Le Scandinave Spa

Sometimes it's nice to remember that we don't have to take a flight to escape and relax for a weekend. We are so fortunate to have so many great things to see and do in our own backyard. Last weekend was one of those weekends. We booted up to Collingwood for Saturday and Sunday to relax and check out Le Scandinave, a spa in the middle of the woods!

If you have come to see me as a patient and you have had a cold or sinus congestion you probably were prescribed cold wet sock treatment, a simple hydrotherapy technique to increase flow and decrease pain. I love hydrotherapy as it really matches my philosophy in how I practise Naturopathic Medicine: back to the basics. So at Le Scandinave after a nice massage, Chris and I trekked outside to the waters. They have 3 hot pools ranging in temperature from 102-104 degrees and then 3 cold 'plunge pools' ranging from 56-58 degrees. So we would sit in a hot pool for 5 minutes then plunge in the cold for a few seconds and then go to one of the 3 relaxation rooms where we would sit for 15- 20 minutes just sitting in silence and reading magazines. There was also a eucalyptus steam bath and a sauna that we rotated through.

Everyone was very respectful of the silence and the goal of relaxation. No talking, no blackberrys... it was lovely. Great spot that we'll for sure go back to and enjoy.

Chris was giving me grief though because although I was good to do these hydrotherapy baths I wouldn't let us do the traditional banya in Moscow or St. Petersburg 4 years ago when we had the chance. We spent HOURS looking for these damn baths in the confusing streets in Russia and after we finally found them and walked in I chickened out. Maybe the yelling in Russian and the neon signs scared me off. Next time!