Your Bath & Body recipes - xoxo relaxing

When everything seems just a bit too overwhelming, a bath can be extremely good medicine. This season, you might appreciate herbal remedies for feelings like nervousness, tension, anxiety or emotional fatigue. Try whole herbs like chamomile, jasmine, juniper, lavender, orange, rose, rosemary or sandalwood.


For a bath that'll restore your sense of balance, make an infusion of the listed herbs; sit back and enjoy.



A Bath To Help Varicose Veins


2 tb Dried ginger powder *OR* 4 tb Fresh gingerroot; chopped
4 tb Dried juniper
2 tb Dried rosemary
4 tb Dried lemon peel *OR* 1 Whole lemon; quartered


Although most often associated with women, bulging, enlarged veins can be a problem for both sexes.
 The condition is largely hereditary, but a case of varicose veins can be made worse by had habits; standing for long periods of time, wearing tight clothing, and sitting with the legs crossed. 
Hormonal fluctuations also can contribute to varicosity.



Herbal baths can help, although you should be careful not to take baths that are too hot 
(extreme temperatures can exacerbate the problem). 
Whole herbs that you can use in a bath to help boost circulation in the legs include geranium, ginger, juniper, lemon, peppermint and rosemary.



A Sleep Inducing Bath


4 tb Dried chamomile
3 tb Dried lemon balm
2 tb Dried passionflower
1 tb Dried valerian


If you're feeling agitated at bedtime, the right herbal combination can help you drift right off into the REM stage.


Herbs that you might use in a bedtime bath include chamomile, hops, lavender, lemon balm, marjoram,
passionflower, sandalwood and Valerian.



Cut-off Flower Water


7 dl Water
1 ts Vinegar
1 ea Aspirin or equivalent 
(containing acetylsalicylic acid)
1 ts Sugar


Crush the aspirin and blend everything together and use.
The sugar is nurishment for the flowers, 
while the acid kills the micro organisms that blok the stems from sucking up water.


For roses you can also use a lemon soft drink 
(For example:Schweppes).
Makes the bouquets last longer.
Herb Bath Bags
Cheesecloth or muslin
Needle or sewing machine
Thread
1 Ribbons, lace -- trim etc


Make bags out of muslin or cheesecloth. 
Decorate with trims and notions. 
Add ribbons so that the bags can hang
from the faucet into the bath water. 
Fill bags with herbal bath mixtures.
 If you are really handy with machine or needle, bags can be made into shapes.



Scented Bath Bombs


Preparation Time : 0:20
1 1/2 cups baking soda
1/2 cup citric acid
8 drops essential oil -- your choice of scent
1/2 teaspoon sweet almond oil
2 drops food coloring -- your choice of color
-Combine all ingredients.
-Press into muffin tin or mold of your choice.
-Release from mold.
-Wrap in colored plastic wrap and tie with a ribbon.


NOTES : Fizzes when dropped in water. 
When selecting an oil for scent, read warnings about use. Some oils are not intended to have direct contact with skin.

Basic Bubble Bath Recipe

Use only 100% pure soap flakes.
Almond Oil--2 cups
Distilled Water--2 cups
Soap Flakes (or grated soap)--1 cup
Witch Hazel--2 Tbsp

Boil the spring water and melt the soap in it.
In another container, mix the witch hazel and almond oil together and shake well. 

(If possible do this in a blender.) 

Then slowly add the soap mixture to the witch hazel and oil blend and again, shake or blend well.

These amounts will make a large quantity of basic bubble bath mixture to which you can add the essential oils of your choice as and when required.

 For each 2 tablespoons of base bubble bath, use 15 drops of essential oil and mix well. 

Use 1-2 teaspoons of the final product in each bath.

Easy Bubble Bath

Soap Flakes or Grated Soap--2 cups
Water--1 gallon
Glycerin--1/4 to 1/2 cup
Shampoo or Liquid Dish Soap--2 cups
Essential Oil of Choice

Mix the soap flakes, water and 2 tbsp glycerin in a pot over low heat, stirring occasionally until the soap has
dissolved.
(Store this liquid soap in a covered container, used as an all-purpose soap or hand soap.)

In a bowl,
add 2 cups of this mixture to the rest of the glycerin, shampoo and essential oil. Pour into a one quart container.

Store covered at room temperature. When you're ready to bathe, add about one cup to your tub as it's filling.

Remember! Use no more than 30 drops of essential oils to 1 oz of carrier (bubble bath)!
(15 drops being very safe.)


Meadow Milk Bath

Powdered Milk, finely sifted--4 oz
Citric Acid--2 oz
Corn starch--2 oz
Vitamin E Oil--One 400 IU Capsule 

(or Grapefruit Seed Oil--30 drops)
Jasmine--60 drops


Blend the powdered milk and corn starch, then sift.
Mix vitamin E (or grapefruit seed oil) and Jasmine in Citric Acid.
Make sure oils are thoroughly blended in the Citric Acid.
Combine the Citric Acid blend with milk/corn starch blend.
Use 3 tablespoons per bath.


Tangerine Body Wash
Coriander--7 drops
Grapefruit--10 drops
Lavender--7 drops
Tangerine--40 drops
Unscented Shower Gel--4 oz
(aloe gel or mild liquid soap may be substituted,
with varying results.)


