| Spa culture: What you shoud know |  |
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6. Drink water, eat lightly. It’s crucial to drink plenty of water before, during and after your visit. Water hydrates the body’s tissues on a cellular level, prompting the system to cleanse itself and function with fluidity. Just as you would want to hydrate before a workout, well-watered muscles (including those of the face) respond better to the activating pressures of massage, allowing the therapist to work more deeply. Sufficient hydration also encourages the removal of toxins. Flushing your system will reward you with compliments on how great your skin looks, how well rested you seem, etc. As for food, cutting back on (or eliminating) sugar, caffeine and alcohol and hard to digest foods like red meat before a spa visit, will prime your system to detoxify with ease. You’re also likely to feel lighter, happier about your body and more in tune with yourself. Plus, it increases the likelihood of your “staying clean” afterward, to extend the bliss of your visit and more fully reap its rewards. 7. Speak up. A good spa session requires that you communicate what you like – or at least don’t like. It could be pressure, music, conversation, scent, temperature … don’t accept what you don’t want. You are in charge. 8. Learn to relax. Relaxing the muscles and settling the mind are a great assist to your therapist. Various mind-over-matter techniques like deep breathing and visualization come in handy and help bodywork go deeper. Relaxing helps keep your mind in your body or at least in the room. 9. Book in advance. It is all too common to look forward to spa-ing on a trip but find the spa fully booked upon arrival. Call ahead. (The telephone is still far more reliable for appointments than online systems.) This is truly one of the only ways to get the time, therapy and results you want, and it’s especially crucial if you’re travelling and want to enjoy a spa treatment at your hotel.
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