Mind + Body: September 2016
Out and About: A recently launched company connects locals with travelers to experience NOLA in a whole new way.
A local company called FUHWE (a Caribbean expression meaning “for us”) offers a website and app that connects travelers with locals to share in an authentic experience that is unique to the city. Experiences range from walking tours to fitness groups and much more. One recent experience, the Healthy Happy Hour offered by April Dupre’s company Footprints to Fitness, featured a yoga/Pilates class at The Roosevelt Hotel, followed by a Happy Hour of light menu items (most of them Eat Fit NOLA-approved) and cocktails in the Fountain Lounge.
FUHWE offers a great opportunity to introduce visitors to New Orleans, or to even be a explorer in your own backyard. In addition to the Footprints to Fitness offerings, there are more health and fitness experiences being added in the sports category each day! Other categories include art, culture, history, food/beverage, music and entertainment. Both the explorer and local get to rate each other after the experience, and the explorer writes reviews on the experience. In this way, you can vet which experiences are worth booking. The cost varies depending on the type and length of the activities offered during the experience. FUHWE anticipates expanding to other cities in the future as well, so stay on the lookout for updates. fuhwe.com
Joining Forces: A new initiative seeks to make New Orleans HIV-free.
Louisiana remains the state with the highest HIV infection rates, and New Orleans one of the highest-ranking cities for HIV and AIDS in the nation each year. However, there is hope. PrEP, the latest breakthrough in HIV prevention, can reduce the risk of HIV infection by up to 92 percent. The problem is that many people are still unfamiliar with the drug that has the potential to change our state’s ranking.
A new campaign, called We PrEP Together, aims to reduce the stigma of HIV-related health services by providing confidential, convenient and affordable medical care to those at risk in the region. This new initiative is backed by St. Thomas Community Health Center, with five locations across the city offering the medication. We PrEP Together is working to raise awareness among at risk groups that HIV is preventable by simply taking one pill every day.
PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis. It is a relatively new prevention method for people who are HIV-negative. When taken daily, the medication can reduce the risk of HIV infection by up to 92 percent. St. Thomas also offers financial assistance programs for those who are unable to cover the cost — including co-pay assistance and plans that even pay 100 percent. wepreptogether.com, stthomaschc.org
Maria’s Pick – Masters of Massage: New Orleans welcomes the largest and fastest-growing on-demand massage and wellness company to the area.
Soothe, the company that delivers a licensed, vetted, certified massage therapist to your home, office or hotel room (with as little as 60 minutes advance notice) recently launched in New Orleans. With entry to the Big Easy, Soothe now operates in 35 cities across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom with 5,000 licensed massage therapists in its employ. The company plans to expand to 50 cities by year’s end.
“Our growth is really due to the experience our massage therapists deliver,” says Soothe’s founder and CEO Merlin Kauffman. “They provide spa-quality treatments without the hassle of finding parking or dealing with traffic.”
Services include Swedish, deep tissue, sports and pre-natal massage for individuals and couples, in treatment lengths of 60-, 90- or 120-minute increments for a fixed fee ($99, $139 and $169, respectively). The cost covers tax and gratuity, and Soothe clients can re-book the same therapist on future occasions. Massages are available daily from 8 a.m. to midnight. All massage therapists have been interviewed in-person, and only therapists who meet the requisite level of certification and have a history of customer excellence are accepted into the Soothe network.
“This is such a great service for New Orleans,” says New Orleans Living publisher, Maria Muro. “Everyone deserves a little pampering every once in awhile, and Soothe makes it so easy to relax.” soothe.com