The habit of taking a bath and keeping oneself clean began well before man even suspected that cleanliness had anything to do with health. The very first baths were probably taken for a combination of ceremonial, religious and aesthetic reasons. It was only later that people began to realise that they looked better after a bath.
They also derived a lot of fun doing it, adding many pleasures to the basic ritual, including exercises, massages, perfuming, etc. Even today, we bathe not only to keep ourselves clean and healthy but also for the sheer pleasure and comfort.
In respect to health, a good bath is necessary to equalize circulation, improve digestion and the muscle tone and at the same time, give a boost to the activity of the perspiratory glands and get rid of dead cells and toxic matter from the body.
Even an ordinary bath serves as an excellent beauty and health routine.
In times of illness, a rejuvenating bath prevents the irritation of the skin, and washes away secretions of the body which have accumulated on it, thereby allowing it to breathe better. The soothing effect of water cannot be ignored and 'hydrotherapy' is considered to be the safest way of treating most types of fevers.
Considering its dual function of maintaining health and preventing illness, a leisurely bath does not, however imply locking oneself in the bathroom, for hours on end, and emptying bucket after bucket of water (both of which are scarce today).
A leisurely bath need not necessarily be a good bath, either; the epithet refers not to the time involved in the process, but to how effectively it is done, in giving equal attention to all parts of the body - a little more perhaps to those which are likely to get extra dirty with sweat or dirt.
A bath-brush to reach the inaccessible parts of the body, like the back, a pumice stone to soften the rough parts of the heels, a nail brush to clean the nails - all these equip us for a bath.
During summer, our bodies perspire more, and our oil glands work overtime. So in summer, there is nothing, perhaps, like a relaxing bath to put life back into a tired body. A desire to take a cold water shower or soak yourself in the cool waters of a bath tub seems very alluring. But it's a myth that cold water invigorates the skin. While extremely hot water can wreak havoc on your skin, cold water on the other hand only cools the skin temporarily and keeps the heat in. For cooler summer living, avoid cold water. True, a very cold shower can wake you up instantly, but that's all to it. Water at body temperature is the best and it's the most conducive during summer months too.
Prickly heat and itching are some of the banes of the summer months. Prickly heat, the irritating eruptions on the skin, which cause great discomfort, is the result of the clogging of sweat glands. (Tackle prickly heat with these home remedies.) Itching, an embarrassing and distressing problem, could result from various causes - like insect bites, drug reactions and so on, but in summer, the main culprits are heat and sweat.
Both these conditions can be relieved by adding an oatmeal solution (1 cup of oatmeal mixed in 2 cups of water) to the bath water and soaking in it for a while. In the absence of a bathtub, the solution could be applied liberally on the body, before the bath and then washed off.
Another malady affecting the overweight, especially during summer, is chafing, when the skin surfaces get irritated and painful, owing to their constant rubbing. This condition could lead to fungal infections if the affected area is not kept clean and dry.
Pimples could appear on other parts of the body, other than the face, like the back, shoulders, chest etc. now referred to as bacne. .That's why it's so essential to keep the skin clean with a good bath. The use of an antibacterial soap such as Dettol may also prove helpful but avoid its overusage as you may end up with flaky, sore and dry skin.
You might have heard of the enormous benefits of the quintessential oil bath on your skin. In this speciality bath, you gently massage body oil all over your body before you bathe. But 'oil bath' isn't very favourable in the hot summer months, though you may have it if you are experiencing itching problems and dry and flaky skin (yes in summers too!) . It's highly recommended during winter months every single day and once in a week during the other seasons. Read all about it in the post "The luxury called oil-bath"
The Footbath
Treating tired feet to a warm, soapy soak and vigorous scrubbing will act as an all-over tonic. It increases circulation and makes you more conscious of your feet. Soaking and scrubbing witill rleax your feet so that they tend to return to their natural form. Think twice before you coop them up too tight next time. Whenever you have overworked or overwalked your feet, a footbath will act as a restorative. Also read the posts Pamper your feet, Terrific soothers for your feet, Massaging your legs and Pedicure at home-easy steps.
A foot bath will act as a restorative. Soften the rough parts of your heels with a pumice stone.
Regularity in bathing is what counts. It brings not only that clear, glowing skin, but a sparkle to the eye because the whole body gets toned up. Taking a bath is a bit of a positive action, with fine results always assured.
