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Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud


Article # : 17869 

Section : LIFE
Issue Date : 3 / 1990  921 Words
Author : Pamela Lister
New York City free-lancer Pamela Lister has wallowed in mud from all over the world. This article adopted from one that first appeared in the May '88 issue of American Health.

       Cheers! Here's mud not quite in your eye - but on your face, body, hair, even squishing between your toes the way it did when you were a kid.
       
       Europeans have valued mud's therapeutic properties for centuries. And there's nothing muddy about its cosmetic benefits, say the beauty cognoscenti, who swear by it. Sure, it's not pretty, but its fans say mud promotes a clear, youthful-looking complexion, fights acne, and combats wrinkles. And - if ooze is your style - marvelous, messy mud is nature's own relaxation therapy.
       
       But you can't just scoop some dirt from your backyard. The mud must be enriched with minerals typically found in volcanic ash and organic deposits. Not all muds contain clay, but all clays can be considered mud.
       
       Though muds differ, folk theory says they work by absorbing toxins from the skin and replenishing its outer players with minerals. As the mud dries, a suction effect draws out superficial toxins and stimulates circulation, say mud specialists. When washed off, the mud's grainy texture sloughs dead cells.
       
       YOUR PERSONAL MUD PACK
       
       Minerals give mud its distinctive coloring - red, green, brown, or black - and its restorative reputation. Common minerals include magnesium, calcium, and potassium; bentonite (an absorbent); sulfur (a mild disinfectant); and zinc, iron, and sodium.
       
       Mud varies with the mineral content of the region and, according to mud ... (1993 of 5538 Characters)
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