We asked Jamie Waring, Managing Director, Wellness, Sangha Retreat, to share his thoughts and expertise on the best immune-boosting spa and wellness therapies.
Consumers are looking for immune-boosting therapies and treatments. Where and how should one begin?
Immunity and health are intertwined as they are about the body’s ability to deal with existence. The West and also now most of the East’s form of healthcare could be best described as sick care, the culture has developed that we live a generally unhealthy life and when the toll of this existence takes effect our sickness symptoms are treated. The treatments and interventions are relatively effective and more times than not our sickness is abated, but as the system is designed to deal with the symptoms it never addresses the root causes and we are likely to encounter ongoing repeated bouts of compromised health.
The cornerstones to preventing low immunity and poor health are simple lifestyle measures, what we at Sangha call “living habits.”
The deep solution for health and great immunity is relatively easy to understand and in fact so simple that most people know it already but need support to create the changes and environment for the necessary, for their personal new wellbeing paradigm to be embedded. We have to take inspiration from the ancient modalities of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda as they present the realty of optimal health and immunity and that is to live a life of health and wellbeing that is proven to prevent sickness and low immunity.
What are the cornerstones?
At One Spa Hamman at Sangha Retreat
The cornerstones to preventing low immunity and poor health are simple lifestyle measures, what we at Sangha call “living habits.” That is addressing the core parts of life to ensure that on a daily basis we do all the things that promote wellbeing. Specifically, nutrition, eating good wholesome, fresh, seasonal, and if possible organic foods. Managing stress and ensuring times of deep and complete relaxation away from digital demands; that ideally will include some form of mindfulness. Ensuring that we have good quality sleep, generally around eight hours every night. Have some form of movement practice every day, it doesn’t necessarily need to be high intensity but does need to promote cardiovascular health and good mobility. Become more conscious of our breathing and discover the effect that correct breathing has on our sense of calm, clarity, and energy levels. Finally the importance of social interactions and community, which as we know has become challenged during Covid isolation. However the benefits of health and longevity are proven to be linked directly to meaningful relationships and having a strong sense of community.
What are your top five immune-boosting foods?
Brazil nut: Rich in selenium, which acts as a key element in anti-oxidative function in our body, plus, selenium, is rarely found in most foods.
Green tea: Contains a lot of EGCG, belongs to the group of flavonoids which help to decrease the level of inflammation.
Red capsicum: Rich in vitamin C and beta-carotenoids, both work as natural antioxidants to inhibit the activity of many pathogens.
Citrus fruits: It is not only about vitamin C, but also the other phytochemicals in citrus fruits help to balance our immunity.
Curried foods: Curry contains heaps of herbs and spices, for example, turmeric is the key star in curry that contributes to its color and flavor; these herbs and spices are natural diseases fighters.
What are the best spa and wellness treatments to boost one’s immunity?
Salt Cave
The positive effects of a maritime climate, especially that of the Dead Sea, have long been medically proven to promote healing. Ionised air stabilizes and regenerates your body, helping to restore inner balance. Internal organs perform better, resulting in more efficient cell metabolism and energy production. Helps to clear the lungs, improve breathing, reduce inflammation and allergies, such has hay fever, and treats asthmatic conditions—plus many skin problems from eczema to psoriasis.
Ice Fountain
The unique benefits of ice stimulate your circulation, closing the pores of the skin that tones and revives skin function being our largest organ that supports all other functions. This action boosts the liver to flush out toxins, strengthening the immune and cardiovascular systems. One of the great Scandinavian secrets for longevity and lasting beauty.
Ayurveda
Ayurveda is naturally focused on purification and digestion to improve overall efficiency and absorption of nutrients, freeing up the body and mind to enhance the body’s potential to heal itself, regulating hormonal balance to generate a strong immune system.
Do you offer IV therapy, and do you believe it has a place in today’s spa?
IV drips allows the nutrients to flood your body and nourish itself at the cellular level and is an effective treatment for both general health enhancement and specific conditions. We offer a range of IV drips in our Clinic, administered by our medical team.
What is the future of immune-boosting therapies?
The Sangha Retreat Cryotherapy Chamber. Cryotherapy was originally designed as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory joint diseases. Proving extremely effective, Whole Body cryotherapy quickly gained notoriety for that specific issue, but also to treat systemic inflammation throughout the body that can be beneficial for athletic recovery, pain management, and beauty and wellness.
Cryotherapy is a modern take on the traditional ice bath and involves exposing the body for three minutes to ultra-low temperatures ranging from -200°F and -256 °F. With Whole Body Cryotherapy, chronic inflammation is reduced and circulation, pain reduction, and the boosting of the immune system is improved.
Mary Bemis
Mary Bemis is Founder & Editorial Director of InsidersGuidetoSpas.com. She is a pioneering spa journalist, most recently honored by Medika Life as one of the "Top 30 Influential Voices Transforming Wellness." She is an inaugural recipient of Folio's Top Women in Media Award, and was honored by ISPA with its distinguished ISPA Dedicated Contributor Award. In 1997, she launched American Spa magazine, and in 2007, Mary co-founded Organic Spa magazine. A pioneer in the sustainable spa and beauty worlds, Mary is co-curator of Cosmoprof North America's Discover Green Pavilion. She is a Global Wellness Day Advisor, and a co-founder of the Washington Spa Alliance.
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