Weight loss is not only skin deep
While Spa Body Makeover is best known for the dramatic, natural body transformations on ABC’s hit show Extreme Makeover, our unique approach to eating and exercising allows us to predictably and effectively target many health concerns such as diabetes, hypertension, wasting disease, and various other illnesses. While eating healthier and losing weight will usually result in better health test results, our methods allow us to accurately yield predictable changes in blood pressure and blood sugar level. As you will see, we’re not just a weight loss spa, we are also a health and wellness spa!
Type II Diabetes
 Diabetes is a frustrating and dangerous disease. There are many auxiliary medical conditions associated with diabetes including hypertension, elevated cholesterol, kidney failure, and more. Most diabetics adjust their medication based on their food and resulting blood sugar levels. The Spa Body Makeover approach is to alter the food consumption and add regular exercise to control the blood sugar levels.
One of the most important yet overlooked facts about type II diabetes is the varying severity and stages of the disease. Varying levels of severity will greatly impact the types and quantities of foods that a patient should consume. Another important factor, that is the core of each of our programs, is each person’s unique body chemistry. Most nutritionists and dieticians treat carbohydrates universally by using the glycemic index. They assign a list and quantity per meal or per day for each patient. Our experience has shown that carbohydrates impact body chemistry in a more 3 dimensional effect. Carbohydrates with equal glycemic index values do not always metabolize in the same amount of time. Nor do all carbohydrates contain the same amount of fiber, nature’s time release mechanism in starchy foods. Not to mention that sugar from the same food will behave much differently in a 200 pound male versus a 150 pound female. Having intricate knowledge of these combined interactions, we can provide a much more specific list of suitable food choices to quickly and effectively balance blood sugar levels.
Prior to designing a program for our diabetic guests, we request that a diary (which can be downloaded from our forms page) be kept for at least 3 days prior to the design of their nutrition program. Please call our office for instructions on how to correctly record your food and blood sugar readings.
Visit Makeover Specialist Kris Reid's bio on our About Us page to learn how he went from a blood sugar level of 700 and being blind to maintaining healthy blood sugar levels without medications with perfect vision!
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
 Hypertension or high blood pressure, is one of the medical conditions we have been able to improve most rapidly in our guests. In most cases, we successfully eliminate the need for hypertension medications within 1 to 2 weeks. The reason we are so successful is our systematic 3 step approach that is scientifically designed to improve or eliminate the causes of hypertension. The first and most important step in our process is to address the excess sodium in the body’s cells. We know that sodium is one of the major contributors to blood pressure changes. If your sodium content in cells is too low, blood pressure drops. Conversely, when sodium intake is in excess, blood pressure elevates. Our special eating regimen will address the excess sodium in the cells by creating a diuretic effect using specific combinations of foods at regularly spaced intervals. We use specific types of foods that aid the body’s potassium/sodium exchange mechanism to eliminate excess water. This has been shown to reduce blood pressure more effectively than most medications.
Please review our study of over 200 participants who reduced their blood pressure, thus eliminating the need for medication.
The second step is to teach proper deep breathing as in yoga or singing. Taking shallow, quick breaths will actually increase your blood pressure. Whereas, taking deep, slow breaths through the diaphragm has been shown to decrease blood pressure immediately. Your body receives more oxygen, your body connects with your mind and your mind calms down. While this seems like a quick fix, the focus is to teach you new habits that continue long after your stay. Surprisingly, most of us are taught to suck our tummy in to look slimmer. When we do this, we limit the amount of space available for the air we breathe. Learning to deep breathe to replace your shallow breathing as your normal breathing pattern will allow you to maintain the many benefits.
Finally, the third step is to walk at a slow but constant pace. We have placed clients on the treadmill for five minutes, combined with the deep breathing described earlier, experience an immediate decrease in blood pressure. The slow pace increases circulation slightly so that your blood flows naturally with greater ease throughout your body. The pace maintained is generally between 50 and 60 percent of your maximum heart rate until your blood pressure is maintained at a safe level.
Other medical conditions
While we are branded strongly as a weight loss spa, we have seen tremendous improvements in health in all our guests. The most impressive results have been in wheel chair bound clients with lupus, multiple sclerosis, and other such conditions. We are able to achieve such results because improper nutrition is 90 percent of the cause for deterioration in the body. Correct nutrition habits will lead to improvements in skin, hair, cholesterol, digestive disorders and most other illnesses.
 Becoming healthier and eliminating the need for medication is not a side effect of weight loss. The goal is to become healthy and when you do, the changes are visible and obvious. At Spa Body Makeover, we have been blessed with being able to work with tens of thousands of individuals with various medical ailments. Most of which were addressed through changes in nutrition habits. Your body regenerates almost completely every seven years. What do you think your body uses to make those cells? The foods you eat and the way you eat them should be your highest priority. Therefore, it is vital to learn what foods and exercises are right for your body. Think what would happen if you rebuilt your home every seven years and used rotting lumber and rusty nails. Your home would be in shambles. The Spa Body Makeover method is undisputedly the best way to improving your health because it is designed specifically for your body and your needs. There isn't anything that we do at the spa that you won't be able to achieve at home-there are no fads or gimmicky activities. Please read more about this in our Activities page.
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