We want our life to be easy and convenient. I still can recall when I was a child, I ran happily home towards my mum just by telling her that there was a supermarket name “Convenient Store” newly opened right near to my house. For me as a kid, I could buy junks and sweets whenever I feel like having it at ease. But I didn’t realize that by having all these “goodies”, would cost my health.
We, especially me, love conveniences and most of time, take our wealth – i,e, “health” for granted. We want things to be as easy as possible. For instance, nowadays, Microwave, has been an essential in every modern household. But let me asked one question, though we could save some time from the hassle of cooking for our meals, how much these food from the microwave could be detrimental to our health?
I love the phrase “back to the Basic”, back to the routine of what the old folks have done during ages ago, isn’t that more beneficial to our health? Hence, don’t opt for a “short-cut” when comes to our health.
Different bathing forms may relieve exterior syndromes by means of diaphoresis, remove wind and dampness, promote qi flow and blood circulation, relax muscles and tendons, activate collaterals, regulate yin and yang, and inspire enthusiasm, etc. respectively. Bathing forms are numerous, such as hot spring bath, hot water bath, sunbath, seawater bath, sauna, cold water bath, medicated bath, mud bath, sand bath and forestry bath. Because of limited space, this section only introduces the TCM characteristics of Medicated Bath.
Medicated bath – that formulated from herbs and plants
Medicated liquid with a certain concentration is used to bathe or soak the whole body. In this way, the active principles of the drugs can exert direct effects on the region of pathological changes to destroy bacteria, kill pain, check itching and relieve inflammation. Meanwhile, by means of skin absorption, the active principles enter blood circulation to reach every tissue and organ of the human body, and to bring the therapeutic effects into full play.
The mechanism of life cultivation and rehabilitation with medicated bath
Medicated bath, like hot spring bath, hot water bath and sauna, can make skin blood vessels dilated and congested, accelerate metabolism and strengthen syringadenous excretion to promote profuse sweating and discharge of metabolite and toxin. Heat can reduce the excitability of nervous system to produce tranquilization and to be beneficial to sleeping, too. The heat of water can reduce muscular tension to relieve muscular pain and spasm as well. Moreover, the drugs in the medicated liquid reach the body directly. Therefore, it can produce a pharmacological action which does not exist in other bathing therapies.
Medicated bath may be applicable to the rehabilitation of hypertension, local soft tissue injury, neurosis, rheumatic arthritis, rhematoid arthritis, lumbago, pain of legs, ischias, sequelae of cerebrovascular accident, obesity, psoriasis, and skin itching, etc.
Direction
Cook the medicine into a hot boiling water i.e. 100℃ for at least 15mins. Then, decoct the herbs and plants into decoction. Next, mix the decoction with bathing water. The temperature of the water is about 35 to 40℃. The bathing lasts 15 to 20 minutes each time, once a day or once every other day. It is advisable to take the medicated bath after noon or in the evening according to the person’s physical conditions. After bathing, wipe the body drily with a towel. Then, cover the body with a quilt and lie in bed peacefully for a while. However, be cautious not to select the drugs which irritate and corrode the skin; old, very young and seriously sick patients should be nursed to avoid accidents; medicated bath is not advisable in the case of skin injury, excessive starvation, overfeeding, menstrual period and pregnant stage.
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