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Anti-Aging Strategies for Health and Longevity This month we are going to direct our attention to the subject of “taking the waters” or hot baths as healing and relaxing. We have long been aficionados of mineral baths, seeking them wherever we travel. We have soaked in these healing waters in Colorado, Arkansas, Oregon and Israel. Imagine our delight when we discovered such a place in our home state of Illinois—Okawville, Illinois, five hours from Chicago and 41 miles east of St. Louis. Throughout the ages, the interest in the use of water as medicine has come in and out of vogue, cycling from century to century and from nation to nation. The medical establishment has viewed it efficacy with various opinions ranging from very enthusiastic to extremely critical, and from beneficial to harmful. Today, spa therapy is receiving renewed attention from the medical and alternative healing communities. For many, the exact therapeutic potential of spa therapy still remains largely unknown. The concept of hydrotherapy as healing dates back to the ancient Greek healer Hippocrates and was incorporated into Greek, Roman, and Egyptian healing practices. Revived in the 19th century by Vincent Priessnitz, who was often referred to as the Father of the Hydrotherapy movement, “hydrotherapy,” as it was termed at the time, was introduced in the United States in the 1840s by Robert Wesselhoeft, a former patient of Priessnitz. Jump to 1969 when inventor Ray Jacuzzi added jets to an old grape press and therapeutic bathing left the isolation of the “loo,” and once again became a feature of the public spa. We all know that warm water feels good on the aching back or a strained muscle, but hydrotherapy techniques also address poor circulation, inflammation, and detoxification of vital organs. Other added benefits are increased blood flow near the skin’s surface and the production of endorphins, also thought to promote tissue healing and bring pain relief. Along with the relaxation and pain relief qualities of hydrotherapy, add the chemical composition of a healing spring such as Hot Springs, Arkansas, Glendale Springs, Colorado, and the Dead Sea in Israel, and you have a winning package for a healing experience. Using the Dead Sea as an example, the chemical composition of these waters include high concentrations of salts and minerals in a unique composition that is particularly rich in chloride salts of magnesium, sodium, potassium, calcium, bromine and various others. Soaking in these minerals, your skin (as your body’s second kidney) absorbs these rich chemicals resulting in relaxed muscles and tension relief. What do the mineral salts found in these mineral springs do for you, and how can they help with anti-aging? Magnesium sulfate relaxes the muscle tissue and helps promote detoxification. Calcium is needed for muscle repair, bone formation and healing. The other trace minerals help in maintaining the pH balance of the blood and general homeostasis or balance. The way they help in the anti-aging process is to relax the muscles and connective tissues, thus creating balance and a feeling of well being. When your connective tissue is relaxed and you are stress free, your cortisol level should be within normal range. Cortisol is a hormone which primarily determines how rapidly your cells age and the human body produces cortisol in normal ranges when you are in a relaxed state and feeling good. Under stress, the body produces more cortisol which accelerates the aging process significantly. Based on history and the latest research, we recommend that healing mineral springs can be a part of an anti-aging regime by contributing to the benefits of relaxation and skin restoration. Let’s get back to our Illinois mineral bath vacation. On a recent trip, we found the perfect spa only five hours (320 miles) southwest of Chicago and 41 miles east of St. Louis, off of Route 55. In the town of Okawville, Illinois, is the Original Springs Hotel, a quaint restored 1893 hotel and spa listed in the National Register of Historic Sites. Walking into the lobby, we felt that we had just stepped back a century. The staff is friendly and attentive and there are a restaurant, banquet hall and conference facilities available. The discovery of these springs began in 1867 when “Rudolph Plegge, who lived and conducted a saddlery and harness shop on the ground now occupied by the The Original Springs Hotel, experienced trouble with one of his tin kettles starting to leak after time. Mr. Plegge complained to the local tinsmith about an inferior grade of tin being used in his vessels. The tinsmith then started using copper, however, the results were the same. Dr. James McIlwain, Sr., conducted some simple tests on the water and found a high mineral content. Water samples were then sent to St. Louis for further testing. Analysis showed very strong medicinal qualities, comparable in quality to the famous Carlsbad Baths in Germany and to the renowned waters of Hot Springs, Arkansas, though not hot when coming out of the ground. Mr. Plegge contacted Mr. C.H. Kelle, a nearby farmer, who had worked in the baths in Baden Baden, Germany. Together they established a small bathhouse, giving the first mineral bath on September 16, 1868.” In the early 1900s, the hotel and springs served conventions in the area, with a capacity of 30,000. In May, 1990, the present owners, Don and Mary Rennegarbe, bought the hotel and springs and are busily restoring and renovating the hotel and bathouse. The Original Springs Hotel has weathered fires, the Great Depression, suicide, changes in management, two world wars and the changing tastes of the American people, and today remains the only healing, mineral spring in the state of Illinois. After our massages and these wonderful mineral baths, we noticed that our skin became very smooth and soft, and we left feeling deeply relaxed—a sure anti-aging experience. To contact the hotel for reservations, their website is: http://members.tripod.com/okawvillehotel and telephone is 618-243-5458. Would you like to have a healing water spa experience at home? You can buy healing mineral salts such as the Masada Dead Sea Salts brand, which is found at local health food stores. Use 3–4 tablespoons of these salts in a full, warm tub of bath water and you will feel almost as good as being there. If you can’t find the Masada Salts, use 3–4 tablespoons of common Epsom salts found at your local grocery store and enhance it with your an aromatic oil like lavender, orange blossom, pine or your favorite fragrance. Relax and enjoy! Sources: “History of Original Springs Hotel.” (Egyptian Hustler magazine, 1919.) “HomeBodies” by Karyn Siegel-Maier. (Better Nutrition magazine, January, 1999.) “Weird Illinois: Original Springs Hotel, Okawville, Illinois.” (www.prairieghosts.com/original.html) Steven and Rose Novil are doctors of nutrition and naturopathy. Steven practices in Chicago and has lectured at international conferences on Anti-Aging as well as locally, and is an advisor to major supplement companies. In addition to her degrees in health, Rose is also a Professor of Library Services at Oakton Community College, consulting with Steven and researching new developments in the field of Anti-Aging. Readers are reminded to always check with their health care provider before starting any health regimen. This information is not meant to diagnose or treat any illness or disease; it is for educational purposes only. Steven can be reached by phone at 312-458-9676 (24 hour voicemail) or at livonlivon@yahoo.com, website: www.meta-ehealth.com. |
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