by Dr. Jacqueline Cooper, ND Naturopathic Foundations Clinic, Markham, ON
Hydrotherapy, or water therapy, has been used for hundreds of years to effectively treat a wide variety of health conditions from the common cold to cancer. Most people’s recognition of hydrotherapy is limited to using ice packs to quell inflammation and hot applications to decrease muscle tension, alleviate cramps and stimulate healing. However, the reality is hydrotherapy is effective at treating a wide range of symptoms and conditions.
A common misconception is that the more serious or longstanding a health concern is, the more aggressive the treatment must be. This can lead people to pursue dramatic treatments that can actually hinder their health, while overlooking simple yet powerful practices that promote it. Hydrotherapy is an example of a gentle yet powerful tool that is often overlooked. While water itself is deeply healing, adding alkaline salts further increases the therapeutic value of hydrotherapy treatments.
A common misconception is that the more serious or longstanding a health concern is, the more aggressive the treatment must be. This can lead people to pursue dramatic treatments that can actually hinder their health, while overlooking simple yet powerful practices that promote it. Hydrotherapy is an example of a gentle yet powerful tool that is often overlooked. While water itself is deeply healing, adding alkaline salts further increases the therapeutic value of hydrotherapy treatments.
Benefits to Alkaline Hydrotherapy
Alkaline hydrotherapy has profound effects despite its simplicity. One of the main things to consider with alkaline hydrotherapy is that the longer and more frequent the treatments sessions, the faster and more dramatic the results. You cannot overdo it.
That being said, some individuals may find initially they experience a worsening of skin symptoms – this is rare, but possible. Individuals who experience this tend to have extreme toxicities or deficiencies that need to be corrected. If you experience a worsening of symptom,s it is important that you consult with a naturopathic doctor to address the underlying factors responsible.
The physiological benefits derived from alkaline hydrotherapy include:
That being said, some individuals may find initially they experience a worsening of skin symptoms – this is rare, but possible. Individuals who experience this tend to have extreme toxicities or deficiencies that need to be corrected. If you experience a worsening of symptom,s it is important that you consult with a naturopathic doctor to address the underlying factors responsible.
The physiological benefits derived from alkaline hydrotherapy include:
- Increases the elimination of chemicals via the skin, thereby preventing the accumulation of toxins and alleviating stress on other organs, particularly the kidneys.
- Effetively eliminating toxins improves the circulation of blood and lymph. This improves organ function, relieves strains on the musculoskeletal system and improves skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis,acne and cellulite.
- Facilitates the elimination of lactic acid, thereby improving muscle relaxation and recovery.
- Provides relief following a sunburn, as well as healing skin that has been chronically over-exposed to the sun
- Rehydrates the skin by causing the skin to self-oil, therefore moisturizing the skin from within
Choosing the Right Salts
- Epsom salts are great for promoting muscle relaxation. However, they do not alkalinize the water and therefore, do not facilitate detoxification the way alkaline salts do. Epsom salts can also leave the skin feeling dry as opposed to alkaline salts which promote self-oiling.
- Avoid salts that contain fragrances. Fragrance is one of the most toxic ingredients you can find in a product. One of the reasons being that companies do not need to declare what chemicals they put in their fragrances, as it is considered a trade secret. If you want a fragrance add essential oils to the bath or the salts yourself.
- Alkaline salts assist in preventing muscles from tightening (similar to epsom salts). However, they also promote muscle recovery by helping the muscles to process lactic acid and detoxify the system as a whole.
Here at Naturopathic Foundations Health Clinic we use AlkaBath alkaline salts. When prepared in the proportions described above, an alkalinity of 8-8.5 pH is achieved (depending on the hardness of the tap water). In addition to making the water alkaline, AlkaBath salts also contain small measures of eight precious stones: agate, carneol, citrine, chrysoprase, onyx, rock crystal, sapphire and chalcedony. The presence of these stones amplifies the therapeutic properties of the bath immensely. Lithotherapy is the use of stones to restore optimal physiological balance and realign the body energetically. Lithotherapy has been used in varying degrees for thousands of years by almost every traditional form of medicine – Chinese, Aryuvedic, Ancient Egyptian & Greek physicians, American Shamans, etc.
Methods of Utilizing Alkaline Hydrotherapy
Full Baths
Benefits: Provides maximal skin exposure to the alkaline water and therefore is the most effective application.
Preparation
- Add 3 heaping tablespoons of alkaline salts to your bath tub after filling with water (approximately 36-38 degrees Celsius). The bath does not have to be hot in order to be therapeutic. If the water is too hot, you may have a hard time staying in for long periods, and emerge from the bath feeling weak and exhausted. If this is the case, try starting with the water at a cooler temperature. Because the alkaline salts cause you skin to self-oil, you will discover that you do not feel cold, even as the water cools down. Conversely, if you want the heat you can leave room in the tub to add hot water as time passes.
- Stay in the bath for at least 30 minutes, 45-60 minutes is ideal. For those with chronic concerns, longer durations are recommended (often 2 hours is the prescribed time allotment).
