Horwath Spa Consulting

Spa Cuisine is slowly moving to the fore in our fast growing industry, however regrettably only a few chefs or proprietors have yet to see the full value of this style of cooking as an integral element and fully complimentary to the services being provided in the total mind, body and soul experience. For those far sighted chefs and proprietors that have, the basic elements of this style of cooking are simple and nothing to be feared providing you are open minded in your approach to food and not set in your ways with methods of traditional cooking. Spa Cuisine can easily be defined as low fat cooking with a low sodium and a low sugar content. (This should not be mis-read as ‘no’, but ‘LOW’. Spa Cuisine does not mean that you have to eliminate all the principals of traditional cooking, just that they need to be reviewed to a healthier format.) From this base the more adventurous Chef can then build his or her own variations including such options as low dairy and or low gluten cookery.

Taking the low fat element, many cooks and Chefs are prone to throw their arms up in fear and horror and run from this method of meal preparation as fat is seen traditionally as the major flavour carrier in our food, and without it, our food is bland and tasteless. This need not be the case, and if the fat is reduced, the flavour MUST be enhanced in other ways to counterbalance the sensory experience. The addition of palate stimulants such as fresh herbs and spices or some lemon or lime juice/zest are some of the options that can quickly elevate a dish to one of grandeur.

Even the humble ginger root (or more correctly ‘ginger rhizome’) can be used as a flavour enhancer or stimulant. This common commodity found in most Asian kitchens is used in everything from soups to salads, stir-fries and desserts and will add a little extra flavour to your cooking that may be missing because you have reduced the fat as a cooking medium. Not only with the obvious benefits to the sensory palate, but as with all dishes prepared extolling the principles of Spa Cuisine whereby the ingredients are freshly picked and raw or subjected to minimal heat, the use or addition of ginger root results in notable health benefits for the consumer, whether this is added in the fresh or dried form.

From a simple cup of ginger tea through accompaniments of pickled ginger to main dishes such as the Thai culinary specialty of ‘Pat King’ (stir-fried mushrooms with ginger) and on to ginger cake, we can consume a considerable quantity of this pungent rhizome, yet we all too often over look the greater benefits that we can experience beyond its magnificent taste.

Ginger is well known for its ability to act as an anti-inflammatory and circulatory stimulant, but ginger is also known to relieve headaches and arthritis, is an anti-nausea remedy, expectorant, antiseptic, prevents vomiting and is an antioxidant, to name a few of its many health benefits. As a cleansing herb, it has a warming effect that supports the digestive system while stimulating circulation and sweating.

The powerful enzymes in ginger increase the action of the gall bladder while protecting the liver against toxins. It can reduce the volume of acid in the stomach and prevent ulcers caused by irritants such as stress or alcohol. Ginger root (fresh or dried) is included in up to half of all herbal prescriptions in China as it is believed to decrease the toxicity of other ingredients.
Also in our regular diet, we eat many foods for traditional reasons and while there may be a religious or cultural reasoning for this marriage of foods and flavours, there can be a scientific basis for at least some of these traditions. As an example, the Japanese have been eating ginger (usually pickled) with their snacks and meals of sushi (raw fish) for centuries. Whether known by the average Japanese household or not, ginger has been proven to be effective against the possible infection by parasites which are found in raw fish, especially protozoan anisakis. So it is not only the great taste benefits of this food marriage, but also the obvious health benefits.

In fresh ginger, the pungent plant chemical gingerol is present, but this changes to an even more pungent shogaol when subjected to heat or dehydration. Both these plant chemicals contain therapeutic properties so the addition of ginger to your cooking whether fresh or dried will not only add flavour to your diet, but act as a general health tonic from which the whole family can benefit.

To ensure maximum benefits and minimum side effects, include ginger in your meal or consume after meals, and remember that ginger has been noted as a contra indicator for those who suffer from kidney disease.

Add a little ginger flavour today…..

As we all walk down the shopping aisle, there is one important bit of information that appears (or should appear) on every packaged food item. This information is the content and nutrition label. As many of us find it all too difficult or time consuming to prepare a meal from fresh ingredients, we resort to the commercially prepared items. This is acceptable in some instances, and perhaps even necessary in others, but as a standard practice should not be accepted. Fresh foods MUST be a major part of your diet plan. If you are missing out on this and resorting to the commercial products, BE WARNED. Have you read the content and nutrition label on the package that you have just put in your shopping trolley? Or more to the point have you EVER read it? What does all this fine print mean?

Once you have read the label, can you believe it? Is it correct? A report from the Food & Drug Authority (FDA) in 1996 says that on average 92% of the information is correct. This is perhaps less than you or I would have expected, but if you think about it when manufacturing a few million items while the big batch may contain 20% this and 15% that and 12% something else when it is broken down into a saleable portion if may well contain 18% this, 16% that and 14% something else. After all, the law of averages is at work here. This is something to keep in mind. The label is an average, not an exact science. It does give you a listing of the ingredients and a good idea as to the proportions of these ingredients in the total product. Is it mostly sugar, how many chemicals, does it contain nuts? Also ingredients must be listed in their order by volume. Ingredients to look out for especially if listed in the first few items on a label are: Sugar, High Fructose corn syrup, Oil, Shortening, Butter, Lard, Artificial ingredients (the ‘E’ numbers) and Sodium (salt)

Foods which do not make nutritional claims or foods that contain only very small amounts of nutrients which are considered important need not have labels. To be sure if it is a full label detailing all the information you need to make an informed decision, the information must be entitled ‘Nutrition Facts’. This label may be in the form of a nutrition table or on smaller items where space on the total label is an issue may be listed.

