Finding Health and Wellness in the City of Angels

Los Angeles, the City of Angels, has recently been recognised as the Wellness Capital of the United States. As a matter of fact, 14 wellness centres are anticipated to operate in schools by 2014. This movement will promote good health and hopefully deepen the desire of locals to live a healthier lifestyle.

Los Angeles is one of America’s most popular cities to visit, for Aussies it’s the main gateway into America. When you’re fresh from a long haul flight, you need a little tlc. Most of Expedia’s Aussie travellers stop over for two to three days to take the time out and head to Santa Monica, Beverely Hills and Hollywood. If you’re after ideas on where to stay, head to Expedia’s Los Angeles Holidays, and for tips on how to stay healthy and put wellness on your map, here’s a few of my favourite spots to visit.

Healthy Restaurants

One thing I find when travelling to the USA is that you need to know where to look for healthy food. It’s all too easy to be led astray on streets filled with restaurants and vendors offering fries, cheesy pizzas and super-sized meals. The good thing about being in the Wellness Capital of the country is that there’s always options for nutritious and delicious meals.

If you’re in the city for a few days, make sure you visit Café Gratitude for their 100% organic vegan food and dose of gratitude. Café Gratitude is bustling with organic vitality and goodness, book into one of their workshops that help spread the word on sustainability and green living.

One of the common misconceptions about vegan and wholefood cuisine is that the menu options are limited. Fortunately, there are restaurants like Vegan Glory in LA that prove that wrong. Vegan Glory fuses Vegan ingredients and Thai dishes in a menu that’s full of flavour. The Flowering Tree in West Hollywood also has an extensive organic vegetarian and vegan menu.

If you want to go all out with a buffet lunch, Govinda’s Natural Foods serves a $7 vegan buffet. Finally, Real Food Daily is a vegan restaurant best enjoyed by Hollywood actresses like Kristen Bell, Ashley Greene, and Angela Bassett.

Farmers Market

A visit to The Original Farmers Market is always a treat to those of us keen on staying fit and healthy. The market, which has been around since 1934, operates on a daily basis to serve locals and tourists alike. Considered one of the most popular sights in LA; it was turned into an official Los Angeles Cultural and Historical Landmark. Over 3 million visitors roam the stalls each year, in search of products such as fresh produce, nuts, cheese, and more.

Yoga

After a day of eating and exploring your way around LA, a little relaxation and exercise is always nice. And when it comes to both, there’s nothing yoga can’t fix. The good thing about doing yoga in LA is there’s an abundant selection of free and paid yoga classes to suit everyone. Bryan Kest from Power Yoga is among the most popular yogis in LA. Thanks to the donations of his students, Kest continues to offer classes to over a hundred students in his Santa Monica studio. City Yoga offers free yoga classes twice a month. Additionally, they offer free meditation and acupressure classes to those who are interested. If you feel like doing yoga on the beach, Beach Yoga with Brad Keimach is an experience you shouldn’t miss. This yogi teaches 90-minute classes on the beach in Santa Monica, attracting up to 50 students per session. Try his special sunset class held on Tuesdays for a breathtaking view of the ocean. Lastly, Runyon Canyon Yoga adds in a little bit of hiking to the mix. After a short hike to Indian Rock, famous Yogi Steve will greet you for a free yoga session.

When I was in LA, I stayed at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton in Santa Monica. I wanted to be close to the sunset yoga classes and the location was perfect for a sunset run along the Santa Monica Pier.

While you’re on a vacation in LA, there’s no reason why you should stop your healthy diet and exercise. As the Wellness Centre of the U.S., the city will nourish both your body and soul.