Epsom salts have been used for millennia due to their incredible health benefits. The salts can detox your body, clean different surfaces and even liven up your garden. They are cheap and easy to find, and originate from the bitter saline spring at Epsom in Surrey, England. The salts differ from other types of salts in their composition – they are made of magnesium and sulfates which have incredible health benefits and can detox your body.
Soaking in an Epsom salt bath is the best way to properly benefit from them – the skin is the largest organ in the body and a porous membrane that can absorb the salts easily. Adding the Epsom salts in a bath starts a process called reverse osmosis that eliminates excess salt and toxins in the body, allowing the sulfate and magnesium to work their magic. Magnesium is an important mineral that plays a part in numerous processes in the body. It can also relieve inflammation and improve the function of the muscles and nerves, while detoxifying the body, improving the blood flow and the oxygenation.
On the other hand, sulfates are great for your skin, nerve tissues and joints. The combination of both ingredients can help build key protein molecules in the joints and brain and relieve problems such as athlete’s foot, muscle pain, toenail fungus, sprains, gout, bruises and inflammation, while cleaning the body of toxins and regulating the Sulphur-mineral balance.
If you haven’t done it before, here’s how to take an Epsom salt bath: you need to soak in the bath for 40 minutes as your body needs 20 minutes to eliminate toxins and another 20 to absorb the minerals from the salts. Add the following amount of Epsom salts in a bathtub full of water depending on your weight:
Children under 60 lbs. ½ a cup per a standard size bath
People between 60-100 lbs. 1 cup of Epsom salts
People between 100-150 lbs. 1 ½ cup of Epsom salts
People between 150-200 lbs. 2 cups of Epsom salts
For every 50 lbs. more, add an additional ½ a cup of Epsom salts.
Tips
To boost the effect of the salts, add ½ a cup of olive oil in the bath as well. Olive oil is great for your skin and contains polyphenols as well. For an even stronger effect, add some ginger or cayenne powder to sweat more and eliminate more toxins. Avoid adding soaps or gels to the bath as they will interfere with the detox process. Rest for an hour or two after the bath for best results. If you’re suffering from arthritis, make sure to stay physically active every day.
WARNING: although safe to use, experts recommend avoiding Epsom salt baths if you’re pregnant or suffering from cardiovascular problems. The bath shouldn’t be used if you have minor wounds or burns on your skin as well, and you should consult a doctor first if you’re dehydrated.
Sources:
www.healthyfoodhouse.com/
livingtraditionally.com
www.healthy-holistic-living.com