Nutritional labeling is base on a ‘serving size’. Consequently some less scrupulous manufactures put this at much less than you might reasonably expect. Take breakfast cereals. A common serving size here is 30g – however if you actually measure out 30g you may find that you have less than half of the portion that you would normally eat.

The number of servings per pack is also important. If you consume half of the pack and the label says the pack contains four portions, then you need to double the all the nutritional data for an accurate consumption level. You are only fooling yourself if you eat two or more of the manufactures servings and stick to the single serving nutrition information.

Once you have this mastered, then you can start to work out the ‘special labels’ that some foods contain. These have become more and more common as the marketing companies become more aggressive in their sales pitch to us. But, be warned – that no-fat label may still mean the food contains fat. To be labeled as ‘no fat’ or ‘fat free’ the food only needs to contain less than 0.5g per serving. Question – How big is the serving?

In the table below are further definitions of special labels.

Information on a label relating to the percentage of daily value is also important. While it is important to check the serving size, and keep items such as fats and sugars at a low level, you should look for products with high levels of total carbohydrates, dietary fiber and vitamins for optimal health benefits.

Many people have problems when they first read the nutrition labels, but persevere as you will quickly learn which are the right foods for you - nutritionally or financially. After all if the item is very high in fat, sugar or water, then if might be cheaper to buy a packet of butter, sugar or a bottle of water at a considerably cheaper price.

You have worked hard all year on your healthy eating plan, watching the foods you eat and only eating what you body needs, not giving into what you mind wants - and then comes the ‘end of year’ parties and celebrations.  What to do?

With a little foresight and consideration you can celebrate without guilt.

Drinks – a glass or two of water BEFORE your party will help and always keep a glass of water nearby.  Your body will thank you for the additional hydration this will give to balance out any of the alcoholic drinks you may consume as well as help to fill you up without any of the negative nutritional influence of sugars and/or alcohol that are present in the commonly available beverages served.  Consider adding ice (not for the temperature reducing qualities) to ‘thin’ the drink and follow it up with a glass of water if possible.

It is also a good idea to drink a glass or two of water when you get home as this will help flush out some of the body’s toxins resulting from any indulgences of the party.

Foods - Unless you have a strong sense of quantity, it is very easy to overeat when presented with a lavish spread of foods at a buffet.  Being the perfect host you will want all your guests to think that you have been lavish in your provision of foods, but to all of this there is a cost that has to be paid and I do not mean financially.  If your sense of quantity is not strong, then a few tips that may help are:

• Choose a chair as far from the buffet table as possible
• One plate at a time
• On your first trip to the buffet table, select a large plate and add lots of self control - then fill the remaining space with raw foods.  There after always choose the smallest available plate.
• On your second trip take a bowl of (non-cream) soup if available.
• Desserts – try to skip this section.  By the end of the meal you really do not need the sugar hit that you will get from this.

For a ‘sit down’ meal NEVER order a second helping regardless of how good it tastes or how much your host insists.  One serving is polite, two is gluttony.  For ‘family style’ meals where all the food is placed in the centre of the table the same rules apply as for buffets.

Remember always that your body has the same nutritional requirements yesterday as it did today.  If you consume or plan to consume a level of food or drinks that is in excess of your normal levels then make the adjustments accordingly.  Consume less on the day before or the day after.

Exercise - This does not have to be a five mile hike or a session at the gym.  It can be as simple as a walk around the block, cleaning the house or a round of golf.  Whatever it is, make sure it is regular and that you continue whatever exercise program you are on over this period - it is more important now than at any other time of the year.  It can assist in balancing out any of the excesses in which you may have indulged yourself.  If these indulgences are too great, simply increase the intensity or duration of the activity.  If you are normally a ‘couch potato’, consider taking a flight of stairs instead of the elevator or use the on/off button on the TV instead of the remote control.  Any exercise is better than none.

Thailand is unique in the spa world, given that the largest sector of the industry is the Resort Spa sector compared with the vast majority of countries where the Day Spa sector is the driving force.  The Thai spa industry is very much a holiday experience with almost 90% of spa goers across the kingdom being tourists - be they international or local.  There are moves underway to try and change this, but given that the key component of the Thai Spa industry (Thai massage) having a rich cultural and traditional heritage within the family life, it is probably still a long way off before the majority of this nations residents see the health advantage over the financial considerations of a Thai spa experience versus a Thai massage.   However with continued economic growth and consumers enjoying a greater disposable income, their willingness to spend money on services which are often perceived as luxurious should see a rethink with the realization that regular spa visits can assist in living a longer and healthier life, but until this happens the dependence on the tourist dollar will remain for many spa operators.

