Grove Meadows

Pear Cactus

8 Offbeat Spa Treatments !

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For most spa goers, indulging in a treatment incorporating exotic mineral essential ingredients or visiting a spa in a unique location is about as exotic as things get. But for those in search of something truly unique, consider these 8 bizarre spa treatments, according to Forbes Traveler:

1. Snake Massage

In Northern Israel, therapist Ada Barak is a snake handler extraordinaire who performs a service for those knotted with stress and who are not faint of heart. According to Barak, knotted muscles find relief with her $70 treatment using six non-venomous serpents. Clients lie face down as Barak places the snakes on clients' aching muscles. The slip and sliding motion down the spine supposedly relieves tension. For the remaining 98 percent who find snakes anything but relaxing, perhaps a good old Swedish massage is in order.

2. Perscentoelogy

Phoenix-area spa goers who have "been there and done that" should seek out the services of Marie Bernat, toe reading expert. Plying her trade at various Phoenix spas, Bernat invites clients to kick off their shoes for a life analysis with perscentoelogy. Apparently, toes tell secrets, and Bernat is happy to read and share them. In fact, "people laugh because they are surprised that I can tell more about themselves in 10 minutes than people who have known them their whole life," said Bernat.

3. Nightingale Dropping Facial

For skin as beautiful as the geisha, Diamond Hawaii Resort & Spa in Maui has the secret to flawless skin - nightingale excrement. It's the tried and true beauty regime for Kabuki actors and geisha in Japan who smear the enzyme-filled excrement on their faces to keep complexions clear, white and smooth. The Diamond Spa begins all of their facial treatments with a layer of dehydrated and scent-free nightingale excrement, providing clients with flawless skin.

4. Cupping

A fave detox treatment for the A-crowd, cupping is a preferred treatment at JW Marriot Starr Pass Resort & Spa in Tucson, Arizona. Who can forget Gwyneth Paltrow's arrival at a movie premiere in a backless gown, a series of circular welts along her spine? Paparazzi images caught the unusual markings, creating a media buzz and sending spa-goers in search of this treatment whose powerful suction is created by glass cups lit with a flame. The ancient Asian practice helps boost circulation and promotes healing. Clients report feeling more energized and relaxed for several days following the service.

5. Beer Therapy

Relaxation is as close as the tap - but preferably at the spa rather than the local pub. Beer therapy indulges clients with a soak in heavenly hops at places such as the Chodovar Family brewery in Chodova Plana, Czech Republic. The onsite spa offers guests a dip in the dark beer bath while enjoying a pint. The bath is reputed to increase circulation and aid in detoxification (not to be confused with Hollywood's favorite form of detox).

6. Cactus Massage

For a distinctly Mexican flair spa treatment, try a cactus massage at Apuane Spa at the Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita in Punta Mita, Mexico. Clients enjoy a blend of nopal, a prickly pear cactus, and pulque, an alcohol made from the agave plant (predecessor to modern-day tequila) massaged into their skin using spine-free cactus paddles.

7. Booty Facial

For those seeking some real pampering, the Fanny Facial focuses the indulgence purely on the derriere at Smooth Synergy Cosmedical Spa in New York City. The treatment includes a three-step session of exfoliation, microcurrent and sunless tanning treatment created to better the backside. In fact, the service has become one of Smooth Synergy's most popular, and bootylicious, treatments.

8. Caviar Facial & Body Treatment

A-listers (and those who like to live like they are) can now be coated from head to toe in a high-priced delicacy at Rome Cavalieri Hilton's Grand Spa. The Caviar Facial and Caviar Body Treatment incorporate the beneficial and skin-firming properties of caviar extract. These edible eggs create younger-looking skin and make clients feel like a million bucks.

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Relaxation is as close as the tap - but preferably at the spa rather than the local pub. Beer therapy indulges clients with a soak in heavenly hops at places such as the Chodovar Family brewery in Chodova Plana, Czech Republic. The onsite spa offers guests a dip in the dark beer bath while enjoying a pint. The bath is reputed to increase circulation and aid in detoxification (not to be confused with Hollywood's favorite form of detox).

