Online Class: Therapeutic Bathing

Therapeutic Bathing

No curriculum in natural or alternative healthcare, herbal medicine, homeopathy or holistic healing is complete without an introduction to the surprisingly broad subject of Therapeutic Bathing.

When you think of a therapeutic bath, it's likely that you envision some steaming hot water and your favorite scented bath oil or bubblesand that's about it. Next time to you hop in the tub, benefit from the experience of centuries of therapeutic bathers. That's right--therapeutic bathing has its place in just about every ancient culture: the Romans, the Greeks, the Chinese, the Egyptians and the Middle East have all made contributions to the practice of bathing for improved health and well-being.

And now, by taking a cue from these innovators, you'll be surprised at just how many ways there are to increase your enjoyment and reap greater benefits from your bath. In this course, you'll learn about the benefits of minerals and heat and how to bring the advantages of mineral waters and hot springs home to enjoy in the privacy of your home. You'll get an introduction not just to the joys of aromatherapy, but several recipes for aromatherapy soaps and a bath fizz to enjoy in your next soak.

Course Motivation

Therapeutic baths are baths intended to provide some type of health benefit beyond the hygienic. Whether a hot water soak in a bathtub with medicinal herbs or a Jacuzzi soak to soothe aching muscles, therapeutic baths have changed little over the centuries during which they've been used. At some points in history, they've been closely aligned with the practice of medicine. In modern America, it's more of a fringe practice or a recreational one…for now. As more people turn to natural remedies and other alternatives to pharmaceuticals and traditional medicine, however, practices that come from herbal traditions are gaining a foothold with growing numbers of people.

The practice of bathing as a therapeutic activity has a long history, dating back to the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Chinese and The Middle east.

The ancient Greeks celebrated the practice of bathing with hot tubs and a form of hot-air bath known as laconica. They reveled in olive oil's moisturizing and healing benefits, slathering it on their skin. Their enjoyment of therapeutic bathing was widespread…in fact, its practice was so celebrated by the Greeks that it soon caught on with the Romans as well.

Romans selected lavender as their bathing scent of choice for its relaxing properties as well as its ability to relieve depression and inspire mental clarity. Roman baths were extremely popular and treated as an important social activity. They built ornate baths at the sites of natural mineral springs to facilitate easier, more enjoyable use of the baths.

The Egyptians eschewed the use of soap as we know it today. Their preference was for a concoction of lime, oil and natural scents. They also enjoyed baths of milk and honey for smooth skin. The bath was considered a sacred ritual intended to simultaneously purify the body and the soul.

Romans, Greeks and Middle Easterners added things like citrus peel, roses, lavender and other herbs to their baths. Some people in the Middle East have continued the tradition of public baths into modern times, and they've changed little over the centuries.

Israelis travel to the Dead Sea for its natural healing salt content to cure psoriasis and a variety of skin conditions. Natives of Iceland enjoy the local volcanic hot springs.

During the 16^th Century, medicine developed a lasting interest in water's ability to cure or alleviate a wide range of illnesses. Bathing-related cures were developed for skin and joint disorders, strokes and gastrointestinal ailments. This medical stamp of approval gave rise to European nobility's "spa trips" to places such as Aachen, Germany. It remained trendy for wealthy Europeans to travel for the purposes of therapeutic bathing in the 1800s. The practice, of course, was as much a social exercise as a medical one. The town of Aachen eventually helped to popularize steam baths, bathing showers and single baths.

Many of the ancient peoples' traditions described thus far are still alive today and have evolved to inspire many generations of healing bathing rituals. Millions of people around the world revel in mineral baths and other forms of therapeutic bathing, whether they travel to enjoy exotic locations or create at-home versions they can enjoy privately and at their convenience.

Therapeutic bathing allows you to benefit from organic herbal remedies for the purposes of beauty, body detoxification, pain relief, mental clarity, spiritual pursuits, stress reduction and more. The requirements are fairly simple: a bathtub and a few affordable, accessible ingredients.