Traditional Thai therapies such as Thai Massage and Thai Foot Massage are the cultural heart of the industry, so there was a solid foundation from which to build when a water element was added, and the nation proclaimed a ‘new industry’ – the Thai Spa industry.  Since the establishment of the first spas in Thailand in the early 1990’s when confusion reigned within government and industry ranks as to what a ‘spa’ really was, how to categorize it within the existing legal framework or even what the official definition of a spa was and by whom or how the industry should be regulated, and which authoritative body was responsible for establishing what legality for the industry, there has been significant development and improvement.  The wheels of government and industry sometimes grind slowly, but in 2002 the definition of ‘spa’ was finally agreed upon and spas became (in part) “ a business establishment for the promotion of health care and wellness, where the main services consist of massage and water application for promoting health and wellness”.  Shortly thereafter the official separation of the spa industry from the massage parlor industry the industry was seen as a great stride forward, and the subsequent introduction of certification of Spa Therapists and the instigation of a national test by the Ministry of Public Health for those seeking registration as Spa Managers have been embraced by all as positive industry developments

Fortunately, other than the much maligned massage excise tax that was imposed in early 2004, for the most part the teething issues experienced have now been largely resolved, and the Thai Spa industry is looked upon as a guiding light for many of our neighbors’ burgeoning spa industries as something that they can aspire towards.

You can now experience an ever varying number and diversity of spa treatments and therapies as each operator seeks to establish their own market position.  From Thai massage to Tibetan, Swedish to Shiatsu, Aroma to Ayurveda, diagnostic, curative or pampering, a myriad of body scrubs and wraps, baths, showers, herbal steams, poultices and soaks, infra-red saunas, 100% natural or spa age technology – the menu choices that feed the mind, the body and the spirit just continue to grow.  Despite all of this the vast majority of people still go to a spa for a basic massage, so much of the extra remains marketing padding and not necessarily business reality.

Given its growth the Thai spa industry remains relatively small, with less than 500 spas employing about 5,000 therapists, and the true impact of the spa industry on the economy of Thailand is difficult to substantiate in monetary terms, although many have tried.  Last year, an Asian wide survey by SpaAsia magazine reported that 83% of people consider ‘spa’ when making their final decision as to where they would spend their holiday, thereby indicating that the actual amount of money spent while visiting a spa represents only a small fraction of the financial value of spas to a nations economy.

There is now a growing awareness that the industry offers the potential of a long term career possibility for those seeking to make their living from an industry that is based on the cultural heritage of Thailand – an industry that offers more than a quick ‘feel good’ factor, but one that can assist circulation, detoxification and improve the overall feeling of well being, thereby extending our quality of life – an industry that every man, woman and child in this country can truly be proud of, and should also seek to protect as the world tries to copy it.

In mid 2005, the Department of Skilled Labor introduced a series of standards for Spa Therapists and while these are not legally binding, for those seeking to become experts in their profession, are standards to which all should aspire even if they seem out of reach today, as they will only serve to further improve the professionalism of the industry.

In 1999 the Department of Export Promotion organized the first Health & Beauty Show, and in 2000, Thailand hosted its first international industry conference.  The Health & Beauty Shows have continued to grow and prosper even though the concept has been copied by a myriad of smaller local event organizers, with the Thai Spa Association even hosting its own Thai Spa Day exhibition back in March, yet it was not until September of this year that a second international industry conference was held in the kingdom, but the event calendars for 2006 already promise at least three major events, thereby cementing the industry as a credible industry force.

The Thai Spa Association is proud to be part of this growth and has already been confirmed as a supporting sponsor for major international events as far ahead as mid 2007, so the outlook is bright for those that choose to become involved.

Often regarded by many as from the realm of witch craft or unorthodox medical practitioners the humble garden herb is the precursor of the modern pharmacy and while of limited nutritional value has definite health benefits. If you are used to eating today’s diet of over refined, over processed and excessive chemical laden foods, then the inclusion of fresh herbs in your meals is a healthy addition of ‘life and light’. Aside from the specific benefits that some herbs offered (as listed below) just the increase in fresh food items will assist in improving your overall diet.

An estimated 25% of today’s ‘modern medicines’ are derived directly from herbs including foxglove to make digitalis for heart patients, opium poppies to make morphine and Madagascar periwinkle to make vincristine for Leukemia patients. The scientists are now scanning the remaining forests of the world for even more ‘wonder herbs’ to help to cure the world’s ills. Herbs have been used centuries to treat illness - Chinese and Ayurvedic herbs are enjoying a renewed interest from ‘the west’, and it is only now that scientists are confirming what practitioners using these herbs have known for centuries. Thailand is fortunate to have a solid base in traditional herbal medicines which some government departments actively promoting the use of and even conducting further research to fully understand what the populations of yesteryear took for granted.

Despite all the knowledge we now have about herbs today, there continues some wide spread misconceptions about herbs and herbal remedies. Many assume that because herbs are ‘natural’ that they are safer than the doctor prescribed ‘synthetic drugs’. This may not be the case as herbs can have a negative side effect and even be extremely toxic, so they are best taken under advise from a health professional if being taken for specific medicinal purposes, or at the very least taken in moderation.

