The benefits and harms of a Turkish bath: the correct view of the hammam. The benefits of a Turkish bath for the respiratory system. What is the benefit

For many centuries, hammam has been a favorite pastime for eastern residents. But in the last few decades, the Turkish bath has become popular in Russia, thanks to its low, gentle air temperature and pleasant procedures. But many people still look at the eastern steam room with apprehension: what exactly are the benefits and harms? Turkish bath for good health? Who should not visit it, and how should a vacation actually take place there? We will be happy to answer you!

Is it a Turkish bath?...

Quite a serious question. The fact is that today in Russia the bath business is, of course, developed, but to what extent? As it turns out, those who have personally visited a real Turkish bath say that local hammams resemble it only in appearance - but not in sensation. Absolutely wrong humidity, temperature and special means. And not the same effect at all.

Is it worth saying then how dangerous the impact of such a “hamam” on health can be? After all, the Turks have been developing their bath tradition for centuries, selecting the optimal temperature and humidity conditions down to the degree, and carefully observing the necessary sequence of all procedures. And therefore all this had a positive effect on health. And a failure in any technology leads to other consequences.

Moreover, modern hammams in Russia offer three modes of procedures at once: something like a sauna with dry and hot air, a supposedly Russian bath with steam and an air temperature of up to 100°C, and a “Turkish” one, with heat up to 60°C and humidity up to 100%, which is also wrong. But all this is proudly called “hammam”.

And finally, today an innovation such as “hamam-plus” is becoming popular. This is the same Turkish bath with marble on the walls, but in which a special cable is used to warm the walls, beds and floor, providing up to 70°C instead of the required 45°C, and dry “Russian” steam.

It’s like combining two in one: both and a Russian bathhouse. But such an invention is far from a real Turkish steam room, and staying in it can really undermine your health. But an inexperienced person will be sure that he ended up in a hammam!

So let's take a closer look at what a real Turkish bath actually is and what to expect from it.

Hamam: a look from the inside

Hamam is the most moisture-rich bathhouse existing in the world. Normal humidity here is considered to be in the range of 80-100%, and this is at a temperature of only 40-45°C.

A real Turkish hammam is a separate building with six rooms: a locker room, a relaxation room, a steam room, a washing room, a massage room and a swimming pool. It is customary to go from the steam room to the pool, where you first need to swim in hot water, then with a lower temperature, in order to gradually cool the hot body without any stress on the blood vessels. Of course, this is not Russian fun in the form of diving into a snowdrift after a good broom.

Interestingly, the hammam did not originate in Turkey, but in Rome, where the baths were thermal. But it is worth noting separately the special interior of a true Turkish bath: domed ceilings allow drops of condensation to easily roll onto the floor and evaporate there. And the beautiful stone mosaic in the decoration evenly absorbs thermal radiation and releases it gently. By the way, initially, more useful marble was used in such baths, and therefore, if you are planning to build a hammam yourself, use it.

Now compare a real Turkish bath with most commercial boors outside the city, housed in an ordinary multi-story building, in just three rooms with rectangular ceilings and a heat and humidity regime selected somehow.

A proper Turkish hammam is heated by boilers with boiling water, which are usually located in the walls or even under the floor. Couples with hot water goes further into the pipes under the floor and seats, and all surfaces heat up. And through small holes, steam enters the room.

And the main advantage of a Turkish bath is that it warms up not only the air, but also the walls, the floor, and even. Thanks to all this, it is possible to undergo truly pleasant and healing procedures:

1. First, the person rinses in the shower or other running water.
2. Next, he lies down on a warm lounger and gradually, without stress, warms up the whole body. He lies there for about 20 minutes until the muscles relax and the pores open.
3. Now it’s time for peeling: the whole body is rubbed with special hard washcloths, which carefully remove dead keratinized cells of the body, cleanse open pores and have a healing massage effect. Moreover, the cleansing is quite deep. Many vacationers at this moment are surprised how so much dirt remains on the washcloths, since they have just been in the shower?
4. After peeling and another wash (from dirt), it is customary to start soaping. This is not just foam from an ordinary bar of soap - here it is voluminous and airy, and envelops the entire body.
5. Further procedures are now carried out by a massage therapist, gently kneading each part of the body. This is the most enjoyable time.
6. Then you can wash off the foam and rest.
7. And finally, in a proper Turkish bath, after all the procedures, they drink healing herbal teas in a special “keif” room, where they used to smoke hookah (which is why the name of the room seems so familiar).

In addition, in a proper hammam it is customary to move from a less hot room to a hotter one, which is quite consistent with the words of Hippocrates that the effect of heat on the body should be gradual. That is why the traditions of the Turkish bath have the same centuries-old history as the Russian steam room - step by step, that same healing atmosphere was created.

But today, in many Turkish baths, steam is created by a steam generator; marble is sometimes replaced with not the highest quality mosaics, and laid on polystyrene foam panels. Floor areas are heated with water, and even more often - with electricity. And in the end we get a kind of thermos, which, in its filling, is already quite far from a real hammam.

Benefits of visiting the hamam

Even if you have visited the hammam only once in your life, you will definitely remember this vacation. In addition to feeling incredibly clean, the very next day you will feel much better. And all because a real Turkish bath:

• Deeply cleanses all pores and removes toxins.
• It has a rejuvenating effect on both the skin and the entire body.
• Thanks to prolonged heating, we strengthen the immune system.
• It has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, normalizes sleep and mood.
• Accelerates skin regeneration.
• Improves metabolism and helps you lose weight faster.
• Eliminates salt deposits.
• Stabilizes blood pressure.
• Cures chronic colds.
• Eliminates muscle tone and tension, which is especially valuable for athletes.
• Relieves stress and improves blood microcirculation in the brain.
• Eliminates stagnant processes in all organs.

Thanks to the soft and healing microclimate of the hammam, it is useful to spend several hours in it!

Have you already noticed why the illustration above shows only women? The fact is that hammam is popular precisely among the fair half of humanity, while men prefer the Russian bathhouse with its “tangible” procedures. But in Turkey, a woman of any status has the right to file for divorce if her husband does not allow her to go to the hammam.

And if you also take into account that Turkish women have never had much other entertainment (until today), then it is not surprising why the hammam has become an entire art over the centuries. “She’s fussing around like a Turkish woman getting ready for a bath” - that’s what they once said in Rus'. After all, in order to carry out bath procedures according to all the rules, women had to prepare from 15 to 20 items with them!

Although there are exceptions and adherents of the Turkish steam room. But, as practice shows, they often build one on their own site, to be away from women’s “sabbaths” in city hammams. They decorate it with marble and stone, according to all the rules, but they still heat it from a stove in the corner and the air temperature is set to at least 60°C. And sometimes even grabbing a birch broom...

But to some extent, visiting the hammam can also be harmful to the body. Even for healthy people, according to scientists. Therefore, let's also consider their opinion.

Harm from visiting a Turkish bath

So, what in the hammam can have a negative effect on the body? It's all about the air temperature, 45°C, which is not low, and the highest air humidity - 100%. These two factors have their pros and cons for your health.

Hot air is bad because it can lead to overheating of the human body. Moreover, heat coming from outside is less useful than internal heat:

The bad thing in itself is that the limbs get quite hot at a temperature of 45°C. But the most unsafe thing for any person is a fever in the head. That is why, at the slightest non-compliance with all the rules of steaming in baths, after the procedures many people begin to have a severe headache.

