Miracle Of Nature

Miracle of Nature

Life is as ironic as it is unpredictable. We can never know what awaits us next year, next month, or even the next day.

I grew up in sunny California. On weekends, most of my girlfriends -- who were obsessed with getting a nice tan -- would lay in the hot sun, baking for hours while I watched in disbelief from the shade.

We all knew that sun-damaged skin was not a good thing. However, that wasn’t the reason I didn’t join in their tanning sessions. I simply didn’t care for the sun. Nor did I have the patience to lie flat on my back for hours so I could look nice and tanned for a week or two.

As we got older and my girlfriends continued their tanning regimen, I began preaching the dangers of sun damage. I warned that they would develop brown spots and wrinkles all over their faces, while I would enjoy flawless skin in return for refraining from the sun. Not surprisingly, they ignored my pleas and continued to tan.

Just before I became fabulously40, I began to get weird-looking spots on my face. After a few months of hoping they would go away on their own, I opted to see a dermatologist. Imagine my dismay when the doctor announced that the spots were -- you guessed it -- sun damage!

To say that I was pissed off and upset was an understatement. At my doctor’s suggestion, I began to drown myself in sunblock and started wearing a hat outside. Nevertheless, after a few years the spots became even more evident. And if that wasn’t enough, one day they were joined by a new disease called psoriasis.

This new condition took on a life of it’s own and progressed quite rapidly. Several doctors suggested treatments with steroids, cortisone creams and other kinds of nasty medications. When I refused their treatment, they suggested I start tanning several hours a day (yes, several!) with no sunblock.

Not wanting further damage from exposure to the sun or the potential side effects of steroid medications, I began to research my options. I soon learned that the natural treatment with water and sun with the least amount of damage to the skin was available only at the Dead Sea in Israel.Floating My Troubles Away

The Dead Sea might be dead to all other living plants and animals, but not to us humans. Remarkably adaptable creatures, we can swim in the Dead Sea. Well, swim might not be the right term. Floating is probably more accurate.

Because of its extremely high concentration of dissolved mineral salts in the water, the density of the Dead Sea is much higher than that of plain old fresh water. As a result, anybody can float with ease.

The Dead Sea is also known for being the lowest place on Earth. Because it sits at 416 meters below sea level, it gives people the ability to tan for 330 days out of the year without damage to the skin. In addition, the unpolluted air is miraculously dry, and is known to purify respiratory systems while filtering and softening solar radiation.

The Dead Sea is considered a miracle of nature. People come here from all over the world with conditions such as psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema, vitiligo, arthritic and rheumatic and respiratory problems, coronary malfunction, depression and hypertension to be treated by Climatotherapy and by Heliotherapy.

Every morning at sunrise, swarms of visitors happily float in the sea before breakfast. Some read the paper while floating, others simply lay flat and relax. You can distinguish arthritic patients from those with a skin condition by the mud that masks their bodies as they parade back and forth on the beach and wait for the mud to dry and become effective.

As I enjoyed the peacefulness of the still water, warm sun and special air of the Dead Sea, I felt extremely relaxed and content. It’s nice to know there are still places left in the world where Mother Nature can heal our souls and our bodies.

As for my girlfriends, they continue to bake in the sun while enjoying flawless complexions and wrinkle-free skin. Thinking about them makes me smile and reminds me that my mom was right when she said, ” It’s all in the genes.”