Foot Bath Ideas

Foot Inspection TipsDiabetes accounts for over 80,000 foot amputations in the US every year - something that can be easily prevented with a simple daily foot inspection!

January Foot Wash Idea - Hot Foot Bath to top Warning: Diabetics and people with foot neuropathy should not do this foot bath!

THERAPEUTIC USES - Relieve cramps in feet and leg Relieve pain of gout Overcome insomnia Relieve neuralgic pains

Relieve Sore Throat or chest cold Prepare body for any hot water therapy For Women: Relieve menstrual cramps

Hot water foot baths are an excellent water therapy for drawing blood from inflamed parts of the body, or drawing congestion away from an organ. Hot foot baths will speed up the body's reaction to a salt massage bath or a shallow (sit or hip) bath.

Use a large dishpan or the bathtub. Start with warm water and increase the heat until it as hot as you can tolerate. If you have no bath thermometer, you should consider purchasing one. Here is a link for your convenience, thermometers. Until you get a thermometer, a good rule of thumb is to use 1 quart (1 liter) of boiling water to 2 quarts (2 liters) of cold water to produce a hot bath of 106⁰ F (41⁰C). Or 2 quarts (2 liters) of boiling water to 4 quarts (4 liters) of cold water for a gallon and a half (6 liters) of hot water at 106⁰ F (41⁰C). If the water gets cool, withdraw one cup of water and replace with two cups of boiling water.

Place a cold compress to forehead every few minutes to prevent head congestion. Note: Wet hand cloth rinsed with cold water for the compress.

End every treatment with a lukewarm, then cool, sponging or shower directed to the soles of the feet. Wrap the feet in a towel and dry carefully. Keep them warm and wrapped for 15 minutes.

When the hot footbath is used to relieve a sore throat or to abort a cold, add 1 tablespoon of mustard powder to 1 quart of hot water and add this mixture to the foot bath.

Use a large dishpan or the bathtub. Start with warm water and increase the heat until it as hot as you can tolerate. If you have no bath thermometer, you should consider purchasing one. Until you get a thermometer, a good rule of thumb is to use 1 quart (1 liter) of boiling water to 2 quarts (2 liters) of cold water to produce a hot bath of 106⁰ F (41⁰C). Or 2 quarts (2 liters) of boiling water to 4 quarts (4 liters) of cold water for a gallon and a half (6 liters) of hot water at 106⁰ F (41⁰C). If the water gets cool, withdraw one cup of water and replace with two cups of boiling water.

End every treatment with a lukewarm, then cool, sponging or shower directed to the soles of the feet. Wrap the feet in a towel and dry carefully. Keep them warm and wrapped for 15 minutes.

When the hot foot bath is in preparation for perspiration-inducing water therapies, add hay flower extract or strong hay flower tea or oat straw tea. Or add a tablespoon of a stimulating herb powder, such as mustard or 1/8 tablespoon powdered cayenne pepper, or 1/2 teaspoon of powdered ginger or strong rosemary tea or 10 drops of rosemary essential oil extract. Dissolve any ingredient in hot water before adding to the foot bath. Use only hayflower or oat straw if there are open sores (ulcers), cracked feet, or broken skin.

End every treatment with a lukewarm, then cool, sponging or shower directed to the soles of the feet. Wrap the feet in a towel and dry carefully. Keep them warm and wrapped for 15 minutes.

It should not be used by those whose feet perspire profusely. Diabetics and people with foot or toe nerve damage (neuropathy) should avoid this bath altogether since there is a possibility they could damage their feet. If you have diabetes or been diagnosed with neuropath do not do this footbath. Always check with your doctor or primary care physician if in doubt.

Warning: Diabetics and people with foot neuropathy should not do this foot bath!

THERAPEUTIC USES - Toothache Neuralgia Headache (Use Cold Compress on Head) Catarrh Passive Swelling of the Ankles Foot Infections

Chilblains Blood Poisoning Congestion of the Abdomen Congestion of pelvic organs Cold body Cold feet To warm the body up for other treatments

An alternate hot and cold foot bath is a very useful water therapy because the heat sedates, and the cold stimulates the feet and other parts of the body connected by reflex tot the feet. This alternate foot bath is frequently used in treating sprained ankles.

