ORGANIC HERBAL STEAM BATH CLEANS THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM AND HELPS PREVENT COVID 19

Organic herbal steam bath helps clean the respiratory system is one of the popular traditional medicine methods that have been applied easily at home for generations.

In the context of the complicated development of the COVID-19 epidemic across the country Viet Nam, the Ministry of Health recommends applying this method of traditional medicine to prevent diseases and prevent potential health problems, especially the respiratory system. (1)

Therefore, the R&D department of Biophap has launched the ORGANIC HERBAL STEAM BATH as an effective therapy that helps to both clean the respiratory system inside and help beautify the outside for yourself and your family. 

I.WHAT ARE THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM AND SKIN FUNCTIONS ?

1. The respiratory system is an organ system whose function is to exchange air in all parts of the body. In there:

• The upper respiratory system includes: the nose, nasal cavity, mouth, throat (pharynx), and voice box (larynx) help the body take the air to humidify, warm and filter the air before  putting it into the lungs.
• The lower respiratory system consists of: trachea, bronchial, alveoli, pleura, and lungs responsible for filtration and exchange of the air.

2. Skin is the largest organ in the human body, covering the entire surface of the body. It is the boundary that separates the internal organs of the body from the external environment. It has the function of protecting the body against the effects of the external environment (ultraviolet rays, pollutants, bacteria….)

II.WHAT  ARE THE BENEFITS OF HERBAL STEAM FOR RESPIRATORY SYSTEM AND SKIN ?

Herbs with many essential oils and antioxidant substances are beneficial in strengthening antibacterial, cleansing the respiratory system, skin, relaxing and re-energizing, reducing mild colds, reducing fever quickly:

• Antibacterial, cleaning respiratory system: Hot steam is inhaled will help the upper respiratory system (nose, pharynx, throat, sinuses, larynx) more smoothly, easy to wash away the residues dirty. From there, the heat will be absorbed into the lower respiratory organs (trachea, bronchi, alveoli, pleura, lungs) and quickly enter the bloodstream evenly distributed throughout the whole body. This helps to keep the lungs clean, clear and breathe better.
• Cleaning the skin: The hot steam rises to open the pores of the skin, remove the accumulated blackheads, and clean the dirt. At the same time, it causes the old cells on the skin to die to help the skin become clean and bright.
• Relaxation and Re-energizing: The gentle scent of the leaves and the rising steam help your body and mind stay connected, the body responds to relaxation, blood pressure is lowered, breathing and heart rate will also slow down and you will have better and deeper sleep.
• Relieve mild cold, reduce fever quickly: Hot steam dilates blood vessels under the skin. This both stimulates blood circulation and promotes the elimination of cold air from the body through sweat. Therefore, it helps to relieve mild cold and reduce fever quickly,  thereby reducing sinusitis, asthma, allergies, bronchitis and reducing feelings of stress and fatigue. (3) 

III. WHY DO NOT USE CHEMICAL HERBS and SHOULD USE ORGANIC  HERBS?

When you steam and bath, the main way that chemicals can enter the body is through the respiratory tract, absorbed through the skin.

1. Respiratory tract: The heat we breathe in will go quickly into the lungs, quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and evenly distributed throughout the whole body. If inhaled toxic chemicals, depending on the extent that they can cause symptoms right from the start or gradually infiltrate into people, gradually becoming diseases.
2. Absorption through the skin: The process of absorbing toxic chemicals through the skin usually takes place more slowly than through inhalation. However, if the skin is damaged, the absorption process can take place quickly. Some chemicals are readily absorbed through the skin and hair follicles. The absorption process will be facilitated when exposed to hot air because at this time the pores are dilated and allowing the absorption of chemicals when you bathe the skin and make the skin more susceptible to irritation. (4)

Organic herbs are safe, benign for the skin, and do not contain chemicals, so you can rest assured when using them without any health risk.

VI. WHAT ARE BENEFITS OF THE 6 ESSENTIAL HERBS ?

BIOPHAP’s herbal steam bath is a combination of 6 herbs, including: Organic Lemongrass, Organic Mint, Organic Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), Organic Ginger, Organic Lime Leaves, Organic Pomelo Leaves.

