Types of bath brooms. Broom made from Canadian maple branches

03.01.2016

I think that there are no people living on Earth who can imagine a bathhouse without a good broom. It is not for nothing that our ancestors and great healers considered this bath accessory as the best medicine for various diseases. This is true. The fact is that they knew well what power each of the bathhouse brooms contained, what or which herbs to add, combine with this or that broom, so that it would bring us maximum healing benefits and make us emotionally satisfied. We can also tell you separately about which ones there are or which ones.

There are different types of brooms for baths. Many people don’t even realize that there is such a huge range of brooms. The main raw materials for their production are branches of trees, shrubs and some herbs. Main feature The raw material for making brooms is the flexibility and smoothness of the branches, and, of course, the smooth leaf, so you need to do it right.

I won’t be mistaken if I say that the birch broom is known to everyone, regardless of whether a person likes to steam or not. It is no coincidence that it is called the “king” among all types of brooms. However, many people are interested in the question: “What kind of bathhouse brooms are there besides birch brooms?” Let's try to understand this issue.

Since ancient times, the most common ones have been birch, oak, eucalyptus and juniper brooms. However, many who like to take a steam bath are happy to use brooms made from ash, linden, and maple. It is very rare to find brooms made of walnut, currant branches, nettles, and wormwood.

Experts who know a lot about brooms and are well versed in their properties add several branches of various medicinal and aromatic herbs to them, such as tansy, wormwood, mint, lemon balm, fireweed, yarrow, hyssop. Due to the fact that they mostly all sprout in or near gardens, there is no point in organizing separate “crawls” into nature for them.

Such a wide variety of brooms certainly raises the following question: “Which broom is best for a bath?” There is no definite answer to this question, since each broom has its own advantages and is intended for the treatment of a specific number of diseases. Personal preference for a particular item is also taken into account. a certain type broom

• Let's start with birch broom, as it ranks highest in popularity. First of all, it is good because it has a gentle, but at the same time deep cleansing effect, helping to remove salts and toxins from the body. This is due to the fact that its leaf, like an adhesive plaster, firmly adheres to the body, absorbing sweat, and along with it falls away from the body. He is an excellent “doctor” for people suffering from kidney diseases and especially bronchial asthma, as he helps remove mucus, dilates the bronchi, and improves ventilation. A birch broom for a bath can be purchased from people who prepare them, or even better, you can prepare them yourself.

• Oak brooms It is not so easy to prepare for a bath, since this plant is not as widespread as birch. However, these brooms have more than enough medicinal properties. They are indispensable for skin diseases, sweating, and have an anti-inflammatory effect. He acts in opposition to his friend - the birch broom. Firstly, it is stronger than birch. Secondly, it is more convenient for them to generate steam, since the leaves are wide and dense, this is a unique opportunity for lovers extreme heat. Thirdly, it is not able to absorb sweat and soften the skin, but it uniquely thickens, tones, makes it elastic and firm, since the leaves and bark contain a large number of tannins. The use of an oak broom is recommended for people with oily skin and frequent skin diseases, hypertension and heart disease, due to the fact that it perfectly calms the nervous system and lowers blood pressure. We cannot remain silent about the fact that baths using oak bark are popular for the treatment of women's diseases and bedsores.

• , since the times of Ancient Rus', was not inferior in popularity and medicinal properties to both birch and oak. However, in modern times individually they are not used very often. Most often it is combined with other raw materials. Apparently people began to forget that linden is an excellent healer. It can simultaneously relieve headaches, help alleviate respiratory diseases, and be a good sedative. At colds there is simply no price for it. Linden tea with honey before bedtime replaces all modern expensive medications. Linden broom is an excellent diaphoretic. Massage with a linden broom – effective gymnastics for the kidneys and urinary tract.

• If you are a thrill seeker, then you will undoubtedly enjoy pine broom. The range of coniferous brooms includes fir, cedar, and spruce. Due to the fact that the procedure for steaming with such brooms is not particularly pleasant, one might even say cruel to the skin, there are not so many people who like to use such brooms. However, if you handle this broom correctly and wisely, you can get a lot of pleasant sensations from its use. Secret painless procedure Communication with this broom is absolutely simple. Immerse the broom in boiling water for half an hour, then rinse warm water. However, it is necessary to prepare not only the broom, but also the skin of the body. It must be heated in a steam room for ten minutes. This is due to the fact that the skin will warm up, become more elastic and more calmly accept the slight tingling sensations of an already melted broom. First of all, all types of coniferous brooms are considered natural antibiotics. Mainly used fresh. But best properties Spruce brooms harvested in May-June have the advantage, since at this time they contain the largest amount of nutrients, and besides, young, soft branches are more pleasant to the body. This is especially true for those with sensitive skin types. First of all, this is an excellent and effective prevention of colds and infectious diseases. With their help, circulatory diseases, radiculitis, and joint pain are treated. Their role in the treatment of neuralgia is invaluable. The most common are fir brooms.

• - a unique broom not only for its medicinal properties, but also for appearance. Improper use of such a broom is fraught with negative consequences - you can easily injure the skin. First of all, this is due to the fact that it is prickly and rough. However, if found with this broom mutual language, then with its help you can make a wonderful massotherapy, promoting the treatment of radiculitis, neuralgia, gout, rheumatism. Due to the presence of a large amount of essential oil, juniper has amazing bactericidal, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. It is this property that allows it to be used effectively during epidemics of influenza and colds. The most important and unique property of juniper broom is the prevention and treatment of allergies of any origin!

• has become widespread recently. This is due to the fact that experts have identified its healing properties, which have the ability to relieve pain from radiculitis, neuralgia, bruises and blows, sprains, and muscle inflammation. IN modern therapy Eucalyptus inhalations are widely used, which have a similar effect if performed in a steam room with a eucalyptus broom. These inhalations help with respiratory diseases. Patients with skin diseases receive invaluable help from such a broom due to the tannin content they contain. Often, lovers of bath procedures mix birch and eucalyptus raw materials, thereby obtaining a birch-eucalyptus broom.

Let's turn to those types of brooms that are not at the peak of popularity, but have excellent medicinal effects. Such brooms are used in in some cases, in case of exacerbation of any diseases.

• - the first assistant in the treatment of rheumatism, radiculitis, gout and arthritis. They remembered him when joint pain appeared. Before using this broom, you need to give it a contrast shower several times (putting hot water into cold water and vice versa) - this will prevent burns on your hands. However, it is sometimes necessary, especially with rheumatism, for nettle to heal with its “biting”. In this case, it is recommended to lower the broom into boiling water for about three minutes. You can use a broom only when the skin itself has also warmed up. The vaping process itself should be easy, smooth, and stroking. Therapeutic effect nettle brooms is due to the fact that stinging nettle hairs contain formic acid, which improves blood circulation, tones, and strengthens the body. Nettle is often used as an antiseptic, wound healing agent, and for skin diseases. For better effect take young nettles, briefly soaked in warm water. When hovering with such a broom, it occurs feeling of lightness, but a pleasant tingling sensation. However, the procedure is worth it - the skin becomes ruddy, elastic, and clean. Massage from such a broom is useful for kidney and liver diseases, is therapeutic and prophylactic with atherosclerosis.

• its properties are in many ways reminiscent of birch. It absorbs sweat well, with the help of wide leaves it perfectly draws out toxins and waste, harmful substances present in the body in large quantities. Due to the fact that young maple shoots contain alkaloids (potent biological substances), tannins and ascorbic acid, this contributes to the fact that maple brooms have an analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent; effectively heal wounds and disinfect them. If you manage to select young branches with large leaves for the broom, then this is a unique opportunity. Such brooms combine the properties of both birch and linden.

• Another broom that resembles birch broom in properties is alder broom. Similar to birch and maple brooms, its leaves are sticky, adhere perfectly to the body, therefore, absorb sweat relatively well, remove waste and toxins, and have a beneficial effect on the skin of the body. An alder broom is also valued because, like a birch broom, it is quite durable; it can be used for steaming during several bath procedures. Healing properties come down to prevention joint diseases, musculoskeletal system. For heart diseases, it is recommended to lie on a shelf on steamed alder branches or have a light massage with an alder broom.

• The next type of broom deserves special attention. Since the tree from which raw materials are harvested was considered a sacred plant by the ancient Slavs. As many have probably already realized, we'll talk O hazel brooms. This tree's bark, leaves, and fruits have healing properties. The only nuance that is not advisable to miss is that it is necessary to harvest hazel branches at a time when they are young and have wide leaves. They will be more durable, with a large supply of medicinal substances, and will induce heat well. The bark contains a large supply of tannins; the leaves contain a variety of biologically active substances. Consequently, the medicinal properties of such brooms boil down to the following: treatment and prevention skin diseases, wound healing functions, perfectly improves metabolism, especially indispensable for patients diagnosed with diabetes.

