Blending modern and traditional elements to create a green home in a traditional lakeside community, one that blends in beautifully with the elegance of the existing neighborhood, was a mission that architect David Krebs embraced.

Krebs, owner of the firm AODK Inc., and the designer of his own green home 40 miles away in a rural area outside Cleveland, worked with Organic Spa Magazine founder and publisher Bev Maloney-Fischback and her husband, David Fischback, president of a construction company. The couple and their two sons live in Rocky River, a suburb west of Cleveland.

The original home on the site was a 3,200-square foot boxy structure, with small rooms, low ceilings and high-energy needs, based on its age, poor insulation and outdated systems and fixtures. The newly constructed home, which incorporated the original structure but expanded it to 5,000 square feet, is not only more spacious, but exudes the aura of a relaxing retreat. Still, its classic exterior architecture allows it to blend into a neighbor-hood of grand homes, many of which, like this one, have lake views.

But this house has nearly every state-of-the-art green-build design element available to homeowners today, from solar panels to gray water recycling, rainwater harvesting, a high-efficient heat pump system, LED lighting, and eco-friendly plumbing fixtures. “David Krebs and his firm have done a number of green homes, which is why we chose to work with him,” says Maloney-Fischback. “Our home looks like every other home in the neighborhood, but behind the façade, it is as green as we could make it.”

There was a conscious decision not to tear down the existing home, because it is more sustainable not to, but rather, to save what could be saved.

Wellness living truly is a common thread running through the entire house, with the Fischback’s conscious selections of organic bedding, a whole-house water purification system, and water-saving faucets by Kohler in the bathroom, among other features.

The new green home is as energy efficient as it could be in a cli- mate where the winters are often harsh; its interior components, starting with the framing lumber, are sustainable and renewable, from the natural wool carpets in the basement/recreation rooms to the white quartz countertops in the kitchen.

Bamboo wood, though, is the most prevalent flooring feature, because of its sustainability and renewability. Dark-stained Teragren bamboo wood floors are used throughout the first and second floors; bamboo paneling was used for the bathroom cabinetry and walls. Two of the spacious spa-like bathrooms also feature sinks made of sustainable bamboo.

Given that spas are a theme that run through Maloney-Fischback’s professional life, she naturally want- ed the home to offer a spare, yet relaxing atmosphere – one that is soothing to the eyes, and to the touch. “This home is more than just four walls,” says Krebs. “It is designed as a retreat, where every single day you should feel as you would on a vacation.”

Part of that feeling comes from windows that fill the home with light but are built at a level that maintains privacy. The windows are made from recycled materials, and contain glass that reflects heat, keeping the home cool during the sultry summer months.

A second-story yoga room has picture windows with views of the tranquil blue lake beyond. The adjacent master bedroom suite, with a floor-to-ceiling fireplace at its heart, leads to an eco-spa master bath, designed with the help of renowned green spa and resort architect Scott Lee, and his spa designer wife, Tracy Lee.

“Our approach when we saw it was to simplify the palette and the material to create a sense of tranquility,” says Scott Lee. That meant a simple décor, with only a few natural objects, such as seashells featured on one wall.

As far as a place where the whole family gathers, that would be the spacious, natural- ly-lit kitchen – which includes a Sub-Zero refrigerator built from recycled aluminum. Speaking of the kitchen, and the home itself, Maloney-Fischback puts it this way: “In the end, it’s all about our surroundings and our beautiful sunsets, centennial trees and a 30-foot birdhouse full of life, and we’re happy and proud we’ve done everything we can to respect and preserve this natural beauty.”

