World Medical Tourism & Global Health Congress

I'm really pleased to have been a part of the 2nd annual Congress event organized by the Medical Tourism Association. While last year I moderated the spa panel, this year I moderated a panel on Integrative Medicine.

Below is a partial reprint from the MTA blog
The Medical Tourism Association’s 2nd annual World Medical Tourism and Global Health Congress (http://www.medicaltourismcongress.com/) was held in Los Angeles this past week and achieved great success. Over the course of three days, the annual global conference featured approximately 1,500 attendees from the public sector and private sector, health insurance companies, employers and insurance agents attended the conference largely due to work of MTA. It also featured over 160 speakers and 120 exhibitors and sponsors.
Over 60 countries participated in the conference which focused on the high quality of care and the investment in healthcare throughout the world. The conference also featured Ministers’ Roundtable where Ministers of Health and Tourism addressed the opportunities and challenges of the industry in their respective countries.

In praise of pets (Otherwise known as pet therapy)

Have you heard of Nubs and his owner? This is the true tale (tail) of the relationship between a dog and a man.



Or have you read Eckardt Tolle's recent book "The Guardians of Being?"

Recommend it.

Newly Launched Blog on the Kurotel Longevity Center

There are several exciting things happening related to my visit to the Kurotel Longevity Center.

Les Nouvelle Esthetique & Spa chose my article submission as a highlight to their September issue which is fantastic. The article focuses on the Kurotel's newly launched day spa concept called the Kur Water Station which is actually a seperate yet complimentary business line to the hotel's wellness offering. Watch for it on (http://www.lneonline.com/)

I'm really pleased to launch my blog called "Camille at the Kurotel" in advance of the article. (http://camilleathekurotel.blogspot.com/)

Fun to put together, the blog offers insight into first-hand impressions of my wellness stay. It serves as a wonderful reminder to me that Kurotel was a catalyst for improving my personal lifestyle choices -- and I hope it inspires reader to examine theirs and to take the next step in advancing their own wellness goals.

I welcome your feedback - and if you have any questions about Kurotel I would be happy to answer them.

Fam Tour at the Rancho Bernardo Inn

I just returned from a 24 hour jaunt to the Rancho Bernardo Inn and wanted to immediately share my observations while they are still fresh in my mind.

Invited as a guest to experience some of the new spa services and $25 million-dollar renovation, I was given the red carpet treatment from the spa and El Bizcocho - their fine dining restaurant. (For a full description of my experience at El Bizcocho go to http://camilleinla.blogspot.com/)

The Spa at Rancho Bernardo Inn is a luxury resort spa featuring treatment casitas, water features, sunning lounges and stunning pool accessible only to spa clients. Michelle S., Spa Director and I met last year after I had written an article on the California Wildfires and featured the General Manager, Spa Manager and a massage therapist from Rancho Bernardo Inn and their incredible response to their guests, staff and community during this natural disaster. (http://www.globalspaandwellness.com/pdf/Wildfires_MNB_MA_08.pdf

Michelle graciously extend a full afternoon of spa treatments of some of the new services they recently rolled out including an orange body scrub, a shea butter body wrap, massage and margarita pedicure. We sat for an hour outside exchanging ideas and information about spa trends and promotions. The Spa's "Made to Order" services offer unique blends of fresh ingredients to tempt the senses and providing a relaxing yet rejuvinating experience. I love the recipe cards for "Spa to Go" which include a recipe for a scrub that you can make at home and an accompanying edible recipe. For example, make a cranberry scrub and a delicious orange cranberry bread to nosh on!

As for my room, it was spacious, comfortable and elegantly decorated with a modern twist on Spanish Colonial overlooking the golf course. It was great to sit in my bathrobe, drink coffee, hear the birds chirping away as golfers played. All of the rooms have been completely refurbished rooms with 42” flat-screen TVs, wireless internet, private patios, upgraded linens and luxury bath amentities.

Photography as a Healing Art

Art has a healing effect not only on the person viewing the art but also for the artist. Photography is one medium that can transport a person through time, geography and an emotional landscape of memories.

For many years I have been drawn to nature and capturing all its beauty and grandeur through photograpy. It inspires me. It is life affirming both in the act of observing the details of life that most are too busy to see and in being able to "stop time" by capturing its image sharing the experience with others.

Last year, I participated in my first art show and my photography was also on display at an upscale spa in Los Angeles. I have donated my art to non profits. Please contact me if you are a non profit such as a family resource center, skilled nursing facility, hospital, wellness center etc and I would be delighted to work with you.

BAGNI DI PISA Natural Spa Resort

I'm starting to plan my visit to Italy and am delighted to have the opportunity to tour and learn more about the services as the Bagni di Pisa Natural Spa Resort.

Bagni di Pisa Natural Spa Resort is of particular interest to me for two reasons - one professional and the other is personal. I have written several articles on thermal spas and spoke on "The Importance of Thermal Spas in the Turkey and the Middle East" as a guest speaker in Turkey last October. I was also the moderator "The Synergy Between Spas and Medical Tourism" session in San Francisco last year at the Medical Tourism Association Congress. On a more personal note, my parents lived in Italy for many years while my father attended medical school at the University of Bologna and my grandfather traveled from the US to Italy many times to enjoy the healing thermal waters of Italy.

I will be traveling with family members of all ages and we are all excited about our spa visit! The menu is quite extensive (27 pages) and can be downloaded from www.bagnidipisa.com

Veterans of War Find Peace and Healing through SCUBA

ABC ran a piece tonight on a SCUBA program for disabled veterans. The program takes place at St. John's in the Carribean and it struck a cord with me. The healing power of water provides relief from pain and physicial limitations. It also is soothing and peaceful, providing benefit to both mind and body. I had blogged about aqua therapy in my other blog http://camilleinla.blogspot.com/.

I first discovered the benefits of water when my father suffered a debilitating spinal cord injury. Twenty years later, with my own back injury, I discovered being in the water can be the best medicine. "Palliative care" is how a nurse described it - but it is much more than that. I was asked recently, what helps relieve pain and without over analzying - I scribbled, "swimming."

Scuba was great for awhile but I found the tanks and weight belt to be too cumbersome and heavy - snorkeling is a better choice for me - more freedom to move about.