It has long been noted that using a broom doubles the benefits of a steam room. Each king of the bath business has his own strength and characteristics. Each is applicable to the treatment of different diseases. The oak broom is not inferior in popularity to the birch broom.
If the birch is considered a symbol of the Russian soul, then the oak is a symbol of Russian strength. For the ancient Slavs, the oak was a holy tree. In Rus' there was a belief that Nikola Duplinsky lived in the hollow of a large, huge oak tree. And if you pray to him earnestly, he will fulfill any desire. A magically strong tree gave us such an oak king of the steam room.
Of course, such a broom differs from a birch broom - the leaves are denser and wider. Therefore, it is stronger than mother birch, more voluminous and stronger. And if you are a fan of steel heat, then this broom is definitely for you. It is so convenient for them to pump steam into the body that you will feel the strength of the oak tree to the last bone.
Therefore, it is worth finding out what is the use of the strongest broom?
Birch broom
This broom is considered the most common and classic option. It is quite convenient to use, as it generates heat well.
- Essential oils and vitamins help relieve muscle tension and pain;
- The wound healing process occurs faster;
- The skin is cleared of inflammation;
The main advantage of a birch broom is that lung ventilation becomes better. For smokers and asthmatics, a birch broom is the best friend.
- We tie the broom loosely so that it holds its shape.
- We secure it to a rope stretched under a canopy and leave it for 6-7 days. This place should be well ventilated and not exposed to direct sunlight.
- Once dry, tie the brooms securely and place them in a dry, well-ventilated place.
- To give it a fan shape, they are laid out on the floor and turned over every day.
What are the benefits of maple broom
The leaves of this tree are known as an excellent antiseptic that helps disinfect rooms. They contain a number of useful substances: aldehydes, organic acids, vitamins C and E.
Using maple brooms will help you:
- eliminate long-term non-healing wounds and skin ulcers;
- cleanse and tighten pores;
- get rid of asthenia and the consequences of viral infections;
- cleanse the body of toxins.
Currently, flexible and whippy maple branches are used as an additive to birch and oak brooms for soaring.
Oak broom
This is the most durable broom available. Its leaves are always moderately dry, so they do not burn the body too much.
- This broom is more suitable for people with oily skin, as it makes it matte and has a good anti-inflammatory effect;
- Recommended for people prone to hypertension, as the aroma of oak prevents an increase in blood pressure;
- Well calms the nervous system and relieves tension.
Oak brooms are harvested in August and dried in the same way as birch brooms.
When and how to prepare oak brooms
Oak brooms are harvested from mid-July to mid-August; it is at this time that oak leaves gain strength. There is a sign that the best tree for making brooms should be surrounded by burdocks. As a rule, experienced bathhouse operators and harvesters choose oaks in darkened and damp forests. The most durable brooms are considered to be those collected from “winter” oak trees, that is, those that have not dropped all their foliage.
The right oak broom for a bath should not be too dry, otherwise it will be too hard and prickly. If strongly steamed, such a broom will become damp and become excessively heavy. The best option would be a fresh broom, but if you are going to steam at any other time of the year except summer, this is unlikely to work. If you are going to buy a dry oak broom, pay attention to the foliage: it should be carved, healthy, of the same color, and should not fly off the broom when swung.
The broom is knitted from thin and thick branches: the thicker ones are placed in the middle, and the thinner ones surround them at the edges. To steam an oak broom, dip it in a large bowl of cold water along with the handle and leave for 20 minutes. After the branches have gained strength, dip it in hot water (not boiling water!) for 5-7 minutes. Enjoy Your Bath!
Juniper broom
A strong pine aroma is the main advantage of a juniper broom. Essential oils of coniferous trees are often used for inhalation and have a beneficial effect on our lungs and respiratory tract.
- Relieves headaches and muscle tension;
- Has bactericidal and disinfectant properties;
- Tones the subcutaneous tissue and helps fight cellulite and stretch marks on the skin;
- Improves blood circulation;
- Thanks to essential oils, it is useful for asthma and bronchitis.
