24 minute read
Adrenaline Junkie
By Sam Lauron Adrenaline Junkie What is wellness without a healthy dose of heart-racing, blood-pumping activities?
Adrenaline, the hormone produced in the adrenal glands during times of stress or fear, is a critical component to the body’s safety system. However, the “fight or flight” hormone, as it’s known, can also be produced in short bursts during thrilling physical activities. Though it’s not advisable to permanently seek a heightened state of physical and mental alertness, a boost of adrenaline every now and then can be beneficial to one’s overall wellness. These six heart-pounding activities promise more than a boost of adrenaline.
Life is all about balance, after all. Stimulating activities such as ziplining or diving can be the key to achieving a healthy and well-rounded wellness routine.
These six heart-pounding activities promise more than a boost of adrenaline — they’ll leave you feeling more confident, motivated and on top of the world.
ROCK CLIMBING
Austin Bouldering Project austinboulderingproject.com There’s nothing that will get the adrenaline pumping quite like gripping onto a rock wall over ten feet up in the air — without being strapped into anything. Bouldering, which is rock climbing without harnesses or ropes, is an adventurous way to test the limits of strength, movement and strategy. And Austin Bouldering Project (ABP) offers plenty of space to explore. With a 50,000-squarefoot facility, ABP is the largest bouldering gym in the U.S. The gym designs colorful rotating circuits on boulders that are anywhere between 13 to 17 feet high and range in difficulty level. ABP offers intro classes, memberships and day passes at its original facility on the East Side as well as its newly opened second location off of South Lamar in the Westgate Shopping Center.
Crux Climbing Center cruxclimbingcenter.com The 22,000-square-foot facility at Crux Climbing Center is a climber’s oasis. Founded by local climbers Matt Twyman and Kevin Goradia, Crux is a community-driven space that welcomes climbers at all levels, from those who are experienced to those who are curious about the sport.
Crux offers a variety of climbing options from rock climbing with ropes to bouldering, and even has a fitness space for strengthening and yoga classes. Visit the original location in South Austin or Crux’s second, more central location in the Highland neighborhood.
ZIPLINING
Lake Travis Zipline Adventures ziplaketravis.com Outdoor thrill-seekers should plan a visit to the longest and fastest zipline in Texas at Lake Travis Zipline Adventures. The three-hour-long guided tour takes visitors across five zipline courses that fly high above the smooth waters and rugged canyons of Lake Travis. Let the adrenaline build up as you make the mile long hike uphill to get to the
starting point, and get ready to feel the rush just before you’re released onto the first zipline.
Zip Lost Pines ziplostpines.com Just a short drive away from Austin awaits a hill country adventure at Zip Lost Pines. Fly above the trees on the full tour, which comprises six lines and takes about two to three hours to complete, or the half tour which is three lines and takes up to two hours. The longest line is a quarter of a mile long and gets up to 40 miles per hour of speed, which promises breathtaking views and moments. Zip Lost Pines even offers a nighttime zipline adventure for those seeking an extra thrill.
BOXING
Archetype Boxing Club archetypeboxing.com Boxing goes beyond throwing punches. The sport of boxing is a full-body workout that offers immense physical conditioning that can lead to competitive sparring. But before you can step into a ring, you need the proper training, which is exactly what Archetype Boxing Club aims to provide. Whether you’re a first-timer or an advanced athlete, Archetype helps build a solid boxing foundation through classes that teach the fundamentals — from heavy bag and boxing ring training to partner work and speed bag training.
Austin Women’s Boxing Club austinwomensboxingclub.com Founded by Julia Gschwind, Austin Women’s Boxing Club is the first and only women’s boxing gym in the city. Women from all backgrounds and experience levels can join the community to learn authentic boxing techniques from a team of female USA Boxing Certified coaches. Supporting its community with an empowering environment is a top priority for the South Austin gym. Whether the goal is to explore an adrenaline-pumping workout or to train for a competition, anyone who steps into Austin Women’s Boxing Club will leave feeling challenged and confident.
