There was such a high demand for our Yoga and Gut Health retreat last time in Maine that Carley of Fairy Gutmother and I are teaming up once again, this time on the other side of the country. We created these luxury yoga and gut healing wellness retreats for people who aren't feeling their best. They're meant for people who are struggling, and not living their absolute best life. Carley is an old friend of mine and a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner who has helped so many people - myself included - in reclaiming their health and living their best lives. While most of YBC's retreats are vacation-style, this one will be a little different. Sure, it's somewhat of a vacation (the views of the Rocky Mountains are gorgeous, and there is a hot tub on the deck and lots of down time in the schedule), but more importantly, its program is deeply rooted in healing and education so that you will leave feeling not only rejuvenated and relaxed, but empowered and armed with skills and know-how for making impactful life changes to improve the quality of your health and in turn, your life.

Based on our own personal health issues and subsequent triumphs, and based on Carley's clinical experience and formal education (she is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and GAPS certified), we believe that optimal health begins in the gut, and that all disease can be traced back to gut health. If you're someone who is struggling with things like chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, joint issues, inflammation, sleep issues, mood disorders, hormone imbalances, mild depression, anxiety, stress, digestive issues like IBS, skin issues like acne or rashes, etc, then this is the retreat for you. If you've struggled with weight (you either can't seem to lose it or you can't seem to gain it), this is the retreat for you. Basically, if you're not feeling 100% each and every day, this is the retreat to come to because the nutritional classes will help you get back on the right track, the yoga program complements the nutrition classes so you can start feeling better immediately, and the healing foods served at each meal will nourish you and help you on your journey to feeling incredible.

The nutrition classes will be both lecture and hands-on - structured in a way that will leave you feeling empowered so you can return home and put healing protocol into practice so you can heal yourself from the inside out and feel better. The specialized yoga classes complement the program so you can use the yoga practice as a supplemental therapy to start feeling better right away. We'll also have a licensed massage therapist on site, and you're also welcome to book a one to one yoga and/or nutrition consult for additional opportunities for individualized healing.

From our last gut healing retreat in Maine, here is Carley doing a bone broth demo

Who

This retreat is for everyone, but really designed for the people out there who aren't feeling 100%. Perhaps you're experiencing chronic anxiety or mild depression. Perhaps your digestion has been off for a while and you're not quite sure what to do. Or maybe you are one of those people who has a ton of energy in the morning but by the afternoon you're completely exhausted. Or maybe you're struggling with weight issues. Regardless of what you're going through, all people - yes, all - will benefit from gut healing, so this is truly for everyone, but ultimately we're looking to help those people out there who are feeling less than great.

When and Where

Thurs. October 26 - Sun. October 29, 2017 in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, Winter Park, approximately two hours outside of Denver.

Our venue is a luxury vacation rental home in the mountains. It is absolutely stunning on both the inside and out! The views are incredible, and we are sure you will be comfortable and feel pampered. As this is a vacation rental, we are in close contact with the owner, should anything arise. While this isn't a resort with maid service, this is still a gorgeous venue and makes the perfect landing spot for our family-style wellness retreat.

The Food

Great news! All your meals are included. Carley will be making each and every meal, using high quality ingredients that are local, whenever possible. All ingredients will be organic, natural, and pasture-raised, wherever possible. The meals are healing, meant to help jumpstart your journey to optimal health. Three meals per day will be included, as well as snacks.

How

If you're within driving distance, there will be plenty of parking. If you'd be flying in, you'll want to fly into Denver. You can either rent a car (and share costs with other students, if you're interested!), or take a shuttle to neighboring mountain town Winter Park and take Lyft or Uber from there. The shuttle leaves Denver Airport daily at 1pm and departs from Winter Park daily at 10am. Our venue is located about four miles from Winter Park.

Healthily Ever After Wellness Retreat Schedule

Thursday, October 26, 2017

5:00pm - Arrive after 5pm and get settled in.
6:00pm - 7:00pm - Welcome circle, gentle stretch and guided yoga nidra meditation with Candace
7:15pm - 8:15pm Dinner and Intro to the 70/30 Plan: A Guide To Living Healthy-Ever-After with Carley. Are you interested in eating healthier but do not know where to start? Have you tried countless diets and nothing seems to be sustainable? Or maybe you find yourself with inconsistent energy levels and overall feeling poorly? The Fairy Gutmother's 70/30 Plan focuses on 70 percent of the time eating healthier by breaking down our meals, analyzing our diet and lifestyle and focusing on ONE particular area of your diet to start.
This plan educates you on how to slowly transition into sustaining a healthier lifestyle by learning how to meal plan as well as reviews the best foods to incorporate and avoid in order to maintain optimal health.
During this class, Carley will guide you through an interactive worksheet where you analyze your diet, identifying where you are making your worst food decisions and start with one meal a day to eat healthy. We then discuss meal planning to ensure you are eating better for at least one meal which eventually transitions into the 70/30 Plan, aiming to eat healthier 70 percent of the week and allowing moderate flexibility the remaining 30 percent.

