The benefits of sea bathing
Every summer, millions of Europe people enjoy sea bathing. Some even enjoy it all year round. Behind the relaxation they provide, they also have many benefits for our health. Explanations with Dr Guillaume Barucq, general practitioner in Biarritz and specialist in the issue.
For many French people who favor beach holidays, summer heralds the return of swimming in the sea. This activity, a source of pleasure, also has benefits for our health, starting with the composition of the water in herself. This contains many mineral salts (magnesium, calcium, sodium, potassium, etc.) and vital trace elements (iodine, selenium, etc.) . "
The sea is the original liquid, this is where life was born. We have kept a living" aquarium "within us. French biologist and physiologist René Quinton has highlighted this analogy between seawater and our blood plasma. This is less concentrated in mineral salts but it contains comparable proportions. All our health is conditioned by this balance in mineral salts ", explains Dr Guillaume Barucq, general practitioner in Biarritz, deputy mayor in charge of the environment, quality of life and well-being and author of Surf therapy (Surf Prévention editions).
Fill up with trace elements and mineral salts
Seawater, due to its similarity to our plasma, helps regulate our pH and reduce the acidity of our body. Its mineral salts are ionized and therefore more easily assimilated by our body. In order for these to penetrate the skin, bathe in a swimsuit rather than a wetsuit.
It is also possible to benefit from these benefits by drinking, preferably on an empty stomach, one to four ampoules per day of sea water . These pods, sold in pharmacies, help fight fatigue, stress and improve athletic performance. Tennis player Rafael Nadal, for example, drinks such solutions during matches to rehydrate and prevent muscle cramps.
Finding quality seawater
Sea water is subject to various sources of pollution. To optimize the virtues of swimming, we must ensure its quality even if " it has the capacity to detoxify itself thanks to the currents, the waves, the mineral salts and the UV rays of the sun which kill bacteria" , explains Dr. Barucq.
Thus, it is especially important to watch out for the places and times that are suitable for swimming. In Biarritz, the Biarritz info plage application allows swimmers to know the quality of the water in real time, for example. Otherwise, check it at the lifeguard guard posts. Know that the quality of the water is better when there is no source of pollution nearby, when it is sunny and when it has not rained for several days.
Benefits on the body
Bathing in seawater has several health benefits. Relieved joints: Immersed in sea water up to the neck, Archimedes' thrust divides our weight by 10. Thus, instead of supporting 75 kg, the body only weighs 7.5! The joints are no longer subjected to this weight. In a study carried out by Dr Guillaume Barucq on 85 regular swimmers in seawater, 2/3 of those suffering from osteoarthritis claim that these baths reduce their joint pain.
- Analgesic properties: Due to its composition, seawater has analgesic effects. " It relieves pain and the action of cold, also used in cryotherapy, is also effective" , comments Dr Barucq.
- Improved blood circulation: The change in temperature between water and air prompts the body to adapt. Blood vessels constrict when it is cold and dilate when it is hot. Thanks to this exercise, the veins and arteries are more toned and it helps fight against venous insufficiency and heavy legs .
- A renewed morale : " Seawater baths act as an antidepressant. As part of healthy sport, for moderate depression, I sometimes prescribe it rather than drugs with undesirable side effects. Moreover, Formerly the bay of the large beach in Biarritz was called the “fool's coast” because people with psychiatric disorders were taken there to appease them, ” explains the doctor. 78% of bathers surveyed in his study said that bathing in the sea puts them in a good mood.
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