A Cure in the Water

The Limitless Power Of The Sea

La mer prend soin de vous. ... The sea takes care of you.

Work, transport, private life, social networks… Every day, we live our lives at 100 miles per hour. When we are constantly available for our colleagues, our clients, our family, our friends - eventually, we forget to be available for ourselves. Life moves so fast that it seems to pass without being able to really enjoy it. As summer begins to pass and the holidays start ramping up, now more than ever we are susceptible to acquiescing to others’ wishes. Of course, helping others is integral to human society, but one also needs to enjoy the fruits of ones own labors while they’re still ripe. One way to do this is by taking time for yourself, honoring your time, and space you use. 

We would like to take a moment to appreciate the natural world, and its quiet answers to life’s stressors. In addition to shaping and sustaining the world on a daily basis, water is a natural stress release. From babbling brooks and pitter-patter of fresh rain, to catching waves and quenching thirst, we owe more to water than we know.

For example, you may know that exercising in water is easier on your body and joints, but did you know that the water movements also massages your muscles?

Bellini’s recently traveled to Saint-Malo, France, to visit Phytomer's laboratory and experience the rejuvenating effects of water first hand. Using water as a therapeutic practice is called thalassotherapy, and is incredibly popular in France. Once thalassotherapy center is Aquatonic, which has an aquatic labyrinth filled with heated seawater at varying temperatures (31 to 34°C). The course is designed to guide you through the temperature differences and pressures in order to stimulate vasomotricity, blood circulation, and wellbeing. Although the scientific evidence of thalassotherapy helping with more intense health concerns, such as memory loss, is not fully developed, it is undeniable that spending time in seawater boosts one's overall mood and disposition.

Did you know? The properties of seawater vary by location. Phytomer chose to setup their laboratory in Brittany due to the natural ocean climate and diversity, which contributes to their pioneering developments in marine biotechnology.

Natural, Living Beauty

Inspired by the sea, Phytomer believes that the ocean is the source of life, which explains why marine cosmetics are so easily absorbed into the skin. For example, seawater is rich in mineral ions and trace elements essential to our metabolism, and Phytomer's concentrated active seawater restarts each skin cell and boosts its functioning. So why would we need minerals? Minerals strengthen the matrix of the skin, support immunity, stimulate and regulate metabolic function, and provide profound therapeutic benefits just to name a few.

"Every man, whatever his social condition, has a right to a thermal cure if the state of his health demands it.” - French Government, 1947

Bellini's was also able to experience thalassotherapy from Emeria in Dinard, France. Just a short boat ride from the Aquatonic cource and Phytomer's laboratory in Saint-Malo, Emeria combines the benefits of the sea with the properties of the spa. 

"The view from ‘Emeria.. spectacular."

They offer thalassotherapy courses that focus on a variety of treatments: from resetting one's internal clock for better sleep to assisting new mothers with adjusting to a new lifestyle. Regardless of the reason for thalassotherapy, it is clear that there are many people who feel the healing effects of water.

Take advantage of the benefits of water and immerse yourself in a restorative bath. The body absorbs the incredible richness of seawater in mineral ions and trace elements essential to its metabolism. You can recreate this environment by adding Phytomer’s Oligomer to your next bath. In the hot summer, we love to sit in a tepid bath with this mixture. If you’re not into sitting in a bath, Phytomer also has a shower gel that delivers the same minerals to your skin.

Think about how long seaweed sits washed up on the side of beaches. The vines and leaves are always plump and filled with water. This simple detail caught the eyes of Phytomer, who values the sea as the origin of life. Through a series of rigorous practices, Phytomer removes any trace of impurities, bacteria or other microorganisms potentially present in the algae. Using pharmaceutical extraction techniques, Phytomer is able to purely and sustainable extract the most beneficial ingredients from the sea.

In addition to being detoxifying, providing antioxidants, and restoring pH, each mineral has a different effect in our body. Here are a few of the main ones, and what they accomplish:

In sum, there is more to water than meets the eye. Thalassotherapy centers combine the mineral properties of sea water, temperature, and aquatic jets to physically relax the body, as well as the mind. Many of these centers are in France, although you can bring the experience home with Phytomer bath products. When we are able to relax our mind, we are able to stop and enjoy the simple wonders in the world. 

Cites

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/05/30/seeking-a-cure-in-frances-waters/amp

https://www.aquatonic.fr/saint-malo/parcours-aquatonic/

https://www.aquatonic.fr/blog/lifestyle/et-si-on-vivait-plus-lentement/

https://www.aquatonic.fr/

https://www.skinfactors.com.au/healthy-skin-starts-with-minerals/#:~:text=Minerals%20therefore%20strengthen%20the%20matrix,and%20provide%20profound%20therapeutic%20benefits.

Samihah Zura Mohd Nani, F. A. A. Majid, A. B. Jaafar, A. Mahdzir, M. N. Musa, "Potential Health Benefits of Deep Sea Water: A Review", Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2016, Article ID 6520475, 18 pages, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/6520475