(Contributed by G.N)
They also derived a lot of fun doing it, adding many pleasures to the basic ritual, including exercises, massages, perfuming, etc. Even today, we bathe not only to keep ourselves clean and healthy but also for the sheer pleasure and comfort.
In respect to health, a good bath is necessary to equalize circulation, improve digestion and the muscle tone and at the same time, give a boost to the activity of the perspiratory glands and get rid of dead cells and toxic matter from the body.
Even an ordinary bath serves as an excellent beauty and health routine.
In times of illness, a rejuvenating bath prevents the irritation of the skin, and washes away secretions of the body which have accumulated on it, thereby allowing it to breathe better. The soothing effect of water cannot be ignored and 'hydrotherapy' is considered to be the safest way of treating most types of fevers.
Considering its dual function of maintaining health and preventing illness, a leisurely bath does not, however imply locking oneself in the bathroom, for hours on end, and emptying bucket after bucket of water (both of which are scarce today).
A leisurely bath need not necessarily be a good bath, either; the epithet refers not to the time involved in the process, but to how effectively it is done, in giving equal attention to all parts of the body - a little more perhaps to those which are likely to get extra dirty with sweat or dirt.
A bath-brush to reach the inaccessible parts of the body, like the back, a pumice stone to soften the rough parts of the heels, a nail brush to clean the nails - all these equip us for a bath.
During summer, our bodies perspire more, and our oil glands work overtime. So in summer, there is nothing, perhaps, like a relaxing bath to put life back into a tired body. A desire to take a cold water shower or soak yourself in the cool waters of a bath tub seems very alluring. But it's a myth that cold water invigorates the skin. While extremely hot water can wreak havoc on your skin, cold water on the other hand only cools the skin temporarily and keeps the heat in. For cooler summer living, avoid cold water. True, a very cold shower can wake you up instantly, but that's all to it. Water at body temperature is the best and it's the most conducive during summer months too.
Prickly heat and itching are some of the banes of the summer months. Prickly heat, the irritating eruptions on the skin, which cause great discomfort, is the result of the clogging of sweat glands. (Tackle prickly heat with these home remedies.) Itching, an embarrassing and distressing problem, could result from various causes - like insect bites, drug reactions and so on, but in summer, the main culprits are heat and sweat.
Both these conditions can be relieved by adding an oatmeal solution (1 cup of oatmeal mixed in 2 cups of water) to the bath water and soaking in it for a while. In the absence of a bathtub, the solution could be applied liberally on the body, before the bath and then washed off.
Another malady affecting the overweight, especially during summer, is chafing, when the skin surfaces get irritated and painful, owing to their constant rubbing. This condition could lead to fungal infections if the affected area is not kept clean and dry.
Pimples could appear on other parts of the body, other than the face, like the back, shoulders, chest etc. now referred to as bacne. .That's why it's so essential to keep the skin clean with a good bath. The use of an antibacterial soap such as Dettol may also prove helpful but avoid its overusage as you may end up with flaky, sore and dry skin.
You might have heard of the enormous benefits of the quintessential oil bath on your skin. In this speciality bath, you gently massage body oil all over your body before you bathe. But 'oil bath' isn't very favourable in the hot summer months, though you may have it if you are experiencing itching problems and dry and flaky skin (yes in summers too!) . It's highly recommended during winter months every single day and once in a week during the other seasons. Read all about it in the post "The luxury called oil-bath"
The Footbath
Treating tired feet to a warm, soapy soak and vigorous scrubbing will act as an all-over tonic. It increases circulation and makes you more conscious of your feet. Soaking and scrubbing witill rleax your feet so that they tend to return to their natural form. Think twice before you coop them up too tight next time. Whenever you have overworked or overwalked your feet, a footbath will act as a restorative. Also read the posts Pamper your feet, Terrific soothers for your feet, Massaging your legs and Pedicure at home-easy steps.
A foot bath will act as a restorative. Soften the rough parts of your heels with a pumice stone.
Regularity in bathing is what counts. It brings not only that clear, glowing skin, but a sparkle to the eye because the whole body gets toned up. Taking a bath is a bit of a positive action, with fine results always assured.
(Contributed by G.N)
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