Six Reasons to Keep Traveling and Stay Young at Heart

We all love things that make us feel young (or remember our youth), feel free and be happy. Traveling is almost always in the top 10 – even if only to an old neighborhood where we once lived. Why?

1. Traveling opens up our world.

In today's world, where emails and smart phones often replace face-to-face interaction, traveling makes us get out and connect with humanity. Traveling changes our scenery. When we travel, we leave our daily routine and see new things which stimulate our mind and encourage creative energy.

2. Traveling teaches us to relax.

Whether we want to or not at first, we have to chill out to really enjoy traveling. Traveling for pleasure rejuvenates us physically and mentally so we can return to our daily routine with more energy and patience. Taking a break from our routine – work, school, daily to-dos of parenthood, household chores, etc. – refreshes our mind and gives us the freedom we need to renew.

3. Traveling makes us active both physically and mentally.

Traveling by its very nature makes us move. Whether we're exploring a museum, walking the streets of an ancient capital, shopping in a bazaar, hiking in the woods, or simply lying on a sunny beach in Costa Rica, we are being active. New places may make us want to try new activities … ziplining or waterfall rappelling, anyone? Besides being good for our bodies, physical exercise is also good for our brains. Mental stimulation, especially languages, improves brain function and protects against age-related losses in memory or motor skills. In other words, "use it or lose it."

4. Traveling helps us to discover new things. 

Traveling is education through experience. Travel brings to life things books only describe, no matter how well. When we travel, we learn there are many different ways of thinking and that other people have their own customs of living and doing things that work equally just as well. Traveling the globe makes us lifelong learners.

5. Traveling brings humility and connection.

Travel teaches humility. When we travel, we are often at the mercy of needing help from others. A kind, open, humble attitude gets us much farther than nastiness and arrogance. As we travel more, we learn that language, customs and exterior differences aside, that people share the same basic desires and concerns. We start to see that the world is both a big and small place, and how interconnected we all really are.

6. Traveling teaches appreciation – for home, loved ones, good food, good company, beautiful sights, art, music, freedom, your blessings … and the list is endless.

Travel to Santa Teresa Beach, Costa Rica

The laid-back beach town of Santa Teresa is near the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula on Costa Rica's Pacific Coast. Mal Pais, Playa Carmen, Santa Teresa and Playa Hermosa – once secret hideaways for surfers and backpackers are now popular beaches sprinkled with eco-lodges, beach bungalows and upscale luxury boutique hotels. Yet, this multinational paradise with world-class surf breaks remains off-the-beaten path.

Pranamar Oceanfront Villas & Yoga Retreat is a relaxing oasis on the beach at Santa Teresa, with elaborate oceanfront villas and tropical bungalows in lush tropical gardens. Designed in exotic Bali-style, the luxury boutique hotel gives daily in-house yoga classes, and all-inclusive yoga vacations and surfing holidays.

Article by Shannon Farley

10 top medicinal foods and herbs of Costa Rica

What if keeping a doctor's visit at bay is solved simply by what we eat? Even more, what if herbs grown right in our backyard and foods we can pick up at any corner store can heal what ails us, including the pesky common cold?

Humans have relied on foods and herbs for medicine for thousands of years. In Costa Rica, it turns out that plenty of easy-to-find familiar foods are actually just what the doctor ordered.

Here are 10 top medicinal foods and a list of herbs commonly found in Costa Rica. (Most information is taken from the book Medicinal Plants of Costa Rica by Ed Bernhardt.)

Pineapple: This nutritious, antibacterial tropical fruit contains bromelain, which is effective against certain throat and mouth infections. Pineapple is high in Vitamins A, B and C.

Papaya: The most common fruit in Costa Rica next to pineapple, papaya is effective at treating digestive problems – indigestion and constipation – as well as liver problems, as a diuretic for the kidneys, and to lower high blood pressure.

Coconut: Coconut palms are everywhere along Costa Rica's beaches. People here drink the young coconut water, called "Pipa", which helps revive you after too much sun, too much drink, being seasick, or when you are low on energy. Both the coconut meat and water are used for digestion problems, gastritis, ulcers and liver ailments.

Star Fruit: Called "carambola" in Costa Rica, Star Fruit hails from Malaysia and is a powerful antioxidant with lots of C and B-complex vitamins. The tart fruit is served as a natural juice in Costa Rica and as a garnish.