GREEN RESOURCE GUIDE

The Rocky River Green Home features the following:

Arhaus The Ohio-based firm specializes in artisanal furniture that honors the retailer’s Rainforest Policy. Only sustainable woods are used, incorporating recycled and reclaimed materials. Arhaus.com

ASKO Appliances Environmentally- friendly washers, dryers and dishwashers are styled in a spare Scandinavian design. All washers and dishwashers have the Energy Star label, with minimal use of hot water. Aksousa.com

Caesarstone Quartz is abundant, and that’s why this company, with its emphasis on sustainabil- ity, relies on it for creating high-quality surfaces. White quartz is featured in the kitchen countertops. Caesarstoneus.com

Coyuchi Their bedding and linens are all 100 percent organic cotton, with products not only certified to the Global Organic Textile Standards, but produced using fair labor practices. Coyuchi.com

EcoSmart Fire The fireplace in the master bedroom uses bioethanol fuel, made from sugar cane, pota- toes and other crops. EcoSmart’s designs incorporate hand-crafted elements, with no vent necessary, since no carbon dioxide is released. Ecosmartfire.com

EcoGreen Solar Shades These energy-efficient shades, operated only by solar power, greatly reduce heat gain in summer and allow cooling demands to be lowered. Ecogreensolarshades.com

EPDM roofing The Green Home uses white EPDM roofing on the flat roof area. It reflects the sun’s rays to reduce the solar thermal gain on the house, which maximiz- es energy use. Epdmroofs.org

FSC Lumber The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is the most established association that certifies sustainable lumber. FSC lumber was used in the Green Home renovation. Fsc.org

Haiku Designs Haiku offers one of the largest collections of sustainable and eco-friendly options. The home’s platform beds, like all Haiku furniture, are made with no toxic chemicals and all organic sustainably-resourced materials. Haikudesigns.com

Health Mate Sauna Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) cedar provides the highest-quality infra red sauna, which heats the body, rather than the whole sauna, making it far more energy efficient than a traditional unit. Healthmatesauna.com

Jade Yoga A maker of the most environmentally friendly yoga products, this company also gives back. For each product sold, a tree is planted, with more than half a million so far. Jadeyoga.com

Kohler Kohler, producer of the water-saver faucets, is a global leader in kitchen and bath fixtures. The company also introduced the Hybrid energy system, from envi- ronmentally friendly materials, which works with its Insight Touchless faucet. Us.kohler.com

Lee Industries Making earth- friendly upholstery since 1969, Lee Industries has been cited by the Sustainable Furnishings Council as a smart and responsible company making a difference in the world. Leeindustries.com

Mariner Energy Systems A member of the Green Energy Ohio group, Mariner provides solar system designs that follow approved design standards, and provided the solar panels for the Green Home. Solar panels allow for less reliance on electricity in the home, and they are especially helpful when windows aren’t situated to let in enough sunlight. marinerenergysystems.com

Nature’s Carpet This leading line of eco-friendly and sustainable 100 percent wool carpets is family- friendly, with no chemicals used in their manufacture. All carpets, in more than 60 styles and colors, are biodegradable. Naturescarpet.com

Pelican Water Systems This whole-house water system filters and cleans water from the water main, delivering purified water throughout the home. Keeping water pipes and fixtures clean of build up is a bonus, as is eliminating the need for buying bottled water. Pelicanwater.com

Rainwater HOG A water-recycling system that features tanks with a slim fit and sleek design. It feeds water from the roof, gutters and downspouts into tanks; the water is then used for watering the lawn. Rainwaterhog.com

Roots Roots Canada, a clothing and lifestyle brand, uses100 percent organic cotton and other sustainable materials. The company also works to reduce packaging waste and inspire green awareness in employees. Roots.com

Savvy Rest Organic mattresses are made from consciously-sourced materials—including organic wool, cotton and latex—that contribute to comfort and rest, and relief from pain, thanks to customized layering options. Savvyrest.com

Sherwin-Williams Traditional paints can emit harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs), so all parts of the home were painted with the company’s new “Emerald” in- terior acrylic latex paints, which are zero VOC “green guard” certified. Sherwin-williams.com/Emerald

Stone Forest Inc. The designs featured in the bathrooms and kitchen—including sinks—are sculpted from natural, sustainable and recycled materials, including stone, bronze, bamboo, copper, iron and hardwoods, crafted in starkly elegant silhouettes. Stoneforest.com

