The best brooms for a bath: spruce, juniper, fir

In the vast majority of cases, the rightful and absolutely deserved place in the bath pantry is occupied by two main types of brooms: birch and oak. However, traditional bath culture knows a lot of examples of the use of brooms from other, not quite familiar, plants in steam rooms: from nettle to juniper. And what place do spruce brooms occupy in this hierarchy? Let's get a look.

Healing with spruce “helper”

People living in forest areas are well aware that spruce is an excellent assistant in the fight against illnesses. It contains many vitamins. Spruce is also the main material for creating furniture and paper, which is used for production purposes.

Using a broom made from tree branches you can get rid of coughs, rashes, rheumatism and colds. If you infuse young shoots with honey, you can get an effective medicine that helps with bronchitis.

Previously, people did not think about the advantages and disadvantages of eating. A modern person needs to know everything in order to weigh the harm and benefits of a spruce broom for a bath.

Peculiarities

An important and interesting feature of coniferous brooms is that they are used only fresh, not dried or stored for future use. The explanation for this is simple: when the needles dry out, they lose their aroma and beneficial properties and quickly crumble. But coniferous brooms are available all year round and do not require any hassle associated with drying and storage.

Another feature of them is resin, or resin, which is contained in coniferous species. This special resinous substance has a lot of useful properties and has been widely used in folk medicine for a long time, but in the case of bath brooms, unfortunately, it creates some problems. Under the influence of high temperature in a steam room, resin begins to actively release from branch cuts and can stain hands, clothes, furniture, and it is quite difficult to wash it without a solvent. Therefore, before use, the handle of a pine broom must be carefully insulated: with thick paper, fabric, polyethylene, electrical tape, etc., or use a special mitten made of thick material. You need to be especially careful with your hair, and if resin does get on it, then to remove it you need to use a cotton swab moistened with alcohol or another alcohol-containing liquid. Properties of coniferous brooms (general). In general, they are determined by the biological components of the needles. In addition to the high content of essential oils, which give the needles a strong, recognizable aroma, it contains phytoncides, vitamins, micro- and macroelements, phytohormones, antiseptics, and chlorophyll.

Beneficial effects of pine needles

The buds of spruce needles contain many plant pigments and carbohydrates. Vitamin E and ascorbic acid are also present. In other words, spruce contains beneficial elements necessary for improving health.

Needles actively influence the human body. Let's highlight the main actions:

• Antiseptic.
• Mucolytic.
• Anti-cellulite.
• Painkillers.
• Regenerating.

Thanks to phytoncides, the air is purified. The aroma of spruce helps cleanse the body, improve mood and add strength.

At the beginning of the procedure, you will have to get used to the idea that you will need to prepare for acute sensations. Bath broom needles cause constant discomfort. However, with each subsequent blow, the surface of the skin is cleansed, and deep breathing allows the lungs to heal.

Spruce in folk mythology

In fairness, it should be said right away that in the legends and myths of many peoples of the world, the spruce tree is associated with the cult of the dead. In our Slavic tradition, in some places, a spruce broom for a bath was not used at all, at least in everyday life. Its purpose was determined by its function alone. They used it to steam the dead, arranging the last washing in this world for those leaving for another world. Such currents were especially strong in the Russian North and among the Old Believers.

Even folk wisdom has preserved for us some examples identifying spruce as a symbol of death. The expression “Looking under the Christmas tree” meant being sick for a long time, being on the verge of life and death. And the phrase “Walk along the spruce path” actually pointed to the right path towards the best of worlds. Indeed, even in central Russia, the deceased was covered with spruce paws, the floors in the rooms and the path of the funeral procession were covered with them, and the grave itself, in the order of things, was covered with spruce branches during winter storms.

In ancient Roman culture, even Pliny the Elder, at the dawn of the birth of Christianity, pointed to spruce as the “tree of the dead.” The ancient Germans considered the tall, powerful spruce that supports the sky as a kind of analogue of the World Tree, in the crown of which the confrontation between Good and Evil takes place. The spruce forest is always gloomy, silent and gloomy. Owls and eagle owls love to settle in the dark crown of this tree, which from ancient times were considered the first assistants of the devil. Due to the fact that spruce is often struck by lightning, our ancestors believed that evil spirits found refuge there.