Use two containers. Fill one with hot water 110⁰ F (46⁰C) - 100⁰ F (38⁰C) the other with cold tap water about 60⁰ F(16⁰C). If you have no bath thermometer, you should consider purchasing one. Here is a link for your convenience, thermometers. Until you get a thermometer, a good rule of thumb is to use 1 quart (1 liter) of boiling water to 2 quarts (2 liters) of cold water to produce a hot bath of 110⁰ F (46⁰C) - 100⁰ F (38⁰C). Or 2 quarts (2 liters) of boiling water to 4 quarts (4 liters) of cold water for a gallon and a half (6 liters) of hot water at 110⁰ F (46⁰C). If the water gets cool, withdraw one cup of water and replace with two cups of boiling water.

Steep both feet in hot water for 3 minutes. Withdraw and plunge the feet into container of cold water for 20 - 30 seconds. Repeat the process 3 times. End with cold water. Carefully wipe the feet dry. The beneficial effect of this bath lasts a long time.

Hot Water temperature: 110⁰ F (46⁰C) - 100⁰ F (38⁰C). Cold Water temperature: 60⁰ F(16⁰C)

Duration: Steep both feet in hot water for 3 minutes. Withdraw and plunge the feet into container of cold water for 20 - 30 seconds.

End every treatment with a lukewarm, then cool, sponging or shower directed to the soles of the feet. Wrap the feet in a towel and dry carefully. Keep them warm and wrapped for 15 minutes.

Warning: Diabetics and people with foot neuropathy should use lukewarm water for this foot bath!

Treat your feet to a little pampering with this softening and fragrant foot soak.

April Idea - Refreshing Foot Bath

Mix up a batch of fragrant, stimulating bath salts to soothe your tired feet. You’ll find both fresh and dried lavender and rosemary as well as lavender oil at many health food stores and at shops that sell herbs and spices. Epsom salts are readily available at any pharmacy. Mix all the components together rapidly, but gently, to avoid crushing the blossoms. Do not use a wooden spoon; it will absorb the lavender oil. To store the bath salts, pour them into a large dark-glass bottle with a tight-fitting lid. For one foot bath, pour 3 tablespoons of bath salts into 1 quart of very hot water. Let the mixture cool to the temperature you desire.

The materials listed make 2 (1-pint) bottles of bath salts

1. With your fingers, carefully remove delicate petals, one by one, from fresh roses.

2. Gently remove rosemary leaves and lavender blossoms from sprigs.

3. Place Epsom salts in nonmetallic bowl. Top with rose petals, rosemary, and lavender.

4. Using a glass or plastic dropper, slowly drip lavender oil over Epsom salts, leaves, and blossoms.

5. Using a spoon, carefully mix together ingredients in bowl. Then, thoroughly stir in a rapid motion to distribute evenly.

6. Pour bath salts into attractively shaped glass bottles and seal with tight-fitting lid or stopper.

May Foot Care Idea - Herbal Vinegar to the Rescue The uses of this kitchen staple go well beyond the culinary realm.

by Maggie Howe

The Herb Quarterly, Fall 2004

Most herbal vinegar recipes I've found extol the uses of this flavoring in foods, from salads and sauces to marinades, soups, and much more. But while we can't deny vinegar's indispensable role in the kitchen, its applications go well beyond salad dressing. In fact, the unassuming vinegar bottle sitting in your kitchen cupboard has uses of which you may never have dreamed.

Since ancient times, vinegar has been used as a skin toner, mouthwash, hair rinse, and deodorant. It's also a preservative and was, at one time, a medical "cure-all." The addition of herbs to vinegar only increases its versatility, not to mention its effectiveness as a natural cleanser, deodorizer, skin toner, and conditioner.

For the past few years, I've experimented with many non-food uses for herbal vinegars, and have been delighted with the results. Making herbal vinegars, is a wonderful, inexpensive way to experiment with the bountiful produce of the herb garden. The process is simple and almost foolproof, bringing both practical and therapeutic results.

The recipes and suggestions listed here represent but a few of the many household applications of herbal vinegar. Once you start using it as a replacement for the more expensive, harsh, and possibly toxic cleansers and beauty products in your home, you'll begin to see that vinegar's potential has almost no limits.

