Travel Tuesday: Spa Treatments to Fight Jet Lag

June 12, 2012 | By

Medically referred to as desynchronosis, jet lag is a physiological condition which results from alterations to the body’s circadian rhythms after rapid long-distance transmeridian (east–west or west–east) travel.

Jet lag may last several days until one is fully adjusted to the new time zone, and a recovery rate of one day per time zone crossed is typical. The symptoms of jet lag can be quite varied, depending on the amount of time zone alteration, time of day and individual differences. They may include the following:

  1. Migraines and headaches
  2. Fatigue, irregular sleep patterns, Insomnia, grogginess, irritability
  3. Dehydration
  4. Body aches, swelling and pain
  5. Constipation or diarrhea

Luckily, spa treatments are a fabulous remedy for jet lag, so now you have the perfect excuse to head straight to your hotel spa after landing. Here’s our guide to the best jet lag spa treatment for you:

1. Migraines and Headaches:
The symptoms of migraine headaches are debilitating: stabbing head pain, nausea, stomach cramping and migraine auras. This can leave a sufferer feeling weak, tired, and depressed long after the migraine attack has subsided. While a migraine attack can last for days, the psychological aftermath can be perpetual. Migraine ranks in the top 20 of the world’s most disabling medical illnesses and about 36 million people in the United States suffer from migraines. There are numerous methods used to try and help ease the unbearable symptoms. Conventional medicine and prescription drugs offer little relief from the condition some people cannot rely on pills, like pregnant women. Many are turning to alternative methods of treatment in order to manage the pain. Massage therapy is often used to complement other traditional medical migraine treatments or other alternative treatments. Tense muscles and stress can aggravate migraine headaches. Visiting a massage therapist for a massage while a migraine is in progress can reduce muscle pain and tension.


2. Fatigue, insomnia, irritability:
There is a simple correlation between sleep and massage: insomnia is associated with a lack of serotonin and massage increases serotonin levels. Studies have demonstrated the necessity of serotonin for healthy sleep. Serotonin is a precursor to the body’s rendering of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone released by the brain to quiet and reset the part of the brain that directs your body to prepare for sleep. Many over-the-counter drugs have melatonin in them, but why not encourage your body’s own production? The chemistry of sleep is relevant to massage because massage can directly influence the body’s production of serotonin and, in turn, melatonin. Massage therapy can improve the quality of life by not only relieving the pain; it can also impact mood and induce positive sleeping patterns. By relieving the pain that keeps you up at night tossing and turning, your body will get the much needed time it craves to restore and to heal. Additionally, lowering anxiety and improving mood can help a person get their life back in order. Massage therapy offers both immediate results, as well as long term.

3. Dehydration
There are two ways to fight dehydration at the spa: one is to hydrate your through your skin with water treatments, the second is to infuse rejuvenating oxygen into dehydrated cells on a nuclear level. Water treatments: A Vichy Shower is a unique aquatic therapy that invigorates your body while laying flat under powerful water jets, inspired by treatments used in the French city, Vichy. Watsu, short for Water Shiatsu, is a massage performed in a warm, shallow pool.  The water gently cradles the guest so the massage therapist can work the full 360 degrees of your body and your skin reaps the benefits of being saturated in water throughout the entire treatment. Oxygen treatments: Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Therapy, which dissolves oxygen in the blood plasma and all body cells, tissues and fluids at up to 10 times normal concentration—high enough to sustain life with no blood at all. Oxygenating facials are also increasing in popularity, as oxygen continues to secure its reputation as the #1 skincare essential.

4. Body aches, swelling and pain:
Massage can eliminate muscle tension and improve joint mobility by stimulating the flow of synovial fluid. This also helps to free adhesions, break down scar tissue and decrease inflammation. As a result, massage can help to restore range of motion to stiff joints. Massage also brings in fresh nutrients and helps in purging the body of toxins accumulated due to long periods of stress and tension. It causes more oxygen to flow in the body, which helps the body to revive and rebuild itself. With this flow of fresh oxygen and nutrients to the entire system, the immune system is strengthened. Additionally, massage clears your mind of exaggerated anxiety and makes you capable of thinking with an unclouded mind. When you are bodily and mentally relaxed, you are capable of taking a more balanced and fresh perspective of your life situation.