Aside from the specified medicinal benefits of herbs, there are other benefits from which we can all benefit. If used in cooking the quantity of herbs utilized is unlikely to be of any real medicinal value, but is still likely to offer some health benefits. Some of the more common herbs of the Thai kitchen that have health benefits are; Basil, used heavily in many Thai dishes is an excellent cold remedy in addition to being an insect repellant, chives contain sulfur oil so may assist to lower blood pressure (although this is extremely unlikely if you only sprinkle a few over the top of your grilled fish), coriander leaves the mainstay herb of the Thai kitchen will ease indigestion, mint will freshen your mouth and can also aid in digestion. Ginger is a great health tonic from aiding digestion to killing parasites in fresh fish, so always eat some ginger (fresh or pickled) with your sashimi just to make sure. Dill is effective in the alleviation of intestinal gas and parsley is an antioxidant, breath-freshener and diuretic, but should be consumed by pregnant women with caution as it can cause uterine stimulation. Garlic the mainstay herb of many cuisines is an excellent flavour enhancer in addition to being a general blood cleanser, anti-microbial, reducer of blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels and an anti-parasitic. Some of the more unusual herbs such as stevia also have health benefits. Aside from the obvious reduction in calories when being used as a sweetener (1 tsp of dried leaves is equivalent to 1 cup of sugar) stevia is also a digestive aid and diuretic.

When dining in Asia, especially in the more ‘traditional’ restaurants, we are fortunate to be at times offered plates of fresh vegetables and herbs as part of our meal. Aside from obvious textural benefits from eating this, remember that it is for a reason – your health.

Food is to enjoy – or is it?  In our endeavor to look to a leaner diet where we consume much less fat that our forefathers did, (and many of us continue to even though our bodies no longer need the same level of saturated fats to survive) many have opted for barbequed or grilled foods as a means of lowering the fat content in their diet.  This seems to be a reasonably simple and safe option and while this appears to be a wise move on the surface, as with all things in life - there is a balance and while we gain a positive on one hand, we gain negatives on the other.

The process of grilling has limited negative nutritional impact on foods, with any loss of nutrition easily out weighted by the increased desirability.  However when grilling - temperatures of over 1000ºC can be experienced compared to around 250ºC in an oven; this increase in heat may cause some foods to cook ‘quicker’, but it also causes the fat on surface of meat to quickly burn away, releasing acrid fumes.  With the smoke generated from fat dripping into the fire containing carcinogens, grilling must be done in a well ventilated area (or better still – outdoors).  Eating grilled (or fried) meats increases the body’s exposure to harmful DNA damaging chemicals by over 50 times in comparison to boiled or baked meats.

Researchers at the University of Chicago have demonstrated that a single well-done char-grilled steak contained as much benzopyrene or cancer causing soot as the smoke from 100 cigarettes.

Hydrocarbons and carcinogenic nitrosamines form when grilling meat, and again in the digestive tract when bacon and other foods that contain nitrite are cooked or eaten.  However Vitamin C and E block the chemical reaction that causes nitrosamines in the digestive tract.  Wheat bran binds with nitrites and makes it unavailable to form nitrosamine.  So if you have a glass of orange juice with your meal and a slice of bran fortified bread, then any health risk from nitrosamines is significantly reduced.  Bioflavonoids in vegetables and fruits bind directly to carcinogens thus preventing any reaction with the DNA.  Fibre will also assist in the speedy removal of carcinogens from the digestive tract by either binding with or diluting them.

Despite all this, there is still no direct correlation between the chemicals that damage DNA in bacteria and these same chemicals in the human body.

Grilled foods that have been favoured by generation after generation of a wide cross section of the world’s communities do not constitute a threat if they are consumed as part of a healthy diet.  To minimize any possible negative impact on your health by grilling your food, trim meats of all visible fat and boil or bake all items until they are half cooked and then finish the cooking on the grill so you get the crusty BBQ’d finish on the outside, while retaining the moisture on the inside.  If you are not prepared to have a vegetarian BBQ, then at least always have lots of leafy green vegetables, salads, whole-grain breads and fresh fruits available to ensure a maximum amount of vitamins and fibre is included to balance out any health risk as mentioned above.

Do not stop eating grilled foods because of what you have learnt here – there are health risks from the polluted airs we breathe, from the contaminated water we drink, you can get cancer from working in the sun, or killed driving your car, so any reduction to your health or enjoyment of life as a result of eating grilled foods will be minimal compared to any of these health risks - providing it is all taken in moderation.

Vitamins by their very definition are essential to health. Some are manufactured by the body, yet with others we need a little help from a ‘healthy’ diet. Required in minute quantities in comparison to our total food intake they are not a source of energy nor do they contribute directly to the tissues of the body. Instead they facilitate a vast array of biochemical processes that are essential to the bodies growth, development and overall health.

If you have ever read a magazine, then chances are that you have read about Vitamins. We are told my health professionals and manufactures alike that we need to take more of Vitamin ‘this’ or Mineral ‘that’ to help them with their budgets, but do we really need all that Vitamin A, B, C, D or E. Chances are that if you consume regular meals that are low in fat, and high in freshness, then you probably do not need any additional intake of these ‘common’ Vitamins. If in doubt, consultant with your healthcare professional, who will advise you accordingly. Below is a brief summary of the common and not so common Vitamins.

As time goes by and technicians and researchers continue the work in the further discover of the exacting moleculacr structure of the foods that we eat, this list of vitamins will grow. Vitamin K was only discovered in 1929, and little is yet known about P, T and U.

