Since ancient times, the healing power of herbal steam bath is well known. This treatment can be found across cultures all around the world. Some examples are the Mexican temazcal, the Thai herbal steam bath, the Ayurvedic steam bath from India or herbal steam bath in the Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Herbs are also used in the Finnish sauna. One of the traditions is to take birch branches into the sauna, moisten them, and then gently whisk oneself to help open up the pores even further.
Steam provides an effective way to use herbs because it opens up the pores allowing botanicals to be absorbed into the skin more readily. Steam also facilitates breathing, which allows the essences of the herbs used to be inhaled with ease. To infuse the steam, add a handful of dried herbs to the water before you heat it. Herbal steam baths cleanse the body deeply, remove the toxins, refresh the blood circulation and activate the mind.
Some useful herbs and leaves:
There are of course many more herbs that can boost your steam bath benefits.
The healing properties of herbal steam baths has long been known in Thailand. New mothers spend at least a month after childbirth in a herbal steam bath tent with their babies close beside them, and the whole family sits in the evening by the cooking fire not only to escape the mosquitoes but to benefit from the medicinal fragrances of the herbs in the cooking and the aromatic wood on the fire.
If you would like to apply herbs in our INUA cabins, we recommend you to check out our steam saunas or sauna stones, which can be used in any type of sauna, infra cabin or vitarium. If you would like to dive into the topic of herbal therapy, please find further information under the section scientific references.