Another spa treatment option to target swelling and aches and pains is Electro-lymphatic drainage (ELD), which uses gentle electric currents, massage, and heat to increase circulation and stimulation along the body’s lympathic pathways. The lymphatic system helps clear excess fluid from the cells and distributes powerful immune cells which work 24/7 to heal and repair your body. ELD treatment boosts immunity, relaxes the whole body and mind, reduce pain, evens skin tone, and increases energy.

Acupuncture was developed 3,000 years ago and is based on Taoist philosophy. Like the treatments above it focuses on energy meridians and permits the body to “heal itself.” It does involve inserting fine needles into key points of the body that relate to different organs in order to relieve muscular, neurological and arthritic problems, cure disease and relieve pain. Acupressure has been practiced in China for centuries and is believed to improve the flow of chi (energy) throughout the body. This massage releases muscle tension and promotes healing by applying pressure to “energy points” or “meridians” in the body. Pressure is applied to these points with the finger for a deep tissue feeling.

Cupping is a healing therapy that uses suction on the skin’s surface to “suck” stagnant blood from deep beneath the surface, mobilizing blood flow and delivering a range of benefits. Bottom line, it greatly improves circulation—the holy grail of spa benefits. Similarly, Gua Sha offers holistic healing, but is different in method and strength. Unlike the scraping technique of Gua Sha, traditional Ancient Chinese Cupping employs a glass dome that becomes a suction cup after a flash of fire. Scraping mobilizes blood just beneath the surface, while the mighty suction of cupping is able to stir up blood deeper within the body.

5. Constipation or diarrhea
The idea behind a colonic is that food enters the intestine and a lot of it doesn’t get flushed out (especially if you’ve overindulged on food and alcohol while on vacation), causing toxins to accumulate, which can result in illness. Especially in today’s world, where we’re breathing polluted air and consuming pesticides, our bodies are overwhelmed trying to get rid of it all. So a little “push” now and then from a colonic can really helps the digestive system do its job better. Colonics allow the nutrients and vitamins to be properly absorbed into the body again. If you have a sluggish colon (AKA are constipated often), a colonic gets the muscles moving, making your colon stronger and more effective at disposing healthy, solid waste. It is also believed that a clean colon helps your body fight disease, because instead of focusing on expelling built up toxins in the colon, it fights toxins elsewhere.

 

 

Filed Under: Health & Wellness, Spa Glossary, Spa Treatments, Spas, Travel Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Travel Tuesday: Fall Madly In Love With Golden Door Spa

February 7, 2012 | By

Behind every resort there’s a story, but Golden Door‘s is a tale we could tell over and over and over again. As America’s first-ever fitness spa and one of the nation’s historical wellness landmarks since 1959, the prestigious Golden Door Spa in Escondido, California is a place every spa enthusiast should visit in his or her lifetime. It is home to one of the most inspiring, innovative and high-energy fitness and weight loss programs in the spa world today.

Before we take you on a photo tour to make you fall head over heels for Golden Door Spa (again?), let me remind you to ENTER Spa Week’s Nutrition 911 Sweepstakes, where you can win a four-night getaway for two at Golden Door including three private in-room massages, one herbal wrap, two skincare appointments, a choice of a manicure or pedicure, a customized Golden Door fitness program with a personal fitness counselor, and gourmet spa cuisine including three meals and two snacks a day. The prize also include a customized at-home revival nutrition package from Dr. Wendy Bazilian and a $100 Spa & Wellness Gift Card by Spa Week!

Now, let the photos do the real talking as we narrate your mini-tour of the fitness, spa, spirituality and scenery of Golden Door Spa:

One of the many fitness classes at Golden Door (there are over 25 offered each day) is their Boxing class, where guests have fun “sparring” with each other. It’s a really great workout.

