Wednesday, October 25, 2006

TURKISH BATH

During the era of the Ottoman Empire, a special importance was given to one of the main preconditions of the Islamic religion, which is cleanliness. To spread out this habit by building many bathes, called "Hammam", to the benefit of the folk. You can find old Haynes, which still carry the interesting architectural features of that period in the city or similar ones in the hotels.

In Haynes you pass through a sequence of heat and steam phases, which purify you from stress and toxins, regulate the blood circulation and relax you. While traditional Haynes have separate sections for male and female, some Haynes at Hotels have special sections where male and female can have their bath together.

In the middle of the bath is a heated marble slab, called "Göbek Taşı". With the cleaning and massaging cure the masseurs apply on you on this slab, using a bath glove made of coarse cloth called "kese", you will experience a wonderful feeling.

A good bath, besides being a pleasure, it can become a cure of beauty that helps to forget the tension and to rehidratarse. The keys of a relaxing bath are :

· Temperature: the ideal is around the 37 degree Celsius.
· Light: the intensity should be reduced to the minimum. That of the candles is the most appropriate.
· Music: Something calm, rhythmic and pleasant
· Aromas: Some drops of essential oils. The most relaxing are those of lavender, violet, neroli and rose. To take advantage of their effects, breath deeply five times from the abdomen, not from the chest, letting the scent penetrates in the body.

· Flavors: Green tea, adding a lemon bark and a mint leaf. To take it cold and in small sips while one enjoys the bath .
· Duration: not to remain to soaking more than 20 minutes because the fabrics of the skin are softened, the circulation is hindered and it can also lower the tension. To finish with a shower in it is alternated it the cold water and heat. To leave slowly wrapped up in a towel and to rest other 20 minutes
What can be added to the water:
· Milk, salts and bathroom oils to soften and to moisturize the skin
· Clay that has astringent properties and antiinflamatorias and it is used to eliminate toxins and to improve cutaneous problems.
· Oil essential: the heat makes that its active principles penetrate for the pores, exercising their effects benefits in the whole organism .

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