Discoveries

MIND | BODY | COMMUNITY

THE WELLNESS BUZZ

From locally made skincare to a sprawling new sports complex, these Southwest Florida debuts offer plenty of ways to feel your best.

DISCOVERIES

Brian Tietz

A VIGOROUS INVESTMENT

‘Health is wealth’ is a mantra audiologist Ann Rasmussen and financial planner Eric M. Marvin take to heart at their new Health & Wealth Co. on Fifth Avenue South in Naples. Combining their skills and interests, the two created a wellness hub that offers financial and physical health services, as well as a retail space for cannabidiol (CBD) products, organic skincare, vitamins and other healthful goods. “I’ve always believed that you can’t enjoy your wealth if you can’t enjoy your health,” Marvin says.

Run by a team of six—including doctors, nurses and nutritionists—the company offers services from audiology to acupuncture to estate planning. In a single visit, you can sort out estate and insurance assets in the glass-enclosed office that anchors the space, connect with a functional medicine doctor for micronutrient testing and hook up to an IV drip for a quick vitamin B-packed energy boost. Inspirational quotes on the walls reinforce the philosophy, like an oh-so-fitting sentiment from writer Josh Billings that says, “Health is like money, we never have a true idea of its value until we lose it.” Look out for events like ladies’ nights with free consultations, by-donation yoga classes and monthly guided meditations. —Jaynie Bartley

SMELL THE ROSES

Here’s a better, cleaner way to indulge in mood-boosting aromatherapy. Naples-based Lymarie Jimenez recently launched Nokomis Home Fragrance, a line of handmade candles and linen sprays, named after her 4-month-old daughter.

The inspiration for the eco-minded line came when Jimenez was out shopping for candles. Pregnant with what she calls her ‘miracle baby,’ who was conceived after two years of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments, the soon-to-be-mom started questioning the ingredients in store-bought scents and thinking how they might affect the air her daughter would breathe. She also considered the waste associated with disposable jars, cotton wicks and cardboard packaging. To provide a better alternative for herself and others, Jimenez started making her own candles with clean-burning ingredients like coconut soy wax, sustainably sourced wood wicks (she works with One Tree Planted to ensure each purchase results in more greenery for the earth) and reduced waste (each candle is hand-poured into 12-ounce reusable jars). “That’s been really important to me,” Jimenez says. “This is technically a luxury item. You don’t actually need it, so if you’re going to buy it, you should feel good about it.”

She created two Charity Edition scents, including the lightly fruity Hope and apricot wood-scented Dream candles, that benefit The Hope For Fertility Foundation, which helps families pay for infertility treatments. Other candles in the Signature Collection range from the Coffee Shop, with notes of espresso, cacao and vanilla bean, to the lively Southern Belle, made with grapefruit, gardenia and tuberose. “When you light these candles, your whole house will smell great,” she says. —J.B.

Courtesy Nokomis Home Fragrance

FIELD OF DREAMS

For a fitness routine to stick, you need it to be convenient, challenging and fun. Enter the long-anticipated Paradise Coast Sports Complex, which recently opened the first phase of its campus. The space packs everything from a fitness area with an obstacle course to pro-level soccer fields into its 180 acres. Here, you can catch a major event, sports tournament, food truck fare, a helluva workout and even a sampling of Shakespeare—all in one massive venue near Golden Gate in Naples. So not only can you bank on the benefits of physical activity, but also socializing and community-building—other essential tenets for optimal wellness.

As for improving your physical prowess, this place inspires. Already, you can take advantage of the sleek-looking outdoor fitness area with challenging, innovative equipment—including a military-style obstacle course and open-air weight room—with no worries about the seasonal heat, as most facilities are shaded and cooled by Big Ass fans (yes, that’s the brand name). Other breezy spots for post-workout leisure include The Cove for drinks, snacks, games and live entertainment enjoyed lakeside, and The Great Lawn and Stadium for socially distanced special events. This summer, watch for two-day concert series over Independence and Labor Day weekends, plus plans for Shakespeare in Paradise outdoor theater performances.

At completion, projected for early 2023, there will also be sports fields for baseball, softball, football, soccer, lacrosse and field hockey for local, state and national youth, collegiate and semi-pro teams. Consider this the ultimate training ground for all the current and future athletes in your clan. —Chelle Koster Walton

Dennis Wright (2)

DISCOVERIES

SEED TO SKIN

Dr. Cyndi Yag-Howard, of Yag-Howard Dermatology & Aesthetic Center in Naples, teamed up with her daughter Aubrey Howard, a recent graduate from Duke University’s business school, to create Leaf it to Me, a line of nine plant-based products, manufactured locally.

Guided by the idea that we should approach our skincare as we do our diet (if we strive for a balanced plate with nutritious ingredients, why not do the same for our skin?), she and her daughter crafted plant-centric formulas that treat and prevent issues, like acne, fine lines and dark spots, from the inside out. “It’s taking the best of what nature offers and allowing you to feed your skin with natural ingredients,” Yag-Howard says.

This isn’t the first beauty line for the board-certified dermatologist, who specializes in natural-looking facial sculpting and aesthetic enhancements. After launching her now-defunct YH Naturally skincare in 2017, she wanted to raise the ante with Leaf it to Me, creating cleansers, toners, moisturizers and serums—most of which are made up of more than 95% natural ingredients. Among the products, there’s the Complexion Correction Clarifying Moisturizer for Rosacea + Acne-Prone Skin made with soothing willow bark, and the Guess My Age Super Fruit + Peptide Intense Rejuvenating Cream with collagen-stimulating gotu kola (an herb native to Asian wetlands). Shop the line online or in-office at Yag-Howard Dermatology & Aesthetic Center. —J.B.