DO AS THE ROMANS DID

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IT IS SAID that at the ancient Roman baths of Caracalla, citizens could choose from twenty types of soaks, including steams and massages, mineral water and oils, friction rubs and salt­water brews. All were designed not only to cleanse, but to heal and beautify.

While it’s true that the ancient Romans lacked the convenience of hot water from the faucet, they were onto something with the healing bath. Herbal soaks can turn your bathtub, whether humble in its setting or ornately constructed, into a spa— a place to relieve tension, soothe aching joints, stimulate circulation, or chase away a cold. All you need is a little herbal know-how and thirty minutes of happy solitude.

Basic bath steps

• Reserve the bathroom for yourself when you’re sure you won’t be interrupted, or obtain family support for your thirty minutes of bath time if your only chance for an uninterrupted soak is between midnight and 6 in the morning.

• Prepare your herbal bath treatment using the instructions below.

• Shut the door behind you and begin filling the tub with comfortably warm water.

• As the tub fills, add your herbal bath treatment; if you’re using a diluted herbal essential oil, wait until after you begin your soak to add it to the water (see below).

• Light a candle or two and turn off the lights.

• When your tub is ready, immerse yourself in the healing water. Sit back, relax, close your eyes. Roll up a hand towel and place it behind your neck for soft support. Breathe slowly and deeply, inhaling the scent of the herbal bath treatment you’ve chosen.

• Stay in the bath for as long as you feel comfortable, or no longer than twenty minutes if you’re ill and worried about dehydration. When you’ve finished, pat yourself dry with a clean towel.

• Put on a clean robe or pajamas and slippers or warm socks. Make yourself a cup of calming herbal tea and relax in an easy chair or in bed, indulging in the effect your herbal bath has had on your body.

Basic baths

Bath bags An herbal bath means more than tossing a few sage leaves or lavender flowers into your water. Indeed, this would be a messy way to take an herbal soak. ­Instead, make an herbal bundle, or “bath bag.”

Select the herb or herbs you wish to try (see the list at left to help you choose). Use dried herbs sold in bulk at your natural food store. Wrap a half-cupful in cheesecloth, securing the bundle tightly with a fairly long string. You can also buy little muslin bags with ties at natural food stores; they’re usually sold near the bulk herb section and cost as little as 35 cents. Hang the bundle from the faucet as you fill the tub. Let it steep for several minutes after you turn off the water, squeeze the bag dry, and discard. If you’re using more than one herb, combine equal parts of each herb before encasing them in the cheesecloth or muslin bag.