Warning: As with any medical or health recommendation, herbal/natural recipes have contraindications and possible side effects. They SHOULD NOT BE USED without consulting first with a knowledgeable health professional.
The Benefits of Mustard Foot Baths
A mustard bath is an easy, effective, centuries old way to improve our health. It is one of the tools of hydrotherapy and may be very helpful. Benefits may be temporary or longer-lasting depending on the diagnosis/symptom and the patient’s individual wellness. It can be effective for many conditions, such as:- General coldness in the body (especially cold feet); - Cold/flu symptoms, like sore throats, nasal congestion, cough, etc. It may also prevent the further progression of the illness; - Insomnia; - Hypertension (high blood pressure); - Muscle/joint pain; - Leg fatigue and swelling; - Headaches/migraines (See NIH research here); - emotional and physical stress
How is a mustard foot bath made? To get the full effect from a mustard foot bath, it is very important to prepare the bath correctly. Equipment and ingredients: - Bucket, wide and deep enough to place two legs; - 2 Towels; - Dry mustard powder; - Optional: a few drops of essential oil of your choice can be added. For example: Lavender, Eucalyptus (DO NOT use it if you have asthma!), Rosemary, etc. - Optional: lotion, preferably warming, for legs; - Electric kettle with boiling water. Procedure: 1. Dissolve mustard powder in a jar of hot water. Place lid on jar and shake. Consider using 2 tablespoons of dry mustard for every gallon of water in the bucket; 2. Fill the bucket with warm water (103-105°F to start); it can be warmer later but not too hot for your feet to tolerate it; 3. Add the hot mustard water from the jar into the bucket; 4. Place your legs in the water. The water should cover the lower third of the legs. 5. As the water cools, add hot water (after removing your legs) to keep the temperature of the water warm; 6. Soak legs in bath for 15-30 minutes. 7. Clean your legs and feet with a hot damp towel to remove the mustard residue. 8. Dry your feet with a dry towel; apply lotion if desired. At the end of the procedure, it is best to wear socks (wool or thick cotton), drink hot tea and relax for at least 1 hour. Baths can be done 3 times a day for 2-4 days as a course of treatment or daily before bedtime. Please remember, there are conditions for which this procedure should be used with CAUTION or is totally CONTRAINDICATED (depending on individual): varicose veins, low blood pressure, some heart problems, pregnancy, etc. Please seek advice from your doctor/herbalist before using any “natural” medicine.