Teragren Premium bamboo flooring, panels/veneer and worktops are designed to rigorous quality standards and certified for superior indoor air quality. Bamboo wood flooring was used through the first and second floor; bamboo wood paneling was featured in the bath- room cabinetry and wall paneling. Teragren.com

Trevarrow Inc./ Sub-Zero/Wolf All appliances are Energy Star rated. Sub-Zero and Wolf designs manufactures and uses products in environmentally safe methods, to exceed federal standards for energy efficiently. Trevarrowinc.com

Tufenkian Artisan Carpets Their mission is to create exquisite things that enrich the lives of whoever experiences and creates them. That means improving environmental conditions in its workplaces and nearby communities. Tufenkian.com

Vitamix Known for its durable high- performance blending machines, Vitamix is a family-owned company that health-oriented foodies depend on for making everything from soups to green smoothies. Vitamix.com

Spa Montage, at 35,000-square-feet, is Utah’s largest spa. It takes its inspiration from the centuries-old hydrotherapy practices in spa towns like Baden-Baden, but the two-year-old spa also provides the quiet luxury that the Montage name is known for.

Hydrotherapy improves blood and lymphatic circulation, and there’s no better time for it than first thing in the morning. Guests arrive at the cozy spa sanctuary straight from their rooms, wearing a swimsuit topped by a plush robe.

The ritual begins by warming up in the steam room, sauna, or jet tub, for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, you quickly cool down in a timed cold deluge shower, for just a minute or so, making sure lymphatic areas such as the underarms, wrists and back of neck get a thorough blast. It’s not unpleasant, because you quickly wrap yourself in warm towels and rest on a chaise longue for 10 minutes, sipping lemon water or hot herbal tea.

You repeat this cycle two more times, perhaps changing up how you heat your body, maybe switching from the sauna the first time, to the jet tub, and the steam room the third, but always ending with the brief chilly shower. When your body is heated, blood moves toward the surface of the skin. When cold, it is drawn inward, to keep the organs warm. Cycling back and forth three times dramatically energizes your body. The experts at Spa Montage explained how the hot-cool water ritual helps release toxins and stimulates the lymphatic system. It also gets your heart rate going, with effects similar to a cardio session. And you can replicate it at home, merely by switching your shower from hot to cold and repeating two or three times. There’s no better way to get your energy up for a demanding day. The morning therapy at Spa Montage is only the beginning of the water indulgences. An indoor mosaic-tiled lap pool beckons swimmers. You’ll never have a more heavenly swim than here, where massive glass windows offer breath-taking views of the Wasatch Mountains as you glide by. The 30 treatment rooms include several with Vichy showers, and deep hydrotherapy tubs. Those soaking tubs- -also angled toward exterior views–are prepared with a custom-blend of salts, herbs and essential oils. A hint of eucalyptus opens breathing passages, all the better with which to sigh deeply, after a mountain hike, or a day on the slopes. spamontage.com

It is nature that draws visitors to the beautiful Riviera Maya, in the southeastern Yucatan Peninsula. But the rich Mayan history—and proximity to the ancient pyramids at nearby Tulum—is what keeps them coming back.

The El Dorado Seaside Suites has brought Mayan culture into its new N’aay (“Mayan vision”) Spa, with indigenous Mayan ingredients and authentic treatment rituals at the 30,000-square-foot spa sanctuary. In addition to 14 suites and treatment rooms, the spa includes a hydrotherapy lounge, a clay room and an ice room. The latter is kept at 61 to 64 degrees Fahrenheit—very refreshing post-sun, or after a warm whirlpool bath—and equipped with ice cubes and chilled towels to stimulate the circulatory, lymphatic and immune systems.

