FTF: Detox Baths

Favorite Things Friday:

Detox Baths

The Do Better Plan

I've been a little stressed and grumpy lately.  I think my hormones are out of whack (and I'd like to be more in whack, what does whack mean?).  I don't have anything to be grumpy about; life is good.  During these times, I try to make an effort to do better / feel better.  What's my biggest vice?

BATHING!

Some of you may take a bath every day, but I don't.  Showers are for cleaning and baths are for detox, escaping the kids, changing my attitude, etc.  I downloaded the Focus on the Family Daily Broadcast App on my phone, so I can listen to the 24 minute broadcasts (commercial free) while I bathe.  I just learned Focus on the Family has another app with Adventures in Odyssey - score!  Back to "my time", I bought myself daisies to help my mood, light a few candles (whose wax I ended up spilling all over, including burning myself a little bit), mix a 6 drops lavender oil and 12 drops peppermint oil for a little aromatherapy... and voila, let the restoration process begin!  

It's low cost, just an hour long, it burns calories, helps your body detox, clears and softens your skin, and it's a great mental / emotional break from the world.  Are you sold?

I know I briefly mentioned this in a post right here.  Again, here's the how-to:

Northern Europeans prefer to sweat it out in a sauna, but many Romans, Greeks, Chinese and Indians have used sweat baths to rid toxins from the body (a practice thousands of years old).  I sit in the tub as I fill it up, so I can slowly adjust to the heat.  Depending on the size of your tub, add 1 - 2 cups of ONE of the following: baking soda, apple cider vinegar, epsom salt.  Do not mix these additives, but try to rotate between them for each sweat bath. Wait an hour or two after a meal to do your sweat bath.  When you start to sweat, listen to your body.  If you need to cool down the water or get out, do it.  I generally take 20 minutes to warm up, 20 minutes of heart pounding sweat, and the next 20 minutes I start adding cold water to help my body return to normal.  I drink approx. 24 oz. of iced tea during my bath.  I also lay down afterwards to recover.  Regardless of whether or not you are sick, this is an excellent detox practice.  It will get easier with time.  

"Give me a fever, and I can cure any illness"

- Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine

How do you create a fever?  Take a sweat bath!