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e a great place to go on a retreat for work or
just a fun place to go with a group of friends for a weekend.
It can be made into an elaborate event or even into something
that will be special and exciting for you to enjoy, let alone
having quality time with some people that you care about. Many
day spas will offer group packages that will include lodging so
as to bring people in. Take advantage of these and take your
friends with you. Not all spas are created the same. Some are
multifaceted creations which will provide something for
everyone. Many are attached to resorts which will provide
entertainment and activities for both the women and men. Some
are attached to a golf course, while others are on a small lake
to increase the attractiveness of the resort and spa.

There are however many benefits that can be taken advantage in
regards to the day spa by itself. There is of course the wide
variety of massages that are offered at the place that can
range from sports, to Swedish to deep tissue among others.
These massages will help to ease the stress and aches that you
brought with you on your retreat. Many of these day spas will
feature a pool for you to relax in as well. Of course there is
the sauna for you to relax in that will help to ease away the
problems and issues that are in your body right now. It will
do this by cleaning out your pores and letting all of the
impurities slip away. There is the whirlpool that will help to
ease the stress from your body and muscle aches by forcing
streams of water against your body. Many of the benefits and
advantages of a day spa can be felt more in the course of a
couple of days as opposed to feeling the pressures of trying to
cram all of it into one day which would defeat the purpose of
the going to the spa in the first place.

When looking into planning a retreat or going to day spas for a
weekend of relaxation make sure you do your research. Figure
out which resort or spa will offer the most benefit to you and
your friends. Not all of the spas that you visit will offer
the same benefits and privileges so look into what they have
and what they can do for you. Figure out what you are looking
for and how well the facility will provide for it. Look into
the history of the facility and determine if it has a good
enough history and reputation to receive your business. Think
of all of the benefits that you and your party can receive if
you use this facility and if it will be worth their investment
to go there before you make a final decision. Consider all of
the benefits and then make your decision on where to go based
on which place best fills these.

About The Author: Chris Powell has worked for many years as a
massage therapist, and has written amazing articles on massages
that will educate you about what you absolutely need to know
about giving a perfect massage. You can read more of Chris’s
articles about massages at http://www.mood-indigo.net

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by: Travel Alberta
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Explore the Spa in Kananaskis

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When people seek Brokeback Mountain, they discover that
Oscar-winning director Ang Lee actually used various shots of
different mountains in Alberta’s Kananaskis Country to create
the movie’s pastoral centerpiece.

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Distribution Date and Time: 2007-01-09 21:00:00

Written By: Travel Alberta
Copyright: 2007, All Rights Reserved
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Explore the Spa in Kananaskis
Copyright (c) 2007 Travel Alberta, All Rights Reserved
Written by: Travel Alberta
http://www.travelalberta.com

When people seek Brokeback Mountain, they discover that
Oscar-winning director Ang Lee actually used various shots of
different mountains in Alberta’s Kananaskis Country to create
the movie’s pastoral centerpiece. There was no spa in the movie,
but there is indeed a celebrated spa set like a jewel where
Brokeback was filmed - the Summit Spa at the Delta Lodge at
Kananaskis. You can enjoy it along with the magnificent
countryside.

When actors Jake Gyllenhaal, Heather Ledger, Randy Quaid and the
rest of the cast and crew of Brokeback Mountain began filming ,
they didn’t have a lot of down time to explore.

“It was a nice escape for them, but mostly they were working and
not having the time to enjoy all the activities here,” notes
hotel general manager James Tingley. “These folks were busy all
the time. Sometimes, they might eat at our restaurant but for the
most part we left them alone, treating them with the same respect
that we do to all of guests.

Discover Untouched Forests, Lakes and Rivers

You, on the other hand, are more fortunate. The actors, cast and
crew who stayed in this pristine mountain hideaway for four days
in 2004 (they also filmed in other parts of southern Alberta)
have spoken highly of the experience - praising the untouched
forests, wide open skies, alpine lakes, rivers and valleys.

