Our trail on Lopes Mendes

If you have been on one of the TIEX retreats before walking barefoot along Lopes Mendes beach probably a memory stuck in your mind. The warm sand squishing between your toes – feels so good!! It’s usual now to spend most of the day with shoes on, but this means we are less connected with the earths natural electrical field.

There are numerous studies now looking at how walking barefoot can improve health. The theory is that the earths surface contains free electrons which conduct through our skin

If it’s a little chilly where you are to be walking barefoot come and put your feet on the ground with us at TIEX.

A recent study highlighted the top 3 causes of overeating were watching TV, alcohol consumption and lack of sleep – none of that at TIEX!

Many of us can identify with at least one (if not all three) of these causes. You might be sitting in front of the TV watching you favourite show only to find at the end a whole bag of corn chips disappeared! Maybe you only realised the morning after a night out that yes it was you eating a burger at 3am on your way home! Having a poor nights sleep can also put you in a state where you are unconsciously eating to get through the day.

The common thread is that all these eating behaviours are happening when we are in an unconscious state. When we are really in the here and now, in each moment we can make better decisions about what our body needs.

Focus on your food as you eat it, savour each mouthful, be grateful. If your mind is busy wandering the body sometimes doesn’t realise it’s eaten leaving you feel unsatisfied. So be present and enjoy. That’s why at TIEX we like to make meal times enjoyable and we know everyone always leaves the table feeling satisfied.

If you feel it’s time to set some new healthy habits in place come and join one of our retreats.

Chapman CD, Benedict C, Brooks SJ, Schiöth HB. Lifestyle determinants of the drive to eat: a meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2012 Sep;96(3):492-7.

At The Island Experience retreats every meal is an experience for the eyes as well as the taste buds, especially at dinner time. A beautifully laid table is always inviting. It needn’t take a long time, but by creating this environment you are more likely to eat in a calm way and savour your food. So tonight whilst your veggies are steaming take a few extra moments to create an indulgent eating environment. Lay the table with a placemat or tablecloth, nice cutlery, your favourite dinnerware and light a candle or two. Finish off with a wine glass of mineral water and a wedge of lime. Make every meal an occasion and think of us! Bom apetite!

Our bookcase near the open fire has a wealth of books that have inspired people during their stay with us. One of our favorites is The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. It’s a great read – one of those books that is not long (159pages) but very thought provoking.

The four agreements are listed below, but of course will become much more profound once you read the full book.

1. Be Impeccable with Your Word
2. Don’t Take Anything Personally
3. Don’t Make Assumptions
4. Always Do Your Best

Sometimes getting away from your day to day routine can bring clarity to your life. Check out our website for dates on the next retreats you can join us on.

It works both ways – when we feel good about life we want to make healthier choices and when we make healthy choices we feel positive about life. So how have you been feeling. Has eating healthy and staying positive come easy to you at the moment. In a hectic world sometimes it’s nice to stop and take note of your thoughts, food choices and where you are at in life right now. This is where getting some perspective can help – getting out of your day to day routine to stop and appreciate the little things in life.

That’s what our retreats are designed to too – work on a holistic health level to give you a healthy outlook on life. This is an exciting time of year with programs being offered both in Costa Rica and at our Ilha Grande lodge in Brazil.

Take some extra time on presentation, food should be a feast for all the senses.

It’s Brazilian Valentines day today so time to show some love! We believe in a holistic approach to health including nourishing the relationships in your life. Happy people are healthier people. So take the time to tell your loved ones how much they mean to you, or go one step further and nourish them with a delicious healthy meal made with love.

Every meal should be an experience for the eyes as well as the taste buds, especially at dinner time. Tonight is the perfect occasion to start this new habit. A beautifully laid table is always inviting.  So whilst your veggies are steaming take a few extra moments to create an indulgent eating environment. Lay the table with a place mat or tablecloth, nice cutlery, your favorite dinnerware and light a candle or two. Finish off with a wine glass of mineral water and a wedge of lime.

Make every meal an occasion and think of us! We hope to see you at The Island Experience soon.

Beijos!

The science behind this is interesting to understand. The body operates optimally in an alkaline state, however many of the metabolic reactions in the body are acid forming. In an acid state mineral loss is accelerated e.g. calcium and mineral from bones. Acidity is also thought to lead to inflammation, which is the root cause of many diseases. So the best way to bring  the body back into balance is by eating a diet that consists mainly of alkalizing foods.

The most alkalizing foods are green ones like avocado, dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, quinoa, lentils, pearl barley, broccoli, berries, green tea, watermelon, asparagus, beetroot, nuts, and oily fish.  Yum! The most acid forming foods are meat and animal products and drinks such as coffee and alcohol. The food at the TIEX is an excellent example of an alkalizing diet – and one that is easy for you to follow when you get home after the retreat.

Interestingly our emotions can also affect the acid alkaline balance. Stress, fear and anxiety are all acid forming. At TIEX we understand the importance of an holistic approach when it comes to health. That’s why we include daily yoga as well as focusing on nutrition and exercise in our program.

The Island Experience is very proud of it's delicious mini herb garden!

Well, plant sink actually! Yes, after reading a rather inspiring book called ‘Growing Stuff, an alternative guide to gardening’ by Duncan McCorquodale we thought we’d try to find some new ways to reuse what we have around the house instead of buying new plant pots.

Hiding away at the back of the kitchen was a beautiful ceramic sink that didn’t have a home. Until now it had been posing as a fruit bowl but it always had much more potential just waiting to be discovered. So, we placed a few stones in the base for drainage, added some rich soil, a little compost and finally three plants. You’ll see in the picture that we used Basil, Thyme and Chilli Pepper. We think you’ll agree that it looks beautiful, and we can confirm that it smells amazing!

Here are our top three favourite things about creating this mini herb-garden;

1. it’s easy to handle and can be easily moved from table to kitchen
2. it’s the perfect way to start off seeds or small plants which can then be transferred to the garden
3. best of all it’s vibrant and visible and reminds us to use the herbs we’re growing!

A leafy addition to the table at the Brazil lodge

So, we urge you to take a look around the house and find something redundant which you can bring back to life as a plant pot. Other ideas from the book include; saucepans and teapots, wellington boots, old handbags or suitcases and old drawers!

We’d love to hear from you about other unusual places to grow your own…

At the top of the highest trail on the island with The Island Experience

An encouraging gesture from a family member or a friend is one thing.  In some ways, it can be limited. Don’t get me wrong; I thrive on my dad’s words of hopefulness and my best friend’s cheers of praise. I would not be the person I am today without my family and friends or their undying display of encouragement. But, isn’t it something else to receive encouragement from strangers? For me, encouragement from strangers is unexpectedly productive. Strangers do not often have the context of your entire life’s history, which can lead to biased opinions. Strangers often say things at face value (things you sometimes don’t want to hear!). However, most of the time, these are the exact things that you need in your life to move forward.

Fresh, vibrant, new...The Island Experience

There is no shortage of encouragement  on Ilha Grande at The Island Experience. You are encouraged to try new things. Encouraged to see, taste, smell, touch, listen and experience new things. As well, there is no shortage of wonderful strangers at The Island Experience. Strangers who call the island their ‘office’ (the amazingly dedicated management and staff). Strangers who come from around the world, crossing oceans and roads, to make the island their home – if only for a few days and / or weeks.

Fun and friendship at The Island Experience