Have you been fortunate to experience the wonderful benefits of hydrotherapy at the Scandinav Spa in Whistler? If not, I highly recommend it for its healing effects – physically and mentally. The reason it is so amazing, aside from the serene location and the relaxation, has to do with the benefits of hydrotherapy that it offers.
Hydrotherapy – meaning, ‘water’ therapy, is one of the first naturopathic modalities that originated back in the 1800s. It is a simple, but highly effective method of directing a healing flow of blood to injured or diseased areas of the body. Hydrotherapy involves the application of water, alternating hot and cold, to stimulate circulation and promote healing. At the Scandinav Spa, you have a choice of a hot application to the body (outdoor hot pool, steam room, or sauna), which is best nurtured for 15 minutes. You then submerge your body into a cold pool for 10 seconds, followed by 15 minutes of relaxation in one of the designated lounge rooms, fire pits, or outside hammocks. The idea is that the heat increases blood flow, speeds up your heart, and makes you warm. The cold does the opposite, by diminishing blood flow and slowing things down in your body. The combination of heat and cold (and always in that order) allow a pumping action of blood to flow throughout the body, which can be great for supporting the immune system, flushing out the excretion of toxins, and reducing pain and swelling in the body. Hydrotherapy supports the innate healing power of the body. Every human being is inherently blessed with an intelligent and ordered gift for self-healing, and so this modality really emphasizes this.
When is hydrotherapy beneficial?
- To strengthen the immune system
- Healing injured joints and muscles
- Improving circulation
- To help with detoxification
- Sinus congestion
- Headaches
- Insomnia
- Arthritis
- Depression, Anxiety
- Respiratory infections
- And more…..
Hydrotherapy can be very calming to the nervous system, and is a gentle, non-invasive therapy. However, please consult your health practitioner if you are unsure if this is the right therapy for you. Certain heart and lung conditions, pregnancy, severe diabetes, and some circulatory disorders are often contra-indicated for this discipline.
Warming Socks Treatment
This is just one example of a hydrotherapy treatment that can be done at home to treat sinusitis, headaches, ear aches, sore throats, and the common cold. It is great for both adults and kids!
- Soak the feet in hot water (or take a bath) for no less than 15 minutes. The feet should be rosy pink and quite warm.
- Take a pair of thin cotton socks and soak them in cold water – the colder the water, the better – and then wring them out. Put the cold socks on right after the bath and go straight to bed.
- Cover the cotton socks by putting on top a pair of dry heavy, wool socks.
- Get under the covers and get cozy and warm.
- Leave the socks on until the morning or until they are completely dry, and your feet are hot.
The idea is that the increased blood flow in your head from being sick will naturally want to flow towards your feet to warm them up. In this way, the congestion in your head can be relieved, and the circulation in your body will be improved.
Enjoy the gentle, yet powerful effects of Hydrotherapy, and see how you can incorporate it into you and your family’s life!
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