Combining aromatherapy and hydrotherapy for natural healing

Aromatherapy can be traced back to prehistoric times. As the centuries passed, the use of plants for therapeutic reasons has been documented in all the major civilizations.
Aromatherapy is the use of herbs, botanicals, roots and essential oils to promote health and well being and to reduce the effects of stress. It is not intended to replace conventional medical treatment, but to compliment it.
Aromatherapy can improve mood and general feeling of well being, improve blood and lymphatic circulation, encourage the endocrine system to balance harmone production, improve digestion, relieve cramps, relieve bowel spasms, aid the immune system by killing bacterial and fungal infections, slow down excessive production of waste products, increase production of urine, reduce pain and encourage sleep.
Aromatherapy is regarded as a "holistic" therapy, meaning that it takes into consideration the needs of the whole person.
Your sense of smell is the only sense that has nerve receptors exposed to the outside world. When these receptors pick up a fragrant message, they transport it straight to the limbic system, deep within the brain, for processing and identification. The limbic system is also the place where memories are stored, which accounts in part for the reason that armomas are so evocative. By creating a blend of essential oils that evoke pleasant memories, you can encourage relaxation, induce a sense of well being and reduce stress and tension.

Aromatherapy is the practice of using the essential oils, from any of a variety of plants, to bring about cetain changes in the body or the mood. Scent is a very powerful thing, for example: certain scents can trigger memories and others can bring about certain mental physical changes. Aromatherapy is the science of using these essential oils, and the scents from those oils, to bring about positive changes in the mind and the body.
The healing oils of the herbs, botanicals or roots are extracted in a number of ways. Regardless of the way, the results are the same. The oils are added to a carrier oil for safe usage. These oils are then used in numerous ways, but the two most popular ones are fragrance and message. It is not recommended to use essential oils internally. Fragrance enters the body through the nose and to the limbic system, which we discussed earlier in aromatherapy. Message allows the oils to enter your body through the skin. Once in the body the oils can begin working on a chemical level, including mimicking hormones, reducing muscle spasms, and relieving pain. Message can also improve circulation, reduce blood pressure, and lower the heart rate.

Hydrotherapy is the use of water to revitalize, maintain, and restore health. Hydrotherapy treatments include saunas, steam baths, foot baths, sitz baths, and the application of cold and hot water compresses. Water healing is one of the oldest, cheapest and safest methods for treating many common ailments. We know from personal experience that water is not just for cleansing, but for making us feel better. When you plop into that tub of hot water, after a strenuous day, you know you'll feel much better when you're done, for hot water relieves fatigue and prevents stiffness.
The basis of hydrotherapy is that cold is stimulating causing superficial blood vessels to constrict, slowing down the blood to internal organs. And Heat is relaxing causing blood vessels to dilate, and removes wastes from body tissues. Alternating hot can cold water also improves elimination, decreases inflammation, and stimulates circulation.

Now that you better understand the healing potential of both aromatherapy and hydrotherapy, imagine combining the two acient techniques. This is one of the best ways to recieve the full potential of treatment. Dont let the terminology decieve you into thinking that either of these techniques are difficult, it couldnt be easier. Simply add fresh or dried herbs, botanicals, roots or essential oils to a hot bath.
There are a lot of products available today that claim to have the healing affect of natural products. These products add chemicals that are far from natural. It is best to use organic herbs or pure essential oils in your bath. Find the herb, botanical, fragrance or oil that fits your needs. I have dedicated several very informative lenses to each of these plants, including thier uses, thier healing characteristics and recipes. I also have an online store dedicated to all natural healing alternatives, see the link below.

Here is another quick and easy healing option. Bath salts have become ever so popular, why not make your own. Yes, once again I offer this product at my online store but still choose to share it with you. I feel that everyone should at least try this tested and true technique. Once again, select the essential oil / oils best suited for your need, or just select that oils that smell great to you. These are so simple to make and also make great gifts. Simply combine epsom salts, sea salts, and a few drops of vitamin E oil into a zipper style plastic freezer bag. (vitamin E oil is optional) Shake a couple of times to combine the ingredients. Then add a few drops of the essential oils you have selected, at this point you can also add some color with simple liquid food coloring. Shake the bag well to combine the ingredients. If the salts are damp you can spread them on a baking pan and let them dry overnight before packaging. Keep the salts stored in an airtight container. And there you have it, aromatherapy bath salts.

Bath teas are exactly what they sound like. These are teas that can be added to the bath as fresh herbs, tea bags or steeped and the water added to the bath. This is a simple way to get the results of aromatherapy and hydrotherapy because the teas are already blended for its purpose. I personally prefer the bath tea bags because no additional clean up is required afterwards.
Once again, simply choose the herbs, botanicals, roots and essential oils that work best for your needs and mix them into a tea. I offer a variety of bath tea bags at my online store but I am sharing my secrets with you because everyone needs to enjoy a tea bath.
Once you have determined the herbs, roots, botanicals and oils best suited for your needs, collect the herbs. You can grow your own or purchase these herbs at stores or online. Combine these in a bowl. And dont forget to treat your skin as well. At Natural Wonders and More we also add epsom salt, sea salt, baking soda and vitamin E oil to promote soft, silky, radiant skin. But all of these are optional. Please read any essential oil product to ensure that it is skin safe before adding it to a tea. If it is, add a few drops of essential oil to the tea. Stir the mixture well to evenly distribute the oils. Now simply place about 2 tablespoons of the tea mixture into a muslin bag. You can hang the bag around the spout of the tub or simply drop it into the water. You may prefer to add the herb mixture itself directly into the water or you may want to place about 2 tablespoons of the herbs in a pan of water on the stove, bring to a slight boil, remove from heat and let steep for about 10 minutes, strain and add the water to the bath. Anyway you choose to use it, the results are the same.