In fact, Budget Travel Magazine listed Brokeback Mountain in its
December/January 2005 issue as one of the top ten 2005 films that
will inspire people to travel. While the movie is an adaptation
of Annie Proulx’s 1997 short story set in Wyoming in Montana,
director Ang Lee and his other filmmakers opted to bring the
production north to capture the wild beauty of the southern
Alberta Rockies.

The Guardian Online newspaper out of London in the UK, meanwhile,
recently published an article about the region’s beauty, quoting
the actors and crews as being literally floored by all it has to
offer. The Guardian Online quoted actor Randy Quaid as saying: “I
loved the mountains, and even the wind. It’s gorgeous big sky
country.”

Try Brokeback Mountain Tour Packages

Visitors are expected to flock to the region to see what the
movie portrayed. Tingley says the hotel has partnered with
Brewster Tours, based in Banff, and a Taiwan tour company to
develop package tours this summer. Interest from Taiwanese
travelers is high, as that is Lee’s homeland.

Other packages in the works include guided hikes through
Brokeback territory, plus combination rafting/horseback or
rafting/hiking trips as well, says Tingley, who notes these trips
will be operated with certified and experienced guides.

K-Country, as it is locally known, is a 4,250-sq-km (1,615
sq.-mile) outdoor recreation area, easily accessible to the
alpine communities of Canmore and Banff. There is an array of
year-round activities including boating, rafting, fishing,
golfing, wildlife watching and more. Had the Brokeback folks had
more time on their hands at the resort - an easy hour’s drive
west of Calgary, the international gateway to the Rockies - this
is what we imagined they might have done explored.

Relax at the Summit Spa

Situated at the Delta Lodge at Kananaskis near Olympic ski hill
Nakiska and Fortress Mountain, Summit guests are often here to
explore the multitude of outdoor activities in the four-season
recreational playground known as Kananaskis Recreation Area.

This pretty Rocky Mountain resort offers spa packages - check out
the jet-lag refresher massage or botanical wraps - and you kill
time between appointments in the steamy indoor/outdoor hot pool.
With sage-green d=C8cor and the best indoor/outdoor family swimming
pool/games area in the Rocky Mountains, you can choose to be
active or just soak up the sun.

While the Brokeback cast and crew - who numbered at times in the
hundreds - didn’t get much opportunity to indulge in these
wellness sessions, we’re pretty sure the movie’s storyline, had
it not been set decades ago, would have been part of this
acclaimed flick.

Many Activities Available

On foot, by bicycle or on horseback, you can get back to nature
simply by stepping out your front door. Unlike the bustling
mountain communities of Banff, Canmore and Lake Louise, there are
few crowds in K-Country and most sights are near to the hotel.
You can visit many of the spots captured on film, like the Upper
Kananaskis Lakes and its campground and day-use area. Like the
film’s characters, you can explore much or the region via
horseback - contact the Delta Lodge at Kananaskis’ tour desk to
make arrangements. There are also hundreds of kilometres of
trails within K-Country and nearby Peter Lougheed Provincial
Park, plus a paved network of pathways in and around Kananaskis
Village.

Golf Beneath Jagged Peaks

Kananaskis Country Golf Course, opened in 1983 at an estimated
cost of close to $1 million per hole, has won praise year after
year for its gorgeous viewpoints and challenging golf. It has two
18-hole courses set in the Kananaskis River Valley with the
jagged peaks of Mount Kidd and Mount Lorrette as a backdrop.

Nature at Your Doorstep

K-Country and neighbouring provincial parks are home to dozens of
campgrounds, RV sites, backcountry huts and lakeside hideaways.
You won’t find cottage country here, but you will find wildlife
- deer, bighorn sheep, moose, bear, mountains goats and dozens of
species of birds.