Prickly Pear Cactus Medicine $10.96 The first complete guide to natural healing properties and uses of the prickly pear cactus. Examines the scientific research promoting the cactus as a natural diabetes and cholesterol medication as well as its use in the treatment of obes...

Prickley Pear Cactus Charm $16 Prickley Pear Cactus Charm

Cactus Pear Fruit $47.16 Buy and sell [Cactus Pear Fruit] at great prices.

Mosquitoes, Gnats & Prickly Pear Cactus $17.55 Mosquitoes, Gnats & Prickly Pear Cactus

Prickly Pear Cactus Medicine $5.36 Buy and sell [Prickly Pear Cactus Medicine] at great prices.

Cactus Pear Fruit: A Promising Fruit $81.66 The effect of variety, ripening stage and plantation region on the chemical and technological properties of yellow-orange and red cactus pear (prickly pear) fruits were studied. Some chemical and technological properties of cactus pulps were evaluated during frozen storage for 12 months. In this study, some products were processed from cactus pear and then evaluated. The prcessed juice had good keeping quality during storage for 6 months either at room or fridge temperature. A prickly pear sheets from the yellow-orange pulp were prepared with diffferent ratios of sugar. The prepared sheets with 2 and 3% sugar were the best organoliptically. Cactus corn or rice-based extrudates were prepared using different ratios of concentrated yellow-orange or red prickly pear pulp. Cactus pulp extremly enhanced the sensory properties of rice extrudtes, espicially at low ratios of cactus. Cactus ice cream was evaluated also for some properties. The rheological properties of cactus pear pulps and cactus products were evaluated. Organoliptically, all cactus products (juice, dried sheet, cactus cereal-based extrudates and ice cream) were accepted.

Prickly Pear Cactus Medicine: Treatments for Diabetes, Cholesterol, an $3.95 " As an herbalist and ethnobotanist, I have scoured the literature to find more details about the use of these curious plants. My search has been rewarded by the publication of Ran Knishinsky's new book, Prickly Pear Cactus Medicine. He has done a masterful job unearthing details on the use of the prickly pear cactus for food and for medicine. This, the only cactus widely available in American supermarkets, is poised to become a dietary staple and Knishinsky's book provides the spark to move prickly pear from beyond ethnic use to mainstream acceptance." An excellent blend of good science and real life applications." Prickly Pear Cactus Medicine is the first guide to the natural healing powers of the prickly pear cactus."" For paean to the prickly pear, and as a source of good practical information about its uses, this book is an excellent resource." A comprehensive and detailed review of the benefits of this remarkable plant and a compelling argument for its acceptance into modern herbalism." The prickly pear cactus may become an herbal superstar. . . . Prickly Pear Cactus Medicine is a unique and invaluable contribution to alternative medicine reference collections."" . . . how intriguing it is that prickly pear cactus grows so profusely here in the Southwest and is also the treatment for a disease that is epidemic here amongst the native people." Ran Knishinsky has done a masterful job unearthing details on the use of the prickly pear cactus for food and for medicine. This book provides the spark to move the prickly pear from beyond ethnic use to mainstream acceptance." The prickly pear is one of the most widespread cacti on Earth and has some of the most diverse uses, both as food and medicine. This book provides a comprehensive and detailed review of the benefits of this remarkable plant and a compelling argument for its increased acceptance into modern herbalism."" A wonderful book about a w@™™™™™šÿ¾Úð

Cactus $10 Cactus

Cactus Mandala Infant Creeper $15 Art Mandalas - This unusual mandala was created from a photo of a prickly pear cactus. Can you see the sharp spines in the close-up? Ouch!

