Detox: A Hot Topic Among Club Spa Readers!
By Susie Ellis

In the Club Spa e-newsletter, which goes out twice a month, I get to answer one of the many spa questions our readers send in. Here is the Q & A from this week. Am sharing it because I have received an avalanche of response and follow-up questions. Detox is a hot topic!

Thought I would share the exchange and invite you to respond on the blog as well:

Ask Susie...

QUESTION:
I live in California and would like to spend a week not too far away, with an emphasis on detox.

ANSWER:
There is spa detox and then there is addiction detox. You are probably referring to spa detox, which you will find at both the Sanoviv Medical Institute in Mexico (just 30 minutes south of San Diego) and We Care Spa Juice Fasting & Spiritual Retreat in Palm Springs, California. Other spas with detox programs — some a bit further away — are listed here.

Your questions gives me a chance to mention something about the somewhat controversial reality TV show "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew." It gives a good glimpse into the difference between detoxing at a spa and detoxing at an alcohol and drug addiction treatment center. While yoga and other spa-like components are part of many alcohol and drug addiction residential treatment programs (even the Betty Ford Center in California has a pool, gym, fitness, yoga, meditation classes and massages available on Sundays), detox at these rehab centers is medically supervised and very different than detoxing at a spa. Read more about detox here.

E-mail your spa question to Susie at asksusie@spafinder.com.

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SpaFinder’s Hot Spa Trends for 2008!
By Susie Ellis

Buzz Words: New Spa Gyms, Star Therapists, Wellness, Luxury Detox, Spa Real Estate, Sleep, Spa and Weight-loss, Fertility and Spa, Hydro and Thermal Spa Experiences, Urban Ethnic Spas, Spa and Technology.

This week is Trend Week at SpaFinder! We released the findings of our year-long studies on emerging trends for the spa industry. The links below will take you to the SpaFinder Insider, which was emailed to industry professionals who have signed up to receive this email newsletter. In it, I outlined each of the top 10 Spa Trends for 2008.

SpaFinder Insider on Trends

I am also giving you a link to the press release that went to the media. As there is always a flurry of media interest in our trends, do let me know if you have spotted an example of one of them (perhaps you have experienced a fertility spa or know of an urban ethnic spa “gem”) or you are a spa which is an example of one of these trends.

SpaFinder Global Trends Press Release

For a quick snapshot….here are SpaFinder's 10 Spa Trends to Watch in 2008!

The "Feng Shui'd" Gym
A Star (Therapist) Is Born
Wellness, Wellness, Wellness
Luxury Detox and Luxury Bootcamps
Spa Real Estate Mania
Taking Sleep Seriously... Especially if you Want to Lose Weight
Fertility Tranquility
Hydro and Thermal Super-Experiences
Urban Spa Explorer
Plug-in or Unplug: It's up to You

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After visiting six spas in Canada on this trip and combining these experiences with what I learned from visiting a few other spas in Canada in the past, here are the things that surprised me the most about the Canadian spa scene:

1. I didn't realize that therapists in Canada go through much more extensive training than therapists in the U.S. (My massage therapist at Ste. Anne's went to school for three years.) I checked out some of the massage schools and found that 2200 hours of education was about average, compared to 600 hours in the U.S. In general, the treatments I experienced throughout Canada have been noticiably more professional.

2. I was surprised at how many boutique spas there were in Canada and even more so, that most were all-inclusive. More often than not, overnight accommodations, all meals (including tea), and a spa treatment were included in the nightly room rate.

3. Detox was big, weight loss not so much.

4. The Canadian spa industry is much more developed than I thought, perhaps due in part to the fact that they haven't done much marketing or PR outside of Canada.

(added as a result of the comment posted)
5. Elmcrest College of Applied Health Sciences & Spa Management has a one year spa management program that has been around for many years. What's special about their program is that all the students get practice in all spa positions because they actually work at a day spa, which the school runs. Another well kept secret that hopefully won't stay a secret much longer.

The view at Grail Springs is the first thing that captured our attention. They are right on a lake which, when we visited, glistened in the sun although covered with ice and snow. They have made good use of that view from their great room, the dining room and from many of the bedrooms.

Stacey and I met with Madeline, the owner, who was kind enough to stay longer than planned because we did get a tad delayed in our drive. I love love love meeting the owners of spas because then I can understand the core philosophy and meeting Madeline was no exception. She is a very attractive woman with a great senses of style which was obvious from the outfit she wore. A real country look yet with the most contemporary bubbled hemline. I wasn't surprised when she told us later that she was a designer.

She had just returned from New York where, among other things, she had done an interview for MSNBC on "The Secret". (That's the book so many people are talking about since Oprah had the Australian author on her TV show.) It's become a controversial book with people lined up in support and in opposition. Madeline is "pro" as she leads "The Secret" retreats at Grail Springs.

What I learned about Grail Springs is how focused they are on detox. The food, the treatments, the reading materials - detox is a real foundation. They have the new infrared hot house dome which can cover various body parts for a really focused infrared therapy. They also have the detox foot baths which I am beginning to see at more spas. And they have colonic therapy.

More about that later.