The idea of N’aay is “to offer guests a personalized sensory and cultural journey,” says El Dorado spokesperson Mandy Chomat, by incorporating ancient Mayan healing traditions, as well as aromas, textures and flavors, into the treatments. Guests arrive on a pathway lined by 13 stone-carved Mayan animal totems, at an entrance designed to blend with the surrounding rainforest. They are greeted with a chilled drink that incorporates star anise and chia seeds (chia provides a powerful blend of Omega-3s and fiber), and an aromatic compress of cold anise or lemongrass.

Guests can sip detoxifying mint chlorophyll water as they relax in the whirlpool or the lagoons. Later, they can experience the delicious contrast of a cold aromatic green tea, sprayed in a fine mist on warm skin in the sauna.

Rosemary (for relaxation) or lemongrass (for vitality) are available for guests to choose as the primary aroma for their spa treatments. By doing so, they also set an intention for the experience they seek.

Among the traditional Mayan ingredients used in the spa are coffee, chocolate and freshly grown local plants and herbs. Included are the tepezcohuite plant, known for its skin-healing properties and used in the spa’s signature “Relief After Sun” treatment; and rosemary, transformed into an aromatherapy oil that is used to treat muscle aches and cramps. A menu of regionally inspired treatments includes the Kukulkan Four-Hand Massage (a mind-bending indulgence), a Sacred Obsidian Stone Massage, a Tropical Coconut Body Wrap and Exfoliation, or an After-Sun Tepezcohuite Body Balm. No matter which treatment you select, don’t skip the N’aay Temazcal ritual, or the “prehispanic” ritual steam bath. According to Mayan tradition, each purifies body, mind and spirit simultaneously.

Since El Dorado draws many couples, the Spa created a “Barber Corner,” a separate space where men can indulge in salon amenities and treatments.

Guests who stay in the El Dorado’s exclusive Casitas Royale, which is nestled along the beach in a secluded area within El Dorado, have their own N’aay spa, with many similar treatments.

In each of the spa treatment rooms, the décor and artwork are also designed to provide a sense of Mexican culture. Blue rooms signify agave, Mexico’s native plant, which is known to be rich in regenerative properties; dark chocolate evokes “cocoa,” offered in the form of a body mask and bath that leaves skin silky; and green connotes the forest herbs used in a detoxifying body wrap that’s designed to remove impurities and nourish sun-dried skin.

But it isn’t just your skin that is nourished here. The El Dorado kitchens are famed for their use of fresh, local and sustainable produce; and they have expanded an onsite Greenhouse to provide it. At 100,000 square feet, there’s nothing else like it in the Riviera Maya.

The Greenhouse celebrated its first harvest in August 2009, and it has produced 120 tons of crops annually since then. It doesn’t just supply food to its own resort, but to three high-profile neighboring resorts that consider its produce the freshest in the region. El Dorado’s Chef Pierre Mourez plans the menus daily with fresh produce from the Greenhouse.

“Learning” tours for resort guests, local residents, community organizations and surrounding schools include tasting fresh vegetables right off the vines, as well as cooking seminars.

During the seminars, Chef Mourez and his team explain the benefits of cooking with organic ingredients, then walk guests through an interactive cooking demonstration that shows them how to prepare fresh dishes, such as a candied cherry tomato and herb salad, or the grilled filet of sea bass with habanero marmalade. karismahotels.com

Tequila Mango Ceviche 

Ingredients:

14 ounces firm white fish filet or shrimp, diced

7 ounces firm tomato, seeded and cubed

7 ounces white onions, finely chopped

1 bunch fresh coriander, finely chopped

Fresh juice of 3 medium sized limes

• jalapeño chili pepper, finely chopped

Splash of dark tequila

1 medium sized mango, peeled, seeded and cubed

Sea salt, pepper

Directions:

Mix all ingredients and rest for 10 minutes before serving

Dr. Christiane Northrup introduced women to the power and possibilities of alternative and complementary medicine through her 1994 book, Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom. When hormone replacement therapy became a frightening topic, Northrup was there with The Wisdom of Menopause in 2001. That book was updated this year with scientific and research advances as well as Northrup’s own story. When she wrote the first edition, she hadn’t been through menopause yet. “I look and feel younger at 62 than I did in my 40s,” she says.

