Prices are high, but wellness is free my budget health strategy in LA
The cost of health and beauty is skyrocketing: $20 smoothies, $30 yoga classes, $50 pilates classes, $150 manicures, $200 facials and $400 massage treatments.Yikes!As a massage therapist, I don’t have any advantages in the wellness industry; I have to pay the same prices you do.
But I do know some strategies to stay healthy — for free.My day in Santa Monica starts with brushing my hair and dry brushing my skin (detoxing our largest organ) while multitasking with oil pulling (either coconut or castor oil). For optimal oral health, I chew on a clove for a few minutes before brushing my teeth.Trust me, it works.The first thing I put in my mouth is lemon water with baking soda (with a little ginger juice). I follow that with fire honey (1 teaspoon, which cleans out everything and knocks out any imminent cold coming on).
Just mix one cup of honey with 1 tsp each of cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, cayenne and black peppers. I take my morning walk either down to the beach, or along the bluffs at Palisades Park.The grass and trees are so lush — outdone only by the view of the Santa Monica Bay.
Always magnificent, it boasts incredible sunsets for epic “golden hour” photos. At the idyllic rose garden, folks gather on weekends to play free live concerts, while neighbors bring their picnic lunches, four-legged friends and toddlers.Others take to the bike path with scooters and e-bikes; plenty of people enjoy jogging or just old-school walking.I mix up my walks with Iyengar yoga, because it does the most for strengthening and lengthening my spine.
There are some incredible local studios that offer unlimited classes for a low monthly fee — you really don’t have to break the bank to stretch your back.And if you’re on a really tight budget, you can climb the Santa Monica stairs for free, at the northern end of 4th Street.The Los Liones Canyon Trail above Pacific Palisades is open again, and the rings and swings on the original Muscle Beach in Santa Monica will ...