Healing Waves

Drawing wellness from the ocean and beyond

I’m an avid traveler, which comes with risks—illness being one of them. I’ve come down with COVID-19 four times, usually due to a plane full of coughers or a stagnant theme park queue. My first brush with the virus, though, was particularly impactful.

I was vacationing abroad at the beach. When I first felt that tickle in my throat, I attributed it to lack of sleep—a familiar foe. But something else was brewing. Like a strobe light, alternating fever and chills took over. I blew my nose with alarming frequency.
I had to hunker down. 

And of course, my disappointed thoughts raced. Why did I get sick after taking all the necessary precautions? Why now, instead of when I got home? What about all the money I’d spent on the trip? The stress only made things worse. This pattern continued until I let some air in. 

Literally. One morning, after my fever had kept me up all night, I opened the door from my room to its small balcony and sat outside to watch the sunrise over the ocean. I still remember how the sky was both pink and blue at once and the light’s clear quality. The dry, salty air opened my sinuses. The satisfying crash of each wave and the erratic, excited seagulls calmed me. I felt energized enough to write for pleasure. I wasn’t cured, but I was far more well. 

Since then, I’ve been interested in the ocean’s healing capabilities. This is the subject of Paige Aigret’s keystone feature in this issue dedicated to all things health and wellness. On page 70, Paige speaks with coastal experts to explore contemporary approaches to thalassotherapy, which is the use of oceanic elements in wellness treatments. 

That’s just the beginning of the unique approaches to health you’ll discover in this issue. Our contributors put a few experimental approaches—like sound baths, acupuncture, and more—to the test on page 64 in our “We Tried It” feature on holistic wellness. On page 60, Rebecca Padgett Frett employs advice from dietician Ciara Reistad on the importance of quality protein in our diets. Speaking of great eats, we share some suggestions for alternative-diet dining on page 58 and take you behind the scenes at Noli South Kombucha on page 55. 

I am so excited to be your new editor and to share in the journey toward mindful, full-body wellness that’s so vital to a life on the Emerald Coast. 

To health and happiness,

Olivia Sokolowski

Photo by Nathan Saczynski / NASCO Photo