If the test of time is any measure, steam bathing and aromatherapy have certainly withstood it. For thousands of years, people of all cultures have indulged in the soothing warmth of aromatic steam baths. The Romans are well known for their elaborate baths. The wealthy of 200 B.C.E. India did not consider their mansions complete unless they included a bathhouse with a steam room. The Muslim Hamma, or bathhouse, with its domed, central steam chamber, is still an integral part of life in Muslim countries. A derivation of the Humman, the Turkish bath, has been popular in Europe for centuries. In the New World, stone houses or temezcals were used by the Toltecs and the Aztecs to treat physical and mental problems. These were small rooms of adobe or stone built adjacent to the temples. Opposite the tiny entrance was a section that contained a little lake of hot water and stones. The lake was covered over with all manner of fragrant flowers, heating them and releasing their essential oils into the steamy vapors, creating a stimulating effect on circulation and the metabolism.
Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils extracted from plants and herbs to treat conditions ranging from infections and skin disorders to immune deficiencies and stress. Essential oils are widely used throughout Europe and a system of medical aromatherapy is currently practiced in France.
Aromatherapy has recently found its way into mainstream science in the United States. The National Institutes of Health, in 1992, officially recognized "unconventional medical practices" and began a study to integrate these practices into modern health care. Among the unconventional treatments: herbal medicine, of which aromatherapy is a branch.
In a landmark study conducted in 1973, a blend of the essential oils clove, cinnamon, melissa, and lavender was found to be as effective in treating bronchial conditions as were commercial antibiotics (Wagner, H., and Sprinkmeier). "Because the oils work in a different way from antibiotics, they do not have the usual side effects, and they tend to stimulate the immune system instead of depressing it," says Robert Tisserand of London, a leading researcher in the field of aromatherapy.
"Aromatherapy works twofold," according to Michael Scholes, president of Aromatherapy Seminars, Los Angeles, California. "These essences have a smell that, when inhaled, is processed in an area of the brain that controls emotions. They penetrate the skin to get into the bloodstream and the immune system to work in a physiological method."
On the topic of essential oils and the immune system, Patricia Davis, in her book Aromatherapy: An A–Z, states:
"Essential oils can support and strengthen the immune response in two ways: by directly opposing the threatening micro-organisms or by stimulating and increasing the activity of the organs and cells involved. A number of essential oils combine both of the actions; for example, lavender, bergamot, eucalyptus, and rosemary all act against a wide variety of bacteria and viruses while at the same time increasing the immune response. Rosemary and geranium support the adrenal glands in their action and are also stimulants of the lymphatic system."
She goes on to say, "Virtually every essential oil in therapeutic use is active against one or more bacteria, and almost all of them stimulate production of white blood cells."
Steam treatments have a stimulating effect on the cardiovascular system. The pulse rate increases from 75 beats per minute during a 15-20 minute treatment. This increases blood circulation, but not blood pressure, since the heat also causes the tiny blood vessels in the skin to expand accomodating the increased blood flow. The dilation of the capillary vessels enables the bloodstream to carry great amounts of nutrients to the skin, including the increased absorption of the essential oils that are carried in the bloodstream. But the benefits of steam don't stop there.
Hippocrates, the founder of Western medicine more than two thousand years ago, said, "Give me the power to create a fever, and I shall cure any disease."
Chinese medicine views sweating as one of the three methods to rid the body of "bad chi", the misdirected bodily energy thought to be responsible for disease.
Although often misunderstood as a symptom of disease, fever actually is a part of the body's natural healing response. Steam bath treatments elicit similar healing responses in the body, and consequently are often called "artificial fevers".
During a fever, the function of the immune system is stimulated, while the growth of bacteria and virus is forced to slow down. The production of white blood cells, the primary agents of the immune ststem, is increased, as is the rate of their release into the bloodstream. The generation of antibodies speeds up, as does the rate of their release into the bloodstream. The generation of antibodies speeds up, as does the production of interferon, an anti-viral protein that also has powerful cancer-fighting properties. Apart from stimulating the immune stystem, fever slows down the proliferation of invading organisms by creating an inhospitable environment. At 104 degrees F., for example, the growth rate of the polio virus is reduced up to 250 times; at 106 degrees F. Pneumococcus, a bacterium responsible for pneumonia, dies.