The ideal time for harvesting is the period May-June. At this time, the maximum amount of useful substances is concentrated in the branches. For harvesting you will need pruning shears and gloves. The required number of branches are cut from each bush and fastened together.
Important! The juniper broom should not be dried, as it may crumble. The best option for long-term storage is freezing.
Fir brooms - beneficial properties
Appearing in a steam room, such a broom immediately creates an atmosphere suitable for relaxation - it normalizes the state of the nervous system, helps to find inner harmony, and get rid of worries and stress. Fir brooms increase sweating and increase blood flow not only to the muscles, but also to the internal organs.
When and how to prepare brooms for a bath?
Among the benefits of this plant:
- excellent disinfectant properties;
- thorough cleansing of the skin from painful microbes, which is why they are useful for skin diseases;
- strengthening the immune system;
- effective fight against back pain, radiculitis.
Fir brooms are indispensable when fighting the flu. Flexible and durable branches of this tree produce an amazing massage effect.
Tansy broom
- A tansy broom eliminates fatigue, tones well and prepares a person for work. Hence, it is better to use it in the morning.
- This broom is ideal for people with chronic kidney and bladder diseases.
- It also helps with gout, joint inflammation, rheumatism, headaches, migraines and colds.
Prepared similarly to a birch broom
What are herbal bath steams?
But not only brooms can give the bathhouse healing properties and be absorbed by the body through steamed skin. Special steamers in linen bags are very popular among professional bathhouse attendants. The action depends on their “filling”, changing which you can achieve a very different effect. Depending on the time of year, St. John's wort is added to such bags - essential oils have a good effect on gout or skin diseases, field mint - helps expand the respiratory tract, especially during colds, chamomile - also perfectly fights colds, horseradish and black currant (strengthens the immune system ).
In winter, it is very useful to steam bags of spruce, juniper, and fir needles. For problems with the digestive system, a bag of wormwood becomes useful, meadowsweet calms inflammatory processes, thyme protects against unnecessary nervousness, and sage reduces bleeding and heals wounds.
Many people call steaming for a bath the sister of a broom - to make the herbs work to their fullest, you need to dip the bag in hot (but not boiling water) for 30 minutes, and then pour the resulting infusion little by little over the heater and a little on the floor, obtaining aromatic and healthy steam. However, the stone should not be too hot - first, just pour boiling water on it, and then the tincture from the steaming - this way you will avoid direct burnt aromas, the herbs will reveal themselves in all their glory.
Wormwood broom
You need to be prepared for such a broom. Wormwood gives off an unusual aroma that not everyone can tolerate.
- Wormwood disinfects the air well; it was for this reason that in ancient times, during epidemics, huts were fumigated with its help.
- Certain types of wormwood relieve irritability, nervous tension and improve sleep.
- These brooms are great for refreshing, increasing efficiency and relieving headaches.
Important! You need to be careful and careful with wormwood. Not all types of wormwood are suitable for use in a bath. Wormwood, paniculata and bitter are great for baths, but Tauride is not used for this.
You need to prepare a broom when the plant stops flowering. During this period, the stems will be quite strong, and the plant itself will not have time to dry out.
What are the benefits of bamboo brooms?
Thin bamboo branches relieve fatigue in the body and help normalize blood circulation. Such attributes will help remove stagnant salts from the body and restore a pleasant appearance to the skin. Bamboo brooms are recommended to be used for overwork, cellulite and excess weight, as well as for the prevention of varicose veins.
In general, these products:
- increase skin tone;
- strengthen the walls of blood vessels;
- increase capillary blood flow;
- relieve swelling in the legs;
- remove toxins;
- fight stress.
Since bamboo sticks are durable and at the same time very flexible in structure, they are convenient for massaging the feet, which helps improve the functioning of all internal organs. About other useful properties here.
Brooms for a bath: we prepare, knit, store, steam
In our culture, a bathhouse and a broom are not just inextricably linked - they have long been parts of one whole. We say “brooms” - we mean “bath brooms”. According to experts, two million dollars worth of brooms are sold every year in Moscow alone. What makes people whip their bodies with a bunch of flexible rods with leaves - after all, you can just sit on a shelf, warm up the bones, and breathe in the steam? Why is there no real pleasure or real benefit from a bath without a broom? And how to choose or knit a really good broom yourself, which will allow you to fully experience all the joys of a bath?