• Ash broom- one of the interesting varieties bath brooms. This is due to the fact that the plant itself is poisonous, but with proper external use you can get effective healing effect. This is probably due to the specific properties of toxic substances. As is known, many pharmaceuticals for external use contain in minimal proportions toxic substances, as a result of the action of such substances, improvement or even recovery of patients. Let's return to the properties of the ash broom. The range of their properties deserves close attention: anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties, a good hemostatic agent, high-quality antiseptic, massage using this broom favorably helps relieve radiculitis, rheumatism, arthritis, gout, spurs. The process of steaming with an ash broom is indicated for illness respiratory tract. Wherein great effect gives inhalation of vapors of heated ash leaves.

• Bird cherry broom has its own characteristics. Its branches are not as flexible and sharp as those of birch, ash, and alder, but in terms of healing properties they are not inferior to them. They have the most unique bactericidal and disinfectant properties of all the previously listed brooms. Since ancient times, all parts of its plant: twigs, buds, leaves were used to disinfect drinking water. To do this, it was enough to soak the “bird cherry cleansers” for several hours in a vessel with water, and you could drink such water without fear or doubt. This water was also used as sterile for washing wounds. Steamed with hot water, the bird cherry broom emits a soft and fragrant aroma, reminiscent of the smell of ground almonds. When steaming with such a broom, you should remember that you shouldn’t get too carried away with it, since it contains a large amount of phytoncides, which, in turn, when used in moderation, have a beneficial effect on the body, and if used excessively, can play a bad joke. Most the best option- this is the connection of bird cherry branches with branches of other trees, that is, the creation of a mixed broom. It will bring more benefit and good impressions from the process of staying in the bathhouse.

• , first of all, is an excellent means for disinfecting the air in baths and steam rooms. This is due to the fact that rowan produces specific volatile substances that are harmful to many types of fungus and bacteria. This antimicrobial property also has a positive effect for people who like to steam with this broom. The broom itself, most often, is flexible, soft, and biting. To the main antimicrobial property, one can rightfully add the value of preventive procedures for hypertension and atherosclerosis. However, if you add a sprig of tansy to this broom, you can get a wonderful and wonderful tonic - a refreshing product of natural origin that will lift your spirits and give you confidence in your own strength. The only "but" in this issue is that the process of using such a broom, due to its strong stimulating and tonic properties, is best done in the morning. IN otherwise you may find yourself hostage to a treacherous lady named “Insomnia”.

Video about brooms - oak, nettle and rowan

Video about brooms - bird cherry, maple and aspen

Video about brooms - raspberry, alder, willow, lilac

So, information about different kinds brooms, their beneficial properties, individual characteristics, disclosed. I hope that it allowed you to be convinced that a Russian bathhouse with a broom is a wonderful opportunity to have a beneficial effect on your body. A properly selected broom will make the process of staying in the bath useful, enjoyable, and most importantly, effective in relation to your own health. In addition, a bathhouse with a broom can become an excellent beauty salon. Rinse your hair well with the water in which the broom was steamed. This procedure restores hair roots, makes them smooth, manageable, stronger and eliminates dandruff. Infusions from any brooms are suitable for this. And some infusions help give hair beautiful shades.

It’s hard to imagine a Russian bathhouse without a fragrant, whipping broom. The tradition of using a broom in a steam room has deep roots. It has long been noticed that using a broom doubles the benefits of a steam room. It is no coincidence that healers believed that bath treatment was impossible without a good broom. They knew that each broom (birch, oak or pine) has its own characteristics, each of them has its own strength, is used for various diseases. In addition to traditional brooms made from deciduous or coniferous trees, nettle, wormwood, and even garlic brooms were used! After all, each of them in their own way drives out illness, each has amazing healing properties.

Birch broom

Many steam room lovers rightfully consider the birch broom to be one of the best. It has a very mild but deep effect, cleanses the skin well, removes toxins from the body, heals the kidneys, and lifts the mood. Birch broom is indispensable for asthmatics and former smokers. After a bath with such a broom, the small bronchi expand, phlegm is removed, and lung ventilation improves.

A birch broom is very convenient for massage. It is durable, flexible, in addition, the birch leaf sticks firmly to the body, like an adhesive plaster, absorbing sweat well and drawing out toxins.

In Rus', the healing properties of birch have been known for a long time. Birch leaves were used to clean wounds and treat rheumatism, gout, and arthritis. Birch leaves and buds contain a valuable vitamin complex, essential oils, and tannins. It has been established that the air in a birch forest is as clean as the air in a modern surgical operating room.

Young flexible branches (thin and without knots) of weeping birch and curly birch are best suited for making a broom. They are better preserved, thicker, softer. In addition, curly birch leaves are porous, rough, and do not become slippery when exposed to steam. In general, the surface of the leaf should be soft, delicate, velvety, the leaf itself should be small or medium; These qualities also distinguish downy birch from other birch trees: not only its leaves, but also its young branches have velvety hairs. In addition, downy birch most often grows on the banks of water bodies, in damp, damp places. Namely, this kind of birch is the best for the bath procedure.

Oak broom

Unlike a birch broom, an oak broom almost does not absorb sweat and rather than softens the skin, it thickens it, preventing profuse sweating. But an oak broom is indispensable for people with oily skin and skin diseases. Oak leaves and bark contain a lot of tannins, essential oils. Under their influence, the skin acquires a matte tint, becomes elastic, firm, and cleanses well. The bactericidal properties of oak broom are also known.

In addition, steaming with such a broom has a strong anti-inflammatory effect, is good for hypertensive patients (prevents high blood pressure), heart problems, and calms the nervous system.

An oak broom is much stronger than a birch broom. Its leaves are dense and wide, making it easier to pump steam into the body. For lovers of intense heat, this broom is the best.

The ancient Slavs considered the oak a sacred tree and settled next to an oak grove. I must say that the healing properties of this tree are really great. People have long used the bark of young branches as a strong astringent and strengthens blood vessels; baths made from oak bark were considered a sure remedy for sweaty feet, for women's diseases, and for bedsores. Flo for this reason, the oak broom is not inferior in popularity to the birch broom. In addition, it creates a special, unique “bath” aroma in the steam room.

It is best to harvest oak broom in August-September. The most durable broom is made from a “winter” oak (it does not shed its leaves for the winter) and from an oak tree near which large broad-leaved burdocks grow. A broom made from branches of such an oak tree almost never crumbles in the steam room.

Currant broom

A broom made from currant branches turns out excellent: it is fragrant and soft, creating a unique aroma in the steam room. Many bathhouse lovers put it in third place after birch and oak. Currant broom is good for skin diseases, for colds, kidney diseases, rheumatism, joint pain. It also helps with hoarseness, old cough, whooping cough. When steaming with a currant broom, it is good to apply currant infusion to the stones in the steam room, and after the steam room drink currant tea with the addition of other medicinal plants. It is best to use a currant broom as part of a birch broom - these two plants combine very well and complement each other.

nettle broom

The healing properties of nettle broom have been known in Russia for a long time. It is indispensable for the treatment of rheumatism, radiculitis, arthritis, gout. It was used for any pain in the back, joints, and colds.

To avoid getting burned by the nettle broom, it is transferred from hot water to cold water several times. Both hold for 3 minutes.

If it is necessary for the nettle to “bite” for medicinal purposes (and rheumatic patients especially need this), the broom is dipped in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. You can steam with such a broom only after your skin has warmed up well in the steam room. Stinging nettle twigs can be tied with birch twigs, then the broom will acquire additional bite and healing effect. However, you should remember that you need to steam with a nettle broom very easily, you don’t need to whip yourself - the effect will be much higher. The skin of full-blooded people from such a broom will very quickly acquire a crimson color, thin people blush easily.

Stinging nettle hairs contain formic acid. It improves blood circulation, is an excellent antiseptic, wound healing agent, in addition, it has tonic, stimulating, and restorative properties. Massage with a nettle broom is extremely useful for the treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis, helps with kidney and liver diseases. In this case, it is useful to apply a steamed nettle broom to the sore spots. Nettle is also useful for skin diseases, acne, and boils. To treat them, take young nettles and immerse them in warm water for a short time. When steaming with such a broom, you feel a slight pleasant tingling sensation, the skin becomes ruddy and elastic.

Nettle broom is harvested in May-July and dried in the shade. It is advisable not to confuse stinging nettle With deaf nettle. The second one does not burn at all, although the plants are similar in appearance. And here stinging nettle although it differs from dioecious in its shorter stature, it is suitable for a broom, since its hairs contain even more formic acid, which is why it got its name.

