SHA Wellness Clinic in Spain (in 2021 it will also open in Mexico, and in 2023 in the UAE) has long been featured in the geolocation of all healthy lifestyle bloggers and world celebrities. People come there to improve their health, find a dream body and peace of mind - in the best traditions of Western and Eastern methods.
The CEO and co-owner of the clinic, Alfredo Batalier Pineda, only visited Moscow for a few days, but I really wanted to meet him in person. I needed a recipe for maintaining balance and harmony in a big city life and eternal deadlines. On the day of our conversation, the topic of the interview was very relevant: I realized this for sure when I was driving to a meeting in Moscow traffic jams, planning topics for the next week and answering work questions in several messenger chats at once. And when meeting with Alfredo I felt such calmness and confidence that it became obvious: he knows the answers to all questions.
Alfredo Batalier Pineda
CEO and co-owner of SHA Wellness Clinic
“It is possible to be in harmony with yourself in any situation,” Alfredo immediately assured me. - Everything is in our head. The main thing is to get the right habits."
1. Cereals - every day, and if dessert, then sugar-free
Food is our everything. It depends on how we feel and look. There are no general dietary recommendations, it cannot be said that there are certain foods that no one needs to eat and, on the contrary, there are top foods that everyone needs. Everything is very individual. To determine what suits you and what does not, you can only after diagnosing the body, passing certain tests. However, generally speaking, there is the famous Harvard Food Pyramid, developed by nutritionists. It schematically shows products and the rules for their use. It can be easily found on the internet.
At the base of the pyramid, at the first stage there are cereals. This is the most useful product for our health. I advise you to eat cereal for breakfast as your main source of energy.
From the second to the fourth steps of the pyramid - foods that can also be eaten every day. These are vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, olive oil, seeds, spices. The only thing is milk and yoghurts, I would exclude them or replace them with vegan versions.
Then there are foods that are better to eat once a week: fish, poultry, eggs, desserts. But with desserts you should be careful. There is now an overwhelming amount of articles and studies supporting the harmfulness of white refined sugar. With its use, the blood glucose level rises, we feel more energetic, but only for a short time. Then the glucose level drops sharply and the person feels depressed, tired. To avoid this, it is better to choose healthy desserts without sugar, preferably also without flour and eggs. And if we talk about chocolate, then I advise only bitter.
At the top of the pyramid is red meat. Experts recommend eating it no more than once a month.
It is best to eat five small meals a day. At the same time, breakfast should be more satisfying than dinner.
2. Kukicha tea in the morning and afternoon, apple kuzu in the evening
I have nothing against coffee, but in moderation. I believe that only one cup a day is the norm. It is even better to replace coffee with the right teas, which not only energize, but also contribute to the overall health of the body. For example, Japanese green tea kukicha, a mixture of 12 herbs, is very healthy and delicious. It is rich in vitamins and minerals and contains antioxidants. It contains caffeine (theine) just like coffee, but in smaller doses, so you can drink it in unlimited quantities.
In the evening after dinner, I recommend drinking apple kuzu (a sweetish drink, similar in consistency to jelly, it is prepared from apple juice and starch of the Japanese plant kuzu - approx. BeautyHack). It is also very useful: it improves digestion, and also relieves stress and helps to fall asleep faster.
3. Proper sleep
It is advisable to live according to the schedule and go to bed at the same time every day. It is worth considering the time of going to bed, the best is considered to be before midnight. According to the latest proven research, every hour of sleep from 9:00 to 12:00 p.m. counts as two. That is, if, say, you go to bed at 10-11 pm, your sleep will be of better quality.
3. Meditation, yoga and mindfulness breathing
I recommend starting each morning with 20 minutes of meditation, yoga and mindfulness breathing. This will help balance your energy and feel better throughout the day. By conscious breathing, I mean the technique from Atma Yoga: you need to close one nostril with your fingers, take five short breaths and then one long exhale, then also do it from the other nostril. This method, by the way, can also be used during stressful situations. Helps a lot. Although in a calm rhythm of life this breathing practice, meditation and yoga are very useful: they have a positive effect on our mood, heal the body, help the heart work better … sq. meter, rug and desire.
4. Fitness and cardio, but not running
In addition to yoga, it is worth doing fitness, three times a week will be enough. But doing too intense cardio is not very beneficial in my opinion. Even traumatic. And running, by the way, can also harm our health: when we run, we endanger our joints and knees. But walking is good for everyone! It's good to walk at least 5 km a day.
5. Point self-massage with aromatic oil
I recommend always keeping an aroma oil with you with your favorite scent, my favorite is citrus. It definitely definitely affects our mood, and with self-massage on certain points - and on the body. For example, moving the finger of one hand in a circular motion across the area between the thumb and forefinger of the other hand improves digestion.
6. Hobbies related to nature
If you live in a big city, you should often go out for walks in parks and forests. You also need to have a hobby that will help you recuperate. In my opinion, pottery is very calming and has a beneficial effect on the psyche. When you touch the clay, you seem to be getting closer to the earth, you become closer to nature. And it cannot but fill with energy.
7. Smart Vacation
Ideally, you should have such a life that vacation is not required (laughs)! That is, you should not be very tired so that the body requires rest. If this happens, then it is better to immediately arrange for yourself a long weekend: sometimes four days of rest instead of two during each month may be enough.
As for vacation spots, you need to choose those where there are trees, mountains, sea - more nature. I know that when choosing a hotel, many pay attention to service, excursions, entertainment. But I would recommend choosing the so-called "smart" vacation, which will help you reboot and find new healthy habits. At SHA, for example, we offer a similar experience. And I can say that our clients then really change their way of life for the better.
Top 3 places of power from Alfredo Batalier Pineda
1. Maldives
A real paradise on earth. Beautiful beaches, perfect climate. There you really feel yourself in unity with nature.
2. Machu Picchu, Peru
I was there in October this year and I can say that this is a very strong place in terms of energy. An interesting history and culture are associated with it.
3. Riviera Maya, Mexico
The Riviera Maya has very beautiful beaches and a lot of water, some of the largest rivers in the world. That is, in this place one of the elements of nature circulates very well - water. She fills people with strength.
Text: Christina Semina