1.Organic lemongrass: 

• Good for the respiratory system: Limonene is the substance that helps to disinfect the respiratory tract when it evaporates during facial steaming. The vitamin C content in lemongrass can help heal nasal congestion, flu and other respiratory disorders like asthma. (5) 
• Antibacterial for the skin: Lemongrass has the main substance: Citral, which has strong antibacterial properties, so it removes some harmful bacteria and sebum on the skin, helping to make the skin cleaner. (5)

2.Organic Mint:

• Clean the respiratory tract: Organic mint contains an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory called Rosmarinic Acid (6), so fresh mint leaves mixed with boiling water and steamed directly help clean and clear the sinuses. 
• Skin Cleaning: The benefits of Salicylic Acid and Vitamin A in mint leaves control sebum secretion on the skin, help prevent inflammation and cure acne and clear pores. (7)

3. Organic Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris):

• Clean the respiratory system: Cineole substance in mugwort has the ability to loosen mucus, help the respiratory tract clear, and has the effect of reducing pain and swelling at the contact site. (8)
• Anti-inflammatory, pain relief: In mugwort, there are Flavonoids that have anti-inflammatory effects, reducing skin pain. (8)

4. Organic Ginger: 

• Relaxing airway smooth muscle: Ginger is a rich source of Gingerol substance (9) – which relaxes airway smooth muscle and has the potential to act as a new bronchodilator.  
• Anti-inflammatory for the skin: The main substance and the highest percentage in ginger are shogaols (10) – This is a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant substance for the body.

5. Organic Lime leaves: 

• Cure headaches, relieve colds: A pot of steamed leaves with lime leaves will help you dislodge flu viruses and headaches from your body.  
• Anti-aging, skin cleaning:Lime leaves contain citric acid – an antiseptic that fights viruses and bacteria. In addition, this substance can help improve skin pigmentation through bathing. (11) 

6. Organic Pomelo leaves: 

• Pain relief, anti-inflammatory: Limonene has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-stress and antiseptic properties (12)
• Antioxidant for the skin: Pomelo leaves contain Neroli, a substance that contains many antioxidants for the skin, strengthens the natural defense system, and limits aging skin by environmental agents. In addition, it also restores and repairs damaged cells, your skin will be revived and smooth.

V. HOW IS THE PRODUCTION PROCESS WITH NO CHEMICALS?

Step 1: Collecting herbs: This is an important step because it directly affects the quality of the product. For most herbs, the best time to pick is early in the morning, right after the dew has evaporated and before the sun is hot in order to retain the highest fragrance and essential oil in the herbs.

Step 2: Preliminary processing: Select the ingredients before drying. It should be washed to remove impurities, including organic (straw, other foreign matter) or inorganic (soil, sand) impurities.

Step 3: Drying materials: The ingredients are dried separately at a low temperature of 45-60 degrees in order to retain the color and aroma, which has the nutritional effect of the product’s essential oils. Post-drying moisture <10% ensures a 1-year shelf life in zipper bags.

Step 4: Crushing materials: When packaging is required, the ingredients are crushed to size: 2-3 mm before mixing according to the recipe and packing. Do not grind for a long time because it will quickly lose the aroma of the product.

Step 5: Packing: Raw materials after crushing will be packed into filter bags. Then they are put into zipper bags for easy use and storage. 

VI. HOW TO USE:

Face steam: 1 bag + 500ml of boiling water, cover face, steam for 10 minutes

Body steam: 2 bags + 2 liters of boiling water, cover body, steam for 20 minutes

Bath: 2 bags + 2 liters of water. Boil it for 10 minutes, add water to bathing.

Foot soak: 1 bag + 1 liters of water. Boil for 10 minutes, add a little salt, add water to soak your feet.

VI. REFERENCES:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7372531/
2. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/21205-respiratory-system
3. https://www.ayurvedagram.com/kerala-therapies/herbal-steam-bath
4. https://ehs.cornell.edu/research-safety/chemical-safety/laboratory-safety-manual/chapter-7-safe-chemical-use/74-routes
5. Comparison of extraction methods for marker compounds in the essential oil of lemon grass by GC – PubMed (nih.gov)
6. Comparative study of rosmarinic acid content in some plants of Labiatae family (nih.gov)
7.  Benefits of Mint Oil: Uses, Side Effects & Research (healthline.com)
8. https://lavierebelle.org/IMG/pdf/2009_nutritional_characterisation_and_antioxidant_capacity_of_different_tissues_of_artemisia_annua_l.pdf
9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3604064/
10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3665023/
11. Lime leaves | Lime Leaf | Medicinal Herbs – Medicinalherbs-4u.com
12. http://www.phytopharmajournal.com/Vol4_Issue5_05.pdf