Illustration by Jim Janek

Giving new meaning to the term “buried treasure” and based on the hyper-successful online sales model Craigslist, anyone can sell a good or service to another person on Gift-it.com. In this case, proceeds of any sale go to a charity of the seller’s choice. Once the item sells, the revenues donated qualify for a tax receipt, much like any charitable donation.

Founder John Stewart says he and his team actually jumpstart virtual fundraising efforts, and provide an avenue for anyone to “gift” an item by selling a product or a particular service. Based in Ontario, Canada, Gift-it.com is only six months old, but chari- ties are rapidly adopting the idea, including The United Way, several food banks and Big Brothers & Big Sisters.

Much like E-Bay, Gift-it.com charges a minimal processing fee on the gross sale amount of every item “gifted,” says Stewart. There are over 85,000 charities in Canada and 1.4 million in the United States that can use this free service. Stewart tells us how he brewed the altruistic idea.

Can you explain how this works?

Gift-it.com is a global service and, like eBay, we want to list items nearest to your location. So what we do is look at the location you are surfing from and put your city or town prefix in before our URL yourcity. gift-it.com; this way we can serve you up the closest items.

Everyone has something of value in their possession that they can part with and feel good about donating. Our model flourishes under this new phenomenon. In addition, the largest donation so far has been amazing: The Sick Kids Foundation gifted nearly $4,000 worth of Go-karts to benefit Northumberland Hills Hospital in Canada.

One of the most interesting things we’ve discovered and tapped into is a younger, web- savvy demographic that uses online classified sites every day. Everyone has something they can gift; in many cases it’s easier than sending a check. Turning online classified ads into charitable dollars is good business.

How do you monetize?

Monetization for Gift-it.com is very straightforward. We take a small com- mission on items sold ranging from 5 to 9 percent, depending on the value. We also have advertising which is well targeted, and we charge any charity for positioning them at the top of the item lists. So, in effect, a charity can have the #1 spot always for a monthly fee. These are the primary sources of revenue.

What did you do before Gift-it.com?

I have always been keenly interested in taking common human behaviors and structuring them online. I’m a serial Internet entrepreneur and I helped launch six start-ups in the last 15 years; it’s been quite a pace.

My last three projects, for example, are PickupPal.com, which takes hitch-hiking and turns it into structured ride-sharing; vouchfor.com, which takes ‘word-of-mouth’ referrals and adds structure, as does gift-it.com, which takes the thrift shop idea to a whole new level. I always feel that there’s no reason to invent behavior, just facilitate it better online.

Where did Gift-it.com start?

In Canada. Once the World Wildlife Fund joined in Canada, and sent out our message to their Canadian audience and over 150,000 donors, it created quite a media buzz. We’re now in over 50 cities including Toronto, Montreal, Tampa Bay, San Francisco, and the list is growing every day. Gift-it.com is a totally new way of thinking about donating, so it does take time for donors to post items. We see the number rising nicely but pioneering this platform means we need to be patient and always be encouraging to different charities to reach out and talk about Gift-it.com.

Along the far eastern portion of the Yucatan Peninsula, stretching south of Cancun for 75 miles and running parallel to the Caribbean, the Riviera Maya coastline opens to still-deserted white-sand beaches and the legacy of an ancient empire. Known in Mexico as “The Venice of the Yucatan,” the region remained isolated from the rest of the country for hundreds of years due to the lack of adequate roads. As Cancun urbanized, visitors soon yearned for mellower, more authentic alternatives to the megaglitzy resorts, and the Riviera Maya was discovered.

At Mayakoba, an eco-friendly resort development that includes three luxury hotels surrounded by natural lagoons that pay homage to local wildlife and rare birds, the varied landscape of mangrove swamps, jungle beaches, protective sand dunes and barrier reefs looks like a different world. Local biologist Hector Alafita, an environmental advisor, remembers watching the neighboring shorelines erode. “To preserve the natural balance of the delicate eco-systems here, we replanted 47,000 mangroves, recovered indigenous seedlings, and 108 species were saved,” says Alafita.

