On a Quest for Clean Air: A Magical Hot Springs Adventure with Medicinal Benefits!

By Dr. Sarah Allen

As my adventure partner and I escaped the heavy smoke from unprecedented fires burning throughout Oregon and the entire West, we headed into the great unknown, no map, no book, no service. In less than 24 hours and 600 miles we experienced two wildfires, a cattle drive, an opal mine, watching deer and antelope play, camping in the desert, mountain biking through the desert, WILD DONKEYS, yes… AND…low and behold, off the beaten track, in the middle of the Wild West, a hot springs river. What?! A hotsprings river?! I didn’t even know that existed!

Water. It’s our yin to our yang. It grounds us, makes us feel safe and secure. It is our envelope into this world and our basic necessity of life. Add loads of adventure and a mineral-packed geothermal hot springs and mud? Well, that’s paradise.

Here’s a short video of this epic experience and me bathing in this beautiful, untouched hot springs river.

Hot springs have been regarded throughout the ages and across cultures for their medicinal and spiritual benefits. Though clinical research is lacking this area, the study of soaking in mineral water has become a science known as balneology. Japan and Europe widely recommend soaking as a means to prevent and treat illness.

Here are just some of the benefits:

MINERALS - Hot springs, often found where there is volcanic activity or along fault lines producing geothermal heat, are known to have a high mineral content as the geothermal water is better able to retain dissolve solids. Our skin, which acts as a protective barrier, is also our largest organ. While it is able to keep big invaders out, it is permeable and porous to absorb small amounts of these beneficial minerals transdermally.

As luck would have it, a couple of scientists rolled up and gave us feedback on this topic. The gentleman was a scientist at NASA working in the gold industry and his wife was a scientist and professor of geology. She surmised that this hot spring contained a high amount of bentonite, silica, calcium, and sodium bicarbonate.

The minerals in the water and the mud have many potential benefits including: detoxification, relaxation, increased immune function, reduction in inflammation and pain, better sleep, enhanced blood circulation, healing of skin irritations and conditions, and rejuvenation and softening of the skin.

Though the type and amount of minerals varies according to its geological composition, here are just a few of commonly found minerals and their potential benefits:

Sulfur: This is what makes many hot springs rife with that notorious rotten egg smell. Sulfur is known to help ease skin irritations such as eczema, dry skin, rashes and acne.

Silica: A key component in collagen creation and bone formation, silica promotes healthy joints, skin, hair, and nails.

Magnesium: Is a necessary mineral, involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body, yet deficient in most Americans. Magnesium improves muscle and nerve function, aids muscles relaxation, improves sleep, regulates blood pressure and supports immune function.

Sodium Bicarbonate: Also known as baking soda, is what gives that silky feeling to hot springs water. Sodium Bicarbonate helps ease skin irritations such as hives, insect bites, and eczema. It has an alkalizing effect on the body, aiding with detoxification and lowering inflammation.

Calcium: The most abundant mineral in our body, calcium is integral in many physiological functions. It aids in bone and tooth development, muscle activation, and nerve transmission.

PAIN RELIEF - Along with the mineral benefits, the heated water increases blood circulation and blocks pain receptors. (Mooventhan, & Nivethitha, 2014). The buoyancy of the water also gives the joints a rest.

It is a wonderful therapy for those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia. I had a patient with RA who swore by hot springs for the relief of her symptoms. She told me soaking regularly nearly kept her pain free.

DETOXIFICATION - Along with various minerals, the heat makes us sweat and helps us release toxins.

WEIGHT LOSS - By breaking a sweat, you can additionally burn up to 140 calories per hour just sitting and relaxing! *BEING IN NATURE - *The human species craves nature. We ARE nature. Our whole being is a tiny microcosm of this universe. Then why do so many of us spend too much time indoors, sacrificing our lives to the power almighty? No not God, TECHNOLOGY. It is zapping us left and right, propelling us into the EMF atmosphere, bringing our anxiety levels to an all-time high, making our bellies fat, our eyes dim, our brains dull, and in short dis-eased.

Many of us have stopped connecting, not just with each other, but with ourselves, our spirit and with the Mother of us all, Mother Earth. Which leads me to my next point…

GROUNDING – Some of us never do that. Some of us never touch the ground or sift our hands through the soil. We bathe ourselves in anti-bacterial soap, wipe our bellies clean and some have even recently reported drinking bleach! We have no defense. Any little bacterial pathogen that comes our way is going to win.

Dirt is good. Dogs like it, chickens like it, and so do buffalo, elephants, cats, and pigs. Why? They don’t just roll around to get the bugs off, it feels good! Scientific research shows that grounding, also known as earthing, allows our bodies to absorb the positive amounts of negative electrons to maintain our body at the same negatively charged electrical potential as the earth…Because the Earth carries an electron-rich, negative charge, it provides a powerful and abundant supply of antioxidant electrons that effectively zap free radicals.” (Mercola, 2018)

Several studies indicate grounding regulates immune function, improves sleep, normalizes cortisol levels, lowers pain and inflammation, increases heart rate variability, reduces stress, and activates of the parasympathetic system. (Chevalier, et al., 2020), (Oschman, et al., 2015)

So, think about that the next time you sit in the dirt, soaking in that heavenly hot springs bath. And know that all those healthy negative ions you are getting from the Earth you are also receiving from the negatively-charged geothermal mineral water.

At the very least, hot springs are relaxing and fun. I always feel refreshed and rejuvenated after a nice long soak. And this was the most special natural hot springs I have ever found, a memory that will truly last a lifetime.

Caution: As with any therapy, check with your doctor that bathing in hot springs is safe for your condition. Also be aware that some natural hot springs are too hot to enter or even touch. To ensure water safety, seek a commercial hot springs resort where water is tested.

Sources:

Chevalier, G., Sinatra, S. T., Oschman, J. L., Sokal, K., & Sokal, P. (2012). Earthing: Health Implications of Reconnecting the Human Body to the Earth's Surface Electrons. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2012, 1-8. doi:10.1155/2012/291541

Mercola, D. (n.d.). How Nature Can Fix What's Broken. Retrieved October 04, 2020, from https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2018/01/25/healing-power-of-nature.aspx

Mooventhan, A., & Nivethitha, L. (2014). Scientific evidence-based effects of hydrotherapy on various systems of the body. North American Journal of Medical Sciences, 6(5), 199. doi:10.4103/1947-2714.132935

Oschman, J., Chevalier, G., & Brown, R. (2015). The effects of grounding (earthing) on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing, and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Journal of Inflammation Research, 83. doi:10.2147/jir.s69656