wellness Archives

Dec 30, 2019

Fruit Feature: Pitahaya

Pitahaya is a strange but beautiful fruit that is actually part of the cactus family. The first time you encounter this hot pink (and sometimes yellow) fruit, you’ll probably think to yourself, “what the heck is that, and how in the world do you eat that?” This nutrient-dense fruit packs a long list of health benefits, as well as being quite delicious! In this short and sweet fruit feature, you’ll learn where to find it, how to eat it, and why you should enjoy some pitahaya whenever you come across it (that is if you like it, which you will)!

Other names for pitahaya

Dragon fruit
Costa Rican night-blooming cactus
Lady of the Night
Honolulu Queen
Moonflower
Strawberry pear

Where is pitahaya from?

Ancient Chinese legend claims that “dragon fruit was created thousands of years ago by a dragon in battle who blew a burst of fire containing the fruit.” But historians believe it originated in Central America. Pitahaya is widely available in Costa Rica and throughout Central America. It is commercially grown in Hawaii, Florida, California, Australia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Israel. It is commonly found at farmer’s markets in Costa Rica, as well as on smoothie and smoothie bowl menus around the country.

How do you eat it?

To enjoy the fruit in its raw and untouched form, all you have to do is slice it open longways and scoop it out with a spoon. You can eat the teeny tiny seeds that are abundant in the pink, white, or purple flesh. This exotic fruit is juicy and has a mildly sweet taste.

Pitahaya is especially enjoyable in a smoothie or smoothie bowl. It is so good this way that pitahaya bowls have gained international popularity. Pitahaya blends really well with and is complemented by papaya, coconut, bananas, and blueberries.

What are the health benefits of eating pitahaya?

• Pitahaya is an excellent source of potassium, which is essential for cellular, electrical, and nerve function in the body. Potassium is also a vital supporter of heart and kidney health.

• It is loaded with vitamin C, which is a powerful antioxidant that also helps your body absorb iron, fight off free radicals, produce collagen, and promote healthy and radiant skin.

• The high fiber and antioxidants in pitahaya also help to reduce plaque build-up in your arteries, which is essential for blood circulation and heart health.

• Dragon fruit contains hydroxycinnamates, which has been linked to warding off cancer.

• The seeds in the flesh are rich in omega-3 and omega-9 fatty acids, which are really good for your heart.

• Overall, dragon fruit is fantastic for your heart, skin, bones, kidneys, and immune system.

So, whether you are in Costa Rica or you see it somewhere else, make sure you treat yourself to a pitahaya whenever you get a chance!

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Nov 4, 2019

The RipJack Inn in Playa Grande is a Hotel For…

The RipJack Inn is a beachfront hotel on Costa Rica’s famous Gold Coast in Guanacaste. It is a family-owned and operated establishment that has long appealed to many different walks of life from all corners of the globe. Playa Grande has a special way of grabbing and holding onto people. Many who visit Playa Grande, often return many more times and sometimes even decide to relocate here somewhere along the way. The RipJack Inn is a sort of epicenter where locals and visitors alike find that home-away-from-home atmosphere.

The RipJack Inn in Playa Grande, Costa Rica is a hotel for…

Friends

Families

Lovers

Yogis

Surfers

Sun Worshippers

Beach Walkers

Saltwater Seekers

Animal Aficionados

Adventurers

It is also a place for those seeking rest, rejuvenation, wellness, inspiration, clarity, and fun.

Is the RipJack Inn for you?

We’d like to think so!

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Sep 6, 2019

Six Reasons the RipJack Inn is a Perfect Place to Host Your Next Yoga Retreat

Costa Rica is a country with an extraordinary spirit. The energy that exudes from the forests, the mountains, the volcanoes, the beaches, the ocean, the rivers, the fauna, and the people is vibrant, enlivening, grounding, and contagious. It is no wonder Costa Rica has long been a highly sought-after destination for yoga retreats. For this reason and many more, the RipJack Inn in Playa Grande is an amazing venue to host your next yoga retreat.

