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 ydrotherapy been around for centuries, since people first
recognised how good water made them feel. Roman and Turkish baths were places
to socialise while enjoying skin treatments and massage. Nearer home, people
have been taking the waters at places such as Bath on and off since Roman
times.
Water may have fallen out of favour during the Dark (and grubby) Ages, but
by the 18th Century, its benefits had been rediscovered in Germany. Within
a few decades the water cure had swept the Continent. People drank spring
water, fasted and bathed in different temperatures for some powerful results.
Spa varieties
Today, spas around the world specialise in a variety of health and beauty
treatments. New Zealanders ease their rheumatism at the hot springs of Rotorua,
with mud packs or a massage under a warm shower. The Dead Sea works miracles
on skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Fashionable French spa-goers
attack their cellulite with seaweed. And health resorts around Britain offer
a menu of water-based treatments from footbaths to immersion in brine and
mud, via hot and cold dips or various pressures of shower coming from all
directions.
Water of life
It's not surprising that water is so beneficial for health. Our earliest
ancestors evolved in warm seas, as each of us did, in the waters of the
womb. Like the planet itself, we're 70 per cent H2O. But although we now
spend our days in hot buildings where air conditioning lifts the moisture
out of our skin, we dabble our fingers in. In our holidays we flock to beaches
and swimming pools. No wonder that, for most of us, sinking into a warm
bath is the most peaceful moment of the day.
Health benefits
Water is invigorating as well as as relaxing: if you've ever sniffed the
air beside a waterfall, or been caught in a welcome shower on a hot day,
you'll remember that sparkling Freshness. That's because breaking water
- as in rain, fountains, the spray from a fast-running river or even your
own bathroom shower produces a stream of negatively charged ions. Dry stuffy
air is full of unhealthy positive ions, which is what we're breathing most
of the time. So it's always worth making time for a quick reviving shower.
Create your own spa
While a stay at a health resort will cost from about £100 a night,
it's not difficult to create a spa of your own cheaply for detoxifying,
revitalising, beautifying or simply relaxing. These days, supermarkets and
big chemist chains produce their own ranges of low-cost treats with a spa
theme. You'll find hidden treasures in little beauty shops and health food
stores, while some of the best-quality products, as used in health resorts,
are available by mail order. Shop around for a knobbly rubber massage mitt,
a rough-textured artificial sponge or an exfoliating cloth to stimulate
your skin. Then all you need is a big, fluffy towel, a cosy bathrobe to
snuggle into - and the bathroom to yourself.
Rise and shine
In the morning, your bathroom spa is a place to revitalise and detoxify.
So start the day with a burst of energy by brushing your skin before you
take a shower. For added beauty benefits, brush your face first, then cleanse
and put on a mask such as St Ives Firming Masque with Pure Mineral Clay
(£3 95, 150g), so it has time to dry before you rinse it off.
Brushing stimulates the lymphatic system, which carries toxins away from
the cells to be excreted along with other bodily waste. Using a natural
bristle brush, go lightly over your skin in circular motions, working towards
the lymph glands in your groin and armpits. You'll probably need to start
with a very light touch, but as you get used to the feel you can brush more
vigorously. Always go extra lightly over your face and breasts, spiralling
out from the nipples to the armpits. It only takes about three minutes to
cover your whole body, so it's something you can do every day. Not convinced?
Well, it's also said to help shift the dreaded cellulite.
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Shower power
Once you're in the shower, use a knobbly bath mitt to scrub vigorously, making
your skin glow as your blood circulation speeds up out of its night-time torpor. For the skin-enhancing benefits
of air-dried clay, the Clay Company offers a Detoxifying Soap £12.80
+ £2 p&p, 200g). Or lather up with Boots Spa Shower Gel (£2.49,
20ml), containing watermint and sea holly for an invigorating foam. Then
you can slough off dead skin with a scrub such as Nature's Compliments Marine
Extracts Energising Body Scrub (£1.75, 125ml) from Sainsbury's, with
loofah and sea lavender. Hair doesn't have to miss out on maritime benefits
either: the Organic Product Company's Botanical Deep Action Wash (£4
99, 250ml) refreshes oily hair with a seaweed called kelp. Finish by turning
the shower onto cold. If this is too much of a shock, turn the temperature
down slowly -once you're used to it, you'll revel in it. Cold showers may
be grim reminders of schools and sports pavilions, but in the comfort of
a warm bathroom they're really refreshing. People who take cold showers
suffer fewer infections and less severe colds than anyone else (apparently
cold baths are even better if you ever feel brave enough to try one!).
