As a result, it can take some experimenting to figure out how to get the most from your spa visits, he says. “Think of it as a lifelong process that’s fun and interesting,” he says.

Here is his advice for spa goers on how to deepen their relaxation and leave feeling energized.

Keep an open mind. Try treatments you’ve never experienced before to see what works for you and what doesn’t, Dr. Cilona says. “Think of finding new ways to boost your energy and relax as being an infinite puzzle. Seek out new pieces and see if they fit for you.”

Plan ahead. Spend a little time trying to anticipate work and personal concerns that are likely to arise during your spa visit. Address what you can ahead of time and plan how you will deal with matters that you postpone until your return, Dr. Cilona advises. You’ll be able to relax more if you don’t arrive at the spa worried about loose ends. “Most people are willing to invest a large amount of time into the practicalities of trip planning like plane fares and location choice, but few will invest even a fraction of that time into a bit of planning to get the most out of their time away,” says Dr. Cilona.

Put yourself on an e-mail diet. “Set specific limits on things like checking emails and making phone calls (such as 30 minutes a day) and stick to them!” says Dr. Cilona. “A spa visit is a special time devoted to yourself, relaxing, recharging, pampering and enjoying being free from the stresses and demands of everyday life. Try to view the costs as investment – in yourself – and maximize your `return on investment’ as much as you can.” If you are visiting a spa with a friend or partner, help each other stick to your limits. “Sometimes, being accountable to someone else or a gentle reminder can help you stay focused on your goal of getting the most you can out of your visit,” he says.

Write it down. “A simple yet powerful tool to stay connected with the benefits of a great spa experience is keeping a daily journal of your stay,” says Dr. Cilona. “Write a few descriptive sentences about the beautiful environment, how you felt after a fantastic massage, the great people you met or anything that brought you joy, comfort and peace.”

Prolong your energy buzz. If you create a personal journal or album of your stay, don’t tuck it away. “Revisit all your entries and the images to bring yourself back to the time you spent there and the luxuries you experienced,” he says.

You’ve seen it on Dancing with the Stars and if you wander into one of the new dance clubs in just about any city in the country, you’ll see salsa up close and personal.

And you can join in if you spend a few hours learning how. Right now thousands of people every day are signing up for Ballroom dancing, learning everything from waltz to tango with salsa being the overwhelming favorite.

Salsa is mesmerizing with its colors, characters, flashy outfits, and smooth moves. It’s quite beautiful and very emotional. Many dance teachers tell us that salsa is almost pure emotion; if you listen to the music, feel the beat, react to the rhythm, and let yourself go, you’ll get it.

Salsa bursts with energy and just about any style with spins, upper body rolls, and leg and arm movements will work just fine. It’s a great way to keep fit and you’ll see why as soon as you go to a club. Salsa’s almost addictive; it’ll keep you on the floor all night long. It’s a workout.

And, as you might expect, it’s also social, a great way to spend an evening with friends, meet new ones and have fun burning calories.
The last time we Googled “Salsa Dance Lessons” there were almost 48,000,000 results, including some hot videos.

These words won’t really help you understand the amazing feeling you’ll have as you step out of the spa. But, you might want to know exactly what happens, so here is the order of the treatment (we call them protocols):

• • As you relax on the spa treatment table, your therapist applies a Spirulina Body Masque, leaving your face untouched. You will then be wrapped comfortably in a thermoplastic blanket covered with hot towels for 20 minutes while your body absorbs the protein, vitamins and minerals of the spirulina …
• … and enjoying a delicate facial treatment. A moist masque brush applies a cool Thalassotherapy Spirulina Face Masque. (For very sensitive skin, this facial includes Thermal Mineral Remineralizing Face Crème.) Two Swiss beauty pads spritzed with Aromatherapy Neroli Water are placed over your eyes and your face is covered with a warming steamed towel. Neroli water, by the way, is an all natural floral water from the bitter orange blossom.
• This stage of your experience winds up with a soft face massage, 16-point acupressure exercise and a light scalp massage. Then your shower.
• To this point, everything has prepared your body for the Thalasso effect, the rejuvenating effects of the sea.
• You step into a warm bath of Oligo Seawater, a concentrate that helps to remineralize and nourish the body, and Fucas Algae, which stimulates the circulation and nourishes the skin. You just close your eyes and they are covered with cool sliced cucumbers and you feel the toxins ( and stress) float away.
• Fifteen minutes later, you are back on the spa treatment table, relaxing for a 20-minute massage with warmed Marine Firming Body Crème and Lavender Oil.

