Don't count on a body wrap as a stand-alone weight loss or body detoxifying tool, says Neva Howell, wellness expert and Ask a Healer webmaster. However, a wrap may enhance a balanced nutrition and exercise program. The chemicals in a wrap depend on the type, which Howell identifies as herbal combinations, detoxifying clays and minerals. Most wraps mingle ingredients liberally. Homemade and commercial wraps use similar chemicals.
Mineral Wraps
Home remedy archivists at CraftBits.com provide a list of more than 50 chemical and herbal ingredients that you can add to a homemade body wrap, according to your perceived needs. For a detoxifying body wrap, add natural clay such as bentonite, or fullers earth, which is common to many recipes. It is an absorbent aluminium phyllosilicate containing variable amounts of potassium, sodium, calcium and aluminum. Similar clays may be enriched in detoxifying minerals. These include Dead Sea clay, green clay for skin detoxification, Moroccan red clay and rose clay. Sodium chloride, sea salt, Epsom salt and magnesium sulfate are additional chemicals often included in a body wrap.
Seaweed Wraps
Seaweed can make a single-ingredient body wrap. Dried or powdered seaweed is suggested by many experts. CraftBits suggests kelp, but you may choose other seaweed; fresh plant matter is recommended if it is available. The most notable mineral in seaweed is iodine, which many people prize as a dietary supplement as well as a wrap. The other main elements in seaweed are carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen and phosphorus -- tied up in the organic matter -- and traces of sea salt. You may moisten or mix it with only enough water to form a thick paste. Spread it over your entire body, secure it tightly with plastic or cloth wraps and leave it in place for 30 to 60 minutes.
Herbal Wraps
Body wrap specialists at HealthRecipes.com suggest essential oils mixed with herbs. Oils are organic chemicals composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, which remain bound together. The whole oil molecules can diffuse through your skin, carrying medicinal properties. Essential oils suggested for body wraps include lavender, lemon, sage, sandalwood, rosemary, lemongrass, grapefruit and olive. Herbs are not discrete chemicals, but they contain many biochemicals valued in traditional remedies. Herbal wraps also include alfalfa leaf powder, chamomile flower powder, parsley powder, rosehip powder, rose petal powder and ground basil.
Disclaimer
The American Fitness Professionals and Associates warn that body wraps may be dangerous. A July 26, 2010, ABC News report echoes the warning and describes grave medical consequences in some cases. The report states that body wraps lack medically proven validity supporting the practice, and users may be disappointed with results. Consult your doctor about the chemicals and procedures if you want to try a wrap.
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