Prickly Pear Cactus Extract (Nopal opuntia) 2 fl oz: HH $21.06 Nopal, often referred to by its common name of Prickly Pear, is a large cactus native to the desert southwest. It grows up to four meters in height, and produces numerous reddish fruits. The entire plant can be used as a food source that is nutritionally impressive. Nopal contains large amounts of Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, niacin, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid. But Nopal is currently gaining a reputation for its action regarding blood sugar and hangovers. Nopal is believed to lower blood glucose levels, partly due to its coating of the gastrointestinal tract. This same coating effect may be responsible for its effectiveness in tests in which people who ingested Nopal before drinking alcohol suffered significantly less from hangovers than those who did not. Prickly pear cactus has been used successfully for centuries. The Aztecs were busy cultivating the plant in Mexico when the Spaniards arrived early in the sixteenth century. Parts of the prickly pear cactus have been used in various ways throughout the world. The Aztecs extracted the milky juice from the plant and mixed it with honey and egg yolk to provide an ointment to treat burns. The Chinese dressed abscesses with the fleshy pad of the plant. The Indians used the fruit for food and also made syrup from it to treat whooping cough and asthma. In Italy, the flowers have served as a diuretic. A tea made from the blossoms has treated colitis. In Israel, researchers found that the dried flowers may be used to battle an enlarged prostate. More recently, the Mexicans have used the plant to treat diabetes and obesity, as well as elevated blood cholesterol levels. They prepare the medicine by slicing cactus pads into strips and boiling them like string green beans. Prickly Pear is a great source of vitamin C and provides 17 essential amino acids. As a fibrous plant, Cactus Optunia contains pectin, mucilage and gums that are helpful to the digestive system. The body systems most affected are the glandular, nervous, circulatory, respiratory and intestinal tract. Studies show Cactus Optunia actually improves the functioning of the immune system and is a natural source for ascorbic acid and bioflavonoids. Prickly pear extract contains powerful antioxidants, may be helpful in gastic ulcer prevention, has blood lipid and cholesterol lowering potential, and may even ease hangover symptoms.

Prickly Pear Cactus Extract (Nopal opuntia) 8 fl oz: HH $63.18 Nopal, often referred to by its common name of Prickly Pear, is a large cactus native to the desert southwest. It grows up to four meters in height, and produces numerous reddish fruits. The entire plant can be used as a food source that is nutritionally impressive. Nopal contains large amounts of Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, niacin, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid. But Nopal is currently gaining a reputation for its action regarding blood sugar and hangovers. Nopal is believed to lower blood glucose levels, partly due to its coating of the gastrointestinal tract. This same coating effect may be responsible for its effectiveness in tests in which people who ingested Nopal before drinking alcohol suffered significantly less from hangovers than those who did not. Prickly pear cactus has been used successfully for centuries. The Aztecs were busy cultivating the plant in Mexico when the Spaniards arrived early in the sixteenth century. Parts of the prickly pear cactus have been used in various ways throughout the world. The Aztecs extracted the milky juice from the plant and mixed it with honey and egg yolk to provide an ointment to treat burns. The Chinese dressed abscesses with the fleshy pad of the plant. The Indians used the fruit for food and also made syrup from it to treat whooping cough and asthma. In Italy, the flowers have served as a diuretic. A tea made from the blossoms has treated colitis. In Israel, researchers found that the dried flowers may be used to battle an enlarged prostate. More recently, the Mexicans have used the plant to treat diabetes and obesity, as well as elevated blood cholesterol levels. They prepare the medicine by slicing cactus pads into strips and boiling them like string green beans. Prickly Pear is a great source of vitamin C and provides 17 essential amino acids. As a fibrous plant, Cactus Optunia contains pectin, mucilage and gums that are helpful to the digestive system. The body systems most affected are the glandular, nervous, circulatory, respiratory and intestinal tract. Studies show Cactus Optunia actually improves the functioning of the immune system and is a natural source for ascorbic acid and bioflavonoids. Prickly pear extract contains powerful antioxidants, may be helpful in gastic ulcer prevention, has blood lipid and cholesterol lowering potential, and may even ease hangover symptoms.