Herb Vinegar: The Recipe

To make your own herbal vinegar, first select a clean, clear, wide-mouth glass jar or jug. Next, select your vinegar. An organic, raw apple cider vinegar provides the most beneficial properties, but white and/or non-organic vinegars will also work (and can be much easier to find). Finally, gather your herbs, choosing your favorites or using suggestions in the recipes that follow.

Fill the jar with roughly chopped herbs or spices, fresh or dried. Pour in your vinegar to the top of the jar, cap, and set the jar in the sun for a week or two to let the flavors infuse. When you judge the vinegar to be strong enough, strain the herbs, using cheesecloth or a coffee filter, and rebottle the vinegar. You're now ready to use the vinegar around the home, with the help of the suggestions that follow.

Mints, sages, and rosemary refresh the skin, helping mitigate the presence of oils.

Comfrey, calendula, and chamomile make soothing vinegars, excellent for dry or sensitive skin.

Lavender and rose create beautiful, jewel-toned bathing vinegars that make wonderful gifts when packaged in clear, recycled glass containers.

Take a Bath or Foot Bath

Herbal vinegar makes a wonderful bath additive, as it naturally balances skin pH, gently toning excess dryness or oiliness. Its mild, natural antiseptic action helps deeply cleanse the largest organ of your body -- the skin -- without being harsh or drying. Adding herbs to vinegar heightens these healing properties, and allows you to tailor your bathing vinegar to the needs of your skin type.

To create your own bathing vinegar, first choose your favorite herb or herb blend -- or use the suggestions at the bottom. Make the vinegar using the recipe above, then simply add 1/2 to 1 cup to a warm tub, and soak for 20 minutes. Vinegar also makes a wonderful sunburn-, rash-, and insect-bite soother. Use a cotton ball to apply undiluted herbal vinegar to an insect bite, and the itch or sting will subside.

June Herbal Foot Bath

Use any of the following dried herbs*:
Lavender Lilac Rose Pedals Lemon/Lime Wedges
Rosemary Oregano
Sage

Use any a few drops of these essential oils:
Jasmine Rose Oil Mink Oil
Peppermint Spearmint Others Camphor
Tea Tree Arnica Eucalyptus Oregano Clary Sage Frankincense Myrrh Marjoram

Mix herbs and place in a small cheesecloth. Fill a bucket full with warm water for your feet and add herbs. Soak away all the pains of the day! Make several at a time and keep on hand after a long day.
*A few drops of scented oil may be used instead.

July Herbal Foot Care - Jeanne Rose Formulations

Health Through Water

by Jeanne Rose

SPA Formulas for Regular and Foot Baths

BATHS - See individual listings for different baths. A simple bath is the infused herbs of any fresh ones that you have available with 10 drops complimentary essential oils. i.e. Citrus peels infusion plus citrus and Patchouli [1 drop each Grapefruit, Lemon, Orange, 3 of Neroli + 4 drops Patchouli].

DEEP SPA BATHS or HOME BATHING with Hydrosols - Hydrosols in the bath water will keep your skin young and beautiful looking. They are anti-aging.

Run a deep bath. Add herbs or not, add 4 oz of any hydrosol, add milk, add anything. Soak for at least 20 minutes. Try to air dry. Then dress. Here are some hydrosols to use and what they can be used for -

Lavender Hydrosol is gentle, balancing, a toner, anti-inflammatory, cooling to the skin, hydrating and great for all skin types, especially oily and sensitive skin.

Lemon Balm Hydrosol is anti-viral and can be used for herpes or as an antifungal. Use it in the bath, the foot bath for athletes foot or for a child's bath. One ounce in a child's bath is plenty.

Rose Geranium Hydrosol is the consummate bathing hydrosol. It smells good and regenerates the skin while it 'balances' the oil glands. It is good for dry skin, men love it in the bath and it even is good for bathing dogs.

Rosemary Hydrosol is the anti-aging hydrosol. Drink it, bathe in it, use the herb, use the hydrosol, use the essential oil and use all combinations of these for a variety of herbal/aromatic anti-aging delights. If you use it to wash your hair, it makes the hair so strong that it will be difficult to color or perm.

Witch Hazel Hydrosol is astringent, has little to no odor and heals all sorts of skin problems.

