Sanus Per Aquam–A Recipe for Spa Living

Despite how it may sound, spa living is more concerned with daily stress management and stress reduction than regular body work, mani/pedis, and facials.

What is the Spa Lifestyle?

What is it about spas that makes them so attractive to us? Despite how it may sound, spa living is more concerned with daily stress management and stress reduction than regular body work, mani/pedis, and facials. In this interpretation, “spa” denotes a practice and a lifestyle rather than a destination. This practice revolves around the close relationship between water and health. No fancy treatments, waterfalls, or bathing pools required—all you need to start living the spa life is an appreciation of the importance of water and a few simple recipes.

	More adventurous types can try dousing with ice water.

The Link Between Water and Health

Spa is an acronym for the Latin phrase sanus per aquam, meaning “health through water." As a hydrotherapist and incidentally, a native Roman, I enjoy talking about water and its links to good health. Water is a universal solvent. It dissolves more substances than any other liquid. Wherever water goes, it brings along valuable chemicals, minerals, and nutrients making it a versatile healing and purifying agent. Water’s external medicinal applications include soaking, dousing, dipping, and bathing. Internally, we take in its medicinal properties by drinking, gargling, rinsing, flushing, and via the lungs through steam inhalation. Swimming and floating in a tranquil pool, or basking in the ionic breeze of rain and waterfalls promotes contemplation and relaxation. We are born of water and cannot survive without it.

Hydrotherapy at Home

Sanus per aquam can be practiced at home, with a few minor precautions. Only use pure water for your spa treatments. Although chlorine's image has been sanitized by its status as a common household item, it is a potent carcinogen and neurotoxin that is present in most tap water. To rid your water of this chemical, use a reverse osmosis (RO) filter with an active carbon stage. The carbon removes chlorine while the RO stage will remove most other contaminants—as well as essential minerals, so be sure to add some of those back into your potable water jug. I recommend ConcenTrace Mineral Drops for this.

Water-based Wellness

Now that you have pure water, you are ready to try the following water-based wellness practices:

Enjoy Baths

• Add Epsom salts to your bath water for a relaxing muscle soak. If the water is soap-free, recycle it by using it to water your plants. The highly-soluble magnesium sulfate is a nice treat for their photosynthetic process.
• Enliven your bathing experience with aromatherapy oils. Lavender, for example, is an aromatherapy extract that can relax the nervous system. A few drops in the bath can help melt away stress.

Take Cold Showers

To fortify your immune system, take a brisk two-minute shower with very cold water. More adventurous types can try dousing with ice water. This has a powerful strengthening effect on the body and spirit. Consult your doctor before trying either method, especially if you have any cardiac conditions, as sudden cold can shock a vulnerable system.

Drink Lots of Water

• Stay hydrated throughout the day. Avoid plastic bottles that exude xenoestrogens and BPA and instead carry a good old-fashioned glass thermos.
• Avoid ice water with your meals. Ice water cools the digestive fires, which is not recommended. Drink room temperature water before or after meals.
• Drink water first thing in the morning—yes, before you have your coffee. As a matter of fact, always drink some water before drinking coffee, especially if you have just eaten something. It rinses the palate.

Remember: We are Mostly Water

Create flow in your movement. You may be built of rigid bony spacers and dynamic muscular tensioners, but the basis of your cellular matrix is fluid. Feel for that. It's subtle, but you are essentially water with legs.

Stay Balanced

Flow with your emotions. They are tidal. Don't get washed on the rocks or swept to sea. Just enjoy the view as it presents itself and changes.