And that is why in the Russian steam room it is customary to wear hats, and in the Eastern ones - a turban made of a towel, which many today neglect for the sake of a “beautiful appearance”.

The second point is excessively humid air. It is bad for the body because it further contributes to overheating. So, if a person has at least some problems with the cardiovascular system, dangerous aggravation occurs already at 85% air humidity.

But in fact, everything is dangerous only for an unhealthy body, with a weak heart and other problems. That is why there is such a thing as a contraindication.

Who is contraindicated from visiting the hammam?

So, despite the fact that the Turkish bath is the easiest for the body to tolerate, it also has its contraindications. It's all about the heat and high, almost 100% humidity.

To whom this regime (or one of its components) is harmful, you should not visit the Turkish bath:

• Pregnant women. There is already direct evidence that heat (like any other unnatural conditions) has a bad effect on the fetus. And although some brave expectant mothers take such a warning lightly, this does not mean that everything will work out in other cases. As they like to say experienced doctors, for a healthy and strong body - and stress is like a runny nose, but if a chronic disease is lurking somewhere, then the consequences will be unpleasant.
• Severe lung diseases. The fact is that air with high humidity itself is already difficult to inhale, especially if the vapor is not of the best dispersion. And if the lungs work at half strength, the person in the hammam may even begin to choke.
• High temperature and viral diseases. Of course, the warmth of any bath can heal a cold and even incipient bronchitis, but if you have a fever and feel unwell, you cannot subject your body to additional stress.
• Any fungal diseases. This nasty thing multiplies quickly in a warm and humid microclimate. And leaving infectious fungal spores after visiting a public hammam is not an act you can be proud of.
• Weak heart or any other cardiovascular problems. The fact is that heat is always a big strain on the heart; it is not without reason that the lion’s share of heart attacks occur in the July months. Therefore, do not take risks if you have concerns about your own health: unfortunately, today it is not uncommon for cases when after good couple a visitor is carried out feet first.
• Naturally, the hammam with its warmth and massage procedures is contraindicated for cancer patients. Why such injustice? The fact is that the faster the blood circulates through the veins of such a person (and there is an effect from heat and massage), the faster microtoxins and small particles of tumors are spread throughout the body, which create new problems.
• Mental disorders. If you or your companion have diseases such as neurosis, psychosis or simply unbalanced psyche, it’s better not to go to a Turkish bath (or any other) yet. Otherwise, your vacation will be hopelessly ruined. Why? Scientists have long proven that heat increases aggression, and people with problematic mental health are especially sensitive to changes in microclimate.
• Skin diseases. Just as any wound hurts from heat and steam, so any skin disease does not like this regime. Therefore, you should not aggravate the disease.
• Any acute inflammatory processes. And with chronic diseases, it is better to consult a doctor in advance.

But, if you don’t suffer from anything like that, then some kind Turkish wishes to you!

The benefits and harms of hamam have been tested by many Russians. Hamam, along with other attractions of Turkey, has become favorite place pastime of Russian tourists.

The history of the Turkish bath Hamam

Turkish bath appeared in the 17th century by adopting the customs of Arab baths and the luxury of Roman bathing traditions. Combining and improving the best features of the bathing procedures of these peoples, Turkish masters created the hammam (the word “ham” means “heat”). The principle of organizing a hammam is considered classic, because it has not changed at all since those times.

What is the difference between a hammam and a sauna and a Russian bath?

The Turkish hammam is qualitatively different from the usual Russian bathhouse and Finnish sauna. For clarity, you can consider the features of the hammam in comparison with them.

As you can see, there are many differences between the Turkish hammam and the Finnish and Russian baths. Thanks to the low temperature conditions, people who cannot stand it go there. high temperatures. The difference in the finishing of the Turkish sauna can be seen in the photo below.

The benefits of hamam

The beneficial properties of hamam procedures have made it one of the most popular. Regular visits to the Turkish sauna will help achieve the following effects:

• remove salt deposits;
• normalize blood pressure;
• increase immunity;
• relieve muscle tension;
• cure some diseases respiratory tract.

The benefits of Turkish hammam for the body are based on the removal of toxins, relaxation of the body and soul.

For women's health

Most women spend a lot of time on their own appearance. The procedures offered by the hammam staff have a number of advantages: they will help preserve beauty, get rid of cellulite, improve skin condition, and strengthen hair. Healthy sleep and stress relief will be an addition after visiting the hammam.

For men's health

The beneficial properties of hamam have been proven for male body. Since it is the stronger sex that is most susceptible to various diseases associated with the functioning of the genitourinary system, it is useful for men to visit the hammam. With increased sweating, the kidneys are unloaded for a certain time, which makes it easier painful sensations. Men visiting a Turkish sauna relieve nervous tension that occurs during stress and normalize general state body.

For athletes

After a workout, the hammam allows you to relax your joints and muscles, and relieve stress that occurs during strength training. The benefits of visiting the hamam after gym manifests itself in the relief of painful sensations, which allows you to reduce breaks between workouts. However, you should not do this, because the process of muscle and tendon restoration proceeds as usual, and the felt relaxation in the hammam does not speed it up.

To relax your back muscles after training, it is recommended to steam while sitting. While lying down you can apply to your body irreparable harm: One awkward movement can lead to spinal dislocation.

Hammam for weight loss

The benefit of hammam for weight loss lies in the combination of low temperature conditions with the highest possible air humidity. Such conditions increase metabolism, sweating, and vasodilation. Fat located under the skin moves to muscle tissue, burns out. The skin becomes elastic, straightens, cellulite tubercles disappear and are smoothed out.

How to visit the hammam correctly

To understand the structure of steam rooms and the procedures offered by the hammam, you need to consider them separately.

The first room of the jamekan is a locker room with tables for tea parties and friendly gatherings, from where they go to the first steam room - soguluk. This is where you get used to the elevated temperatures and prepare the body for the main part of the procedure. The temperature is +35 C, the optimal time for warming up the body is 20 minutes. The last and main room of the hammam is the hararet, with an air temperature of +50 C. It is here that massage, peeling, and body soaping are carried out with a special mixture, which contains mainly oils of plant origin.

To obtain maximum benefit Hamam is for health, you need to follow certain visiting rules.

1. To beneficial features Turkish bath does not turn into a problem of dehydration, you need to drink plenty of fluids. Usually they drink aromatic tea in jamekan. Drinking alcoholic and soft drinks is prohibited.
2. To prevent your health from deteriorating during a visit to the steam room, stop eating 1-1.5 hours before.
3. Before placing the body on the bench, you need to put a personal towel.
4. Cannot be produced sudden movements after procedures - this can cause harm to heated muscles.
5. Women and men steam separately.

Compliance with several simple rules will make your stay in the hammam useful and unforgettable.

How often can you go to the hammam?

To get the maximum benefit from the procedures performed in the hammam, it is recommended to visit it no more than 1-3 times a week. Despite the fact that the air temperature in it is low, humidity plays a decisive role in this matter, as well as massage and peeling, which should not be carried out too often.

Excessively frequent visits to the hammam can even cause harm healthy body: provoke problems with the kidneys, nervous system, dehydration.