Kiatsu Water Therapy – Kiatsu is a therapeutic bodywork in a warm water pool that combines water and shiatsu, creating a relaxing sensation of floating. Often called “Watsu”, they termed their signature sessions “Kiatsu”.

This is part of Golden Door’s Warm Honey Wrap & Orange Blossom Milk Soak. First, pure fresh honey is massaged on entire body and the guest is wrapped in thermal blankets and hot towels for skin softening while the feet are massaged. Then they go into the hydrotherapy tub to soak in a luxurious warm milk bath infused with fragrant orange blossom essential oil and finish with orange-blossom-scented lotion.

Guests enjoy their morning hikes at 6am through the 20 miles of private hiking trails. They are always accompanied by a Shepherd (one of their Fitness Specialists).

Hibiscus Sangria is a staple drink at Golden Door. It is made fresh in their kitchen and sweetened with oranges.

Traditional Japanese cuisine served at Golden Door Spa and usually containing fresh fish, cooked vegetables, rice and salad from their organic garden. Every dish is delicious and nutritious. Their Executive Chef, Curtis Cooke, chooses ripe vegetables and fruits from the organic garden and it’s always a creative, vibrant, delicious and satisfying meal.

Spa treatments are included in every visit, and one of their signature treatments is this Golden Door Pineapple Scrub. It’s applied with a silk mitt, followed by a soothing application of Pineapple Gel, Botanical Body Oil and Botanical Body Moisturizer.

Modeled after the Chartes Cathedral Labyrinth in France, this Labyrinth is part of their inner-focus where two guests are walking the 11-circuit path as an exercise for comtemplation and meditation.

Flowering plum trees like these grow all around the property.

Francine Hoffman is Golden Door’s Inner Focus Coordinator and Yoga Teacher. Here she is doing yoga on the mountain that resides along Golden Door Spa.

Golden Door has a variety of luxurious and therapeutic massage treatments to choose from. One of their popular requests, beside Japanese Shiatsu, is their Thai Massage.

All of their guestrooms have been newly renovated to continue reflecting their Japanese design while being more updated. They are cozy, quiet and reflective spaces with a moonviewing deck and optimal space for reading and seclusion.

Guests have beautiful views of their property and the Japanese gardens. Books are also hand-picked each week and placed on their desks.

In every guest room there is a meditative shrine called a Tokonama that holds a Japanese scroll and an Ikebana floral arrangement. This is depicted as a sacred space.

There are four areas of guest rooms on the property, centered around a particular Japanese garden: Azalea, Bell, Camellia & Garden. This picture shows their Camellia guest rooms, where the sunlight is hitting the garden. Many camellia flowers grow in this area.

Lastly this is the Evening Temple. In front of their beautiful dining room is a 300 yr old cast bronze bell from the Early Edo Period c. 1700 that was originally used to call the monks of the Josen-ji Buddhist temple to prayer. The ringing of the bell is now the nightly and eagerly anticipated call to dinner.

Want more of The Door? Check out our ever-growing Golden Door photo album on Facebook!

All photos and information courtesy of Golden Door Spa.

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Top 10 Hottest Spa Treatment Trends for Fall 2011

August 29, 2011 | By

Picture a world where job and family stress disappears at the door, where the only goal is bringing you UP, to make you healthier, happier, better looking, and to make you feel absolutely amazing. Step into to the spa.

But really… step INTO it. The wellness lifestyle is brewing with new opportunities, delving far beyond the basic massage and facial. Industry leaders are constantly innovating to deliver extraordinary relaxation, mind-body improvements, and tangible results. When’s the last time you’ve gone to the spa and tried something new? We’ve leveraged our exclusive relationships with hundreds of spa partners to extract privileged industry information to release the most accurate and trustworthy assessment of the direction of spa services to date. We are excited to release to you… Spa Week’s top 10 hottest spa treatment trends for Fall 2011.

Treat yourself to a wellness and beauty adventure this Spa Week® - $50 spa treatments across North America, October 10-16, 2011. The Fall spa directory launches September 12, when you’ll be able to see which spas are offering which services. Try one, try all— Spa Week is the time to indulge and experiment. All these treatments, many of which are usually anywhere between $100 and $500, will be available for just $50 a piece!