- What are the benefits of a bath broom
- Broom harvesting time
- How to cut branches
- How to tie a broom
- Dry rather than dry
- Storage methods
- How to steam with a broom correctly
- How to choose a broom
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How to steam properly
Oak accessories are considered the most durable. They are enough for about five procedures. The product is changed as it becomes bald and coarser.
The steaming procedure includes several sequential steps. First, the accessory is immersed in cold water for a few minutes, and then in hot water. Exposure to boiling water should be avoided. Cover the bucket or basin and wait for the oak aroma to appear.
Important! The water is not thrown away after steaming. It can be splashed on stones and walls.
After the procedure, the product is watered with warm water and placed in a bag. Upon arrival home, you need to hang it to dry and put it away in a designated place.
Method number 4. Time-consuming
If you still have a long time before your bath procedures (8-10 hours), you can use this method of steaming a broom and you won’t go wrong.
To begin, take a broom and completely lower it into a deep container with cool water. After 30 minutes, you need to shake it a little, turn it over and leave it there until you attend the procedure.
Just before entering the steam room, the broom must be taken out of the water, wrapped in a wet cloth and placed on the bottom shelf for about ten minutes. Thus, its branches will remain elastic and retain all the essential oils.
Which option to choose: hanging or lying
At the very beginning, it should be noted that the shape of the resulting broom primarily depends on the drying method. If you remember your visit to the bathhouse, you will notice that two forms most often occur:
- Round;
- Shovel-shaped.
This is achieved due to different drying methods. To obtain a rounded shape, the products should be suspended, and to obtain a flatter version, the resulting products should be placed in a stack or under a press.
Figure 2 – Example of a spade broom
Which drying method to choose largely depends on the type of the future bath accessory and the method of steaming. To ensure the best quality of the bath procedure, it is preferable to use flat options, as they scoop up more air. And for those who use this attribute to breathe in the foliage, it is better to choose rounded options.
The best option for drying is considered to be a combination of both methods. First, the brooms are tightly and neatly folded one on one, and placed under slight pressure, and then only hung. This is done only after the desired form has been taken.
For good drying, 1 or two weeks are enough. Some people store brooms this way until they are used. But if you have to store them for a long time, you should take care that they do not become dusty and cover them in paper.
It is also worth noting that today a new method of preparing bath brooms is becoming increasingly popular - freezing. More and more bathhouse attendants prefer to simply defrost the prepared attribute and go to the bathhouse. This accessory does not need to be steamed.
Figure 3 - New innovative storage method - freezing
To prepare a broom in this way, quick freezing is used at a temperature not lower than minus 18 degrees. Modern freezers have this capability. Thanks to this type of freezing, the formation of ice crystals does not occur, and, accordingly, cell destruction does not occur. It turns out that all processes in the foliage simply slow down, which allows you to preserve as much as possible all the beneficial properties of the future bath accessory.
Two words about our oak
For many peoples throughout human history, oak was considered the personification of longevity, wisdom and strength. The Romans dubbed him “handsome,” and made wreaths made from this tree a reward and a badge of honor. The ancient Greeks and Slavs did not lag behind the Romans and revered it as a sacred tree. And in Germany, a leaf of this tree has long and firmly taken the place of one of the national symbols...
But oak is not only the name of a tree, it is also the name of a whole genus of trees from the beech family, which, according to the website of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in the UK, contains almost six hundred species of this plant.
On the territory of Russia, only one of the species has become widespread - English oak , but in two variations: summer and winter. Although the difference between them is only in the flowering time: one blooms two to three weeks earlier than the other.
In addition, in the Far East and in certain areas of the Amur region, Mongolian oak is found, and even more rarely, jagged oak. Sessile oak lives on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, but all these species are not widespread. Therefore, today we will consider the benefits of the pedunculate or otherwise summer, ordinary, English oak, which is close to us.