How long should you stay in the hammam?

The optimal time spent in the hammam is about 1-1.5 hours. During this period of time, the body and soul will be cleansed. People who have no contraindications, but suffer from any other diseases, are recommended to steam for no more than 30 minutes.

Features of visiting a hammam with a swimming pool

A pool with water at room temperature is considered the final stage after all the procedures offered by the hammam. Here, complete normalization and adaptation of the body takes place after warming operations.

Not everyone can combine a steam room with a subsequent bath in the pool. For those with work-related illnesses of cardio-vascular system, you are allowed to steam in the hammam for a short time, but you will have to refuse to visit the pool: a sharp temperature change will harm the body.

Harm of Turkish bath Hamam

A visit to the hammam may not end in the best way if you neglect the basic rules of the Turkish steam room. Its harm to healthy people who do not have any contraindications lies in the possibility of overheating of the body. In addition to the fact that the air temperature is not considered extremely high, at maximum humidity the limbs and head quickly heat up. You cannot steam for longer than the permitted time; it is recommended to use a towel turban to protect your head from overheating.

Who is contraindicated from taking a steam bath in the hammam?

Exist special groups people who are forbidden to take a steam bath in a Turkish hammam.

1. With cancer. People steaming in the hammam accelerate blood circulation, so tumor particles and toxins quickly spread throughout the body.
2. Having mental disorders. The hot temperatures of the hammam provoke an increase in aggression.
3. With skin and fungal diseases. Such diseases can be aggravated by staying in the humid, warm climate of the hammam.
4. With severe lung diseases. Humid air is difficult to inhale, especially if your lungs are not working at full capacity. A person with such diseases may begin to choke.
5. With viral infectious diseases, any inflammation.

People with cardiovascular diseases should be especially careful when staying in the hammam: reduce the time spent in the steam room to half an hour, and do not use the pool after the procedures.

Important! The beneficial properties of hammam have been proven for diseases at the recovery stage: bronchitis, sinusitis, colds. The main rule is the absence of elevated body temperature.

Is it possible for pregnant women to go to the hammam?

During pregnancy, not everyone is prohibited from going to the hammam, because the benefits of the hammam for women in an “interesting” position are difficult to ignore:

• reduces swelling;
• reduces unpleasant symptoms toxicosis;
• prevents numbness of the limbs;
• reduces the risk of varicose veins.

Despite all the beneficial properties of the Turkish sauna, it is necessary to take into account some nuances, otherwise you can harm the fetus.

1. You can start going to the hammam only after the first trimester of pregnancy.
2. Consult a gynecologist.
3. If you haven’t visited such places regularly before, you can’t start steaming right away.
4. Drink a large number of fluids to reduce stress on the kidneys.
5. Visit the hammam only with an accompanying person.

If you follow the above rules, then even during pregnancy you can receive great benefit from the Turkish sauna.

Conclusion

The benefits and harms of the hammam are two decisive indicators, guided by which a person decides whether to visit it or not. Many argue that going to a real hammam is one of the most wonderful adventures: it allows you to get to know the culture better eastern bath, relax your soul and body, pamper yourself with a professional massage, peeling, end your trip with a pleasant friendly conversation over a mug of warm tea.

The traditional Turkish bath, Hamam, is popular and well-respected throughout the world. Incredibly beautiful architectural style of the bathhouse interior, special healing effect and the peculiar ritual of accepting the procedures are incomparable with anything. For Turks, the hammam is a part of culture, a national treasure and a landmark.

History of the Turkish bath Hamam

The first Turkish bath appeared more than 1000 years ago. Even then, steam rooms were perceived not only as a place for hygiene procedures. Hamams were often built near mosques so that Muslims could perform ablutions according to Islamic law. Later, the baths became the center of city life. People of different classes came here to communicate, exchange news, and resolve important political issues.

Once a week, a women's day was held in the bathhouse. Even the most jealous husband was obliged to let his wife go so that she could undergo cosmetic procedures, chat with friends, relax and unwind. It was in hamams that mothers of grown-up sons looked for future daughters-in-law.

Turks today treat their baths with special respect. This is noticeable in the interior decoration of the steam room. The hammam resembles a real work of art. The decor of the bathhouse uses gilded items, vintage paintings and marble finishing. To this day, hammams have practically not been preserved in their original form. But there are Turkish baths everywhere, designed taking into account ancient traditions.

What is the difference between a hammam and a bathhouse?

The hammam gives a particularly pleasant feeling of relaxation, completely different from what occurs in other baths. The Turkish steam room becomes an excellent alternative for people who are contraindicated in the high temperature of a sauna or steam bath. This becomes possible due to high humidity (100%) and moderate temperature (35-60°C). In such a climate, you can easily enjoy all procedures. There are other differences:

— a visit to the hammam involves performing a whole range of cosmetic procedures (peeling, massage, wraps);

— when finishing the hammam, not wood is used, but ceramic tile and natural marble;

— all cosmetic procedures are performed on a marble lounger;

— a visit to the Turkish bath is always complemented by aromatherapy;

- hair and skin do not dry out, as in a Russian bath, but are moisturized;

— a visit to the hammam does not wash off the tan, but helps even out the color.

Despite the differences, both Russian, Turkish, and Finnish baths help improve health, rejuvenate the body, and improve mood.

The health benefits of hammam for women and men

What are the benefits and harms of visiting the hammam for the body? The beneficial properties of a Turkish bath are difficult to overestimate. Thanks to bath procedures:

• muscle tension is relieved;
• blood circulation is stimulated;
• manages to get rid of pain from rheumatism and arthritis;
• the skin and internal organs are gently warmed up;
• Stress is relieved, nerves are calmed;
• chronic bronchitis is cured;
• cleanses the skin and rejuvenates the body;
• the effects of physical activity are relieved;
• fat breakdown processes are stimulated.

The health benefits of hammam are also evidenced by the fact that in just one visit to the steam room you can lose weight by 2 kg. During the bath procedures, the processes of fat cell breakdown are launched, the effectiveness of any diet is enhanced, and toxins are removed.

Contraindications

Despite the benefits, visiting the hamam can also cause irreparable harm. It is not advisable for people suffering from:

• severe form of bronchial asthma;
• epilepsy;
• oncological diseases;
• varicose veins;
• dysfunction of the thyroid gland;
• heart diseases.

You always need to know when to stop. And a healthy person, feeling unwell in the steam room, should leave the hammam. If there are no contraindications, a Turkish bath will be an excellent way to maintain health and beauty, and heal diseases of the mind and body.

How to visit the hammam correctly

For Turks, the hammam is not just a place for hygiene procedures. This Cultural Center where you can relax and unwind. Before visiting the bathhouse, you should not drink alcohol or chilled drinks - this is important rule which must be followed.

A standard hammam has three rooms, each of which has its own purpose:

1. Cold room, where the cash register counter, locker room and fountain are located. Here you can drink tea, chat and change clothes.

2. Warm room with air temperature 30-35°C, which contains showers and toilets.

3. Warmest room temperature 50-60°C. In the center there is a firebox, a swimming pool and marble couches where massages are performed. Here you can take a steam bath and take wellness treatments.

