Spa - Hot Water that You Want to Get Into!
by Fern Abercrombie
http://www.dspas.com
Where did the word "spa" come from? There's a Belgian city
called "Spa" that has wonderful healing hot springs, which
became a very popular stop in the 17th century. Two Latin
words were probably the source of the name: fountain is
"espa" in Latin and to bubble up is "sparsa." In any case
hot bubbling waters are just the thing for deep relaxation.
Warriors of Ancient Greece came home from battle feeling
sore and very stiff. Hot springs made for a nice soak to
relieve tired muscles. Soon, the Greeks learned to build
pools to hold hot water that was fed into them by local hot
springs. Soaking to relax and relieve their war weariness
was very popular. The practice soon spread to people other
than warriors who wanted to enjoy the "hot tubs."
Many cultures have some kind of spa or hot water resorts.
The Native Americans, Japanese, Turkish and Romans all
channeled hot springs into baths. Some of these cultures
had centers that offered massage and other body care
treatments. Mineral waters are an excellent treatment for
your skin. When we sweat or soak in hot water, this
detoxifies the body through the skin. Relaxation is great.
Relax the body and you relax the mind. The feeling is
fabulous.
Roman baths filled entire rooms. They built a drain in the
middle of the floor with a source of heat under the floor.
Roman baths were known for some decadent times.
The baths in Turkey have something of a decadent tradition,
too. They still offer similar healthy relaxation for body,
mind and spirit. You can "spa-t" in ancient Turkish bath
houses that are hundreds of years old in Istanbul. Five
star hotels offer spa treatments including baths, saunas,
massage and cool-down rooms. You can sip relaxing hot tea
while you cool down from your hot bath and other
treatments.
Modern spas include a wide range of treatments, including
exercise, massage, mud packs, counseling, diets and a lot
more. Stay two to four weeks for a complete curative
vacation. Not only will you stay relaxed after your
treatments, but also you will begin to develop good healthy
habits in a supportive environment away from the pressures
of your daily routine. Enjoy a complete spa vacation!
German companies at one time covered the "kur" for their
employees as part of their benefit package. This resulted
in a 2/3 reduction in drug use, a 60% reduction in sick
days and statistics showed that every dollar they spent on
a "cure," could save at least $3 in health costs.
Your own hot bath tub can serve as an inexpensive "spa." It
doesn't take a personal massage therapist or any special
setting to enjoy the health benefits of soaking in hot
water. Add your own minerals from the health food store and
enjoy many of the same benefits the Greek warriors did.
Soothe your muscles, relax, improve your circulation and
warm up when it's cold outside.
If you're lucky enough to have your own home spa, you're
probably a fan of this wonderful time of relaxation. You
can add oils to your water for aromatherapy, create a
calming atmosphere with candles, relax in the spa with a
book or enjoy relaxing music during your bath.
What about an elegant pitcher of scented oils? Find
specialty candles with many layers and many scents. Treat
yourself to a soft cuddly terrycloth robe and slippers to
stay warm and deliciously relaxed after your hot tub time.
You might even want to find spa accessories and spa time
to share with your sweetie for Valentine's Day!
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