By Suzanne A. Marshall from the November 2015 Edition
I can hardly wait to return to Manzanillo. When fall season is upon me while still in Canada, I begin to remember how much I miss the tropical climate there. To say that Manzanillo has many other attributes is an understatement. But for some reason I lose track of just how healthy I feel in this humid, sea-air climate. In fact I feel at least ten years younger. If science is correct and your biological age is based on how young you actually feel, then living in Manzanillo is lengthening my life. Being there is akin to a twenty-four hour a day spa therapy. I am not even talking about the extra exercise walking the beach, or the upload of vitamin D from all the fabulous sunshine. All of that along with the social life, the people, and the cost of living are bonuses.
Plagued by a lifetime of allergies to pollens, dust and airborne particles etc., the resulting sinusitis has been a ‘live with it’ kind of battle for me. This is a battle that one never gets used to or wins. You gobble up your antihistamines, anti-inflammatory meds, snort your decongestants and carry on with bugle practice (blowing your nose). And of course there are many of us ‘oldies’ who begin to feel joint irritations, perhaps a few spots of arthritis and you toss it all off to getting old and the results of a weary immune system. But I just have to share with those readers having similar aggravation that living in Manzanillo has proven to be an incredible therapy for me. After about 10 days to two weeks I begin to experience symptom-free breathing. Not only do all the sinus maladies disappear but so do most of my aches and pains. This is something I have learned is no coincidence. When I return home in springtime, the problems return again.
Sharing these insights with friends and fellow sufferers I discover that others have found themselves making the same observations. I live in Canada at a fairly high altitude not far from the Rockies and in an extremely dry climate. There the air particulate levels are extremely high with pollens, snow molds and static based house dust not to mention forced air heating etcetera. Thus many of us begin to experience signs of irritation at an early age. In my case, allergy shots, nasal steroids and even surgery have never delivered major relief. This is not to say that there isn’t a genetic predisposition or a compromised immune system lurking somewhere. All I know is that the relief experienced during Manzanillo winters is life-altering for me. I simply feel fantastic.
Donning my researcher persona, I begin to seek out information everywhere. First of all the fact that I live on
the beach means the prevailing breezes directly off the water are probably as filtered and clean as one can find outdoors. Secondly the air is heavily humid and salty. Therefore I am consistently breathing humidified salt air. Saline solutions are often recommended for irritated breathing and nasal passages. What better delivery system than clean moist sea air directly off the Pacific Ocean? As an added bonus, I’m living at sea-level. Given the consistent elevated air pressure I am convinced that this is a major contributing factor to the easing of arthritic inflammation and joint pain. (Some of my friends even report a lowering in blood pressure). There may be someone out there with a science background saying nope, that’s not scientifically sound. But that’s my theory and I’m sticking to it.
There are other benefits to this luscious tropical climate. Your hair and skin improve. Fine hair absorbs the humidity and becomes denser therefore thicker. The humid salt air plumps the skin and exfoliates the dry epidermis. Now I ask you: is that not spa like? And here’s the kicker. For those old and tired out calloused and dry feet? Take a long bare-foot walk on the sandy beach regularly and discover the exfoliating magic of volcanic sand under foot and the resulting ‘smooth as a baby’s butt’ soles of your feet. I say it’s paradise for more than the obvious reasons. Follow this all up with a cooling dip in the pool and your favorite cocktail and it’s all a dream come true.
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Suzanne A. Marshall hails from western Canada and has been living the good life in Manzanillo over the past 8 years. She is a wife, mom and grandma. She is retired from executive business management where her writing skills focused on bureaucratic policy, marketing and business newsletters. Now she shares the fun and joy of writing about everyday life experiences in beautiful Manzanillo, Mexico, the country, its people, the places and the events.
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