ofuro / balneotherapy / THALASSO THERAPY

For thousands of years humans have been seeking solace in the waters of a hot bath; from the 9th century BCE where the Celts built the first shrine of what became known to the Romans as Bath, England, and the 1st century CE founding of the city of Masada on the shores of the Dead Sea, to the ancient Greeks and Romans where every city had a large public bath facility all the way into the modern era. The historical record is full of examples of humans "taking the waters" to cure what ails.

Water therapy as practiced today was introduced in Austria in the 19th century by the Reverend Father Sebastian Kneipp. Father Kneipp believed in the healing properties of water and prescribed treatments that included drinking mineral waters, soaking in hot springs, taking cold showers, and walking barefoot in the early-morning dew. Healing spas that subscribed to Father Kneipp's philosophy sprang up all over Europe, and "taking the waters" became a popular social pastime. Spring waters are pure and contain a variety of minerals including magnesium, sodium, potassium, calcium and iodine. It is the presence of these minerals, from the depths of the earth that make certain spring waters highly valued for their curative properties.

Balneotherapy and Thalasso Therapy promote healing by increasing circulation, encouraging detox and easing stress. In addition, the minerals found in hot springs fight off illness by nourishing the organs and stimulating the immune system. It is highly recommended for people with arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, neck and back pain.

Ofuro Soaking Tubs originate from Japan where bathing is not just a bath but rather a spiritual ritual. The Ofuro bathing practice differs from North American and European bath tubs, Ofuro bath tubs are 'zen' like providing a sensual pleasure and a feeling of well-being and harmony. Japanese bath tubs help to restore mental and spiritual well-being by providing a private relaxation space, and they promote good health by stimulating circulation. Ofuro and Balneotherapy are meant for soaking, relaxation and rejuvenation, not bathing.

Since hot thermal springs are not abundant in the United States and Europe is far away to take a medicinal soak, we replicated the mineral springs in our wellness center by installing an authentic handcrafted Japanese Ofuro Tub with a Mineral Ioziner and an Ozonator and by doing that we combined both bathing cultures. We are currently working with a Hungarian physician-pharmacist in Matra Mountain who developed and trademarked an all natural product by binding crystals naturally found under earth with carbon-dioxide gases. This product has already been used in a few health and wellness facilities in Budapest and it would be the first introduced in the United States.