What was the genesis of The Wisdom of Menopause? 

I wanted women to have a handbook to ease the transition of menopause. I wanted to give them the tools to understand what was happening, from the standpoint of their soul – so they didn’t feel victimized by their bodies.

You’ve said that many women might not need hormones to get them through menopause. 

Yes, that’s true. The first thing women need to make sure is that they are living a healthy lifestyle: getting enough sleep – this is huge; decreasing or eliminating sugar and refined carbohydrates from their diets; eating a healthy breakfast.

But if you’re doing all that, then my gold standard answer is, “Don’t suffer.” If you are losing sleep with hot flashes and have tried every alternative, by all means go on a low dose of hormones. I also believe it’s best to use the least hormones for the least amount of time possible.

You are a longtime believer in Traditional Chinese Medicine and herbal treatments. What would you recommend for perimenopausal or menopausal women? 

The one thing I’ve really considered a breakthrough is called Pueraria mirifica. It’s an herb that’s been used in Thailand for 700 years. Many women find that if they take this, their insomnia and mood swings go away in four days. I like Solgar PM Phytogen complex.

What other dietary and herbal supplements might we consider? 

Our bodies might need extra B vitamins – these are easily depleted by stress. Many of us are woefully deficient in Omega 3 fats. Taking a magnesium supplement at night can be very calming. And soaking in an Epsom salt bath is good for detoxing, as well as calming.

What do you know now that you didn’t know when you first wrote The Wisdom of Menopause? 

Menopause is the death of the old self. I know this personally now. The unsustainable structures in your life will start hitting you between the eyes. You might feel rage and grief. That’s not just your hormones; it’s your life talking.

–Evelyn Theiss

Spas and resorts throughout North America are making a difference well beyond their own walls through restorative efforts, conservation measures and education. OSM recognizes that difference, and we salute the pioneers who hold stewardship as a core value.

The Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens
Pine Mountain, Georgia
Built on once-desolate over-farmed cotton fields, this resort now brims with Southern pines, native drought-resistant plants and hundreds of acres of gardens. The lodge and spa earned LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. callawaylodgeandspa.com

Carmel Valley Ranch
Carmel Valley, California
Guests at this new resort can take a beekeeping workshop at the apiary, then enjoy the bees’ honey in the restaurant, and watch as the lavender harvest is distilled into fine essential oil used in organic
products at the sublime Spa Aiyana. carmelvalleyranch.com

Rancho La Puerta
Tecate, Mexico
This iconic resort laid the groundwork for the destination spa industry, and environmental stewardship is deep in its DNA. Deborah Szekely and her family have been providing healing and inspiration for decades, with a menu featuring food from the resort’s organic farm and a staff highly trained in sustainable practices. rancholapuerta.com

Crystal Mountain Resort and Spa
Thompsonville, Michigan
The Midwest’s only U.S. Green Building Council LEED-certified spa, located at the heart of a resort with ample wooded areas and animal habitat, incorporates native plants such as pine and sage into its spa offerings. crystalmountain.com

Ritz-Carlton
Charlotte, North Carolina
This Uptown Charlotte hotel, which opened in 2009, was the first Ritz-Carlton and the first Charlotte hotel to obtain U.S. Green Building Council LEED Gold certification. A 13,000-square-foot penthouse spa and wellness center, which has a “living roof” planted with 18,000 sedums, offers organic treatments. ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/charlotte

The Setai
Miami Beach, Florida
This Asian-inspired South Beach resort is one of six Leading Hotels of the World to achieve the Luxury Eco Certification Standards. A “Green Team” oversees sustainability efforts, such as water and energy conservation, and sets annual improvement goals. setai.com

Calistoga Ranch
Napa Valley, California
Tucked into a private canyon with ancient oaks and a lake, this 157-acre site has abundant vegetable and herb gardens and lets sheep take the place of gas-powered weed whackers. “Lights Out Mondays” save power in non-guest areas, in-room flowers are from the property and corks from the fine wines served here are recycled. calistogaranch.com

