DIY Bath Soak for Inflammation
To say that I am a ‘bath person’ is an understatement. I not only love them, but I NEED them! They give me peace of mind, give me a break from the world, and are so incredibly relaxing. And on top of all of that, if you throw in a few different herbs, baths are a healing modality as well! I’ve gone over quite a few different bath recipes here on Habits of a Modern Hippie, but this one is super dear to my heart because it was a LONG time coming!
If you’ve been following along on my Instagram, you might have seen that I had an accident back in October that left me with a broken ankle and ruptured ligaments. So, needless to say, it hasn’t been the easiest last few months. However, this week I was cleared to finally take a bath (I had to stick to showers in my flat shower stall before) so I knew I was going to make my first bath after four months special! So it would be beautiful, smell amazing, and this DIY Bath Soak for Inflammation would do wonders for my ankle as well!
As with any of my bath soak recipes, the ingredients below are completely customizable to your needs. Don’t like ginger in your bath? Skip it! Feel like using epsom salts instead of himalyan? That works too! Don’t be afraid to customize to make your bath feel best for you. This may be touted as a moisturizing bath soak- but it is also a fun form of self care. Make your bath the best experience for your body (and mind!)
Bath Soak for Inflammation Ingredients
CALENDULA FLOWER
I call calendula ‘nature’s gift to skin’ I use calendula constantly to promote healing for cuts, scrapes, burns, and intense skin dryness. But with my ankle being broken and ligaments inflamed its anti-inflammatory and an anti-bacterial properties are the biggest draw! Also, calendula can promote healing through stimulating cell growth- super important for rejuvenating tissue.
SAGE LEAF
Sage is one of my favorite herbs, not only because you can SO easily grow it in your garden, but its list of healing properties is long! In this use I’m using sage for its anti-inflammatory properties (you actually can see it used in this capacity in dentistry!) These anti-inflammatory properties are particularly potent with connective tissue, perfect for a healing ankle!
GINGER
If you’ve ever had a piece of raw ginger, you know that it packs a bit of heat, that heat can help stimulate circulation which is perfect for healing. And on top of that, it also has an incredible number of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, it can clear blemishes, can help with radiant skin by helping to slough off dead skin cells, and that increases circulation helps cells regenerate faster!
Himalayan Sea Salt
Epsom Salt and Himalayan sea salt help soothe skin and muscle ache with its high dose of magnesium- an anti-inflammatory mineral.
LAVENDER
Both lavender essential oil and lavender flowers are two of my favorite things to add into a bath! Lavender is a natural anti-inflammatory (can you see a pattern here?!) and is also incredibly soothing for both mind and body.
ARNICA
Arnica in a bath can be a bit messy but it is WELL worth the fuss. I personally use arnica in my muscle healing salve, but you can see it in a number of different topical and internal homeopathics. Arnica is known for its anti-inflammatory properties, and is particularly great with athletes because it works incredibly well on muscle pain!
Six ingredients steeped in hot (but not scalding- don’t bake yourself!) water can do wonders for a healing body. I’ve been exhausted after healing and now having my physical therapist kick my butt back into shape and into proper form. Who would have thought that walking would be so strenuous! I’d love to know what is your favorite way to combat muscle or joint inflammation- be sure to tell me over on Instagram! Happy healing!
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