The coastline is dotted with cenotes (naturally occurring sinkholes), a bio-diverse network of underground canals that lie close to the limestone surface. Created by rare underground river systems, ancient Mayans considered cenotes sacred, possibly the entrance to the underworld. Miles of fresh-water lagoons connect 590 square miles of jungle, an area full of iguana, fish, pelicans, monkeys, turtles and crocodiles. The unique canals and coastal byways are collectively known as the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (also known as the Belize Barrier Reef) and continue southward to Guatemala. While this is the second largest continuous coral reef system in the world, it’s also extremely diverse—and fragile, Alafita says.

“We learned the hard way that you must build farther away from the fragile eco-systems along the coastline, in back of the mangrove forests that naturally protect the coral reefs,” says James Batt, vice president of Operations and Marketing for Mayakoba. Here is a slice of sustainable Mexico.

ROSEWOOD MAYAKOBA
The Annual Virtuoso Travel Mart show and Hotel Awards awarded the Rosewood Mayakoba its “Most Socially Responsible Hotel” honor in 2011. Along a mile of white-sand beach, the mangrove jungle at Rosewood is at the heart of the ecological enclave, says Alonzo Ortiz, the Environmental Responsibility Manager on site. Using indigenous materials such as Yucatán limestone and renewable woods, the resort design emphasizes simplicity with a natural, dramatic backdrop. “Mayakoba’s architects crafted a complex plan in which the natural and man-made aspects would intertwine, complementing and enhancing each other,” explains Ortiz. “The beach, golf course, mangrove swamp and jungle are linked by an aquamarine chain of lagoons and canals using subterranean water,” says Ortiz. Environmental thoughtfulness continues at the Sense Spa, where signature treatments embody the simplicity of an ancient culture, and where local abuelas, or grandmas, still make their own corn tortillas without electricity or running water. Common local ingredients are used, including agave plants, volcanic rock and medicinal herbs from the garden, including organic aloe, eucalyptus and tepezcouhite, a Mayan herb used by elders to heal skin ailments, according to Spa Director Emmanuel Arroyo. There are 128 suites on either beachfront or on lagoons, and the down-home Mexican fare includes Marlin Tostadas, Scallop Ceviche and daily tequila tastings. mayakoba.spa@rosewoodhotels.com

Exterior view of the lobby at Banyan Tree Mayakoba, with electric boat that connects the properties through canals.

BANYAN TREE MAYAKOBA
Six miles of freshwater lagoons lead to silvery sand Caribbean beaches. Here, electric golf carts and boats traverse resort beach clubs and a dozen restaurants, ecologically connecting several hotels in order to minimize cars and noise pollution. Amidst a tropical array of more than 200 species of flora and fauna, 132 pool villas are built into the carefully conserved landscape and tempt you to lounge the day away on your hammock. (My private plunge pool was so big, I did laps waiting for Tarzan to swing into my courtyard.) After dodging killer backhands and taking a restorative yoga class, most honeymooners opt for a romantic dinner on Banyan Tree’s drifting barge, the “Ixchel Goddess of the Moon,” which serves private meals for two in a secluded corner of the lagoon.

Outdoor adventures include snorkeling, kayaking and cooking classes, but make time to visit the El Camaléon golf course designed by pro Greg Norman, host of the PGA Tour in Mexico. The course earns its name by weaving through three ecosystems: jungle, dense mangrove and oceanfront stretches. Banyantree.com/en/mayakoba

The Fairmont Mayakoba

FAIRMONT MAYAKOBA
Set along winding bayou-like canals that run to outlying beaches, this AAA five-diamond resort hosts 401 rooms including many family-friendly lagoon casitas. To experience the mangroves as sustainably as possible, try the Mangrove Boat Tour from the Fairmont to the Banyan Tree Riviera Maya on an electric-powered lancha (covered boat). Led by a nature guide—and accompanied by Batt, an avid birder—this interactive two-hour session guides guests on an animal-spotting adventure, sharing knowledge of creatures including tortoises, iguanas and even crocodiles living freely in their natural habitat.