Before the advent of antibiotics, syphilitics were often infected with malaria to prevent the spread of the disease. In addition, there is evidence that the frequent fevers of malaria might function as a cancer-protecting factor. DE Paavo Airola in his book, Worldwide Secrets of Staying Young, relates the story of the Pontine swamps near Rome in Italy, which until a few decades ago were the breeding ground for malaria-carrying mosquitoes. The swamps were dried out. and the malaria disappeared. However, during the next decades, that area, which had before been almost free of cancer, saw an increase in cancerous diseases. After a generation, cancer incidence level of that area had reached the level of the rest of Italy. Malignant cells are selectively destroyed at temperatures of 106 to 110 degrees F., so the frequent fever attacks of people in the malaria-infected area might have mobilized the body's own defenses too frequently for a cancer to take hold. Although the artificial fever induced by sweat therapy does not have the comprehensive effect of real fever, it still produces a striking effect on a number of bodily processes.
There is evidence that artificial fever works as an immune system stimulant by increasing the number of white blood cells in the body. In a 1995 review of studies on the effects of heat treatments, Mayo Clinic researcher Dr. Wakim and colleagues cite findings indicating that the number of white blood cells in the blood increased by an average of 58% during artificially induced fever. Researchers also have found increases in the activity of the white blood cells during induced fever. In addition, as in the case of bodily induced fever, the raised temperature during the artificial fever reduces the growth rate of most bacteria and viruses, giving the immune system time to mobilize its own forces. Indeed, many regular steam bathers have experienced that a good, long steam bath with a little eucalyptus at the onset of a cold or flu can help ward off the disease before it manifests as actual symptoms.
When you can't afford the time or money it takes to visit a spa or steam bath facility, or if you just don't feel well enough to go, you can recreate the finest of health spas easily and affordably right in you own home.
There are several new products now on the market that combine the powerful effects of steam and aromatherapy. One of these is the AromaSpa. The AromaSpa is the newest mode of the Portable Aromatherapy Steam Tube, an aromatic steam bath, recently introduced into the U.S. by Variel Health International, with a U.S. manufacturing plant located in Chatsworth, California. "We believe by combining the therapeutic benefits of steam with that of aromatherapy we have created a powerful tool for both physical and mental well-being'', states Tom Thornbury, President of Variel Health International.
The Variel Health AromaSpa, Aromatic Steam Capsule line ranges in price from $1,495 for the basic unit to $2,395 for the deluxe two-person model. Both units include at least three different essential oil blends. For more information call 800-788-9336 or send e-mail to information@aromaspa-depot.com.
Aromatic steam capsule treatments can also be enjoyed on their own, as a work-out for the cardiovascular system, a deep-cleansing treat for the body, an immune system booster, and a soothing and invigorating refreshment for the mind.
There are a few precautions to keep in mind. Because of the increase in cardiovascular activity caused by the high heat, steam therapy is not recommended for people with heart disease or other cardiovascular problems. Individuals with high blood pressure should first consult their doctor. In addition, the treatment is not advised for pregnant women, small children, or the elderly. Do not take a steam bath treatment if you have a fever. If you have been working out, be sure that your body has had time to cool down before exposing it to the heat of a steam bath.
Limit treatment time to 15 to 20 minutes. Drink plenty
of water before and after the steam bath to replace fluids lost during
the treatment. The sweat glands can secrete up to 30 grams of sweat per
minute, or almost one pint per 15 minutes. Fatigue and other indications
of dehydration can occur with as little as
1 - 2% loss in body weight.
The main thing to keep in mind is to enjoy the process. Do not push your body beyond its comfort level; the point is not to sweat it out the longest, but to allow your mind and body to luxuriate in this fragrant health-enhancing and invigorating miniature spa treatment.
Click here to find out the advantages of steam heat vs. dry heat.