holiday by the sea, travel for benefits information for perfect relaxation in the Canary Islands, Spain

The benefits of the sea 

A trip to the Canary Islands is a rediscovery of the living environment that is the sea, from which we all have evolved. We have immersed ourselves in the medium of the sea to investigate its properties of beauty and health, and we have discovered an ocean of benefits.

Our culture has always been aware of the benefits of the sea. The Romans worshipped Neptune, while the French researcher René Quinton – an early proponent of the use of sea water to improve health, which we nowadays refer to as thalassotherapy – described and experimented with the properties of this liquid medium from which all living creatures have come, and which our organism recognizes as a natural and beneficial medium the moment we submerge ourselves in it. Today, these benefits – confirmed in scientific studies – are the objective of a wide range of treatments in spas, health resorts and beauty centres throughout the world, whose clientele is constantly increasing.

To begin with, sea water contains the 89 elements present in our organism, as well as vitamins and micro-organisms that exist in plankton, which release anti-viral, anti-bacterial and hormonal substances. Human skin has the capacity to absorb all these elements with ease, and to benefit from them; you only have to see the improvement brought about by sea water in cases of dermatitis, acne, psoriasis, slow-healing wounds and so on. The same is true of the rest of the body, from head to feet. The new developments in cosmetics reflect this clearly: the minerals present in sea water are currently the focus of scientific research in this field, and already products of all types are appearing, from creams to lotions, as well as nutritional supplements and hair products, which aim to pass on to your skin, hair or nails this cocktail of benefits found in sea water.

Thalassotherapy against ageing

Thalassotherapy (from the Greek, thalasos, sea) is the application of elements from a marine environment, such as water, sea weed, muds and other substances extracted from the sea, in order to obtain benefits in terms of beauty and health. In a constant search for purity, the water used in thalassotherapy treatments is collected at a distance of more than 100 metres from the coast and is purified and sterilized to guarantee that it does not contain harmful elements.

Apart from massage and stimulation, thalassotherapy treatments also provide the body with important minerals such as iodine, calcium, phosphor, potassium, magnesium, copper, zinc, fluoride, and silicon. Other elements include vitamins, amino-acids and other substances that not only protect our health, but also delay the effects of ageing.

With a wide range of thalassotherapy services available, both in spas and hotel resorts and independent centres, the Canaries is the ideal destination where you can find beauty and health. The menu ranges from anti-ageing therapies to treatments for cellulitis or flaccid skin; from “detoxing” programmes to anti-tobacco therapies. They can be applied to innumerable health problems, such as muscular or joint lesions; skin problems; stress and chronic tiredness; and respiratory problem. Seaweeds, marine muds, hydrotherapy, salt baths, bandages with aromatherapy, clays, heat therapies, lymphatic draining, reflexology, quiro-massage, individualized massage, vichy showers, turkish baths, Jacuzzi, sauna, and jets… the programme can always be adapted to individual needs.

But sea bathing also has a draining effect. Since the pressure of the water is much higher than that of the air, baths with sea water favour the elimination of liquids. The salts contained in them make the effect even more powerful. A perfect form of hydro-massage, in fact, bathing in waves produces a sense of relaxation and well-being that lasts hours, so sleep is assured. Goodbye to insomnia and welcome to a relaxed appearance, and a clearer, healthier looking skin! The quality of the waters is undoubtedly important. In this sense, the Canaries offers the advantage of clean waters (surrounded by the whole Atlantic Ocean!), a lack of overcrowding, and with waters with a privileged temperature – around 18ºC in winter and 22ºC in summer – which makes it possible to enjoy them at any time of the year.

The sea air

The effects of the sea breeze are found in a small stretch of coast, where the meteorological conditions are uniformly exceptional.
Charged with negative ions (with detoxifying and relaxing effects) and full of mineral salts, the sea breeze is a beneficial spray for the respiratory system and the skin, which it nurtures and rehydrates in depth.