Initially, you need to warm up in a warm room and prepare for subsequent procedures. They steam on a marble lounger until they sweat. Next you need to do a massage. The procedure is carried out by a massage therapist using rough gloves that help improve blood circulation. Then peeling is done with a special brush. Next, the body is soaped with a special composition made on the basis vegetable oils. After these procedures, take a shower or dive into the pool. Now you can go to the steam room, where foam is first lathered all over your body and then doused cold water and take a dip in the pool.

It is not advisable to eat food before visiting the steam room. Several hours should pass after your last meal. At the end of all procedures, a nourishing cream is applied to the skin. Now you can relax and drink Turkish milk tea.

Do you like visiting hammam?

Video Galileo – Turkish bath hammam

Hamam is considered the wettest of all bath options. Humidity levels reach 80-100% in different rooms. main feature This establishment has a moderate temperature. It varies from 45 to 75 degrees, but on average is set at 60 degrees. Such a comfortable temperature regime allows many people who, for medical reasons, are prohibited from entering Russian and Finnish baths, to visit the hammam.

What is hamam

The Turkish bath began to gain popularity in our area after a large number of Russians visited Turkey. In the tourist centers of this country, hammams are literally at every step. Now in Russia you can increasingly find a similar version of a bathhouse in large cities. What is the reason for the interest in an exotic type of recreation, what are the differences between the hammam, the Russian bath and the popular ones? Let’s look at these and other issues in detail.

The layout of classic Turkish steam rooms consists of several rooms:

• locker room;
• rest room;
• steam room;
• washing room;
• massage room;
• pool.

Each of these rooms has its own temperature regime. The visitor must gradually warm up the body, moving from one functional room to another. There is no room in the hamam sudden change temperatures, everything is thought out to the smallest details to make a person feel comfortable. That’s why absolutely everything is heated here - from the floor and walls to a special massage stone and sun loungers trimmed with marble.

Hammam is inextricably linked with foam massage, which can only be obtained in a Turkish bath. This pleasant procedure helps the visitor to relax and deeply cleanse the skin of the entire body.

Steam feature

Many people love the Russian bathhouse for the strong steam that billows out of the steam room. There is also steam in the hammam, but it is not so thick and heavy. It has several key features:

• heating of premises;
• aromatherapy;
• warming up the bodies of visitors.

In various rooms of the hammam couples different intensity and saturation. One of its main tasks is to warm up the halls. In a classic hammam, in the basement technical room there are boilers in which water is constantly boiling, spewing out clouds of hot steam. It enters a special pipe, and then through a system of branched heating pipes it passes under the floor and walls of the hammam halls. Through special ventilation holes in the walls, steam enters the rooms to maintain a consistently high level of humidity.

For the aromatherapy effect, natural ingredients are added to water boilers. aroma oils, thanks to them, the steam in the hammam is beneficial, having a beneficial effect on the well-being of visitors. A heating system, including huge boilers, is not available in all modern hammams. They often use steam generators, but the functions of the steam itself remain unchanged.

In the hammam, thick hot steam helps people warm up well, and does not cause harm to their health. The temperature in the steam room may not exceed 70-80 degrees, but thermal conductivity increases in humid air. Thanks to this, it is possible to warm up even deep tissue body.

How is hammam useful?

Like other bath procedures, regular visits to the Turkish steam room are beneficial for the human body and promote health, if there are no prohibitions for medical reasons. Hammam is indicated for the prevention of certain diseases. For example, if you come to relax in a Turkish bath often enough, you can prevent the development of the following ailments:

• rheumatism;
• colds;
• diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
• diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• depressive states.

Hamam lovers know that if you have a cold at the initial stage, you can quickly stop the progression of the disease if you go through the full range of bath procedures. If you have a cough, you should sit in a steam room filled with aromatic steam enriched with natural essential oils. The effect from it will be like inhalation. Thanks to the beneficial properties of steam, even chronic bronchitis can be overcome. Despite the high level of humidity in a Turkish bath, breathing in it is easy and free. If you regularly start visiting the hammam, a person’s immunity will soon increase, as a result he will be susceptible to colds much less often.

In a Turkish bath it is useful to warm up joints in case of chronic diseases of the musculoskeletal system, especially arthrosis. Bathing procedures in the hammam are beneficial for the health of the central nervous system. Relaxing in it normalizes work, stabilizes mood and sleep, and relieves stress. At a deep level, blood microcirculation in the brain improves.

What else is useful for Hamam? positive influence on the body:

• acceleration of regeneration skin;
• neutralization of salt deposits;
• stabilization of blood pressure;
• elimination of stagnant processes in internal organs.

The beneficial properties of hammam are invaluable for weight loss. Under the influence of comfortable heat and high humidity, metabolic processes in the body accelerate, and extra pounds begin to disappear faster. Of course, bath procedures alone cannot achieve a significant effect. However, in tandem with proper nutrition and healthy physical activity weight loss will happen quickly and without nervousness.

The benefits of hamam for women

Turkish beauties have long loved hammam. Now women all over the world resort to his services. Hammam is very beneficial for the skin. Dry skin is moisturized with aromatic steam, while sensitive skin is gently cleansed. Women with oily skin People note that after regular visits to the hammam, the skin is cleared of acne. The process of subcutaneous fat secretion is normalized, comedones are eliminated. These are white and blackheads, formed as a result of blockage of the pores with particles of keratinized epidermis and sebum. Most often they form on the nose.

Bathing procedures in a Turkish steam room bring great benefits to hair. The temperature regime does not pose a danger even for curls suffering from dryness and brittleness. Soft steam does not dry out the scalp, but rather normalizes blood circulation in it.

Some bath procedures in the hammam have a pronounced anti-cellulite effect. Under the influence of heat on the skin, the smallest capillaries open and fill with blood, even in fatty tissues that are poorly supplied with oxygen. They activate blood flow and metabolism, due to which the manifestations of cellulite begin to gradually decrease. An even greater impact on problem areas occurs during a traditional Turkish foam massage. It is done using a special hard sponge that mercilessly breaks body fat.

Another effect of accelerating metabolic processes under the influence of bath procedures in a Turkish hammam is general rejuvenation of the body. No woman can resist this magical prospect.

What are the benefits of hamam for men?

In addition to cosmetic effects, the Turkish bath is useful for the stronger sex as a preventive procedure for diseases of the genitourinary system. The heat and high humidity in the Turkish steam room promote sweating. Thanks to this, the load on the kidneys is reduced, and the painful sensations. Hammam is not a panacea for men, and genitourinary diseases should be treated exclusively under the supervision of a doctor. But as additional means it fits well.

Men will appreciate the calming and relaxing effects of bathing procedures in the hammam. They are naturally more susceptible to stress and experience it more severely than women.

Hammam effect for athletes

The Turkish bath is of great benefit to those who play sports, especially training in a rocking chair. In the warm atmosphere of the hammam, overstrained or spasmed muscles, ligaments and joints quickly relax. Hot steam removes toxins and various metabolic breakdown products, such as lactic acid, from muscle tissue. Because of it, pain is felt in strained muscles after active activities in the gym. To relieve pain, it is recommended to go into the steam room of the Turkish bath several times and get a foam massage session.

But you can’t visit the hammam immediately after working out in the gym. You need to wait until the body comes to its senses a little after training at the sports club - the pulse will be restored and normalized arterial pressure. Otherwise, you can harm your health. After working out at the fitness club, you need to rest for about half an hour, and then you can go to the hammam.

