accupressure - Traditional Chinese pressure-point massage that stimulates the flow of energy in the body.
acupuncture - Traditional Chinese healing technique based on Taoist philosophy, administered by using needles, low-voltage electric current (electro acupuncture), or pinpoint massage (acupressure).
alexander technique - Method of re-educating the mind and body to improve movement. The focus is on applying the appropriate amount of energy for each activity in order to improve posture and balance and to eliminate stress-inducing habits.
algotherapy - Seaweed bath - a form of thalassotherapy.
anaerobic - Opposite of aerobic exercise, anaerobic exercise --such as weightlifting and bodybuilding-- involves muscular work that causes the body to use more oxygen than it takes in.
anti-aging - Product or treatment said to decelerates the aging process.
applied kinesiology - Study of muscles, especially the mechanics of human motion.
aqua aerobics - Aerobic exercises performed in a pool using the support and resistance of the water to burn fat, strengthen bones, and increase cardiovascular health and endurance. The buoyancy of the water greatly reduces the chance of injuring joints or muscles.
aromatherapy - Treatments such as massage, facials, body wraps, or hydrobaths that include the application of fragrant essential oils. Different oils are used for different therapeutic benefits.
asanas - Various yoga postures or poses. The practice of these physical poses is a fundamental stage in many branches of the yoga system
Ayurveda - Ancient Indian system of traditional folk medicine from India using a variety of techniques, incorporating nutrition, herbal medicine, aromatherapy, massage, and meditation to restore the organism to perfect balance
balneotherapy - The use of water to restore and revitalize the body. Since antiquity, balneotherapy has been used to improve circulation, fortify the immune system, and relieve pain and stress.
behavior modification - Change in personal habits through repetition of desired behaviors. Most spas incorporate behavior modification into their weight loss programs.
Bindi - Bodywork combining exfoliation, herbal treatment, and light massage.
biofeedback - Training program that gives a person information about physiological processes (heart rate or blood pressure) with the goal of gaining conscious control over them.
blood pressure - Pressure exerted by the blood on the walls of the body's arteries. Normal blood pressure is usually 120/80.
body conditioning - Any exercise program that focuses on overall conditioning of the body. A body-conditioning routine might combine exercises for strength and flexibility and use both strength-training equipment and floor exercises.
body sculpting - Fitness program using weight, flexibility, and endurance training; but not running or jumping, to shape hips, thighs, upper arms, and buttocks without creating bulk.
body wrap (herbal wrap) - Treatment in which strips of cloth are soaked in herbal teas and cocooned around the body.
botanicals - Plant part or extract used in hair or skin products.
brush and tone - Dry brushing of the skin intended to remove dead layers and impurities while stimulating circulation. This is one of many exfoliating techniques used as a pretreatment for mud and seaweed body masks that are formed by the application of a moisturizing lotion.
capoeira - Combination of acrobatics, dance, boxing, and martial arts invented by Brazilian slaves. Widely played in South America and gaining popularity in the United States.
cellulite - Deposits of lumpy fat and fibrous tissue that cause dimpling of the skin in the thighs, hips, and buttocks of some women.
chakra - Ayurvedic term for energy "center." It is believed that there are seven chakras, which are all interconnected and which must be balanced
circuit training - Exercise plan utilizing six to ten exercises that are completed one after another on weight-resistance equipment to increase mobility, strength, and stamina. Each exercise is performed for a certain number of repetitions.
city hotel or urban spas - Located in metropolitan hotels, some of these spas are open only to hotel guests, while others are accessible to the general public
collagen therapy - Injection of collagen beneath the skin with a fine needle to fill out wrinkles and lines.
colonic - Intense water irrigation of the entire colon, intended to release trapped impurities and prevent the recycling of toxins into the bloodstream.
color therapy/chromatherapy - Use of color to balance mental and spiritual health through the use of colored rooms, light bulbs, fabrics, etc. The technique dates back to ancient Egypt.
complementary medicine - Treatments and therapies used in conjunction with traditional medicine. Alternative medicine, in contrast, replaces traditional therapies.
