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.
The herbal bathing 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 a hot 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.
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| honeysuckle flower | weeping forsythia capsule | mugwort leaf |
Preparation for decoction
- Wrap the herbs in gauze or a cloth bag.
- Add 800ml of water.
- Soak the herbs for 20 minutes.
- Boil the soaked herbs for 30 minutes.
- 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.
Precautions: 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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