Nancy Monson

It’s not every day someone serenades your shoulder. But I’m jumping ahead…
My meditative massage at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health begins, as many massages do, with the instruction to “Breathe deeply, in and out.” Be mindful. Be present. Check.
Next, I’m asked to set an intention for my massage. “This is different,” I think, but I like it because I have a very specific issue that led to my booking the treatment: I hope to find relief from some of the soreness and tension in my right bicep a...

Creativity is increasingly being recognized as a secret advantage to health and well-being. In fact, research over the past 20 years has consistently shown that losing yourself in painting, knitting, journaling, woodcarving and other hobbies can improve your mental health. And this revelation is not lost on wellness resorts and spas—many of which incorporate creative activities into their daily programs to calm the mind and inspire the heart and soul.
Here are five of our favorite wellness re...

Nancy Monson, consulting writer for Bottom Line Personal, interviews Nancy Kerns, founding editor-in-chief of Whole Dog Journal, a monthly publication offering advice on responsible dog ownership.

Most dog owners are eager to take their pets on vacation with them. It is fun to travel with Fido, and more places now allow you to bring along well-behaved dogs.

But it also can be limiting and requires planning, so it’s important to know what you’re getting into. Here are some tips from ...

Meet Mignon Francois—mother, baker, entrepreneur, purveyor of joy.
It’s hard not to be captivated by Mignon Francois. She’s fabulously expressive, incredibly exuberant, and relentlessly positive—and with good reason.
Now the owner of the hugely successful The Cupcake Collection, a destination bakery in Nashville’s Germantown and more recently in New Orleans’ Garden District, a little over a decade ago Francois was down and out. She, her husband, and her family of six children were always on t...

The desert area around well-to-do Scottsdale, Arizona, is a hotbed of destination spas and resorts offering desert wellness activities for women, men and couples.
There’s something powerful and magical about the Sonoran Desert. Sunrises and sunsets are spectacular, thanks to the wide open spaces. And the warm, dry climate in seasons other than the summer is gentle and soothing.
Desert wellness seekers flock to the state year-round. Here are Arizona’s best spas and resorts for desert wellness ...

David L. Katz, MD, MPH, preventive medicine specialist and founder and president of True Health Initiative, a federally authorized nonprofit effort established to help convert what is known about lifestyle as medicine into what we can do to improve our health, based in New Haven, Connecticut. He is CEO and founder of Diet ID, an online diet-assessment and personalization program, and coauthor with renowned food writer Mark Bittman of How to Eat: All Your Food and Diet Questions Answered and a...

Going to a destination spa is one of the best things you can do for your mental and physical health. Not only do you receive relaxing treatments, but you spend hours in an environment that screams tranquility (albeit at a sweet whisper).
It’s almost impossible not to feel calmer after lounging in a soft recliner while sipping herbal tea and listening to the gentle sound of a bubbling water fountain.
But if you aren’t a seasoned spa-goer, it’s hard to know what to expect at a destination spa. ...

Sprawling hills and rolling green valleys? Check. A rustling wind that swirls the warmly colored autumn leaves? Check. The gentle neighing of horses breaking through the stillness? Check.
Wait—horses? At a destination spa and resort? Yes, very much yes.
Horse encounters are a core component of the “Life in Balance” philosophy at the quintessential New England-styled Miraval Resorts and Spa in the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts.
A unique offering among spa destinations, the Equin...

Karl Knopf, EdD, is director of fitness therapy and senior fitness for the International Sports Sciences Association and retired director of adaptive fitness at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, California. He is author of many fitness books including Stretching for 50+ and a board member of Sit and Be Fit, a nonprofit organization dedicated to healthy aging.
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Have you stopped riding a bike, bowling or playing golf or tenn...

While a massage and facial always hold appeal, it’s also fun to try newfangled spa and wellness treatments. And as luck would have it, many upscale spas are luring guests by offering innovative and cutting-edge services that combine traditional techniques with wellness add-ons like water treatments, beer baths, Himalayan salt and honey.
So say goodbye to stress and say hello to indulgence with these latest newfangled spa and wellness experiences.
The Beer Spa—Denver, Colorado
Sip it, soak in ...

Guide to Boston for American Way's website

When it comes to companions, you can’t beat having a dog by your side. Canine pals add to enjoyment of life, help you stick to a schedule, reduce feelings of stress and give you a sense of purpose, according to the 2019 National Poll on Healthy Aging. Plus, they can make you healthier by keeping you physically active and even helping you cope with physical and emotional symptoms (like taking your mind off pain).
As a senior, it’s important to choose the right dog for your lifestyle and abilit...

There are health coaches, life coaches, business coaches, and now, inevitably, travel coaches. Wait, travel coaches? Why would you pay someone to teach you how to travel, especially when they don’t plan itineraries or even book flights and hotel rooms?
Well, says Sahara Rose De Vore, founder of The Travel Coach Network, because travel coaching is more about the “why” of travel than about the logistical and geographical details. It’s about maximizing the experiential and transformative power of travel.

Can’t decide whether to go to Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun? Guest contributor *Nancy Monson offers the scoop on both to help you decide. (Warning: You may end up visiting the two—just as she did.)
I am not a gamer. I couldn’t care less about slots, blackjack tables and craps, and I dislike the smoky environment that pervades many casinos. And yet I recently visited Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, Connecticut’s two premier resort casinos near the Rhode Island border, lured by the expanding array of activ...

Sewing machines are flying off the shelves these days as people take up making face masks and return to the hobby of sewing in the age of spending more time at home.
Are you ready to learn—or relearn? Ask yourself two questions as you start your search for the best sewing machine for your needs…What kind of sewing do you want to do? A mechanical machine that does straight and zigzag stitches is fine for simple projects such as making face masks and tote bags, although many entry-level machines...