Stressed out? Get 'zymed out'
January 21, 1997
Weather: San Francisco
City Guides: California
Get Zymed! - 1M/27 sec. QT movie
(CNN) -- In the rolling hills of California's Russian River valley lies a small mountain retreat that believes in the healing powers of enzymes. This Japanese-style day spa is a heavenly oasis called Osmosis.
Thousands of stressed-out travelers journey to the spa for the healing touch of an enzyme bath, an experience known as "getting zymed." The bath is a light, fragrant mixture of cedar fibers, rice bran and more than 600 active plant enzymes. It was developed more than 40 years ago in Japan as a relaxation and healing therapy.
After a visit to Kyoto introduced him to the magic of the enzymes, Michael Stusser decided to recreate his Japanese experience in the United States. He founded Osmosis in 1985 and "imported" the ambiance of the Orient to his refuge in Freestone, California, about 60 miles north of San Francisco.
When guests first arrive, they are asked to change into kimonos. Then they are taken to an enchanting Japanese tea garden. The rejuvenation process begins with a soothing herbal tea served amid the tranquil surroundings.
Once tea is finished, it's time for guests to bury their stress in the soothing bath. The sand-like enzyme mixture heats naturally, by fermentation, creating a warmth that mimics the body's natural heating process.
One visitor, upon being enveloped in the bath, remarked: "It feels to me like mom wrapped me up real snug in a blanket."
"It's very beneficial for people with aches and pains or people who are fatigued or under high stress," Stusser said. "It really soothes and relaxes both the digestive system and the nervous system, both which have a lot of enzyme activity associated with their function."
The bath takes place in a roomy redwood tub and is so comfortable that many find it hard to slither out for a 75-minute, therapeutic after-bath massage.
Indoor massage rooms are located on an upper floor so guests are surrounded by plenty of natural light and fresh air. For those who want to commune with nature, special outdoor massages are also available at an extra cost in an airy, wooden pavilion nestled in the trees along Salmon Creek.
"Basically, we're creating a magical world for people in which they can totally relax, " the spa's founder said.
His guests would probably agree. The heat-creating enzymes are a warm way for travelers to chill out and beat the stress and fatigue of normal life any day.
Related story:
Miraval Resort: Desert Rest for the Soul - January 4, 1997
Related sites:
© 1997 Cable News Network, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.