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Title: Reflexology Foot Dip
Categories: Herb
Yield: 1 Batch
| INGREDIENTS | ||
| 1 | oz | Dried rosemary leaves |
| 1 | tb | Olive oil |
| 1 | Cotton bath bag | |
| 8 | dr | Rosemary oil |
| EQUIPMENT | ||
| Glass pitcher | ||
| Basin for foot bath | ||
| Large towel | ||
Every part of your body has a corresponding reflex zone on the soles, tops, and sides of your feet so it's no surprise that when your feet hurt, everything hurts. Tired, sore, and achy feet can be caused by many things, including dressing for fashion rather than fit, running, hiking, standing all day, or waiting out the late stages of pregnancy. The Reflexology Foot Dip is an old-fashioned remedy with a new twist-a massage with a rosemary-olive oil bath bag for stimulating circulation and softening rough, chapped skin.
Rosemary oil is one of the most popular and widely-used aromatherapeutic oils. Though usually used to stimulate, rosemary also has a soothing effect on the nervous system, easing you to sleep when you are overly tired, and helping to lower your blood pressure. As you are relaxing with the foot bath, the astringent, herbal scent of the rosemary wafts up toward you, clearing your head and giving your flagging will power a boost. Rosemary oil is wonderful in partial baths, as it draws blood circulation to that part of your anatomy immersed in the healing water. Olive oil conditions the skin and opens the pores, while the pleasantly scratchy rosemary bath bag massages the sensitive pulse points in your feet. In a bowl, combine the dried rosemary and olive oil. Stir with a metal spoon and allow the mixture to sit for five minutes. Fill the cotton bath bag with the herbs and oil. Find a comfortable place in your kitchen for a foot bath and arrange all of your ingredients there. Fill a tea kettle to the top and turn the heat on high. While the kettle is heating, fill the glass pitcher with comfortably hot water, between 95 and 100 degrees. Pour the water into the foot basin, with the bath bag floating in the water, repeating the procedure until the basin is full. Add the rosemary oil. Swirl the water gently with your hand to combine completely. Lower the heat in the tea kettle and allow it to simmer throughout your bath, Periodically add water from the tea kettle to the basin to keep it from cooling too quickly. Sit comfortably in your chair, and lower your feet into the water. Squeeze the bath bag to release the penetrating aroma of rosemary and begin massaging your feet with it. Press hard; using a little more pressure than you normally would for a soothing foot rub. Press everywhere, working slowly and thoroughly over the entire sole, toes, and tops of your feet. Be on the lookout for any unusual concentrations of muscular constriction. Use your fingertips and thumbs wherever your find tightness or sensitivity and then continue to massage that area with the bath bag. When all your pulse points are massaged, dip your hands into the warm bath water and give your feet a gentle, open-handed rub. This feels wonderfully soothing after the exhilarating scratchy massage of the bath bag and completes the relaxing and therapeutic ritual of your reflexology foot bath. ** The Herb Quarterly -- Summer 1996 **
Scanned and formatted for you by The WEE Scot -- paul macGregor
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