The term Spa is an acronym for the Latin phrase sanus per aquam, meaning “health through water.” As a health advocate and coincidentally a native Roman, I enjoy talking about water and its link to wellness.
Universal Solvent
Water dissolves more substances than any other liquid. As water flows it transports valuable chemicals, minerals, and nutrients making it a versatile healing and purifying agent.
As a carrier substance, water has many therapeutic applications. It can deliver medicinals either externally or internally, by dousing, bathing, drinking, gargling, flushing, and inhalation of its vapors. Swimming provides healthy exercise and the ionic breeze of rain and seashores energizes us.
Primordial Soup
We are born of water and cannot survive without it. Ours is a biologically aquatic heritage. It harkens back to the primordial oceans where life on this planet first evolved. A design still visible in the fluid way we are carried to term in the placenta, by the flow in our arteries and veins, and by the osmotic nature of our selectively permeable cell mebranes that allow molecules to enter and exit while maintaining a constant volume within.
Business as Usual
The planet’s sovereign and corporate powers are engaged in an epic struggle to position themselves as guardians of the most taps. Water is big business. In an increasingly thirsty world, to control water is to control life itself. An impetus for all of us be more mindful of conserving, sharing, and rejoicing in its life giving power.
Tides of Change
Now climate change and the imminent threat of rising ocean levels are bringing us ‘water for thought’. Hopefully deep thoughts about how we can stop acting like individual waves cresting for dominance and how we can begin to recognize and utilize our common denominators, re-engage our priorities, and flow with life.
Wisdom of the Ancients
This ‘Element’, as the Pre-Socratic Greeks called it, remains central to our journey and though it is actually a compound molecule we cannot help but appreciate their pre-scientific intuition about the primary importance of H2O.
I have even heard some new age folks refer to the oceans as the Great Mother. They may be quite right.
Toxic Waters
Water-borne illness affects milions of people around the world. In less developed countries, the threat of pathogen contamination is a fact of life but contrast this with the US where the danger of being poisoned by chemicals is equally great. Public utilities disinfect water and add chemicals to ‘protect our health’. When you also start to factor in the massive pollution from industrial effluent and agricultural run-off you can start to see that the scale of the problem is enormous and pervasive.
Chlorine
Although chlorine’s use has been sanitized by its PR image as a useful household item, it is a potent carcinogen and neurotoxin. Its manufacture also spews more mercury into our environment than coal-fired plants.
Do not drink chlorinated water, do not absorb this chemical through your skin, and do not inhale it as a vapor.
Chloramine
Chloramine, a compound of ammonia and chlorine is now being substituted as a ‘safer’ alternative because it “metabolizes more readily”. This may be so, but should we be metabolizing poisons if we can help it? Despite the usual propaganda chloramine is not a safer alternative. This disinfectant in our water supply is suspected of causing severe health problems, especially to the respiratory and integumentary systems, and of facilitating the leaching of lead from plumbing alloys.
Lead
“Exposure to lead in drinking water above the action level can result in delays in physical and mental development, along with slight deficits in attention span and learning abilities. In adults, it can cause increases in blood pressure. Adults who drink this water over many years could develop kidney problems or high blood pressure. Lead is rarely found in source water, but enters tap water through corrosion of plumbing materials. Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead pipes, fixtures and solder. However, new homes are also at risk: even legally “lead-free” plumbing may contain up to 8 percent lead. The most common problem is with brass or chrome-plated brass faucets and fixtures which can leach significant amounts of lead into the water, especially hot water.” (EPA)
Mercury
This heavy metal is highly soluble in water and contaminates water supplies worldwide. It also bio-accumulates in the food chain and top-level predators (tuna and people) end up getting a belly full. It takes a drop of this stuff to contaminate a lake and yet US industries releases a staggering 100+ tons per annum into the environment. This land is our land but so is the water!
Fluoride
This is a neurotoxin and probable carcinogen. Hundreds of the world’s most reputable scientists have spoken out for its removal from our water systems and yet irresponsible parties continues to dupe consumers into believing that in order to have nice teeth you must drink this poison.
