Mortar and Pestle's Home Spa subsite

Body Wraps

A body wrap is defined as a skin care treatment that works to stimulate circulation, soothe the skin, remove impurities from the body and provide absorption of nurturing properties. In my opinion, there is something magical about the ability to use Nature's own pharmacopeia for healing and over time, I have benefited more than I can say. A body wrap is only one of many processes you can partake in to improve your health naturally.

Body Wraps

The Body
According to about.com, most of the human body is made up of water, H₂O, with cells consisting of 65-90% water by weight.

Therefore, it isn't surprising that most of a human body's mass is oxygen. Carbon, the basic unit for organic molecules, comes in second. 99% of the mass of the human body is made up of just six elements: oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus.

Oxygen (65%)
Carbon (18%)
Hydrogen (10%)
Nitrogen (3%)
Calcium (1.5%)
Phosphorus (1.0%)
Potassium (0.35%)
Sulfur (0.25%)
Sodium (0.15%)
Magnesium (0.05%)
Copper, Zinc, Selenium, Molybdenum, Fluorine, Chlorine, Iodine, Manganese, Cobalt, Iron (0.70%)
Lithium, Strontium, Aluminum, Silicon, Lead, Vanadium, Arsenic, Bromine (trace amounts)

Your skin and the Importance of Intake and Elimination
Your skin is a dynamic, ever-changing organ that plays a vital role in detoxifying the body every day. Proper intake and elimination is key to healthy skin and a healthy body. Body wraps promote perspiration which help your body rid itself of any buildup of toxins and excess water content. This is elimination at its best and when your body is free of toxins, it is more easily able to utilize vital nutrients, vitamins and minerals that your body requires. A body wrap is used to deliver high concentrations of essential minerals to help balance natural body functions and promote healthy thyroid activity. Body wraps also promote relaxation and an overall sense of well being, not to mention that it makes your skin soft, supple and extremely smooth.

Warning
As with anything that involves health or skin care processes, it is recommended that you consult with your doctor to determine whether or not you are physically able to handle a body wrap. According to Sobobamedspa.com, people who suffer from circulatory problems should not get body wraps because of the warm and restricting nature of the treatment, which may ultimately worsen the condition. Contourbodywraps.com also strongly advises against using body wraps if you suffer from certain medical conditions such as heart disease, high or low blood pressure or diabetes. Consult with your doctor as well if you're taking any medication to make sure there are no side effects. Women who are pregnant, may become pregnant or are lactating are also strongly advised not to participate in body wraps.

Preparing your body
In order to prepare your body for a wrap, a total body exfoliation either by dry brushing or a salt scrub is recommended. When your skin is ready, the body wrap is applied and for approximately 20 minutes, you are secured snugly within the wrap. Make sure the wrap is not too tight. The purpose is to create a snug, but not overly tight experience for the wrap to adequately detoxify and provide nutrition to your skin. Once the wrap is removed, a warm shower or handheld showerhead is used to rinse off any remaining residue.

Types of Body Wraps and their Benefits

Seaweed Body Wrap
This highly stimulating treatment will detoxify your skin and body, while leaving you feeling energized and rebalanced.

Ingredients:
Fucus, a rich marine algae that stimulates metabolism and
Laminaria Digitata, a seaweed that detoxifies and remineralizing,

Benefits include: Stimulation of metabolism and detoxification, very smooth and nourished skin, remineralized skin and body, essential elements that are essential for healthy body function and a general feeling of well-being.

Following the treatment, it is recommended that you drink at least three glasses of water throughout the day to promote further detoxification and hydration of the skin.

Caution
Seaweed body wraps are not recommended for people who have a thyroid condition, are pregnant, have allergies to seafood or other sea elements, or have hormone-sensitive cancers or are in remission from cancer.

Lavender Body Wrap
A delicious full body wrap that gently removes impurities, softens the skin, improves skins' elasticity and infuses moisture and nourishment into the skin.

Ingredients:
Lavender Essential oil to promote relaxation and de-stress

Benefits include: Safe for those with dry/sensitive skin, tantilize the senses while replenishing skin, help target the signs of aging, promote healthy skin, promotes relaxation, and a general feeling of well-being.

Dead Sea Mud Body Wrap
Dead Sea mud is said to contain an extraordinary range of minerals with large quantities of potassium which helps regulate the body’s water balance.
Benefits include: Soothe and heal skin problems, good for arthritis, rheumatism, sports injuries, and edema.

Herbal Body Wraps
Herbal body wraps in addition to mud wraps leave you feeling completely refreshed with smooth and supple skin.

