Body, Mind & Soul
Detox. It’s been a buzz word in the spa industry for the last several years. But before you go thinking that the term “detox” applies only to ridding the body of substances such as nicotine, alcohol and other drugs, think again. Spa menus have been featuring detoxification treatments such as Thalasso-therapy, mud and sea-weed wraps, and lymph drainage massages – and clients (with no such addictions to the aforementioned substances) are loving them.
By Anne Dimon
“People come in for detox treatments to help improve the condition of their skin, to rid themselves of feelings of sluggishness, some come for digestive issues, others for cellulite,” says Cindy Gouveia, spa director of the Holtz Spa at the Hilton Suites in Markham. While there could be certain side effects of a detox treatment – such as more trips to the washroom, breakouts and light rashes depending on skin types – it just means the treatment has done its job and the toxins are being eliminated. “The results,” Gouveia, points out, “are positives such as more energy, better skin, better mental focus and a stronger immune system.” Of course, she says, complete detox doesn’t end with just one treatment. It just kick starts the process. “To get optimum results, you also need to drink lots of water, eat a proper diet and generally live a healthier lifestyle,” she says.
This past weekend my daughter, Julia, and I attended the first of the new monthly Diva Detox weekends at Grail Springs Health Retreat & Wellness Spa in Bancroft, Ontario, and the focus was on the very root of wellness: nutrition. Chef and health consultant Alexi Bracy is passionate about good nutrition, right down to the fact that everything on the Grail Springs menu is organic – even the herbs.
Her detox focus is about eliminating environmental pollutants such as herbicides, pesticides, fungicides and metals (such as mercury in fish) that invade out bodies along with the foods we eat. She says it’s also about eliminating the emotional toxins that build up due to unresolved thoughts and issues. This is when activities such yoga meditation and hands-on treatments such as Touch Therapy and Crania-Sacral Therapy (both available at Grail Springs) can help.
Our detox weekend was built around a healthy diet expressly designed for detoxification – lots of raw foods, no sugar, no caffeine, no carbohydrates. And, it wasn’t just fruit juices and clear consommé. Dishes included things such as poached perch on a bed of bokchoy and radicchio, baked halibut with crushed pistachios, and grilled chicken.
Over one lunch, Bracy gave us a presentation on healthy eating. “The North American diet is 80 percent acidic and 20 per cent alkaline and it should be the exact opposite to maximize the potential for optimum health,” she says. Bracy, with her many years in the industry, is a fountain of information and she shares it enthusiastically. “The more produce you eat raw the better you can restore lost enzymes,” she says. “Cooking, even steaming, kills most of the enzymes our bodies need.” She tells us that the most heavily sprayed vegetables include green beans, spinach, peppers and broccoli. And the most heavily sprayed fruits are strawberries, cherries and peaches – and pineapples, she says, are dipped in formaldehyde. She says she’s just giving us the facts. We can make our own decisions. But she strongly suggests going organic, especially with fruits and vegetables. I learn more about healthy eating habits in her 20-minute talk than I’ve picked up over the last several years.
The weekend was not only an educational experience and good bonding opportunity – imagine a Saturday night and my 24-year-old is watching Calendar Girls with her Mom – but I’m hoping it will help both of us to incorporate a healthier regime in our day-to-day lives.
At Highfields Country Inn & Spa in Zephyr, owner and spa director Norma Daniel says, “Treatments booked for negative stress management and relaxation can also be detoxing.” For instance, hydro-therapy mud wraps. They begin with a dry brush exfoliation to increase blood circulation and slough off dry cells, then mud is applied to draw out impurities. The body is then wrapped in several layers to induce heat which will cause sweating, open the pores and allow the mud to enter to help cleanse while replenishing the body of lost minerals. Daniel says drinking lots of water after such a treatment is crucial because “you lose a lot of fluids through sweating and water will help flush out more toxins.” During the mud wrap, Highfields therapists also offer the client guided meditation to help cleanse the mind. Meditation either through the guided process or through disciplines such as yoga can also help people find a special personal mind space (i.e. a garden in full bloom, a forest trail, a white sand beach) to retreat to at times of stress or for quiet moments of well-being. Detox doesn’t have to mean a trip to a spa – but it’s certainly a good starting point.
Anne Dimon is a Toronto travel and spa writer and editor of www.traveltowellness.com
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