After seeking help from 12 different doctors for more than 20 years for a rare skin condition, Lonnie White grew tired and frustrated of misdiagnosis and prescriptions that seemed to trigger other health problems. A former professional football player, he also suffered from sore joints and back pain.
At the urging of his wife, White, a sports writer for the Los Angeles Times, decided to seek a program that could put him on a healthy track. He settled on the Executive Health Program at Canyon Ranch, a resort located on 150 acres of desert near the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains in Tucson, Arizona. Aside from his hectic work schedule, White had just completed writing the book UCLA vs. USC: 75 Years of the Greatest Rivalry in Sports. “I figured that even if they couldn’t help me with my ailment, I’d be able to relax,” he said.
Canyon Ranch, and an increasing number of other facilities offering health solutions and work/life programs fall under the categories of destination or medical spas. And they’re growing in popularity.
According to the International Spa Association (www.experi enceispa.com), an industry organization representing about 2,000 health and wellness facilities in 59 countries, there were nearly 70 destination spas in 2002. By 2004, there were 191. Between 2001 and 2003, the number of visits to destination spas increased from 500,000 to 2.4 million, and revenues jumped from $158 million to $399 million. What’s driving these numbers? Results.
A recent study by Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration found that more than 500 respondents who attended destination spas where the focus was healthy living felt fit and energetic after their stay. They conducted business with more acumen and creativity, experienced enhanced decision making, and were able to handle challenges with marked improvement.
White found even greater returns. He was finally diagnosed with the chronic inflammatory skin disease Hidradenitis Suppurativa, which affects areas of the body where there is skin-to-skin contact. In addition to receiving guidance on treatments and care, he also learned that he had a tilted pelvis and flat feet, which contributed to his joint problems.
During his five-day stay at the spa, White was assigned a physician and went through three days of medical testing that included a full physical, blood work, stress tests, and a session with a chiropractor for concerns he had about his bones. He also enjoyed a variety of massages and tai chi classes. Canyon Ranch offers more than 50 fitness classes and daily activities including yoga, meditation, tennis, hiking, and biking.
The spa, which has a sister facility in Lenox, Massachusetts, and is scheduled to open its first healthy living residential community in Miami this year, offers an executive health package that includes pre-arrival preparation. Prior to White’s visit, he received a phone call from a registered nurse and was required to fill out a survey that revealed his family medical history.
The spa requires that all guests undergo an 80-minute comprehensive head-to-toe assessment; a variety of tests such as the cardiometabolic stress test, heart rate variability, lipid analysis, and insulin sensitivity; and a profile of major organ systems.
It’s important to note that not all destination spas offer medical expertise, but many offer specialized services. Since there is no regulatory body that distinguishes spa services, it is up to the individual to do the necessary research. Start with SpaFinder (www.spafinder.com) and Destination Spa Group (www.desti nationspas.com), an organization of 23 destination spas including Canyon Ranch.
SOME OTHER SUGGESTIONS
El Monte Sagrado Resort, Taos, NM
Seven thousand feet up in the mountain community of Taos is the perfect setting for healing — whether spiritual, physical, or intellectual. The year-old El Monte Sagrado, a resort-cum-healing sanctuary located in the desert of northern New Mexico, aims to change the concept of the destination spa. For starters, its creator, Tom Worrell, is a fierce proponent of the environment.
You’ll notice immediately how nature and nurture are seamlessly integrated. Healthy, non-chlorinated water flows from waterfalls, a trout pond (yes, fishing is allowed), and two pools. At the resort’s center is the Sacred Circle. Surrounded by cottonwoods and aspens and featuring a wooden footbridge and an abundance of regional flora and foliage, it’s a place to meditate, contemplate, and relax. The ground is sacred and the resort itself has been blessed by a priest and a Buddhist monk.
Upon arrival, you’ll be ushered to one of 36 casitas — some with fireplaces, all with patios or balconies. Take your pick among two- and three-bedroom themed suites all decorated with works by local and international artists.
Don a luxurious robe and head straight for the Living Spa, where the roof opens to reveal a crystal-clear mountain sky.
Sample enticing, nature-based and organic treatments, many handcrafted from indigenous plants and flowers. Venture to try more unusual therapeutic treatments like sound and vibrational therapy and intuitive touch.
A roster of alternative treatments and programs abound. If you’ve thought of trying a moonlight hike, spontaneous movement and effective communication, or even communicating with your pet, this is the place to try it all.
For reservations, call 800-828-TAOS or log on to www.elmontesagrado.com.
Well Max Center for Preventive Medicine, LaQuinta, CA and Palm Springs, FL
This will be one of the most luxurious and relaxed trips to the doctor you’ll ever take. Whether you choose the one-day program or the extended Platinum Program, as you settle into your 450-square-foot room, you’ll get in the right frame of mind to begin your journey to good health.
The center offers an intensive variety of progressive wellness and medical services for executives. Among them is the Wellness Platinum Program, which begins with an extensive medical interview and physical exam. The physical is followed by more testing, including some trademarked procedures such as the ThinPrep Pap test for women, a highly accurate test for detecting abnormal cervical cells. Other procedures include genetic testing; cognitive screening; a stress assessment; and metabolic analysis, which measures how many calories a patient burns while active and while resting.
All medical information is documented on a CD, which is given to patients. Well Max also features a sports medicine program, which provides the benefit of world-class tennis courts and five golf courses.
For more information, visit Well Max online at www.wellmax.com.
— Additional reporting by Pat Jacobs