A weekend of skiing with cold weather, intense exercise and a few too many cocktails leaves your body vulnerable to fatigue and even illness. To keep your body healthy and balanced this winter at Lake Tahoe, make sure to practice a little self care so you can keep on riding down that mountain.
DRINK YOUR FRUITS AND VEGGIES
While cooler weather makes it tempting to dive into comfort food — I’m looking at you, 2,000-calorie baked macaroni and cheese — keeping your body supplied with vitamins and minerals from fresh fruits and vegetables is essential to staying well.
Before or after hitting the slopes, buy a freshly-squeezed juice chock-full of fruits and veggies. Sprouts Natural Foods Café in South Lake Tahoe has over 30 smoothies and juices from which to choose, like the Whole Damn Garden (carrot, beet, celery, parsley, garlic and wheatgrass) and the Flu Fighter (carrot, orange, ginger, lemon, celery and parsley).
The Mill Juice Shop in Truckee serves up concoctions like the hangover-curing detoxifier, Back In Black (orange, lemon, honey, activated charcoal, and water), as well as the energizing, immunity-booster Green River (kale, apple, cucumber, celery and lemon).
TREAT YO’ SELF
Treat your slope-weary legs to a deep tissue or sports massage at Edgewood Tahoe’s peaceful spa in Stateline on the South Shore. Follow it up with an espresso mud body treatment or a hydrating oxygen facial.
Don’t feel like leaving the cabin? Some businesses like Tahoe City’s Lighthouse Spa will deliver a massage therapist to your home for an additional fee.
SUN SALUTATIONS
Improve flexibility and circulation with a post-mountain yoga class. In South Lake Tahoe, find classes for all levels at Lake Tahoe Yoga.
In Tahoe City, get deeper into downward-facing dog at The Yoga Room where classes come with beautiful views of the mountains.
And in Kings Beach, strike a warrior pose at The Sanctuary. After class, you can also enjoy the center’s other wellness and spa services.
HEAT IT UP
Try a far infrared sauna at Aloha Spa Tahoe in Incline Village or Lake Tahoe Wellness Center in Kings Beach to relax and increase circulation after a day of skiing the mountain.
Unlike regular saunas that heat the room with wood or electricity, far infrared saunas warm the body directly using light waves without actually heating the air in the room. The infrared heat penetrates the body more deeply, giving sauna users a more vigorous sweat without the stifling heat.
PUT A PIN IN IT
Acupuncture can help with a wide range of conditions from muscle pain to headaches. At Elevate Wellness in South Lake Tahoe, licensed professionals put needles in acupuncture points to restore the circulation of “qi” (pronounced “chee”), which helps bring the body back to a balanced and healthy state. The wellness center also has an apothecary and tea bar.