Batt recommends one of the less famous archaeological excursions, just a 20-minute taxi ride past Tulum and crowded Chichen Itza, and you can poke around the Coba archaeological zone dotted with original adobe huts covered by jungle, barely visible from the newer roads. I visited Nohoch Mul, the tallest pyramid in the Yucatan Peninsula: 12 stories straight up slippery horizontal stone staircase, but the prize at the top is a magnificent forest panorama with the pinnacles of ancient ruins protruding above a jungle canopy. Camera? Mandatory! fairmont.com/mayakoba-riviera-maya

Ancient Mayan Secrets: Viceroy Riviera Maya
A few miles down the road sits the Viceroy, which welcomes guests with a Mayan Blessing performed by an in-house shaman. Rising from the tropical expanse of forest, 41 private villas feature outdoor showers and high-ceiling thatched-palapa roofs. The area surrounding the Wayak Spa is blessed with some of the world’s most extensive selections of native herbs. Perfumed by the sacred aroma of copal—a resin incense used in spiritual ceremonies—local traditions infuse each aspect of the experience.

Signature treatments (in six airy rooms) at the Viceroy Riviera Maya feature local products and celebrate the honey derived from the hotel’s hive with hundreds of hard-working meliponas bees.
Other indigenous luxuries:
° Deep wooden bath tubs carved from downed local Zapote Trees, and aromatherapy baths infused with medical herbs harvested from the resort’s organic herb gardens.
° The Xocolate Massage (80 minutes) offers an antioxidant zing with a firming chocolate body masque that utilizes caffeinated cocoa beans to boost circulation.
° The Kuxtal (Mayan baths; 50 minutes) steam-heat, with torrid steam rooms and an intense exfoliation using natural cloth followed by milk-and-honey hydration.
° After your Mayan ritual, schedule a Tequila Lesson or a ceviche tasting on the veranda, try Pilates or learn how to prepare tortillas the way Mayans did a thousand years ago.
viceroyrivieramaya.com

When you exercise, the brain releases feel-good chemicals that help you feel motivated, calm or energized. Try these specific activities the next time you feel anxious or down-in-the-dumps:

1. Stressed out or anxious 

High-energy exercise, such as boxing and martial arts, provide an effective release of negative emotions. “To keep stress hormone levels under control, any exercise that’s aerobic, upbeat and stimulates circulation is excellent,” says Stephanie Vitorino, Group Fitness Manager for Equinox in Woodland Hills, CA. To reduce the stress hormone “cortisol,” include 30 minutes of non-competitive aerobic activity, including swimming and cycling.

2. Fatigued or sleepy 

A review of 12 studies on the connection between exercise and fatigue measured the amount of physical activity and how much fatigue the participants experienced. All found a direct link between reduced fatigue and active exercise. You don’t need to run a marathon to pump up stamina, says Vitorino. “Just 20 minutes of power walking or sun salutations will do wonders.”

3. Unfocused or ill-at-ease 

Exercise improves your ability to think more clearly. Dr. Phillip Tomporowski, an exercise scientist at the University of Georgia, narrowed down the optimal prescription to 20 to 30 minutes of aerobics such as power walking, running and biking. “A short bout of cardio is enough to unlock a mental block,” says Dr. Tomporowski.

4. Sad or lethargic 

“Working out with an empathetic buddy or heading outside for a sunny sail or bike ride can battle this slump,” says Vitorino. Just 30 minutes of steady exercise–from elliptical training and stair climbing to weight lifting and cross-country skiing–keeps stress off your joints, and smokes those calories.

VITAMIN D TO THE RESCUE 

· Decreases inflammation and muscular pain since the “sun vitamin” contains natural anti-inflammatory properties.

· Builds Bones. Vitamin D maximizes the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from food and supplements.

· “This is exactly why annual flu season occurs every winter— versus spring or summer—when people are far less exposed to the sun,” says Dr. Dowd. “Vitamin D enhances immunity.”

· High-dose vitamin D supplements may help increase the body’s sensitivity to the blood sugar-regulating hormone insulin, reducing risk of diabetes.

Vitamin D Energy Plan: Four Ways to Boost Vitamin D

“If you’re over 25, live in a part of the country with gloom or a longer winter, even if you exercise outside most days of the week and skip sunscreen from time to time, you are still most likely deficient in vitamin D,” says Dr. James E. Dowd, Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at Michigan State University and author of The Vitamin D Cure (John Wiley 2012).

