Having to visit the hospitals all the time can be very tiring and frustrating for some people. Hospital bills, expensive drugs these days keep you healthy but we are wrong.
There is a place in Egypt set in a remote location of the Sahara desert that seems perfect for not only get away but also hideaway.
The hot desert sands seem the most unlikely place to ‘take a bath’ in the height of summer but locals in western Egypt believe it is the natural way to cure many medical conditions.
A
t the hottest time of the day, sufferers of rheumatism, joint pain, infertility or impotence lie buried neck-deep in the sand of Siwa near Dakrour Mountain.
Each summer from mid-June to mid-September Siwa opens a sand bath season. The desert sand is heated to its hottest by the summer and thus making it suitable for the unique holistic treatments.
The
treatment is based on the wisdom of the desert’s ancestors and utilizes the healing powers of nature. The art of facilitating the sand baths has been passed from generation to generation.
Patients relax in the shade before treatment, which includes massages by the feet of health workers after they submerge their patients up to their neck in the desert.
They spend between 10 and 15 minutes buried beneath the sands before being dug out and moving to tents that have been exposed to the sun to act like saunas.
Despite the extremely hot sand bathing, the body will manifest with a sensation of cold. Being released from the sand the person rests in a tent and drinks warm local organic herbs from the Siwan gardens.
Drinking cold drinks is forbidden for some time. It is required to wear special winter like clothes as the body will feel very cold at this stage. In the following days special oil massage is given and the traditional cupping on the skin might be performed to cleanse the bl
ood.
Although the 3 days are sufficient for the core treatment, resting before travel is advised and special aftercare is prescribed.
For example, only mild and short showers are allowed in the first week after the bath to assure the balance in the body and success of the treatment. Continuation of herbal drinks is also advised.
The list of health benefits which sand baths are believed to have is highly attractive. The improvements in blood circulation, levels of cholesterol, and heart functioning are promised too.
Besides the health benefits, the sand therapy is suitable for anyone who wishes to strongly improve their immune system and lose weight as the internal fat from the organs and external body fat are burnt during the process.