Sunday’s New York Times (December 12) ran a short, somewhat humorous piece, entitled “Spa Trends: Goodbye Pampering, Hello Rehab.” Jennifer Colin poked some fun at Spa Finder’s top spa trends for 2007, in which we predicted a new emphasis on healthy sleep at spas, detox programs, retreats, medical tourism, spa lifestyle communities with kids, bottom-line considerations, social spa-ing, and words such as "green," "beauty inside out and outside in," and "spa fusion." Apparently, it all seemed a bit too strenuous for her.

I will give her credit for her point, however. For people who are not very familiar with the spa world, it might be a bit overwhelming to think that all these things are now available at spas. After all, we know that the number-one reason people go to spas is to relax and de-stress. That list of trends might not sound very relaxing!

So let me correct the perception. Spas are still about relaxing and de-stressing – even pampering and taking baths – but they are also about a whole lot more. The trends we see are making it that much more worthwhile to go to a spa.

Yesterday marked an annual event I always look forward to: Our announcement of Spa Finder's “Trends to Watch for” in the upcoming year. This is the fourth consecutive year for which we have issued a spa trend “prediction” report. We always do a press release as well as one of my “Spa Finder Insiders” in which we explain each of the trends. To make this really easy for you, here is the press release and a rundown of the ten trends discussed.

1) Sleep - A New Dawn in Spa Health
Healthy sleep is being added to spa programs, inspired by the emerging field of sleep medicine, which has revealed that sleep has a profound effect on appearance, weight, and well-being - and that we, as a nation, are dangerously sleep-deprived.

2) Detox
As the culture continues to identify more "toxins" - such as dietary no-no's, stress, and environmental pollution - look for more people to turn to spas for a range of detox solutions, including relaxation, all-organic diets, sweating (exercise, steams and saunas), and the purging of emotional baggage through one-on-one or group therapy work.

3) Spa Retreats - On the March
Resorts and hotels are getting into the retreat business, adding specialty programs or special accommodations that appeal to their past guests - in effect becoming "destination spas" for a period of time.

4) Medical Tourism - In Search of Affordable Health
Squeezed by domestic health care costs, many Americans are going online and discovering global destinations that offer cutting-edge medical procedures for a fraction of the cost ... often in beautiful, culturally rich locales like Bangkok, South Africa and India, to name a few.

5) Move into a Spa Lifestyle Community...and Bring the Kids
Recognizing the growing priority among parents on raising their children in an active, healthful, communal environment (and avoiding the growing problems of childhood obesity and diabetes), more spa lifestyle communities will offer structured outdoor/exercise activities and healthy eating options just for children.

6) The Bottom Line Becomes a Top-Line Consideration
More spa trends in the New Year - such as destaffed spa treatments and revenue management - will be driven by the bottom line, which will play an ever-larger role in shaping the competitive landscape and determining what the industry will offer.

7) Social Spa-ing
In 2007, the search for spa solitude will be trumped by the natural desire for community and a growing awareness that social interaction is an important aspect of health.

8) How Green Is My Spa?
Consumers are now factoring in a spa's green commitment when they choose a spa, and they're looking for a spa that does more than just recycle and offer organic food.

9) Beauty Inside-Out and Outside-In
The spa industry will continue to lead innovation in skincare with new technologies and programs that recognize that beauty is much more than skin deep. Consumers will become more aware of anti-aging foods rich in antioxidants - such as berries, dark green leafy vegetables, salmon, and nuts - as well as a new generation of clinically enhanced skincare products.

10) Spa Fusion
Look for more combined modalities that are even more beneficial than the sum of their parts, such as Thai massage (a fusion of yoga stretches and massage), Watsu (water and shiatsu), wellness (well-being and fitness) and yogalates (yoga and pilates).

The Farm at San Benito has the best detox program I have seen. It is so thorough – and so comfortable. Now I understand why I keep running into people here who are repeat visitors. One woman quit smoking the first time, lost weight the second time, and now she comes just to stay on track, since she is a high powered executive from Hong Kong who lives a pretty fast-paced life.

So much here is about detoxification, from the food on down to the colemas, the colonics, the yoga breathing, the meditation, the spa treatments, etc. I had a two-hour salt scrub that was really a massage with salt and coconut oil. It even included my face, which is pretty unusual…but all of my skin glowed afterward. I also tried what is called the Moxa Ventoza, which is done with six glasses that are used as suction on your back. I had read about this before but never experienced it. After the therapist finished my 30-minute suction session, I asked her to explain to me exactly what she did (couldn’t see what was happening on my back). I’ll give you the details tomorrow.

Have you heard of The Farm at San Benito? It's a destination spa two hours outside of Manila in the Philippines. What a surprise - it is very luxurious in an eco-friendly way. I had heard that it is a five-star vegan detox place. I knew I would be able to handle the five-star part, but vegan and colonics?

Well, so far I have just experienced the former (colon detox is scheduled for this afternoon). Last night I had a five-course vegan dinner that was amazing. Here's the menu:

Cauliflower samosas with mint chutney

Creamy miso tomato soup

Salad buffet

Indonesian rice tamales with carrot lemongrass sauce

Assorted Indian pastries with mango lasse shot

And then I decided to finish it off with a serving of virgin coconut oil, which is all the rage here for detox. It is supposed to prepare me for the upcoming colon detox.

I will let you know how things develop. :)