A quick blood test proves it, says Dr. Dowd. The dominant symptom is fatigue, and the deficiency is reaching pandemic proportions: “The more technologically advanced a nation, the less time its citizens spend outside at midday,” he says Dowd.

D is the only vitamin naturally produced by your body. When sunlight hits bare skin, a reaction occurs producing vitamin D. The safe upper limit is 4,000 International Units (IU) for anyone nine years or older, including healthy adults.

GET (GOLF) GAME WITH YOGA

Yoga improves several elements of a player’s game such as balance, muscle control and mental focus. In sun-swept Newport Beach, CA, the Pelican Hill Golf Academy offers highly personalized Yoga-Golf classes to improve flexibility, strengthen swinging muscles (shoulders, back and core) and boost concentration with breathing drills. Director of Instruction Glenn Deck leads the two-hour session alongside a certified yoga instructor and the two lead students (4 max) through a series of yoga-like stretches and movements – with and without golf clubs — to assess and establish customized yoga poses based on tight muscles and imbalances.

Following an hour of standing and seated postures (think Sun Salutations and Warriors), Deck works with students on their full swing, chipping and putting. Breathing exercises are combined with various stretches and yoga poses to release stressed muscles, improve flexibility and build hip and leg strength. Pelicanhill.com 

SPICE UP YOUR HEALTH

Though they instantly make your teriyaki tastier, herbs and spices also offer up versatile health benefits, such as the red-hot chili pepper which momentarily speeds up a sluggish metabolism or cinnamon which lowers your “bad” LDL cholesterol. Turmeric may boost enzyme-action during digestion and help flush carcinogens from the liver. Oregano has anti-bacterial properties, and packs more of an antioxidant punch than blueberries.

The Teeny Tiny Spice Company of Vermont has four new varieties of artisan-crafted blends that feature flavors from far-flung locales like the West Indies and Senegal. The 100 percent organic ingredients, made in small batches, come in cute 2.8 ounce reusable tins, $9.95 each. Log on for simple, health-enhancing recipes. teenytinyspice.com 

HOW TO BOOST BREAST HEALTH

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, menopause experts and co-authors of Womenopause: The Menopause Makeover (O Books, UK; $24.95), Dr. Lovera Wolf Miller and Dr. David C. Miller (a wife-and-husband team), offer suggestions for preventing breast cancer and enhancing breast health. “Research shows these positive lifestyle choices can decrease your risk of breast cancer by 50 to 60 percent,” says Dr. Wolf Miller.

1. PERFORM MONTHLY BREAST SELF-EXAMS.
Less than two percent of women under age 50 have a diagnosis of breast cancer. “When found early with exams, over 96 percent are alive and well five years later [as long as it hasn’t spread to lymph nodes],” says Dr. Wolf Miller.

2. DO NOT SMOKE CIGARETTES.
And avoid drinking alcohol in excess of three drinks per day (red wine or other antioxidant-rich drinks are preferable). Both produce free radicals that damage skin and organ function.

3. DOSE UP ON VITAMINS D AND C.
Make sure to get 1,000 mg of vitamin C daily because it decreases risk of infections and protects your heart. Vitamin D has been reported to decrease breast and colon cancer, says Dr. Wolf Miller. “Also, 85 percent of North American women may be deficient in folic acid and should be taking the high-end of 400 to 800 mg daily.”

4. GET LEAN AND MEAN.
“Exercise five days a week for 30 minutes and maintain a leaner body weight,” says Dr. Wolf Miller. “Gaining 20 pounds around menopause greatly increases the risk of breast cancer.”

Canyon Ranch’s Strong & Sculpted - $16.99; 70 mins.; AcaciaLifestyle.com

This DVD takes healthy living to a new level with three total-body workouts by the spa’s top-notch instructors (20-minute core, strength training and energetic yoga workouts). Plus, you receive three bonus segments with top diet experts and a Canyon Ranch recipe booklet.

The Blissology Project - Six DVDs for $49.99; workouts range from 45 to 60 mins; blissology.com 

More like a well-rounded mind-body yoga library than a single release, engaging surfer-yogi Eoin Finn offers a six-DVD set of soothing meditations, posture workouts in differing yoga styles, plus some basic stretching and pranayama (breath work) all with gorgeous Bali in the background.