———————————————————————
Copyright (c) 2006 Travel Alberta, All Rights Reserved

Travel Alberta (http://www.travelalberta.com) is the destination
marketing organization for the Province of Alberta. Guided by the
Strategic Tourism Marketing Council, Travel Alberta is the steward
for the effective delivery of tourism marketing programs. For
information about our organization, please visit our Travel
Alberta industry web site at http://industry.travelalberta.com

—

eat place where you can take the time to go
and pamper yourself. These establishments can be found all
over the country and can offer many benefits to the user. Many
of these places offer a wide variety of treatments and relief
from the everyday stresses of life. They have a wide variety
of things that are designed to make you feel special and
pampered in getting you to that level of peace and happiness
that you desire to make your body feel good and relieved.
These day spas are located all over the place and some of them
will have different themes and styles associated with them.
Some of them will even be attached to a hotel or resort in
order for you to fully appreciate all that they have to offer
in an effort to give you a true feeling of relaxation and
enjoyment.

Some of the benefits that are associated with a day spa are the
various relaxation techniques that are implored. One of the
primary methods that are used by many day spas is that of the
massage. The spas will provide their own massage therapists
which will in many cases be able to give you the massage that
you desire in an effort to relieve the stress that you have
brought with you to the spa. You can receive a Swedish
massage, deep tissue massage or even a head massage to relieve
some of your tension. Many spas will also have a sauna which
will help you to flush away the impurities that you have in
your system as well as providing you with the relief of the
heat and relaxation that is provided by the sauna. There is
also the whirlpool which may be available which will give you
the effect of an underwater massage to make you feel better and
less stressed. There are many other techniques and variables
that may be available depending on the type of day spa that you
are looking to go to and what the benefits of that day spa will
bring to you.

There are many different types of spas that are available and
able to be used and it is up to you to decide which is the most
beneficial for your needs. Many of these spas can be found
online for you to research and discover. Look into them see
what they have to offer and provide so you can make a better
informed decision to treat yourself or to provide a treatment
for someone. There are many resources available to help you to
determine the best spas out there and finding out how well they
treat their guests. You just need to be willing to look and
research so you are able to meet your goals and needs in stress
relief and tension alleviation. Just be careful in what you
choose and make sure it is what you want to do and a reliable
establishment so as to be able to meet all of your needs.

About The Author: Chris Powell has worked for many years as a
massage therapist, and has written amazing articles on massages
that will educate you about what you absolutely need to know
about giving a perfect massage. You can read more of Chriss
articles about massages at http://www.mood-indigo.net

Please use the HTML version of this article at:
http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=115171
==================

f regular sauna bathing have been known for
literally thousands of years. By stimulating the immune
system, helping to flush toxins and waste products from the
body, and increasing body temperature and cardiovascular
function, sauna bathing is a pleasant full-body treatment that
is good for almost anyone. There are also several chronic
health conditions that are particularly benefited by sauna
treatments.

Psoriasis, a chronic skin condition characterized by severe
itching and disfiguring thickenings of the skin, is an
uncomfortable and embarrassing condition. By using the sauna
to increase sweating, this skin condition can be minimized.
The sweating helps to soften the skin and reduce rough patches,
while the moisturizing steam helps make the skin more pliable
and supple. Also, the increased circulation and immune
function helps wounds to heal faster with less scarring.

Another condition that can greatly benefit from sauna heat
treatments is arthritis. By reducing the inflammation and
swelling in the affected joints, pain is decreased
significantly. The heat increases circulation to energize the
body and promote healing, as well as helping to relax stiff,
tight muscles and increase the ability of the arthritis
sufferer to rest without pain. Also, the detoxifying effects
of sauna therapy help to flush the body of the byproducts of
anti-inflammatory medications.

Fibromyalgia, a condition which causes fatigue, depression, and
bone and muscle pain over the sufferer’s entire body, can also
be helped by sauna treatments. The increased sweating helps to
flush toxins and lactic acid from the body. Lactic acid, the
byproduct of muscle exertion, is the substance that causes
muscle soreness. People with fibromyalgia have difficulty in
ridding the muscles of this substance. By sweating it out,
fibromyalgia sufferers will notice reduced muscle pain,
stiffness, and less need for pain pills or muscle relaxing
medications.