Many athletes injure joints and ligaments during strength training. This occurs due to unbalanced or unusual loads when performing a new exercise. The heat and steam in the hammam help relieve tension and pain in joints and ligaments. But if we are talking about regular pain, then they will not help, you need to consult a sports doctor.

Harm and contraindications

Even at a low temperature of up to 50 degrees, you need to ensure that a person’s head does not overheat, since the hottest air is at its level. Visitors to a Russian bathhouse, as a rule, do not forget to wear a special felt cap. In Turkish, people often walk around with their heads uncovered, thinking that it is safe. But in ancient times, visitors to hammams wore turbans and other headdresses, since even mild heat can cause harm to health. If you neglect this rule, you may experience severe headaches after visiting a Turkish bath.

People suffering from cardiovascular diseases should consult their doctors before going to the hammam. As a rule, a soft steam room atmosphere is acceptable for cores. However, in some cases, when air humidity exceeds 85%, an exacerbation of the disease is possible. Also, visiting a Turkish steam room is not recommended for the following conditions:

• pregnancy;
• severe lung diseases;
• high temperature and viral infections;
• fungal infections;
• oncological diseases;
• severe mental disorders;
• skin diseases;
• diseases of the thyroid gland.

You can visit only after receiving permission from your doctor. Bath procedures can bring both harm and benefit, it all depends on the health of the expectant mother. If a woman's heat is weak or unstable, then even mild heat is harmful to the fetus.

A similar restriction applies to people with severe pulmonary diseases. Humid air is difficult for a healthy person to inhale, and if the lungs do not work fully, a visitor to the hammam may begin to suffocate. At the initial stage of colds, a Turkish bath helps to heal quickly. But if you already have a fever, it is better to postpone your visit to the steam room until full recovery. At feeling unwell It is not recommended to expose the body to additional stress and strain.

If you have fungal diseases, you should not visit a Turkish bath, since in a warm microclimate with increased level humidity they will begin to develop even faster. In addition, you will do a disservice to other visitors to the steam room, because you will leave spores of infectious fungi there.

Going to the hammam is more harmful than beneficial for people with oncology and even benign tumors. For example, women should not enter the steam room if they have fibroids. Doctors do not have a consensus on this matter, since the connection between heat and the growth of tumor cells has not yet been proven. However, almost all doctors prohibit their patients from bathing procedures.

In case of cancer, there are strict contraindications to visiting the hammam. Under the influence of heat and massage, blood begins to circulate faster in the body, which is why tiny tumor particles are spread throughout the body, leading to the formation of metastases.

It is not recommended to visit the steam room with severe mental disorders, so as not to aggravate the person’s condition. Fever air increases the level of aggression in people. With mental disorders, they react especially sensitively to any changes in the microclimate. Therefore, the result of a trip to the eastern steam room can be unpredictable.

The ban on this type of recreation applies to people with problems with the thyroid gland. The risk is that you cannot predict how a weakened thyroid gland will react to heat and humidity. An unfortunate scenario is the appearance of malignant or benign tumors. To avoid unnecessary risks, it is recommended to avoid visiting the Turkish steam room until you have fully recovered.

Comparison with other doubles

All have a beneficial effect on human health, unless, of course, there are contraindications to visiting them. And to understand which one is the most useful for you, you need to know the features of each of them.

Which is healthier: Turkish hammam or Russian bath

These two types of pairs have a number of similarities and differences that are worth considering.

A Finnish sauna or hammam is healthier

The Turkish bath and saunas, which are popular in many countries around the world, have different effects on human health. The main difference is in the temperature indicators inside the premises of these steam rooms.

Is an infrared sauna better than a hammam?

The infrared sauna is gaining more and more fans among athletes and people struggling with excess weight. Let's compare positive traits this type of steam room with a Turkish bath.

Are there any benefits to shower cabins?

If you have the desire and free finances, you can buy a shower cabin with a built-in hammam for your home. It consists of two parts separated by a glass door. A regular shower is installed in one compartment, and a steam generator and a seat are installed in the other.

Large shower cabins may have a voluminous seat or a small bench on which it is easy to sit comfortably. Compact models are equipped with a folding seat.

Through special nozzles, the steam generator supplies hot, humid air to the sauna compartment. According to the instructions supplied with the shower cabin, its temperature can be set independently on the control panel or using a special remote control, if available. Once in the sauna compartment, the steam is evenly distributed throughout it using a fan. The air can warm up to 45-60 degrees. Often, a steam generator is installed at the bottom of the cabin so that the steam rises up and evenly warms the human body.

The benefits of a built-in shower cabin are the same as those of visiting a classic Turkish bath. If you add a little essential oil to the steam generator, you can get an inhalation effect. The small room of the bath compartment quickly warms up, and with it the human body.

The disadvantages of the home version of the hammam in the shower include its energy consumption. The operation of this unit will require a large consumption of electricity. The small size of the cabin, which can only accommodate one person, is also not encouraging. If you like to spend time in a steam room with a pleasant conversation, then it is better to go to a public Turkish bath.

It is pleasant to relax in a shower cabin with a steam compartment, and there will definitely be no harm from it. But it is pointless to compare it with spending time in a classic Turkish hammam, because no one will give you a high-quality foam massage at home. But many people love oriental bath precisely because of this procedure.

How to steam properly

In the hammam, it is important to follow a special ritual of bath procedures in order to get maximum benefits from the process for physical and mental health.

How often can you visit the hammam?

Doctors have not developed a strong opinion regarding harm or benefit frequent visits Turkish bath. Experts recommend going to the hammam at least every other day. On average, you can go there 2-3 times a week.

When is the best time to go to the hammam?

You can visit the Turkish steam room whenever you want. But it’s best to steam in it on the days you attend training at the gym. A tandem of oriental practices, such as yoga or qigong, followed by a rest in the hammam, has a particularly beneficial effect on health. But there is no exact time when it is recommended to go to a Turkish bath; it all depends on the person’s desire.

How long do you need to stay

There are no clear requirements for how long you can spend in the hammam. It all depends on the personal preferences of each individual person. For example, residents of Turkey can spend their entire day off in the bathhouse. This place is considered ideal for gathering friends or spending time with family. The comfortable temperature does not burden the body, and therefore you can stay in the hammam for hours, moving from one room to another. Usually you need to spend a couple of hours in the bathhouse to get the full range of relaxing services.

What to do in the hamam

The procedure for visiting a Turkish bath is strictly regulated and focused on a beneficial effect on human body. First, the visitor enters the locker room, the temperature in which varies in the range of 30-35 degrees. While a person undresses, his body has time to warm up a little and prepare for the further increase in temperature that awaits him in the following rooms.

The right thing to do is to immediately take a warm shower to wash off the sweat and dust. Then you need to put on a robe or a large towel, since in public hammams it is not customary to walk naked or in swimsuits. The visitor wears special wooden sandals on his feet to protect his feet from the hot and slippery floor.

After the shower, it’s time to move to the main hall of the hammam with an air temperature of 60 degrees. It contains heated marble loungers, on which you lie stomach down and warm your body for 20 minutes until profuse sweating begins.

