A study by the New England Journal of Medicine has revealed the benefits of spa therapy proved to benefit persons with Type 2 Diabetes. After just 10 days of 30 minutes a day soaking in a spa, patients experienced distinct changes in their bodies such as weight loss and reduced doses of insulin, and as the study progressed they reported increased general sense of well-being and improved sleep.
The study undertaken by Philip L. Hooper, MD, of the McKee Medical Centre in Loveland, Colorado, asked eight patients (five men and three women aged between 43-68 years) to sit in a spa at an athletic facility with water up to their shoulders. They used the spa for 30 minutes a day, six days a week, for three weeks. The patients diets, exercise routines and therapy (3 patients taking insulin, and all were taking various hypoglycaemic drugs) were stable for eight weeks before the study and while the study took place.
In an interview with Diabetes Health, Hooper explained how one of the participants, after just 10 days, reduced his daily dose of insulin by 18 percent. Another subject, however, showed no reduction in her HbA1C.
“I asked her how her three weeks had gone,” Hooper explains. “She said she had a terrible three weeks. Her co-worker had quit, her house had gone up for sale and her daughter had complication in her pregnancy. She said the only quiet time in her day was when she was in the hot tub. In other words, during the study, she was under emotional stress, which will increase blood sugars. Hers, however, stayed the same.”
The study highlighted that spa therapy may be especially helpful for patients who are unable to exercise; as it is a known fact that physical exercise is effective therapy for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
For those who live with the daily discomfort and inconvenience of diabetes, a spa can potentially be the doorway to a fuller, more enjoyable life.
Endless Spas strongly advises Type 2 Diabetics should consult their doctor prior to making any decisions with spa usage.
To read the study, visit “Hot-Tub Therapy For Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus”
To read the entire interview with Hooper, visit “Hot Tub Therapy For People with Diabetes”
If you are a diabetic and use a spa, we’d love to hear from you. please Contact Jaclyn@endless.com.au