As a yoga instructor looking to bring a group down to Costa Rica, there are key characteristics that you are likely looking for in a retreat venue. The RipJack Inn has quite a lot to offer you!

Location

The RipJack Inn is harmoniously positioned just a hop, skip, and jump away from the beach. One of the main beach access paths is directly across the narrow street in front of the RipJack Inn restaurant. This is about as close as you can get to the beach without renting one of the few private beachfront houses in Playa Grande. The RipJack Inn is also walking distance to several restaurants, a surf shop, and a small store.

Accommodation Options

There are multiple accommodation options available for different budgets and group sizes. Rooms range from cozy single rooms to spacious suites. There are twenty-one rooms and all of them can accommodate more than one person.

Two Pools

What’s better than one pool? Two! Both pools receive direct sunlight so you can rest assured that a dip post-yoga or beach walk will be just the right inviting temperature. Also, because there are two pools, there is always plenty of space in each.

Two Yoga Studios

The main yoga shala is a detached, thatched-roof, wood-floor, glass-enclosed, and air-conditioned space. This beautiful shala is a wonderful place to practice. It is conveniently located in the middle of the hotel, so getting to class only takes a few steps from any of the rooms. The second yoga space is located on the top floor of the poolside suites building. This vast space is ideal for large groups. Both shalas have plenty of mats and props available and can be exclusively booked for your group.

On-Site Restaurant and Bar

The Upstairs restaurant is tucked into the treetops. This open-air restaurant and bar can hold a sizable yoga retreat group as well as other hotel guests and locals without feeling crowded. Our menu is deliciously diverse and has items to accommodate any dietary restriction. There are also plenty of super healthy options, and most of our plates are crafted with locally sourced ingredients.

Experienced Hosts

Our staff has helped orchestrate dozens of yoga retreats and are highly experienced hosts. We can help you completely customize your yoga retreat and work with you ahead of time to plan your class times, tours, surf lessons, additional activities, meals, massages, and transportation for your group. If your dream is to host a yoga retreat in Costa Rica, we can easily help you make that a reality!

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Aug 6, 2019

Embrace a Moving Meditation While in Playa Grande, Costa Rica

As we shared in our last post, “Don’t Hesitate, Meditate,” there are incredible inherent benefits that accompany a meditation practice. To review, this includes a reduction in stress and anxiety, improved quality and depth of sleep, a strengthened immune system, a clearer and more focused mind, a boost in creativity and productivity, an enhanced state of self-awareness, and an overall increased sense of peace and calmness.

However, for some and maybe many, sitting in stillness and with a free mind can be a great challenge. Meditation doesn’t come easy to everyone, and that is perfectly fine. We are all a work in progress! For most, developing a meditation practice takes time and dedication; but, don’t all the best things in life?

It is important to remember, though that we are all unique individuals and what works for one person might not work for another. Maybe you are more of a mover than a sitter? I know I am! There are all different types of meditations, and a moving meditation might be what you have long been seeking.

Playa Grande is an amazing place to start or continue your moving meditation journey! Between the miles of nearly empty beach, the warm sea, the salty ocean air, the verdant beach trees, and coastal creatures, the setting couldn’t be any more perfect for quieting that active mind of yours. You might find your moving meditation to take place while you are walking, running, swimming, surfing, or practicing yoga. The idea is the same regardless of what movement you choose to do.

A moving meditation is dependent on focusing on the movement and not on your thoughts. The same way you focus on your breath when you are meditating in stillness, focusing on your deliberate movements will help you still your mind.

Sunrise is a particularly beautiful time to head down to the beach for a moving meditation while you are in Playa Grande. The sun rises very early here, the beach is usually quite empty, and the temperature is rather pleasant. It is also lovely to start your day in such a positive way. You can even start your morning and meditation by setting an intention or creating a mantra.

Your meditation, whether still or moving, is entirely yours and yours to create in the way that best suits you. Play with the process and enjoy the journey.