You can go to the shower room several times to wash off the sweat. There is often a swimming pool in the main hall, but swimming is prohibited as it is designed to maintain a high level of humidity in the room. Sometimes, for the same purpose, instead of a decorative pool, an artificial waterfall is installed in the main hall of the hammam. When your muscles relax and your pores open well, you can begin the foam massage. To do this, you need to move to a huge flat marble pedestal installed in the center of the room. It is called gebek-tashi.

The person lies down on the pedestal with his stomach down. First, the massage therapist pours warm water over the client, and then soaps him generously, whipping up a huge foam cap that covers his entire body, with the exception of his head.

The massage lasts about half an hour, during which the person is doused with water of different temperatures several times. Then the massage therapist makes wraps, applying a special mixture consisting of natural honey to the client’s body, sea ​​salt, blue clay, olive and essential oils. After 15 minutes, the person is doused with water again and the unabsorbed remnants of the cosmetic mixture are washed off. After this you need to go to the shower room or to the pool room. Plunge into cool water to close pores on the skin. You can then relax a bit in the relaxation room and head to the massage room for a soothing massage.

The final touch of spending time in the hammam is a visit to a special room called a “keyf”. There you can treat yourself to coffee, herbal teas or smoke a hookah, as the residents of Turkey do.

Features of a hammam with a swimming pool

Classic Turkish baths do not have swimming pools. According to Islamic tradition, a person should not take a dip in standing water, which is considered unclean. But due to the influx of tourists from Europe and countries former Union In Turkey, bathhouses with halls with swimming pools began to appear. If the steam room has several pools with water of different temperatures, then first plunge into a plunge pool with hot water, then with warm water, and only then with cool water. This will avoid stress on the blood vessels and the body will gradually cool down with maximum comfort. If the hall only has a pool with warm water, then take a dip in it, and then go to the shower. First turn on the water at a comfortable temperature for the body, and then gradually add cold water until your body cools down.

Hamam is a unique type of bathhouse with rich traditions and oriental flavor. The beautiful interior, comfortable temperature and relaxing atmosphere allow you to spend long hours in the Turkish steam room. It has the same healing properties as, but has a gentler effect. This makes the hammam an ideal option for children and people who are just discovering the intricacies of bath culture.

Hammam has long been famous for its beneficial properties. But is there any harm from a Turkish bath and how often can you visit it? We will tell you about all the benefits and harms of hammam in this article!

Fans of the Russian bath have an alternative - the Turkish hammam, which in translation means emanating steam. In its traditional design, it is a spacious room with marble cladding and 5 niches with different degrees. The temperature in them does not rise above + 45°C. Moving from section to section, everyone can choose a mode that is comfortable for themselves.

Which sauna is the healthiest in your opinion?

Bath etiquette

This option is suitable for those who like to relax and feel beneficial effect air scented with herbs and essential oils. In such conditions they like to engage in spa treatments and have leisurely conversations. oriental women. Traditionally, they spend the whole day in the bathhouse, but a couple of hours is enough for hygiene procedures and relaxation. To get maximum benefit, it is important:

• Do not hurry;
• Follow the rules;
• Do not break the sequence of steps.

Before visiting the steam room, first enter a room with a temperature of + 35°C. Staying in a warm dressing room prepares the heart for thermal stress. After adaptation, they go to the hararet - the washing room. In the round marble hall in the middle there is a gobektashi (belly stone), on which procedures are performed. Below it in the basement there is a firebox with a boiler, from where steam is supplied through pipes.

Enjoy Your Bath!

Lying on a heated stone, it is easy to forget about chronic fatigue and everyday problems. No need here:

• Give in to the heat;
• Torture the body with a broom;
• Cool off periodically in the pool.

A visit to the steam room comes down to one goal - to sit on a towel and sweat heavily. After 10 minutes, sweat flows in streams, and because of the veil of thick steam, it is impossible to distinguish objects half a meter away. After a quarter of an hour, the relaxed body is ready for bath procedures.

Helps you feel bliss professional massage and cloud soap suds. First, the dexterous hands of the bathhouse attendant knead each joint until it crunches. Not only the arms are used, but also the legs. Classic Turkish massage involves kneading the prone body with the soles of your feet. After the execution, rest is required. Then the bath master puts on a kise mitten woven from horsehair or hard fibers and literally removes the skin in layers.

The bathhouse attendant dilutes olive soap in a mesh bag and squeezes a mountain of snow foam onto the body. Gently rubs the skin and last moment pours over ice water. Instead of a soap massage, you can choose a classic or lymphatic drainage massage. After the procedures, the body becomes weightless. The feeling of lightness and pleasant sensations are worth subjecting it to “torture”.

Treatments for rejuvenation

Apply just right to pristine skin nutritional products, instantly penetrating through open pores into the deep layers of the dermis. It is not forbidden to carry out:

• Massage with coconut oil;
• Rub in the honey-vitamin mixture;
• Wrap with Moroccan clay, chocolate, seaweed.

Select procedures from the list or limit yourself to applying peach, grape seed, or olive oil.

Treatments in the hammam are not only pleasant, but also useful for rejuvenation and health promotion.

• Decay products and salts are removed from the open pores along with moisture.
• Tissues and blood are saturated with oxygen.
• Cell division and blood flow increase.
• The keratinized cells of the epidermis are removed.
• The skin texture is evened out.

Nutritionists say that the steam room is one of the best means against cellulite and fat deposits. Hot air accelerates lymph flow and blood, which helps fight subcutaneous deposits. The optimal effect is achieved by combining diet and spa treatments - anti-cellulite massage, mud or algae wraps. The algorithm of actions is as follows:

• To improve oxygen supply and penetration of nutritional components, steamed skin is cleansed with peeling. The following abrasives are used: salt, coffee or special remedy with fruit acids.
• The body is rubbed with handmade soap with anti-cellulite components - essential oils, minerals Dead Sea, olive oil and peeling.
• The active substance is distributed onto the thighs, buttocks, and thighs. The body is then wrapped in film.

What do you choose for wraps?

To remove orange peel, applications with green coffee, berry extracts, kelp, coconut oil, special gels and creams.

• Coffee promotes the breakdown of fat and accelerates cell renewal.
• Vitamin-mineral complex with brown algae nourishes and tightens the skin.
• Creams are not able to get rid of subcutaneous fat, but they have a lifting effect and even out the texture.

Ideally, a bandage wrap with gel impregnation is used, which activates drainage in the subcutaneous matrix. After 30 minutes, the applications are removed. The temperature of a heated body decreases gradually. To tighten the pores, pour cold water on yourself or jump into the pool. In one session, up to 3 cm of volume is lost.

How often should you go to the hammam?

I want to visit this piece of paradise often. Turkish women do not deny themselves pleasure and find a reason to spend quality time once a week. There are no restrictions for experienced steamers, but one visit per week is enough for beginners. After a month you can increase it up to 2 times. If you wash in the bathhouse more often, the therapeutic effect will decrease.

Benefit

Despite the high humidity, due to the low temperature and soft steam, you can breathe deeply. A visit to the Turkish bath will help with ARVI, nasal congestion, lingering cough. The procedures strengthen the immune system and allow you to forget:

• About a cold;
• Sore throat, laryngitis;
• Diseases respiratory system except asthma;
• Joint pain due to arthritis, rheumatism, gout, radiculitis;
• Neurosis, melancholy;
• Chronic fatigue;
• Muscle pain after sports training and injuries.