DIVING
Dive World Austin diveworldaustin.com From the open water to the deep sea, scuba diving offers an unparalleled adrenaline-filled experience, and Dive World Austin is Austin’s longtime go-to for all things diving. Dive World offers a range of instructional courses for beginners and experienced scuba divers alike. From a discovery course to an open water certification, and even a rescue diver course for those who want to advance their dive skills, there are plenty of opportunities to test the waters. Current owners Seth and Traci Wallace have also expanded Dive World’s offerings to include a shop that provides equipment rentals and dive gear, as well as a community space for year-round events.
JIU-JITSU
Brazilian Fight Factory brazilianfightfactory.com Led by head trainer Rodrigo Cabral — who is the 2011 Brazilian National Champion in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), among numerous other achievements — Brazilian Fight Factory provides top-level BJJ programs for people of all ages and abilities. The north Austin gym offers a number of classes around the fundamentals of the martial art that will equip anyone with the ability to take the mat and confidently grapple.
Atos Austin Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu atosaustinbjj.com Located in Lakeway, Atos Austin Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu offers an adrenaline-boosting workout for everyone in the family. Led by Gui Campos, who has been the coach for many World Champion competitors, Atos prides itself on teaching authentic Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to its students and offers classes that are suitable for students of all ages and skill-levels.
SKYDIVING
Skydive Lonestar skydivelonestar.com/tandem-skydiving Feel like free falling? Look no further than Sky Dive Lonestar, where you can tandem skydive from over 14,500 feet. The team at Sky Dive Lonestar is made up of highly experienced, licensed instructors that guide flyers through the entire experience, so first-timers can find comfort in the fact that they won’t be flying in the sky alone. With a free fall at 120 miles per hour, followed by a six-minute parachute flight, the breathtaking thrill will be one-of-a-kind.
Skydive Spaceland San Marcos sanmarcos.skydivespaceland.com Skydive Spaceland San Marcos (formerly Skydive San Marcos) has been serving up thrills since 1984 and continues to be a top skydiving location in Central Texas. An adventure for beginners and experienced skydivers alike, Spaceland’s 134-acre facility has its own private airport and a large landing area that’s open to spectators. Whether you’re a first-time flyer or want to pick up a thrilling hobby, the 14,000 freefall at 120 miles per hour will be anything but boring.
Therapy Tails
TWO ANIMAL-ASSISTED HEALING PROGRAMS ARE HELPING THOSE IN NEED
By Darcie Duttweiler Photos by Jenna McElroy
“If they can tell Levi to get out of their space, that’s pretty empowering moving into the person-to-person world,” she says.
Animal-assisted therapy has been said to lower blood pressure, help alleviate stress, and reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Much like horses, dogs are also effective therapy animals because of their sensitives to human emotions. When we pet animals, especially dogs, relaxing hormones are stimulated, which is why it’s so calming to be around friendly four-legged creatures.
“Dogs just bring smiles to people’s faces!” Divine Canines Executive Director Max Woodfin says.
“EQUINE THERAPY ALLOWS US TO HAVE A SAFE SPACE TO practice the communication we need to live in a community with other humans without the baggage that comes with doing it with other humans,” Healing with Horses Development Director Arianna Roman explains. We’re in a pasture while 1,700-pound, 18-hand Percheron gelding — that’s all to say, he’s pretty dang big — Levi tries to push another horse out of the way to get her attention like a bratty kid brother would.
Roman explains that horses are such communicative and social creatures that feed off of our own body language and energies. They make amazing therapeutic animals and teach students how to feel confident in voicing their boundaries and respecting others.
DIVINE CANINES Formed by Tori Ott Keith and her dog’s trainer, the famed Lee Mannix, Divine Canines has been providing several programs to the Central Texas area for 18 years. Now comprised of more than 100 dog-handler teams, the program services more than 120 facilities and visits thousands of children, veterans, students and the elderly on a regular basis.