Friday, October 27, 2017

7:30am - 8:45am - Hip Opening Workshop with Candace - We often hold a lot of emotion in our hips. Gently opening the hips up through this dynamic practice will help to release tension, leaving you feeling calm, relaxed, inspired, and ready for the day ahead.

9:00am - Guided intentional eating breakfast workshop. Calories don't count but your mindset does. This workshop will teach you how to eat intentionally so you can properly absorb and digest your food, ultimately further supporting your gut health.

10:00am - noon - Gut Health & Intro to Bone Broth Cooking Demo with Carley. Did you know roughly 80 percent of the immune system lies in the gut? This makes gut health critical in order to maintain optimal health. Dysfunction of the gut has been linked to many autoimmune illnesses as well as seasonal allergies and food intolerances.

During this class, we discuss the significance of gut health; revealing tips for maintaining a healthy gut as well as demo how to make bone broth, one of the most gut healing and nourishing foods for our body.

12:00 noon - 4:30pm - Optional add-on for massage, or one to one consults with Candace or Carley. In between, head out to the deck to soak in the beautiful mountain views, or relax in your room, or explore a nearby town.

4:00pm - 6:00pm - Relax and Soothe - an Aromatherapy Yin Yoga Workshop - It's time to really slow it down and come into this delicious yin yoga practice. Yin is excellent for decreasing pain, lowering stress, and releasing tension throughout both the body and mind. We'll be using therapeutic grade essential oils to complement the practice. You can expect to feel deeply relaxed, restored and well on your way to optimal health by the end of the practice.

6:30pm - 7:30pm - Dinner and Meal Prep For Success with Carley. Let’s face it: We make our worst food decisions when we are tired and hungry and want something to eat immediately! That is why meal planning is critical for sustainable healthy eating. Most people think of meal planning and think of eating the same meal everyday for the entire week. The way meal planning works in the 70/30 Plan reduces the monotonous rigidity of eating the same meal every day and instead, allows for flexibility by simply prepping your proteins. During this class, we break down meal planning into simple steps so that you are eating freshly prepared meals everyday of the week!

7:30pm - 8:30pm - Safe Zone Health Q&A with Carley and Candace - There's no such thing as a bad question! This is the time to ask questions that may have come up throughout the day during your free time that are related to health and wellness. We'll be completely at your disposal to help deepen your understanding of how nutrition and yoga can help you on your path to optimal health.

Saturday, October 28, 2017

7:30am - 9:00am - Yoga for Digestion - This educational flow class will incorporate yoga poses specifically designed to aid in digestion and decrease stress. We'll begin with a guided meditation and brief talk about various ways we can immediately prep our physical body for better digestion before diving into the yoga flow. Expect feel-good twists and a motivational talk to help inspire your practice and your life.

9:00am - Breakfast

10:00am - 11:00am - Round Table Discussion: The silent gut-killer followed by Q&A with Carley and Candace. This is the time to ask any questions that may have popped up over the weekend.

12:00 noon - 1:00pm Benefits of Healthy Fats with Carley. It is a common misconception that eating fat makes us fat! It is actually the complete opposite and in fact, eating fats are critical to maintaining a healthy metabolism, hormone production, balancing energy levels, optimal cellular function, and so much more. This class discusses the health benefits of fats as well as breaks down the different types and uses of fats as well as fats to avoid. We will also learn how to make homemade mayo, an excellent source of healthy fats, as well as collectively make a delicious salad with our homemade mayo!

1:00pm - Lunch

5:30pm - 6:30pm - Gentle Yoga Flow with Candace

6:45pm - Dinner

Sunday, October 29, 2017

8:00 - Gratitude Breakfast

10:30am - All good things must come to an end - it's time to say goodbyes.