cosmeceuticals or cosmaceuticals - Topical cosmetic-pharmaceutical combinations intended to improve the health and appearance of skin.
cranio-sacral therapy - Treatment that focuses on the connection between the skull and the base of the spine along the spinal column. The therapist's palpitations in those areas are said to release blockages in the circulation of the cerebral-spinal fluid and allow it to flow more freely.
dancercize - Aerobic workout to upbeat music using steps and patterns derived from modern dance help improve range of motion, endurance, aerobic capacity, flexibility, and strength.
dead sea mud treatment - Application of mineral-rich mud from the Dead Sea in Israel. Used to detoxify skin and body and to ease painful symptoms of rheumatism and arthritis.
destination spa - Establishments that focus exclusively on lifestyle improvement, health enhancement, and self-renewal in the company of like-minded people
detoxification - Cleansing the body of poisons or toxins that may have accumulated through addictive habits
doshas - According to Ayurvedic medicine, the three metabolic types (vata, pitta, and Kapha). Most people are a combination of types, though are predominately one.
drumming - Rhythms and sounds, used by spas to promote emotional and spiritual release. Drums may come from African, Middle Eastern, Native American, and South American musical traditions.
dry brush - Procedure using a natural-bristle brush to remove dead skin and impurities while stimulating circulation. This is one of many exfoliating techniques used prior to mud and seaweed body masks.
duo massage - Massage treatment performed in simultaneously by two therapists.
ecotour - Ecologically responsible travel that promotes the conservation of nature and sustains the wellbeing of local people.
effleurage - Massage technique involving quick, long strokes used at the beginning and end of certain treatments.
endermologie - French massage therapy said to reduce the appearance of cellulite.
essential oils - Aromatic liquids extracted from flowers, grasses, fruits, leaves, roots, or trees. The oils maintain the odors and tastes, and thus the essence, of the plant they are extracted from.
estrogen - Generic term for any steroid hormones secreted chiefly by the ovaries and placenta. Promotes the development of the female secondary sex characteristics and affects female reproductive system.
European facial - Treatment that begins with deep cleansing, steam, exfoliation, and professional massage of the face, shoulders, and chest area, followed by special mask that hydrates the skin.
exfoliation - Procedure to slough top layer of dead skin cells off the face or body. Dry brush, loofah scrub, and salt glow are among the techniques used in conjunction with ingredients including grape seed, sugar, clay, and salt.
eyebrow threading - Ancient method of hair removal developed in the Middle East and Asia that uses a cotton thread to pull out unwanted hair at the root.
facial - Generic term for treatment of skin in the face that usually includes massaging, cleansing, toning, steaming, exfoliating, and moisturizing.
fango - From the Italian word for mud, a treatment that uses mineralized mud mixed with oil or water and applied over the body as a heat pack to detoxify the skin, soothe the muscles, and stimulate circulation.
feng shui - Chinese art of determining the most propitious design and placement of a structure or site to achieve maximum harmony between the flow of energy between the place and its inhabitant.
fitness profile/assessment - A test administered by a fitness instructor to evaluate aerobic capacity, flexibility, and strength, as well as resting heart rate, resting blood pressure, and body composition.
functional foods - Foods that have been fortified with herbs, vitamins, minerals, or other supplements.
gommage - Cleansing, rehydrating treatment using creams that are applied in long movements, similar to a massage.
green - Concerned with or promoting environmentalism by recycling, making bidogradable products, or limiting pollution.
green tea - Tea whose leaves come from the same shrub as black tree but are heated before oxidation (called fermentation) is complete. It may reduce risk of cancer and help prevent cardiovascular disease.
haiku - Traditonal Japanese form of poetry consisting of three lines, which have 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively.
hair extensions - Synthetic fibers or real human hair that is woven (sewn) or braided into existing hair to increase length, volume, or color.
hatha yoga - Branch of yoga that is devoted to the physical processes (as opposed to others that focus on wisdom, meditation, service, etc.) and involves breathing and physical exercises. There are many types of physical yoga.
