Patricia Navarro began her career in wellness more than 20 years ago in the Dominican Republic before moving to Mexico to become the corporate director of spas for Inclusive Collection, part of World of Hyatt. Navarro is a busy wellness professional, as she leads the spa and wellness charge for numerous brands, including Hyatt Ziva, Zoetry Wellness & Spa Resorts, Secrets Resorts & Spas, Breathless Resorts & Spas, Dreams Resorts & Spas, Alula Hotels & Resorts, and Sunscape Resorts & Spas. Navarro says she enjoys the pleasure of collaborating with all resorts she leads and is passionate about her current position. Here is how she makes wellness a priority in her life.
What does wellness mean to you?
For me, wellbeing is a mixture of things, like living well, sleeping well, and eating well. I feel that when I am doing all three of these things consistently, I achieve a state of completeness, happiness, and gratitude on a daily basis.
What are your favorite things to do to maintain your personal wellbeing?
To maintain my personal wellbeing, I enjoy activities such as sitting and thinking or meditating, and eating fresh, high-quality foods. One of my favorite activities is to enjoy the combination of different flavors and foods from chefs who are well known locally.
Is there a specific fitness activity that you love and why?
I love a variety of physical activities, such as dancing, walks in nature, and facial yoga. I find that keeping active and focusing on my wellbeing is what keeps me fresh and rejuvenated.
What is your favorite healthy food, and do you have a favorite way of preparing it?
Overall, I enjoy Lebanese and Indian cuisine because of the freshness of the ingredients, as well as the balanced properties of each type of food.
What is your favorite healthy beverage (alcoholic or non-alcoholic), and do you have any insider tips for preparing it?
There are a variety of healthy drinks I love, such as fernet branca, an Italian type of amaro, with mint as an excellent digestive, and ginger kombucha mid-morning. I also enjoy cold-pressed green or red juices on the body’s remineralization days, and of course, a good cup of coffee each morning as a feel-good drink to start off the day.
What is your greatest wellness achievement?
I feel that my greatest wellness achievement is the feeling of happiness in everything I do, both professionally and personally.
What person in wellness do you most admire and why?
While there are several wellness gurus who I admire, I feel that the people I admire the most in wellness are children because they are always engaged and happy in everything they do.
What is the best piece of wellness advice you have ever received and from whom?
The best wellness advice I’ve ever received has been to spread love and do all activities passionately, whether it be personal, work related, or spiritual.
What do you think is the most exciting wellness innovation you have recently discovered?
For me, it has been meditation with aromatherapy and phosphenic light as an all-round idea for health and wellbeing.
What is your idea of balanced healthy happiness?
Personally, it is to be present at every moment of the day and doing things with love and in a balanced environment. I also find that doing things with love and in a balanced environment, whether it be mental or physical, is best to be done with conviction. To me, happiness is intertwined with wellbeing—there is no balance if there is no happiness.
What do you think is the most overused word or words in wellness?
The most commonly used words in wellness that I find are happiness, gratitude, loving presence, and passion.
Do you have a secret health or wellness tip you would like to share?
My best secret health and wellness tip is that ethical behavior is the secret to balance in beauty and happiness.
What is your favorite place for a healthy vacation or escape?
My favorite places that I have traveled have been the Riviera Nayarit, Los Cabos, or a stay at a local hacienda that specializes in health and wellness.
Is there a particular wellness company or brand that truly impresses you with their efforts and why?
When I look to wellness companies and brands in the market, I gravitate towards companies that undertake their studies and qualifications before offering their wellness products for sale. For example, “Moving Art” by Louie Schwartzberg, and “Delos” by Deepk Chopra, among many others.
What is your favorite self-care routine?
I have a very involved self-care routine for my own mental health and wellbeing that involves waking up happy, stretching before getting out of bed, sanitizing my body, greeting the sun, and doing the meditational exercises of reconnection with the earth and sky. I also enjoy having a quiet breakfast, organizing the activities of the day, and spending the time I deserve for each activity without a cell phone. Throughout the day, I like to eat each meal on time, watch the sunset, have a relaxing bath or shower, and select programming that feeds my soul to watch before I go to sleep.
What is your go-to for de-stressing?
Personally, I find the best way to de-stress is by asking the body to get up at a specific time and waking up in daylight.
What wellness-related books or authors do you recommend, and why?
I have many books that I recommend, such as a book that I use daily, The Alexander Technique Manual: Take Control of Your Posture and Life by Richard Brennen. Other books I’ve really enjoyed and recommend are The Five Tibetans of Ed Perter by Elk, Cleanse to Healby Anthony William, and Japanese Secret of Facial Yoga by Izumi Forasté.
How do you celebrate small victories?
When I achieve small wins, I prefer to celebrate with a good meal and good friends.
What brings you joy?
There are many things that make me happy, but my passion about everything creative and being able to reach my health and wellness goals in a calm and focused environment is what I find makes me the happiest.
Check out our review of Secrets Moxché Playa del Carmen, part of the Inclusive Collection.
