Hydrotherapy .... The Herb Bath

So, your having a bad day and your in pain from work or you have the flu but the boss doesn't care and well seeing the doctor doesn't fit in either, now what..... Have a bath, here is a few ways you can use herbs with hydrotherapy.

Enjoy.....Relax

Hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy is the use of water for treatment of an illness.  This is popular in Europe, where health spas have elaborate facilities for all types of "water cures". Most often they include the use of mineral water and a herbal bath additive for enhanced healing powers.

Luckily if you don't live in Europe you can still enjoy those benefits right there at home!

With a few supplies you can draw up any bath from full to partial, in all shapes and all sizes.

Basically, they are baths where you would use plant decoctions or infusions in the water. Depending on the plants that you use in your baths, the result can be calm or to stimulate the mind and body; open your pores, relieve pain and itching and so much more....

When you make your decotion for your bath you will need anywhere from a few ounces to several lbs of your plant parts, you can sew or tie the herbs into a linen or cloth bag and then you  can biol them in about a quart or more of water.

For partial baths, your only difference is the amount of the herb you use; its usually about a third less.

You can even throw in the boiled herb bag with you in your bath and use it as a wash cloth!

The Full Bath

Warm baths are usually between 90 and 95 degrees and are very calming and soothing to your nerves. You can use this temperature for bladder and urinary problems, mild colds, and low grade fevers.

Both hot baths from 100 to 113 degrees, and cold at 55 to 65 degrees shock the system. This causes increased heart action. The hot bath followed by being bundled in blankets causes you to sweat and helps the body eliminate its waste, including clods and fevers.

You would pick your herbs according to what you need treated.

The Half Bath

This bath is halfway between a sitzbath and a full, the water comes to about your naval area.

You can use a cold half bath once a day; for between 5 to 15 minutes to relieve your headache, help with insomnia, some nervous problems,and over active thyroid, gas, and even constipation!

The warm half bath at about 95 degrees for about 10 minutes can be useful for low blood pressure and for menopausal problems. This bath usually includes a vigorous skin brushing and may be ended with a brief spray of cold water on the back.

The Sitzbath

This bath involves sitting in a relatively small amount of water. To take a sitzbath put enough warm or hot herbal bath water in a small tub that you can sit in ( if your using your home tub fill it with about 4 inches of water) prop your feet up and wrap yourself completely with a large towel or blanket (tub users keep your knees up and splash water onto your admen) stay in the bath for 10 to 20 minutes then rinse with a short cold bath. You can use these for inflammation, cramps, hemorrhoids, menstrual problems, kidney, intestinal pains, and after you have a baby!

The Foot Bath

This is when you put your feet and calves into a deep pot or tub filled with herb bath water. If you have chronic cold feet use a hot foot bath for 15 minutes, that should do the trick!

You can try it cold for constipation, insomnia, headache, and nose bleeds.

If you try it alternating, you would have to alternate from the hot; from 1 to 2 minutes in the herbal bath and a half of minute in the cold and continue back and forth for about 15 minutes and ending with the cold.  This is said to increase circulation in the legs, to help prevent varicose veins, and can also be good for a weak menstrual flow.

The Eye Bath

There are two basic methods of treating eye problems,

A bowl or an eye cup

You will be using the decoctions or the infusions you brew.

Fill either your bowl or eye cup up with your brewed treatments. For the cup you would place over the eye and open and close your eye several times allowing the liquid to make contact with your eye, on the other hand with the bowl you can get both eyes by washing the liquid over both eyes repeatedly.

The Vapor Bath

                                                                                       These baths are useful for inhaled medications.

OK you can do a vapor bath a few different ways but I find this way to be very useful for children and if you don't like hanging your head over something. The way I describe you will need a small tent and your brewed steaming pot of herbs. Set your small tent up and put thick blankest over it (fun for the children too) place your pot inside the tent. (can also use a humidifier with your herbs for safety with kids) Step inside the covered tent and zip closed, remain in the tent for up to 1 hour (bring a book or a game boy) and inhale the vapor. This works very well for colds, ear infections, sinus, and respiratory problems.

Here is a few useful bath formulas you can try!

(all amounts shown here are for full baths unless otherwise stated)

• Eye wash- dissolve 1/2 tsp aloes and 1 tsb boric acid in 1 cup of water
• Nervous, tension,insomnia- steep 2 oz Balm leaf in1 qt of boiling water for 15 minutes and add to bath
• Foot bath for Varicose Veins- boil 1lbs male fern rootstock in water
• Rheumatic problems- put 1 to2 lbs of oat straw in 3 to 5 qt cold water, bring to a boil and keep boiling for 30 minutes the add to bath

Baths are a wonderful way to help heal yourself and refocus your being. so when life beats you down and your need a simple nature boost Take a bath and forget about everything you need!

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