Acute Uses
- After exercise to facilitate muscle recovery
- During a cold or flu, an alkaline bath helps alleviate muscle aches, control fevers and draw out the infection
- When afflicted with a virus that has skin symptoms such as: chicken pox, shingles, molluscum, measles, etc
- Following sun exposure to minimize burn & subsequent skin damage and cancer risk
Chronic Uses
- Ideally should be incorporated weekly as part of a general wellness regimen
- Performed regularly by athletes, dancers or those who are generally active (or were heavily active in the past) as a means of preventing arthritis and other inflammatory conditions.
- For the eradication of ‘liver’ or ‘age’ spots
- Skin conditions such as acne, eczema, psoriasis and fungal infections.
Foot Baths
Benefits: Good for those who do not have a bath tub or cannot use one due to mobility issues. In Traditional Chines Medicine the kidney channel (which is associated with the excretion of impurities) begins in the foot, so the feet are considered elimination ‘hot spots’ – just like the underarms. Excessive sweating can sometimes be associated with an increased toxic burden.
Preparation
- Add 1 heaping teaspoon of alkaline salts to a basin of water large enough to submerge both feet. Your feet can tolerate warmer temperatures (38-41 degrees Celsius is typically a soothing temperature for a foot bath).
Acute Uses
- After a run/long walk or standing on your feet for a long period
- Following a sprain or strain of a toe or ankle
Chronic Uses
- As a general part of an ongoing wellness regimen
- Arthritis
- Athletes foot and/or toenail fungus
Wraps
Benefits: They provide a way for localizing treatment when a particular area of the body requires detoxification and healing.
Preparation
- Specifically designed wraps can be purchased or you can improvise at home. A non-dyed cotton is the best material for a therapeutic wrap. The size and length of the wrap depends on what area of the body it’s being applied to (it should be able to wrap around the body part its being applied to 4-6 times)
- Ankle/Wrist
- Knees/Elbow
- Shoulder
- Neck
- Upper Torso – you can improvise with a t-shirt. Wring it out, put it on, and then put a dry t-shirt or sweatshirt on over top. It is important to make sure you stay warm. You do not want to become chilled. If you are prone to being cold, consider bringing a hot water bottle to bed with you.
- Add 1 heaping teaspoon into a bowl of water and then soak half of the wrap and wring it out slightly. Wrap the wet half around the affected body part and continue wrapping so that the dry half of the wrap is wrapped over top of the wet half. Use safety pins to fasten it.
- Wraps are ideal to wear to while puttering at home, watching TV, or for maximal length exposure can be worn to bed.
Acute Uses
- Strains & sprains
Chronic Uses
- Chronic injuries (i.e. frozen shoulder, knee issues, ankle weakness etc.)
- Chronic headaches or migraines (use a neck wrap – ideally wear to bed)
- Thyroid issues (neck wrap)
Cuffs
Benefits: Cuffs are worn around wrists & forearms or ankles & lower legs. Similar to wraps, they can be worn around the house or to bed.
Preparation
- You can purchase cuffs or improvise at home home by cutting the toe off a sock.
- Prepare using same salt to water ration as wraps (1 heaping teaspoon of alkaline salts in a small-medium size bowl of water).
- Dip the cuffs into the water, wring them out to desired level of dampness and then put them on.
- Like all other forms of alkaline hydrotherapy, ensure at least 30 minutes of length, but aim for longer (overnight even) if possible.
Acute Uses
- During exercise to assist in processing & eliminating lactic acid, thereby improving muscle endurance & recovery.
Chronic Uses
- Ankle weakness/instability – this is especially important as we age for preventing falls.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
Spritzers
Benefits: Provides a quick easy deliver of alkaline hydrotherapy that can be used intermittently between other forms of treatment to expedite and maintain desired outcomes.
Preparation
- Find a spray/spritz bottle of any size. Place about 1/2 teaspoon of alkaline salts for approximately ever 100 ml of water. If you find that the spray bottle is not spraying you may need to dilute the solution.
Acute Uses
- Itch relief from bug bites or eczema
- Promotes healing and assists with disinfection of wounds.
Chronic Uses
- Skin conditions such as cellulite, acne, eczema & psoriasis – spritz the affected area daily after showering and again before bed.
- Alternatively to deodorant or anti-perspirant – it prevents body odor while also detoxifying the area. This is important since conventional anti-perspirants not only suppress the body’s natural detoxification mechanisms, but also contain many toxic substances. Aluminum, in many women’s deodorants, has been associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.
- Homemade facial toner – You should only use a cleanser at night to clean off make-up and dirt that have accumulated through the day. In the morning simply wash with water and/or use a toner followed by your daily moisturizer.
At Naturopathic Foundations, our aim is to provide patients with tools that they can use at home on an ongoing basis to maintain their health. If you have not tried AlkaBath salts before, drop by our clinic to pick up a free sample and speak with myself or one of the other doctors about the health benefits they provide.