Cilantro: Cilantro, or coriander, came from Europe to the Neotropics and is used preventatively as an antioxidant and natural cleanser. As well it serves for an upset stomach, vomiting and diarrhea. Wild spiny coriander, called "culantro coyote" in Costa Rica, is native to the Neotropics and has the same properties as regular cilantro.

Ginger: Ginger has been used for centuries in India and Asia as a spice and medicine. Ginger is antibacterial and antiviral and can help prevent infections. Use it to treat colds and flu, sore throats, morning and motion sickness, and circulatory, digestive, kidney, and bladder problems. As a natural stimulant, ginger is a good substitute for coffee. Easiest way to use ginger is to boil it into a tea or cook with it as a spice. Sucking on a small piece of ginger will relieve a sore throat and help ease motion sickness.

Turmeric: Bright orange turmeric (in the ginger family) has been a staple in Ayurvedic medicine for roughly 6,000 years. It is an antioxidant and has been used to purify the blood, relieve stomach problems, indigestion, liver and gallbladder diseases, arthritis and rheumatism, and for colds and flu. Raw turmeric applied to the skin is effective in treating inflammations, infections, bruises and sprains.

Lemongrass: Originally from India, lemongrass grows prolifically in Costa Rica. Lemongrass tea (made by simply boiling fresh leaves) is used to treat colds and flu, gastrointestinal disorders, nervous conditions, pain and inflammation. Add ginger and honey to your tea to really knock out a cold.

Honey: One of the most well-known antibacterial foods in the world, honey has been used medicinally by many different cultures for centuries. Long before synthetic antibiotics were developed, honey was used as an antibacterial treatment for wounds and illness. Studies have documented honey's effectiveness in treating cuts, burns, insect bites, yeast infections, various skin conditions, and fungal infections.

 Honey also is nature's natural energy and immune system booster.

Chan: This strange seed drink is still served in many Costa Rican "sodas," or local diners, though most people don't know what it is. Native to Central America, the seeds of this roadside plant have been used to relieve indigestion, gastritis and constipation. The drink – made by mixing dry black Chan seeds in water with honey for sweetener – looks like a glass of milky frog's eggs. However, Chan is very healthy … and it doesn't taste like frog's eggs!

Herbs: There are numerous beneficial herbs, which are a great way to flavor meals and prevent disease at the same time. Here is a list of herbs you can find easily in Costa Rica with antibacterial properties:

• Basil
• Bay leaf
• Cardamom
• Chili peppers (Cayenne)
• Cilantro (Coriander)
• Cinnamon
• Cloves
• Cumin
• Dill
• Mints – spearmint and peppermint
• Oregano
• Pepper
• Rosemary
• Thyme

All of these medicinal foods and more are served in the healthy gourmet cuisine of the Buddha Eyes Restaurant at Pranamar Oceanfront Villas & Yoga Retreat at Santa Teresa Beach. The luxury Costa Rica beachfront hotel fronts the internationally-renowned Playa Santa Teresa on the southern Nicoya Peninsula. 

A TripAdvisor 2013 award winner, Pranamar Villas features daily yoga classes, yoga retreats and workshops, all-inclusive yoga vacations, surfing and yoga holidays, and has a beachfront spa.

Article by Shannon Farley

Santa Teresa, at a development crossroads, is still heaven.

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Santa Teresa, like many other small communities located in gorgeous locations in Costa Rica, finds itself at a development crossroads. Pave or not pave the road? How to solve the fresh water issue? How to avoid high-rise overdevelopment?

Yet Santa Teresa’s growth spurt has definitely brought positive outcomes like jobs and a thriving multi-cultural community.

Residents at the laid-back beach town, near the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast, say that despite the growing pains, Santa Teresa will remain the pristine paradise that first lured surfers and backpackers two decades ago “Santa Teresa will never be that big because the mountains and ocean won’t allow it,” said Mario Matarrita, manager at Pranamar Oceanfront Villas & Yoga Retreat in Santa Teresa. “We’re just a narrow strip of land along the beach with large coastal mountains behind us.”Pranamar Villas special events manager, Larissa Chevalier, added praise to the enforcement of the maritime concession law in Santa Teresa. The nationwide law prohibits permanent structures on any beach within 50 meters of the high tide line. “You can walk down the beach in Santa Teresa and you don’t see any hotels or bars or any development right on the beach. You can look through the trees and see buildings, but nothing right on the beach. It leaves the beach pristine,” said Chevalier, who moved from Canada to Santa Teresa years ago.

