INDIA: For Elderly Goans Sea Water Is Orthopaedic Healer

PANAJI (ZeeNews.com), May 28, 2006: Scores of elderly Goans are making their way towards beach for the annual sea water bath, which traditionally has been considered as healer from orthopaedic diseases. "I have been visiting Miramar beach for sea water bath for over twenty years now... My knees and shoulders pain.. I get relief after taking bath," stated Leelabai Gaonkar, a 62-year-old lady. For many Goans visit to the beach still remains an annual affair as they stay in hinterlands. "I stay at Bolkornem, near Sacorda... We used to visit Colva beach earlier. Now we have shifted to Miramar beach," Gaonkar explains. Leelabai's Bolkornem village is a part of Netravati wildlife sanctuary and closest beach from there is located around 50 km away. For years together salt water bath has become a tradition for many especially for those staying in Goa's hinterland. While Leelabai and others base their healing-experience on century long belief, the medicos clearly deny any such healing by salty sea water. "Its mere psychological...There is no medical base for that..many people believe that salt water bath heals and hence at times, we ourselves also suggest them to take it. They come back happy," contended Dr Oscar Rebello, a city-based practitioner. He said that the healing is just because they think they can be healed with salty water bath. "It's almost like having hot water bath.. It soothes you. It has nothing to do with medical but its mere psychological," stated another medical practioner Dr Shekhar Salkar. "Most important is that you leave your routine behind and spend time on the beach with your family. It relieves you psychologically," he adds. Copyright © Zee News Limited. All rights reserved