The Day Spa Retreat Take a Break

As the daily grind and extra work schedule takes its toll on your general health and well-being, do you ever long for time and space to recharge your batteries? The day spa experience offers the perfect option when you can?t getaway for longer than a few hours. Enjoy a break from the everyday routine and stress. Disappear for just a short time and make yourself feel like you?ve been away for a week.

Each day spa offers its own menu of services and typically includes various types of therapeutic massage, facials, body treatments, manicures and pedicures as well as luxurious body wraps. Aromatherapy is often added to the spa treatment to provide another element to the overall experience. There are different procedures in each spa, but in general you will be given slippers, towels and a fluffy robe.

Therapeutic spa therapies used by ancient civilisations have been re-born in various forms to suit the modern-day spa-goer. Why not try one of these wonderful spa treatments that originate from around the world.

1. Enjoy a body wrap in seaweed, clay, mud or plant extracts for the ultimate relaxing and detox experience. Relax tired muscles, enhance blood circulation and nourish the whole body.

2. A Swedish or Thai massage will soothe, relax and invigorate the body. The experience is enhanced with therapeutic essential oils.

3. A European Facial will hydrate, soothe and purify the skin. Therapeutic products include calming and anti-aging ingredients.

4. A treat for your feet! The treatment begins with a soak in a soothing footbath. Gentle removal of dry skin is followed by a foot and leg massage. Leave toes natural or apply the latest color.

5. A Full Body Scrub with sea salt followed by a Vichy Shower or Hydrotherapy treatment with aromatic oils completes the treatment.

6. Feel the stress melt away with a Hot Stone Treatment! Allow the warm aromatic stones that are gently placed on your body to relieve the stress of the day.

So take that well deserved day off. Find your perfect spa spot and put the spring back in your step. The ultimate day spa experience awaits.

Spas in Canada ? Copyright 2005

Angie Kocsi is co-founder of http://www.spasincanada.ca. After many years enjoying the great spas in Europe and drawing upon her experience and knowledge of the corporate world, along with a successful career in Public Relations and International Marketing Spas in Canada was created. For more information contact the spa team by email: spas@spasincanada.ca

5 Amazingly Easy Ways to Help Stay Fit

It is said that it is much better to do 30 minutes of something lively every day than have two keep-fit sessions a week. What's more you will be surprised at some of the ways you can burn off those extra calories.

1. The Garden Gym

Get in with your garden exercise before winter approaches!

Mowing the lawn for just 30 minutes will burn off 150 calories if using a power mower, or 185 calories using a hand mower.

Raking the lawn will also stretch and tone your waist and help to burn of between 130-160 calories.

Planting for just 20 minutes can burn up 100 calories.

If you do all this in one day, you can burn up to 410 calories!

2. At Work

If getting busy in the garden is only a dream, as you spend most of your time behind a desk, don't despair!

Get up, stretch and walk around at least once an hour. While sitting stretch your legs, flex your feet and circle your ankles. Run errands, fetch the post and always try to get out for a walk at lunchtime.

3. Telephone

Spending hours on the telephone doesn't have to be good excercise for just your mouth. Stand up instead of sitting it uses 10 - 12 more calories per half hour. Better still, pace around or stand with your feet hip-width apart and slowly move up and down on your toes to tone your calves.

4. Spice your metabolism

There is evidence to show that spices, especially chilli can raise the metabolic rate by up to 50% for up to 3 hours after you've eaten a spicy meal.

5. Sweet nothing...

Kissing for 5 minutes can burn 6 calories! If it leads to anything else :0) you could use up another 85 calories in half an hour!

Simon Brown offers a free 5 part course on food, exercise and diet tips. Enroll now at http://www.be-prepared.naturalremedies4u.com.

You can also submit your own articles free of charge to his article directory at http://www.thearticlelibrary.com

Eating To Lose Fat

There is a rule in the health industry as to what you eat or drink will compose 70% of your weight loss or weight gain. What I mean from this statement.

It's not all about losing weight it's all about losing FAT. If we don't eat enough your body will actually begin to store fat and will consume the one thing most of us can't lose MUSCLE. Muscle is what drives the body to burn calories without it our metabolism is next to nothing. Contrary to what you might think your body needs protein more than carbs. Think about it muscle is protein, not enough protein were is your body going to get the protein or amino acids it needs to function, only one place it begins to breakdown your muscle. Muscle loss = weight loss for a short period Muscle loss also = lower metabolism this in turn will cause you to gain.

I have heard time and time again I don't know why I'm not losing I only eat one time a day This is exactly what will cause you to become a bowl of jelly, you know the old flag on the arm. You ask how do I eat to lose fat Good Question here is the answer.