Ott Keith was inspired to start the program one day when a little girl approached her huge Great Dane Eudora and asked if she could pet her. Eventually she started crying and then laughing and exclaimed how she was having one of the worst days and it was now one of the best. Meanwhile Mannix, who was internationally known for his exceptional training skills, had an experience at a hospital with a loud therapy dog and an unprofessional han-
dler that made him realize he wanted to create a program to do dog-assisted therapy the right way. Together, the two created several programs all with one goal: to make people feel better.
“Truly anywhere there are people in need, we will consider going,” Woodfin says.
That means the team goes everywhere from senior living centers, hospitals, the Austin State Hospital and Austin State Supported Living Center, rehab centers, VA outpatient facilities, schools, universities and more. The dogs help kids with learning disabilities through their Barking Book Buddies program, where the children read to the ever-patient pooches. They are also very popular with study break sessions for college students during strenuous finals.
What makes a Divine Canine? According to Woodfin, any dog that can bring a smile but also be adaptable to different situations is the perfect therapy dog. Unlike other programs, Divine Canines does not discriminate against dog breeds or ages.
“We don’t select dogs — we train them,” he says.
Dogs and their owners go through a rigorous vetting and testing process to make sure they’re up to par, and all of the training is based on Mannix’s model prior to his untimely death in 2010.
“Lee believed in gentle training. The training is based on treating the dog with kindness and gentleness, and that has remained our philosophy today,” Woodfin says.
Be on the lookout for more information on this year’s Barks for Beers event, which takes place in May and is one of the organization’s largest fundraising efforts. divinecanines.org
HEALING WITH HORSES Founded in 2011, Healing with Horses ranch was founded as a Professional Association for Therapeutic Horsemanship, International (PATH, Intl.) member center by Patty D’Andrea — a PATH Intl. Advanced Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor and Certified Equine Specialist. In 2018, the facility became a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center.
All of this is to say, the program has been thoughtfully crafted for the sole purpose of changing lives of those in need.
Like many other equine therapy centers, Healing with Horses follows the PATH model, but the program developed by D’Andrea, a longtime advanced therapeutic riding instructor, was designed to be at least 90 minutes long to help develop the bond between student and horse. Nestled between Toll Road 130 and FM 973, the 43-acre ranch also has a robust five-mile trail system through a forest and over a peaceful brook, which means students aren’t just confined to a barn or riding arena — they get to commune with nature on their horse and deepen that relationship outside of the arena.
“We really focus on the behavioral health and mental health of our students. No matter the reason the student is here, whether they’re here to work on gross motor skills or fine motor skills, we always focus on the behavior health aspect with every student,” Roman says. “Because we all could use a little behavioral health intervention in our lives.” Working with students of all ages (from six to 76), Healing with Horses offers programs with licensed counselors and PATH certified equine experts for at-risk youth, veterans and people with disabilities (even wheelchairs). The ranch currently has 19 horses in its herd, some of which were donated — Hercules is even a retired police horse. Classes include adaptive riding (where students learn the physical aspects of riding), equine assistant learning (in which students learn coping skills and resilience through horsemanship, like asserting boundaries and clear communication) and equine facilitated psychotherapy counseling programs. “Something we work on with our students is that they have boundaries and things, and the horses have boundaries and things, and they have to negotiate that,”
Roman explains. “Sometimes you have to be a coach to your horse, especially when they have a behavior that is not good. Our horses are really great teachers — they don’t do exactly what we want them to do all of the time.”
Those in need can apply for the programs on their website, but there currently is a lengthy waitlist due to COVID-related capacities and volunteer shortages. The nonprofit is always in need of enthusiastic volunteers, so Roman advises anyone to sign up, no matter what your horsemanship ability is.
