How to take a steam bath

What Russian doesn't like to take a steam bath in a good bathhouse? For most, the process of vaping is nothing more than relaxation, but in fact, the bath brings great benefits to our body. About how to steam in the bath correctly, how is it useful, how harmful it is and whether there are any contraindications - read about all this below.

The benefits and harms of the bath

A trip to the bathhouse has a comprehensive positive effect on the body, of course, provided that the person has no contraindications, but more on that later, now we will consider the pros and cons of the steam room.

First of all, the positive effect is naturally on the skin. There are many types of baths known, so in order to get the maximum benefit, you need to choose the one that suits you. For example, for dry and a sensitive dermis, a Turkish steam room will be optimal, for a normal one - a Finnish one, etc. Going to the sauna makes the skin younger: smoothes fine wrinkles, cleans, removes a layer of dead skin cells through the pores of the skin toxins and slags come out... Regular sessions make the skin firm and taut. High temperatures contribute to the destruction of harmful microorganisms on the body. Thanks to the bath, you can significantly prolong youth skin, to normalize the work of the sebaceous glands. And what can I say, if you take honey with you to the bathhouse, with which to smear the body in front of the steam room - mmm ... for this, the skin will thank you three times with its velvety and tenderness.

The bath is stressful for the body, although it is useful when the body temperature rises by 10 ° C, and the internal organs are warmed up by 3 ° C. If for the person himself, such an increase has a pleasant effect, then for the viruses and bacteria that lurk inside it is destructive. Due to such an increase in temperature, metabolism is accelerated, interferon (antiviral protein) is produced faster, the body's cells are restored more quickly, and the number of lymphocytes increases. But malignant cells are seriously inhibited in their growth.

The high temperature of the steam room expands the blood vessels, the blood begins to drain from the brain, which reduces its activity and leads to a state of relaxation, for this reason the bath can be "prescribed" for some diseases of the central nervous system. If you alternate between low and high temperatures, in this way you can well train the elasticity of blood vessels, the heart muscle, than reduce the likelihood of a heart attack. In the bath, the vascular system is stimulated, and the pulse rises to 150 beats, the blood begins to circulate more actively, while not affecting blood pressure in any way, even the smallest capillaries expand, which contributes to skin nutrition. Under the influence of the Russian bath, a lot of sores associated with disturbed blood flow are cured, the same varicose veins.

By increasing sweating, the load on the kidneys is significantly reduced. Interestingly, this effect continues for six hours after going to the steam room. For this reason, the bath is a kind of cure for diseases with this organ and, in general, for problems with the urinary system. The procedure has a positive effect on the work of the gastrointestinal tract. In an invigorating way, high temperature acts on the pituitary gland, and it is he who regulates the work of other glands: the adrenal glands, thyroid gland, ovaries and prostate. Bath returns libido to normal and helps to regain sex drive. And nursing mothers can boast of an increase in the amount of milk.

Probably, everyone has heard about the effect of the bath on the respiratory organs, which begin to work actively and saturate the blood with oxygen, and its arrival is fraught with an increase in the level of joy hormones. The bath helps to eliminate lactic acid and urea, which stagnate in the muscles after physical exertion and cause pain. If you choose a suitable broom in the steam room, then sore joints can be cured in a short time.

And this is just a small interpretation of the useful properties of the bath, in fact, there are very, very many of them. The bath has a versatile effect and has a positive effect on almost all organs and systems of the body. As for the harm, in the absence of contraindications and with the condition of a dosed visit, it simply does not exist. Therefore, before going to the steam room, be sure to check if you have any diseases that are included in the list of contraindications, and even better, consult your doctor.

Bath contraindications

Often they like to go to the bathhouse to take a steam bath, taking alcohol with them, but in no case should this be done - these are incompatible things and instead of benefit the body receives a huge load that wears out the internal organs. You cannot go to the bathhouse on an empty stomach or, conversely, after eating a dense meal, it is also better to give up the steam room just before bedtime. These are general contraindications that apply to absolutely everyone.

The bathhouse carries a special risk for the "cores". Despite its positive effect on the heart muscle, the sauna provides preventive measures for a healthy heart, but for those who have problems with it, the steam room can be a real challenge. The same applies to hypertensive patients with constant pressure above 200 mm. The bath is contraindicated in tuberculosis, the presence of malignant tumors and inflammatory processes of the respiratory system, although at the initial stage of a cold, the bath, on the contrary, is shown and helps to prevent the disease. Diseases of the kidneys and liver require mandatory consultation with a doctor, since, for example, kidney stones, nephritis are the strictest contraindications.

It can take a very long time to list all the diseases in which the bath is not the best, or even a dangerous way to relax. Therefore, if you have problems in the areas listed below, you should definitely consult with a specialist for a possible visit to the bathhouse.

