to clear skin and slow down environmental damage.  Utilizing high-grade ingredients derived from herbs, flowers, fruits and vegetable oils, Vdara Health & Beauty is the ultimate in green indulgence.

The Spa at Green Valley Ranch

What could be more soothing than to receive a relaxing massage treatment under a ceiling of rippling water? Not much can top it. Thankfully, The Spa at Green Valley Ranch has eight treatment rooms that have been specially designed in that fashion to give you the ultimate experience of being under a hydrotherapy “spell,” if you will. It all starts from the moment you arrive. You’ll be treated to friendly and professional service and experience a distinct ambiance that is unique to The Spa at Green Valley Ranch. Planks of dark hardwoods, natural stone, water features and plenty of skylights provide an open feeling that’s also warm and comfortable. Choose from a wide range of services, including massages, scrubs, facials, salon services and yoga classes. Work out in the gym, which opens up to a 25-meter outdoor lap pool, or try some of its specialty treatments, like the Green Valley Green Tea Wrap, which includes a grape seed body scrub, followed by a green tea, seaweed and ginger root wrap. Or, try the Hydra Quench Cocoon, where your treatment blanket provides soothing heat while it works to detoxify and re-mineralize the body. The Spa is an especially great place for couples. The couples’ room has an oversized tub and a private outdoor lanai area. The co-ed lap pool, whirlpool tub and steam room are also perfect places for couples to enjoy their day at the spa together. So, hail a taxi to The Spa at Green Valley Ranch, and get ready to spend the whole day in blissful relaxation.

Teas - A new trend in social spa-ing at Qua Baths & Spa at Caesars Palace Las Vegas

Steep in relaxation in more ways than one at Qua Baths & Spa inside Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Spa goers will truly appreciate and indulge in the tea lounge that offers a unique international loose-leaf tea menu developed by the spa’s in-house tea sommelier Melissa Fielding. “Qua has paved the way with a new trend of social spa-ing, and there is no beverage more appropriate to share with others than tea,” says Fielding. In collaboration with Steve Schwartz, owner of Beverly Hills-based Art of Tea, Fielding developed a signature blend that evokes flavors of black tea, passion fruit, jasmine and vanilla, as well as tea menus specifically created for men and women.

On the women’s tea menu, Fielding blended teas with flavors that appeal to the tastes and needs of women. Fruit and flowers capture the taste buds in selections such as the Summer Rain, a cantaloupe and lychee-blended white tea, as well as the White Peach, where a combination of the osmanthus flower and peach essences create a refreshingly crisp taste.

The tea menu on the men’s side include the Gunpowder tea, a wok-fired Chinese green tea, which is rolled into small spheres that resemble actual gunpowder tablets and derives a smoky flavor.

So, while at Qua Baths & Spa, take in all the goodness from its therapeutic Roman Baths to world-class body therapies, and sip the benefits of tea for a whole-body experience that promotes wellness through and through.

Vinotherapy - Cheers to being ageless!

We’ve all been hearing for years about the benefits of consuming wine. So, it’s not at all surprising that the grape has found its way into the most exclusive spas in the world. “Vinotherapy” got its start from Bordeaux, France, where the latitude and longitude provides the perfect climate for grape growing. The Cabernet grape is king in that valley, and the French knew early on that drinking it was just as good as lavishly painting and kneading our bodies with all the fruity goodness that’s left in the wine press.

Though it may sound like a passing esthetics fad, vinotherapy is strongly rooted in scientific research. Mathilde Cathiard-Thomas and her husband, Bertrand Thomas, credited for creating the world’s first trademarked Vinotherapie "wine spa" -- Les Sources de Caudalie – in the Bordeaux region of France in 1999, base their philosophy on scientific findings.

Through research, they discovered that grape seeds discarded at the end of the grape harvest contained powerful anti-aging properties. Grape seed polyphenols have an incredible capacity to fight free radicals, and therefore fight aging. No offense to Vitamins C and E, but this antioxidant is more impressive. Grapeseed oil is also high in ologonomeric promanthoscyanidins (PCOs), another strong antioxidant which can greatly strengthen and repair connective tissue and promote healthy, vibrant skin.


VINOTHERAPY WORLDWIDE (Many of these are within or near vineyards - a true exotic journey for wine connoisseurs!)

U.S.

Spa Agio – Redmond, WA
Offers sumptuous wine baths and a variety of vinotherapy treatments for the face and body.

Aquae Sulis – Las Vegas, NV
The “Wine Down” vichy therapy uses finely crushed grape and champagne grape seeds.

Vinothérapie Spa - New York, NY
A Caudalié spa inside the Plaza Hotel that offers a wide range of grape therapies, inlcuding the Grand Facial.

The Spa at Chateau Elan - Braselton, GA
The Vine Mud Body Mask combines crushed grape seeds and rich, French clay.

Delluva - New York, NY
A “full-bodied” grape exfoliation and wrap uses grapes from South Africa.

Ritz Carlton, Lake Las Vegas - Henderson, Nevada
A couple’s ceremony commences with a Chardonnay sugar exfoliation followed by an intimate soak in our jetted tub and finishes with a A full-body massage with body butter made with grape seed, lavender, rosemary, chamomile and jojoba.

OUTSIDE OF U.S.

Balgownie Estate Vineyard Resort & Spa – Yarra Valley, Australia
Indulge in a Pinot Noir Bath, or grape see exfoliation.

Santé Winelands Wellness Center - Stellenbosch, South Africa
Revitalize after a shiraz scrub or a chardonnay cocoon wrap.

Hotel Marques De Riscal – Basque, Spain
The four-hand grape seed oil massage is another Caudalié Vinothérapie signature treatment.

Les Sources de Caudalie – Bordeaux, France
This is where it all started. The 100% Grape Ritual offers three exclusive treatments : Red Vine Bath and Honey and Wine Wrap, in combination with a Crushed Cabernet Scrub, Vinosource Riche facial treatment and Pulp Friction massage.


AT HOME
Want to harvest the benefits of grapes with products you can use at home? Visit the following sites to browse their products:

Caudalié (www.caudalie.com)
Leroux Creek Spa Vine Therapy (www.lerouxcreekspa.com)
Napa Valley Spa Products (www.napavalleyspaproducts.com)

Rock Spa at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is not just for rock stars

We all know that Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is a magnet for top celebrities. But, after all the partying, where do they go for a relaxing spa treatment? The spa manager wouldn’t disclose names, but was proud to say that The Rock Spa is frequented by top names that come to town. Lucky for the rest of us, The Rock Spa is open to all hotel and non-hotel guests, so anyone can enjoy the exclusivity of this facility. When you enter the modestly appointed spa, you’re greeted with friendly service amidst a soothing atmosphere. The bi-level spa has a gym on the main level that offers an on-site trainer to help you get the most out of a work-out. Also on the main level is the men’s and women’s wet area, complete with invigorating whirlpools, steam rooms, vanities, changing rooms and lockers. The second level is where the therapy treatments take place and where guests will find Brannon Hair, a salon for men and women.

The Rock Spa’s organic veggie wrap, The Medley, is a signature treatment that’s not to be missed. Guests will indulge in a nourishing mask of botanical extracts including tomato, artichoke and pumpkin, which provide complete hydration. For those that are looking for the magic panacea to achieve younger-looking skin, go for the Fountain of Youth. This regenerating facial pampers the skin, leaving it refreshed and armed to tackle the environmental ravages of the day. Of the variety of massages that are offered at The Rock Spa, “The Rock Star” Swedish massage will work to increase circulation, promote total relaxation, and put you in the limelight.