If you are overheated or feel a headache coming on, make this cooling herbal foot soak. Immerse your feet in a tub of herbal tea, and feel the heat subside. This self-care treatment takes little effort, yet the benefits of an herbal foot bath are impressive.
This cooling herbal foot soak recipe features three healing herbs: rose petals, lemon balm, and peppermint.
Rose Petals
Rose petals (Rosa spp.) are soothing, calming and cooling and particularly restorative to the nervous system. A rose petal herbal foot soak can calm the nerves, open the heart and relax the mind.
We rely on rose petal baths during the hot summer months. Roses help to draw excessive heat from the body. They help to relieve inflammation associated with rashes, acne, insect bites and minor cuts. If your headache is caused by being overheated, a rose petal bath can help you. Any time you are irritated, overworked or overheated, think of helping yourself with a soak in rose petals.
All rose petals are medicinal! Any rose petal can be used in your bath as long as it is organic and pesticide free.
Lemon Balm
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a cooling and restorative herb that helps to calm the nerves and enhance your mood. Lemon balm is both relaxing and uplifting. It has a palliative effect on excessive mental activity and it moderates the intensity of mood swings and depression.
Lemon balm is the herbal companion of choice in the face of tension, anxiety, and stress-related fatigue. It helps to resolve anxiety and emotional unrest and intervenes when emotional states take over your life. Enjoy the tranquil feeling and peacefulness that enters your body with a lemon balm cooling foot soak.
Peppermint
Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) is energizing, refreshing and invigorating. Peppermint foot baths help to clear out a foggy brain and activate more coherent thinking. Peppermint is an herb that is used to overcome mental lethargy and sluggishness. This pungent, activating herb helps to cleanse and clear the mind and emotions.
If you feel congested, the aroma of peppermint can clear your sinuses. Peppermint is an anti-spasmodic herb and is good for sore muscles. Herbal foot soaks made with peppermint can also help with minor headaches and muscle tension.
Cool-Me-Down Foot Soak
Ingredients
- 4 quarts water
- 1/4 cup fresh rose petals or 1/4 cup dried
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon balm or 2 tbsp dried
- 1 tbsp fresh peppermint leaves or 1 tbsp dried
Instructions
- Put the water and herbs into a large pot.
- Bring water and herbs to a boil, turn off the heat, and let herbs infuse for one hour. Let it cool down before using.
- Leave herbs in the water for the foot bath or strain them out. I like to leave the herbs in, as they continue to infuse the water, and I enjoy their color and texture.
- Pour the strained or unstrained tea into a foot basin.
- Soak your feet for ten minutes or for as long as you like. It isn't much of a mess to clean up; when you are finished, just pour the water and herbs into a garden bed outside.
Want more herbal bath recipes? Get the free ebook: How to Create Healing Herbal Baths
I would love to hear from you! What are your favorite cooling herbs? Have you ever made an herbal foot soak? Please share in the comments below.
I use peppermint oil, rosemary oil, and touch of herbal vinegar and Epsom salt in warm water. But I was excited to try the rose, lemon balm and peppermint!