Article content
It is a bath that contains salt, but not ordinary table salt. It is the type that has been used for this purpose for millennia because of its many medicinal effects.
Its main advantage is that it is relatively cheap and easily available. Besides therapeutic uses, it is also used around the house, in the garden or for cleaning.
This salt got its name from one of the bitter springs in Epsom in Surrey, England. Today it is called Epsom salt, or technically magnesium sulfate.
Effects of Epsom salt on the body
Unlike other types of salts, Epsom salt differs in that it is a natural form of magnesium salt. It has very potent detoxifying properties because it can cleanse the whole body.
Its main advantage is that it is easily absorbed through the skin and enters the bloodstream.
Our skin is a porous membrane that absorbs the salt and at the same time uses it to draw various types of toxins from the body.
When Epsom salt is added to water, it stimulates a process called reverse osmosis. That eliminates other salts and also dangerous chemicals, thereby making room for the uptake of magnesium and sulfur into the body.
Magnesium is a mineral needed for more than 325 enzymatic processes. In addition, it provides the following:
- reduces and suppresses inflammation in the body
- relieves joint pain
- improves muscle and nerve function
- increases blood flow and oxygenation, for example throughout the body
On the other hand, sulfur ensures healthier skin, nerve cells and the regeneration of damaged joint tissues.
What regular baths with Epsom salt provide
If you take Epsom salt baths regularly, you will eliminate muscle pain and tension, athlete’s foot, fungal infections of toenails, gout as well as bruises and blood spots.
Using them you will even be able to heal many chronic illnesses, suppress inflammation in the body, detoxify your organism and regulate the balance of minerals.
However, the use of this type of bath has a few contraindications.
If you are a pregnant woman, have cardiovascular disease, open wounds or burns, or suffer from dehydration, then consult your doctor before using Epsom salt baths.
How to prepare an Epsom salt bath
Set aside approximately 40 minutes for the bath, because the body needs at least 20 minutes to eliminate toxins and another 20 minutes to absorb minerals from the water.
Fill the bathtub with warm water and add Epsom salt according to the following instructions:
- children up to 30 kg – 1/2 cup (1 dcl) of Epsom salt for a standard full bathtub
- people between 30 kg and 50 kg – 1 cup (2 dcl) of Epsom salt
- people between 50 kg and 75 kg – 1.5 cups (3 dcl) of Epsom salt
- people between 75 and 100 kg – 2 cups (4 dcl) of Epsom salt
- for every additional 25 kg of body weight add 0.5 cup (1 dcl) of Epsom salt
Additional tips
To enhance the detoxifying benefits, add half a cup (1 dcl) of olive oil to the bath, which is beneficial for the skin due to its polyphenol content.
You can also add a little grated ginger and hot chili spice to promote sweating and the flushing out of toxins.
Do not use soap or shower gels during the bath, as they could interfere with detoxification and the action of the minerals.
After the bath, rest for 1 to 2 hours. In case of joint pain due to arthritis or rheumatism, keep moving enough to protect the joints from stiffening.