With so many wonderful healthful benefits steam and infrared
saunas certainly deserve closer consideration by those
suffering from chronic pain and other health problems.

About The Author: Catherine Cannon writes on a variety of
subjects. To learn more about this topic Catherine recommends
you visit http://luxsauna.com/

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Aromatherapy, commonly associated with complementary and
alternative medicine (CAM), is the use of volatile liquid plant
materials, known as essential oils (EOs), and other aromatic
compounds from plants to affect someone’s mood or health.

When aromatherapy is used for the treatment or prevention of
disease, a precise knowledge of the bioactivity and synergy of
the essential oils used, knowledge of the dosage and duration
of application, as well as, naturally, a medical diagnosis, are
required. In the Anglo-Saxon world, even among “natural”
practitioners like herbalists or naturopaths, aromatherapy is
regarded more as an art form than a valid healing science. At
best, it is viewed as a complementary and seldom the only
treatment prescribed.

On the continent, especially in France, where it originated,
aromatherapy is incorporated into mainstream medicine. There,
the use of the anti-septic properties of oils in the control of
infections is emphasized over the more “touchy feely” approaches
familiar to English speakers. In France some essential oils are
regulated as prescription drugs, and thus administered by a
physician. In many countries they are included in the national
pharmacopeia, but up to the present moment aromatherapy as
science has never been recognized as a valid branch of medicine
in the United States, Russia or Germany.

Essential oils, phytoncides and other natural VOCs work in
different ways. At the scent level they activate the limbic
system and emotional centers of the brain. When applied to the
skin in the form of massage oils they activate thermal
receptors, and kill microbes and fungi.

Internal application of essential oil preparations, mainly in
pharmacological drugs, may stimulate the immune system, urine
secretion, may have antiseptic activity etc. Different
essential oils have very different activity.; they are studied
in pharmacology and aromachology.

While the practice of aromatherapy is sometimes thought to be
confined to inhalation, it may include various methods,
including:

* Inhalation (directly or diffused into the air)

*Absorption through the skin (baths, massages, compresses)

* Absorption through the mucous membranes (oral rinses and
gargles)

* Ingestion (occasionally prescribed, with caveats)

Skeptics argue that while pleasant scents can be relaxing,
lowering stress and related effects, there is currently
insufficient scientific proof of the effectiveness of
aromatherapy. Like many alternative therapies, few controlled,
double-blind studies have been carried out. A common
explanation is that there is little incentive to do so if the
results of the studies are not patentable.

There are some treatments generally accepted in Western
medicine to give a form of relief for the airways in case of
cold or flu, such as mint and eucalyptus essential oils.

Some skeptics acknowledge that aromatherapy has limited
scientific support but argue that its claims go beyond the data
or that the studies are not adequately controlled and peer
reviewed.

The term “aromatherapy” has been applied to such a wide range
of products that almost anything which contains essential oils
is likely to be called an “aromatherapy product”, rendering the
term somewhat meaningless in that context.

Some proponents of aromatherapy believe that the claimed effect
of each type of oil is not caused by the chemicals in the oil
interacting with the senses, but that the oil contains a
distillation of the “life force” of the plant from which it is
derived that will “balance the energies” of the body and
promote healing or well-being by purging negative vibrations
from the body’s energy field.

Arguing that there is little scientific evidence that healing
can be achieved, or that the claimed “energies” even exist,
many skeptics reject this form of aromatherapy as pseudoscience
or even quackery.

Disclaimer: The information presented here should not be
interpreted as or substituted for medical advice. Please talk
to a qualified professional for more information about
aromatherapy.

About The Author: Copyright ? 2006, Heather Colman. Find more
aromatherapy resources at: http://www.aromatherapy-centre.info

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