Coniferous broom

Coniferous broom - for thrill-seekers. In Siberia, the fir broom was considered one of the most popular, and cedar branches were also often used. In the middle zone, the easiest way to find spruce is that it also makes an excellent coniferous broom. True, today there are not so many people who like to take a steam bath with a pine broom. This procedure is quite tough. But if you treat the pine broom correctly, the benefits of such steaming will outweigh all your “torment”.

First of all, a spruce (or other coniferous) broom is dipped in boiling water for half an hour. They steam with a spruce broom only after ten minutes of warming up in the steam room: after this, the skin becomes more elastic and calmly accepts light injections of the broom.

The antimicrobial properties of spruce needles are amazing. This is the real one natural antibiotic. It is not without reason that it has long been used to disinfect rooms, floors were covered with its branches, and pulmonary patients were fumigated with lighted spruce branches. In addition, during a massage with a spruce broom, aromatic spruce oil is released, which, among other things, is also a good psychostimulant. This remedy helps with inflammation, non-healing wounds, and old cough.

Coniferous broom

Spruce broom can be harvested at any time of the year, but it is best in late spring and early summer, when young, soft spruce branches appear.

It is especially important to follow this rule for those who have sensitive skin.

Linden broom

In Rus' in former times, the linden broom was not inferior in popularity to the birch and oak brooms. However, few people use it today. And in vain. After all, linden quickly relieves headaches, calms well, heals wounds, and has no equal in the treatment of colds and bronchitis. The linden broom is one of the best for its diaphoretic properties; massage with it is a very soft and effective gymnastics for the kidneys. The disinfecting properties of linden are also known. Those who suffer from insomnia are recommended to steam with a linden broom and drink linden tea with honey before going to bed. The effect will exceed all expectations.

Juniper broom

A juniper broom, like a coniferous one, is only for the desperate. The Zhalitta broom is no worse than the nettle broom, but it is also prickly and rough. If you use a juniper broom improperly, it is very easy to injure your skin. But all these inconveniences are compensated a hundredfold by the benefits that a massage with such a broom brings.

In terms of bactericidal properties, juniper has no equal. It is not for nothing that surgeons not so long ago sterilized juniper oil threads for stitching wounds. Juniper broom - excellent remedy for the treatment of radiculitis, paralysis, neuralgia, rheumatism, gout. The anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, antiseptic properties of juniper are explained by the fact that its needles contain a large amount of essential oil. Using a juniper broom in a steam room will protect you from flu and colds. Even such a dangerous disease as tuberculosis recedes before this low evergreen shrub. It grows in the European part of Russia, Siberia, and the Caucasus. You can harvest and use juniper branches throughout the year.

Except common juniper quite common juniper cossack. Its branches and wood can be used without fear, but the fruits of the Cossack juniper are poisonous. You need to cut juniper very carefully; it grows slowly and its thickets are poorly restored.

And lastly: juniper broom is a good remedy for allergies of various origins.

Eucalyptus broom

Recently, this broom has been widely used in the steam room. This is explained by the fact that the eucalyptus leaf has valuable healing properties: it relieves pain, helps well with radiculitis, neuralgia, sprains, bruises, muscle inflammation (myositis), pain in the joints, and stiffness of the joints.

Inhalations with eucalyptus are a common remedy in modern herbal medicine. In the steam room you can do not only massage, but also inhalation with a eucalyptus broom. To do this, you need to soak a broom in eucalyptus infusion, press it to your face and breathe through your nose. This procedure helps with diseases of the bronchi, larynx, inflammatory processes in the trachea, chronic cough, and runny nose. If you don’t have a eucalyptus broom at hand, soak any other one in eucalyptus infusion.

You can harvest branches for a eucalyptus broom in August-September. The eucalyptus leaf gains its greatest strength by November. Branches are most suitable for brooms Eucalyptus tactus- they are quite flexible, although too thin. The latter creates inconvenience, so most often eucalyptus branches are combined with birch and oak branches.

In folk medicine, eucalyptus is used to treat skin cancer, tuberculosis, burns, frostbite, and eye diseases; Modern studies have shown that eucalyptus essential oil reduces the risk of cancer and stimulates the immune system.

This evergreen low tree with lanceolate leaves grows in the Crimea, Moldova, and the Caucasus. And they brought it here from distant Australia.

Tannins contained in eucalyptus leaves help with serious skin diseases.

Maple broom

The best maple broom is from broadleaf maple, sycamore. Like a birch broom, a maple broom absorbs sweat well; it is capable of drawing out toxins, waste, and many harmful substances that have entered the skin and the human body from a polluted atmosphere. Besides these useful properties massage with a maple broom has an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect. Maple leaf disinfects any room well; it is a fairly strong antiseptic. People have long noticed the wound-healing properties of maple: if maple leaves crushed into pulp are applied to a fresh wound, it will heal quickly and without scars. Wounds that take a long time to heal are also healed by the healing effects of maple sap. And this is no coincidence: the leaves, buds and young shoots of maple contain potent biologically active substances - alkaloids; Maple contains a lot of tannins and ascorbic acid.

For a broom you need to select young flexible branches, but with fairly large leaves. Such a broom combines the properties of birch and oak: on the one hand, it is flexible and biting, and on the other, it generates heat well. In addition to broadleaf maple, you can use branches sugar maple. Its leaf is somewhat smaller, but its wound-healing properties are stronger.

Wormwood broom

Wormwood broom is not for everyone; it creates a unique steppe aroma in the steam room, but it is so strong that not everyone tolerates it well. In this case, you can combine one or two branches of wormwood with a birch broom. The aroma will be weaker, but the healing effect will be sufficient. By the way, the ancient Greeks knew about the healing properties of this plant. Even the name wormwood itself comes from the ancient Greek “artemiz”, which means “health”. Wormwood actually disinfects the air (in Rus', huts were fumigated with it during the plague and cholera; it was laid on the floor to repel insects).

In addition, some types of wormwood relieve irritability, nervous and muscle tension, and improve sleep. Wormwood broom refreshes well, relieves fatigue, headaches, and increases performance. Wormwood owes all these properties to the essential oil it contains, which contains a lot of aldehydes and carbonyl compounds - they disinfect the air. A massage with a wormwood broom has a beneficial effect on the skin, it becomes soft and rosy. A wormwood broom in a steam room is indispensable for those who master large amounts of information (studying, taking exams, etc.), since wormwood vapors noticeably improve memory.

You need to harvest wormwood for a broom immediately after flowering (different types of wormwood bloom at different times), without waiting for its strong stems to dry. Dry in the shade and store in a cool place. A broom made from wormwood alone (like nettle) is very fragile, “disposable”. Therefore, many people prefer to include wormwood in another, more durable, broom. It should be remembered that there are many types of wormwood, almost all of them are used in folk medicine, but they have different properties. Some types of wormwood need to be handled very carefully. Wormwood, wormwood, paniculata, lemon wormwood suitable for a broom. But Tauride wormwood should not be harvested for these purposes. It is used to disinfect air in very low concentrations. But if you overdose in a steam room, undesirable consequences are possible.

Alder broom

An alder broom resembles a birch broom in its properties. It absorbs sweat well, removes waste and toxins from the body, and has a healing effect on the skin. It is best to use young twigs of sticky alder for a broom. Its leaves are really very sticky; they stick tightly to the body, which increases their absorption ability. Alder is a moisture-loving plant that grows in damp places: along the banks of rivers, streams, swamps, etc. Thanks to this, its branches are flexible, whippy, and strong. They are comfortable to steam with. An alder broom, like a birch one, is quite durable, you can steam with it more than once.

An alder broom is good for arthritis, gout, acute rheumatism, and rheumatic joint pain. Very useful for people with weak hearts light massage alder broom. You can simply spread alder branches on a shelf and lie on them, the effect will not be much lower. Alder branches are harvested and stored in the same way as birch branches.

Hazel broom

Hazel (hazel), like oak, was considered a sacred plant by the ancient Slavs. The healing properties of the bark, leaves and fruits of hazel (hazel) are well known among the people. The bark contains many tannins and the leaves contain biologically active substances. Thanks to this, massage with a hazel broom helps well with skin diseases: eczema, neurodermatitis, dermatitis. This is a good wound-healing agent; it should be used for long-term wounds, abscesses, and also for trophic ulcers. For those who have varicose veins, it is recommended to apply a hazel broom to the sore spots as a compress. Hazel steam improves metabolism and is very useful for diabetics.

You need to harvest young flexible hazel branches with wide leaves. They are durable and generate heat well.

