Vacations Heal The Body and Soul!

Beach Vacation Healing Boosts

Vacations are often seen as a time to relax, recharge, and escape daily routines. For many, this means heading to the beach to enjoy the sun, sand, and waves. But have you ever noticed that your cuts and scrapes seem to heal faster after a day at the beach? I am Dr. Aaron Workman, a team member of one of the highest rated medical facilities in Kentucky that treats people injured in car accidents and I recently returned from a vacation with my family.

Some believe that salt water can offer health benefits, including faster wound healing. Before a recent trip, we informed one of our kids the ocean would help his cut, but does spending time in the ocean help wounds heal faster? Let us swim through the main reason for this occurrence, and a few secondary factors that also aid healing.

1. Natural Antiseptic
   The actual salt water is the main factor giving the faster healing of cuts and wounds at the beach. Ocean water is a natural saline solution, containing salt and other minerals that can act as an antiseptic. When you swim in the ocean, and dive through the waves, saltwater can help to cleanse your cuts, washing away dirt and bacteria that could lead to infection. This will also help reduce swelling through osmosis, leading to decreased inflammation. On our recent trip, I noticed my collection of cuts cleared up after a few days in the ocean. Now on to the secondary events that lead to better healing.

   2. Sunlight and Vitamin D
   While enjoying various beaches we usually wear less clothes that increases our opportunity to have more skin exposed to the sun. It is important to protect your skin from excessive sun exposure, but sunlight can be beneficial for wound healing. Sunlight is a great natural source of Vitamin D, which plays a vital role in the body’s ability to heal wounds.

   3. Physical Activity
   Your day at the beach often involves activities such as swimming, walking on the sand, or jumping through waves. These activities promote better blood circulation throughout your body, including the area around your wounds. Improved circulation delivers more oxygen and nutrients to the wound site, which are important for the healing process. This in turn increases blood flow, helping remove waste from the wound area.

   4. Stress Reduction
   The beach is a natural stress reliever. The calming sound of wave after wave, the sand between your toes, and the view of a never-ending ocean all contribute to reduced stress. Reduced stress has a direct impact on your immune system. When you are stressed, your body produces a hormone, cortisol, that can suppress immune function and slow down the healing process. While on the beach, stress reduction leads to lower cortisol levels. Lower levels promote faster healing of cuts and wounds.

   While the beach can be memorable as a time for family, relaxation, and recreation, it also comes with its own healing benefits. The big combination of salt water’s antiseptic properties, the power of sunlight, increased physical activity, and stress reduction can all contribute to faster healing. So, the next time you are packing for vacation and your kids ask about their cuts, you can feel confident in telling them the ocean will make their wounds heal faster.

— This article is written by Aaron Workman, DC, one of the members of Chambers Medical Group’s team of car accident chiropractors who offer a variety of treatments and therapies ranging from diagnostic testing to various soft tissue therapies for car accidents and injuries in Kentucky.

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