Ready for a nice herbal bath to calm those nerves and relax those aching muscles? Some of you have ordered "tub teas" from us and you've already got the ready made fix'ins for an herbal escape. For those of you who have not, there are a few things you may be able to throw together from the suggestions we'll be giving you today.

Whatever it takes, squeeze an hour out of your busy schedule and pamper yourself with herbs. You deserve it!

HERBS FOR YOUR BATH, PART II

The naysayers say, "Skin does not absorb anything." Oh yeah?! Try this! Stick a clove of garlic in your sock and walk on it for about an hour or two and tell me that your skin is not absorbing it. Better yet, try to tell that to anyone around you. Now try to wash away the odor and see how long your body retains the tell tale signs that your skin absorbed some garlic. I dare you!

BELIEVE IT OR NOT

Topical applications of herbs work wonders. We've drifted so far from nature, living in the city or even in structured suburbia, that we've lost touch with the subtleties of the herbal kingdom. "What price, progress?" And, where did the light'ning bugs go?

WHAT'S ON HAND TODAY?

Got milk? Powdered, canned, or fresh will do, but I would not recommend sweetened condensed. Got some oats or oatmeal? Almonds? And, if you had linden and elder flowers, you'd have the ingredients for Abby's Milk Herb Bath "Tub Tea."

So use what you have on hand. Tomorrow's another day. Milk makes a very soothing, luxurious feeling bath by itself. Adding oats or oatmeal relieves itchiness, eczema, and rashes. It's wonderful for baby's bottom, too. Grind some almonds and add them to the mixture for a slight bleaching effect on the skin. Tie the dry ingredients in a muslin bag or wash cloth. Simmer them in 2 cups water on low heat for a few minutes. Pour the whole thing into your bath water and use the muslin bag for scrubbing. It's very good for the pores. Now if you've been able to add some linden and elder flowers, you'll also get the following benefits:

Linden (Tilia Europaea) acts as a mild sedative in the bath. It is good for hyperactivity, hysteria, or just that plain ole uptight, stressed-out, tense feeling. Perfect for the countdown days before Christmas!

Elder (Sambucus nigra) flowers are diuretic, cleansing, and anti-inflammatory. Added to the bath, this herb soothes irritated skin and nerves. Oh ... btw ... elder flowers can fade freckles, too.

MAKE A SHOPPING LIST

Next time you're out, stop in at your local herb shop or health food store, or shop with us, and check out the pure essential oils. Pick up some lavender, melissa, chamomile, or canella. Or, if you want the ultimate kickback, splurge on some neroli (about $40 for 1/8 oz). Neroli Bigarde is extracted from Bitter Orange flowers and Neroli Portugal is from Sweet Orange flowers. Either is very sedative when inhaled and will induce a calm sleep.

Be sure to specify that you want pure essential oils, not synthetics [we do not sell synthetics]. After all, you are looking for therapeutic effects not a perfume. And, be prepared to pay more for them. [We will do our best to bring the best price and quality to you.]

Pick up some sea salt or Epsom salt while you're at it. Salt has a detoxifying, healing effect on the skin. Ever noticed how a long swim in the ocean seems to do wonders for your skin, or have you been away from nature too long to remember.

BATH HERB LIST

Let me just jot down a few more good bath herbs that you can look for while you're shopping: Agrimony, Bay Laurel, Birch Bark, Burdock Root, Celandine, Chamomile, Comfrey Leaf & Root, Dandelion Root, Feverfew (good for colds and fever), Lavender Buds, Marigold (Calendula), Nettle (very stimulating), Parsley (good for dry skin), Pennyroyal, Rosemary, Sassafras, Summer Savory, Sorrel, Thyme, White Willow Bark, Wintergreen, Witch Hazel (good for veins), Wormwood, Yarrow, Yerba Santa, and the list goes on.

GOT OILY SKIN?

Pick up some lemon grass in the produce section of the grocery. Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) or citronella grass (C. nardus) have a direct effect on the sebaceous glands. Make a decoction with lemon grass and use it in the bath. You could also drink it as a sedative tea to remedy digestive problems. It relaxes the muscles of the stomach and gut, relieves cramping pains and flatulence, and is particularly suitable for children. It is also used to reduce fevers. A lemon grass poultice will ease the pain of arthritis. What a grass!

GOT DRY SKIN?

As one of our readers mentioned, simple olive oil added to hot bath water works great. Another reader mentioned that apple cider vinegar in her bath reduces rosacia redness. And, I'm sure there are many other simple remedies provided by nature. Life is only as complicated as we make it ... isn't it?

THE BATH WATER IS RUNNING

And, my "tub tea" is steeping. By the way, last week it was a Texas Tansy Sitz (not pansy). My faithful guardian, Cathe, watches for my spelling errors and necessarily so, but that was really an herb called "Texas Tansy." Tonight it's Abby's Relaxing Herb Bath "Tub Tea" for me with a whiff or two of some neroli and a long back massage. Until next Monday, be good to yourself!

Our goal is to bring collective knowledge together to provide accurate herbal information, giving references whenever possible, for the purpose of being informed when choosing self-help and alternative approaches to health and lifestyle. At no time should this publication be considered prescription or treatment, nor should any information published herein be misinterpreted as such. The publishers can not be held responsible for the mishandling of information by its readers.

Please do not take herbal information lightly.
Remember our motto is ... When in doubt, don't!
Until next Monday I remain,

Herbally yours, Abby

Lynda "Abby" Trahan
Abby's Herb Company
P.O. Box 213
Round Top, TX 78954

lynda@abbysherbshop.com
www.abbysherbshop.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. In other words, we'd appreciate it if you wouldn't try to sell these publications, but please feel free to pass them on giving the source.