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When Jamie and I lived in England, we travelled to Caldea, a spa in Andorra for the most intense and amazing hydrotherapy treatments.
Jamie had been there before and was convinced it was "totally my thing".....which of course it was, because hydrotherapy is a really big part of naturopathic medicine.
Hydrotherapy: the use of water for pain-relief and treating illness.
[pics: Caldea]
It includes many treatments that focus on the alternation of hot and cold water (always ending with cold!), causing an increase in blood and lymphatic circulation, increased metabolism, improved immunity and the healing of tissues.
At Caldea, we floated in their mineral bath (think Dead Sea, very bizarre floaty feeling), we drifted from indoors to outdoors and back again. We spent time in hot tubs, followed by brief sponge baths made of ice shavings. We napped in eucalyptus steam rooms and then woke ourselves up, plunging into cold pools.
The result: complete exhaustion and gorgeous glowy skin.
You can pay big bucks for these treatments at spas (and it really is lovely....) OR you can take advantage of hydrotherapy in your home, daily, for free (sort of).
Some of these practices won't sound like a walk in the park, but they're not so bad.....FUN even!
And the results are amazing.
When I'm doing the alternating showers (below) my skin really is more rosy and clear and the effects on my metabolism keep me feeling warmer all winter long.
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Alternating Showers.
At the end of your regular shower, alternate hot water (as hot as you can bear) with cold water (as cold as you can bear) blasts. Do this is a 3:1 ratio (i.e. if you blast the hot for 30 seconds, blasts the cold for 10 seconds). Do this 3-4 times. Always end with cold. Then hop out and bundle yourself up nice and warm.
Warming Sock Treatments.
This is particularly helpful when you're feeling stuffy and congested. Soak white cotton athletic socks in cooooold water. Wring them out and put them on your feet (yes, you put them on wet), cover them with thick wool socks, make sure you're bundled up warm and go to bed. In the morning you'll find your socks are warm and dry and your head is less congested. **This may take 2-3 nights.
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Alternating Showers.
At the end of your regular shower, alternate hot water (as hot as you can bear) with cold water (as cold as you can bear) blasts. Do this is a 3:1 ratio (i.e. if you blast the hot for 30 seconds, blasts the cold for 10 seconds). Do this 3-4 times. Always end with cold. Then hop out and bundle yourself up nice and warm.
Warming Sock Treatments.
This is particularly helpful when you're feeling stuffy and congested. Soak white cotton athletic socks in cooooold water. Wring them out and put them on your feet (yes, you put them on wet), cover them with thick wool socks, make sure you're bundled up warm and go to bed. In the morning you'll find your socks are warm and dry and your head is less congested. **This may take 2-3 nights.
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For Kids.
For fever in kids, I change up the warming sock treatment, just a bit.
For fever in kids, I change up the warming sock treatment, just a bit.
Instead of soaking the socks in really cold water, I soak it in very warm (almost hot!) water with added fresh lemon juice (1 lemon to 1 cup of hot water).
Wring them out, place on feet and cover with wool socks. Again, make sure your babe is dressed really warmly and tuck them into a warm bed for the night. The sock treatment will help bring a moderate fever down!
"Local" Hydrotherapy Spa: Le Nordique.
"Local" Hydrotherapy Spa: Le Nordique.
We spent time at Le Nordique a few years ago on New Year's Day.
It was snowy and cold and we spent the whole afternoon outside in the pools.
**Serendipitous finding: Hydrotherapy cures hangovers:)
Have a great weekend!
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