Ash broom

Among the Scandinavians, ash was revered in the same way as oak among the Slavs. It is believed that this plant is poisonous, but when used externally it has a very strong healing effect (as, indeed, many other poisons). The leaves, buds and young twigs of ash contain a lot of healing essential oil (containing alkaloids), ascorbic acid, and carotene. Thanks to this, ash has pronounced anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties. It is a good antiseptic and a fairly strong hemostatic agent. Massage with an ash broom is useful for radiculitis, rheumatism, arthritis, gout, and spurs. It is useful to steam with an ash broom for bronchitis, chronic cough, in these cases, during the massage you need to press the broom to your face more often and inhale the steam of heated ash leaves. An ash broom is convenient, durable, and works well to induce heat. It is best to use young branches for a broom. common ash.

Bird cherry broom

This broom, although it is not as flexible and biting as a birch broom, can compete with any other: its bactericidal properties are unique. Bird cherry has an extremely strong effect for microbes. The disinfecting properties of this beautiful small tree have been noticed for a long time. Small twigs, leaves and buds of bird cherry were used to disinfect drinking water. After half an hour, the water “treated” with bird cherry could be drunk without fear for your health; after 3-4 hours, such water became almost sterile.

The bird cherry broom is one of the best for a preventive anti-flu bath. Phytoncides secreted by bird cherry have a general beneficial effect on the body. By the way, they are destructive not only for microbes, but also for small insects.

A broom made from bird cherry branches is soft and fragrant. It creates a subtle aroma of ground almonds in the steam room (this is the characteristic smell of biologically active volatile substances released by bird cherry).

When steaming with a bird cherry broom, you must not forget that it is extremely strong remedy. You shouldn't abuse it. Some people may experience headaches under the influence of bird cherry phytoncides. In this case, bird cherry twigs can be included in another broom, for example a birch one. This warning should not be neglected: experiments have shown that under a glass cover with chopped bird cherry leaves, not only flies, but also small rodents die (its phytoncides even kill rats). Do not overdose on this powerful medicine!

Rowan broom

A broom made from rowan branches is flexible, soft, and biting. It disinfects the steam room air well. The volatile substances released by rowan are destructive to Staphylococcus aureus and mold. Due to the presence of valuable acids (sorbic and parasorbic acid), which inhibit the growth of microbes, rowan has long been considered a good preservative. Rowan also fully exhibits its antimicrobial properties in the steam room. In addition, it is useful to steam with a rowan broom for atherosclerosis; air saturated with volatile substances from rowan is useful for hypertensive patients. If you add a few sprigs of tansy to a rowan broom, you will get a good refresher. A massage with such a broom invigorates, lifts strength and mood. However, due to its strong stimulating properties, it is better to steam with such a broom in the morning (after an evening session, you risk spending the night without sleep).

Preparation of brooms, drying and storage

Before you go to the steam room with a fragrant broom, you need to familiarize yourself not only with the techniques of broom massage, but also with how to properly steam a broom, and with those bath tricks that will extend the life of the broom and your pleasure.

But first you need to get a broom. The easiest way, of course, is to buy a broom. But, firstly, your choice in this case will be limited to one type. Most likely, it will be an oak or birch broom. Well, they are are rightfully considered the best. But by buying a ready-made broom, you are, in a sense, purchasing a “pig in a poke”: you don’t know where the branches were harvested, whether they were dried correctly, what time you chose to collect them. And if the second and third will only affect the durability of the broom, then the collection location is of paramount importance.

It is no secret that plant leaves have the ability to absorb not only useful, but also harmful substances from the atmosphere. Poplar, for example, is capable of absorbing and accumulating even benzene! So, if the twigs for your broom were collected near a busy highway, there is no doubt that some of the exhaust gases and other harmful substances will migrate to your steam room. Therefore, it is best to prepare the brooms yourself. You just need to know a few simple rules:

1. Branches should only be cut in dry weather. Branches should not be harvested early in the morning when there is dew. If you break this rule, leaves wetted by rain or dew will darken and curl during drying. In addition, moistened leaves quickly deteriorate, the fermentation process may begin in them, and the leaves from such a broom will fall off after the first entry into the steam room.
2. Leaves and branches harvested from a forest or park cannot be washed before drying (for the reason stated in point one).
3. To harvest branches, you need to choose places far from highways, industrial enterprises, hospitals, city landfills (wise healers warned against harvesting branches also near cemeteries).
4. Branches for a broom need to be cut from 40 to 60 centimeters long, otherwise they will be inconvenient to use.
5. Before drying, the branches need to be tied into brooms, having previously cleared the branches of leaves by a third of the length, then wrapped in a soft cloth (then the broom will be enough for 2-3 baths).
6. Dry the brooms in the shade, in a well-ventilated place (in a barn, attic, etc.), turning them over daily until the leaves dry. After this, the brooms are placed tightly to each other - they are flattened, taking on the shape of a fan.
7. Ready-made brooms should only be stored in the shade, otherwise they will partially lose their strength. In addition, it is very easy to dry out a broom in the sun, and then it will not last long.
8. In urban areas, it is best to store brooms packed in a bag on the balcony or in the refrigerator.

In conclusion - a few bathing tricks. If you want the broom to be comfortable, when knitting, you need to place thicker branches inside, and thinner ones at the edges, not necessarily bending inward. The broom should be light, otherwise you may get calluses. In order for the handle of the broom to be comfortable, its length must be at least 15 cm, the end of the broom should not be tied up, but left free, then the handle will acquire a very comfortable bend.

In addition, it is necessary to trim the edges of the handle with pruning shears or garden shears so as not to get scratched. And the last thing: when knitting combined brooms, you need to place all the burning and prickly branches inside. The exception is cases when burning poultices are necessary (for example, for articular rheumatism). Sometimes it’s useful to steam until you get blisters: during heavy loads a very hard massage with a nettle broom has an extremely beneficial effect, but such a procedure is only indicated for very healthy people with elastic skin.

Methods for steaming a broom

A fresh broom and a dried one are steamed differently. It is enough to rinse a fresh broom several times in warm water. If you also want to receive healing water To press on the stones, hold the broom in water for a few minutes. But not for long, otherwise the beneficial substances will pass into the water, and the broom will lose its aroma.

Dried broom You also need to first rinse it several times in warm, or even cool, water, then immerse it in a basin of warm water for 10-15 minutes. Usually it is covered with a second basin to better “steam”.

If you steam a broom not in warm, but in hot water, it will quickly crumble. If you keep the broom in water for more than half an hour, the result will be the same - the broom will quickly become limp, the leaves will become heavy and will fly away after 2-3 visits to the steam room.

But there are times when the broom is too dry. Such a broom will not “come to life” without very hot water. The best thing to do is to dip the broom in hot water for half a minute, then briefly place it on the hot stones, then steam will rise from the wet leaves, which will steam the entire broom. If after this the broom is not soft enough, the procedure can be repeated. Just make sure that there are no leaves left on the stones, otherwise a burning smell will spread in the steam room. This method of steaming a dry broom is also good because the steam rising from the wet leaves permeates the entire steam room with a healing aroma.

However, if you have an extra 12-15 hours before going to the bathhouse, you can steam the broom in another way: half a day before the steam room, dip the broom in cold water, take it out before use, and wrap it in a damp rag. Such a broom will be fragrant, soft, durable. Be sure to save the water you steam the broom in and use it to wet the broom and apply it to the stones. After all, most of the biologically active substances transferred into the water during soaking.

There is one more - contrasting - a method of steaming a broom: half a day before the bath, the broom is doused in the shower, first with cold, then hot water, then warm and again hot. The broom is shaken and hidden in a waterproof bag. In the steam room they splash hot water on him and cover him with a basin for a short time.

Finally, if you followed the advice to store the broom in the refrigerator, you don’t have to worry about anything - such a broom does not need steaming at all. It is thawed before use, moistened with cool water and kept for some time over hot stones in the steam room, constantly turning. This will make the leaves brighter and the rods more flexible.

People often ask: is it possible to use a broom in a sauna? Generally undesirable. But for broom lovers, you can offer this recipe: before the last use, pour a little infusion on the stones, put it on the shelf, soaked in cool water broom. The aroma will be wonderful, but you can truly steam with a broom only in a Russian steam room.

How to steam with a broom

Let's start with the fact that it is best to steam in a Russian steam room together, taking turns, otherwise you will not be able to truly relax. Moreover, some broom massage techniques, such as patting and poultices, are more convenient to perform with two brooms at once.

When steaming with a broom, you need to know when to stop. There is no need to whip the broom with all your might - on the contrary, all movements should be soft, flexible, the broom should barely touch the body, except for the cases specified below. You need to swing the broom carefully, trying to bring as much heat to the body as possible. The lower the temperature in the steam room, the wider the broom movements can be. But at high temperatures they take special care: too hot wave steam can burn your skin. Needless to say, you need to be most careful in the head area so as not to burn the sensitive skin of your face and ears. By the way, ears are an excellent indicator of bath heat. Experienced bathhouse attendants have the expression “your ears turn up.” This is exactly the feeling that occurs if you overdo it with heat in the steam room.

