Calling a body of water the Dead Sea might not be a good place to start if you want to fill the soul with images of vitality and health, yet that’s exactly the reputation of this amazing salt lake on the border between Israel and Jordan. Its name actually has nothing to do with its effect on human health; its extreme saltiness makes it a place where very few life forms can thrive. Many of the locals call it the Salt Sea rather than the Dead Sea anyway, which somehow sounds more wholesome. It also has the distinction of being the lowest place on the surface of the earth, it surface being more than 400 metres below average sea level.

The Dead Sea’s extreme saltiness comes from the fact that it is landlocked and does not have a flowing exchange of fluid with the rest of the oceans, meaning that over millennia the water has evaporated off leaving the higher concentrations of minerals and salts such as magnesium, sodium, potassium and calcium chlorides. In other words, the Dead Sea is constantly being topped up with minerals from its feeding rivers (and prehistoric inundations from the oceans) but the only way out is through evaporation caused by the blazing Middle Eastern sun. But crucially, the minerals don’t evaporate, they stay and concentrate in the same way as simmering a casserole drives off the water and leaves the food.

Because of this saltiness, the Dead Sea has some wonderful properties. It is a popular tourist destination, and no right-thinking traveller can resist the urge to jump in and float on the surface. Because of its relatively high density, people float high in the water and it’s perfectly possible (and much photographed) to lie back and read a book without a flotation aid. In fact the water is so dense that trying to actually swim is quite a strenuous and awkward exercise because it is hard to keep your shoulders and legs underwater.

But floating like a cork is really just a novelty compared to the other features of this stunning body of water. For centuries it has been considered a spa location, with everyone from local people to emperors and kings taking trips to its shores to benefit from the invigorating minerals. This is no less true today, and a huge industry has grown up around the sea providing cosmetic, health, hygiene and pampering products and shipping them all over the world. By drying out and crystallising the Dead Sea’s water, for example, you’ll be left with the pure and unique mixture of salts and minerals which you can then add to your bath to bring a little bit of the Dead Sea to your home. Many people with psoriasis and eczema swear by their trips to the Dead Sea, but nowadays the Dead Sea can come to you instead.

One of the largest producers is a company called Dead Sea Spa Magik, a name that adequately sums up the mystical way people throughout history have viewed this enchanting sea. With everything from sun block to mud packs, cleansers and shampoos, it seems there is no part of the body that would not benefit from a little Dead Sea TLC.

Author Bio: Craig covers skin care issues for various publications and has an interest in dead sea spa products and other specialist brands offered by skin care providers.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
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