Natural Methods of Managing Pain & Stress
By Joyce Zeller
updated on 11/19/2007 at 03:03PM
There is a healing magic that goes beyond drugs and prescriptions. It involves the strength of plants from the Earth, the water that is a part of all life, and the mineral salts from which our bodies are created. The way to deliver these things to our bodies is through bathing.
Baths are not for getting clean. Showers do that. A bath restores you physically and mentally. It is an opportunity to heal and nurture that marvel of creation which is your body.
We humans are naturally attracted to water. We like to hear it flowing, look at it, float across it and swim in it. Our bodies are made up mostly of water. By itself, water can relax us, relive our stress and pain, and soothe our souls. When we add scent, minerals and herbs to a water-filled tub, it becomes a treatment bath.
Use the magic of herbal medicine, aromatherapy and mineral salts for the home care management of anxiety, physical & emotional pain, and exhaustion.
What is Aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils to enhance the wellness of the body. It is both an art and a science that depends on the experience of the aromatherapist for success. No two people respond to essential oils in the same way, so each one must do a little experimenting to see what works best.
Why are essential oils so special?
They are the "life force" or the soul of the plant and contain hundreds of very complex parts including vitamins and hormones. They are 100 times more concentrated than herbs. Essential oils are the product of distilling plants and flowers down to the concentrated essence. They are called "essential" because they are pure essence of the plant, distilled with everything but the scented material discarded. The distilling technique began in ancient Arabia where physicians were looking for the "essence" or "beginning spark" of life as a regenerating medicine.
These oils get into your bloodstream through inhalation or through your skin with bathing, massage or direct application. When they get into your bloodstream some migrate to internal organs where they stimulate detoxing. Others go to sites of pain, inflammation or infection where they heal and soothe. Still others journey along the olfactory nerve to the limbic center of your brain where they stimulate the release of neurochemicals that change your mood, stimulate or relax.
It takes about twenty minutes for the oils to work and the effect can last from two hours to all day.
These oils are a hundred times more powerful than herbs, so caution is necessary. The Spa Shop is available for information and advice. Call 1-800-453-1252.
The temperature of your bath is very important. Avoid water that is too hot. You need just enough heat to soften the collagen in your joints, muscles and membranes. This will enable the muscles, which are bunched and knotted from overuse or emotional stress to relax and stretch out.
- A Hot Bath (104-108 degrees) brings blood to the surface skin area where it is better able to absorb the herbs, minerals and oils added to your bath.
- A Warm Bath (100-104 degrees) is a good choice for those with heart conditions. Normal, healthy bodies can withstand the "drag" on the heart muscle created by the dilation of surface blood vessels in a hot bath. Those with heart conditions should lower their bath temperature to "warm."
- The duration of the bath should be 20-30 minutes. Be fully immersed or, if your tub is too small, cover exposed parts (except for the head) with a wet towel.
- Always drink a full glass of water while you are in the tub. For hot baths, use a cold cloth on the forehead.
- Take deep, slow breaths while in the tub to absorb the aromatherapy oils. Then, starting with the toes and ending at the shoulders--tighten each muscle group, hold the tension for a brief moment, then slowly relax. Breathe several times and repeat this light exercise 4-10 times.
This article was syndicated from The Spa Shop:
http://www.eureka-usa.com/spashop/bath.phtm