Healing with Horses will be celebrating its 10th anniversary all year long, with several big events slated for late January, a Donation Derby, and a big party at the ranch, so stay tuned for more. divinecanines.org healingwithhorsesranch.org
The Sensual Chef
KIELE JAEL IS ON A MISSION TO HELP WOMEN REDEFINE THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH FOOD
By Sam Lauron Photo by Brittany Dawn Short
WHEN KIELE JAEL INTRODUCES HERSELF AS A SENsual chef, she’s familiar with the curious expressions she receives. But as someone who has coined the term “sensual nourishment,” Jael is more than eager to introduce others to the topic.
As Jael describes, sensual nourishment means “experiencing life, using all of your senses, and living in gratitude daily.” She adds, “It’s the ability to nourish your whole self and soul with healing in mind.” And it’s the pillar of what she teaches other women as a certified nutrition chef and wellness culinary coach.
Combining her culinary background with her passion for empowering women to transform their health, Jael’s investment in approaching health and nutrition in a holistic way stems from her own experience.
In 2008, Jael was living and working as a handbag and accessories designer in New York City when, at the height of her career, she became seriously ill from what she later learned was nickel poisoning. The mysterious illness took a toll on her health and had doctors unsure of what to do other than prescribe medicines.
“My entire life was turned upside down,” she recalls. “Doctors didn’t know what was wrong with me.” After having exhausted traditional medicines to no avail, Jael decided to seek out holistic healing methods and found that certain foods helped her to heal.
It was this experience that sparked Jael’s interest in nutrition, specifically around the connection between food and healing. She made a career pivot and began her journey in nutrition at the Natural Gourmet Institute of Culinary Arts in New York City where she received her certification in culinary nutrition. From there, she went on to study alongside Eastern medicine professionals and expand her knowledge in traditional Chinese medicine. During this time, Jael saw a need for women to connect to their health in deeper, more tangible ways through food and cooking. Thus, her coaching practice Kiele Jael Wellness came to fruition.
“My methodology is to teach women about ancient food wisdom, the healing properties of cooking and how to use their senses and intuition to create beautiful, delicious, healthy food in effortless ways,” she says. “The result is that cooking becomes sensual and enjoyable and pleasure filled.”
Jael admits that there’s so much information about nutrition and food that it can become overwhelming and confusing.
“One day tomatoes are good for you and the next day they’re bad for you,” she says. “One day wine is good for you, and the next day, it’s bad for you.” This overabundance of conflicting information is why she refrains from relying on the typical methodologies and health trends touted in diet culture with her clients. Instead, she encourages a more intuitive attitude around food and wellness.
When working with clients, either one-on-one or in a group setting, Jael’s teaching starts from within. She helps women connect to their health by reframing their mindset and philosophy around nutrition and wellness. Then, she uses her culinary background to amplify those internal practices with external strategies around grocery shopping, food preparation and cooking — an element that is unique to her coaching practice.
“In my experience working with women, cooking is one of the biggest barriers people have when it comes to their health,” says Jael. “But cooking has the ability to transform foods and make it more digestible, delicious and healing for your body. I take [my coaching] to the next level by actually teaching the healing energetic properties of cooking as well.”
In addition to working with women on a personal level, Jael recently launched The Art of Sensual Cooking, a self-paced online course. The course is designed to give students the tools to learn about healing foods, implement at-home cooking techniques, and manage their own health and wellness through the act of cooking as self-care.
“It’s amazing to help women feel confident to heal themselves,” she says. “[My clients] have been able to shift their mindsets and philosophies on how food and cooking show up in their lives, and that to me is so rewarding.” kielejael.com
More Than Skin Deep
FOUR AUSTIN SKINCARE FOUNDERS TALK CLEAN BEAUTY PRODUCTS AND THEIR LASTING EFFECTS
By Darcie Duttweiler
WHEN MOST OF US WERE growing up, we had to rely on beauty magazines to learn about skincare. Forget about TikTok or YouTube tutorials, let alone learning more about the ingredients that went into your favorite cosmetic or face wash. Nowadays, everyone is much more aware and informed about what they’re putting inside their body as well as on top of it, which is why “clean” or natural skincare is having such a moment. And, while the United States skincare and beauty industry is far behind its European counterparts, several local companies are hoping to spread awareness of natural ingredients and the gorgeous results they produce.