Another rule: the broom must be wet all the time while steaming; for this, it is moistened from time to time with warm or cool water.

The best position for hovering with a broom is lying on a shelf. They begin to soar from the back. First, perform a movement from the legs to the head, working with a broom like a fan. This is preparing the body for broom massage. Now is the time to familiarize yourself with his techniques.

Broom massage techniques

Let’s make a reservation right away: you can perform a massage with a broom not only in the steam room. Some bath lovers prefer to thoroughly treat their body with a broom in the soap section before a massage in the steam room. For convenience, we will first describe the techniques of broom massage in a steam room, and only then we will talk about soap massage with a broom.

Broom massage in the steam room

Stroking. When performing this exercise, the brooms are placed on the heels, then easily and leisurely slide them over the calves, thighs, buttocks and then along the arms (starting from the hands) to the neck. Traditionally, broom massage begins with this technique. The same actions are performed in the opposite direction, with brooms sliding along the side surfaces of the body. Then the brooms are lifted up, capturing a new portion of hot air, and pressed tightly to the lower back for 2-3 seconds. Thus, the following broom massage technique is performed - compress.

Stroking with a broom is performed 3-4 times, alternating them with compresses in the area of ​​the shoulder blades and popliteal cavities; it is very useful to press the broom forcefully against the heels several times. As already mentioned, the broom needs to be dipped in cold water from time to time. This will not only avoid unpleasant sensations and relieve excessive burning, but also deeply warm the muscles, joints, bone tissue. The latter is very important, as it includes powerful regenerative processes in the human body.

If you perform stroking movements with a broom without touching the body, the heat is injected into the body. You can build up the heat by very quickly performing a series of compresses on different parts of the body or by moving a broom from one part of the body to another. In this case, you need to lift the broom higher from time to time, either at the lower back, then at the neck, or at the knees. Those suffering from osteochondrosis should pay special attention to the area of ​​the neck and shoulder blades. After this, the next step is performed.

Quilting. Carry it out with light “dashing” movements in all directions. They start from the back, then move to the lower back, pelvis, thighs, calf muscles, and finally, lightly lashing the feet, perform light stroking, after which the steamer is turned over onto his back. Both the quilting and the quick stroking that follows it are performed for no more than a minute each (both on the back and on the stomach). Then they turn over onto their stomach again and perform all the techniques described above, but now for two minutes.

Move on to the main technique - whipping. To perform it, the broom is lifted up, hot steam is captured and several whipping movements are made. They start from the back. Then press the broom to the body for 3 seconds (a technique already familiar to us - a broom compress). In the same way, whippings are alternated with compresses on the lower back, then on the buttocks (pay attention to the sacrum area), and on the outer surface of the thighs. Only compresses or poultices are used on the popliteal cavity, since the skin in these places is too sensitive. Fans of the heat of the bath complete this part of the massage with whippings on the calves and heels.

The following technique is very similar to whipping - pat. Sometimes (for example, with very sensitive skin) it is performed instead of whipping. One technique differs from another in that when whipped, the broom easily slides over the body after a blow, and when patted, it is firmly fixed. Patting begins simultaneously with two brooms on both sides of the body, touching them very gently. Then the brooms are quickly raised up, capturing the dry hot steam and slapping it on the back. Move first to the legs, then in the opposite direction, all together - no more than two minutes.

Another massage technique with a broom - trituration. It is usually carried out either at the very end of the massage, or after the first two techniques. To perform rubbing, you need to hold the broom by the handle and with the palm of your other hand press firmly on the leafy part, while simultaneously rubbing the body in all directions either in a circular motion or in short strokes.

In conclusion, we will dwell on two more techniques of broom massage, which are extremely useful for arthritis, rheumatism, gout, radiculitis, muscle inflammation, as well as for various pains in the sacral area. These are poultices and stretching.

Poultices- these are essentially the same compresses, only longer. They can only be made after steaming at the highest possible temperature (be careful, do not exceed your capabilities, beware of burns). One broom grabs the steam and lowers it onto the body; with another broom, the first broom is pressed even harder to the skin. Keep the brooms pressed to the body for 10 to 20 seconds. The poultices begin from the back (in the area of ​​the shoulder blades), then gradually move to the lower back, pelvis, calves, and finish on the feet. You need to move along the body constantly alternating brooms. You can stay longer in sore spots. Then they turn over onto their back and perform the technique starting from the chest and moving to the legs. To prevent heart palpitations, both brooms are moistened in cold water and one is applied to the heart, the other to the face.

Stretching- another highly effective broom massage technique. Performed immediately after the compress. The brooms are placed on the lower back and spread apart: one broom to the head, the other to the feet. In this case, the body is stretched with brooms in different directions. It is useful for radiculitis and is recommended for any pain in the sacrolumbar region. Repeat the stretch 5-6 times, ending with light stroking of the body. After combining compresses and poultices with stretch marks, a person feels literally reborn.

Broom massage is best performed during the second entry into the steam room. For the first time, they steam without a broom, without giving in to the heat, opening and cleansing all the pores of the body. Having sweated well, wash off the sweat with warm water. Now is the time to take a steam bath with a broom. During your second visit to the steam room, you need to perform the entire complex of broom massage. If in the third session you do not want to part with the broom, keep in mind that the massage time in the steam room in this case should be reduced by almost half compared to the first session. Broom massage is a powerful procedure. Therefore, never stand up abruptly at the end of the massage - otherwise you may experience dizziness and fainting. You need to very slowly roll over onto your stomach, then onto your side, sit down after half a minute, and then, if you feel good, you can carefully get up.

Self-massage with a broom

If you don't have a partner, you can perform broom self-massage. Of course, you won’t be able to relax as deeply, but there are some advantages: firstly, you can dose the strength of the whippings yourself, and secondly, by performing self-massage in the steam room, you get good

physical activity, thirdly, you know your patients better than anyone, problem areas and you can give them more attention. Finally, you are unlikely to hurt yourself, which cannot be said about any, even the most experienced bathhouse partner.

When performing self-massage with a broom, do not do too much sudden movements, save your strength. Intensive swinging of a broom can lead to a rapid heartbeat, do not clap too hard, it is better to very gently blow steam towards the body.

Stroking. You need to start self-massage with a broom lying on your back, with your knees slightly bent. First you need to perform several strokes from the legs to the hips. Then five to seven strokes are carried out from the hips up the stomach and chest to the sides, a broom is passed across the body five times, the arms are raised in turn, and the raised arm is stroked five to six times from the hand to the shoulder.

The back and sacrum area float while lying on one side or the other. It is best to massage the upper back and neck with a broom while sitting on a shelf. If you do not tolerate high temperatures well, you can steam not on the shelf, but below (in a sitting position).

Quilting. We begin, like stroking, lying on your back. The sequence is the same: from the legs to the hips, then from the hips up the stomach and chest to the sides and arms; after that, lying on your side, lash the back, pelvic area, and then, sitting, lash top part back and neck.

For strong and healthy people, you can add whipping and patting to this. Sick and weakened people should limit themselves to compresses on sore and problematic parts of the body.

Complete self-massage rubbing. In this case, you need to rub the leafy part of the broom like a washcloth, pressing the leaves with your free hand.

The sequence of all actions during self-massage corresponds to the sequence of actions during a regular broom massage, only one broom is used.

Having finished rubbing, you need to lie on your back again and put a broom soaked in cold water. This cool compress will reduce the strain on your heart.

After self-massage with a broom, do not rush to leave the steam room. Go down to the foot of the shelf and sit for about five minutes. If you want to lose weight, try to hold out for ten minutes. The fact is that after a broom massage, sweating increases. Along with this, your extra pounds will also go away.

Self-massage with a broom is best done at one time - less stress on the body. People with a weak heart should limit their stay in the steam room to three to four minutes; for healthy people, it is better to steam for no more than ten to fifteen minutes.

If, nevertheless, you decide to steam with a broom during the second session, reduce the procedure to five to seven minutes or limit yourself to whippings and compresses on sore or problematic areas. When performing compresses (especially on the leg area with varicose veins), try to turn the broom over more often, pressing one side or the other to the body.

And one last thing. The number of repetitions of certain techniques when performing self-massage should be two times less than when performing a massage.

Soapy massage with a broom

As already mentioned, this type of broom massage is performed in the soap compartment. Before you start the massage, you need to take a good steam bath several times in a Russian steam room or sauna. After this, you need to take a hot shower and lie face down on a bench. The bench should not be cold. The person being massaged is first doused with hot soapy water, then with a broom dipped in soapy water, three or four strokes are performed from the heels to the neck.