First lets remember is is very important too drink plenty of water, increase our fiber consumption, complex carbohydrates, and protein. With this a quick example for a day's meal plan is below. I will continue to post new meals and ideas on Eating to Lose Fat.

Eat a good solid breakfast with complex carbohydrates and protein. Biggest excuse I don't have time Wrong answer here is a two minute breakfast packed with muscle building fat burring wake me up in the morning thing. This takes all of two minutes. Take your serving size of oatmeal cooked in the microwave for two minutes add a teaspoon of natural honey, teaspoon natural peanut butter, walnuts, almonds, raisins or banana. not all of them but you get the picture. Now add a scoop of Bioplex Nutrition Pure Whey Protein Isolate and there you have it a very good breakfast for anyone in the family to start the day of right. Three hours latter try to get an apple or protein bar as a snack. Lunch have grilled chicken on whole-wheat bread, and dinner frozen vegetables with a lean meat of your choice. Keep your serving sizes no larger than fist size and save the rest for another meal. I will post more on eating to lose weight next week.

It is very important to drink plenty of water and leave all carbonated drinks alone. It is a proven fact you are 60% more likely to end up overweight or obese drinking one of any kind diet or regular a day.

Eating to Lose Weight combined with a good exercise program will take the fat off tone the body up and increase yours body ability to burn calories I guarantee it.

This is copyrighted material but permission is granted with this link Protein Supplements posted live with the article.

This is copyrighted material but permission is granted with this link Protein Supplements posted live with the article.

Proper Maintenance of Dental Implants

Dental implants are something you want to last your lifetime, especially after all of the money and time as a patient you put into their placement. Dental implants mimic natural teeth and therefore need to be cared for in much the same way as your original teeth do. In other words they require regular brushing, flossing, check ups and cleanings at the dentist and a careful consideration of what foods can help as well as harm them. For instance too much starch and sugar can leave behind traces of material on the teeth that can cause acids to develop on teeth and gums which can serve to cause damage in the long term.

Proper maintenance of dental implants should become an important part of your day to day routine. This can be accomplished by developing excellent oral hygiene habits. Remember, if you want your dental implants to last, you must take exceptional care of them.

A healthy mouth is a clean mouth, as free of bacteria and plaque as possible therefore if you don?t do it already, get into the habit of brushing your teeth after every meal. Even if you don?t always use toothpaste during a busy workday, just using a toothbrush and water will still get your teeth clean. Not only will they look sparkly white but also you will dislodge any food particles that are trapped between the teeth and in the gums.

As far as the kind of toothpaste that is best for those who have dental implants, look for a small sized toothbrush or a special interdental brush that can be used to easily clean the abutments of the implants. Look for a toothbrush with a bent handle as this type is best used to get behind the back teeth to clean the, aforementioned, abutments. The type of toothbrush you buy should always be a gentle one. Look for a brush that is either ?soft? or ?extra soft? in terms of the bristle. Never buy a hard bristled toothbrush nor a medium bristled one, as they are too abrasive to gums and teeth. Brushing is important but not enough. Next comes the flossing stage Buy a special floss that contains a foam coating or else use gauze to properly clean around your abutments, prosthetic teeth and gums. For a super clean result you might want to first use the floss and then run the gauze over the areas afterwards.

When it comes to the process of brushing your teeth if you have a removable prosthesis, take it out of your mouth and proceed to carefully brush both the inside and outside of the appliance. After that is done, take your toothbrush and brush around your gums as well as the abutments. Finally use dental floss around the abutments.

If you have a fixed prosthesis (meaning it stays in your mouth) then brush it exactly as you would natural teeth. Take the brush and reach it in behind the teeth to thoroughly clean the backside of the abutments. Next take your dental floss and floss around the area of the abutments. Make sure to floss the front, sides and back of the abutments.

Just as natural teeth require check ups at the dentist, so do dental implants. Make a trip to the dentist at least every six mouth to have the implants professionally checked and cleaned. At this time the dentist will determine whether or not it is fitting properly in your mouth and any repairs that need to be made can be done so at this time. Also during these six-month appointments the health of a patient?s gums and jaws will be looked at as well as how stabile the anchors of the implants are.

Stephanie Dilson is a Dental Surgeon and in her spare time runs an informational site on Dental Implants for all those interested in the process to find out valuable information on the cost, benefits, risks and features of this increasingly popular procedure. For more information see http://www.dentalimplantsguide.com

Aromatherapy: Using Perfumes and Essential Oils

The soul of man in love is full of perfumes and sweet odours. Plutarch.

