Comfort Herbs

by Meg McGowan

Winter does not allow us to take life for granted. The contours of our world

actually change as snow renders the familiar, unfamiliar. The complacent

patterns of our lives are subject to change as well. Nature challenges the

assumptions that order our days �?assumptions that the car will start, that we

will go to work, that the children will go to school; that our homes will be lit

and heated; that we can communicate with the rest of the world from our

homes; that we will continue to order our lives unaffected by the capricious

whims of the natural world.

Other seasons occasionally draw or demand our attention, but only winter

insists, day after day, on its due. Comfort and health are challenged as part

of the accepted status quo. Outdoor activities leave you damp and sweaty, ripe

for a chill as the sun goes down and the wind picks up. Muscles tense in

response to the cold, becoming achy and tight. Germs enclosed in stagnant air

thrive and multiply. Forced air heat dries out skin and nasal passages.

What’s the best way to respond to these challenges? Relax. Change with the

season. Try to get more exercise and more sleep. Heed the advice of

Hippocrates: "The way to health is to have an aromatic bath and scented massage every

day."

When feet are cold and wet, soaking them in an herbal foot bath boosts your

immune system along with your comfort level. Melatonin, known as the "sleep

hormone," is integral to the immune system and the most effective antioxidant

known to date. It’s produced in response to a raised body temperature in an

effort to reduce it. A hot foot bath, therefore, stimulates the production of

melatonin, which in turn enhances immune system functioning. (Folklore holds

that it is impossible to fall asleep with cold feet. Feet may act as the

bodies thermostat, so if they are cold, melatonin, the key to dreamland, is not

produced.) It is thought that a foot bath to combat chill should use water

that is as hot you can comfortably stand �?the theory being: the warmer the

water, the larger the surge of melatonin required to bring the body temperature

back into balance.

Water for a foot bath should cover the ankles, if possible. Dried herbs may

be added to a foot bath at the outset, while water is hot enough to release

their volatile oils. Alternatively, dried herbs may be steeped in boiling

water first, creating an infusion. Add an infusion, essential oils, or bath salts

to the water after it has cooled to warm. While the water is exremely hot,

feet are perspiring, a condition at odds with soaking up herbal benefits.

Also, hot water causes the volatile oils to dissipate too quickly. (Whichever

method you choose, drape a large towel or blanket over your knees, creating a

tent to contain the oils for absorption.)

If feet are tired and cold, use a combination of herbs to soothe and

rejuvenate. Lavender, lemon, and peppermint possess both relaxing and stimulating

qualities, making them ideally suited for reviving abused feet. Sage has both

calming and stimulating effects on the central nervous system, as well as a

welcome deodorizing effect.

Rosemary stimulates circulation and the adrenal glands. Include it in a

revitalizing soak to assuage aching muscles. Eucalyptus, another warming herb,

also stimulates blood flow and eases soreness in joints and muscles. In cases

of respiratory illness, eucalyptus might be combined with camphor and thyme,

which are warming, stimulating and used as remedies for chest infections.

As a general rule for baths (foot or body), use a total of approximately

one-half cup dried herbs. Essential oils may be added or used instead of dried

herbs; five to eight drops are recommended. Sea salt or Epsom salts may be

added, along with baking soda. Try one-half cup of each.

While a hot bath may increase melatonin production, the rest of the body is

not as tolerant of hot water as are the feet. For full-body baths, warm water

is best. Hot water is also very drying to the skin. Winter winds outside and

forced air heat inside tend to deplete more than enough moisture from the

skin, so consider adding soothing and nourishing essential oils to your bath

such as carrot, geranium, German chamomile, lavender, patchouli and rose.

If you are suffering from congestion or stuffy sinuses, combine essential

oils and herbs that offer multiple benefits. Elderflowers are traditionally

used externally for rheumatic aches, and internally for coughs, colds,

congestion, and allergies.

While not known to be a substitute for consuming therapeutic doses of herbs

internally, bathing allows some measure of the herb’s benefits to be

absorbed by the skin and inhaled in the steam of the bath. Similarly, marsh mallow

soothes both inflamed skin and painful sinuses. Marjoram and oregano are used

to treat muscular pain, respiratory problems and colds. Likewise, pine helps

to ease rheumatism, muscular aches and pains, sore throats, respiratory

ailments and colds. Always use caution in both the temperature of your bath and

any herbs you use, internally or externally, if you are pregnant.

In The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies (Harmony, 1998), Vasant Lad

suggests "a hot ginger powder-baking soda bath (two-thirds cup baking soda

and one-fourth cup ginger per tubful of water) is also effective for muscle

relaxation."

If you are purchasing herbal bath preparations, look for companies that are

conscientious about what they put in their products as well as what they

leave out. Burt’s Bees, for example, states that they "leave out the

petroleum-synthesiz<WBR>ed fillers like mineral oil and propylene glycol," and they "don’t use

artificial preservatives such as methyl paraben or diazolidiny urea." What

they do include are herbs, flowers, botanical oils, beeswax, essential oils,

and clay. Look for their Rebound line to soothe overused muscles and their

Green Goddess line for relaxation and rejuvenation.

Bloom uses pure ingredients in their Tub Tonics, which are ready-to-fizz

combinations of citric acid, sea salt, baking soda and essential oils.

Fragrances include Energy, Purity, Tranquillity and Harmony. Bloom’s Green Tea Warming

Foot Soak incorporates lavender, chamomile, calendula and other herbs into a

blend with green tea.

Annapurna Herb Shop in Evanston carries muslin bags of herbs for the tub

from WiseWays Herbals, a small company in Worthington, Massachusetts, which uses

only organic herbs or those that are ecologically wildcrafted. They don’t

use synthetic chemicals or preservatives or do animal testing. Annapurna also

carries bulk herbs and small muslin bags, if you prefer to create your own

blend.

Take the same care in storing herbs for the bath that you take in storing

herbs for cooking or medicinal purposes. Protect herbal products from heat,

light and dampness and keep them tightly sealed to preserve their therapeutic

value.

This winter, try acquiescing to the inevitable. Leave room in your life to

go with the flow. Avoid the stress (and certain illness) that comes from

insisting on your own way. Questioning what is allows room for what might be. In

this season of gray and white space, envision your direction for the new year

beyond a series of successfully navigated obstacles �?and remember, obstacles

are not always what they seem.

DISCLAIMER: Choosing a holistic approach to medicine means choosing

personal responsibility for your health care. Herbs for Health offers a doorway

through which to enter the realm of herbal healing, an invitation to further

investigation on the part of the reader. It is in no way intended as a substitute

for advice from a health care practitione