Raeka Beauty
For Raeka Panda skincare is personal.
Not only do many of her products utilize ingredients that her mother and grandmother taught her to use, but they also have Ayurvedic properties that have been utilized in India for more than 5,000 years.
When Panda lost her grandmother in 2015, she sought to connect with her by using the same ingredients from the kitchen her grandmother slathered on her while she was growing up. That tinkering, with turmeric and cardamom and other various spices and herbs, led to her hobby of making beauty products and eventually not only researching the various properties of what those ingredients can do but also the ingredients in the modern skincare she was using. This deep dive into the world of clean beauty (and discovering the higher standards of which European countries adhere to) led Panda to switch gears from law student to entrepreneur.
“I felt like I had a mission to bring clean ingredients with unique South Asian influences to the forefront,” Panda explains.
In 2017, she launched Raeka Beauty with the world’s first turmeric peel off mask before expanding to several other oils, face washes and serums. Panda uses clean and natural ingredients and tries to keep the ingredient list to a minimum to make it easier for skin to absorb the product and also bans parabens, synthetic fragrances and sulfates. The products are crafted by women in empowering cooperatives, where they are paid living wages, and everything is packaged with eco-friendly materials.
And, yes, many of her tinctures do indeed include turmeric.
“In Indian culture, it’s very popular to use turmeric paste — it’s the answer to everything,” she laughs.
Panda describes her skincare as the “new generation of Ayurveda,” in which she pays homage to the traditional methods of using these ingredients — typically used in a raw form — and combines them with modern skincare methods to create her products.
“I feel so blessed to be able to incorporate things I grew up with and share that with so many people,” Panda says.
While there are no new products announced just yet, Panda is hard at work on branding her line and creating new packaging in the near future.
Must-Try Products • Golden Froth ($35) • India Gold™ Anti-Aging Serum ($56) • Turmeric Peel Off Mask ($29.50) raekabeauty.com
disco
The sleek and minimal packaging of the disco skincare line is so aesthetically attractive and inviting, women may not realize it was created specifically for men, and that’s just what founder Benjamin Smith had in mind when he created his business in 2019.
“We want to be the company where the female partners steal their male partner’s skincare products,” he explains.
Smith was lucky to have Dr. Eva Simmons O’Brien as a family friend growing up. The renowned dermatologist taught him how to take care of his skin by regularly using a cleanser, moisturizer and a sunscreen. But he found he was often using lines that were made specifically for women, and, even worse, many drugstore products that had harmful chemicals in them.
So when Smith sold his two boutique gyms in 2018 and was looking for something new, he knew he wanted to fill the gap in the market that excluded men, but he also wanted to use clean and natural ingredients and speak to customers in a fun and modern way by using unisex packaging.
“Skincare brands usually have very masculine positioning and are either black or royal blue, so at the outset we decided to go against the grain, no pun intended,” Smith laughs.
Smith teamed up with Simmons O’Brien to formulate the disco line, which upon launch, offered seven products to provide a full system for men looking to get into taking care of their skin. Smith explains that roughly only 20 percent of men use skincare regularly, and he wanted disco to be a one-stopshop for customers.
It’s also important to him to use a minimal ingredient count and focus on active and natural ingredients, like aloe, charcoal, tea tree oil and more. He wanted to use less harmful and toxic ingredients as he’s always been mindful of the environment around him, especially what he puts into his body or onto his skin. That’s why the line uses natural scents, including organic eucalyptus oil, which gives the products a tingly feeling and a spa-like aroma that helped name the body wash on GQ’s list of the best grooming awards of 2020.
In addition to launching at several new retailers in 2022, including Target,
Smith plans to introduce a handful of new products this year, like a daily skin supplement, overnight blemish patches, and 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner.
