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Embrace the retox on your next vacation

Finding balance between wellness and fun

By
Nature, Outdoors, Sea
Mark D. McKee / The Manual

I am going to be completely honest: I hate everything wellness. I love the idea, I just love the idea of wellness for other people. When I hear “wellness trip,” all I can think about in the moment is: I am not going to get to drink old-fashioneds, won’t be able to eat steaks, and they’re going to make me work out. If you’re thinking I sound like a princess, you’re right. When I travel, I am a princess. But I got roped into a wellness retreat at Rock House in Turks and Caicos, I thought, what the heck, at least I will get some beach time in as well. And I have to say, it taught me something vital: embrace the retox.

When I first met Sabrina, owner of Kanekshun, I was hesitant. It is all a bit of, as a former boss of mine would say, “woo wooey nonsense.” But there was something about her demeanor that was different. She was real. She saw my hesitation and took it for two spins around the dancefloor, and the next thing I knew, I was buying into the wellness part of this trip. It didn’t make it any harder to buy in with the stellar rooms and views of Rock House.

The detox

Bathing, Water, Waterfront
Mark D. McKee / The Manual

Let’s start with the wellness aspect of the trip. There were three things that I was pausing on: yoga, a sound healing bath, and a cold plunge. Well, here is how they went:

  1. Yoga – I woke up earlier than I wanted to and went down to do the thing I didn’t want to do. I showed up in a bad mood. And that is actually the point. Because after about twenty minutes of bending me in ways I didn’t know I could bend, I actually felt great. My back pain was relieved temporarily, and I had energy for the day. So far, Sabrina was 1/1.
  2. Sound bath – Now, this was the most woo wooey of woo woos that I saw on the itinerary. There was something explained to me about the physics of our body’s vibrations and how the sounds played at the right frequency can bring us into alignment. All of this while floating on a blow-up mattress in a pool and staring at the stars. Ok, whatever you say, Sabrina. I am, at least, going to look at the stars for a few minutes and tune out everything else. Next thing I knew, I was calm, relaxed, staring at an amazing sky, and not wanting it to end. 2/2.
  3. Cold plunge – Finally, we get to the one I have heard about and run from for years. I like hot showers. Quick, relaxing, loosens the muscles. Cold plunges are not my idea of a relaxing and healing concept. Quite the opposite, as a matter of fact. But I am committed to a “yes” phase in my life. So, if someone asks if I want to do something, especially if my instinct is to say no, I say yes without thinking. How do you think I ended up on a wellness trip? As I stood there leaning over the tank of ice, so effortlessly provided by Rock House (seriously, these guys showed up out of nowhere and kept dumping ice in, even after I told them they didn’t need to. They were dedicated to my detox), Sabrina looked me in the eyes and reassured me, “Our bodies are designed to do hard s***, so we’re gonna do this.” I have played sports all my life, and that was about as hyped as I have ever been. That was, until the water reached my neck, then I was really hyped. I stayed in for almost a minute. Sabrina was 3/3.

The retox

Dining Table, Furniture, Table
Mark D. McKee / The Manual

Now here is what I came for. The retox. The theme of this wellness trip wasn’t to purge bad things. It wasn’t to showcase all the bad things you do that you need to quit. No habit shaming, no diet-changing pressure. It was simply adding in some helpful things to offset the other things I like to do. Like drinking old-fashioneds. And drink them, I did. Rock House had an incredibly good bartender who remembered I liked a good old-fashioned. So when he was bringing everyone else wine, beer, and other boring alcohol, he brought me the good stuff.

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Rock House was full of everything you wanted from a resort vacation. I went on a catamaran, visited an island full of iguanas, went snorkeling, lay on the beach, and at the pool on my back patio. There was even a cultural ambassador who sang me a song he made up on the spot about me drinking too much and falling over in the jungle. Like he knew me.

The balance

Pool, Water, Swimming Pool
Mark D. McKee / The Manual

At the end of the day, wellness isn’t about restrictions. If you like the old-fashioned, drink the old-fashioned. But pair it with some yoga. If your hobby stresses you out (I am talking to you, golfers), then engage with it. Just pair it with some relaxing sound baths. And if you love to run hard, lift heavy, and put your body through it, then remember what Sabrina says: “Our bodies are designed to do hard s***.” Just add in a cold plunge every once in a while.

Rock House is a stellar place to get away and unplug when you are ready for a vacation. Add in a wellness retreat by Sabrina and Kanekshun, and you won’t just unplug for a weekend, but you will learn some tips and tricks to take a piece of paradise back home with you.

Mark D McKee
Mark D McKee
Editor
Mark cut his teeth in the men’s style world when he sold suits first at box stores such as Men’s Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank… Read Full Bio
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