Since opening her first healing arts center and spa in the Hamptons in 1995, founder and CEO of Naturopathica Barbara Close has continued to make groundbreaking discoveries in the wellness industry—and now she’s decided to share her plant-based practices in the Big Apple. With a chic six-treatment room spa and a Vitality Bar filled with Brooklyn’s finest juices, this Chelsea retreat is the go-to spot for rejuvenation during the cold, winter months.
“Our premise is that we’re about 21st century wellness. Were really looking at ourselves as the next generation of spas,” says Close. “The whole foundation of wellness comes from mindfulness—symptoms are the body’s messengers for change. We treat these symptoms with topical and ingestible solutions, hydrotherapy, inhalations, aromatherapy and massage.”
Here, DuJour got the 411 from this wellness innovator on how to take the winter months by storm.
The common cold
We would start with probiotics because most colds start from the gut—good and bad bacteria live in the gut and you need to balance it. Eating foods during that time that are stimulating can help you get over a cold quicker and reduce the severity.
We have a cold care elixir at the vitality bar, but for an at-home remedy try Fire Cider, a combination of apple cider vinegar, horseradish, hot chili powder, and a little bit of honey to balance the probiotics in the gut.
Depression
Seasonal Affective Disorder is pretty widespread; when it is cold and dark out, everyone lacks energy. Aromatherapy is a very powerful tool for that. Citruses in particular are wonderful anti-depressants so using essential oils like grapefruit, red mandarin and bergamot, are great to diffuse in your home or to use in baths or as an inhalation during the winter.
Aromatherapy may sounds like a frou-frou science but they’re getting very close to being able to treat things like high blood pressure because of the effect that the sense of smell has on our respiratory system, heart rate and our endocrine system.
Muscle soreness
For cramped muscles or neck soreness, we would recommend a bath cure with our Sweet Birch Magnesium Bath Flakes. Magnesium deficiency is a lot of time what causes muscle cramping. Many people are deficient of magnesium, due to how our food is grown and the modern diet.
Dry Skin
To calm rosacea or any other type of dry, itchy skin during the winter months, make this chamomile face serum. In addition to being anti-inflammatory, chamomile will have a calming effect on the emotional level, which will also help skin thrive.
Here’s what you’ll need.
½ ounce glass bottle
¼ ounce Evening Primrose Oil
3 drops German Chamomile Essential Oil
6 drops Neroli Essential Oil
4 drops Lavender Essential Oil
¼ ounce Avocado Oil
Fill the bottle halfway with Evening Primrose Oil. Add essential oils and shake well. Top off with Avocado Oil, cover, and agitate a second time. Apply to affected areas.