As with all things in life, balance is essential. Many of these vitamins occur in combination in a variety of foods, so a deficiency in one will probably mean a deficiency in others. Equally consumption of a specific vitamin can put the body into total imbalance, even resulting in toxicity, so if you feel your diet is lacking consult with a health care professional before purchasing any vitamin supplements

Are you feeling tired and run down?  Have you been working hard lately, or may be burning the midnight oil a little hotter than you should have?  Is your life filled with stress, a word that is bandied around in today with great abandon, it is just a case of too little sleep, or that something is missing in your diet?  There are a multitude of causes and there are a multitude of mediums to give a little ‘buzz’ back to your life.  Some options include charka rebalancing – cleansing of your bodies subtle energy centres, cleansing of your aura or simply selecting your foods more carefully.

Choosing carefully also means that you understand a little about what is in your selection.  Carbohydrates (cakes, muffins, coconut pudding, cookies) are one of the quickest ‘pick me up’ because they contain simple sugars.  However this quick lift can be a quick fall also, so perhaps not the wisest of moves.  Complex carbohydrates (wholegrain breads and pastas) contain chains of sugars that have to be broken down before they can be used, meaning that they provide a more sustainable level of energy that will take longer to dissipate.

Choose foods that provide a sustainable energy level.  Wholegrain foods are one of the best ways to go.  Brown rice, oats, wholegrain pastas and breads.  Vegetables or more specifically, root vegetables area also a good source of carbohydrates - carrots, turnips, potatoes and the English favorite white carrot or parsnip will give you a ‘lift’.  Broccoli, cabbage, lentils and soy beans will also do the trick.  Other gourmet delights that come into the ‘lift’ category are fresh fruits including bananas and pineapple, and also perhaps a few items that you may think are a little strange in this list, oily fish and even walnuts.

With all of these items as with most things in life, there is a good side and a bad.  For now we will be concentrating on the good side.  Fresh fruits in addition to carbohydrates also contain good levels of water, are low in fat and high in fibre.  If your diet is a little lax in the fibre content, you may not be as ‘regular’ as you should be.  Fresh fruits especially with their water and fibre contents can assist with this problem, but fruits also contain a wealth of vitamins and minerals, and are high in antioxidants.  To avoid any counter productivity on the health aspect of fruit, always choose organic, if it is available.

Avoid foods which are high in salts, sugars, fats or alcohol as these will only slow you down across the day.  If you think about this, you know it only too well.  After a ‘heavy’ meal laden with fats, you will often fall asleep, where as if you have a lighter meal filled with raw vegetables, you will come to life.  The theory here is simple – ‘dead’ foods leaves you ‘dead’, where as ‘live’ foods will give you life.

So choose fresh salads (without the heavy clawing dressings), lightly steamed (not sautéed or deep-fried) vegetables, wholegrain foods (preferably ones with low refined sugar levels) and avoid those obviously fatty foods.  You have been told many times that a baked potato is healthier for you (providing you do not top it with too much butter or sour cream) and it is definitely much lower in fat than the ubiquitous French fry and know you know why.  The fat element only serves to slow you down.

This is not to say that you have to eat only raw vegetables, steamed fish and vegetables and leave out the desserts, ice-creams and French fries, but you have to eat everything in moderation.  As mentioned earlier, if you eat foods full of life, then you will be too, but if you miss out a little and really need a spoonful of sugar to ‘lift your day’, then go for it, but remember the faster it goes up, the quicker it comes down.

Everything in life is moderation.

Entering a spa, you enter a world that will allow you to reassess a variety of issues that may or may not be affecting your body and its performance.  Is your body living up to your expectations of its presentation or performance?  If so, how can you maintain or further enhance this for as long as possible, or if not, how can you improve the situation?

Time in a spa is much, much more than just the feel good factor provided by relaxation and pampering, even though this may well be the primary reason that most people first enter a spa.  Your visit to the spa is very much focused on your body, and how it is (or anticipated to be) pampered and/or pummeled in order that the anticipated objective is achieved, and whether or not you realize it, time is a spa is an investment in your overall health and wellbeing.

You may well think that a spa visit is just a chance to be pampered, and while this may well be the case in a home spa environment where the bath is surrounded by a few candles and the waters are scented with flower petals and essential oils, it is much, much more in a dedicated spa environment, where you care is handled by a trained professional.  A successful spa operator will have taken into consideration a large number of factors to ensure that the therapy that your body receives is as beneficial as practical, given the amount of time that is available to them during your visit.  If it is a quick lunch time break massage, then there is limited opportunity or time to enable significant health benefits, but some is always better than none, and should you be able to afford to spend a longer time or, probably more importantly, be able to more frequently visit a spa, then the better able to achieve real and tangible long term health benefits.

So what can your body really expect to gain from its time in a spa?  As already noted above, this will be significantly dependant on how much time that you have available to spend in this environment, together with being dependant on how committed to the overall lifestyle that is association with it.  Are you in it for the feel good factor of pampering, “its trendy and all my friends do it”, to support your allopathic medical practitioners approach to recovery from an illness, to enjoy some personal time away from the family or out of the office, as a preventative measure towards long term health and anti-aging, or just because your computer has taken over your life and you seriously miss the nurturing elements of physical touch and interaction of another human being, or for one of a multitude of other reasons?

Spas can work on different levels of the body, and all of these need to be dealt with to ensure that the body is whole, rather that another victim of the much maligned and often abused or misunderstood ‘holistic’ approach to well being.  Wholistic and holistic are words that by definition encompass the whole of the body, and working on only a part of the body while ignoring the rest means that you are not acting in the best interests of the whole self, and that you definitely are not involving an approach to a genuine holistic level of health.  Equally, holistic health will also require the mind and spirit to be considered to as part of the package, and while these are covered in greater detail in other chapters of this book, must at least be alluded to here, as the body has many forms, including the spiritual, etherical and physical.