Until now, in Belarus there are strong beliefs about the inadmissibility of planting spruce near the house. In Polesie, in clean spruce forests it was not customary to collect mushrooms, berries, medicinal herbs and roots. It was necessary that in the groves the spruce should coexist with other tree species that would dilute its negative energy. Well, at the end of this section, it’s worth saying that spruce was especially unkind to men. It got to the point that superstitious representatives of the stronger half of humanity categorically refused to harvest spruce wood, either for firewood or commercial timber.

Proper preparation of a broom for bath procedures

How to steam a spruce broom for a bath? You can find many different ways to prepare a bath accessory. However, there is only one correct method.

As you know, spruce needles are an excellent antibiotic, rich in vitamins. Depending on the time of year, the content of healing essential oils changes. From the end of February to the end of March, the upper parts of the tree are saturated with vitamin C. The content of healing substances increases with the onset of warm weather (late spring - early summer). At this time, active growth processes occur.

Features of the workpiece:

1. Regardless of the time of year, brooms are prepared for the bathhouse.
2. First of all, the youngest shoots are selected, which are located in the illuminated part of the plant.
3. The brooms must be tied very tightly. It is advisable to place fluffy branches along the edges. A combination of pine needles and birch leaves is ideal. You can also complement this bouquet with lavender and eucalyptus. Other plant material can be added little by little.

Old spruce branches have a slightly rough surface. To protect yourself, you need to completely clear the lower parts of the needles. After cleaning, wrap the broom handle tightly with a rope. Ideally, you should get a rounded broom without protruding needles or branches.

Visual instructions for creating a broom are presented below.

How and when to prepare brooms

Coniferous brooms can be collected at any time - be it in winter or in summer. Straight fluffy branches taken from the middle of the tree are suitable for this purpose.

To make a broom, the branches are placed tightly against each other, with the more elastic branches in the center and the fluffy ones at the edges. They are then tied with twine or rope.

Indications and contraindications

Thanks to a spruce broom, you can be confident in the effectiveness of various procedures that help improve your health. The use of spruce is an excellent alternative to modern procedures and massages. After the bath, the respiratory tract is cleansed, the activity of the cardiovascular system improves, and the calm of the nervous system is restored. Also, when the first symptoms of a cold appear, a bath will help.

Indications for procedures:

• The appearance of inflammatory foci in the respiratory tract.
• Cystitis.
• Radiculitis.
• Asthma, severe cough.
• Cold.
• Pain in muscles and joints.
• Kidney problems.

When undergoing bath procedures, it is important to consider that pine needles are non-toxic.

During the process of steaming the body, a rapid release of sweat occurs through the skin. Toxins are also actively removed. And additional massage helps speed up this process and get rid of depression.

Contraindications to bath procedures:

• Presence of ulcers on the body.
• Great sensitivity to turpentine.
• Hereditary predisposition to allergies.

Spruce broom - hey, softer!

Coniferous brooms are exotic in bathhouses. But this was not always the case, only after the spread of synthetic drugs. By using a spruce broom in the bathhouse, you can forget about antibiotics, drugs for the treatment of neuralgia, inflammation in the muscles, joints, and respiratory organs. An “assertive” assistant requires an attentive attitude towards himself; only on such conditions does he “agree” to reveal his full rich potential. So, who benefits from steaming with it and why?

Broom made from fir branches - fragrant healing

Residents of the forest zone, builders, forest chemists and all lovers of New Year holidays do not need to be convinced of the benefits of spruce. This is a real storehouse of vitamins, a “breadfruit tree” for furniture makers and paper manufacturers. Using a pine broom in a bathhouse is a folk tradition based on the desire for extreme sports and the love of the pleasant aroma of pine needles.

In Ancient Rus', the smell of spruce was considered a cure for many diseases, a good defense against dark forces

Treatment with a prickly broom in a bathhouse is useful for coughs, colds, skin rashes, and rheumatic pain. Infusing young shoots with honey produces a cure for bronchitis. Our ancestors used the evergreen forest beauty without knowing a single sophisticated name from its chemical composition. An educated modern person often requires a list of advantages and disadvantages in order to weigh the pros and cons.

