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Herbs and spices have been cultivated in gardens for thousands of years by people seeking their many beneficial properties.
These versatile plants are a great addition to any gardeners' collection. Medicinal herbs are a particularly popular application of natural herbs, but herbs can also make great ornamental plants.
Herbs also tend to be small in size, making these plants great for indoor herb gardens and other places where planting and growing space is at a premium.
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How to Take a
Herbal Full Body Bath
Full body baths are the most beneficial baths that can be taken and are, as we all know, very pleasant. They have been used for centuries as specific therapeutic aids in the treatment of disorders and for their beautifying effect.
To obtain the most from a therapeutic herbal body bath apply the following guidelines:
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Never take a full body bath within two hours after meals. The best time for a hydrotherapy treatment is about three hours after breakfast, which is a luxury most of us can't afford. The best time for most of us is just before retiring in the evening.
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Water temperature is important. Never start with an extreme. The ideal temperature is one that is agreeable to you, unless giving some particular treatment for effects. Rather increase or decrease the water temperature gradually as needed.
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Cold baths should be brief and should be avoided during menstruation.
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Room temperature is also important and there should be good ventilation - but no drafts. As a precaution against taking a cold, especially in winter, always decrease the temperature of the bath before you get out.
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Atmosphere is also important if you are taking a long, warm, relaxing bath to wash away the day's stress and tension. Take appropriate measures such as soft music, candle light, etc.
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Rest after a therapeutic herbal body bath is very important as this will add to its beneficial results. Try to lie down for at least an hour, preferably longer, immediately after your bath and keep yourself covered.
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Try to take a therapeutic bath every three to four days.
Therapeutic herbal body baths are beneficial to almost any condition you can think of. They are commonly used (prescribed) as home remedies in the treatment of the following conditions: arthritis, colds, colic, constipation, gall-stones, gout, neuralgia, rheumatism, sciatica, stress, tension. etc.
You can add any of your favourite herbs to your herbal bath or you can make up a formula that will be of benefit to whatever condition you want to alleviate. Use the standard recipe below as a guideline for your own creations and let me know of your trials and tribulations.
Aromatherapists make extensive use of full body baths, and theirs is to a certain extent a more standardized bath than a herbal bath, as most quality aromatherapy oils are of a known strength. However, this in not to say that a full body bath with aromatherapy oils is superior to a herbal bath.
Standard Herbal Body Bath Recipe.
You can either prepare an infusion (or decoction) which you add to the bath water, or you can place a handful of the herb in a muslin bag (or old stocking) which is suspended from the hot water tap so that the water flows through it.
For a stronger effect I often use a combination of these methods. I tie the herbs into the bag and first make the infusion or decoction. (Sometimes we will simmer the herbs for 10 to 20 minutes in a closed container) Then we add the resulting infusion or decoction to the water and we tie the bag to the hot water tap.
When making an infusion or decoction you usually use two cups of water and up to half a cup of the herb or formula. If you are using fresh herbs use more. Exact quantities are not that critical as the infusion will be diluted in the bath water.
Apply common sense.
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Gift Ideas - Herb Containers
Planting in containers does not differ much from planting in the garden. Start with a good potting soil and a container with ample drainage holes and success is virtually guaranteed.
You will need:
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A hanging basket or a nice terracotta clay pot with a diameter of at least 30cm.
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3 -5 herbs depending on the size of your container - as long as one of them is not a mint.
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Potting soil.
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Fetilizer.
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Gift wrap.
Prepare your herbs as you would for planting them in the garden. Ensure their root balls are wet and that they are trimmed and in shape. Also ensure that your potting soil is slightly moist as it absorbs water so much better after planting.
Cover the drainage holes with a piece of stocking to prevent soil washing out of the container. If you are using a good quality potting soil it's not necessary to cover the drainage holes with a layer of crocks. This outdated practice actually impairs drainage.
Add enough potting soil to the container so that when standing on it, the top of the root ball is about 2cm below the container rim. The watering gap.
Knock each herb from its pot and tease a few of the biggest roots out of the mass of the root ball. If it's a seriously pot-bound herb you may give the root ball a heavy teasing. If in doubt - rather err on the side of teasing too little. New roots will eventually find their way out as they grow.
Place each herb in its new container and ensure that it's upright. Gently firm the potting soil around the root ball, leaving the 2cm watering gap.
Water the herbs in well with a diluted fertilizer solution - until you see water coming out of the drainage holes. Do this in stages, giving the water time to soak into the potting soil.
Decorate and gift wrap.
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