Treatments in spas are by no means a modern phenomenon. Recorded history shows that the practice was prevalent back in the Greek and Roman eras, while archaeological evidence dates back to prehistoric times. In ancient times, spas erupted around hot springs whose waters were concentrated with minerals and microorganisms that facilitated healing. They became sources of worship and reverence for prehistoric civilizations, for medicinal bathing in the Greco-Roman period, and for pampering and relaxation in the modern age.
Doctors and scientists soon discovered that the minerals and microorganisms from the water are seeped into the surrounding soil and mud, and that this precious mud could be used to deliver the same miraculous results. Now mud treatments in spas across the globe are as ubiquitous as a massage. Because of variations in temperature, location and composition of water bodies, different muds – the most popular being the Dead Sea mud, Moor Mud and Italian Fango – have a wide variety of benefits.
Spa for the Ancients – Karlovy Vary
With about 313 hot springs and the warm water of Tepla river, the little city of Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic is one of the most ancient spa cities. Its name translates to ‘Charles’ Bath’ after Charles IV, King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor, who founded the city in 1370. Pre-World War II it hosted numerous rajahs, sheikhs, presidents, aristocrats and cultural icons including Napoleon and Beethoven, who came here to benefit from the mineral-rich waters and mud. As quoted by Mila Syznovich, spokesperson for Karlovy Vary, “Our mud is high in mineral salts, CO2, argonite, calcite and trace iron deposits. This area is a river valley formed by granite tectonic blocks, which created a rift valley. Subsequent basalt lava flows and argonite mineralizations are also present. The thermal water infects the earth surrounding it, lending the mud curative properties.”
Life from the Dead – Dead Sea Mud
It is ironic that the Dead Sea, an environment too hostile for any living organism to survive, can be the source of products that have been scientifically proven to be extremely curative. It’s the water body with the highest concentration of salt on the earth and unlike other seas and oceans, its composition contains more than 21 minerals such as Magnesium, Calcium, Sulphur, Bromine and Zinc.
These minerals are also found in Dead Sea mud, which is considered effective in the treatment of skin ailments such as Psoriasis, Eczema, Dermatitis and Acne and in the relief of muscular pain and rheumatic conditions such as Arthritis. Dr. Kremer Moshe, a skin and venereal diseases specialist, who tested the effectiveness of Jericho Cosmetics’ Dead Sea mud said, “These products contain sulphides and bituminous compounds essential for hair stimulation. Ingredients of the mud such as flavonoids and vitamins A, B, E, iron and polysaccharides which stimulate the growth of hair follicles provide essential nutrients to the germinative cells.”
Italian Treasure – Fango
Fango is the Italian word for mud. It is used widely is mud treatments across Europe with the Italian government sponsoring 15 days of the treatment a year for its citizens. Fango is abundantly found in Italy’s volcanic terrain. It is made up of a solid, clay-like component, thermal water and an algae-based flurry. According to Dr. Reinhard Bergel, Health-Enhancement-Accessories-Training., the most commonly used algae are blue-green algae (Cyanophyceae), green algae (Chara pistienensis) and the blue-green algae (Oscillatoriaceae).
This mud, when combined with mineral water and algae, needs to undergo a maturation process before being considered therapeutic. “The progress of mud ripening is characterized by changes in electrical potential,” ¬says Dr. Bergel. He adds, “The most characteristic effect is the heat effect. The heat reaches the deep-laying tissue structure and promotes healing, regeneration and restoration due to increased blood supply. That’s why healing, curative hydro-thermal spa remedies should be administered as at least 20 consecutive treatments.” In a typical therapy session, the mud is applied at a temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit and left on for 15-20 minutes, followed by a hot shower and/or thermal bath.
Centuries of Perfection – Moor Mud
Moor Mud is a therapeutic mud derived from peat, which as Dr. Bergel describes consists of “humus and minerals formed over a very long period by physical, chemical, biologic, and geologic processes”. It is a thick, natural, black mud, visually unappealing yet packed with about a hundred different plants extracts, organic substances, minerals, inorganic compounds, antibiotics and vitamins. The highest quality of moor muds is found in unpolluted and sparsely populated regions, which have continuously flowing thermal water…Read the full version of the article on emag.spamantra.in
Issue 6 Page 86
Jerusha Ratnam-Chande