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Jul 24, 2019

Don’t Hestitate, Meditate! 17 Reasons to Start Today

The practice of meditation is one that has been used for thousands of years by mankind. In fact, there have been archaeological findings that suggest the hunter-gathers and early shamans were the first to practice a form of meditation. Thousands of years ago, it was the Buddha who inspired others who sit in mindful awareness. There are so many different forms of meditation though that it is hard to pinpoint where and who exactly discovered this highly beneficial practice.

But, that’s really beside the point! Meditation has gained significant popularity in modern times among a diverse population of practitioners. As more studies are being conducted and more scientific evidence is proving how powerful meditation is, more people are beginning to incorporate meditation into their daily lives.

The beauty of meditation is that you can meditation for as long or as little as you would like, you can do it anywhere, and you can even do it while on the move. Your meditation practice can be as unique as you are. Developing your own practice might seem a bit daunting if you have never meditated before, but fortunately there is a wealth of classes, apps, videos, podcasts, and recordings to help you find your mindful mind.

The options for where and how you meditate are truly endless. You might be most comfortable sitting, laying down, walking, or flowing through a yoga practice. You might prefer to meditate in a group setting or alone, inside or outside, by guidance, or just by letting yourself be your own guide. The benefits are nonetheless substantial!

Meditation has been scientifically proven to:

Reduce stress, anxiety, and depression

Enhance Self-Awareness

Promote better sleep at night and more energy during the day

Boost memory, concentration, and creativity

Improve tolerance, compassion, and kindness

Support a healthy heart and immune system

Bring a sense of peace, calmness, and balance into your daily life

Here are a few apps to help you get started:

There is no time like the present to start a mindful meditation practice. And, Playa Grande is a perfect place to begin.

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Nov 2, 2018

How to Create Your Own Wellness Escape at the RipJack Inn

Most of us live our lives on the go, go, go!

Between working, taking care of our families, keeping up with some sort of social life, managing our finances, planning for the future, and possibly even volunteering or attending community benefits, our agendas are booked up week after week. Then throw in all of the stimulus our eyes, brains, and souls face on a daily basis from the constant barrage of the media, politics, social media and mindless entertainment.

It’s no wonder many of us feel stressed, anxious, sleep deprived, and in serious need of a vacation.

Do you dream of days on end where you can sleep in, nourish your body with healthy and fresh food that you don’t have to personally prepare, bask in the sunshine, walk barefoot in the sand, practice yoga, finish a book, and simply do nothing but listen to the sounds of nature from the hug of a hammock?

It sounds like you need and want a wellness escape! And you deserve one, we all do! The RipJack Inn makes it possible for you to create your very own wellness retreat with very little effort. Basically, all you have to do is book your ticket to Costa Rica, reserve your room at the RipJack Inn, pack your bags, and voila!

The RipJack Inn has all the ingredients readily available for a proper wellness escape.

Daily Yoga

Yoga is offered throughout the week at the RipJack Inn in one of two of our yoga shalas. Meditation, special full moon ceremonies, workshops, and other mind and body classes are regularly hosted, as well.

Healthy and Delicious Meal Choices

Our menu is a fusion of traditional Costa Rican flavors and international favorites. Our dishes feature a lot of fresh fruit, vegetables, and locally-caught fish. We have acai bowls, veggie bowls, and plenty of salads. Our menu also includes some pretty sinfully delicious dishes too!

Clean Cocktails and Smoothies

Think fresh tropical fruit juices and frozen concoctions made from scratch.

Direct Beach Access

The path to the beach is directly in front of the RipJack Inn. How convenient, right? On the other side of this beautiful path is miles of beach and plenty of oceanfront space to have entirely to yourself.

Concierge Service

Do you want to take a surf lesson, go canopy zip lining, ride horses, get a massage, set sail into the sunset, explore Rincón de la Vieja National Park, or go scuba diving? All you have to do is let us know and we will make it happen. It’s that easy!

We also recommend taking naps, lounging by either one of our pools, and making it down to the beach every evening to watch the sun set into the sea. We all need a little time to rest and rejuvenate. The benefits of treating yourself to a wellness vacation are immediate and long-lasting! Let us help you help yourself. Hit the easy button today.

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