Steam Inhalations

Steam inhalations are wildly underutilized preparations, especially in the colder months when respiratory ailments arise with the weather changes. Steam inhalations, especially with aromatic herbs, are great for opening airways and breaking up sinus and lung congestion.

How to prepare an herbal steam inhalation:

Fill a pot with water and some aromatic herb (many of the common culinary herbs like rosemary, sage, or thyme are excellent choices here). Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Remove the pot from heat and set it on a heat safe surface that is low enough for you to comfortably stand/sit over (a wooden cutting board or trivet is helpful here). Lean over the pot with a towel or sheet over your head to catch the steam, slowly remove the lid without scorching your face with steam, and move your face closer to a comfortable distance to soak in the aromatics without burning yourself.

Allow yourself at least 10 minutes to soak in the steam, inhaling slowly and fully throughout. You may sweat or snot into the pot, so I don’t recommend drinking it afterward.

You can reuse a steam several times throughout the day as long as you can sense volatile oils present in the steam. Just leave it on the stove, make sure no roommates or partners confuse it for drinking tea, and reheat when you want to re-steam!

This is a case where you want to use aromatic herbs with boiling water so you can receive the topical benefit of volatile oils in contact with your respiratory tissues.

Feel free to use whatever highly aromatic and volatile oil rich herbs you have available for your steams.

I will also add that in all my years learning about herbs, I regrettably put off trying this preparation for way too long. I’m not sure why I would opt out of such a highly accessible and low cost sauna treatment for my own respiratory ailments (or even just for the relaxing, opening, mind clearing, sensorily activated therapeutic experience it offers). I urge you not to make the same mistake I did. So please, for your own sake, and the general betterment of all of humanity, go give yourself the gift of an aromatic herbal steam.