Then move on to pressing in: this technique is performed almost in the same way as a compress or poultice, only, unlike poultices, they do not wave a broom, but press it with their right hand to the lower back (while holding the broom with their left) and forcefully press the broom into this part of the body. Then the squeezes are carried out up the back, right up to the neck, tearing the broom away from the body only to lower it again into a basin of soapy water (the soap in the basin should be whipped into foam).

Then move on to next appointment - kneading. It is performed like this: a broom is placed on the back and, pressing its body, the muscles are grabbed along with the leaves and kneaded three to four times each. This technique should begin with the latissimus dorsi muscle, moving down to the lower back. If the person being massaged suffers from osteochondrosis, they also work well neck muscles. The hands of the person being massaged should be lowered down when performing this technique.

After this, you can proceed to the technique already familiar to us - rubbing. Press the broom tightly to the lower back and, like a washcloth, make short intermittent movements upward to the neck. Particular attention is paid to the shoulder blades, shoulders and lower back. Here you can perform circular rubbing with a broom; in addition, the spine is rubbed well. If you wish, you can stop there. But lovers of strong massage with a broom, as a rule, move on after rubbing to passive movements.

Start with rocking. What it is? The person being massaged completely relaxes. His partner places a hot soapy broom on his lower back, with the palm of one hand (preferably the left) resting on the broom. The other hand (right) grabs the thigh from below. In this case, the leg needs to be raised up. With your left hand you gently press on the broom, with your right hand you lift your leg a little more. It turns out something like a swing. In three or four times you need to bring its scope to the limit. They work in the same way with the second leg. Then they move on to their hands. Here the person being massaged will have to do a little work: with one hand, take the other by the wrist and lift it as high as possible - to the limit. The partner, leaning on the forearm of his right hand, grabs the elbow of the raised hand with his left and pulls it behind his back, also to the limit. Then the hand is moved forward and placed behind the head with a soft springy movement. WITH passive movements for shoulder and knee joint, as well as for the feet, we will get acquainted in the chapter devoted to massage in the bathhouse. Let us only add that a soap massage with a broom complements steaming with a broom very well; it is very useful for salt deposits, joint stiffness, and also after injuries.

If you have the opportunity to take a steam bath in a Russian steam room, you need to interrupt the soapy massage with a broom, get under a hot shower and then sit in the steam room for a while. After this, the soap massage can be continued, but in a supine position. In the manner described above

Massage first the chest, then the stomach, then the area of ​​the legs and feet, after adding hot water to the basin and thoroughly whipping the foam. If you are steaming in a sauna, you should not interrupt the broom massage. After finishing the procedure, you need to pour hot water over your body and go to the steam room, but with a broom. The duration of steaming with a broom is no more than five minutes.

Remember: what one person can do can be harmful, or even dangerous, for another. Steaming with a broom is a fairly tough procedure. Not everyone tolerates it well. However, broom massage is so beneficial for the body that it is worth trying to gradually accustom yourself to this procedure. You can start with a soap broom massage, which is carried out not in the steam room, but in the soap department. People with a weak heart, hypertensive patients (especially severe forms of the disease), who have had long illness, as well as those prone to dizziness, fainting, and circulatory problems, a broom massage with soap will allow you to enjoy the procedure without exposing yourself to the action of steam that is too harsh for such people. They do not need to lie in the steam room for a long time. If your health allows, you can limit yourself to two to three minutes to begin with, and then begin the soap massage. When the body gets used to the heat of the bath, you can increase the time spent in the steam room to five to six minutes, and devote two or three of them to whippings and compresses with a broom dipped in cold water.

Please pay attention to the following detail: massage in the soap bar and massage in the steam room must be performed with different brooms. Remember: soap in the steam room is your headache.

Alder belongs to the birch family. Its leaves are round, sticky and shiny. Alder bath brooms turn out lush due to the abundance of leaves. They massage the body well when whipped.

But alder brooms will delight the steamer not only with a pleasant massage. The leaves of the tree contain large amounts of carotene, vitamin C, fats, proteins, and flavonoid glycosides. The bark has a large amount of tannins, alkaloids, and vitamin PP. Thanks to these beneficial substances, alder brooms have a hemostatic, desensitizing, anti-inflammatory, and disinfectant effect. Alder broom is also used to treat inflammatory skin diseases. They help treat acne, ulcers, and long-healing wounds. These brooms are indicated for oily skin and those suffering from excessive sweating.

Healers recommend decoctions and infusions of alder leaves as gargles for diseases of the mouth and throat. They are taken orally for colds, gout, rheumatism, uterine tumors, cancer diseases digestive organs, enteritis, colitis.

Preparation and storage of alder brooms

Alder is used from May to July. Then the leaves and bark of the tree have optimal chemical composition. A broom collected during this period will be most useful. It is good to collect alder branches when cutting down trees.

For the broom, flexible and straight branches with green bark are selected. The leaves should be dark green, sticky and shiny. Take branches from the middle of the tree.

It is advisable to use fresh brooms in the bathhouse. Because during storage, some essential oils and other beneficial substances erode or are destroyed. Alder brooms should not be stored for more than three years.

Alder brooms are dried under a canopy or in the attic. It should be well ventilated. It is advisable to maintain a constant temperature during drying.

When the branches are slightly dry, brooms are knitted from them. Formative branches are located in the center. They are thicker and stronger than others. Along the edges of the broom there are shorter ones with abundant foliage. Tie the broom loosely with a gauze bandage or hemp rope. If you tie the broom tightly, mold will soon appear on the leaves. The broom is knitted tightly after it is completely dry.

Store alder brooms in a cool, dry place in boxes. You can also store them in the refrigerator, wrapped in a bag. In the villages, brooms are usually stored in haystacks. This method of storing bath brooms is ideal.

An alder broom is steamed in the same way as. After the bath, the broom should be rinsed and dried. If the broom is worn out, then you should not throw it away. In the center there are usually several branches with preserved leaves. Having collected 3-4 such brooms, you can assemble one full-fledged one from these branches.

A bathhouse and steam room are always associated with the presence of the main thing in it attribute - broom. Birch branches are traditional for the manufacture of this obligatory bath accessory, but in different regions of Russia other species of trees and shrubs have long been used, which are no less valuable for preventive and therapeutic bath procedures. What types of bath brooms are there, and in what cases are they best used? This question arises before everyone who has decided to improve their health with the help of bath procedures, as it has been done for centuries in Rus'.

A broom in a bathhouse is intended not only for active massage body, but also to create a specific atmosphere that is formed from the aroma of the leaves. In addition, almost all the plants used in the steam room are excellent inhalers, and can not only help in the treatment of many diseases, but also cleanse and rejuvenate the body.

Bath brooms are cut not only from birch, but also from oak, linden, rowan, juniper, several species of trees, cherry and currant bushes, walnut, eucalyptus and other plants. But not only trees and shrubs are used for this purpose, but also herbs such as tansy, wormwood, nettle, sage, lemon balm, mint and even bamboo.

Sometimes combined bouquets are made, consisting of different herbs and branches, which are combined not only in aroma, but also in their effect on the body.

To select the one you need and effective option For a specific case, you need to find out what properties each of the plants used in the steam room has.

Broom made of birch branches

Birch can be found almost everywhere in Russia, and it has won the love of traditional healers for a long time. For use in a steam room, a broom made from birch branches is considered almost ideal, since birch has cleansing properties internal organs And skin through inhaled steam and superficial massage. As you know, cleansing the body is the first step towards its recovery.

The leaders in popularity in Russian baths are birch brooms

Birch branches are flexible, and the leaves are able to remain elastic even after drying. However, these properties remain unchanged only if the process of cutting and drying the brooms is carried out correctly. During steaming, porous birch leaves adhere well to the body, absorbing sweat and waste products released along with it, cleansing the pores. Open Pores allow the skin to breathe and absorb nutrients. Therefore, a birch broom is often used for the first two visits to the steam room, so that the medicinal plants used later have a greater effect.

Birch buds preserved on the branches contain essential oils, flafonoids, several types of biologically active substances, resins and bitterness. The opened leaves are rich in such useful components as ascorbic and betulorethin acid, hyperoside, carotene, saponins, phytoncides and others.

It is these natural components that help cleanse and prepare the body for subsequent therapeutic measures.

For brooms, young lower branches of birch with light green, recently blossoming leaves, which are no more than 30 mm in size, are harvested. They keep it in their cellular composition beneficial substances characteristic of the buds, and also contain components acquired by the leaves when they bloom.

Broom made of oak branches

No less popular are oak brooms, the leaves of which contain tannins, essential oils, quercetin and quercitrin, as well as pentosans. It is this composition that is especially necessary for oily skin - it cleanses it and makes it elastic, and also has an anti-inflammatory effect.

