In Mexico, traditional medicine (heir to pre-Hispanic indigenous therapy) uses different resources from the natural environment, such as medicinal plants, animals, and minerals, to treat countless ailments.
The health benefits of temazcal can be summarized in the following list:
The heat to which the body is subjected during the temazcal bath reaches high temperatures, which produce a series of reactions, like the stimulation of the superficial layer of the skin, deep circulation of the blood, increased heart rate, the strengthening of the heart, the thermal regulation of the body, and the activation of the metabolism.
The custom of the Temazcal has been practiced in Mexico and in other parts of the Americas since very remote times. The word ‘temazcal’ comes from the Nahuatl language ‘temazcalli’ which literally means “house of steam”. The steam bath used to be used very frequently for its hygienic purposes, therapeutic benefits, and relaxing properties, as well as for its ceremonial nature. It was a practice that included both the principles of indigenous medicine and the symbolic elements of the worldview of the ancestors.
Thus, the temazcal was used by the Aztecs for ritual and therapeutic purposes because, among other benefits, they noticed that it accelerated the healing process of different physical, emotional, and even mental illnesses. In particular, ancient civilizations observed that it was used to treat traumas, broken bones, bruises, skin, and growth problems, among others. They even used it to prevent future complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Likewise, it was one of the best methods to help new moms heal and purify their milk.