Balancing Bath Salts


Sea Salt--3 tbsp
Baking Soda--3 tbsp
Essential Oils--16 drops
Jar--4 oz

Choose 3 or 4 oils from these essential oils: Bergamot, Frankincense, Geranium, Lavender, Palmarosa, Rose,
and Rosewood.

Meadow Milk Bath

Add sea salt, baking soda and oils to jar. 
Gently shake to mix, mix well. Add to tub of running water.


Powdered Milk, finely sifted--4 oz
Citric Acid--2 oz
Corn starch--2 oz
Vitamin E Oil--One 400 IU Capsule 
(or Grapefruit Seed Oil--30 drops)
Jasmine--60 drops


Blend the powdered milk and corn starch, then sift. Mix vitamin E (or grapefruit seed oil) and Jasmine in Citric Acid.
 Make sure oils are thoroughly blended in the Citric Acid. Combine the Citric Acid blend with milk/corn starch blend.


Use 3 tablespoons per bath.
Tangerine Body Wash
Coriander--7 drops
Grapefruit--10 drops
Lavender--7 drops
Tangerine--40 drops
Unscented Shower Gel--4 oz 
(aloe gel or mild liquid soap may be substituted, 
with varying results.)


Balancing Bath Salts


Sea Salt--3 tbsp
Baking Soda--3 tbsp
Essential Oils--16 drops
Jar--4 oz


Choose 3 or 4 oils from these essential oils: Bergamot, Frankincense, Geranium, Lavender, Palmarosa, Rose, and Rosewood.


Add sea salt, baking soda and oils to jar. 
Gently shake to mix, mix well. Add to tub of running water.

Good use of Relaxation

Your Recommended Daily Allowance for Relaxation

Stress is the curse of living in modern times. Everyone suffers from stress. And the stress we suffer takes a heavy toll on our bodies, emotions and minds.

Feeling stressed out, worn out by fatigue or just simply having a miserable day, the best thing to do is relax.

Watching television may be a form of relaxation for some, but is not a recommended method by experts. When we watch TV we are bombarded with commercials, ads, sounds and images. So how do we achieve relaxation? If there are thousands of ways we can get stressed, one of them is not meeting deadlines, there are also many ways we can relax.

In recent studies, experts have determined that heart disease is linked to anger and irritability is linked to mental stress. Too much stress brings about ischemia that can lead to or cause a heart attack. Relaxation takes on added importance in light of this matter. Managing your anger and attitude is significant to heart health, and relaxation can help you manage stress.

One way of relaxation is transcendental meditation. Recent studies have also shown that this method might reduce artery blockage, which is a major cause for heart attack and stroke. People practice transcendental meditation by repeating uttering soothing sounds while meditating, this is to achieve total relaxation. The researchers found that practitioners of transcendental meditation significantly reduced the thickness of their arterial wall compared with those who didn't practice transcendental meditation.

Another study on another method of relaxation, acupuncture, seems to reduce high blood pressure by initiating several body functions for the brain to release chemical compounds known as endorphins. Endorphin helps to relax muscles, ease panic, decrease pain, and reduce anxiety.

Yoga is also another method for relaxation and may also have similar effects like acupuncture. In another study, participants were subjected to several minutes of mental stress. Then they were subjected to various relaxation techniques, such as listening to nature sounds or classical music. Only those who did Yoga significantly reduced the time it took for their blood pressures to go back to normal. Yoga is a form of progressive relaxation.

Breathing is one of the easiest methods to relax. Breathing influences alamost all aspects of us, it affects our mind, our moods and our body. Simply focus on your breathing, after some time you can feel its effects right away.

There are several breathing techniques that can help you reduce stress.

Another easy way to achieve relaxation is exercise. If you feel irritated a simple half-hour of exercise will often settle things down. Although exercise is a great way to lose weight, it does not show you how to manage stress appropriately. Exercise should also be used in conjunction with other exercise method.

One great way of relaxation is getting a massage. To gain full relaxation, you need to totally surrender to the handling and touch of a professional therapist.

There are several types of massages that also give different levels of relaxation.

Another method of relaxation is Biofeedback. The usual biofeedback-training program includes a 10-hour sessions that is often spaced one week apart.

Hypnosis is one controversial relaxation technique. It is a good alternative for people who think that they have no idea what it feels like to be relaxed. It is also a good alternative for people with stress related health problems.

Drugs are extreme alternatives to relaxation. They are sometimes not safe and are not effective like the other relaxation methods. This method is only used by trained medical professionals on their patients.

These relaxation techniques are just some of the ways you can achieve relaxation. Another reason why we need to relax, aside from lowering blood pressure in people and decreasing the chances of a stroke or a heart attack, is because stress produces hormones that suppress the immune system, relaxation gives the immune system time to recover and in doing so function more efficiently.

Relaxation lowers the activities within the brains' limbic system; this is the emotional center of our brain.

Furthermore, the brain has a periodic need for a more pronounced activity on the right-hemisphere. Relaxation is one way of achieving this.

Relaxation can really be of good use once a relaxation technique is regularly built into your lifestyle. Choose a technique that you believe you can do regularly.
Relaxation AllowancesMethods, Standards, & Work DesignSearch Amazon.com for Allowance for Relaxation 50 Classics For Relaxation (2 CD)The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook (New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook)A Time for Relaxation, Vol. 1: Guided Relaxation Techniques for WellnessGuided Relaxation; Voice With MusicProbably The Best Music For Relaxation and Meditation