Give Yourself a Care

by Anne Hunter

In these pandemic times, the importance of self-care has reached a crescendo. Like the rising sound in a musical score, taking care of you has been elevated from a luxury into a necessity.

Local Reiki Master Emme Wood, a licensed massage therapist and cranial sacral therapy practitioner explained, “Your breath is the most important self-care tool, and it is available 24/7. For instant relaxation anywhere, Wood said, “Try a four-count inhale through your nose and a six-count audible (engaging your vocal cords) exhale out of your mouth. This is the greatest tool at your disposal for direct access to your nervous system. It will take you out of your sympathetic (fight or flight) and into your parasympathetic (cool and calm).” The self-care guru advises ten rounds of this breath cycle for a quick come down.

On the exhale, it’s easy to explore the healing side of Rosemary Beach while tuning your body into the big benefits of small-town beach living, where opportunities to rejuvenate and reflect, are never-ending.

SIP A SOOTHING CUP OF TEA

Trade in your daily coffee for a cup of hot tea to boost your immune system and fight inflammation. Amavida Coffee & Tea has variety of Fair Trade, Certified Organic brews to support your herbal self-care. Amavida’s Baristas participate in an in-house training program that requires a score of at least 90%

Photo by Jack Gardner

to become certified in tea. You’ll find that they are in the know when it comes to the history of tea and steeping guidelines that maximize the antioxidants that soothe your mind and body.

Photo by Jimmy Farr

GO POOLSIDE OR BEACHSIDE

For those staying in town, take your hot tea to the cool water at one of the four stunning pools located throughout Rosemary Beach. Or, walk down to one of the town’s nine beach walkovers to access the emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Slip off your shoes to give your bare feet a massage on white crystal sand as it reaps its many healing benefits on your cellular system.

Photo by Guy Stevens

Photo by Jimmy Farr

WANDER THE WALKWAYS

Step into the familiar American traditional architecture of Rosemary Beach and walk along the boardwalks, the gentle streets, while strolling by the porches to the common green spaces throughout the town. The pedestrian pathway provides ample places for fitness, reading, games, picnics and barefoot strolls, as well as outdoor events.

BRING YOUR BIKE

Leave your car behind and cruise the Rosemary Beach coastline on two wheels. Bamboo Bicycle Company is your go to for a spin around town. Both with tree-lined sidewalks leading cyclists along the 30-A bicycle trail, the East Long Green Park, featuring a knot garden, and West Long Green Park are perfect stopping points for a picnic.

SMELL A SCENT

Give your limbic system an olfactory snack. The limbic system plays a major role in emotional regulation, memory, and behavior of the brain. Try inhaling a calming scent such as lavender and frankincense from Patchoulis or find your favorite aroma in a candle from The Tracery or Luminary.

Photos by Guy Stevens Photo provided by The Pearl Hotel

SPA TIME, YOGA TIME

Be pampered from head to toe at Vivo Spa 30A or Spa Pearl with its poolside treatment rooms. Vivo owners Michael and Erin Jordan use the 5,000-year-old philosophy of Ayurvedics to bring balance to your body, mind and soul. Both spas offer full-service relaxation. The Rosemary Beach Fitness Center offers weekly yoga classes at the gym and on the greens.

FINISH THE DAY WITH A GOOD WRITE OR READ

The benefits of journaling are widely known. Pen your thoughts and weave them into your own story. “Books, for centuries, have offered respite from the unpleasantries of the world. At The Hidden Lantern, we keep this in mind as we cultivate a literary escape,” explained Diane Brady, founder of the independent bookstore at Rosemary Beach. You never know when your words may end up on the shelf. “You can dive into the classic you’ve always meant to read, or a light work of fiction to take in at the beach. Explore culinary possibilities in the cooking section to nurture the body (cookbooks are now as beautifully produced as art books) or armchair travel with a book on history. You can find inspiration in a biography, try your hand at journaling or meditate over a puzzle. Sending a greeting card can connect you with someone in a singular way during this time of disconnection. The avenues to connect with yourself, others, new ideas and far off places, are all at a bookstore.”