1. Shirodhara

We know what you’re thinking: Shiro-whata? Don’t try this at dinner, but drizzling warm sesame oil onto one’s forehead is extremely therapeutic. Shirodhara, which dates back to India circa 5000 years ago, is now being incorporated into more and more spa menus, and seen as an add-on to Western treatments like body wraps and Swedish Massages.

It’s the good kind of oil spill:
The ritual’s steady spilling brings physical and emotional balance while giving hair an extreme conditioning. Shirodhara is known to calm nerves, release stored emotions, purify the mind, and fight fatigue, anxiety, insomnia and headaches.

2. Bamboo Massage


De-knot your body by getting rolled out like a sugar cookie with a Bamboo rolling pin-esque Massage. The massage therapist will knead, glide and roll a Bamboo reed along shoulders, back and legs to pamper and penetrate tense muscles.

The benefits of Bamboo-ing:
Bamboo Massage promotes blood circulation, improves sensory nerve perception, and does lymphatic drainage. Bamboo also symbolizes longevity, luck and strength, making it a somewhat spiritual spa experience.

3. Cupping and Gua Sha

Did you ever wish you could literally suck or scrape the pain and soreness right out of your body? With the ancient Chinese healing therapies of cupping and Gua Sha, you can!

How it works:
Cupping uses suction on the skin’s surface to “suck” stagnant blood from deep beneath the surface, and Gua Sha “scrapes” the skin to mobilize blood flow in a similar fashion. Both alternative therapies provide extreme pain and tension relief, especially on the back. These therapies are becoming more and more mainstream, despite the temporary bruising it causes, as new consumers experience their drastic benefits.

4. Acupressure

No pressure to get pricked here. Acupressure employs the concept of acupuncture, (the granddaddy of healing) only rather than needles, it uses physical pressure of hands, elbows and other devices. Practitioners target specific points along the body’s energy pathways, or “meridians,” to encourage healing and balance in the individual.

What it’s good for:
Relief from allergies, chronic arthritis pain and migraines; pain-sufferers can reap the benefits of this ancient Chinese medicine without fear of being poked.

5. Bottoms Up at The Spa


It’s always happy hour at the spa, but more and more spas are incorporating alcohol into their treatment offerings.

On the cocktail menu:
Champagne and wine-infused treatments can smooth skin tissue, stimulate blood flow and are a powerful ingredient in anti-aging. Beer yeast is rich in elements that increase skin elasticity and improve acne by suppressing sebum. Even Scotch Whiskey is showing up on the spa scene; it’s full of sugars, minerals and vitamin B6, giving it excellent hydrating and anti-inflammatory properties.

6. Shellac Attack


There’s been a lot of hype around UV Manicures, especially the popular Shellac Manicure since it first launched last Spring – the hard lustrous finish! The zero dry-time! The 14-day no chipping/smudging/denting promise! And did you see the Shellac flash mob? A cross between gels and a regular manicure, products like Shellac and Axxium are certainly no fad, as the color selection gets larger and trendier each season.

Why Shellac?
Spa-goers love Shellac Manicures because they get a long lasting, no-mess result, and spas love them just as much because it brings in new clients and revenue, without increasing the service time. Shellac Manicures are a win-win!

7. Men’s Treatments

Did you know men make up for 31% of active spa-goers? And did you know the most common spa packages offered are for men, with 45% of U.S. spas offering such a package? By incorporating no-frills, guy-friendly scents like sandalwood, mustard seed, eucalyptus and thyme, spas are able to successfully market to men.

What services are considered guy-friendly?
Hot Shaves, Gentlemen’s Facials, Golf Ball Massages and more have enticed male consumers to experiment and experience the health benefits of the spa just as frequently as their female counterparts (who, oftentimes, are the ones who got them hooked!).