HYDROSOL SPRAY/TONIC DRINKS/HYDROSOL BATH -

Hydrosols: These are the natural products of specialized distillation. They contain all the natural plant-based properties and nutrients as well as the small therapeutic micro-drops of essential oil. Hydrosols are mildly acidic, about 5.5 which is the same pH as the skin. [if the pH is more than this, then you probably bought water and it isn't a true hydrosol] Hydrosols can be used as facial sprays, in all your water-based products, in drinking waters as a tonic, in baths, compresses, poultices, creams, lotions, foot baths, foods, etc. Just add them to everything, one tablespoon to drinks up to 4 ounces to the bath.

MUD BATHS -

Umm! - I love mud baths, volcanic ash baths, Moor mud baths. Mud baths as they are done in various SPAs of the world such as those that exist in Calistoga, CA, can only be taken on site. One of the best in Calistoga is Indian Springs Spa (707/942-4913) which uses only the natural volcanic ash that is dug from the ground where it was deposited ages ago. Relaxing in a mud bath is detoxifying, healing, pain-relieving and cleansing to mind/body/spirit.

In the home spa, you might try Moor Mud made from the natural Moor Peat from the Neydharting Spa of Austria. Moor is the result of the slow decomposition over thousands of years of 1,000 herbs, plants and flowers that were nurtured by glacial waters and pure air and sunlight. The pH is mildly acidic like human skin. It is a remarkable substance with many therapeutic properties. It can improve the skin, aid in weight loss and breakdown of cellulite. Moor baths are also helpful for people who have trouble sleeping or who have chronic pain. It is available in 35 oz containers, just enough for 7 - 5 oz baths taken on alternate evenings as a detoxifying agent. One should take 21 of these baths (42 days) for a complete treatment.

There are many types of mud baths, mud treatments. These include the Moor Bath and the volcanic ash treatments already mentioned as well as the various cold and hot treatments using the healing force of natural peat. Muds can be used in full-body baths, in full-body or partial applications, compresses with other herbs and hydrosols as well and in face masks, in baths with salts, milks, whey or with cream applications.

SALT BATHS -

Salt baths are the easiest to take. Precede the salt bath with a salt scrub. Stand on a towel outside of the tub and using handfuls of salt to exfoliate the skin gently scrub the skin - from neck to waist and from toes to neck; always moving your hands in a circular rotation. If pure salt is too gritty, mix it 1~1 with oil (Olive or Almond). Concentrate on the knuckles, elbows, knees, feet, and fatty parts such as the love handles and butt. Run a hot bath. Add 1 cup each of sea salt, baking soda and epsom salts. Get in and soak for 15 minutes. Rinse. Air dry. Wrap yourself in a big fluffy towel, lay in the sun or take a rest in warmed blankets. This may be followed by a massage or blanket wrap.

Scented Salt Baths - To every pound of mixed salts, add 5-10 drops of your essential oil mixture. Mix it together thoroughly, let it age at least two weeks before using. For a real salt bath, use the entire pound of scented salt per each bath. There are many excellent mixtures of essential oils that one can use in the scented bath, check out table 1 and 2 of either The Herbal Body Book or The Aromatherapy Book for some good ideas. The citrus oils are a particularly good choice.

SEAWATER BATH or SEAWEED BATH - I have taken a variety of baths using fresh and dried seaweed. Since fresh seaweed harbors millions of tiny creatures, my suggestion is to only use dried Seaweeds with no creatures. Use a Seaweed that doesn't break up like Dulce or giant Kelp. Simply put a dried piece in your bath, add rubber duckies and cute play toys, watch the Seaweed grow and expand in the water until it gently unfurls and wraps around your body. Turn out the lights and contemplate the great oceans of the world. You can also collect gallons of seawater from the ocean, bring it home and add to your bath.

A favorite formula is to take 1 oz each of Dulce, Bladderwrack and Irish Moss and add to your bathtub along with 1 cup of sea salt. Have a nice soak. Rub your body all over with a pumice stone or with the inside of an Avocado peel. This will exfoliate off the dead skin. After 20 minutes, have a rinse, wrap in a big linen towel and give yourself a facial or foot massage with gentle herbal oils.

