If you’d like to learn about the basics of balneology, “the study of therapeutic bathing and medicinal springs,” you’ll be pleased to discover the premier issue of BANA Periodical. The Fall 2014 issue, published by the non-profit Balneology Association of North America (BANA), is a treasure trove for those who revere the waters.
Within its pages, you’ll learn about the ancient art and modern science of taking the waters for health and healing. From the playful “Introducing Balneology” by Professor J. Paul De Vierville to “Seeking the Waters for Wellness” by Janet Abbot to “A Rustic Soaker’s Guide to Bathing Etiquette” by Dr. Marcus Coplin, ND, BANA Periodical takes you on a very pleasant and practical journey.
From the playful “Introducing Balneology” by Professor J. Paul De Vierville to “Seeking the Waters for Wellness” by Janet Abbot to “A Rustic Soaker’s Guide to Bathing Etiquette” by Dr. Marcus Coplin, ND, BANA Periodical takes you on a very pleasant and practical journey.
And for those of you who may be feeling adventurous and would like to experience balneology firsthand, “Six Geothermal Spa Towns,” by Cynthia Josayma, identifies six major spa towns in the United States that have played huge historical roles in the story of spas and mineral-water bathing. (Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, is an old favorite of ours.)
Josayma, BANA’s Founder and Executive Director, first started to research balneology back in 2006, after a trip to Portugal piqued her interest in the field. “To discover here was a whole field of medical mineral waters was fascinating to me, and I wanted to know more,” she explained. Her hope is that BANA reawakens the knowledge about different kinds of waters, as well as the care of those waters—sorely lacking in the United States, a country so rich in natural mineral waters.
Here’s a link to the premier issue of BANA Periodical: www.balenoana.org/bana-fall-2014-periodical.html