"We’ve got issues with the road, water, crime – just like any growing area,” said Chevalier. “At the same time, there are positives with development, like recycling, beach clean ups, etc.”

The Tourism Board in Santa Teresa and Mal Pais actively promotes many projects, commented Matarrita. One of their main focuses now is improving public beach access, he said. Many of the hotels contribute to regular beach cleaning, and environmental groups are forming in the area.

“Santa Teresa still has something special and untouched, and at the end of the day, I’m still happy to live here,” said Chevalier. “I live in one of the most amazing places on the planet.”

Article by Shannon Farley

Paginas Verdes Costa Rica

Páginas Verdes es un directorio que busca incluir a todas las empresas amigables con el ambiente en Costa Rica. Según sus fundadores, la intención es que con el auge de los productos verdes haya más personas interesadas en productos y servicios sostenibles.

La guía incluye desde los productos ecológicos más comunes hasta otros menos usuales. En ella los consumidores costarricenses encontrarán café orgánico, productores de alimentos, proveedores de energía alternativa, reciclaje y transporte verde.

La empresa ha ayudado a negocios para que se transformen en empresas más respetuosas con el entorno. También ha brindado consultorías al Gobierno de la República para mejorar las prácticas sostenibles.

Páginas Verdes toma una visión holística a la hora de evaluar una empresa, basada sobre todo en el tipo de venta que haga: de productos, servicios u organización no gubernamental (ONG).

La idea surgió en 2008 y el lanzamiento virtual un año más tarde. Además del sitio web, existe una edición impresa. El siguiente paso es crear una aplicación para teléfonos inteligentes, en un intento por ampliar su alcance.

De modo afín, a partir del 2013 desean promover actividades de tipo formativo en temáticas vinculadas al medio ambiente. Se hará énfasis en eventos y ferias nacionales.

Es que no cabe duda que el respeto al ambiente ha venido para quedarse. En ese sentido, el hotel y villas Pranamar se ha montado en la ola. Sus administradores y propietarios se han dedicado a ofrecer un servicio de primera calidad del lado con la protección ecológica. Ubicado en Playa Santa Teresa de Cóbano, en la provincia de Puntarenas, cuenta con una variedad de habitaciones que se adecua a sus deseos, además de un restaurante que se especializa en cocina saludable.

Leer Más: http://www.pranamarvillas.com/es/blog-es/41-sostenibilidad/111-busque-en-paginas-verdes-todo-para-ser-ecologico.html

Por: Andrés Figueroa Vásquez.

Traveling in Costa Rica as a vegetarian or vegan is easy.

I had a pair of friends visit me in Costa Rica not long ago who were vegetarian and vegan. My first reaction was, "Oh, no, what are they going to eat?" I know how much Costa Ricans love their chicken, beef, chicharrones (fried pork), fish, etc.

They said, not to worry. Rice and beans are the nation's main staples, and there is a wealth of fresh vegetables and tropical fruits. It's true!

Traveling in Costa Rica as a vegetarian or vegan, or even needing a gluten-free or dairy-free diet, is relatively easy. Rice and beans (both red and black) are present at every meal, including breakfast. Steamed vegetables, simple salads, fried plantains, corn tortillas, and plenty of tropical fruits are common and readily available. If you eat fish, the country is full of fresh fish (both saltwater and fresh water) and seafood.

Here are some easy tips for eating vegetarian / vegan while traveling in Costa Rica:

1. Learn food names in Spanish so you can understand a menu and ask for what you'd like. (See my handy English/Spanish food guide below!)
2. Be very clear about what you can eat / not eat. Just saying that you are "vegeteriano/a" (vegetarian) does not guarantee you won't be served fish or chicken, or that bits of meat aren't mixed in a dish.
3. Order a combination of several appetizers or side dishes if you can't find any entree on the menu that works. Costa Rica has several very-filling vegetarian soups, for instance.
4. Make a request. Maybe something on the menu looks really appetizing, but they've included chicken in it. Simply ask them to prepare it with vegetables instead of chicken. "Arroz con pollo" (rice with chicken) can be turned into "Arroz Jardinero" (rice with vegetables), for example.
5. Be flexible. Remember, you are traveling in a different country with its own culture, cuisine, customs and ways of doing things. Costa Ricans are friendly and will do their best to help if you have patience and explain what you need.
6. Seek out vegetarian restaurants. There are many throughout the country. Chinese restaurants also are popular and always have vegetarian options.

