In the past, but much less so today because of modern lifestyles, once a woman gave birth, she would undergo the yu fai, staying close to fire, therapy for up to three weeks. Basically, this means the woman remains in a room where a charcoal stove is kept burning, creating a sauna. No herbs are employed; the woman is just made to perspire and flush out toxins that built up during the past nine months. During this time, the woman does not bathe, but her body is continually wiped with a clean cloth.