"Researching" Turkish Hammam Spa

Last week I was in Winnipeg and decided it was my duty as a Naturopathic Doctor to do some research on a turkish hammam spa. Hydrotherapy is in my scope of practice and detox is definitely one of my specialities. The Hammam at the Ten Spa is a modern reinterpretation of the Turkish Roman hot air bathing ritual. Amazing experience. Turkey is now on my travel list.

When my name was called I sat in a robe and pestemal (a large tea towel that is dress code in the hammam) in a tiled heated room to acclimatize to the heat. I was served a traditional bitter and sweet treat that serves to sustain me through my treatment. I had a cup of moroccan mint tea and a turkish delight sweet. After 10 minutes or so I had a quick shower in the heated spa before I proceeded to the aromatic salting area where I self applied salts while seated on a heated bench. I really started sweating now and the salts were very rough at the same time being rejuvenating.

Then the fun began. There was a huge heated communal marble slab in the middle of the heated room where I laid down while the hammam attendant rinsed me off with different temperatures of water for the next 60 minutes. During this time there was also a foot and scalp massage ..... ridiculous.... now if this wasn't enough I then proceeded to a private room where I had a traditional soap scrub treatment.

For the first 20 minutes I was 'gommaged' - a full body exfoliation with kese, a rough cloth mitt that scoured my pores. I couldn't believe all the dead skin cells!! After the gommage a pure olive oil soap, in some sort of pillowcase that lathered up like crazy, was massaged into my skin. It felt like a feather and I was covered in bubbles. Warm, cool, and then cold water was then used to rinse me off for the next 20 minutes.

I then proceeded to the acclimatization room again where I self applied aloe vera gel, and drank and ayran - a salty yogurt drink to replenish.

Wow. I was in a daze the rest of the day and will never forget this experience at The Fort Garry Hotel in Winnipeg. (www.tenspa.ca)