The open-air restaurant at Pranamar Oceanfront Villas & Yoga Retreat, at world-renowned Santa Teresa Beach, specializes in healthy cuisine and can accommodate vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and other special dietary needs. The luxury boutique hotel fronts the spectacular beach of Santa Teresa on the southern Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica.

Their Buddha Eyes Restaurant, positioned beautifully on the edge of a lagoon-style pool, merges Pacific Rim and Asian cuisine with native Costa Rican and Italian touches. They feature organic Costa Rican fruits and vegetables, creative vegetarian cooking, and fresh just-out-of-the-ocean fish and shellfish.

Head Chef Rodrigo Soriano of Argentina specializes in fish and grilled meats. Chef Claudio "Cicco" Mazzone from Italy is known far and wide for his homemade eggplant parmesan, based on his grandmother's secret recipe. Chef Jesus Zabala from Venezuela adds his touch to vegan and vegetarian dishes. Guests rave about Pranamar's salads, hotel staff said. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served seven days a week and the restaurant is open to the public.

A TripAdvisor 2013 Certificate of Excellence award winner, Pranamar Villas features luxurious two-story poolside villas, elaborate oceanfront villas and tropical bungalows in lush tropical gardens. Pranamar gives daily in-house yoga classes, regular yoga retreats and workshops, all-inclusive yoga vacations, surfing and yoga holidays, and has a beachfront spa with relaxing massages and body treatments.

English/Spanish food guide for Costa Rica

• Gallo pinto – White rice and usually black beans cooked with garlic, onion, red bell pepper and cilantro. Served for breakfast.
• Huevos (revueltos / fritos) – Eggs (scrambled / fried)
• Frutas -- Fruit
• Granola – Granola (easy!)
• Yogurt -- Yogurt
• Chorreadas – Corn pancakes served for breakfast or with coffee. (Check to make sure they are not made with milk if you are eating dairy-free.)
• Platanos – Fried plantains
• Casado (sin carne / pollo / pescado) – Typical meal (without meat / chicken / fish) for lunch or dinner. The dish consists of white rice, black beans, fried plantains, and salad of lettuce, tomato and onion. Vegetarian options serve steamed vegetables.
• Arroz – Rice
• Frijoles – Beans
• Vegetales al vapor – Steamed vegetables
• Arroz Jardinero – Garden, or vegetarian, rice dish
• Sopa Negra – Black bean soup (usually served with a hard-boiled egg; just ask for "no huevos" if you want dairy-free).
• Ensalada -- Salad
• Batidos en agua – Fruit smoothies in water ("en leche" is in milk)
• Tortillas de maiz – Corn tortillas

By Shannon Farley

Research shows massage therapy has extensive health benefits

While massage may have developed a reputation as an indulgence for people who love pampering, studies reveal that it has wide-reaching, evident health benefits, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal.

Research over the past few years has found that massage therapy boosts immune function in women with breast cancer, improves symptoms in children with asthma, and increases grip strength in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome, reports the Wall Street Journal. Other massage therapy benefits include relaxing tight muscles, increasing circulation, aiding in lymphatic drainage, releasing toxins, and reducing stress. It can boost your health and keep you feeling "young" and full of vitality.

According to the American Medical Association, stress is a factor in more than 75% of illnesses today. Visiting a spa or getting a professional massage regularly is an opportunity for the desperately-needed downtime to relax and recharge your mind, body and spirit.

However, the benefits of massage go way beyond feelings of relaxation and wellness. The Wall Street Journal notes that the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society include massage as one of their recommendations for treating low back pain.

Scientific research also is starting to show what happens in the body after a massage. One study, for example, found that a single, 45-minute massage led to a small reduction in the level of cortisol, a stress hormone, in the blood, a decrease in cytokine proteins related to inflammation and allergic reactions, and a boost in white blood cells that fight infection, noted the Wall Street Journal.

"There is emerging evidence that (massage) can make contributions in treating things like pain, where conventional medicine doesn't have all the answers," said Jack Killen, deputy director of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the USA, in the Journal.

With so many things competing for our attention in our fast-paced lives, it's challenging to find the time in our normal schedule to care for ourselves and keep balance. Somehow it seems easy to fall into being tired, stressed, anxious, or exhausted, yet harder to take the time to counteract all of that with something positive like the healing benefits of massage. It truly is amazing what 60 minutes (or 90 minutes, or more, if you can) of making your muscles and body relax can do to improve your health and well-being.

