Cosmopolitan Spa Therapies
Thalassotherapy:
The word ‘thalassa’ is Greek for sea. What distinguishes thalassotherapy from other forms of therapy is the use of seawater and seaweed. The French have been practising thalasotherapy for over a century on their Atlantic Coast; the Egyptians used seawater and seaweed to heal skin burns while the ancient Greeks sought hot seawater as a cure for all ills. Commonly found in European spas, thalassotherapy is now available in Asian spas such as Thalasso Bali in Indonesia. It is believed to relieve allergies, and lift depression and irritability. Minerals found in seawater, in particular salts, are believed to have innate healing properties as a result of having come into contact with beneficial substances. These minerals are believed to be absorbed through the skin, so rather than using his hands to massage you, your therapist might spray jets of seawater at you while you stand in a shower. Alternatively, you could sit in a whirlpool and be lifted or sucked by the water, or soak in a bath of warm seawater. There are also minerals found in seaweed, for example iodine, which encourages perspiration and thus the removal of toxins from the body. Seaweed is often used in body wraps as it helps to cleanse and tone the skin. It is also used in other ways in thalassotherapy – it can be added to a bath (also known as a kelp bath) or used as a poultice on specific areas of the body to soothe aches and pains.
Even the air above seawater is said to be beneficial – it contains a greater proportion of negative ions compared to air over land. These ions help reduce the levels of histamines which are produced during allergic reactions. Fresh sea air also supposedly stimulates the immune system and helps you combat modern-day stresses and strains. Instead of heading to a spa for a thalassotherapy massage, some spa-goers have invested in jacuzzis, which are believed to achieve similar effects. Home thalassotherapy kits are also available in the form of lotions to add to your bath, seaweed wraps and kelp extract tablets to be taken. Alternatively you could make your own salt scrub to try at home. The following is one example from Thalasso Bali in Indonesia.
Thalasso Bali Salt Scrub:
Ingredients: 2 oz / 50g beach sand; 1/2oz / 10g coarse sea salt; 1/2oz / 15 g unscented base cream; 4 tsp water; 5-10 drops of your choice of aromatherapy oil.
Grind the beach sand and sea salt into a rough powder. Add the base cream and stir until it is well-mixed. The resulting mixture should look somewhat crumbly. Add 5-10 drops of your favorite aromatherapy oil to the mixture. Lastly add the water and mix it in thoroughly. Apply the mixture generously over your body (excluding your face) in circular motions until the scrub begins to crumble off your skin. Rinse off with warm water and moisturise.
