di elisaviroli
Water is normally found in its liquid state in seas, rivers and lakes. When frozen it becomes a solid and, when it evaporates, a gas. In this gaseous state it becomes a light, weightless cloud. Steam is used in many different fields – wellbeing, hygiene, cooking and natural medicine – and has many health benefits.
Remove your bathrobe and step into your hammam. Nothing could be easier, it’s almost a ritual when you get home. It does wonders for our psychological state, while also giving great health benefits. The humidity, which in a Turkish bath reaches 100% with temperatures that never exceed 48 °C, warms the body which, as a defence mechanism, produces sweat. This natural reaction causes the blood vessels to dilate, improving circulation and controlling pressure. The microclimate inside a hammam encourages cell turnover, leaving skin feeling instantly more radiant and smooth, it rids it of toxins and can help prevent respiratory conditions. This ancient purifying ritual has beneficial effects on the mind as well as the body. It relaxes the muscles and frees the mind of negative thoughts, inducing a calm, almost meditative state.
NATURAL MEDICINE
As winter appears, so do colds, blocked noses and sore throats. But there are some home remedies that always do the trick. Take, for example, steam inhalation. This is when water vapour is used to free the upper airways, loosen mucus and clear the throat. The treatment is even more effective when natural ingredients like bicarbonate or chamomile or eucalyptus essential oils are added to the boiling water. The principle is the same for professional inhalation and aerosol therapies which are available at spa centres. Here special equipment breaks the spa water up into particles, creating a jet of vapour which helps prevent and cure conditions like otitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, tracheitis, bronchitis and inflammation caused by smoke and smog.
TASTY, HEALTHY COOKING
With vegetarian, vegan and healthy diets in general all the rage, steam cooking has inevitably made a comeback. Steam cooking preserves all the organoleptic and nutritional properties of the food we eat because it is not cooked in water but just sits above hot steam. You can cook anything like this: vegetables, fish, white meat and even, as oriental cuisine has taught us, ravioli and other kinds of filled pasta. The easiest way is to use a steam oven or a wok, the traditional Chinese cone-shaped pan with a steamer insert, where the heat is distributed evenly and ingredients preserve all their flavour.
ECO-CLEANING
With the pandemic still ongoing, hot steam is an effective way of cleaning our homes too. Steam cleaning is an eco-friendly way of sanitising the surfaces in our homes, as it doesn’t use chemicals. It is also highly effective in removing dust and mites from mattresses, cushions and clothes, preventing allergies and respiratory conditions.
