THE HUG. It’s one of the simplest gestures in the world, and delivers some of greatest benefits human beings need and crave. Hugs build trust and compassion, they increase oxytocin levels (the bonding and happiness hormone), they reduce blood pressure, and hugs can even make you smarter! And, they’re 100% free. So in the spirit of this joyous time of year, we are thrilled to welcome Dashama, our brand new Joyology* Expert, who has a hug-filled holiday health challenge that you’re going to love!

And last week, she kicked it off at the Santa Monica Pier giving out free hugs to strangers – and filmed the whole thing for us! Don’t you just love her already?

*Joyology was coined by her friend, and the man who made the music in her Free Hugs video, Mr. A-to-Z himself, Jason Mraz.

Are you ready for CHALLENGE #7?

Here’s what to do:

Pledge to hug someone – anyone! – every day for two weeks.

When:

Monday, December 12 – Christmas Day

Who Says?

Dashama is an internationally known Yoga Teacher, Author, Healer and Healthy Lifestyle Coach. Founder of the Global 30 Day Yoga Challenge, Journey to Joyful TV, Perfect 10 Lifestyle and Pranashama Yoga Institute. She is an innovator in the field of yoga, mind/body transformation and healing… and believes in the power of hugs!

Why?

Straight from our National Hug Your Boss Day blog post (even CEOs need hugs!)…

5 Reasons Hugging is Healthy

1. REDUCED BLOOD PRESSURE AND RISK OF HEART DISEASE It’s proven that hugs lead to less stress; after hugging, there is a reduction in your body’s cortisol level. Cortisol is the hormone associated with stress. Less stress equals lower blood pressure, which significantly reduces your risk of heart disease.

2. OXYTOCIN INCREASE Hugs increase oxytocin – the “bonding” hormone. In a study, when couples hugged for 20 seconds, their levels of oxytocin increased. Those in loving relationships had the highest increases.

3. STRENGTHENS SOCIAL BONDS Hugs symbolize trust and compassion. Giving someone a hug has the potential to make them feel more comfortable around you in the future, to trust you more, and to make them feel that you are truly on their side.

4. IMPROVES MENTAL HEALTH Hugging, like therapy or yoga, can help clear your mind and make you happier. But, what’s more, is it can even strengthen your mind long-term. Hugging  and touch has been shown to reduce symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, such as restlessness, pacing, vocalization, searching and tapping.

5. HUMAN TOUCH IS IRREPLACEABLE In the same way a massage can deliver the healing, happy benefits of  human touch, a hug can really do a body good.

How to get started:

Join the Challenge Event on Facebook and tell us about your hugs! Maybe you’ll continue to hug your husband each and every morning and night, or perhaps you’ll hug a friend in need… or go Dashama-style and give them out for free in the street. Whatever you do, we want to hear it!

What’s in it for me? (HUGS & GIFT CARDS!)

Giving a hug = getting a hug! Everybody wins. Plus, once you join the Facebook event and start sharing your hug stories, you’ll be eligible to win one of two $50 Spa & Wellness Gift Cards by Spa Week.

More on Dashama:

Dashama’s personal approach to yoga as a lifestyle and life path to awakening to more joy, love and abundance on all levels is unique and highly sought after. Read more about it in her book, Journey to Joyful.

She developed Pranashama Yoga from years of personal practice as well as training with some of the greatest masters of our time. This fusion style is designed to help you heal, strengthen, tone and balance your body, become centered and balanced in your emotions and clear any blocks to accessing your highest potential in life.

Check her out in all sorts of positions!

And one of her favorite positions: Sun Salutations. Learn more about this ritual, which a big part of Dashama’s famous 30 Day Yoga Challenge, in this video.

Visit Dashama’s website and YouTube channel to learn more about this wonderfully spirited and inspirational human being.

Now, here’s a big virtual hug from the Spa Week team – for you Dashama, and for everyone!

We all have a bit hometown pride. Idahoans have their potatoes, New Yorkers have their bagels (to say the least), and Texans have their big hair. But who can claim to be the healthiest? Here at Spa Week we want you to live your healthiest and happiest life, that’s why if moving to a healthier city isn’t in the cards, at least you can find a local spa.

Self Magazine featured the 2011 Best Cities for Women based on 7000 bits of data. Here are some of the nation’s best cities for your health:

Cleanest Air: Cheyenne, Wyoming

The capital of the Cowboy State, Cheyenne has the cleanest air and the shortest commute for its residents. Oh, and they are really into boot art.

Dirtiest air: Los Angeles.

Walks to work most: New York, NY

A mile long walk to work for New Yorkers is a walk in the park! And sometimes quite literally. New Yorkers have no patience for long commutes with annoying transfers, so many opt to walk to and from work every day. A good way to burn off those delicious bagel (and pizza) calories.

Walks to work the least? Birmingham, Alabama.

Most green buildings: Burlington, Vermont

Burlington is the largest city in the Green Mountain State and they are definitely living up to the state name. Burlington has the most green buildings and more farmer’s markets than any other city.

Fewest green buildings? Wichita, Kansas.

Soundest sleepers: Santa Barbara, California

The American Riviera understands the need for beauty sleep. Don’t live in Santa Barbara? Here are 7 tips for a sound night sleep.

Most fitful sleepers? Charleston, West Virginia.

Lightest smokers: Provo, Utah

Prov-who? Provo is the third largest city in Utah and where you’ll find the least amount of fast food restaurants per capita. Hate the smell of smoke? Move to Provo where they have the least amount of smokers.

