Well-Stocked: the Condiments of Kripalu

I'll admit it--it was totally self-indulgent, these past 3 days at Kripalu. At least it wasn't Canyon Ranch. At least I didn't receive botox treatments and pedicures. It was wonderful to exercise all day long and eat your brains out. And what impressed me wasn't that the food at Kripalu was so fabulous (though it is) but that there's such a huge, irresistible array of every kind of feel-good, guilt-free food item right there for the taking, with unlimited refills. The cafeteria is an encyclopedia of clean, sustainable, whole, nutritive-dense, organic, vegan foods. There's millet and brown rice, raw beet salads and sweet potato slaw, quinoa with organic almonds, sustainable tilapia, greens of every color and stripe, and teas from all over the world (some with caffeine!). But no coffee and no desserts. The savvy new management team at Kripalu know their clientele and their target demographic--they put in a separate coffee bar cafe, where you pay for your sin: a cup of coffee is $1.75.

What intrigued me a lot during my 3 days at this yoga retreat was the well-stocked variety of condiments. There were no ketchup and mustard bottles, no soy sauce, no white and brown sugars. Rather there were Braggs Amino Acids bottles on the tables, himala salt and turmeric and cinnamon dispensers. Giant pump canisters of hot raw honey and agave syrup next to the raw milk and filtered water dispensers.

There were also bottles of various vinegars, like apple cider, red wine and balsamic.

Just three days; three days of exercising morning, noon and night, and all you can eat of healthy, healing foods. Sound like heaven? Don't take my word for it--you've got to try it, too.