The Power of Thai Herbs

In the section on Thai food, we looked at some of the most potent herbs used in Thai cooking. In this section, we'll examine ways to apply them for health and beauty.

As we saw in the last section, the Thai diet is a veritable detox on a plate. By taking these herbs orally in the form of food or teas or capsules, you can begin to cleanse your body from within and let your inner beauty shine out. However, these herbs can work their magic from the outside, too. Let's look at some ways you can do this.

The first way is simply to apply the herbs as facials. Tropical fruits not only taste good and supply antioxidants and vitamins. They also make great facial tonics. Mash up a piece of fresh papaya and squeeze on some lemon juice. Paste all over your face and leave on for up to 15 minutes. Rinse off with warm water. Your face will be glowing.

For a multifaceted makeover, try using herbal compresses. These are bundles of herbs chosen for their properties which are steamed to release their oils. The compresses are then used to activate pressure points in a traditional Thai massage. Or they can just be applied to your skin to release their wonderful life-enhancing vapors. You can choose your herb combination to suit your need. Hot herbs can energise, fragrant herbs can relax.

Another way to get the benefit of tropical herbs is through their aromatic properties. Smell is a great mood enhancer working on your primitive brain, the seat of instinct and emotion. Lemongrass is a wonderful tonic herb that boosts emotions. Or jasmine is a great sleep-inducer. Put a few petals on your pillow before retiring.

Next, let's look at Thai massage.

Divine Energy Work - The Essence of Thai Massage