Herbal Bathing to Counteract Summer Heat

Bathing and soaking are common health-promoting practices in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Among these, herbal bathing is especially valued during the summer months for its ability to counteract heat-related discomfort. By selecting herbs that dispel summer heat, resolve dampness, promote circulation, relieve fatigue, and refresh the body, herbal bathing offers a natural and effective way to maintain wellness.
 
This method is simple, requires no special equipment, and can be easily done at home, making it a convenient health practice. During summer days, taking herbal baths help alleviate problems such as feverish body, poor sleep, headaches, fatigue, excessive sweating, and irritability.
 
Some beneficial ingredients for bathing or soaking in summer include:

  • Skin cleansing and stop itchiness: honeysuckle, Dahurian angelica root, belvedere fruit, tea leaf and vinegar.
  • Dispelling summer-heat: peppermint, fortune eupatorium herb, chrysanthemum, lotus leaf and weeping forsythia capsule.
  • Dispelling dampness: mugwort, agastache herb and atractylodes rhizome.
  • Relieving fatigue: mugwort and Chinese safflower. 

Bath Prescriptions for hot summer

  • Agastache (20g), fortune eupatorium herb (20g), wild chrysanthemum flower (20g), loquat leaf (60g, hair removed), talc (30g). This can relieve heat rash and prevent heat-related ailments. 
  • Mosla herb (12g), perilla leaf (12g), magnolia bark (12g), agastache herb (12g), notopterygium root (10g), fermented soybean (10g). This can relieve discomfort of summer heat.  
  • Mosla herb(15g), perilla leaf (15g) & agastache herb (15g), peppermint (10g), schizonepeta herb (10g), kudzu root (10g), liquorice root, golden thread rhizome (9g). This can relieve discomfort of summer heat.

honeysuckle flower weeping forsythia capsule mugwort leaf
honeysuckle flower weeping forsythia capsule mugwort leaf


Preparation for decoction
  1. Wrap the herbs in gauze or a cloth bag.
  2. Add 800ml of water.
  3. Soak the herbs for 20 minutes.
  4. Boil the soaked herbs for 30 minutes.
  5. Pour the decoction into a bathtub and mix with warm water.

Bathing Instructions

Maintain the water temperature between 37°C to 42°C, soak for 15 to 30 minutes, meanwhile gently rub the body surface. After bathing, rinse with warm water, dry off with a towel, get dressed and rest for about 30 minutes.
Frequency: Bathe once or twice daily for 3 days, or until symptoms improve.

 
Precaution: Avoid direct exposure to air conditioning or fan blowing during bathing. For children, the elderly, or those with serious conditions, supervision during bathing is essential. 





 

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Herbal Bathing to Counteract Summer Heat

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