henna - Dye from a natural plant substance used especially in Middle East in many cultures to decorate skin as part of ceremonial rituals. It is used also to color hair in West
herbal wrap - Treatment using strips of cloth soaked in a heated herbal solution to wrap around the body. It is used for relaxation and said to eliminate impurities and detoxify.
holistic medicine - System of heath care that looks at the entire person, taking into account physical, nutritional, environmental, emotional, social, spiritual and lifestyle values, and avails itself all modes of diagnosis and treatment including drugs and surgery in the absence of a safe alternative. The patient is urged to make personal efforts to achieve balance and well-being.
homeopathy - Form of medicine based on the principle that "like cures" like to stimulate the body to heal itself, it treats patients with minute quantities of natural substances that cause symptoms much like those of the disease they are meant to cure.
hormone replacement therapy - Medication containing one or more female hormones (usually estogen) used to treat women experiencing symptoms of menopause or amenorrheoa or women who have had partial or full hysterectomy. Medical opinion about the risks of this kind of therapy is divided.
hot stone therapy - Relaxing, therapeutic treatment in which dark, smooth stones heated in hot water or hot spring pools are placed or stroked with light pressure on areas of the body such as the back, in the palms, and between the toes. Cold stones may also be used.
hydrotherapy - Treatment using water therapeutically to aid relaxation in a variety of procedures such as underwater jet massage, different types of showers, and mineral baths. Thalassotherapy, using seawater for hydrotherapy, has long been a staple in European spas.
hypoallergenic - Cosmetic products alleged by manufacturer to create fewer allergic reactions among those who are sensitive. However, no federal standards govern the use of this term.
ISPA - International Spa Association, a professional organization representing all aspects of the spa industry: club spas, cruise ship spas, day spas, destination spas, resort/hotel spas, medical spas, and mineral springs spas.
juice fast - Short-term diet regimen consisting of only fresh fruit or vegetable juices. Advocates claim it detoxifies the body.
kickboxing - Boxing techniques, basic kicks, and martial arts moves (all self-defense tactics) that give the upper and lower body an intense cardiovascular, aerobic, and body-toning workout.
kinesthetic awareness - Sensitivity to the moment of your body through space that contributes to your ability to balance and move rhythmically and fluidly. It is sometimes developed as a self-awareness technique for spiritual growth.
Kneipp baths - Water therapies originated by Germany's Father Sebastian Kniepp, a holistic teacher and proponent of natural remedies. Originally involving dips in the icy Danube, nowadays the therapy involves immersion both in warm and cold water.
kosher - From the Hebrew meaning "fit" or "proper", food that meets the criteria of Jewish law regarding the ingredients and the equipment used to produce it. One of the basic laws prohibits combining meat and milk.
krauter bath - Based on German natural remedy, this is a strong, aromatic herbal bath solution.
kur - From the German "kur", a planned course of spa treatments that typically involve mineral water, mud baths, algae, and herbs. "Taking the kur" might be a ten- to twenty-day process every three months.
la stone therapy ™ - See hot stone therapy
labyrinth walking - Following a man-made, spiral pattern path (traced on the ground, as in many cathedrals, or constructed in garden) to meditate, focus, and calm the mind. Not a maze, the path follows a number of circuits to the center of a circle and back out.
laser hair removal - Use of concentrated beams of light to permanently remove unwanted hair. Best candidates for the procedure have very fair skin and very dark hair.
loofah scrub - Exfoliation with a sponge made of the fibrous skeleton of the loofah, a vegetable from the gourd family. Loofah is used extensively in Europe and Asia because of its effectiveness in removing dry skin and stimulating circulation.
lycopene - The substance that makes tomatoes red, it is also a powerful antioxidant that may help prevent diseases of aging such as some forms of cancer and heart disease.
lymph drainage - Form of massage in which hands and fingers apply gentle, wave-like movements meant to stimulate circulation in the lymph system to drain away excess fluids and trapped toxins. It is said to have many healthful benefits.
