DIY or Buy: 10 Healing and Detoxing Baths for those with Chronic Illness and Chronic Pain

Enjoying a warm bath!

A bath of warm water on it’s own is very healing and can help reduce pain.  Warm water temporarily increases blood flow and can help ease stress as well. Did you know that there are natural herbs, minerals, and essential oils that you can add to your bath that promote healing, wellness, and decrease pain? Here are ten of them!




 

Epson Salts

Epsom salt is a combination of magnesium and sulfates. There are many benefits of Epsom salt baths. Soaking in a bath of Epsom salt can relax your muscles, reduce inflammation, minimize pain, fade bruising, aid digestion, relieve stress and tension, and detoxify your body.



Lavender

This is one of the most common herbs used in herbal baths. It is used to fight depression and relieve tension and stress. Lavender’s name is derived from the Latin verb “to wash.” Romans and Greeks used the herb for its fresh aroma
which has both an uplifting and balancing effect.



Turmeric Bath

This antioxidant, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory spice is not just popular in India. In Japan, they’ve learned that turmeric helps with arthritis by soothing joints  and it’s even been shown to promote weight loss. Just add a half-cup of turmeric to a warm bath.



Baking Soda

This alkalinizing and detoxifying bath can help calm allergic reactions, chicken pox, eczema, hives, itchy skin, insect bites, poison ivy, sunburn, and fungal infections. There are two methods of making a baking soda bath which are very popular , one involves purely baking soda itself and the other involves mixing the soda with sea salt. 

If you are using just baking soda then start running the hot water first then after a couple of minutes add about
3 pounds worth of baking soda to the water. I find it’s better to do it this way as it dilutes into the water better.
The alternative is to mix about 2 pounds of sea salt with 2 pounds of baking soda , again adding the water first.

Oatmeal

Because oatmeal has anti-inflammatory properties, it can soothe the inflammation that results from your body’s reaction to allergens. Oatmeal baths are also a popular remedy for sunburns, dry skin and conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. Itchy, dry skin often has a high pH level, but oatmeal can help normalize your skin’s pH, which can relieve itchy, uncomfortable skin. Oatmeal baths also soften and moisturize your skin, which helps lock in moisture and protect skin from exterior irritants

Apple Cider Vinegar

 This helps relieve sore muscles, itchy skin, and sunburn. Vinegar helps draw pollutants out of the body. It is an acid medium and contains alpha hydroxy acids. It is also mildly antiseptic, antifungal and naturally deodorizing.

Yam

Oriental wild yam is a natural pain reliever used in herbal baths to relieve stress and prevent health problems in women.

Eucalyptus Oil

This oil is well known to give relief from sinus infections, blocked nose, common cold, bronchitis, flu and other
respiratory diseases. To treat these health conditions, apply a few drops of eucalyptus oil on the handkerchief and inhale it at regular time intervals. Another best way is to put a few eucalyptus oil drops in the bath water. Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to other massage oils to have a calming effect on the mind and body. Its rejuvenating properties aid in getting relief from sluggishness, muscle pain, exhaustion and mental fatigue.

Rose Oil

Rose oil is effective in treating depression, insomnia, impotence and for maintaining healthy skin.


Peppermint oil

Diluted in a bath peppermint oil can assist in nervous disorders and is dramatically effective in stimulating the mind and focusing concentration, for treating the respiratory tract, muscular aches and pains and for some skin problems.


I make my own salts from essential oils that I buy online.  I have some great sellers on etsy!   Do you make your own bath salts or essential oils?  Do you have fibromyalgia?  Sore muscles?

Day 25

Why be kind?

Recent research into brain functioning has confimed that we are hard-wired for love and compassion. So it's not all chasing about individual success - our communities and society flourish when people look out for each other.

When we're kind to people we know it strengthens our connections with them and provides a source of support. Research shows that we may benefit from giving support more than those receiving it - and we're also more likely get support in return when we need it. This may not be like-for-like support, or even from the same person, but being kind to others builds a wider support network which increases well-being all round.

Doing kind things for strangers helps build co-operation, trust and a sense of safety in our communities. It also helps us to see others more positively and empathise with them. These are the foundations of a thriving local community and a flourishing society - one which builds well-being all round.

 

 

Wordless Wednesday: Surfing here on our beach!

Our beach

Surfers in the ocean

Surfers waiting for the big wave!  The Channel Islands (Calif. USA) in the background!

Catching the wave! 

Back out again to get the next wave!

 WANT TO SEE ALL OF THIS A BIT CLOSER?

Surfers in a boat!

The ocean is showing bigger waves now!

The CALM

Getting rougher, a surfer's dream!

Crashing waves!

The swirl of the ocean!

Surfers going back out

Waiting for just the right wave

A surfer who took a smaller wave in and is recovering

Excellent ride by this surfer

The waves as we walk back home.

Do you live near the beach?  Do you surf?  Body or Board...   If not, what do you like to do at the beach?  We're so fortunate to be living here for the rest of our lives (Lord willing!)

Day 24!

