With cold and flu season coming up, many of us would benefit from using a vapor bath to help open the sinuses and facial pores. To start, place the herbal mixture you have chosen into a pot of boiling water and let it steep (covered) for about 10 minutes.
Make a tent with a towel over your face and neck and put your face down over the uncovered pot. Be careful; you certainly don't want to get scalded! If the steam is too hot, you can wait a short time and try again or add some cold water. Breathe deeply and enjoy!
Adding herbs to your bath water can be therapeutic. Make sure the bath is warm enough to be comfortable (somewhere around 90 degrees is recommended). You can choose sea salt, herbs, or a combination of the two. If you would like to add herbs, one way to introduce them to the water is to hang tea bags under the spout as the water fills up the tub. Herbs can also be added to water for a refreshing foot bath.
When using herbs, it is important to educate yourself about the different properties associated with different kinds, to ensure that you will get the benefit you are seeking from whatever herb or combination you choose. Check that the herbs you choose are pesticide free. Be sure that you are using natural products in a safe manner; some of them are safe to be used on the skin but will cause illness (or worse) if ingested. In the beginning, it would be prudent to experiment with just one herb at a time. If you have an adverse reaction, you will at least know which type of herb you are allergic to.
When starting out, a good choice is to work with the Aloe Vera plant. Known as the "healing plant", the juice from the leaves of the Aloe Vera can be applied to any kind of skin condition. It is especially useful to take the sting out of burns including sunburns.
These hardy plants can be grown at home by even the brownest thumb. They are very easy to use: simply peel off one of the leaves from the base of the plant and tear or cut it open. It's the "juice" inside that you will want to apply to your skin. The most convenient way to accomplish this is to simply squeeze it directly onto the skin irritation. No special preparation is required and the stinging will stop very quickly. The properties contained in Aloe Vera also help the skin heal quickly.
As you get to know more about herbs, you will be able to add to your repertoire of applications for them. Perhaps you will start your own herb garden!
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