Pilates for Buff Bones $19.99; 60 mins; Collagevideo.com 

This easy-to-follow, stretching and floor work Pilates routine was created by Rebekah Rotstein who specifically focuses on building strong bones while firming major muscles and improving flexibility. Diagnosed with osteoporosis at age 28, Rotstein knows her subject matter and empathizes while pushing you forward. The DVD pack includes a 10-minute exercise demo and a “bone health” tutorial. You’ll need light 2-5 pound dumbbells.

PAMPER

A new monthly subscription service curates organic sustainable products and offers women-on-the-go a “holistic theme box.” One “Klutch” box contained a power yoga DVD, energy-protein drink mix, organic facial wash, green tea packets, coconut water, plus an organic wrinkle reducer. KlutchClub founder Julie Bashkin says, “I worked 75 hours a week, had back pain and struggled with extra pounds. I needed someone to help me make knowledgeable, green sustainable decisions.” She taps local purveyors and debuts a new theme this month: “Spa: Relax and Unwind from an Active Summer.” The box retails for $17 if you purchase a yearly subscription. klutchclub.com

DRINK

Consumers spend $23 billion per year on “functional” beverages, in a field dominated by acai, pomegranate juice and coconut water. Make room for 100 percent all-natural Hawaiian Kona coffee fruit! Farmers on the island of Kona now sell 40 million pounds of previously unused coffee fruit, which helps sustain the local economy. The ripe, red fruit (caffeine-free) surrounding the coffee bean is removed and reduced to a thick syrup, which helps fight free radicals, inflammation and other effects of aging. A gym-friendly 12-pack of 3-ounce shots is $35.50; konared.com 

EXERCISE

This new exercise gadget follows the Surgeon General’s recommendation for adults to walk a minimum of 10,000 steps per day. (The average American walks less than half that!) Check out the new TrekDesk, designed to fit over any existing treadmill. TrekDesk is a full-sized workstation that allows you to power walk during conference calls, at lunchtime, and whenever you’re simply staring at your computer. Plus midday exercise boosts work productivity and improves your mood. $479, trekdesk.com

PREPARE

The Pritikin Longevity & Spa in Miami serves up this delicious warm-weather vegetarian recipe full of fiber and vitamins.

In Cabo San Lucas, the Esperanza Resort’s new Tequila Soother organic body treatment ($335 for 120 minutes with tequila tasting) begins with a salt and lime body exfoliation that makes me want to do body shots. Prepped by Exec Chef Gonzalo Cerda, he marinates citrus with pure local sea salts. Your journey continues with an aloe vera and honey mask (with mashed mint leaves) followed by a tequila agave body wrap, then onto a lusciously light yogurt-based facial and oat mask. Your therapist removes organic ingredients with 100% all-natural cantaloupe and cucumber juices to enhance skin tone.

After a full body rubdown with agave-enriched massage oil, head to the outdoor relaxation lounge for that signature cocktail made with white tequila, grapefruit and fresh lime juice. If you can lift your relaxed noggin afterwards, Chef Cerda leads complimentary vegetarian cooking classes at The Spa. www.Esperanza.com

“Like” Esperanza Resort on Facebook for a chance to win a three-night stay! Click here to enter.

“The essence of Macrobiotic cuisine is eating whole, natural, unrefined, unprocessed foods with predominant emphasis on consuming grains and vegetables,” says Lee Gross, consulting chef for the Macrobiotic-based M Café in Beverly Hills and Gwyneth Paltrow’s former personal chef.

Macrobiotics is pretty simple—and logical. Gross advises choosing leafy greens, seasonal fruit, whole grains and beans over anything that comes in a bag, box or can. Eating a variety of “roots” (carrots and parsnips), “rounds” (onions and squash) and “greens” (kale and collards) is ideal, but Macrobiotic guidelines are not based strictly on ingredients or calories. They take into account what’s in season where you live and specific circumstances, such as pregnancy.