1

Spruce buds and needles contain plant pigments chlorophyll, carotene and xanthophyll. Carbohydrates are represented by glucose, fructose, pectins and glucosides. There are phytoncides, vitamins, resins, pectins, proteins, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium. The amount of ascorbic acid is 25 times greater than in potatoes, the carotene content is almost at the level of carrots. There are fats, vitamin E, alcohols, terpenes and terpenoids, organic acids.

The effect of pine needles on the human body:

• anti-inflammatory; • desensitizing; • antirheumatic; • anti-cellulite; • mucolytic; • expectorant; • antioxidant; • painkiller; • antiseptic; • regenerating.

Spruce phytoncides disinfect the air; The balsamic, resinous aroma cleanses and tones the body, strengthens strength, and improves mood. Just be prepared for thrills in the literal sense of the word. The needles of a bath broom may cause discomfort, but with each touch the valuable components of oil and juice are released. Thanks to heat and moisture, they reach the deep layers of the skin and penetrate the respiratory tract and lungs.

Proper preparation is 50% of the success of bath procedures

Spruce needles are an excellent natural antibiotic and a source of vitamins. The content of healing essential oil and other substances varies depending on the time of year, age and light. The greatest amount of vitamin C is accumulated by young needles in the upper part of the tree; the maximum occurs at the end of winter and early spring. The content of most physiologically active substances increases in spring and summer, when growth processes are actively underway.

2

Harvest spruce branches from May to June, when the needles are considered the most beneficial and are gentler on the skin.

Is it really possible to fill the refrigerator with brooms collected in the summer?! A more affordable solution is to harvest twigs in the forest at any time of the year, shortly before the bath day. You should choose young shoots located mainly in the sunlit part of the crown. The spruce brooms are tied very tightly, with the fluffiest branches placed along the edges. The needles go well with birch leaves, eucalyptus and lavender. You can make combined brooms, but add little other plant material.

The surface of even young spruce branches is quite rough, knotty, and resinous. For safety and convenience, it is recommended to thoroughly clean the lower parts of needles and wrap the handle tightly with rope or a strip of fabric. The ideal option is when the broom has a round or oval shape, with a comfortable handle, without knots or individual branches protruding from it.

Bathhouse, skin and prickly needles - indications and contraindications

A spruce broom in a bathhouse is a guarantee of effective cleansing, therapeutic, preventive and health procedures. In fact, this is a combination of the now popular aromatherapy techniques with massage. Microcirculation is enhanced, the work of the respiratory, cardiovascular, nervous systems, excretory organs and skin is activated. Treatment in the bathhouse is excellent for treating the first symptoms of a cold: headache, weakness, hoarseness, runny nose.

3

Indications for bath procedures with a spruce broom:

• infections, inflammatory processes in the respiratory tract and lungs; • diseases of the kidneys and adrenal glands; • joint and muscle pain; • endocrine disorders; • bronchitis, ac; • radiculitis; • neuralgia; • cystitis.

The resinous aroma of spruce has a beneficial effect on the respiratory tract: it disinfects the mucous membranes and relieves bronchospasm. One more note regarding colds and coughs. Symptoms appear not only as a result of the activity of viruses and bacteria, the body itself overreacts to them and sensitization occurs. The antimicrobial and desensitizing effect of the spruce broom appears at the moment of steaming and directly during steaming.

Pine needle components are considered non-toxic and hypoallergenic

In the bathhouse, there is a profuse release of sweat along with toxins through the skin, and massage of pine needles enhances this process. Distracting tingling sensations are great for distracting from depression. Spruce essential oil copes well with hair problems: it helps get rid of dandruff, hair loss, and split ends.

This broom is contraindicated if you have skin ulcers or hypersensitivity to resins and turpentine. Touching thorny twigs can cause side effects in the body, especially in people with a hereditary predisposition to allergic reactions.