Soap - Hand made, hand-crafted aromatherapy soaps are the best way to incorporate an aromatherapy treatment into your daily schedule. A good crafted soap retains all the glycerin, does not dry the skin, moisturizes, and uses pure essential oils not fragrance for scent and therapy. A soap formula should use about 8 oz essential oil/32 pounds of soap. This is approximately 1 drop per personal application and is a truly therapeutic aromatic treatment. There are many choices and many producers. My favorite soaps are listed at the end of this article.

WATER/HERBAL WRAPS - Herbal wraps are used to help detoxify the body, reduce water weight and for cleansing. My favorites use heavy old-fashioned linen sheets rather than cotton sheets. The wrap in its simplest form is used as follows: The sheets are dipped into an herbal infusion using any herbs that grow nearby or that can be obtained. The sheets are then wrung out using a wringer and then while still hot wrapped around a person. The person is then covered with a water-proof sheet and then swaddled with blankets.

There are some fine points. The best herbs are fresh or freshly picked and would include wild Sage, Camomile, Lavender. A communal room is best where 5-10 women are being wrapped at the same time. This contains the steam and keeps the room steamy and cozy. The tables/beds should be hip high as a comfort to the attendant. A medium firm 3-5 inch mattress is used, covered with a rubberized cover and then a water-proof sheet. The hot herbal sheets are laid on this base, then the person, then the sheets are brought up and around the person. Two-three hot sheets are used per person.

After the 20 minute hot herbal wrap, the woman puts on her thick terry cloth robe and goes to the cool down room where she is wrapped in a warm blanket for 20 minutes and allowed to rest and cool down. During the wrap process, cold Cucumber slices or cool Chamomile tea bags are placed on the eyes, and mineralized water is given to drink.

The water used is the most important part of the process and should be clean and pure. Hydrosols can be sprayed on the woman before the wrap, as well as after the wrap for a refreshing change.

SIMPLIFIED RECIPES:

Clay Mask: To make a clay mask or pack: simply take a bit of clay (1 t.), add water/hydrosol, enough to mix using a non-metal mixer or your finger and apply. Let it dry and then remove with plenty of water and a spray of hydrosol.

Sugar Scrub: EXTERNAL MASSAGE: Standing in the bathtub, rub yourself all over with Sugar Scrub.

70% by weight sugar, gritty sugar like Turbinado

30% by weight oil such as Calendula Infused oil or any vegetable oil.

2% by weight of essential oils

This translates to 2-1/2 oz or 1/3 cup of a nice gritty sugar like Turbinado

1 oz by volume of oil

25 drops of essential oil blend (I have used 12 d. Lemon + 12 d. Grapefruit)

Water/Herbal Wraps: Use 1 lb. of herbs to 5 gallons of water. An easy way to make the hot herbal infusion is to add the herbs to a mesh laundry bag, add the hottest water from the tap, put it through a short cycle without a rinse cycle to get a strong infusion. Add the sheets at the end of the wash cycle for 3 minutes and then wring the sheets through a hand wringer. Then the herbal infusion can be used again for the next set of sheets.

AUTHOR:

Jeanne Rose has been teaching, researching and using natural remedies for 33 years, beginning with her first book, Herbs & Things, now in it's second edition. Sixteen books followed this seminal work. To get in touch, to purchase the books, to understand aromatherapy, herbalism, hydrosols and essential oils, to sign up for the in-person Seminars with Jeanne Rose, visit her website at www.jeannerose.net. Jeanne Rose also teaches a distance learning program, home-study courses both in Herbalism and Aromatherapy. She is Executive Director of the Aromatic Plant Project and can be reached at info@hydrosols.net. You may also call 415/564-6785 for a catalog and calendar of events.

SOURCES:

Hydrosols: Aromatic Plant Project - 415/564-6785 or Kneading Wellness - 717/626-8182

Moor Mud: Available at many places, here's one - 604/878-0812 and fax 604/228-1827

Soaps: There are many handcrafted soaps available. Try some from your local health food store.

