Goa: Elderly step out to enjoy seawater soak

COLVA: Following the tradition of soaking in seawater for seven consecutive days at the end of summer, senior citizens from across the state are making a beeline for their neighbourhood beaches as they say the practice helps ease their joint pains.
Magdalina Fernandes, 72, who was enjoying her bath at Benaulim beach, accompanied by her daughter said, “When I was young, I used to visit beach along with my mother. Back then, we used to indulge in three baths a day, visiting the beach in the morning, afternoon and at sunset ”. “The eb and flow of the waves helps relieve the pain in my joints,” she said.
Her septuagenarian companion, Maria Leitao, said that many years ago they used to camp out on the beach for an entire week. “We used to cook our meals in the shade of the coconut palms and spend nights here, but have stopped in recent years as it has become unsafe .”
Both believe that a mix of the fresh breeze, early morning sunlight, walking barefoot on the sand and the salt water soak invigorate their bodies. An allopathic doctor said it is not scientifically proven that sea water helps rheumatism or arthritis.
“It must be helping them psychologically, ” he said.