Why not put a little aspirin in the water supply so it can protect our hearts? Or how about adding a little alcohol in there so we can all feel better about life in general? Bottoms up if you believe any of this propaganda.
Atrazine
One particularly hazardous chemical making headlines now is the herbicide Atrazine, a potent endocrine disruptor that causes reproductive cancers and disturbing birth defects. Atrazine is banned in Europe and should be here too.
Clean Water = Good Health
To protect your health from water-borne pathogens and chemicals, the first step is to invest in a good reverse osmosis (RO) filter with a heavy-duty active carbon stage.
Counter top filter jugs are better than nothing. They are easy to use and remove some larger particles and micro-organisms but there is simply not enough filtering media in these systems to remove all of the toxins that are commonly present.
Multi-stage RO systems filter so well that they also remove trace minerals, so be sure to add some of those back into your potable water jug. I like ionic or colloidal mineral drops. Check your local health food store and be sure to find one that is aluminum free. Some of these mineral supplements are mined from high-aluminum content clays and that is simply not a good idea for the brain.
To compare filter systems, you may want to do some research online or consult a web site such as Consumer Reports. Until you decide which system is right for your needs, you may want to buy filtered water from one of the many machines that grocery stores provide.
The second step, is to take political action. Demand clean water for your community and help ensure future generations have access to it. To get started you may like to check out these links:
Water and Wellness
When you have a source of pure water here are a few water-based wellness practices to play with:
Mineralize
- As I mentioned earlier, you can use water as a perfect carrier for trace minerals. Just add a few drops into your drinking water.
- Add some Kelp to your cooking water whenever you make anything that is boiled. The minerals will enrich your food and the enzymes will help soften any legumes in the recipe.
- Add Epsom salts to your bath water for a relaxing muscle soak. Magnesium will absorb through your skin and your muscles will relax. Tadah! It’s that easy.
- 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.
Warning: if you have kidney or heart disease only take supplemental Mg under medical supervision.
Aromatize
Essential oils and their therapeutic qualities are easily carried by water vapor into our respiratory and olfactory system. They are relatively inexpensive to buy and many are know to have distinct health benefits. An easy to get started: just add a a few drops to your bath to enliven your soak time.
The study below introduces a couple important essential oils and their benefits.
- Adults exposed to rosemary showed decreased frontal alpha and beta power, suggesting increased alertness. They also had lower anxiety levels and performed math computations faster.
- Adults exposed to lavender showed increased beta power, suggesting increased relaxation. They performed math computations not only faster but also with fewer errors and had less depressed mood.
Diego, M.A., Jones, N.A., Field, T., & Hernandez-Reif, M. (1998). Aromatherapy reduces anxiety and enhances EEG patterns associated with positive mood and alertness. International Journal of Neuroscience, 96, 217-224
Douse
- Fortify your immune system with a brisk cold-water shower. More adventurous types can try dousing with ice water. Big bucket, ice, dump overhead. Easy er I mean freezing but this has a powerful strengthening effect on the body and spirit.
- one particular benefit of cold showering is that it diminishes vapors. The hotter the water, the more steam, the more chlorine in your lungs.
Consult your doctor before trying either method, especially if you have any medical conditions, as sudden cold can shock a vulnerable system.
Drink Plenty of Water
- Stay hydrated throughout the day.
- Avoid plastic bottles that exude xenoestrogens like BPA and instead carry your water in a good old-fashioned glass thermos.
- Avoid ice water with your meals. According to Ayurveda ice water cools the digestive ‘fires’ which is not recommended. Drink room temperature water only.
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. FYI Coffee is one of the most heavily sprayed crops in the world. Buy organic. A brisk cold shower will stimulate your wakefulness just as readily, if you’re willing to brave it.
Remember: our bodies are made up mostly of 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. Try to sense this. It is subtle, but you are essentially water on legs.
Stay Centered
Flow with your emotions. They are tidal. Don’t get washed on to the rocks or swept out to sea. Just enjoy the view as it presents and changes.
