You’d think that with all the healing benefits of spa treatments, that when signs of the flu start to strike, you should head straight to the spa. Forget the doctor… a massage to cure the coughs! A facial to soothe the sneezes! Unfortunately, fellow spa lovers, it doesn’t work like that.

I had a Live Spa TV segment planned for today with Soli Davis at Shibumi Spa, who was really excited to livestream her famous 90 minute Signature Facial with Reflexology, but after one look at me and my runny nose and watery eyes she wouldn’t do it. I didn’t even feel that sick (and you know my level of dedication to my work) but it turns out even being a little sick at the spa can make you SICKER. Instead of 90 minutes of bliss, Soli prescribed me chicken soup in bed, and absolutely NO massages, refloxology, facials, steamrooms, or any other spa treatments until I’m back to health. Wahhhhh. “No soup for you” just did a 180. But Soli shared some very good reasons for it.

7 Reasons Why NOT to Spa When You’re Sick:

1. Massages can make you sicker, faster. Since massage gets your blood circulating better, it can make whatever sickeness is happening spread more efficiently, too. It can turn a minor head cold into full-on illness.

2. Getting sick is your body telling you to slow down and rest. A massage is relaxing, yes, but it’s actually work for your body to respond to the stimulating touch techniques, such as shiatsu and reflexology. Bodies can’t heal when they’re working.

3. During a facial, hot steam is most often used to open up your pores. When it’s cold out (which it is today), going back and forth between hot and cold temperatures will shock your system… another way to make you even sicker. It’s normally a revitalizing therapy to switch between hot and cold, but your body just can’t handle it the same way when you’re under the weather.

4. Same goes for steam rooms and saunas. You may feel good inside them, but it’s not good to play with temperature shifts like that when you’re sick. Bodies don’t “sweat out” germs, so it’s not actually healing you. Also, you might faint.

5. When you’re not feeling up to speed, you won’t enjoy your spa treatment as much as you should. A therapist always wants you to be relaxed and feel wonderful, which you can’t do if you’re coughing up phlegm and you need another tissue.

6. Being sick means your immune system is weakened, which makes you more susceptible to any germs that may be lurking in a jacuzzi or changing room. Being in a public space in general is a bad idea.

7. Probably the most obvious reason: germs spread. When you’re inside a steam room, sauna, or even a treatment room with your therapist, your nasty little germs are creeping everywhere. That’s inconsiderate to everyone else!

So… stay in bed (where I am now) and let your body heal without the spa. When you’re all nursed back to health, treat yourself to something amazing. Tune in next week for Shibumi Take Two!