And, in 90-minutes, your energy is back.

You feel the maximum benefits of Kur Thalasso when treatments are repeated in a series for several days. This is one treatment you will want to take home with you so that you can get ever more benefits. All the products mentioned above are supplied to Willow Stream by Kirsten Florian, International (KFI) and are available in boutiques at Willow Stream spas.

Some of you have asked exactly what happens during this amazing treatment, and so we will tell you here, step by step: Back Cleanse, Drizzle Oil and Breathing Exercise, Back Pressure Point Massage, Hands /Nails, Cleanse, Tone, Peel/ Exfoliate, Massage, Masque, Treat, Moisturize.

The spa bed has been carefully prepared for you with a crisp, clean cotton sheet, soft duvet, and three luxurious towels. An aromatherapy candle flickers, the lights are dimmed and soft music whispers. You lie face down, relaxing with breathing techniques.

Beside the bed is table with replacement sheets and towels, sponges, soft mitts and a tray filled with the world’s rarest essential oils, gels, scrubs, hydrators, crèmes, and masques.

Tranqwillow begins.

In your early state of relaxation, you feel the back cleanse and exfoliation proceed with the soft drizzling of warm Lavender massage oil up and down your spine, followed by energizing massage strokes. Ten minutes later you begin to feel your body lose it’s tenseness and the stresses of life seem to float away…

You turn over gently, close your eyes and Tranqwillow continues with a luxurious rehydrating facial for which you choose from three essential oils. You may also choose to supplement your facial with warm Lavender infused oil massaged into your scalp. The flow continues with a luxurious pressure point scalp massage. And you feel your energy awakening.

Three large effleurage strokes, beginning at the nape of your neck, herald the opening of a 10-minute Back Pressure Point Massage. Then the beauty elements: nail bed massage, masque, moisturizing.

The 90-minutes fly by and you are increasingly energized, ready to re-enter the real world.

This centuries-old traditional spa experience combines a medicinal Moor mud wrap, therapeutic bath and massage. It is very beneficial for your skin, whether it’s dry or just been battered by the weather (heat or cold).

Many of you have asked exactly what you’ll experience during this 90 minute signature treatment, and here it is:

As you lie face up on the spa bed, you will notice a table filled with the enormous number of essential oils, waters and crèmes as well as spa supplies needed to complete this seemingly basic experience. It is complicated, intense, one of spa’s almost mystically ritualistic experiences.

Willow Stream Elements begins with the careful application of warm Moor Mud all over your body then you are wrapped snugly in a thermoplastic sheet with hot towels on top. As the Moor Mud begins to work its magic, your spa therapist begins your facial by applying two Swiss beauty pads, Aromatherapy Neroli Water and remineralizing face crème. You feel wonderful as she finishes with an invigorating scalp massage.

After removing the Moor Mud in the shower, you step into a warm bath of Therapeutic Mineral Bath Salts redolent with Thermal Mineral Bath Gel.

The pressures of the day to day are long gone now and you relax as you feel your energy return. You step out ready for anything, but first, the denouement – a massage with Remineralizing Body Crème and Sage Oil.

Water exercise is a perfect way to escape the heat and humidity of summer. Swimming is an obvious choice. Swimming or treading water is a great way to work the cardiovascular system.

If it’s been a while since you’ve been in a canoe, try it again. It’s a great way to get a good workout in a serene environment. To get a balanced workout, row on alternate sides of the boat, or use a longer, double-sided paddle, which makes balancing even easier.

Enjoy the ride. It’s different, it’s fun and it’s a great way to see nature and listen to the sounds of the water.

Summers can be scorching, and the mountains offer a great escape from the heat of the city. Hiking is a way of doing natural intervals – you push the body, then rest, repeat.

Take a picnic and hike until you find a view. Relax and have lunch while taking in the view and the scents and sounds of nature. Once you’ve rested, use the incline to challenge yourself. Walk up with strong, bold steps and then walk down slowly for recovery.

If you’ve got a mountain bike, many areas have miles of dirt trails great for the tires of a mountain bike. Even moderate trail cycling is a great whole-body workout that doesn’t feel like exercise.

The best part about summer exercise is that a workout is a by-product of just getting out and experiencing the outdoors.