• Painful joints and muscles.
• Skin diseases.
• Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Diseases in the acute stage.
• Fungi.

In no case should you overload your body with a long stay in the steam room! High temperatures are good, but prolonged exposure leads to overheating, which is fraught with negative consequences. There are clear signs that it is time to tie up the steam and go out into the fresh air, namely:

• nausea;
• dizziness;
• light-headedness.

As soon as you feel that something is wrong, immediately leave the steam room. It is especially dangerous to be in this state alone in the steam room, as you can simply not reach the door and faint. After leaving the steam room, you need to wash yourself with cold (but not ice) water and wait while lying down until the condition returns to normal. Needless to say, you should never go into the steam room on this day. Do not joke with your health, such an unjustified "willpower" has led to the death of more than one bath attendant.

When to prepare brooms for a bath

The general rules for preparing brooms are as follows:

• Medicinal herbs and brooms for the bath must be prepared only in clear, dry weather, as soon as the dew disappears.
• At the time of collection, you need to carefully handle the plant and cut off only the lower branches, so the plant will not be ruined and will continue to grow further.
• To create a broom, only young plants with flexible and well-bending branches are suitable.
• Cut fresh branches need to be dried a little in a dark place for about an hour, spreading them out in one layer. Be careful, the leaves can begin to crumble from overheating.
• Tie a broom (as you can see in the diagram below), then place it under the press so that it becomes flat. After that, the finished broom is hung in a well-ventilated and cool place for two to three days.

The time when it is necessary to harvest brooms directly depends on what kind of raw materials will be used to create it. Let's consider different options.

• Birch brooms are traditionally cooked in July, early or mid-month. The tree from which the branches are cut should be tall and with falling branches (they also say weeping). But some experts, on the contrary, recommend using young trees for these purposes, which have never bloomed, because they have very flexible twigs and delicate leaves. Before cutting off the branches, check its leaves on the tongue. If the leaves are rough, pick up another specimen. But gentle and velvety is what you need.
• The gathering of oak branches takes place from June to August. The correct collection area should be darkened. Correct assembly will help to create a quality broom that will last up to four bath sessions.
• Nettle brooms are prepared in the middle of summer, before or during the flowering of the plant.
• Cherry and currant brooms are prepared at the very beginning of June.

Brooms from other trees are prepared in the period from early July to mid-August. Remember, the collection of raw materials for brooms should take place far from the roadway, no closer than three kilometers. Otherwise, there will be no use of the broom.

How to steam a broom for a bath

There are several known options for how to properly steam a broom. The easiest and fastest is to immerse the broom in a bucket of cold water for a couple of minutes, and then soak it in warm water for the same time, but never in boiling water. In this case, the basin with a broom must be covered so that it steamed. The drier the broom, the longer it needs to be left in the water. The fact that the broom is ready can be recognized by its aroma, which the begins to emanate from him. The water in which the bath "tool" was steamed can be used to irrigate hot stones. This will nourish the room with a pleasant aroma.

It is very important to steam dry brooms. Poorly dry ones can become limp and heavy, they heat up very quickly, which can lead to burns on the skin.

How to dry brooms for a bath

A bath is good, but a bath with a broom is wonderful. But in order for its use to be useful, you need to properly prepare a broom. We have already talked about how and when to collect raw materials for a broom, now about proper drying. It is ideal when drying will take place in natural conditions, although it is relatively long, but correct. So, first, remember the mandatory rules:

• no draft;
• no direct sunlight and a brightly lit room;
• no high humidity.

The ideal temperature regime in the room where the brooms are dried is 15-25 ° С. Brooms should not be cooked in an unfavorable atmosphere, such as in a garage or utility room. As for how to dry the broom, lying or hanging, there is no definite answer. Much depends on the type of broom and the shape that you want to get in the end. However, the most versatile are considered to be flat. They move more steam, trap more air, and easily direct the flow. Flat brooms are obtained by "recumbent" drying. But if the object is made in order to simply breathe in the scent of the foliage, then you can make voluminous brooms that are dried by hanging.

The drying process can be combined if desired. First, fold the brooms for a couple of three days, regularly turning them over (this will make the shape uniform), and then, when the shape is flat, hang it for a week or two.

Drying time also depends on the type of raw material. So, for example, a birch tree needs a couple of weeks, while for oak brooms it takes one and a half to two more, and maple ones are generally the longest.

How to take a steam bath with a broom

At least two people go to the bathhouse with a broom. Those who will soar lie down, and those who will soar need to put on bath mittens on their hands, otherwise calluses cannot be avoided. A bathhouse with a broom is not for everybody, for someone it can become a real hard labor. However, in any case, you need to remember the golden rules:

• a strict rule - a broom simply must be wet, so periodically it must be moistened in water;
• the "hotter" the temperature (over 60 ° C), the more carefully you need to work with a broom so as not to get burned by steam;
• The bathhouse attendant needs to be extremely careful: do not swing strongly and do not whip the lying person - the movements should be smooth and slightly touching.