Prickly Pear Cactus Extract (Nopal opuntia) 16 fl oz: HH $120.04 Nopal, often referred to by its common name of Prickly Pear, is a large cactus native to the desert southwest. It grows up to four meters in height, and produces numerous reddish fruits. The entire plant can be used as a food source that is nutritionally impressive. Nopal contains large amounts of Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, niacin, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid. But Nopal is currently gaining a reputation for its action regarding blood sugar and hangovers. Nopal is believed to lower blood glucose levels, partly due to its coating of the gastrointestinal tract. This same coating effect may be responsible for its effectiveness in tests in which people who ingested Nopal before drinking alcohol suffered significantly less from hangovers than those who did not. Prickly pear cactus has been used successfully for centuries. The Aztecs were busy cultivating the plant in Mexico when the Spaniards arrived early in the sixteenth century. Parts of the prickly pear cactus have been used in various ways throughout the world. The Aztecs extracted the milky juice from the plant and mixed it with honey and egg yolk to provide an ointment to treat burns. The Chinese dressed abscesses with the fleshy pad of the plant. The Indians used the fruit for food and also made syrup from it to treat whooping cough and asthma. In Italy, the flowers have served as a diuretic. A tea made from the blossoms has treated colitis. In Israel, researchers found that the dried flowers may be used to battle an enlarged prostate. More recently, the Mexicans have used the plant to treat diabetes and obesity, as well as elevated blood cholesterol levels. They prepare the medicine by slicing cactus pads into strips and boiling them like string green beans. Prickly Pear is a great source of vitamin C and provides 17 essential amino acids. As a fibrous plant, Cactus Optunia contains pectin, mucilage and gums that are helpful to the digestive system. The body systems most affected are the glandular, nervous, circulatory, respiratory and intestinal tract. Studies show Cactus Optunia actually improves the functioning of the immune system and is a natural source for ascorbic acid and bioflavonoids. Prickly pear extract contains powerful antioxidants, may be helpful in gastic ulcer prevention, has blood lipid and cholesterol lowering potential, and may even ease hangover symptoms.

Cactus Land $10.81 Philip Byron Oakes'' first volume of poetry, containing both previously published and hitherto unpublished works from 2007-2008...a viscerally challenging and visually raucous menage of iffy passports to a middle earth of prickly pear encounters endangering both friend and foe alike

The Cactus $3.02 Buy and sell [The Cactus] at great prices.

Pear $10 Pear

Cactus : Cactus V $13.29 Cactus : Cactus V

Metal Prickly Pear Cactus Outdoor Decor $199 -Metal -Applied Oxidized finish -Handmade in Mexico; slight natural variations in color and shape will occur.

Prickly Pear Cactus Powder (Nopal opuntia) 5 kg (11 lbs): Q $221.76 Nopal, often referred to by its common name of Prickly Pear, is a large cactus native to the desert southwest. It grows up to four meters in height, and produces numerous reddish fruits. The entire plant can be used as a food source that is nutritionally impressive. Nopal contains large amounts of Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, niacin, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid. But Nopal is currently gaining a reputation for its action regarding blood sugar and hangovers. Nopal is believed to lower blood glucose levels, partly due to its coating of the gastrointestinal tract. This same coating effect may be responsible for its effectiveness in tests in which people who ingested Nopal before drinking alcohol suffered significantly less from hangovers than those who did not. Prickly pear cactus has been used successfully for centuries. The Aztecs were busy cultivating the plant in Mexico when the Spaniards arrived early in the sixteenth century. Parts of the prickly pear cactus have been used in various ways throughout the world. The Aztecs extracted the milky juice from the plant and mixed it with honey and egg yolk to provide an ointment to treat burns. The Chinese dressed abscesses with the fleshy pad of the plant. The Indians used the fruit for food and also made syrup from it to treat whooping cough and asthma. In Italy, the flowers have served as a diuretic. A tea made from the blossoms has treated colitis. In Israel, researchers found that the dried flowers may be used to battle an enlarged prostate. More recently, the Mexicans have used the plant to treat diabetes and obesity, as well as elevated blood cholesterol levels. They prepare the medicine by slicing cactus pads into strips and boiling them like string green beans. Prickly Pear is a great source of vitamin C and provides 17 essential amino acids. As a fibrous plant, Cactus Optunia contains pectin, mucilage and gums that are helpful to the digestive system. The body systems most affected are the glandular, nervous, circulatory, respiratory and intestinal tract. Studies show Cactus Optunia actually improves the functioning of the immune system and is a natural source for ascorbic acid and bioflavonoids. Prickly pear extract contains powerful antioxidants, may be helpful in gastic ulcer prevention, has blood lipid and cholesterol lowering potential, and may even ease hangover symptoms.