Kneipp as a remedy
One of the best-known water treatments is the Kneipp cure. As early as the 19th century, the priest Sebastian Kneipp (1821-1897) recognized that walking in ice-cold water activates the body's self-healing powers and thus strengthens the immune system. Nowadays, the state-approved Kneipp spas offer a variety of treatments, including cold and hot showers, contrast baths, ablutions, dew walking and treading water. The focus of Kneipp today is also on mental balance, herbal treatments, exercise stimulation and an optimized diet.
Indications: What can Kneipp help with?
- Psychosomatic diseases and nervous disorders
- Chronic pain
- Gynecological diseases
- Geriatric diseases
Forms of application
- For inner balance and order: Kneipp learned as a pastor and pastor that a healthy person also needs a healthy soul. In the Kneipp health resorts and teaching, the aim is to find your inner balance and recharge your batteries.
- In nutrition: Enjoyment played a major role in Sebastian Kneipp's life. Thus, the diet should also contribute to enjoyment and be tasty and natural. His teaching focuses on versatile whole foods.
- The effectiveness of medicinal plants: Kneipp also recognized this early on and used ancient knowledge to make teas, ointments and tinctures from herbs. Even today, medicinal plants and herbs are used in Kneipp therapy.
- movement: It makes you happy and lifts your mood, Sebastian Kneipp also knew that: "Exercise increases the zest for life and helps people by strengthening their body." He recommended moderate exercise, especially in the fresh air. Even today, exercise is part of Kneipp therapy.
- The application of water: Mostly in the form of Kneipp treatments such as, alternating baths between hot and cold, Kneipp basins and much more, which help to activate our immune system.
Five Kneipp tips for at home
Active ingredient Movement
In addition to the musculoskeletal system and the cardiovascular system, exercise also has an effect on the entire metabolism. Exercise can therefore help to stay healthy and protect against illness. At least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week is recommended for health-oriented activities. In everyday life, for example:
- Cycling to work or to the shops.
- Get off the bus one stop earlier or park the car further away and walk the rest of the way.
- Take a short walk during your lunch break.
- Take the stairs instead of the escalators or elevator.
Relaxation and serenity
Finding your inner center and going through everyday life calmly. That's what we all want. But how does this work in everyday life, with stress, crises and anxiety? Pastor Kneipp already had an answer to this. He recommended listening to your own body and always ensuring a balanced relationship between rest and activity. Today this can be done with:
- Yoga
- Tai Chi
- Pilates
- Stretching exercises
- Breathing exercises
- Forest bathing
- Indian Balance
The right nutrition:
Kneipp's health teachings focus on a balanced, healthy and natural diet without prohibitions. This diet can help to positively influence the function of the gut and therefore our health and mood. Because today we know that the gut plays an important role in being healthy and happy. With good and proper nutrition, our gut absorbs all the important nutrients and functional substances that the body needs. It is therefore important that our gut and the 100 trillion bacteria living there are well supplied with soul food, because: Food can make you happy.
Water treatments
Water and Kneipp go together like a pot and a lid. Kneipp fell ill with tuberculosis at the time. He managed to cure himself by immersing himself in the Danube. Nowadays, Kneipp's water treatments are so popular mainly because they are so easy to carry out. Applications that can be easily integrated into everyday life are
- Treading water in a bucket of cold water.
- Walking barefoot across a wet meadow in the morning.
- Hold your feet in a cold stream while hiking or tread water in a stream.
- Alternating showers with hot and cold water.
Medicinal plants
Sebastian Kneipp was an enthusiastic user of medicinal plants for bath additives, tinctures, ointments and teas. His favorite herb was arnica. It is not said for nothing: "There is a herb for every disease." Over 150 years ago, Kneipp attributed various effects to around 45 plants, which are now scientifically proven. Among them:
- Valerian, hops, lemon balm and lavender have a calming effect.
- Chamomile, bran, yarrow, oak bark and oat straw are good for the skin.
- Caraway, aniseed and fennel help against flatulence.
- Hay flowers are good for the musculoskeletal system.
- Thyme, eucalyptus, conifers and camphor help with respiratory diseases.
- Rosemary and hawthorn stimulate the circulation.
Awards: What characterizes a Kneipp health resort or a Kneipp spa?
Awards serve as a seal of quality in health tourism. In order to receive an award, certain standards must be met in the area of medical facilities and tourist infrastructure. The state's health resort law defines these requirements.
Kneipp spa/health resort
Not every spa town or bath is allowed to call itself a Kneipp spa or Kneipp spa. The spas that have been awarded a distinction have natural water sources for treatments such as cold or hot showers, dew running or treading water. In addition, there is a lot of nature and tranquility in and around the spa town to relax and find your inner balance again. In addition, medicinal plants and herbs play an important role in the treatments of the Kneipp cure. The Kneipp cure consists of five pillars: inner balance, enjoyment, herbs, exercise and water.
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