01/18/2022
Is that a 19 lb pound of epsom salts, you ask?! Why, yes, it is! And its my second one this month! I had a middle school teacher who used to say: "When in doubt, take a bath." I would amend that slightly to say an "Epsom salt bath"!
Personally, in the winter, I may take 4-5 baths / week before bed. It's my favorite way to unwind, clear off the day, and get ready for sleep (note: as you'll see below, epsom salt baths have a detox effect and that frequency can be too much for some people at first - listen to your body!). Epsom salts are a magnesium salt and when we soak in magnesium salts, we absorb the magnesium directly into our muscles.
Here are some of the many benefits of soaking in Epsom salts (and thus getting more magnesium directly into your muscles)
1) increased Muscle relaxation and helps muscle soreness
2) reduces stress / calms the nervous system (magnesium heps increase serotonin)
3) Improvement in headaches or migraines (magnesium is a great treatment for headaches migraines, when taken internally or absorbed through the skin
4) Increased detoxification: magnesium is an essential nutrient in many of our biochemical detox pathways; plus, many people experience an energetic detoxification from soaking in salts (ie. "clearing off other people's energy, etc")
5) Magnesium is important for cardiovascular health and can help lower blood pressure (so be careful if your blood pressure is already low)
6) When taken internally, magnesium can help with constipation; absorbing some through the skin can have a slight effect on this as well, but not as strong
7) Can help with skin health (soak the feet for splinters, ingrown toenails, etc)
A few tips for newbies:
* Start with 1-3 cups of salts / bath.
* Don't make it too hot or long at first or you could get dizzy or light headed.
* Stay hydrated!
* Stay in only as long as you feel comfortable (I usually soak for 10-15 minutes)but start with less if you aren't sure
* When you start, be especially careful getting out of the tub as it's possible some people can get lightheaded.
* Consider adding some essential oils for fragrance (I like lavender, eucalyptus if I'm congested, or certain blends with bergamont, etc).
* If you don't have a bath or don't have time, consider soaking just your feet in a tub of warm epsom -salty water
* And, of course, If you are uncertain if epsom salt baths are right for you - check with your provider!