Hotel Terra
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Hotel Terra and Chill Spa’s cutting-edge eco-friendly efforts include offsetting electric and natural gas power with clean energy and collecting runoff water. The hotel is designed so that 90 percent of the interiors capture natural daylight, and Hotel Terra’s staff is conscious about minimizing light pollution. hotelterrajacksonhole.com

Sonnenalp
Vail, Colorado
One of this eco-certified luxury hotel’s missions is to honor and maintain the pristine natural environment that surrounds it. Sonnenalp, which means “sun on the mountains,” is a Gold Leader in the Colorado Environmental Leadership program. The traditional European spa uses water therapies such as Turkish steam rooms, a Finnish sauna and a cold plunge pool. sonnenalp.com

Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa
Whitefield, New Hampshire
With some of New England’s most stunning views, the grand White Mountain resort has a golf course dating to 1900 and a working farm with horses, sheep, goats and chickens. This Historic Hotel of America is powered by wind, partly from an on-site turbine. New Hampshire designated it an Environmental Champion. historichotels.org/hotels-resorts/mountain-view-grand-resort-spa

The heart of Kamalaya, a healing sanctuary in Koh Samui, Thailand, is a cave hidden in the center of lush greenery that winds 350 feet upward from a sandy white beach. Buddhist monks used the cave as a place of spiritual retreat for nearly two centuries, and it spoke to Kamalaya founder John Stewart the moment he encountered it.

Stewart, a Canadian native who lived as a monk in a Himalayan ashram for 16 years, came to Thailand in 2000 to recover from a serious illness. He’d learned of healing herbs that grew only on Koh Samui, Thailand’s third largest island located in the Gulf of Siam, and he knew that monks had infused the island with spiritual energy. Deeply moved by this special place, Stewart and his wife, Karina, a Mexican-born and Princeton-educated doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, set out to create a place of healing and renewal. Kamalaya, which opened in 2005, is a feast for all senses, offering many paths to vibrant health.

The resort, on the island’s southeastern tip, offers hillside rooms and stand-alone ocean-view villas, all subtly placed among palm trees, steep hills and massive, glacier-rounded boulders. Some trees were moved to a nursery during construction, then carefully replanted.

With the natural hospitality that is the essence of Thai culture, the staff provides superlative treatments, including a variety of traditional Asian and Thai massages. The kitchen offers imaginative Thai dishes created using the freshest fruits and vegetables, all designed to spur the body’s healing and well being. Many incorporate fresh coconut, which is Koh Samui’s main export.

Kamalaya has all the accoutrements of a wellness resort: an open-air ocean-view yoga pavilion, an infinity lap pool braced by Thai sculptures, an herb-infused steam cave ideal for post-massage, and a mile-long reef that encourages walking far into the gulf’s warm waves. But Kamalaya is more than a place to get away from the busy world. It is a holistic resort in the truest, most expansive sense –and in the most individualistic sense too. Kamalaya’s philosophy is “nurturing into health.”

The wellness center sits next to the Monk’s Cave. All guests receive a Body Bioimpedance Analysis—a snapshot of health that indicates hydration levels, ratio of lean muscle to fat, and cellular health. A naturopath explains the individualized program to each guest before they select treatments, meals and exercise regimens from categories such as Ideal Weight, Detox, Stress and Burnout, Yoga and Optimal Fitness.

Traditional Chinese medicine is, naturally, on the menu, and I experienced its power. I had injured my back carrying my luggage through several airports, and I arrived with a pronounced limp and stiff leg that seemed to worsen each day. On my third day, I made an appointment with a visiting acupuncturist from Shanghai, Dr. Song Qinggeng. He placed thin needles into my arms, legs, scalp, and I relaxed for 20 minutes to the ocean’s gentle sounds before he gave me an intense pressure-point massage and spinal manipulation. When I got up from the table, all pain was gone—and so was my limp.