Pamper yourself
Towel yourself briskly dry and smooth in some firming lotion, concentrating
on massaging your hips and thighs: try Nature's Compliments Sea Fennel Balancing
Contour Cream (£1.79, 85ml).
Finish by taking a deep breath and rising onto tiptoes, lifting your arms
as high above your head as you can reach, stretching out to your fingertips.
Breathe out as you bring your arms down, still stretching out as far as
your fingers can reach. Take another deep breath as you reach behind you,
opening up your chest. Now you're ready for anything.
Winding down
When you're ready to relax, your spa becomes a place of luxurious treats
aimed at nothing more strenuous than smoothing and soothing your body If
you're alone, put on the answering machine or unplug the phone. Otherwise,
tell everyone you're not to be interrupted for at least half an hour.
Make sure the room's warm, light some candles and turn off the overhead
light. Put on a cassette of peaceful music or the sounds of the ocean, keeping
the cassette player a safe distance from any water. For fragrance, use some
aromatherapy oil in a burner, choosing relaxing scents such as rose, lavender,
jasmine, sandalwood or ylang ylang. To be certain of buying pure organic
oils, try the Organic Product Company's range, (from £4.25 including
p&p, 10ml).
Relaxing baths
Though a shallow hot bath has been known to ease period pains (sit up with your
knees out of the water and don't stay in more than 10 minutes) hot water tends
to have an exhausting effect. A warm bath is healthier and kinder to your skin.
Or try another
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hydrotherapy technique and bathe in water at
body temperature, topping up with hot water to keep the temperature
constant. This is said to have the most relaxing effects of all.
If you're using neat essential oils in your bath, add a few drops just before
you get in as their effects are strongest for the first 20 minutes. Foam
bath, on the other hand, needs to be poured in under a running tap. Boots
Stress- Spa Mineral Bath (£2.59, 350ml), with sea fennel and sweetbalm,
makes frothy mountains you can sink into like a Hollywood star. Or try pampering
your skin with Nature's Compliments Spa Minerals Conditioning Bath Creme
(£1.99, 400ml).
Essential minerals
For a real spa experience, try a moor or seaweed bath; ideal to ease aching
joints and stiff muscles when you've been overworking. The minerals in Austrian
Moor's Moor-Life Bath (£10.95 a litre + £3.30 p&p) turn
the water inky black but you're guaranteed a good night's sleep afterwards.
Or use a blend of Algorom Bath with marine algae (£13.25 + £1.50
p&p, 200ml) and Circulation Oil (£21 + £1.50 p&p, 125
ml, both by Algologie) with a herby, almost medicinal tang
Banishing stresses and strains
After cleansing your face, smooth on Austrian Moor's Moor-Life Face Mask
(£6.90 + £1 p&p, 50ml) which doesn't need to dry out. Then
slip into the water and let the pace of your breathing naturally slow down
as you relax. Visualise yourself lying on a tropical shore and imagine your
stress and aches pouring out through your skin to dissolve and be washed
away. The delicate seaside tang of Boots Spa Mineral Soap (99p, 100g) which
contains tiny particles of seaweed, will enhance your reverie. While you're
washing, massage your scalp, neck and shoulders, and don't ignore arms and
legs if they're tired. Even better, get someone else to massage you, with
the promise that you'll return the favour some other time...
When you've soaked long enough, pat yourself dry and smooth in some Dead
Sea Magik Body Lotion £4.75, 330ml), with long slow strokes towards
your heart. If you head for bed now, nothing will stop you falling asleep.
Playing safe
If you have any serious health condition, always check with your doctor
before trying a new treatment, even these mild home remedies. Diabetics
and people with poor circulation might invest in a bath thermometer to make
sure the water's not hotter than they think. And if you have cancer avoid
skin-brushing and massage, which can cause cancer cells to spread. Steer
clear of hot baths, cold showers or sudden changes of temperature if you
have trouble with your heart or blood pressure
Drink
for your health
For added spa benefits, amply drink more water. We're supposed to drink
about two litres of it a day, but hardly any of us do. Yet lack of water
can lead to chronic constipation, seized-up joints, stiff muscles and the
risk of kidney stones.
Coffee, tea, alcohol, cola and other soft drinks don't count: they make
us pass more water, leaving us even more dehydrated. Even fruit juice is
best diluted. So step up your water intake - and enjoy the welcome side
effect of healthy skin that's moisturised from the inside.
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