In our times, all the finest produce of the whole world is usually available to us from our local stores. We live with affluence beyond any previously known era in history which allows us choices regarding what were once luxury items. This applies particularly to our use of perfume both as a means of sensory satisfaction as well as for more practical purposes. Perfume continues to provide a subject of fascination today.

There are many wonderful scents and perfumes available in toiletries and body perfumes. Essential oils provide us with perfumes which are entirely natural without chemical additives and which are healing as well as pleasant in their effect. Incense sticks provide a means of perfuming through fumes, which is where our word for perfume originally came from. And of course we have all the perfumed delights of nature to enjoy in our walks in the wild, in our enjoyment of our garden, or in the delicate scent of a rose.

In a variety of ways we seek to indulge our sense of olfaction as we continue to increase the use of perfumes in our lives.

Most gardeners include a variety of perfumed herbs and plants in their gardens.

We use scented oils to keep away flies and insects.

Although we no longer have to spread scented rushes on the floor to take away bad odours in the home, we still wish to use perfumed sprays in bathrooms and toilet areas.

We generally use scents to provide a pleasing atmosphere throughout the house and when preparing for dinner guests.

Oils from timber are favoured for application to existent furniture to help preserve it and also for scent.

Many burn incense whilst meditating.

Churches burn copious resins and oils in their ritual incense.

Physiotherapists, naturopaths and aromatherapists use perfumed massage oils on skin.

Therapists prescribe direct inhalation of essential oils to relieve symptoms of illness.

Vaporizers are essential in relieving respiratory problems.

Bath oils are used to provide a delightful way of relieving stress.

Scented pillows as favoured for sleep inducement.

Healing oils such as eucalyptus and peppermint are used as embrocation or as an inhalant in cases of bronchial and respiratory problems .

Essential oils can be diluted with almond oil for use as a safe underarm deodorants.

A drop can safely be smeared on a light globe to diffuse light scent

A few drops of a perfumed oil on a tissue can be placed in a paper bin - or even rubbish bin for a pleasing effect.

Essential oils such as rosemary can be diluted with olive oil and massaged into the scalp to perfume the hair when brushing.

Perfumed oil can be massaged into the feet before bed to aid relaxation.

These and many other ingenious ways are used in making practical use of perfume in modern lifestyles.

However, the most important to so many of us, is the use of body perfume. This popular interest in perfumes however seems to arise not only from a desire to seem attractive but because of the need to have expression of the personality through the quality of one's personal body perfume and this requires patience and discrimination in selecting 'your' personal perfume for regular use. Selecting from the enormous range of commercial perfumes is a daunting task but there are many who enjoy the search. Selecting from the natural essential oil range is somewhat easier because it is limited compared with the sophisticated fashionable perfumes.

Discrimination is the first thing to cultivate, in order to fully benefit from the knowledge of perfumes and delight in them to the full. It is necessary to consciously develop your olfactory sense as a wine taster must do with the palate.

Always remember that certain artificially produced scents can be harmful when inhaled and some deodorizers actually work on the principle of deadening your sense of smell rather than trying to cancel the odour. All chemical products can have short or long term negative effects so the caution is repeated - use the natural essential oils and perfumes in preference to a product that uses chemicals in its production. The sense of smell is extremely delicate and can be seriously injured, as can the brain, by inhalation of the smell or vapours of toxic materials.

Some of the popular and delightful natural perfumes available as essential oils are Lavender, Sandalwood, Neroli, Lemon, Rose, Lemongrass, Ylang-ylang and Pine, but there are many others to try.

Essential oils are strong and usually require only a drop or two with any application.

However, should you suffer skin reaction, or wish to dilute the pure essential oils, almond oil is advised.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Aromatherapy

Pamper Your Hair With Essential Oils

We spike, color, tease and curl it. We heat, gel, straighten and spray it. We worry and vex over it, spend tons of money on it and cry when we lose it. It?s a vital sign of our health, youth and beauty and we want it to look great. I imagine that some of you still believe that if you smother your hair with oil, it will give you the shiny, soft hair that we all desire. Most oil (not all), if they are not essential oils, do not have the capacity to penetrate into the hair shaft. What they will accomplish, however, is to lie on top of the cuticle and smother it. It may give you some short-term luster, but it will also coat the hair and cause product build up. When this happens, the problems begin.

Initially, the moisture that our hair so badly requires will not be able to filter through the wall of product build up. The moisture is consequently not able to unearth the cuticle layer. What is the end result?the hair cannot be conditioned!

