GRATIS / FREE TIS / FREE - fuerteventura magazine hoy

14
Año IV - Nº 38 - Julio | July | Juli - 2009
PORTADA / FRONT COVER / ABDECKUNGSSEITE
Spa: Water’s health and wellness benefits
FMHOY - Silvia Comeche
The origins of the word SPA takes us to the Belgian
town of the same name, a well-known place for its
Roman baths, whereas others believe that the word
comes from the Latin acronym of the phrase «salus
per aquam», meaning, «health through water».
Nowadays, the option to go to a spa for health and
wellness reasons is quite common. Therefore,
speaking of health tourism is directly related to
hydrotherapy, and urban spas have become the ideal
solution to cure stress and the older spas have become
authentic wellness centres.
DIFFERENT KINDS OF SPAS
There are various kinds of spas, depending if
treatments are carried out with minero-medicated
water or if it is fresh water that is put at a set
temperature and pressure.
HYDROTHERAPY
The basic and common element is water and
hydrotherapy is a discipline that has been in practise
since the beginning of time. Its etymology goes back
to the Greek word «hydor» that means water and
«therapeia», therapy. Hydrotherapy uses water as
therapeutic agent in any of its physical states or
temperatures, using its chemical, mechanical and
thermal characteristics to soothe and cure specific
illnesses.
Although the properties of water have been known
since ancestral times, spas have learned how to adapt
their treatments to present needs. No one doubts the
relaxing effects of warm water that cures stress,
eliminates tensions and gets rid of anxiety.
Furthermore, it intensifies natural beauty by eliminating
toxins and cleans the pores.
However, the benefits of going regularly to a spa go
a lot further than beauty and psychological wellbeing.
Hydrotherapy contributes to improving muscular, bone
and blood flow tensions. According to a medical
diagnostic, both the classic thermal circuit and various
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treatments on offer in wellness centres can help
patients combat their health problems.
A MULTITUDE OF TREATMENTS
The variety of treatments available in spas is endless.
They constantly update their treatments and have
slowly been incorporating new treatments such as
choco-therapy, aromatherapy or vino-therapy.
In hydrotherapy, the source of water and its
application determine treatments. The offer varies from
classic hydro-massage pools, where warm water
combined with high pressure water jets release blood
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flow problems and muscular pain, until the «pediluvio»
where one walks on boulders to stimulate energy points
in the feet while hot and cold water jets activate blood
flow. There are also many alternatives of Roman baths,
Turkish baths, Jacuzzi, Essential oils showers, etc.
Apart from water, options are as varied as surprising.
Choco-therapy uses cocoa to wrap up the body during
baths and massages. It acts as an anti-depressant,
combats skin aging and has an anti-cellulite effect.
With the same idea, vino-therapy is based on
therapeutic properties of grape based products and
aromatherapy uses essential oils that applied as a
massage or through inhalation bring physical and
emotional wellbeing.
The search for wellbeing, beauty and health is the path
of any efficient treatment. Slowly alternatives are arising
such as caviar-therapy, gold-therapy and even ice-therapy.
Spas, water, massages…the offers are tempting and
the options are endless. We only have to choose the
one that is best suited to our needs. And then, enjoy!
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