Oak broom is not collected from old branches, and its leaves should not be large and have a dark color, otherwise after drying they will become brittle and will not hold well on the branches. But even young oak leaves are quite large in size and have good density, which means they retain heat for a long time when the broom fan warms up. When performing a massage, the foliage, sticking to the skin, gives it some of the beneficial substances contained in it, affects blood circulation, reducing blood pressure. An oak broom is excellent in treating skin diseases - this is facilitated by essential oils and tannins, which are rich in all parts of this tree.

Steam room experts recommend cutting a broom in the thicket of the forest, where ultraviolet rays almost do not penetrate. For the broom, use the lower thin branches that have good flexibility. They are the ones who will help carry out proper massage which will not harm the skin.

Broom made of eucalyptus branches

Eucalyptus leaves are often used to treat colds by brewing medicinal tea, making a decoction for gargling and inhalation. The effectiveness of this plant on recovery can be associated with the fact that eucalyptus contains up to 3% essential oils.

In order to use such a broom to treat colds in a bathhouse, after soaking it and before starting a body massage, you need to press the leaves to your face and inhale its aroma through your nose and mouth. Wormwood, sage, chamomile and mint are often added to a bouquet of eucalyptus to enhance the effect, but soften the tart smell of its leaves. It must be said that not every person is able to withstand the aroma of so many leaves of this plant, so sometimes they take just one or three branches of eucalyptus and place them, for example, in an oak or birch “bouquet”.

When choosing a dry eucalyptus broom, you need to pay attention to its color - it should not be faded gray, but bright green. This factor indicates that it was properly prepared and dried, which means that the leaves retained all their healing qualities.

This plant is found only in the southern, subtropical regions of the country, therefore most bathhouse lovers are unlikely to be able to prepare it themselves. However, it can be purchased in specialized stores or ordered on one of the websites. If such an opportunity is not found, then you can buy dry eucalyptus leaves at the pharmacy and make a thick decoction from them, which is splashed on hot stones.

Broom made from linden branches

Flowering linden spreads its aroma over long distances. Many people collect and dry its flower to treat colds in the autumn and winter. Steam room brooms made from branches of this tree are often used for the prevention and treatment of not only seasonal diseases, but also chronic ones, such as kidney or gallstones, frequent headaches, skin pathologies, disorders nervous system and others.

The aroma and substances released from the leaves from a steamed broom act as bronchodilator, soothing and wound healing agent. To do this, softened leaves are pressed to the face and body.

When studying the properties and chemical composition of linden, a whole complex of biologically active compounds was found, which includes bactericidal and sedative substances, such as tiliacin, carotene, protein, vitamin C, essential oil and others.

You can cut linden brooms for bathing procedures during its flowering or after its completion. This will not reduce the beneficial properties in linden branches, but the “fan”, which contains dried flowers, will be more fragrant.

Juniper spruce broom

Juniper is an evergreen coniferous shrub and, like all representatives of this genus, is rich in essential oils. In addition to them, it contains a large amount of vitamins, organic acids and substances that have bactericidal effect. The bush does not have sharp needles on its paws, but despite this, it is quite prickly. However, some experienced steam lovers choose this option due to its rigidity.

Juniper broom is good for treating rheumatic diseases, gout, edema and some skin diseases in a bathhouse. Thanks to its disinfectant properties, its aroma also helps with inflammatory processes in the respiratory tract.

Often the spruce branches of this plant are used to create a flooring on a steam room bench. In this case, it not only heals with its aromatic substances, but also manifests itself as great massage er.

Using a juniper fan, it is good to pump hot air from the heater towards yourself and, with light touches to the skin, carry out a tangential massage, slightly pressing the paws of the plant to different parts bodies.

There is no need to prepare brooms from this shrub in advance, since it is evergreen. It is used immediately after cutting, otherwise it will dry out and it will not be possible to restore it, unlike deciduous plants. In dry form, juniper cannot be used for massage bath procedures, as it will be very hard and prickly.

Broom made from Canadian maple branches

Not everyone knows that a broom made from Canadian maple, which is no less rich, is perfect for a steam room. healing substances than other tree species from which brooms are cut for baths. Maple leaves contain carotene, ascorbic acid, tannins, alkaloids and other components, thanks to which such a broom “works” like anti-inflammatory, wound-healing, cleansing, restorative, tonic and analgesic.

Paired procedures performed with a maple broom relieve pain due to osteochondrosis, gout, arthritis and rheumatism, as well as cleanse the skin and relieve inflammation.

Maple brooms are harvested in early or mid-summer, when the leaf has not yet fully grown, has a light green color and adheres well to the branch.

Broom made from spruce branches of coniferous trees

Bath brooms are made from spruce, cedar or fir branches. The needles of these breeds are different high content essential oils and resins, as well as vitamin C. The presence of small needles allows for an excellent massage that will relieve pain in the joints and spine. The essential oils of these plants disinfect and deodorize the air in the steam room, which is a necessary condition for disease prevention respiratory organs. In addition to using a broom, a decoction of pine needles works well - for splashing on the heater and for rinsing the body after washing.

Thorny brooms must be used with extreme caution, as the needles can scratch delicate skin. They are most often used for steam injection and massage with with the help of the lung pressing against different parts of the body. It is best to use young needles, as they are not so hard and have no sharp ends, unlike the old spruce branches.

It is good to use pine paws for laying on the bench. You need to lie down on such a bedding carefully, but after a few minutes the body gets used to it. The needles, when heated, begin to release essential oils into the air, which envelop the body with steam, which helps open and cleanse the pores, as well as nourish the skin.

Coniferous brooms are not prepared in advance - they must be cut before going to the bathhouse.

Alder steam room broom

Alder bath brooms are most often used in Siberia and the northern regions of the country, where it grows. The leaves and branches of this tree contain in their chemical composition several types of different acids, tannins and other substances that are beneficial to the human body. Many of them appear and begin to “work” only when the broom is steamed. They are able to disinfect the air, helping in the prevention of colds.

In addition, alder perfectly cleanses the skin, makes it elastic, smoothing out fine wrinkles.

Brooms from fruit trees and shrubs

Unfortunately, brooms made from currant, cherry and rowan branches are not very popular. And it’s completely in vain, since they have a wonderful unique aroma and great vitamin potential. When dried brooms are soaked in hot water, the smell of freshness and summer completely captures the steam room.

The branches of these plants are quite thin and flexible, so the brooms made from them are soft, but they perfectly nourish and massage the skin.

A rowan broom has a special quality - this plant supports performance and does not allow you to relax even after a good massage and warming up in the steam room. Therefore, it is good to use it if a trip to the bathhouse is planned for the first half of the day, and in the second half there is some event planned, or serious work is to be done. By visiting the steam room and having massage treatments using a rowan broom, you can get a great boost of energy.

When massaged with currant branches, sweat is released especially intensely, and the leaves absorb it well. Thanks to a large number of vitamin components and essential oils, a currant broom can not only cleanse the skin, but also nourish it well with useful substances. In addition to affecting the skin, brooms from black currant bushes can relieve painful manifestations rheumatism and gout, and in combination with taking the decoction orally - very ist lymph nodes and urinary system from pathogenic microbes.

Herbal brooms

In addition to brooms from different types of trees and shrubs, bouquets of various medicinal herbs are also used for baths. Some of them are knitted into brooms for massage, others are simply hung in the steam room to create a special healing atmosphere in the room. When heated, the herbs release a mixed aroma into the dense, humid air of the steam room, inhaling which a person cleanses the lungs, and as a result, the entire circulatory system.

Used for baths different herbs, both separately and in combination with each other. The most used of them are worth considering.

Nettle

Nettle removes well chronic fatigue from physical activity, she is able to dock painful sensations in muscles and joints. Thanks to its burning properties, which are somewhat reduced after soaking and become tolerable to the skin, nettle is a strong anti-inflammatory and healing skin irritant, which activates blood circulation and the metabolic process. When such procedures are carried out regularly, you can normalize blood pressure and get rid of chronic nervous tension.

Nettle brooms are prepared in May - June, since at this time the herbal tables are not yet too hard, and the leaves are moderately hot. This is important, since to obtain the result it is necessary to press the fan of the broom against the skin, and at the same time it should not have a traumatic, but stimulating effect on the skin cells.

Mint

A mint broom is called menthol and is often used in baths individually or in combination with other plants. Mint is used to create aromatherapy atmosphere and for massage treatments. A massage from the branches of this herb is done by pressing them, mainly to the face, neck and hands, since mint has a rejuvenating and calming effect. The essential oils contained in it, pinene, felandrene, mentofuran and other substances contribute to this. These components also have bactericidal, vasodilator effect, and also bring relief to breathing in asthma.