My week at Kamalaya flew by in a haze of appointments interspersed with down-time spent serenely gazing at the azure sea from my room’s balcony or relaxing on a beach chair with a refreshing shot-glass of a chilled coconut gelée. I had Ayurvedic treatments, including soothing oil massages, and Chi Nei Tsang, a stomach massage designed to stimulate the internal organs. A one-on-one breathing meditation session so relaxed me that I entered a state of unconsciousness halfway through.

Before my taxi arrived to take me to the airport, I took a few moments to enter the Monk’s Cave, site of Kamalaya’s genesis. There, I meditated with gratitude on the experience I’d had–and prayed that I would return to this magnificent island retreat that forever changed the way I view my life. www.kamalaya.com

When she meditates, Cleveland-based health writer EVELYN THEISS recalls the gentle graciousness of the Thai people, the delicious cuisine and the massages she received at Kamalaya.

“Your body is the machine, and you take it with you wherever you go.”
-Heidi Markow, TRX instructor, Carmel Valley Ranch

TRX suspension training, a new workout offered at California’s Carmel Valley Ranch, is an effective, portable method of core and strength training that you can do at home. Invented by Navy SEAL Randy Hetrick, the system uses your body and gravity to create weight and resistance. As you get stronger, you can adjust the workout’s intensity through reps or cable placement. “It’s up and coming around the country, and it’s become extremely popular here,” says Heidi Markow, a TRX-certified instructor at Carmel Valley Ranch. “Whether you play tennis or golf or any sport, the core is where everything stems from. And with TRX, the core is always getting worked. For about $200, you can buy the TRX system (cables, a suspension bar and a door anchor). Travelers can pop the cables and door-anchor into a suitcase for hotel room workouts.

trxtraining.com
carmelvalleyranch.com

When you hear the word “ambassador,” you might think of embassies and state dinners, politics and protocol.

But given the connectedness of today’s world — and how quickly a catastrophe in one country ripples across oceans — it makes sense that a different, global kind of ambassadorship is called for too.

The non-profit organization 1 Percent for the Planet recently announced its new network of Planet Ambassadors, a diverse group of 16 business leaders, athletes, artists and activists. They share a two-pronged calling: to elevate awareness of the sustainability issues that affect the world and to build bridges between corporate and non-profit leaders that will keep the world thriving.

1 Percent for the Planet was launched in 2002 by Yvon Chouinard, founder of the famed Patagonia outdoor clothing and gear company that is based in Ventura, California. Patagonia had been giving 1 percent to environmental causes since 1985, and Chouinard believed other companies would want to do the same.

Today, 1 Percent for the Planet has grown to 1,400 member companies in 44 countries. To belong, they commit to giving at least 1 percent of their revenue (top line sales) directly to non-profit groups that focus on sustainability. It’s an alliance of businesses that understand the necessity of protecting the world’s natural environment.

Among the organization’s new team of ambassadors are such diverse talents as Dan Ross, a pro surfer from Australia; Kris Holm, an extreme unicyclist and geo-scientist from Vancouver; Leilani Munter, a race car driver from North Carolina; Maya Albanese, a sustainability expert from New York City; and Kim Jordan, CEO of New Belgium Brewing in Colorado.

The ambassadors span many walks of life, but they hold a common belief that businesses have the power and responsibility to create reliable prosperity for the plant by investing in sustainability projects, says Terry Kellogg, CEO of 1 Percent for the Planet.

“We couldn’t be more pleased to have an all-star team of 1 Percent  ambassadors who understand that it’s time for business to move beyond doing ‘less harm,’ by committing to making ongoing investments in ‘doing good’ for the planet,” says Kellogg, of Waitsfield, Vermont. “Our ambassadors are integrating the 1 Percent for the Planet message into their daily lives to broaden awareness for this global movement.”

1 Percent for the Planet is well on its way to becoming the largest network of environmental funders in the world. Adding the Planet Ambassadors program is part of its effort to broaden the “personality and character” of the brand, says Kellogg, to make the movement ever larger.