In 1998, a study was done by a doctor named Isabelle C. Hay on patients with alopecia areata (sudden hair loss). She used the essential oils of thyme, lavender, rosemary and cedarwood in a carrier oil of jojoba and grapeseed. The 84 volunteers were given a two-minute scalp massage daily with the oils for a period of 7 months. The control group was simply massaged with the carrier oils alone. At the end of the trial, 19 people in the essential oil group had re-grown hair, as opposed to six in the control group.

Oil treatments, that have the appropriate ingredients, and used at least once a week, will enhance the condition of your hair and scalp. The key is to locate products that contain ingredients such as: Jojoba oil, neem oil, avocado oil, cold pressed oil, and evening primrose oil. In addition, essential oils are a must, such as: lavender, rosemary, St. John?s Wort, myrrh, frankincense, cedar-wood, juniper and thyme. These are all naturally wonder oils for the hair and can reward you with a silky lustrous shine.

Judy Phillips is the founder of Jash Botanicals Herbal Formulas, a manufacturer of physicians grade herbal extracts and medicinals. A naturopath and herbalist with over 25 years of experience, her passion for producing herbal formulas of exceptional purity and strength grew from a dissatisfaction with mainstream herbal products. She is an author of various natural health topics, from detoxification to dietary modification, and works to assist the expansion of knowledge to individuals in search of natural treatments. JashBotanicals.com offers a wide range of informative articles, including a monthly newsletter and a natural health blog.

5 Insider Beauty Secrets Other Women Don't Want You To Know! (Part 1)

Imagine what you would do if you knew miracle working beauty secrets. And if you had the self confidence that comes with being beautiful.

Now before you laugh and say you'll never be beautiful, listen up.

I know where you're coming from! At one time I didn't know any beauty secrets.

Before I learned any beauty secrets I was plain, even bordering on ugly. I had acne, chapped lips, weight issues, wardrobe disasters, and not so white teeth.

But thats all become past with the 5 beauty secrets that have changed my life.

I pulled through all my beauty disasters and learned some valuable beauty secrets as a result.

Now people are always commenting to me on my beauty. Saying I should be a model, etc.... And guys are no longer even an issue! I don't have to look for them, they come to me.

It turns out the best beauty secrets are those that are won by personal knowledge and experience. Not just by reading general tips in magazines.

So by experimentation over the years and by perseverance, I've found out what really works and what doesn't.

Beauty Secret 1

Unchap/beautify your lips with this trick.

For soft, beautifully kissable lips, you need the following: a washcloth (I'm not kidding either), warm water, and your favorite brand of lip balm.

First you apply a coat of lip balm. Then wet one corner of the washcloth, put the warm wet corner of the washcloth between your lips, press them together and hold for 5 seconds.

Then gently massage any remaining lip balm from lips with the wet corner of washcloth, and dry lips with a corner thats dry.

Apply lip balm again to keep your lips chap free. You may also apply lipstick or lip gloss on over the layer of lip balm.

I learned this was the best way to keep lips from chapping, after going through too many winters with dried, and chapped lips.

Beauty Secret 2

Clear your acne, and get beautiful skin.

For clear glowing skin, a little home remedy does wonders for my complexion, as it should with yours too.

Steam your face for 20 minutes every night after washing it, then every other night after steaming your face, massage a half teaspoon castor oil over face.

Leave it on at night while you sleep and wash off immediately upon waking. Steam face for twenty more minutes in the morning after washing. When you finish steaming your face splash your face with cool water and dry it.

If your skin starts to show any signs of a pimple forming. Take one night off from steaming and applying castor oil and apply Benzoyl Peroxide over face.

Take the next night off also from the steaming, castor oil, and benzoyl peroxide. Continue facial regimen with steaming and castor oil the following night.

This beauty secret will moisturize your face at the same time it will help clear up acne and pimples. But only if you work at it consistently.

Beauty Secret 3

Good taste in clothes.

When shopping for clothes try to stay away from really big prints, or weird mixes of colors (eg. green, pink and blue flowers combined on a white background, for instance).

Clothes like these just scream I'm color blind! And if you in fact, actually are color blind, always shop with a friend who isn't and has good taste in clothes.

Buy basic colors. Solid reds, pinks, blues, whites, and blacks. Or things with small tasteful prints and designs.

Then mix and match each basic color with a corresponding one (blue goes well with white, pink, and sometimes with red, and different shades of the same color almost always go well together).

Put these beauty secrets to use, and start seeing the benefits today. Be sure to read Part 2 of this article, which contains the last 2 beauty secrets.

In Part 2 I'll teach you the beauty secrets for whitening your smile without draining your bank account. And how to use clothes to your advantage by hiding figure flaws and defects. Click Here For Part 2 Of Beauty Secrets