Spa Glossary

Ayurveda This is a 5,000-year old Indian
science brought to mainstream America by
Deepak Chopra and the late George Harrison.
A consultation with a physician who detects
imbalances in mind, body, and spirit and
devises a plan that includes yoga, meditation,
nutrition, massage, and oil/herb therapies.

Balneotherapy The medicinal use of thermal waters, which includes bathing in hot
springs in Japan and mineral springs in Europe. it can be paired with gas, mud, and
heat therapies and is said to be especially effective in relieving rheumatoid arthritis
and back pain.

Banya A Russian sweat-bath ritual that uses water, moist heat, honey, and herbs, as
well as massage (to stimulate organs and release toxins) and a technique of slapping
the body with bundles of dried oak leaves to improve circulation. Sweating typically
takes place in a steam room of aromatic cedar and pine.

Craniosacral therapy Subtle, gentle cradling movements to adjust cerebrospinal fluid
and release emotion.

Lomilomi Hawaii's sacred massage, often described as "massage with a loving touch."
The Big Island's Aunty Margaret started the first school to teach the technique to
outsiders in 1973, and most contemporary lomilomi therapists have some connection
to her.  This form of  massage is performed with the forearms and palms and involves
long strokes; it begins and ends with a Hawaiian blessing.

Medical spa Luxury meets lab coats at this hybrid.  Doctors have long worked in
Europe's thermal spa towns; in the 1980s.  American spas began combining
diagnostics with spa treatments and activities.  The crown jewel is Canyon Ranch,
which recently debuted a diagnostic machine that measures more than 250 biomarkers
in the blood for predisposition to illness, a procedure that costs $3,400.












Onsen Hot springs are an ancient tradition in Japan, where outdoor bathing is still
widely practiced.  Silence is encouraged throughout the ritual.  Today, more than
2,500 onsen offer escape from the pressures of today's consumerist lifestyle.

Qi gong Stress-reducing Chinese breathing and movement exercises, including
diaphragmatic breathing.

Reflexology This practice, with roots in Egypt and China, suggests that pressure
points in the feet correspond to specific organs and other parts of the body-for
example, rubbing the big toe affects the brain.

TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) This ancient science works on chi, the body's life
force, and involves therapies such as herbal remedies, acupuncture, qi gong, and tui
na.  Authentic TCM includes a consultation with a physician who detects imbalances
via the pulse.

Thai massage This oil-free massage originated in Buddhist monasteries as a form of
preventive health care.  Expect your therapist to literally climb onto the floor-anchored
futon, stretching and elongating your body with deep pushing and pulling maneuvers.  
It's good for circulation and flexibility and is a lifesaver for anyone suffering from jet lag.

Thalassotherapy From the Greek words thalassa (sea) and therapeia (to treat
medically), this marine therapy - a sequence of baths, showers, and massages-uses
seaweed and seawater as a healing element.  France, with approximately 40 centers
along its coastline, remains thalassotherapy's world capital.

Tui na A Chinese massage technique that seeks to restore energy flow using
acupressure.

Vinotherapy The spa world's treatment du jour, these grape-based scrubs, rubs, and
wraps were pioneered by Les Sources de Caudalie, a spa and vineyard near Bordaux,
in 1999-and variations soon cropped up in South Africa and Napa.  Grape seeds and
skins contain powerful antioxidants - and no, they don't stain.
 
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