Bathing regimen for cleansing and fitness

Taking a bath is also called bathing. In China, bathing is a big deal. Since ancient times, there has been a tradition of bathing before going to court, fasting and bathing before offering sacrifices to the gods. In fact, taking a bath is not just about cleaning the body, it is also a form of exercise. The description in the Tang Dynasty book "Tianyinzi" is: "Fasting is not just about eating vegetables; bathing is not just about removing dirt. The method of benefiting it lies in diet and regulating the body, and friction can also make the body unobstructed and the blood flow. "It means that fasting is not just about abstaining from meat and eating vegetarian food, but also can harmonize the spleen and stomach through diet; bathing is not just about washing away dirt with hot water, it can also make the skin unobstructed and the blood flow through friction. It fully highlights the dual functions of bathing in removing dirt and keeping fit. Bathing can be divided into hot water bath, cold water bath, hot and cold water bath according to the temperature of the water. These bathing methods have different health benefits.

1. Hot water bath can eliminate body fatigue

The Japanese call taking a hot bath "tangyu", also known as "bathing in the hot spring", and often the whole family, young and old, take a bath together. When you are in the bathing pool, 40℃ water flows into you from the stone trough behind you, instantly eliminating your physical and mental fatigue.

Fatigue is related to the concentration of lactic acid in the human blood. Taking a warm bath can speed up metabolism, increase the rate at which the body breaks down lactic acid, and eliminate fatigue. Taking a bath for 20 minutes is equivalent to jogging 500 meters, so taking a bath also has the effect of fitness. However, the water temperature for a warm bath is not the higher the better, otherwise excessive sweating can easily lead to collapse. The water temperature should be controlled at around 38°C.

2. Cold water bath can enhance the ability to resist cold

Mao Zedong's teacher Mr. Xu Teli experienced many vicissitudes of life, but still lived to the age of 92. Cold water baths played an indispensable role in this, and he called it "the battle of revolutionaries." After getting up, Mr. Xu first wiped his head and face with cold water, then wiped his neck, chest and back, and each time he wiped until his skin turned red and hot. Whether it is spring, summer, autumn or the coldest winter, it never changes. Cold water bath can improve the body's ability to resist cold, exercise blood vessel elasticity, and is a "vascular exercise".

It should be noted that cold showers require an adaptation process. If you have been taking hot showers all the time, suddenly taking a cold shower will not only be unhelpful, but may make you sick.

3. Hot and cold water baths can maintain blood vessel elasticity

Mr. Ma Yinchu was a famous demographer, educator and economist in my country, former honorary president of Peking University, and a centenarian who lived to the age of 101. When he was studying in the United States in his early years, he was in poor health. Later, he had the honor of meeting a 93-year-old doctor who still had a youthful face and white hair. The doctor told him his secret to good health: hot and cold baths. First take a hot bath for a quarter of an hour to clear the meridians in the body, then dry your body, rest for a few minutes, and then quickly take a cold water bath for a few minutes. Since applying this exercise method, Ma Yinchu has been in very good health and rarely catches a cold.

Hot and cold water baths can make blood vessels expand and relax, expand when heated and contract when cooled, and maintain their elasticity, which is very beneficial for maintaining normal blood pressure and preventing cardiovascular diseases.

4. Things to note when bathing

1. Before and after bathing, you should drink an appropriate amount of water, which can promote fluid circulation and eliminate toxins in the body.

2. The water temperature should not be too high during bathing. The water temperature for bathing should be maintained at around 40 degrees Celsius, and the single bathing time should be controlled within 15 minutes. It is best not to exceed 20 minutes. Too long a time can easily cause the skin to shrink and dry, and the elderly should pay special attention to this.

3. The best time to bathe is generally between 3 pm and 9 pm, which is more conducive to skin relaxation and adjustment.

4. Using scrub bath products can help remove dead skin on the skin, but don't use too much force. Such products should not be used every day. 2 to 3 times a week is enough.

5. Post-bath care is also very important. Shower gel can help lock in the body's moisture and make the skin more radiant.