Regular visits to the hammam will stop the development of hypertension in the initial stage.

Contraindications

In some cases, visiting the oriental bathhouse is prohibited. It is worth refusing in case of exacerbation of acne, after laser resurfacing, chemical peeling. Aggravated in warm and humid environments fungal infections, eczema, rosacea. Procedure not shown:

• For oncology;
• Liver problems:
• Cardiac ischemia;
• Hypertension;
• Pathologies of the thyroid gland;
• For cataracts;
• After a stroke.

Temperature and steam put stress on the kidneys. At the first symptoms of discomfort, they move to the waiting room or lobby.

Can pregnant women steam?

Gynecologists agree that visiting a steam room is dangerous only when early stages. The ban is due to the fact that with an unformed placenta, there is a high risk of miscarriage. In the second semester, expectant mothers can indulge in the pleasure of sitting in the hararet with light steam and pampering their skin and hair with masks and oils.

In the last 3 months before giving birth, many try not to take risks. If the pregnancy proceeds without complications, relaxation will not cause harm. It is better to avoid visiting last month. Heating and sudden cooling of the body causes redistribution of blood. This can cause premature release of water. You don’t have to go to Turkey to pamper yourself with the procedure. Most bath complexes offer you the opportunity to enjoy soft steam in SPA centers of the city.

devoe.ru

How is hammam useful?

Hammam, also known as Turkish bath, has completely become one of the most popular and desired beauty and health treatments.

Hammam is a temple of relaxation where East and West meet.

Hammam is a real temple of relaxation

And yet, does boorish man give only health benefits or is he also capable of causing harm?

Water is health, even when it takes the form of steam that envelops the body. This aspect was discovered in ancient times by the Greeks, Romans, and peoples of the Middle East, who made the Turkish bath a philosophy of life. In the hammam, the humidity reaches 90 - 100%, and the temperature does not exceed 55 °C, which is much healthier than the conditions of a sauna. In a Finnish sauna, the air is dry and temperatures reach 100C.

Relaxation and getting rid of toxins are the beneficial properties of hamam.

Sitting on marble or stone surfaces (doctors recommend sitting, not lying), in very dense steam, inhaling warm waves of moist air, which calms breathing, gets rid of toxins through sweat. The expansion of pores in the skin, caused by heat, allows steam to penetrate and therefore allows the skin to renew itself, becoming soft and elastic.

You will learn all the details about the hammam from the video:

You may also be interested in an article about the benefits of running for women.

How is it useful in general?

The ritual of visiting the hamam has several other features that bring health benefits:

• Immunity increases;
• Visiting the hamam by people of almost all age groups is an excellent blood pressure regulator;
• It is easier to get rid of salt deposits;
• The properties of steam stimulate the removal of dead skin cells;
• Hammam steam, creating a warming effect, accelerates blood circulation and dilates blood vessels. This effect is achieved by alternating hot and cold temperature;
• Muscle tension is easily eliminated;
• A trip to the hammam is also useful for those who need treatment and prophylactic agents for respiratory diseases.

The benefits of hammam for women are clearly recognized. It lies in the fact that it is precisely this part of humanity, constantly concerned about the presence of cellulite on the body, the condition of hair, skin, etc., that in this place can happily take care of the body and spirit. Relieving stress and improving sleep are also important factors.

The benefit is that you can avoid damaging your hair with dry heat, as in a sauna, for example, but, on the contrary, in the humid environment of a hammam, you can enhance growth and strengthen hair follicles.

Lots of different medical procedures With herbal decoctions, infusions, creams and scrubs, massages and steam baths- all these manipulations for women are very, very important, useful and pleasant. And if you massage with coconut oil, you will get a stunning cosmetic effect!

Various procedures in the hammam are not only pleasant, but also useful

Men, more often susceptible to diseases genitourinary system, hammam is useful like no other. Moist heat and special conditions contribute heavy sweating.

This process helps the kidneys unload and relieve the painful condition for a while.

Men are more susceptible to stress and endure it more severely than women. Hammam is a place where nervous tension is relieved, blood circulation improves, and the general condition is normalized many times faster.

Benefits for athletes

Very often, a hammam is visited after the gym, which can be beneficial or harmful to a person after physical activity. What is absolutely useful about a hammam after a workout is that it is easy to relax spasmodic or toned/stressed muscles, joints and ligaments. But by coming to the hammam immediately after training, before your pulse and blood pressure have time to return to normal, you can cause serious harm to your body. Sports doctors recommend spending about 20 - 30 minutes after training in peace, and then visiting the hammam.

Temperature stages

There are several stages with different temperature conditions of the hammam:

Is hamam harmful?

Much can be said about the Turkish bath - hamam, about its benefits and possible harm, but still after analysis, the pros are clearly visible than the cons. First of all, if you want to visit the hammam for the first time, it would be very good to consult a doctor for an opinion on whether it is safe to visit a Turkish bath.

When visiting the hammam for the first time, it is advisable to consult a doctor

To spend time in the hammam only for your own benefit, you need to know about the contraindications. First of all this:

• presence of cancer or suspicion of it. Due to high temperatures, exacerbation or accelerated growth of the tumor may occur;
• epilepsy;
• people with respiratory diseases (asthmatics, etc.) cannot visit the hammam, because too humid, hot air can cause another attack;
• any dermatological diseases ( atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, etc.);
• fungal diseases. Due to the threat of infecting other visitors to the hamam;
• high blood pressure when visiting the hammam. People with chronic hypertension simply should not abuse the hammam for a long time. “Gymnastics” of blood vessels (alternating cold and hot temperatures) is very useful for hypertensive patients;
• pregnancy.

Even knowing about the contraindications to going to the hammam, you can soberly assess your capabilities and still, at the first opportunity, be sure to visit this place.

Conclusion

Going to the hammam should be an indispensable habit to truly bring health to a person.

This will allow you to protect yourself from everyday stress and take care of yourself, cleansing your body and mind.

It’s not for nothing that the Turkish bath has been known and loved since the times of the Byzantine Empire.

poleznoevrednoe.ru

Turkish hammam: benefits and harms

If our ancestors recognized only one type of bathhouse, the Russian steam room, then we are faced with wide choose. A Finnish sauna, a Japanese Ofuro barrel, a Turkish hammam, the benefits and harms of which have long been of interest to both doctors and simply those who like to take a steam bath. And it is the latter option that we will dwell on in more detail today.

Before you figure out why hammam is useful, it’s worth determining what exactly distinguishes it from other types of saunas and baths. It is believed that the eastern steam room is the easiest to tolerate. Not every healthy person has enough strength to sit even for 10-15 minutes in the hot steam of a Russian bath, and even after that dive into an ice hole.

In a Turkish hammam everything is much softer and calmer. The temperature ranges from 30 to 60-65 degrees, which is tolerated quite calmly. Humidity, however, can reach 100%, but at fairly low (for a sauna) temperatures it is tolerated quite well.

It is not surprising that it is customary to spend several hours in a Turkish sauna. For residents of the east, it has become something of a club of interests, a spa salon and a place of communication. They came to the hammam early in the morning and often went home only in the evening. For centuries it has remained a mandatory pastime for both men and women. The latter could even file for divorce if their husband did not let them go to the hammam.