Mint is harvested from May to late autumn. Young leaves are good to use for decoctions, and plants with fairly thick trunks are collected in separate brooms or added to birch or oak branches.

Do not collect plants after rain or heavy dew. In addition, before tying the collected shoots into brooms, they should not be washed or simply wet. “Bouquets” of mint should not be too thick, as it will be difficult for them to dry out evenly.

Sagebrush

Wormwood is most often used for hanging in a steam room, laying on a bench, or as an addition to brooms made from tree branches. This plant helps in the treatment of stomach and liver, gall bladder and joint diseases. When heated in a bathhouse, wormwood branches begin to emit a bitter aroma, which is useful for cleansing the body and relieving difficulty breathing. The essential oils contained in the plant contribute to this.

Dry wormwood - it is also widely used in bath practice

Wormwood is cut after flowering, when its stems are strong enough, but not rough. Having collected the grass, it is not wetted under any circumstances, but is immediately tied into brooms and sent to dry.

Tansy

The aroma of tansy is somewhat reminiscent of wormwood, but this herb has even greater capabilities than wormwood. It is used to relieve pain and heal bruises, for headaches and rheumatic pain, as well as for menstrual irregularities. In addition, by regularly using a tansy broom in the steam room, you can get rid of chronic problems with the genitourinary system and liver.

Tansy is often added to brooms made from various plants, and sometimes hung from the ceiling of a steam room to obtain aromatherapy effect.

This plant is collected during its flowering and used together with flowers. Before drying, it is not washed, but immediately tied into a bouquet and hung from the ceiling of a well-ventilated room.

Bamboo broom

A bamboo broom is exotic, unusual for a Russian bath, but if you know all about it positive traits, then you will definitely want to try it for yourself. Experienced bath attendants who work with this plant claim that bamboo has the property of “pulling out” pain, so it is often used to relieve painful conditions. For example, it is able to relieve joint and spinal pain, relieve tension from muscles and ligaments, that is, provide a full massage of all parts of the body. In combination with this, a bamboo broom puts the skin in order, freeing it from accumulated toxins and making stretch marks left after childbirth less noticeable. This massage normalizes blood circulation and significantly strengthens blood vessels and the heart.

Somewhat unusual for our region - bamboo brooms

Unlike brooms with leaves, bamboo does not need to be steamed - it is always ready for massage procedures. A massage with such a broom not only heals the body, but also brings positive emotions.

Although bamboo strands have a porous internal structure, it must be used with extreme care and skill to avoid damaging sensitive skin. The broom is designed to influence the skin and muscle tissues that require periodic massage manipulations.

The massage is carried out with increased tapping on the skin, starting with a light touch to get used to it, and then intensifying it to more significant ones. The technique of alternating from weak to stronger effects, and vice versa, is often used.

Bamboo rods are quite flexible, and when correct use they won't bring it painful sensations. A massage on a steamed body with relaxed muscles is especially good.

It will not be possible to harvest bamboo yourself, since it grows in Russia only in Kuril Islands. Some skilled gardeners sometimes grow it in other areas, but in any case, it is an exotic rarity, so most often such a bath accessory is purchased ready-made.

Preparation of traditional brooms

Since ancient times in Rus', bathhouse brooms were cut on Trinity Day, on the 49th day after Easter (usually the beginning or middle of June). The weather for harvesting brooms should be dry - if it rains or the humidity is high on the appointed day, it is better to postpone this event to a later date. You cannot cut branches early in the morning - you must wait until the dew has dried. The cut branches are not tied tightly right away - they need to be allowed to dry thoroughly.

The knitting process is usually carried out in compliance with the optimal dimensions of the broom, which should be 500 ÷ 550 mm - fan and 100 ÷ 110 mm handle. The work is carried out as follows:

• The branches are sorted and leveled, and excess leaves are removed from their lower edges, which can be dried separately and used for decoctions.
• Then, the branches are carefully placed in the bouquet, with the thicker ones placed in the middle of the broom.
• Next, the broom is loosely tied with linen twine in two places, in the upper and lower parts of the handle, passing it between the cuttings of the branches.
• After this, two brooms are tied together and hung on poles mounted on the wall or mounted on supports in the middle of a well-ventilated room. Dry brooms under the influence ultraviolet rays This is not possible, as the leaves will lose their flexibility and will crumble when dry.

• The brooms are tied tightly only after a week of drying, and then placed on wooden shelves in dry, ventilated areas. Previously, brooms were usually stored in dry hay - you can create such conditions for them in a barn by laying dry grass on the shelves and placing it on top of the dried bath “bouquets”.

Properly prepared and dried raw materials retain the optimal amount of all the medicinal properties of plants. At the same time, the leaves should not be overdried - they should retain a pleasant matte green color.

Video - Knitting and drying brooms for a bath

Preparing a broom for the steam room

It is equally important to properly steam the broom before using it. There are several ways to do this:

• An overdried broom is often dipped first in cold water for 8 ÷ 15 minutes, and then wrapped in a damp cloth and kept in this state for another 20 ÷ 30 minutes. A bath broom prepared in this way will retain a lively aroma and become soft. Leaves will adhere tightly to branches soaked in cold water, but, as some bathhouse attendants claim, some of its beneficial properties will be lost.
• Some people prefer to simply hold a dry broom over the hot pebbles of the heater, turning frequently so that the leaves are heated evenly and completely. Such a broom will not be too soft, and the massage will be more intense.
• Another preparation method is to treat the broom first with warm water and then with hot water. After the branches have been watered with boiling water, the broom is placed in a plastic bag, wrapped well and kept in this state for 6 ÷ 8 hours, before going to the steam room.

A few minutes before the steaming procedure, the broom is taken out of polyethylene, boiling water is splashed on it and covered with a tub.

You need to know how to take a steam bath!

It is not enough to have the desire to go to a real bathhouse by purchasing a good broom. An inexperienced person needs to know that such procedures must be subject to certain rules. so as not to cause harm to health - in a special article on our website.

The procedure of steaming in a bathhouse can be safely called an ineffective event if it lacks the main accessory - a broom. Having studied the information about the types of brooms, you can choose exactly the option that will improve your health, bring cheerfulness and give you full performance. working week. There is no doubt that once correctly carried out bath procedures, bringing only positive emotions, relief from illnesses and a boost of vigor, will definitely turn into a weekly tradition for the whole family.

Alder belongs to the birch family. Its leaves are round, sticky and shiny. Alder bath brooms turn out lush due to the abundance of leaves. They massage the body well when whipped.

But alder brooms will delight the steamer not only with a pleasant massage.

The leaves of the tree contain a large amount carotene, vitamin C, fats, proteins, flavonoid glycosides. The bark has a large amount of tannins, alkaloids, and vitamin PP. Thanks to these beneficial substances, alder brooms provide hemostatic, desensitizing, anti-inflammatory, disinfectant effect. Alder broom is also used to treat inflammatory skin diseases. They help treat acne, ulcers, and long-healing wounds.. These brooms are indicated for oily skin and those suffering from excessive sweating.

Healers recommend decoctions and infusions of alder leaves as gargles for diseases of the mouth and throat. They are taken orally for colds, gout, rheumatism, uterine tumors, cancer of the digestive system, enteritis, and colitis.

Preparation and storage of alder brooms

Harvesting alder brooms is carried out from May to July. Then the leaves and bark of the tree have an optimal chemical composition. A broom collected during this period will be most useful. It is good to collect alder branches when cutting down trees.

For the broom, flexible and straight branches with green bark are selected. Leaves should be dark green, sticky, shiny. Take branches from the middle of the tree.

It is advisable to use fresh brooms in the bathhouse. Because during storage, some essential oils and other beneficial substances erode or are destroyed. Alder brooms should not be stored for more than three years.

Alder brooms are dried under a canopy or in the attic. It should be well ventilated. It is advisable to maintain a constant temperature during drying.

When the branches are slightly dry, brooms are knitted from them. Formative branches are located in the center. They are thicker and stronger than others. Along the edges of the broom there are shorter ones with abundant foliage. Tie the broom loosely with a gauze bandage or hemp rope. If you tie the broom tightly, mold will soon appear on the leaves. The broom is knitted tightly after it is completely dry.

Store alder brooms in a cool, dry place in boxes. You can also store them in the refrigerator, wrapped in a bag. In the villages, brooms are usually stored in haystacks. This method of storing bath brooms is ideal.

An alder broom is steamed in the same way as Birch broom. After the bath, the broom should be rinsed and dried. If the broom is worn out, then no need to throw it away. In the center, usually, there are several branches with preserved leaves. Having collected 3-4 such brooms, you can use these branches to collect one full.