REFERENCE:

Rose, Jeanne, 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols, Herbal Library, 1999

________, The Aromatherapy Book, Applications & Inhalations. North Atlantic. 1998

________, Herbal Body Book, Frog, Berkeley, CA 2000

________, Herbs & Things, Last Gasp, San Francisco, CA 2001

________, Kitchen Cosmetics, Frog, Berkeley, CA 1976

The above mentioned books can be purchased through www.JeanneRose.net or Aromatic Plant Project 415/564-6785

Call Institute of Aromatic Studies, 219 Carl St., San Francisco, CA 94117:

Phone 415/564-6785, FAX 415/564-6799; E-Mail info@JeanneRose.net

August Foot Bath Idea - (Cold Water Treading) Can be done in tub, cold water whirlpool, foot bath, beach, stream, grass, etc. Use this simple water action every morning and evening, everyday of your life. It is stimulating and energizing, increases body tone, and could help you develop resistance to infectious diseases for men, women, and children. It is an excellent and important procedure for young and old alike. I love cold water treading because it produces a feeling of euphoria and good health. Cold water treading, or a cold water whirlpool foot bath, reduces the felling of heat (hot feet) in the summer and helps to reenergize the body. Research has shown that this is one of the most important of preventative water treatments because it helps to build up resistance to disease, and slowly develops a physical vigor within the body. It is no substitute for exercise, of course, but it should be a key part of body care.

Procedure - Fill bath with cold water up to the ankles, or for deeper effect up to the calves and move your feet in water. Enter the tub, and hold on to a stationary wall grip. March in place for 5 seconds to 5 minutes. In warm or hot weather, walk around barefoot afterward, or wipe the feet vigorously with a towel. The same effect can be achieved by sitting on the edge of a tub with a whirlpool motor making a swirling movement in the water, or by sitting and constantly moving the feet and rubbing the soles against a rough surface.

Children, invalids, and postoperative patients can duplicate this effect by sitting and splashing their feet in a large dishpan filled with cold water. Do this for a few seconds. Do not allow weakened or feeble people to become chilled. The amount of time can be increased week by week.

Duration: Several second to 10 minutes. Do this twice a day, morning and late afternoon.

Note: Cold water foot baths should not be used if the following conditions exist: rheumatism or arthritis of the toes and ankles, sciatic, neuralgia of the bladder, pelvic inflammation, irritable bladder or rectum.

THERAPEUTIC USES - Create intense reaction in pelvic area Decongest lungs Decongest head

Add ice cubes to small amount of cold water in a bathtub, or in a large dishpan. Dip the toes in for 30 seconds. Rub entire foot vigorously. Return the toes to bath for 30 seconds, and then rub the entire foot vigorously. Keep repeating the action until the feet become red. End the treatment by rubbing the feet dry. Rapidly tap the sole of each foot.

Cold water foot baths should not be used if the following conditions exist: rheumatism or arthritis of the toes and ankles, sciatic, neuralgia of the bladder, pelvic inflammation, irritable bladder or rectum, diabetics and people with foot or toe nerve damage (neuropathy).

THERAPEUTIC USES - Insomnia General fatigue Congestion in head Moderate depression

Sit on the edge of the bathtub and place your feet and ankles under cold running tap water for several seconds to several minutes depending on your tolerance for cold.

THERAPEUTIC USES - Cold Feet Weakness of Bladder Incontinence of Older People Prevents Headaches

Sit on the edge of the bathtub and focus the stream of water from a cold shower on the soles of your feet for 1 to 1 ½ minutes. Such streams of water not only increase circulation, but also act either by diverting blood from another part of the body, and therefore relieve congestion somewhere else, or a reflex connection to another organ, since there are so many reflex points on the soles of the feet.

A cold broken jet or spray shower on the feet at the end of any shower contracts the blood vessels of the brain, and relieves any congestion in the head.

THERAPEUTIC USES - When vigorous cold foot baths cannot be used As a preparation for cold foot baths For soreness of the neck For circulation problems

The warm foot bath is more comfortable for the very young, the very weak, and the very old. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the warm foot bath.

A quick way to achieve a water temperature of 85⁰ F (33⁰C) is to use one quart (1 liter) of boiling water to four quarts (4 liters) of cold tap water. To achieve a temperature of 92⁰F, use one quart (1 liter) of boiling water to three quarts (3 liters) of cold tap water.

It should not be used by those whose feet perspire profusely. Diabetics and people with foot or toe nerve damage (neuropathy) should avoid keeping their feet in this bath for several minutes. For diabetics it would not hurt to have a thermometer to check the water temperature. Here is a link for your convenience, thermometers. Diabetics and other people with foot or toe nerve damage should also use a water temperature not more than 85⁰F. Always check with your doctor or primary care physician if in doubt.