The next time anyone asks for a roll in the hay, you should remember that it's considered a therapeutic spa treatment in several inns in South Tyrol, an autonomous province in northern Italy. In a hay bath, the body is wrapped in soaked hay, which is cut early in the morning or in the evening. According to one source, this is "when the grass still contains all the ethereal oils, the grass is cut and dried afterward. However, the hay also contains different plants like lady's mantle, mountain arnica, gentian and thimble among the cut grass."
According to the hay bath specialists of South Tyrol, where this unusual practice originated, these include the easing of rheumatism and general aches and pains, the boosting of the immune system, improved circulation, weight loss and all-round revitalisation. (It's also really itchy!)
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