You can combine herbs and essential oils to create a perfect mix of properties that you need, based on your health and skin care needs. The elimination of dead skin cells helps smooth skin, refine skin texture and leave your entire body invigorated by activating micro-circulation. The active ingredients in an herbal body wrap can improve your circulation as well as benefit you through lymphatic drainage. Indulge yourself and experience the benefits of excellent general well-being and total relaxation with an herbal body wrap.

General Steps to Preparing an Herbal Wrap
1. Combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl
2. Cover with 2 cups very hot to boiling water
3. Let steep for 2-5 minutes
4. Use ace wraps or cut 2 old towels into strips (this will most likely stain the strips but they can be washed & used again).
5. Roll the strips up like an ace bandage and use tongs to dip a roll into your solution until saturated.
6. Press off excess and wrap the first strip just over the left knee and wind it up the thigh, tucking the end under or pinning it to hold in place.
7. Repeat on right leg.
8. Next, wrap a series of strips starting at the hips and working your way up to the breasts mummy-style
9. Do not cover the breasts themselves unless you want to shrink them!

The strips should be wrapped snuggly, but comfortable. They should not be so tight they cut off your circulation.

The wrap stays on for 20 to 45 minutes then shower with warm, not hot water.

Some say that if you add coffee to the wrap solution, it helps to carry the herbs, salts and minerals deep into the dermis levels faster due to the caffeine.

If your goal is loss of inches, you may want to measure yourself before and after the wrap to see the full results. The wrap will continue to work over the next 24 hours to deliver detoxification and nutritious benefits. This is a messy process, but the benefits are undeniable. Continuing these treatments two or three times a week will turn out to be as effective as if you spent 5 days at an expensive health spa!

Moor Mud Body Wraps
Organic Moor Mud Body Wrap can help in heal skin problems, tone and tighten the skin, reduce cellulites, improve circulation, alleviate muscle and joint pain, treat acne, detoxify the body and help mobilize fat so it can be eliminated from the body naturally.

Benefits: Moor Mud contains the essence of hundreds of herbs, plants, grasses and flowers as well as organic substances, vitamins, trace elements and minerals. Moor Mud is highly anti-inflammatory and researchers have found that it stimulates the body's natural production of cortisones. It is rich in fatty acids and fat-soluble substances that ease penetration through the skin. An ideal treatment for water retention and cellulite.

Moor Mud is one of the most potent natural healing substances. A real gift of Nature, this organic mixture contains multitude of bio-minerals, humic and fulvic acids, amino acids and plant hormones in a simple molecular form that is easy for the human tissue to absorb. It nourishes and rejuvenates tissues, detoxifies and reduces inflammation considered a major cause of skin aging, wrinkles and many pains and illnesses.

Warming Spice Body Wraps
A little research into traditional Ayurvedic warming spices will help you to boost the immune system, prevent colds and relieve aching muscles. Spices create an intense deep-penetrating heating sensation, which increases blood circulation and facilitates the release of toxins stored deep within tissues and organs. "Warming spices," bring blood from the center of the body to the skin. This disperses blood throughout the body more evenly, which may decrease blood pressure and boost detoxification of toxic buildup in your body.

Rhassoul Body Wraps
Rhassoul can be used for a variety of professional applications, it is an invaluable enhancement for spa treatments and for personal use. Its extraordinary power of absorption makes it more effective than other clays for cleansing, detoxification, and general skin treatment. It can be used as soap, skin conditioner, shampoo, and facial and body mask and it washes like soap and leaves a unique, sweet scent on the skin.

As Rhassoul contains higher percentages of silica and magnesium along with potassium and calcium than other body wraps, Rhassoul appears to be far more effective. In addition to this, due to its greater smectic qualities, (i.e. its ability to swell with the addition of water) Rhassoul achieves better results in skin treatment. The mineral properties of Rhassoul were studied extensively and presented at the 12th meeting of the National Institute of Phytotherapy in Paris in 1985. Rhassoul contains a high percentage of silica, magnesium, potassium, and calcium.

Rhassoul most impressive properties in skin improvement are its capacity of absorption and adsorption due to its high level of ion exchange. Clinical studies have been conducted by two different research laboratories in the United States to evaluate Rhassoul use for skin conditions.

Mountain Rose Herbs is another supplier of raw materials including clays, herbs, and salts. They are located in Oregon.

As I continue to research and experiment with home spa treatments, I will be adding to this subsite. Until then, I hope you enjoy the information I have gathered so far.

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