Heaviest smokers? Vegas, baby!

Slimmest: Honolulu, Hawaii

The good ol’ Aloha state. Not only do they get to wake up to water so blue that you would think it was a screen saver but they also have the slimmest population. So not fair!

Heftiest: Detroit, Michigan.

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By Sarah Jenks

Beauty comes from the inside.. but it doesn’t have to stay there. So many women are waiting to buy new clothes, dress up and wear sexy underwear until they’ve lost “the weight.” But did you know that avoiding the beauty basics is actually causing you to keep the weight on?

If you’re walking around in sweat pants, or your old “fat jeans,” you are going to treat your body like an old frumpy, lump.  And that usually entails over-eating, skipping workouts and not taking care of ourselves.

If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you need to invest in your beauty NOW.  Not 10 pounds from now.  Here’s exactly what you need to do this week to break out of your fat frustration:

1.  Buy some new clothes: 1 pair of amazing jeans (try Levis), 3 blouses, a hot dress, a conservative dress, and a skirt.  You can also go wild on accessories like jewelry and scarves.  If you’re worried about wasting money, you can always, take the clothes in, or sell them later.  It may feel scary to draw some attention to your body by dressing like a hottie, but trust me, your body will thank you for finally paying attention to her.

2. Get a haircut. Something different and fun.  You would look great in side swept bangs.

3. Get ALL NEW UNDERWEAR! Click here to view my favorite brand and how 3 women lost weight just by changing their underwear.

4. Get up 20 minutes early every morning and blow dry your hair and put on makeup.  It will make you feel more awake than the extra sleep or a cup of coffee.

5. Wear heels. Just do it.

Want some extra credit? Learn how you can put all these things together and do this sneaky strategy for getting a quick fix for a flat relationship. Click here.

Sarah Jenks, founder of theBreathtakingBride.com, helps women fall in love with their bodies and lose weight through exploring the emotional reasons of why we eat. Sarah believes that you can talk about the benefits of broccoli until you are blue in the face, but real change won’t happen until we pull back the veil of fad diets and calorie counting to reveal the true cause of our over eating. Feeling lost about weight loss? Visit her website to download her free guide: “What to do if you feel fat, hopeless and ready to give up.”

By Sarah Jenks

Are you the type of person who hits snooze 3 times, finally jumps out of bed in a panic, takes a quick shower, throws on a passable (but disheveled) outfit, practically sprints to work then stuffs your face with a bagel while you furiously check your emails at your desk, hoping no one noticed you’re five minutes late again?

I used to have that morning rush every day when I worked in advertising. I had convinced myself that getting the extra 20 minutes of sleep (even though it was interrupted by my alarm twice) was something I couldn’t live without.

But when you wake up in a panic every morning and rush to work, you are setting yourself up for massive failure in the weight loss (and honestly, life) department.

Hear me out:

1. When the first emotion you feel when you wake up is panic, your stress level skyrockets, which we learned two weeks ago, can really pack on the pounds.

2. You don’t make time to have a healthy breakfast, which can set up killer cravings and crashes throughout the rest of the day.

3. You are wasting the perfect opportunity to get in some much needed “me-time”. How often do you eat when you’re bored, tired, overwhelmed, in need of a break, craving quiet? So often we turn to food for comfort and as an excuse for “me-time”, but if you start your morning with some peace and quiet, you’ll be less drained and depleted by 4pm.

4. By sleeping an extra 20 minutes, you think you’re going to feel more rested, but nothing will exhaust you faster than rushing around in the morning. Make sure to read my tip below for the best way to feel rested the whole day.

So it sounds good right? But HOW are you supposed to make the shift when getting up can feel impossible? The process is simple:

In the morning, plan a glorious morning routine. I get up at 6:45 and look forward to an hour and a half of relaxation. I put on a silk bathrobe, make rose tea, read a book, make a delicious breakfast, meditate and spend time and care on my appearance. Sometimes I workout, but only if I feel like it.

Not only does this time make me feel amazing and set me up for a day of health and well-being, but I look forward to getting up in the morning. If my mornings were spent running around like a chicken with my head cut off, I would hit snooze 3 times too.

Just try adding 20 minutes to your day by waking up early. You will be amazed by the results it will have on your body.

Sarah Jenks, founder of theBreathtakingBride.com, helps women fall in love with their bodies and lose weight through exploring the emotional reasons of why we eat. Sarah believes that you can talk about the benefits of broccoli until you are blue in the face, but real change won’t happen until we pull back the veil of fad diets and calorie counting to reveal the true cause of our over eating. Feeling lost about weight loss? Visit her website to download her free guide: “What to do if you feel fat, hopeless and ready to give up.”

The stars of TLC's new reality show.

TLC, home of popular reality television shows and documentaries, is coming up against a brand-new kind of controversy. Their new show, “One Big Happy Family”, features a family of four in North Carolina struggling to lose weight – and it’s coming under fire from bloggers and TV critics who say the show exploits the family for entertainment value.

The Coles, the African-American family featured in the show, weighed a combined total of 1,377 pounds when the show began. And unlike other reality television shows about weight loss, they weren’t given help from trainers or nutritionists; the show depicts the Coles struggling to adopt healthy habits on their own.

Critics of the show have said that the show exploits the family by painting them as exaggerated caricatures, making it easier for viewers to treat them like characters rather than real people facing real struggles.

What do you think of reality TV shows focusing on weight loss? Are they inherently exploitative or are they an educational tool?