This steam room continues to occupy one of the central places in the culture of eastern countries today. And now residents of other countries can enjoy it, especially since the benefits of the Turkish bath have been confirmed many times and no one doubts it anymore.

Both the benefits and harms of a hammam bath are determined by a combination of conditions: high humidity and relatively low temperature. Moreover, it does not imply sharp contrasts. After warming up, body temperature is reduced gradually, moving from one zone to another. This way you can gradually bring your body temperature back to normal without sharp contrasts.

It is worth noting that in the main hall of the hammam the temperature varies from the walls to the center. Thanks to this, everyone can choose the most suitable “climatic zone” for themselves. Marble beds and hard floors provide excellent warmth for the entire body.

When asked what else a Turkish bath can do, they always remember the traditions of the “oriental spa”: foam and oil massage, numerous recipes for scrubs, oils, creams, masks made exclusively from natural ingredients. Even the soap used in the hammam consists of olives and several types of oil.

The combination of all these factors makes the Turkish bath not only a pleasant, but also a useful vacation.

Talking about the benefits and harms of the Turkish hammam, it is worth noting that they have even more advantages than the familiar Russian bathhouse or Finnish sauna. First of all, these include:

• Gentle warming of the whole body, relaxation of muscles, acceleration of their recovery after injuries or increased stress, removal of lactic acid from them.

• Cleansing skin, pores, oils and sweat glands, exfoliation of dead cells.

• Elimination of stagnant processes in the circulatory system, abdominal cavity, and pelvic organs.

• Toning the cardiovascular system.

• Normalization of metabolic processes.

• Acceleration of the processes of breakdown of adipose tissue.

• Improving blood microcirculation.

• Relieving stress and psychological tension.

• Elimination of muscle tone and overstrain.

• Normalization of breathing processes.

After reading this list, you will no longer wonder if a Turkish bath is healthy. Yes, it is useful and even very useful. Moreover, hammam is good for both health and beauty, and the soul. It is not surprising that it has remained popular in the east for centuries, conquering new territories.

But at the same time as the great benefits of a Turkish bath are, there are also harms from it. Therefore, in some cases it is worth abandoning it.

There are a number of situations when you should refuse to visit the hammam or at least postpone them. These include:

• Pregnancy. Expectant mothers should not overheat, as this is dangerous for her fetus.

• Severe respiratory diseases. Tuberculosis, asthma, acute inflammatory diseases are a reason to refuse to visit the hammam.

• Dermatological diseases. Fungal diseases, dermatoses and other dermatological diseases can progress from high humidity and high temperature.

• Diseases of the cardiovascular system. Any disease from this group is a reason to refuse hamam.

• Acute inflammatory processes. With any inflammation, overheating is dangerous for the human body.

The list of contraindications to visiting the oriental sauna does not end there. Therefore, if there are any chronic diseases You should first consult with your doctor to find out whether hammam will be useful in your case. If there are no health contraindications, then the oriental sauna will bring you only positive emotions.

4allwomen.ru

Hamam (Turkish bath) – benefit or harm?

Not very strong humid heat, a great opportunity to wash, heal, relax... You have been told a lot about the benefits of hammam, and you are already packing your bath suitcase. Stop, stop, stop. Let's look at the advantages of a Turkish bath and who will benefit from such a vacation. But first, let’s clarify who should not go to the hammam, so as not to harm their health.

• Persons with a number of skin diseases that can worsen in a damp room (fungal infections, eczema, a number of other diseases); Before going to the hammam, consult your doctor to see if it is specifically indicated for you.
• For those who suffer from cancer, heat can stimulate tumor growth; even if you underwent all types of treatment several years ago, it is still better to abstain and not take risks.
• Suffering from hypertension of the second or third degree, that is, with pressure that often rises above 160 mmHg. Although the steam in the hammam is not hot, and no one will force you to go to the hottest room, remember: heated air and humidity, combined with some physical activity taken in the hammam, can cause an increase in pressure.
• Remember that the hammam is quite a serious load on the heart and even the kidneys (due to big amount liquid lost there). You can go to a Turkish bath, but at the first sign of discomfort you should go to a room with a lower temperature, and from there to the rest room and locker room. In addition, have a couple of pills with you for your illness - God willing, you won’t need it!
• Psychiatrists say that a number of mental disorders may worsen under the influence of steam and high temperatures. They do not specify what disorders exactly. So if you are receiving treatment from a soul healer, even for ordinary stress, call your doctor and ask for his permission to visit the hammam. Most likely, you will be given the go-ahead, and you will go wash, knowing that it will not harm you.
• Hamam supporters claim that visiting this bathhouse helps asthmatics. Let us doubt the universality of this statement: some types of asthma absolutely require the most dry air possible, and an exacerbation of the disease may occur in the hammam.

You can try, but take a can of antispasmodic with you. We could not find any other contraindications to visiting the hammam. But if you take the procedures correctly, there can be a lot of benefits.

Let's figure out why hammam is useful?

• Helps stabilize weight (a person loses up to one and a half kilograms in one visit to the bathhouse).
• Cleanses and heals the skin, cleanses sebaceous glands(which is very good for teenagers - there will be no acne), stabilizes blood pressure.
• Hamam has great benefits for the musculoskeletal system. Salt deposits, rheumatism, muscle strains, arthritis and many other diseases will leave you alone for a long time after two or three visits to the hammam.
• Hammam helps cure colds, including bronchitis. Prolonged heating increases the body's immunity, allowing it to more successfully resist infections.
• In the humid hot air of the hammam, germs and bacteria die, so the likelihood of infecting another visitor is almost zero. And if you also order a massage, indicating that it should help cope with a cold, then you will return home healthy or at least significantly healthier.

Rate and psychological aspects hamam. Hasty showering - clean hygiene procedure. Unhurried procedures in the hammam give you the opportunity to think about yourself, relax, relieve fatigue, and drive away stress. How to use the hammam correctly so that it brings maximum benefits?

• First, just sit or lie down so that the pores of the body open and sweat appears. This takes approximately fifteen to twenty minutes.
• We remove from the body all dead, keratinized, clogging sweat glands particles. To do this, use either a special brush or a hard washcloth - without soap! Remember how you rolled pellets on your skin after washing in a Russian bath as a child? This is the same thing, but in an oriental way, he proposes to make a hammam.
• Soaping, leisurely and thorough. In hammams they do not use any soap, but only those made from purified vegetable oils - olive or peach. This makes your skin smoother and more well-groomed. And the hair is washed and rinsed with herbs, which makes the hair healthier and shiny.
• After the soap is washed off, it is worth ordering a full body massage. He is quite tough and unusual. But trust an experienced hammam attendant (or, if women wash, a bath attendant), the first sensations will be replaced by a state of lightness throughout the body, restored youth and flexibility.
• But now, after all the procedures, you can go to a room with a lower air temperature, wet your body with a bath sheet, and apply a nourishing or moisturizing cream to your skin.
• After which you can just sit, cool down slowly, drink green or Herb tea– with nuts, honey, Turkish delight. And only when you feel that you have cooled down, get dressed and go outside.

Actually, this is what the hammam is built on - a gradual transition from more moderate temperatures to higher ones, and then a gradual cooling. I hope no one doubts that Turkish hammam is healthy? Everyone who can, join us, let's go to the hammam!