It's only in the movies that everything looks extremely simple, but in practice, many professional and just experienced bath attendants will agree that owning a broom is a whole science. Let's consider in theory some techniques of steaming with a broom.

One lies on his stomach and stretches his arms along the body, and the other takes a broom in each hand and begins to stroke the lying person, running with brooms from head to toe and back. This is repeated several times. If indoors highly very hot - do not push the broom away from your body.

After the preparatory procedure, slightly raise the broom near the lower back, grab some air with it and lower it onto your back, pressing it with your hand for three seconds. This technique is called a compress. It will be very useful after physical activity and with pain in the joints, with injuries and radiculitis.

When problems affect the lumbosacral region, the stretching technique can be used. In this case, both brooms are placed on the lower back and move in different directions, one to the feet, the other to the shoulder blades, and then in opposite directions to meet each other. It is very important that the brooms do not come off the body. If the room is very hot, then you need to wield a broom carefully, without rushing anywhere.

Reception "quilting" is performed with the ends of a broom, making light strokes in all directions along the hips, pelvis, calves, lower back and feet. The duration is about a minute, and the reception ends with strokes.

After the described manipulations lying on his stomach, the person lies on his back and everything is repeated.

A stronger technique is called "whipping" - the broom rises up, air is captured, and a couple of three or three whips are performed on different parts of the body with a compress for three to four seconds.

Plowing is performed with a light sweep of a broom and a very weak, barely perceptible touch to the body, in this case, the "lying" one feels a pleasant hot breeze. If you need it hot, just raise the broom higher.

Complete the procedure with a broom with a simple rubbing. With one hand, you need to hold the broom by the handle, and with the other, lightly press down on the broom leaves and thereby rub the whole body. The arms and legs are rubbed along, and the torso in all directions.

After all the manipulations, you need to get up very slowly and carefully, otherwise dizziness may appear.

How to take a steam bath

A visit to the bath can be a pleasure and "fix" the body only if you do it right. It would seem, what's so difficult? In principle, nothing, but you need to know about some of the nuances. Let's consider the whole process of vaping "from" and "to".

• Stage one - preparation. Before the bath, you must wash yourself, just rinse with water with a temperature of 38 ° C. The purpose of the procedure is to warm up the body. You do not need to use soap and a washcloth, as this will wash away the lipid layer that acts as a barrier. Otherwise, the high temperature in the bath will dry out the skin. You can indulge in soap and a washcloth from the heart after the bath. Do not wet your hair, so as not to get heatstroke later. Better yet, put on a special hat in the bath, which is just the same better to moisten a little in water. That's all, now you are absolutely ready to enter the steam room, of which there are usually five or seven.
• Stage two - adaptation. The first entry into the bath is used to get used to high temperatures, so the broom is not used, but they take it with them in order to steam it thoroughly. To warm up the body, a temperature of about 60 ° C is suitable, so it is better to sit on the first shelf. Lie down, relax. After a short time, sweat will begin to appear, the heart will beat faster, the skin will turn red - this is the beginning of the adaptation process. In time, the first run should be done in about ten minutes, no more.
• The friction stage is heat. The duration of the second call is about a quarter of an hour. This time you can use a broom or just lie down.
• Stage four - repeated visits. During subsequent visits, and, as we have already said, there are usually no less than five of them, the temperature in the steam room can be raised. The maximum length of stay in the bath should not exceed 25 minutes, at the same time, be attentive to your feelings, and if you feel unwell, go out, never sit through force.

Particular attention should be focused on rest between visits. The duration of those should be no less than the duration of visits. Bath fans use these intervals for contrasting procedures: for example, to jump into a font, an ice hole, douse themselves with cold water or wipe themselves off with snow. However, if your experience of going to the bathhouse is not so rich, then it is better to leave it for the future. And you can start by taking a shower with a water temperature of 25 ° C after the steam room. Procedure hardening you need to start gradually. If the soul does not lie to tempering, then you can wrap yourself in a towel, sit quietly and drink tea.

How often can you go to the bathhouse

Going to the bathhouse is so pleasant that it can be very addictive, but everything, even the best and most useful, should be in moderation.

In many countries where the bathing culture is actively developed, people go to the steam room almost every day. However, medical experts do not share these views at all. In their opinion, a visit to the bathhouse should be no more than once a week. In principle, this opinion is entirely justified. After all, a bath is, first of all, stress for the body, which has a positive effect on the state of health. However, if this kind of stress happens on a daily basis, harm can be obtained instead of benefits.