Many people nowadays prefer to use shower gel when bathing, both for time-saving and convenience. However, there is still a traditional bathing method known as medicinal bath that remains popular. Today, I will introduce a traditional Chinese medicine bath recipe that not only moisturizes the skin and removes oil, but also eliminates body odor and promotes weight loss.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Bath - Recipe
Ingredients: 6g alum, 10g lotus leaf, peppermint, hawthorn leaf, tea leaf, patchouli, winter melon peel, seaweed, and angelica dahurica; 15g ephedra, plantago seed, and schizonepeta.
Method: Boil the above ingredients in water to make 3000-5000ml of medicinal liquid. Filter the liquid with gauze and pour it into the bathwater. Soak in the bath (or soak specific body parts) for half an hour, once a day, for a treatment period of three months.
Benefits: Moisturizes the skin, removes oil, eliminates body odor, and promotes weight loss.
Precautions for Traditional Chinese Medicine Bath
1. The choice of medicinal ingredients should be based on specific needs.
2. Before taking a medicinal bath, it is necessary to shower and clean the body to maintain the hygiene of the bathwater.
3. The positioning in the bath is important. Initially, the water level should be below the heart, and after 3-5 minutes of acclimatization, the water level can be gradually increased to shoulder height. Avoid bathing for too long, especially in hot water baths.
Excessive sweating can lead to dehydration and loss of body fluids. The expansion of blood vessels on the skin surface increases blood volume, which can cause dizziness or fainting due to insufficient blood supply to the head.
If dizziness or fainting occurs, promptly help the person out of the bath and lay them down on a bed in a resting room. Provide them with drinking water or sugar water to replenish fluids and energy.
Alternatively, washing the feet with cold water can cause the blood vessels in the lower limbs to contract, ensuring sufficient blood supply to the head.
4. The timing of the bath is important. Avoid taking a full-body medicinal bath within 30 minutes before or after a meal. Taking a medicinal bath before a meal can lead to syncope due to an empty stomach. Taking a medicinal bath immediately after a meal can reduce blood supply to the stomach and intestines, affecting digestion and causing discomfort, including nausea and vomiting.
It is not advisable to take a full-body hot medicinal bath before going to bed as it may cause excitement and affect sleep.
5. Caution is advised for the following individuals when taking a medicinal bath:
- Severe heart failure, severe pulmonary dysfunction, myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease, aortic aneurysm, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, individuals prone to bleeding, and the elderly.
- Children should avoid medicinal baths with a water temperature above 39°C and instead bathe in medicinal liquid close to body temperature. They should be accompanied by family members or medical staff, and the bathing time should not be too long.
- Pregnant women and women during menstruation should avoid medicinal baths, especially basin baths and sitz baths.
