Friday, August 8, 2008

What is Thalassotherapy?

Thalassotherapy, from the Greek word "thalassa", meaning sea is a long standing treatment approach developed in France that uses seawater and its elements to treat and revitalize your body. Attracting the young, the old, the famous and those suffering from health complications, Thalassotherapy is a therapy that restores balance to our bodies, strengthens psychological wellbeing and relaxes and assists in relieving numerous health complaints. So how capable is this miracle water in helping and what can one expect during a thalassotherapy treatment?

Although the approach has not been accepted widely or scientifically, numerous individuals from around the world would argue strongly regarding the benefits and improvements that they have experienced. With the growing number of centers opening up around the world and the increasing number of thalassotherapy enthusiasts, it would be difficult to dispute that it was not doing something positive. There are various forms of thalassotherapy, and each form is known to treat or assist in different areas. Some of the many benefits that have been noted are: relaxation, muscle toning, skin cleansing, immune system enhancements, improved sleep, improved circulation, improved eczema or psoriasis as well as countless other psychological and physical benefits.

What can you expect? Since the therapy can be applied in various forms, you could expect anything from warm underwater showers, seaweed wraps, sea fog inhalations, hot seaweed baths, and jet showers to algae and mud wraps and sea water massages. Some treatments are performed in a costume and others are performed naked, depending on the treatment type. Typically a stay of at least a week is required with four to six treatments a day, in order to experience the full effect of the therapy. It should be noted however that thalassotherapy may not be suitable for individuals with certain medical conditions, and this would need to be assessed by the centre or your doctor prior to continuing any choice of therapy.

The secret to the sea water is its trace minerals and elements such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium and other elements that are believed to be absorbed by the skin. The minerals found in sea water have also found to be present in human serum and plasma, and such a similarity has been noted between the two that it has been shown that human white blood cells can live for up to five weeks in sea water. It is for this reason that the sea water elements are believed to aid in healing and protecting us by supplying our bodies with the much needed minerals that we may be lacking due to illness or due to other various accounts.

Essentially, our skin is the largest organ in our bodies, however we often forget about its importance and capability in protecting and healing the body. Thalassotherapy focuses on the skin as an important organ which can aid the body, and with the assistance of the mineral rich seawater, it is believed that great benefits and relief can be experienced. There are numerous thalassotherapy centers around the globe, and they can most definitely be viewed as a fantastic positive experience for even those of us just wanting to be pampered for a day, a week or even a month. The choice is yours!

Find spas and more wellness related information at: http://healthspaguru.com