For more details, or to learn how to get involved in the organization, go to onepercentfortheplanet.org. 

On the northern tip of Manhattan, a secret garden invites you to another century. Just a 30-minute subway ride from Midtown, the Cloisters offers a sense of solitude that feels impossible in the city. Emerging from the subway, you enter the oasis that is Fort Tryon Park. Trees and slopes give way to the wide, gently flowing Hudson River, but looking upward and just ahead, you’ll see what looks like a medieval fortress — a welcoming one.

Breathe deeply as you walk its winding paths to the jewel beyond that is the Cloisters. Sit for a spell on the many benches (you can always find an empty one) and just take in nature. The modern world fades away as you gaze across the river at more rolling hills and a canopy of trees.

The Cloisters, part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is dedicated to the art and architecture of medieval Europe. Here, airy galleries take you from the Romanesque through the Gothic periods, with tapestries, illuminated manuscripts and stained glass windows. Each building’s courtyards add to the sense of the spiritual.

Framed by colonades that were originally part of a 12th-century cloister in France, the courtyards evoke centuries of contemplative power. In winter, medieval concerts are held here, adding yet another devotionally historic element. But with or without music, and in any season, the Cloisters beckon you to step away from the demands of the 21st century.

They invite you to let your heart and mind slow down, and your soul to find its voice. metmuseum.org/cloisters

The Kuna Indians know the secret of cocoa — not just that it tastes delicious, but that its healing properties are profound. It is the “antioxidant of antioxidants,” as one researcher describes it. Cocoa powder bests even renowned super fruits — acai, blueberry, cranberry, and pomegranate — in that respect.

The Kuna, who live on the San Blas Islands off the coast of Panama, still harvest and prepare their native cocoa drink as they have for centuries. They drink a lot of it — 40 cups a week per person, more than any other people in the world.

Dr. Norman Hollenberg, a physician and Harvard researcher, has studied the Kuna for more than 20 years and he discovered what drinking that beverage does for them: They have one-ninth the incidence of heart disease, and one-sixteenth the number of age-related diseases, including diabetes and cancer, of residents on mainland Panama.

He says it is the flavonoids in the unprocessed cocoa that provide those amazing health protective properties that the Kuna enjoy.

Chris Kilham, known around the world as the Medicine Hunter, has greatly helped spread word of the healing power of cocoa, which comes from the berries of the cacao tree. He has been with the Kuna as they prepare it, and has tasted their concoction — which is made without milk.

“They take a pot of water and mold bananas into it, then take ground-up cocoa beans and cook them in with the bananas and water, then they strain out banana pieces,” says Kilham. “The liquid tastes sweet and creamy and delicious.” The Kuna don’t have milk or sugar, so they don’t ingest the calories found in our hot cocoa. But it wouldn’t be easy for us to consume the amount of cocoa required to get the major anti-oxidant effects the Kuna get. So the CocoaWell company has come up with a supplement that provides the same health benefits of cocoa.

The CocoaWell product line supplies the equivalent antioxidant power of 16 bars of dark chocolate in two small capsules, without the calories, fat, and sugar of a beverage. While incorporating Kuna wisdom in its business, CocoaWell also gives back. The company works with the Kuna Cocoa Institute, not only ensuring that it sources pure and certified fair trade cocoa, but also to improve farmers’ livelihoods.

The philanthropic institute, funded by a portion of CocoaWell revenues, enables the Kuna to continue their traditional harvesting methods, allows them to replant thousands of cacao trees to secure their way of life, and to preserve their culture.

“The Institute is intended to help the Kuna protect and promote their culture, and to help them get the things they need — whether it is seedlings for cacao trees, or better access to medicine,” says Kilham, who works with CocoaWell. “They have tribal council and elders who articulate what they need. And that is what we try to give.”

For more information, check cocoawell.com, kunainstitute.org and medicinehunter.com/cocoa.