To start to understand this, you only have to look at the principles of chakra and chakra balancing, where physical contact may or may not be made with the body by the therapist, but the energy fields of the body are balanced, generally in conjunction with aromatherapy to maximize the therapy’s effects on the body, and may even be extended to include an aroma massage for maximum benefit.  Many would even tell you that for these to work fully the element of mind must also come into this as it is only for the true believers that this type of therapy will even work, however I would suggest that this applies only for the most skeptical, who need to review their total stress level before going further.  To maximize your results from a spa visit or a spa lifestyle, you have to be open minded to change and a different way of thinking – the more open minded the greater the chances of you being able to sift through the growing variety of treatments and therapies on offer on your spa menu to benefit your body accordingly.

As we move through the body’s outer layers, we move beyond the energy fields and reach the physical body.  It is from here that most people comprehend the body as real and will seek practical and tangible actions that will provide real or perceived results with the utilization of a large variety of creams, potions, elixirs, serums, cosmetics, cosmeceuticals, pharmaceuticals, diets, fitness regimes, allopathic and complementary medical sources in an effort to stay young, although all too often this is on a superficial level, that is not sustainable, rather than on a deeper and longer lasting level, with a committed approach to long term health, rather than the (all too often), quick fix approach to life.

Experiencing time in the hands of a skilled spa therapist, and the application of various products, fresh, natural or otherwise, should induce a state of calm that in itself will assist with the anti-aging process.  Even if lying on a massage bed for only 30 minutes, that is 30 minutes where your body will be relaxed, softening the wrinkles caused by modern city living, and when combined with any level of detoxification, be it through bathing, steaming, infrared saunas, scrubs or exfoliants, or through any of the myriad of products available in the market today, you will have taken a step on the anti-aging path, leaving the spa with a smile on your face, a spring in your step and “looking so much younger”!

However in our attempts to expand on this and maximize benefits even further we are using more and more spa products, all with a variety of claims as to their benefits, but there are a some basic issues that now need to be considered, as it is the quality of the products and not the quantity that we should be looking at.  In understanding the basics of seeking a longer life and the desire for the eternal fountain of youth, you have to consider the therapies that you are undertaking and the products that you are using to support the process.  In addition to this is your present skin condition.  The more damaged your skin, whether through maturity, weather conditions, disease or a number of other causes, the longer it will take to repair or counter balance these effects.  Ultimately it must be remembered that the longer it takes to react to the ravages of time on our body, the longer it will take and the less options that that are available to you to repair the damage that has been caused, irrespective of how it has been caused, and that your spa therapist is interested in your well being, and is not a magician.

“All things are not for all men” as the saying goes and this applies to the products that your therapist will select for use in your spa treatments, or that you purchase for home use.  Skin type, sensitivity, allergies to products, time available, anticipated results and general skin condition are all factors that will influence the type of products used irrespective on where on the body they are used.

In addition to the pampering element, the basis of spa therapies and treatments is detoxification or the process of removing toxins from the body, to promote well being and provide you with a healthier body.  Toxins or poisons produced by the body as a result of normal body processes as part of our daily living, together with those that are absorbed from the environment that we live in are detrimental to your overall sense of wellbeing, causing a myriad of health problems if not being regularly moved from the body or being allowed to build to high levels.

Whether it is their intentional removal or as a side benefit to your spa experience, the removal of toxins is the base process that underlies all spa therapies.  The results of a session in the sauna may be obvious, as are the results of a lymphatic drainage massage, as these are two spa therapies that will induce the loss of the bodies fluids laden with toxins from the body; but have you ever wondered why you were offered a glass of water after having enjoyed a Thai or Swedish massage?  This glass of water (or unsweetened herbal tea) that you were (or should be) offered, is to flush the toxins from your mouth that have built up during you treatment time.  It is not only the dryness in your mouth, but also the funny taste that highlights this fact, so the consumption of a glass of water is the quickest and easiest way to remove this taste and the toxins that cause it.  Consumption of several more glasses of water over the following few hours will further flush more toxins, released as a result of your therapy, from the system.  The obvious side benefit of this is to assist with the hydration of body as all too often we operate on fluid levels that are less than adequate, resulting in a unnecessary build up of toxins in the body.  Time and time again, you will read in newspapers and magazines, that the consumption of 6 – 12 glasses of water a day is essential to your well being.  Numbers vary, as the size of the glass is not always stipulated, and various health professionals around the world take into effect local culture and diets.  What they all agree upon is that we should be consuming more fluids that contain no sugars, additives or drugs of any kind (this means that sweetened carbonated beverages and similar commonly consumed liquids, loaded with these items cannot be included in your daily tally of fluids towards better health)

But it starts long before your treatment is over!  If your goal is to remove toxins, then any of the products applied to the body during your treatment should also be toxin free in as far as possible and as much as is practical, otherwise the detoxification process can become farcical with you trying to remove toxins, while at the same time, covering your body with them.  However, as with all things in life, there is an element of reality and balance must come into play, and while there is an increasing growth in the awareness of ingredients used in spa related products, not all products are labeled as natural contain all natural ingredients, and even go so far as to be organic.  Obviously 100% organic is the target, but we still have a long way to go, but fortunately, due to the demand fueled by an increasing knowledgeable spa consumer we are at least moving along this path.  After all, if you are seeking the best approach to benefiting from the removal of toxins, the utilization of product or products that are made without the use of chemicals, growth hormones, additives and preservatives, means that is application will result in minimal application of additional toxins to the body.  However economics and the scale of production, together with issues of product shelf life and volatility of the beneficial qualities in product still have to be faced and answers sought, either by the manufacturer or the way that we look at products and our expectations from them.