Summer 2013 Letter to my Readers

Please have a comfy seat and a cup of tea or iced tea from my kitchen!  I have started making my own teas!  They can be used for hot tea or iced tea!  And speaking of tea, I have a giveaway coming up here this week for some spectacular COFFEE (I did not make this but one of the companies I order from has made it).  The winner will receive a bag of this coffee.  Check back around Thursday or Friday for this giveaway!

I have been so busy with blogging these days ever since I took on the Ultimate Blog Challenge for July Challenge of blogging every day and this group's owner also sends you blogging topics if you need help!  I love it!  So far I haven't and it's close to being over.  I have so many topics running through my head that I write them down and hope to cover them soon!

I am looking for an inexpensive blogger who may be a graphic artist (maybe a stay at home mom or dad?) and would be interested in using my color palette and transform my blog into something that is easy to read.  I need topic headers for topics  that I write about quite often.  And I'd like to have 3 columns.  I also need a banner and button.  I do have a website, http://www.conversationswithcarolyn.com and I'd like to use this blog there but not using WordPress.  I think I want to stay with blogger.com and start writing more in my other blogs...  and tie them into this one blog. 

There's a local company that I'm thinking of using but before I do that, I'd like to get some pricing options from bloggers who create graphics and web pages, etc...   So please write to me at carolyncavies @ yahoo. com    Please use the topic "Graphics" with your proposal and a sample of something that you've created.  You can put your watermark on anything that you've done!  Thanks!

This time of year has me always looking at the beautiful houses right here in my neighborhood.  I don't want to move but we are slowly outgrowing our condo and I need to have a garage sale! I think I will wait til October to do one.   I like to serve this lemonade recipe to serve there and a spiced tea that I make in my "tea business." 

I hope this Old-Fashioned Lemonade recipe is helpful to someone or more!  I love lemonade all year round and especially 1/2 and 1/2 (no booze! unless of course, that you add it to the mix).   I love the lemonade and tea mix and I make my own with the teabags that I make.  If you would be interested in writing a Product Review and have a Giveaway with my tea bags, please write to me at carolynjm @ live.com  and use the topic line to be "PR and Giveaway Tea Bags"  and I will select 10 bloggers using Random.org to accomplish this.

If you are a FAN on my group, https://www.facebook.com/Chattingwithcarolyn maybe you have been keeping up with the Christmas Letter Game for CHRISTMAS IN JULY.  So far I have had the same gal winning and she's hungry for competition!  So please come by the game today and play the letter "R" and then tonight, the letter "S" with her!  Here's where the game (with a prize for the winner) is on my blog.  The times to play are announced in my fan group with the big letters "R" and "S" and it's a lot of fun! http://conversationswithcarolyn.blogspot.com/2013/07/christmas-in-july-letter-game.html  

Have you bought any Scentsy from me lately?  We have the BRING BACK MY BAR sale going on this month.  There's still time to order here.  https://carolynscandlesforsale.scentsy.us/Scentsy/Buy  Thanks!

Yum!

 

Would you be interested in joining my fan group and playing games with us and having great chats?  The address is given in the post and we'd love to have you with us!

DIY: reuse tea bags and coffee grounds

Remove cooking odors:
Both coffee grounds and tea bags are excellent deodorizers and can work wonders on your hands after chopping stinky foods like garlic, onions and fish.

Clean your floors:
Looking for an all-natural way to keep wood floors and furniture shiny and clean? Look no further than your morning cup of tea!

Due to its tannin content, twice-brewed tea is perfect for adding extra luster to your wooden decor on the cheap. As an added bonus, you’ll also ditch the cleaning product smell and still get results you’ll love.

Keep pests away from your garden:
Noticing ants, slugs and other pests hanging around your garden? Sprinkle coffee grounds around problem areas to keep pests at bay.

Clean your pots & pans:
For squeaky clean pots and pans without the elbow grease, rub spent coffee grounds onto dirty cookware using a scouring pad. The added abrasion will help to remove stuck-on messes without harsh chemical cleaners.

Add to houseplants:
Both coffee grounds and tea bags have loads of nutrients that help houseplants thrive. Due to high acidic content, coffee grounds are perfect fertilizer for acid-loving plants such as tomatoes, carrots, roses, rhododendrons and azaleas. The antibacterial content of tea bags helps to gently clean while wafting away odors and perking up your skin – making these common kitchen leftovers perfect for your next mani-pedi party.
Keep your fridge fresh & clean:

Skip buying baking soda for deodorizing your fridge, and use a small container filled with coffee grounds instead!

Tie-Die:
You already know a splash of coffee can stain light-colored clothes. But have you ever thought of using your morning cup to create a homemade dye?

Clean your face:
Both coffee and tea are loaded with beneficial properties that sooth irritated skin and brighten a dull, tired winter complexion.

Shine your shoes:
We’ve heard of using citrus scraps and even banana peels to shine your shoes. But what about the leftovers from your morning cup?


QUESTIONS:  Were these DIY tips new to you?  What is the one that you might use at home?  What kind of DIY tips would you like to see me cover?  Thanks for reading and commenting! 

Day 22.

Wordless Saturday! Anniversary of AURORA shootings.

What do you want to say on this anniversary of the Aurora Shootings?  Use the COMMENTS, thanks!

  Day 20