To start, fill 90 percent of your grocery cart with whole foods and eat a variety of vegetables every day. The diet you’re aiming for looks like this:
• 25 to 30 percent whole grains and brown rice
• 30 to 40 percent raw or lightly steamed vegetables
• 5 to 10 percent beans and other legumes
• 5 to 10 percent miso soup, a daily item typically eaten pre-meal
• 5 to 10 percent ocean fish and seafood, seeds and nuts, fruits and unsweetened beverages

Kale Lemonade
A great way to drink your veggies!
Makes about 1 gallon, 6-8 glasses
31/2 cups lemon juice
6 cups brown rice syrup or light
organic maple syrup
61/2 cups hot water
1 cup kale juice (freshly juiced)
Cold spring water to taste
Combine ingredients.
Serve chilled.

Tofu-Bean Burrito
Use leftover rice and beans to make this portable, healthy lunch or snack.
Makes 2-3 burritos
2 large tortillas (preferably gluten-free)
1 cup scrambled tofu
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
2 tablespoons cooked beans (black, pinto or other)
1/2 cup kale, leaves only (stems removed),
sliced very thin
2 tablespoons shredded soy cheese (optional)
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons prepared salsa

Warm tortilla in a hot, dry skillet. Spread scrambled tofu evenly onto center of tortilla. Top with brown rice, beans and kale. Sprinkle with soy cheese and cilantro. Top with salsa. Roll tortilla burrito-style in foil and warm through in a hot oven for a few minutes to melt cheese.

Scrambled Tofu
Makes 2 cups
1/4 cup soy margarine
1 cup onion, minced
1/2 cup carrot, shredded
1 pound super-firm tofu, crumbled
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons green onions, sliced thin

Heat soy margarine in skillet over medium heat until melted. Add onion and sauté 1 minute. Add carrot and sauté for another minute. Add crumbled tofu, turmeric, salt and pepper, and sauté for another minute. Raise heat to high, add water, bring to boil and cook until liquid is absorbed. Add green onion and stir to incorporate. Salt and pepper to taste.

Yoga
BEST FOR BEGINNERS
Rodney Yee’s Daily Yoga 103 minutes; $14.98
This tranquil yogi offers five 15- to 25-minute routines that incorporate wildly
different styles and postures. Yee is not afraid of longer silences, which makes
him brilliant on the mat. Gaiam.com

BEST FOR INTERMEDIATE
Seane Corne Detox Flow Yoga 110 minutes; $14.98
A visionary and philanthropist, Seane Corne offers three routines with purifying
poses and tension-relieving pranayama, or breath work. Twist and Flow
Practice (35 minutes) focuses on basic standing and seated postures. Purify
(65 minutes) is a strong, flowing practice to tone up and move. Core Energy
(10 minutes) is the final soothing segment. Gaiam.com

Pilates and Core
BEST FOR ALL LEVELS
Element: Total Body Pilates (with mini sculpting ball) 50 minutes; $21.98
Master Pilates instructor Lisa Hubbard offers an invigorating 30-minute
workout and a mellower 20-minute mat session for when you’re tight on time.
Blow up the mini ball in four breaths, and get ready to feel firmer and more
confident. Amazon.com

BEST FOR ALL LEVELS
Exhale Core Fusion Power Sculpt 50 minutes; $14.99
Fred DeVito and Elizabeth Halfpapp teach five 10-minute workouts that combine
Pilates and yoga-type sculpting exercises with light hand weights for maximum
definition. Opt for the full 50-minute class or choose one of five punchy
segments to complement any schedule and energy level. Acacialifestyle.com

Muscle Sculpting
BEST FOR BEGINNER TO INTERMEDIATE
Ageless with Kathy Smith, Total Body Turnaround 60 minutes; $16.99
Smith uses light dumbbells and calisthenics to sculpt legs, buttocks, arms and
core in three separate, 20-minute workouts. AcaciaLifestyle.com

BEST FOR INTERMEDIATE
Bob Harper’s Beginner’s Weight Loss Transformation 45 minutes; $9.99
Grab a pair of 5- to 12-pound dumbbells for this challenging circuit-training
routine with The Biggest Loser’s top coach. Move from a weight lifting to
slow-motion jumping jacks and standing balance exercises. Amazon.com