Equally this applies to the food that we eat before or after our spa visit, or in the larger spas, during our visit.  If the side benefit (or focus) of our visit to a spa is detoxification, then it makes no sense to be drinking caffeine laden coffee before our visit to the spa.  This argument can apply to many and varied foods, so if you are going to be serious about it all, then just approach life with a level of moderation.  For clarification; those that think I am advocating the consumption of decaffeinated coffee over regular coffee, decaffeinated coffee is washed with chemicals to remove the caffeine, a natural chemical and so which would you rather have, a natural chemical, or an artificially created one?

Your approach to your body and the food or fuel that you place into it, can drastically effect your enjoyment of your spa therapies, and equally their long term benefits.  We all know that spa treatments is a little like swimming, your mother always told you that you should not go swimming for one to two hours after eating, and the same applies to your spa visit.  Allow your food to digest before you commence you therapies, will make you much more comfortable.

And then afterwards, where is the sense of filling your body with excessive toxic and toxin laden foods that are completely counter productive to your spa therapies.  Are we all so rich that we do not have to think about the realities of our bodies and what we do with them, as we can always employ someone to fix the problem?  There are few that have this luxury in life and ultimately, it is not a healthy way to approach life anyway, as if you take a little care of yourself as you go about your daily routine and or adjust your routine to suit a healthier lifestyle you would be much better off, save money, live longer and be able to enjoy life more fully.

The food portion of this is simple.  The basic principle of the specialist cuisine that has developed from the growth of the spa industry is simplicity and while the title is Spa Cuisine, it is nothing complicated or difficult to prepare.  Everyone can cook this style of food at home, provided it is approached with an open mind and with a little forethought, as it is just a simple healthy way to approach your food preparation and consumption, where we eat according to our modern lifestyle rather than the more physically intensive lifestyle of our forefathers.  Low fat, low salt, low sugar; simple and uncomplicated.

Nutritionists and dieticians have been telling us for many years about the problems associated with the ever increasing girth of society, where the size of your waistline is an indication of your wealth, while we continue to ignore the impact that it has on our health.  Now we are paying the price, with spiraling medical costs relating to an unhealthy society.  Government initiatives can only go so far and it is we the consumers that have to make changes, and the spa lifestyle is a near perfect way in which to approach this.

Next time you sit down to a meal, take a few moments to reflect on the contents of what you are about to consume.  How much visible fats and oils are there to be seen, and do they really need to be there, or is it just a comfort factor.  Fats and oils are the major flavour carriers in the foods we eat and our bodies require some of these for healthy function, but do we really need to have as much as we consume today?  What happened before Fast Foods became part of our daily living?  These have resulted in a significant increase in the amount of fats that we consume, as it is the amount of fat that they contain that helps to give them the flavour, besides which many of us were brought up on a visit to a Fast Food outlet being a special occasion or reward so there is also the comfort food syndrome to be taken into consideration.  This apparent need for lots of fat has spilled over into our regular diet, with considerable negative health benefits.

Do you have to add extra seasoning, through the addition of salt, soy sauce or fish sauce, and if so – why?  Is it force of habit, or is it genuinely required?  Our forefathers, used to have salted foods as this was a means of necessity derived from salt being a means of preservation for foods in the years before we had refrigeration.  This is obviously not the case today, so why do we persevere with this out dated and archaic practice?

Sugar, equally has a lot to answer for.  Today we take highly refined sugar and add it to nearly every thing that we eat, from desserts to savoury dishes, noodles, stir-fried dishes and most processed foods.  We are often told that our diet must have a balance of salty, sweet, sour and bitter to be real Thai, but the element of sweet is being taken to the extreme.  If we resorted to natural unrefined sugar in any form, we would be consuming less as this at least would be providing us with some other nutritional benefits, including essential minerals and perhaps even a little fibre, but refined sugar has virtually all of these stripped from the end product that is being consumed in apparently ever increasing quantities.  So while it provides an element of energy, there is limited other nutritional value, so you would be much healthier to source your energy hits from other foods that would provide more than just energy, but real and tangible health benefits.  Do you really need to have add that spoon of sugar to your noodles, or that two, three or even four teaspoons of sugar in our morning coffee?

The next logical step, in this process is to look at the amount of physical activity that we are performing each day.  As already stated, the holistic approach to health means applying it to the whole of the body, and this includes the way we use it.  This equally should have highlighted the fact that everything in life is interrelated, although through the principles of yin and yang and quotes such as “for every action there is a reaction”, we should have been fully aware of this already.

