PRODUCT FOCUS THERAPY
In Latvian pirts, intense heat is circulated around the body using fans made from tree branches
Smoke saunas and pirts As well as playing a central role in living well, natural resources in central and eastern Europe are a primary motivation for social recreation. This is particularly the case with the smoke sauna culture in Estonia and the pirts in Lativa – two national variations of the Russian sauna or banya (see p50). Both the smoke sauna and pirts are best
described as a marriage between health and spirituality. They involve a three-hour procedure in intense heat, which is puffed around the body with veniks (a generic Russian term for natural fans made from tree branches), cold water plunging and intervals of relaxation with friends and family. These rituals ease physical tensions and clean the skin but it’s believed that they also nourish the soul – think of them as a full-service mind-body-spirit treatment. Pirts customs focus on top-to-toe
tapping with birch branches (or linden or oak) to stimulate the lymphatic system
A focus on the natural resources of central and eastern Europe forms part of an upcoming book, Healing Sources, Spas and Wellbeing from the Baltic to the Black Sea, which is due to be published in September by Prestel. Details:
www.thehealingsources.com
and accelerate the excretion of toxins. This ritualistic fanning, flicking and steady thwack of birch on skin is also designed to clear the aura and release bad omens. In Estonia, standalone smoke saunas are
regarded as a hallowed place for prayer. The facilities became a secret place of worship in a Soviet era that curbed religious practice. Contrary to suggestion, the smoke
element is precisely what makes the air in the smoke sauna so clean. The buildings are built without chimneys and seven hours of stoking an open fire with pine or elder wood kills all bacteria. The smoke is then released through a briefly opened door and the sauna is ready for use.
Climate therapy Climate therapy – the formal use of fresh air for therapeutic purposes – is a bona fide wellness modality in this region. The topography from the Baltic to the Black Sea – particularly on the coasts – provides a mild climate, scientifically acknowl- edged to be ideal for human health in terms of improving metabolism, appetite, sleep and general frame of mind. The theory of climate therapy is
that air which has the optimal levels of atmospheric pressure, temperature and humidity, wind strength and sun intensity, has a positive influence on the health of all living organisms. These elements are studied at the Insti-
For a first-person account of a traditional Russian banya experience, turn to page 50
tute of Climate Therapy and Pulmonology, in Yalta, Crimea. The particular geography of sea, pine forest and mountain has brought wellness tourists to this coast
48 Read Spa Business online
spabusiness.com/digital
Wellness facilities
n Danubius Hotels, Marienbad
www.marienbad.cz
n Dr Benedek Ge’za Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Hospital, Transylvania
www.cardiologie-covasna.ro
n Lauvaskalni, a traditional wellness guesthouse, in Latvia
www.lauvaskalni.lv
n Mooska Farm, a smoke sauna facility in Estonia
www.mooska.eu/en
n Inbalans, a banya consultancy
www.inbalansgroup.com
for centuries, including many of Russia’s elite, such as playwright Anton Chekhov and composer Sergei Rachmaninoff, for doctor-led treatment protocols which are based on walking in the outdoors.
Health and custom By looking at just one very narrow field of natural resource – namely gases and air – we get some understanding of the importance of nature for both health and local custom in this part of the world. As the relief of physical pain and the stimulation of emotional wellbeing are two very real objectives for tourists and health visitors, it’s likely that wellness tourism in the region will only continue to grow. l
Sophie Benge is the writer of Healing Sources Email:
sophie@sophiebenge.com Tel: +44 7951 056609
Spa Business 2 2014 ©Cybertrek 2014
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