In recent years, health and wellness tourism has increased substantially in Costa Rica. Spa resorts and vacations, yoga classes and yoga retreats, and professional massage are plentiful. While on vacation in Costa Rica, visit Pranamar Oceanfront Villas & Yoga Retreat in Playa Santa Teresa for a healing massage or spa treatment. Pranamar Villas offers a large menu of massages and spa treatments to keep you healthy. From 60 to 90-minute massages using various techniques, to more intense, longer treatments focusing on specific problem areas, Pranamar's spa therapists help you ease into relaxation.

For instance, there is a focused treatment called "Traveler's Well-being: Re-grounding." The description states: "After many hours of sitting and waiting, irregular meals, new air, water and weather while traveling, your body is in need of rest and relaxation. This treatment will ground you and give you peace through internal organ massage, Reiki, Reflexology and Therapeutic Massage. Your body will thank you!"

Pranamar offers massages, focused treatments, custom treatments and special health packages at their beautiful beachfront resort.

 Following the hotel's commitment to health and the environment, all massage oils and lotions are 100% organic and made in Costa Rica.

The lovely, intimate, boutique hotel fronts the spectacular beach of Playa Santa Teresa on the southern Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica. A TripAdvisor 2013 Certificate of Excellence award winner, Pranamar offers luxurious two-story poolside villas, elaborate oceanfront villas and tropical bungalows, all designed with Indonesian flair and simple elegance. The flowing serpentine saltwater pool and abundant lush tropical gardens lend beauty to the eye at every turn.

There is definitely an uplifting energy at Pranamar. "Prana" in Sanskrit means "vital energy" and "breath", and "mar" means ocean in Spanish. Pranamar Villas offers daily in-house yoga classes, regular yoga retreats and workshops, all-inclusive yoga vacations, and surfing and yoga holidays.

By Shannon Farley

Costa Rica le da la importancia necesaria a la comida orgánica.

• Barefoot Gourmet, una compañía de alimentos orgánicos iniciada por el exconsejero delegado de AOL Europa, Andreas Schmidt, planea conectar a los clientes con productos libres de pesticidas

En el 2012, el fundador Andreas Schmidt y un pequeño equipo de colaboradores abrieron la tienda Barefoot Gourmet en Santa Teresa, en el sur la península de Nicoya. Esta sirvió de plataforma para aprender más acerca de lo que quieren los clientes y la mejor manera de vender alimentos orgánicos.

Para Schmidt, «lo bueno es que hay muchas granjas pequeñas en Costa Rica. Lo malo es que no tenían un sistema de distribución para llevar esa comida al mercado». Del mismo, se ha desarrollado una demanda creciente de esta clase de productos, motivo por el cual hay potencial para el proyecto.

Además de su sitio web, Barefoot Gourmet puso un centro de distribución de productos ecológicos en Guachipelín, Escazú. Según el perfil empresarial en Facebook, este lugar se ubica a 800 metros de Multiplaza, cerca de la escuela Blue Valley.

El dueño del emprendimiento guarda la esperanza de que la demanda se dispare una vez que se haya corrido la voz. Tiene la fe de que los hoteles y restaurantes se sumen a esta iniciativa de modo que su compañía pueda crecer y producir más alimentos.

Cabe recalcar que este nicho de negocio es revolucionario en tres ejes principales. En primera instancia, beneficia a los pequeños productores. Tal segmento constituye solo el 2% del mercado local. Por ende, Barefoot hará que muchos agricultores se ganen la vida. En segundo término, se acaba la búsqueda engorrosa de clientes para alimentos orgánicos. Al ser un proceso en línea, se conecta al productor local con el comprador local y se gestiona el transporte. Esto se vincula con la llamada globalización a escala, en la cual alguien en un lugar determinado puede relacionarse en beneficio mutuo otra persona en otro sitio.

El beneficio final es obvio: la preservación de la Tierra y de los recursos naturales. En ese sentido, la misión principal es lograr el bien común en lugar de la maximización de beneficios. «Desarrollamos la idea Barefoot como un sistema que puede cambiar uno de los mayores problemas que nos aquejan: la comida saludable que nos nos enferme ni que destruya el planeta», concluyó Schmidt.

Por su parte, el hotel y villas Pranamar en Santa Teresa tiene un historial de restauración en este tipo de comidas. Así, apoya iniciativas de corte orgánico, al tiempo que posee otras estrategias para la conservación y protección del medio ambiente. Aparte de las vistas espectaculares y una atmósfera relajante, disfrutará platos que nutren el cuerpo y despiertan los sentidos.

Por: Andrés Figueroa Vásquez.