Thai Retreats Information, Uniquely Thai Ingredients

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Traditional Thai Medicine

Uniquely Thai Ingredients

Generations of Thais have long know that certain herbs, roots and flowers have specific abilities to rejuvenate the body and nourish the skin and hair.

The double benefit is that herbs used in Thai beauty treatments can nourish the body both inside and out, for example, some the same herbs used in the famous Tom Yum soup are also used as ingredients in typical Thai beauty treatments.

Some of Thailand’s most effective beauty remedies are common ingredients in Thai cuisine, and are easily found in the refrigerator or supermarket.

Turmeric
This root herb has a rejuvenating quality that nourishes the complexion and restores vitality to the skin. It has antiseptic properties and when used in a poultice on the skin it can relieve inflammation and heal acne and bacterial infections. When eaten, it can also relieve digestive disorders.

Tamarind
With its exfoliating properties, it helps slough off dry surface skin and is used for its whitening properties and lighten freckles and dark skin spots. When eaten it also serves as a gentle laxative.

Cucumber
Cooling cucumber refreshes the skin and minimizes the pores. It also helps exfoliate dead skin cells and reduces puffiness when applied to the eyes.

Ginger
Is a common ingredient in Thai cuisine. It has a heating affect on the skin and when used in poultices it stimulates the circulation. When eaten it is known to alleviate cold symptoms and respiratory ailments, ease indigestion and other stomach ailments, and induces perspiration to eliminate body toxins.

Galangal Root
It has antiseptic properties that heals and soothes the skin. It is used to flavour Thai famous Thai soups and when eaten it helps relieve cramping and digestive ailments. Galangal oil applied to the skin can relieve skin irritations and ringworm.

Lemongrass
This is probably the best-known Thai ingredient found in both spas and Thai cuisine. Used in aromatherapy, it is uplifting and relieves stress. Used in Thai herbal steam, it alleviates respiratory ailments and clears the head and refreshes the mind and body. It cuisine it adds a lemon flavour to soups and salads.

Lime
Is used in many Thai dishes for the famous zesty flavour. Used in beauty treatments, it whitens and cleans the complexion.

Kaffir Lime
This indigenous Thai citrus fruit looks like a bumpy green lime and its fragment lemon scented leaves are popular ingredient in Thai dishes. The fresh pulp has been used for centuries by Thai women as a beauty treatment for the hair and scalp and is still used as in ingredient in modern day shampoos.

Papaya
Thai papaya’s deep orange flesh is full of vitamins A and C and enzymes that are aid digestion. It is rich in Alpha Hydroxy Acid or AHA, which exfoliates the skin, making it an effective facemask for softening and refreshing the complexion.

Selection of Thai Massage

Thai Herbal Steam
Aside from Thai massage, a number of the treatments offered in Thai spas come from the same ancient healing tradition. The use of heat therapies combined with herbal ingredients is a distinguishing trait of traditional Thai healing practices.

Thai Herbal Compress (Lukprakop)
Another ancient Thai healing therapy is the prakop, or hot herbal compresses made of medicinal herbs wrapped in a bundle of cloth, heated with steam and then pounded on the aching areas of the body, like tense shoulders or stiff joints.

Uniquely Thai Ingredients
Generations of Thais have long know that certain herbs, roots and flowers have specific abilities to rejuvenate the body and nourish the skin and hair.