How to steam properly - recommendations

4

Before use, the broom should be steamed in hot water to make it softer and more pliable. The same preparation is necessary for the body to receive pleasure and benefit from the procedure. A spruce broom softens in water in 20–25 minutes, during which time the air is already filled with phytoncides and other volatile components. After steaming in boiling water, you will need to rinse the needles in warm water. Allow 10–15 minutes to steam the body so that the skin becomes warm, moist and elastic. Then the tingling from the needles will not be so painful, in addition, the steam along with the beneficial substances of the pine needles will be better absorbed.

Through the nasal mucosa, volatile substances penetrate into the blood as quickly as with intravenous injections (injections)

It is recommended not to overdo it with a spruce broom, even if you have extensive experience in bathing procedures. Strikes and strokes should be gentle, not as harsh as when using, for example, birch or linden. The desire to take a steam bath is measured against your capabilities, especially if you have sensitive skin. In this case, the broom can be wrapped in a piece of cloth, placed on a shelf and lying on your back (for osteochondrosis, radiculitis, lung and kidney diseases). Or lie on your stomach, placing it under your hips (for cellulite and goose bumps).

The beneficial substances of spruce broom protect against infection, increase the protective properties of the immune system and activate metabolic processes in the body. Like most coniferous scents, the smell of spruce has a calming and stimulating effect at the same time. After a nervous, hectic day, it relaxes, lulls you to sleep, and gives you a break from mental stress. For those who feel lethargic and apathetic, a bath with it helps to cheer up. A fresh, clean aroma removes emotional blocks and makes you think about your true desires.

Benefit

Coniferous trees have many beneficial properties. During procedures, a broom will be an excellent assistant and tool for massage. The main advantages of using a spruce broom:

• Thanks to rapid sweating, toxins and harmful substances are eliminated.
• Blood supply to internal organs improves.
• Helps with long-term depression.
• Elimination of pain due to radiculitis.
• Helps get rid of severe cough.
• Helps restore the body's strength to fight germs.

The benefits of spruce procedures from a scientific point of view

If you do not consider yourself a supporter of prejudices and look at all processes from a purely scientific point of view, then this section is exclusively for you.

Spruce is a storehouse of vitamins, microelements and biologically active substances, which, first of all, include phytoncides.

It is no secret that this tree belongs to the group of long-lived trees and, as radiocarbon analysis has shown, on the rocks of Western Sweden there is a specimen that is about 10,000 years old. Obviously, the trunk is a shoot - a clone, however, the root system appeared long before the Nativity of Christ.

The evergreen crown of this plant - the needles - has a number of outstanding properties, among which the following are especially worth noting:

• Antimicrobial, which is expressed in the ability to suppress the development and activity of various pathogenic microorganisms;
• Anti-inflammatory, similar to the first, and based on a high concentration of phytoncides;
• Painkiller. Naturally, in terms of effectiveness it cannot compete with synthetic analgesics, however, for a purely natural remedy, the level of impact on the receptors of the human body is quite noticeable;
• The high content of vitamins, primarily ascorbic acid, causes an active antiscorbutic effect. It is not without reason that in Siberian logging sites, experienced prisoners preferred tea, a decoction of spruce needles mixed with a certain amount of young bark. Despite the very mediocre and peculiar taste of the drink, the pine needles provided the body with a shock dose of vitamin C, and the bark, which has a pronounced astringent property, blocked bleeding;
• It is worth noting the high diuretic, choleretic and expectorant qualities of such raw materials.

Attention! Spruce needles are a good source of essential amino acids and microelements, represented by salts of zinc, iron, cobalt, selenium, copper and manganese. A real green laboratory!

In order to fully reveal the positive potential of spruce needles, we present the following table:

Recommendations

Before starting the procedures, it is important to steam the prepared spruce broom in hot water. This will help make the accessory softer and more pliable. You should also prepare your own body before the procedures to get more benefits.

The spruce broom is steamed for half an hour. After steaming, rinse in slightly warm water. The body is steamed for 20 minutes. During this time, the skin will become warm and suitable for procedures.

It is important not to overdo it with the procedures and not to stay in the bathhouse for a long time. Even with a wealth of experience, it is important to feel a sense of proportion. The blows should not be strong. If you have sensitive skin, you should wrap the broom in a cloth and lie on it with your back. This will help get rid of radiculitis and lung diseases.

