Originally published January 25 2005
Health spas grow almost tenfold in last fifteen years; range of choice has improved greatly
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
In 1990, there were around 1200 spas in the United States. Now the number is 13,000 and growing, with new places to pamper ones self opening daily. Spas have come a long way from the mudpack facial days; now they offer a range of services from massage to makeovers to deep relaxation techniques. Don't start packing just yet, however; spas average $2,000 to $3,000 a week before the cost of any additional treatments or services.
A week away from home may not seem like much, but it can have a profound effect on your life, as Leah Rabinowitz, a fifty-something New York City real-estate agent, recently discovered.
While her husband was on a business trip in Arizona, she checked into Canyon Ranch, a luxurious Tucson health spa.
She hiked in the desert, took yoga, strength, and aerobics classes, relaxed with soothing massages, and showed up for dinner in her workout clothes.
And after a full-body analysis told her she needed to make friends with the treadmill, she listened.
If a visit to a day spa is a quick gulp of health and indulgence, a stay at a sleepover spa is a nutritious five-course meal that tastes terrific, leaves you content and satisfied, and stays with you long after you leave.
Small wonder that spas are a fast-growing segment of the travel industry.
Though they serve serenity in various ways, leading spas offer programs that treat the whole person -- mind, body, and spirit -- and instill long-lasting good habits.
Many offer Pilates, yoga, and hiking, but the philosophy is that physical fitness isn't enough; you also need to nourish your body with healthy food and pampering treatments.
Some spas even offer health services, including bone-density tests and consultations with nutritionists.
Yet not all spas follow the same schedule.
Some favor gentle exercise in a gym or pool.
You'll find extravagant Indian treatments with oils and temple bells as well as simple Swedish massages.
And while some restrict calorie intake or are vegetarian, others serve lavish, yet low-cal, desserts.
With so many choices, your dream spa is out there -- and if you're like most of us, a visit has never been more necessary.
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