8. Mobile Spas  (not to be confused with Spa Week’s Mobile App)

With more and more mobile food establishments rolling around the country serving gourmet dishes and desserts, spas aren’t far behind. One of the emerging trends is getting your massage, facial, or other spa service street-side, in a spa on wheels.

Why go mobile?
Mobile spas are in high demand as they conveniently bring the day spa experience right to your home, office or venue. With gas prices at an all-time high, the mobile spa experience saves time and money, and is now a popular and sought-after addition to wellness and bridal parties and even corporate events.

9. Deep Sea Spa-ing

The word “spa” is derived from water, so it is a wonder that water-based spa treatments are so often overlooked. The Jacuzzi is perhaps the most well-known version of “hydro-therapy,” but more and more aquatic treatments like Hammam Rituals, Vichy Showers and Watsu are a booming trend, especially in hotel spas.

How to H2O:
Each of these water treatments utilized hydro-thermal therapy to relax tight and sore muscles and promote smooth and cleansed skin all while stimulating blood circulation to promote healing. Hammam Rituals combine heat, aromatherapy, steam, bubbles, water and mud to cleanse the skin and detoxify the body. A Vichy Shower is a unique aquatic therapy that invigorates your body while laying flat under powerful water jets, inspired by treatments used in the French city, Vichy. Watsu, short for water Shiatsu, is a massage performed in a warm, shallow pool.  As the water gently cradles the guest so the massage therapist can work the full 360 degrees of your body.

10.   Spa with a Conscience

“Green” spas and treatments are thriving right now in the industry; spa owners are making critical revisions by incorporating renewable energy, holistic and eco-friendly services and indigenous ingredients into their businesses, and it’s paying off in the long run.

But how?
More and more consumers are considering a spa’s environmental philosophy, along with price and location in their decision to visit a new spa. Spas are practicing conservation by purchasing organic linens, biodegradable aesthetic gauze and eco-friendly cleaning supplies to keep each guest sanitary and safe during their appointment. How’s that for a feel-good spa day?

Mobile spas photo courtesy of Appease Inc. Shellac photo courtesy of CND.

Filed Under: Spa Treatments, Spa Week Event, Spas Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Spa Glossary: Do You Watsu?

August 2, 2011 | By

By Shelby Jones, Public Relations Manager, ISPA

With temperatures soaring around the country the only outdoor activity anybody seems to be interested in is lounging in a pool. If you’re in search of a break from the heat and a little relaxation, we know the perfect treatment: Watsu.

Watsu is a massage that uses shiatsu techniques and is performed completely in water. Since the body is weightless when submerged you can move more freely and manipulate limbs more easily. A therapist supports your body and gently stretches and massages you as you continually move through the water. You ears will be submerged but your nose and mouth will stay above the water.

Harold Dull is credited with formulating the technique in the early 1980s. While it’s not widely available at most spas, only about two percent of spas offer it in the U.S. (ISPA 2010 U.S. Spa Industry Study), it’s a great treatment to try anytime of the year. As Watsu gained popularity, several similar techniques were formed including water dance where the client is submerged, healing dance which incorporates dance techniques in the water and the Jahara Technique that utilizes flotation devices.

Many people find Watsu helpful if they are recovering from an injury, need to relieve muscle and joint pain or want to gain flexibility. We’re willing to bet that Rodney Dangerfield had a few Watsu sessions before performing his famous Triple Lindy.

If you want to learn more about different spa treatments visit ISPA’s spa glossary at experienceispa.com.

If you’re in the spa industry, we encourage you to become a member of our partner ISPA; weekly e-mails with pointers like these are just one small part of the package to help you succeed!

Shelby Jones is based in Lexington, KY at the ISPA headquarters, Spa Week’s exclusive trade partner. She has worked as ISPA’s Public Relations Manager for five years where she connects with top media outlets to promote ISPA members and the spa lifestyle. To get in touch with Shelby please visit experienceispa.com, email her or follow @ISPADoYou on Twitter. If you’re in the spa industry, we encourage you to become a member of ISPA; weekly e-mails with pointers like these are just one small part of the package to help you succeed!

Images via and via

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