Using the beneficial properties of spruce brooms, you can quickly get rid of infections, increase the body's protective properties and start metabolic processes. The smell of spruce will help you calm down and also improve your performance for a long time. After a hard and nervous day, a bath is a great way to relieve tension. Even with apathy, lethargy and depression, steaming will help get rid of these problems.

Spruce bathhouse brooms are quite difficult to find on sale. However, a long search period will fully pay off, thanks to the beneficial properties of spruce.

Juniper broom

Juniper broom is a real acupuncture session along with a pleasant aroma. Of course, the juniper broom is not as traditional as the others, but it brings extraordinary benefits. Just like spruce, you can collect juniper all year round and always have fresh branches before soaring.

Beneficial features

Juniper is an ancient evergreen plant that contains a lot of useful compounds, including:

• Ascorbic acid
• Glycoside pinipicrin
• Flavonoids
• Tannins
• Sabinol
• Gallic acid
• Terpenes.

All of them have a beneficial effect on the entire body as a whole, in particular:

• Help relieve fatigue and overwork.
• Prevent muscle pain and headaches.
• Beneficial for the skin due to its antiseptic and bactericidal properties.
• They are preventive measures for allergies.
• Improves blood circulation and removes toxins from the body.
• Fight cellulite and the appearance of stretch marks.
• Clears the bronchi and lungs of harmful microorganisms and mucus.

Vaping technology

The juniper broom is very hard, so before steaming it needs to be properly prepared so as not to damage the skin, but to get only pleasant sensations. A poorly steamed juniper broom can leave red dots on the skin, which will completely disappear in a few days. You need to steam it for 20 minutes in boiling water, during which time the needles will become softer and will have a gentle effect on the skin.

Before exposure to juniper branches, you need to use species such as birch and fir to steam the body. After this procedure, you can begin massage with juniper. They only need to touch the body at a right angle, as otherwise the needles may scratch the skin.

There is another less harsh method: a juniper broom is steamed, wrapped in cloth, placed on a shelf and placed on top. This effect can be called light; here, the benefit mainly comes from the essential oil, which is located inside the needles.

Methods of application

Features of the use of bath tools:

1. Before visiting the steam room, it is necessary to steam the broom so as not to give the person any unpleasant sensations.
2. After 5-6 visits to the steam room, you should replace the used tool with a new one.
3. When carrying out bath procedures, branches and leaves should not be left dry. They need to be constantly moistened with water.

Preparing the broom

The liquid in which the bundles were steamed can be used to pour over hot stones.

DIY making

Since branches of available plants are suitable for making bundles, you can make brooms yourself. To do this, you need to know when to collect branches and how to prepare them.

Collection and preparation of branches

Features of collecting branches of different trees:

• It is better to collect birch during Trinity, if the weather is dry and sunny;
• oak can be cut from June to September;
• Linden is best collected in early spring;
• Eucalyptus is harvested from mid-summer to early September;
• Rowan is cut at the beginning of summer;
• nettles are collected during flowering;
• coniferous branches can be cut off until the end of October.

It is important to cut branches in dry weather. This should not be done during rain.

Features of the preparation of harvested raw materials:

1. First you need to steam the branches in hot and cold water. The steaming process depends on the type of plant.
2. After steaming, the branches need to be dried. The drying process takes 3–5 days.

Bunches should not be dried in direct sunlight.

Bunch

When the raw materials are prepared, you can begin to form the beam. Main stages:

1. Step back 15 cm from the beginning of the branches, clear this area of ​​leaves and twigs.
2. Place thick branches on the outside, thin ones on the inside.
3. Tie the bundle with tight twine.

How to steam a fir broom for a bath - tips for use

Those who like to visit a Russian bathhouse cannot imagine a steam room without the use of a broom, thanks to which the procedure becomes not only cleansing, but also truly therapeutic. You can see what bath brooms look like in the photo.

There are many types of sauna brooms. They are made from various plants:

As is commonly believed, the custom of using pine brooms came from Siberia.