Let’s face it, we are a ‘water species’ and there is nothing we can do about it!

How many times have you been in a situation where you had to have a quick shower to relax? It was not the dirt you wanted to wash off, but all your day’s thoughts and experiences. As if you could ‘clear your mind’, by having a water flow down to you.

Yes, we are on a planet that 70% is water. Yes, we have a body composed of 70% water. Yes, we can’t live without drinking water more than 4 days – but beyond that physiological need, having water all over your body nourishes the inner as well as the outer Self. Thermal springs offer exactly that.

It feels to me like it was only yesterday, my experience with the thermal waters on Kos island. There was a beach there, where you could find hot water on the one side of the rocky seashore and cold on the other. In the beginning I thought, “I should be here in winter – getting into the hot water with August this heat sounds odd.” But my uncle as a true local said, “never say never – give it a try.” Well, I have been to many thermal springs, and on Kos, it was a far more special experience.

Thermal water relaxes your mind and body. Even in summer.

Hippocrates considered hydrotherapy to be a therapeutic method, where thermal water and seawater are used to heal skin diseases, musculoskeletal diseases, respiratory problems, pain, etc.
But it was a method also for soothing the mind. Natural methods seem to be winning the battle of body and mind imbalances over the pharmaceutical industry these days. And you don’t need to go to expensive spas to enjoy it. There are thermal waters free for the public or at low cost all over Greece. Volcanic activity offers these unique places in Greece. The water contains minerals like iodine, salts, and other substances (depending on the area) which can be therapeutic for the body.

Also, Submerging the body in warm water can reduce cortisol secretion as well as other hormones related to stress. This produces muscular relaxation and diminished anxiety.
So remember to search for public thermal springs wherever you are in Greece! It will reward you even now in summer!

* The above is not medical advice but mere suggestions for improving your diet. Before reach herbal use you should consult your doctor, especially those who have health issues, are pregnant or are under the age of 6.

Evropi-Sofia Dalampira holds a PhD in Agricultural Economics and an MSc in Botany-Biology.