Must-Try Products • Repairing Eye Stick ($34) • Hydrating Face Moisturizer ($26) • Charcoal Face Cleanser Stick ($18)
letsdisco.com
Folk Potions
Back in her home state of Oregon, exfolk singer-songwriter Raina Rose used to spend her summers teaching teenagers all about native forest plants growing near the coast. It was during these summer months of foraging and practicing the healing matters of these flora and herbs that she became fascinated in the natural uses of these everyday plants.
“It was magical to learn that you can mash up a bracken fern and put it on a bug bite to make it feel better,” Rose says.
Fast forward to fall of 2016, and Rose was back in Austin after a 10-day tour that took her away from her husband and two sons, Emmett and Benny, who had just turned two years old, and only netted her $500. Donald Trump was just elected president, and the singer knew she had to do something else.
“I needed to do something with my hands in order to feel okay in a world that felt insane, so I just kind of started creating body butters and salves and selling them on Etsy,” Rose explains.
So, Rose got to work making tinctures and oils in a gifted stand-up mixture, and when actress and fellow musician Megan Mullally, who Rose’s husband works with, posted about Folk Potions’ Magic Face Oil on her Instagram in 2017, the business exploded, and Rose has been happily fulfilling orders ever since.
“People tell me they really love the products, and it’s so meaningful that something I’m doing is helping someone,” Rose says.
In addition to Rose’s herbalism past, she especially wanted to create products that she could feel good putting onto her kids’ skin, so she focuses on organic and natural ingredients, including herbs, pure essential oils and beeswax. She calls Folk Potions “slow skincare” because it takes roughly six weeks to make her products, as the plant materials infuse through cold maceration.
While people like Mullally swear by the Magic Face Oil for their skin, Rose reminds people that her products are not “anti-aging.”
“My personal philosophy is that aging is a privilege, and all of my products are made with the idea that aging is a beautiful process,” she explains. “Caring for your skin is about feeling good as opposed to denying the aging process. We all get to grow old, and that’s beautiful.”
Her products are available locally at Cute Nail Studio and through Farmhouse Delivery. Must-Try Products • Magic Hair Oil ($34) • Vagus Nerve Support Oil ($34) • Magic Face Oil ($34-$99)
folkpotions.com
Blü Fern
While Vivian Robinson always had sensitive skin and was cautious about what she put on her face, it wasn’t until she and husband John became grandparents that they became very diligent about the things they were introducing into their bodies and onto their skin. When John retired from his job in microbiology-based animal nutrition, the couple began researching science-based skincare formulations that would nourish and protect skin in natural and healthy ways.
In December 2020, the Robinson’s launched skincare line Blü Fern with their double cleansing system and a botanical facial oil. The line exclusively focuses on protecting the microbiome, the microbial community of our skin composed of bacteria, fungi and viruses. Their philosophy is to do no harm to the skin or the environment.
Vivian says many “clean” skincare lines can still disrupt our body’s natural defenses, and Blü Fern’s approach is to establish an environment where natural microbial inhabitants can thrive while being permitted to perform their purposes. Their skincare line uses natural ingredients, such as algae extracts, rosehip oil, green tea, chamomile, papaya seed oil and many others, to protect that balance and help to nourish the skin, with no artificial fragrances or synthetic chemicals.
“It’s great for sensitive skin,” Vivian explains. “People don’t tell you that you should stay away from artificial fragrances if you have sensitive skin, so we’re very conscious about that, and all of our products are non-irritating.” In addition to their quest to protect skin naturally, the Robinsons also give back to the nature around them and donate some of their proceeds to organizations dear to their hearts, like The Trail Foundation, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and 1% for the Planet. “We wanted that connection to the places we love, and we wanted to support organizations that we feel are vital to the city and so tied to our communities,” Vivian says.
The couple recently launched their latest product, the Blubiome Stem Cell Repair Cream, which restores skin tone and hydrates, which is especially important in the dry winter months.
Must-Try Products • Blubiome Stem Cell Repair Cream ($95) • Nourishing Oil Cleanser ($42), and Hydrating Milk Cleanser ($42) • Botanical Facial Oil ($85)
