An Indoor Waterfall Fountain Can Help Your Health, No Wonder the Spa Industry Has Adopted This Important Symbol of Relaxation

Have you ever wondered why most spas incorporate images of water within their literature, brochures and decor?  Images, sights and sounds of moving, trickling or cascading water seem to flood and dominate this ever growing industry.   These are experienced in the brochures, logos and many indoor waterfall fountains throughout the spa itself.  A trip to the spa is intended to bring relaxation and rejuvenation to the body, mind and soul and there is little doubt that the spa industry believes that water plays a vital role in the process and spa experience.

There is no doubt or debate that the soothing sights and sounds of trickling or cascading water help us escape the business of daily life and help soothe the soul.   When many people think of a relaxing setting or vacation spot we seem intrinsically drawn to locations that incorporate water.  Whether it’s along the ocean or river bank, a picnic in a meadow along a stream, an afternoon at the beach, splashing in a fountain at the park or a trip to see a local or internationally popular waterfall such a Niagara Falls, it does not matter.  Both the sights and sounds of moving water are soothing and calming and seem to help wash away the clutter from the mind and helps us relax and unwind.

There is also a visual draw to the ever changing fluid as it gently glides over the surfaces it is flowing over.  Both these natural sounds and sights bring a sense of peace and helps us reconnect with the natural world in a unexplainable yet profound and psychological way.  It is easy to get lost in thought as one gazes into the ever changing forms of moving water; but don’t be fooled that what you see is simply what you get.  There is much more going on behind the scenes that makes our connection with flowing water so alluring, invigorating and important to our overall health.

When water breaks and interacts with air on a smaller volume basis, such as the spray from a fountain, shower or waterfall or even falling rain drops, negative charged ions are produced.  “What is the big deal with that?” is often the first question that comes to most people’s minds.  What are negative ions anyway?  These negative charged ions are vital for our overall health, because they combat the positive charged ions we are interacting with on an over abundance each day.

Let’s take a step back and explore the science behind these often confused and misunderstood terms and concept.  An ion is simply an atom which either has a negative or positive charge.  Every function and movement of our bodies requires the uniting or coupling of a negative and positive charged ion.  The energy needed for every function of our bodies is a result of the uniting of the positive and negative ions.  Herein is where the problem arises, in the environment and world in which we now live we are surrounded by an over abundance and unbalanced amount of positive ions.  The pollution within our ionosphere has created an over abundance of positive charged ions and our bodies can’t use those ions for the creation or energy unless they unite with negative ions.  It is believed that only 25% of the ions that we breathe within 500 meters of the peacefulness and serenity of the ocean are negative ions.  This implies that even though we may feel like we are in a location that should bring us health and rejuvenation it is still insufficient.  The positive ions are left unused in our bodies waiting to be united with negative ions to provide usable energy for the body.

Once this concept is understood it is not difficult to see the importance in becoming intentional about providing our bodies with the essential natural ingredients it needs to live healthy and even for survival itself.  In the not-too-distant past the air and natural world provided the necessary healthy balance of negative and positive ions, but as the world has changed, particularly over the last century, we have created an environment that does not naturally give us interaction with the required numbers of negative ions.

With this in mind it is no wonder we feel revitalized after we have spent time outdoors in a natural environment, around moving water or especially a trip to the spa.  This really clarifies the feeling of rejuvenation we feel as we observe and listen to a fountain or waterfall.  Not only is it calming psychologically, but the ions created actually create usable energy that in turn makes us feel rejuvenated and recharged.

This brings us to the important question: How can we become proactive to have this uniting and coupling of ions more regularly in our bodies?  There are 3 recommendations that I would like to share that will have a positive effect on this process and ultimately how you feel.

1. Because negative ions are created by the breaking of moving water it is a good idea to be in the presence of this natural occurrence regularly.  It can be very impractical for all of us to move to Niagara Falls so I want to encourage you to ask the next best question.  How can you bring this natural process into your living spaces?  This can easily be done by incorporating an indoor fountain into your home or office.  There are literally countless options of styles and designs that can fit any décor.  Essentially there are 3 main varieties of indoor fountains; table top fountains, floor fountains and hanging wall fountains.  The name of each of these units is very self explanatory in regards to defining the intended location of the fountain.  Not only can you bring the natural calming sounds and sights of moving water into your busy, stressful locations to help calm the mind, but you can also create negative ions to help combat the natural processes at work in your body in these potentially high stress locations.

2. You can use ionizing devices that will help balance the ions in the water you drink and the air you breathe.  This will also help you combat the imbalance of ions we experience on a daily basis and help make this natural process a regular part of your day.

3. Take time to remove yourself from the chaos of your busy schedule and have your body exposed to treatments that will help bring restoration to the imbalances within.  Spa professionals are trained and devoted to help you not only ‘feel good’ but to reintroduce your body to the important minerals, nutrients and natural substances that they crave but are not interacting with on a regular basis.  It is important to realize and understand that treatments like hydrotherapy and balneotherapy can do as much for our physical bodies as it does for our emotional side.  On top of all that it also feels great both during and after the experience itself.

It truly is no wonder moving water has become the symbol or even icon of the spa industry.  It truly does help soothe, relax and rejuvenate our minds and bodies.  Really there is no better symbol because that is what a visit to the spa is all about.