How often have you heard of the highly specialised diets that are required by our nation’s athletes to enable them to perform at peak efficiency?  The food we eat affects the way our bodies function and the way our bodies function affects the foods that we eat.  With our bodies now functioning better as a result of our increasing involvement in and commitment to the spa lifestyle, the door to other opportunities is starting to open and our horizons are expanding.  We realize that life does require balance, and we need to balance our engine intake with our engines output, so physical activity of some kind must be part of our routine.  If you are one of the fortunate members of society that is physically active as a result of where you live and the type of work that is entailed then you do not require making a conscious effort to add the element of physical activity to your life.  Unfortunately for a growing number of people living in polluted cities, the option of physical exercise is no longer something that can be overlooked, and while we still have some city parks and gardens that allow us be at one with nature for an hour or two and conduct our exercise in an apparently healthy environment, the air in our cities is increasingly and all too often, laden with chemicals and toxins that are less than conducive with our overall health, so we are forced to take our physical activities indoors to avoid other health related issues that will arise as a result of consuming these chemicals and toxins in high doses as a result of our exertion from physical activity.

Computers, originally intended to make life easier for us all are taking their toll with a variety of side issues now to be addressed, including eye strain, wrist injuries, lack of core stability caused by long hours at the desk, and more.  Use of good nutrition and involvement in regular exercise can address many of these issues, but our lack of interaction on a physical level is increasing the demand on the nurturing environment that can be provided by a spa.  After all, our bodies are the product of our environment and the fuel that we energize them with, but they are much, much more than this, as this applies only to our bodies on the physical level.

Treat your body to a regular spa therapy, and enjoy the experience for what it is, while accepting there is a deeper and much more meaningful approach to it that will ensure that you achieve benefits far above and beyond your expectations.  Take a more serious look through an open mind, into what your body is made of, how it functions and what influences it and with a little thought, consideration and implementation of them into your life, you should be able to make significant strides towards a genuine levels of wellbeing that your body with thank you for, for a long, long time.

- all symptoms of the variety of ‘common colds’ and flu viruses that we share this planet with.  Unless you live as a total recluse chances are that you will regularly come into contact with cold or flu viruses.  How badly you are affected as a result of the contact depends a lot on the strength of your immune system.  Your immune system has the daunting role of identifying the body’s enemies and destroying them – your own ‘built-in’ army - but as with all armies they have to be kept healthy in order to function properly and that means regular food.

Studies have shown that a daily intact of 1,000mg of Vitamin C or more can reduce the occurrence, duration and degree of suffering associated with cold and flu symptoms.  This is not to say that every one should take a daily supplement, because if you are consuming healthy nutritious meals, your diet is probably already very high in Vitamin C.  The addition of fresh fruit and vegetable juices is an excellent way to increase your Vitamin C intake, but you must also remember that just because your diet includes high levels of the vitamin does not mean that you will not succumb to a viral attack, only that you will recover more quickly (often in as little as 24 hours) than a person with a lower immune level.  But there is more to prevention than ingestion of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A and Zinc are also anti-viral.  Vitamin A helps with the strengthening of the skin (the body’s first line of defense) and cell walls.  Caution must be noted however as Vitamin A is a fat soluble Vitamin that the body will store excessive reserves of, potentially resulting in toxicity problems.  Consume levels only in accordance with those recommended by your health care professional.  Zinc is the most important mineral that body needs to boost the immune system, so ensure that you include oysters, lamb, ginger root, pecans, almonds, brazil nuts or some egg yolks in your diet.  If you are really low in zinc, then oysters contain at least 15 times more Zinc than any of the other foods listed.  Again, caution must be noted as ingestion of more than 2000 mg can result in health problems greater than you are trying to solve.  Selenium can also assist.  It is an immune enhancing mineral found in fresh tuna, oysters and molasses and is also an anti-oxidant.  It is great in helping to reduce inflammation, fight against carcinogens and helps to protect against free radicals.

Other common kitchen items that can assist in the combat or prevention of colds and flu are garlic, ginger, mushrooms and increasingly popular Echinacea.  Garlic contains allicin and is high in sulphur containing amino acids.  Best when eaten raw, or try adding a clove to your next glass of carrot and orange juice, take up to six cloves a day if you feeling a little under-the-weather.  Ginger is an all round calmer for the upset stomach, but a cup of warm ginger tea will ease your soar throat surprisingly quick.  Mushrooms are also good to assist with your ailing immune system.  Used of centuries in Chinese herbal tisanes and concoctions, the reishi is probably the most widely used mushroom for its healing qualities, but the humble shiitake (fresh or dried) is also a great source of immune boosting polysaccharides.

And then there are the herbs such as St. Johns wort, recommended to cure many ills and ails.  Echinacea has seen a resurgence in interest in recent year, with the extracts from this humble garden flower now hailed as one of the best ‘medicines’ to consume when you are fighting off an infection.

While a warm environment will aid your body in its recovery, vigorous exercise or over training can be detrimental and even suppress your immune system.  Activities such as Tai chi and Meditation have been shown to improve the immune system with T-cells increasing by as much as 40%.

As with all things in life there is a balance and you can not consume only one food, supplement or partake in only one activity to achieve the required result.  Vitamins work best in combination, so a high dose of pure Vitamin C is less effective than a good multivitamin with a good level of it.

With the number of cold and flu like symptoms we can experience in our busy stressed lives, extra care does need to be taken in today’s world.  If any symptoms persist, consult with your health care professional immediately.