What's included

3 night luxury accommodation in room of your choice
all meals cooked by Carley. All ingredients including meat will be local when possible, organic, and pasture-raised.
four nutritional courses and various cooking demos lead by Carley Smith, NTP
five specialized yoga workshops and classes lead by Candace Moore, RYT
all yoga mats and props for the weekend
swag bag filled with goodies worth over $100 to help enhance your journey to optimal health

What's not included

transportation to the venue
travel insurance
optional add-on massage by licensed massage therapist
- Swedish Massage
  $60/45 min $80/60 min $100/80 min
  Swedish Massage is probably the most common type of massage in the USA. Swedish Massage is meant to be a relaxing massage utilizing long fluid strokes promoting blood circulation. This massage increases oxygen in the blood, and decreases cortisol, (the stress hormone) as well as increases the number of white blood cells to help boost your immune system. Swedish is a fantastic choice for those who prefer a lighter to firm pressure.
  Deep Tissue Massage
  $60/45 min $80/60 min $100/80 min
  Deep Tissue Massage is like Swedish but it’s a deeper or more firm pressure utilizing trigger point therapy and cross fiber friction to release tight muscles and restore range of motion, focusing on deeper muscle groups and facia. This massage has been shown to help produce the release of “feel good hormones”, oxytocin and serotonin. This is a good choice for those looking to reduce pain, and address specific areas of tension.
  Herbal Body Poultice— $90/60 min $110/80 min
  Herbal Body Poultice Massage uses a special blend of Thai herbs within a hot muslin compress. The compress and combination of gentle stretching work in harmony to ease aches and pains and improve the condition of your skin. Further information on Poultice is available here.
  Hot Stone Massage —$90/60 min $110/80 min
  Swedish Massage or Deep Tissue Massage incorporating warm stones to facilitate relaxation. The warm smooth stones are a treat to the senses, very grounding relaxing and perfect for a reset for insomnia. Oh so lovely during the colder months.
  Herbal Poultice Facial—$75/50 min
  This treatment consists of gentle cleansing, acupressure massage, scalp and neck massage, mini Herbal Poultice applied to the face, with steam and balancing moisture to finish. Your skin will be left looking and feeling soft and lovely! *This is a great treatment for sinus congestion and headaches as well. 50 minutes $75. Further information on Poultice is available here.
optional add-on one to one yoga consults with Candace - Are you working on a specific pose? Have a question about something in the yoga practice? This is your chance to ask questions and seek help for your individual practice. (30 min, $45)
optional add-on one to one nutrition consults with Carley - Have you been feeling unwell for a long time, tried everything and nothing is helping? Want to start improving your diet but aren't sure where to start? Carley offers this one to one service to help take a closer look on what's going on with you specifically, and will give you her expert advice on how to improve. (45 min, $55)

Cost and Accommodations

Bunk Room: This is the room to book if you'd like to come with a group of friends, or don't mind sharing. And honestly, even if you come solo, the people who attend these types of retreats are pretty laid back, great people, that we can say with certainty you'll be friends after the first hour. There are two bunk beds (totaling four beds) in this room. Shared bathroom. $1250 each.

Queen Bedroom: Fit for a queen! This is the room to book if you need your space and want a whole queen room to yourself (or book with your significant other or bff). Shared bathroom with the bunk room. $1500 for single occupancy, $1400 double occupancy.

King Room: Who doesn't love a king bed?! This is the room to book if you want lots of sleeping space, or would like to book with your significant other or bff. Shared bathroom with Carley and Candace. $1875 for single occupancy, $1775 for double occupancy.
King with en suite bathroom - Need privacy for a good night's sleep? Check. Want your own private bathroom? Check. This is for those seeking absolute privacy. $1600 single occupancy, $1500 for double occupancy

Oh this? Just PART of the BATHROOM for the King Suite with spa bath (!!)

King Suite with Spa Bath - This is the mother of all rooms! If you want to pamper yourself, this is the room to pick. Your private bathroom is insanely beautiful and yep - all to yourself! $1800 single occupancy, or $1700 double occupancy.

Space is limited, so sign up now!

Terms and Conditions

Due to the gut healing diet that is heavily rooted in traditional foods that include animal fats and meats, we are unable to accommodate vegetarian/vegan diets.
No reimbursement will be granted in case of early departure.
We accept no liability for loss, damage, injury or illness, which may occur during the retreat or traveling to or from the retreat.
All students are strongly recommended to have their own travel insurance to cover any loss or injury, including repatriation if necessary. It is advisable to take out travel insurance in the event that you have to cancel due to unforeseen circumstances.
We reserve the right to make any changes to our program, accommodation, courses or teachers. Alternative arrangements are offered to the best of our ability but if not taken up, we do not accept responsibility for any costs incurred, including airfare.
We take every step to ensure that students are not stretched beyond the limit of their capabilities. We ask that you speak up if you have any particular pre-existing injury or illness that is relevant. We advise that you always listen to your body, and if you are feeling any pain or illness during the class that you stop and rest.
While this is a luxury yoga retreat, please understand that this venue is a vacation rental, and not a resort. This means it is a family-style retreat. Candace and Carley will be working tirelessly to ensure you are comfortable, but this means that the yoga classes will take place in unconventional spaces, like the living area, or out on the deck. There will be no maid service or staff, but Candace and Carley are committed to serving you to the best of their abilities - all you need to do is ask.