The benefits of Epsom Salts

Epsom Salts, chemically known as magnesium sulphate, are named after the spring in Surrey, England where the naturally-occurring mineral was discovered in the water. Magnesium and sulphate are both easily absorbed through the skin and sulphates play an important role in the formation of brain tissue, joint proteins and the proteins that line the walls of the digestive tract. They stimulate the pancreas to generate digestive enzymes and are thought to help detoxify the body of medicines and environmental contaminants.

The sulphates in Epsom salts help flush toxins and heavy metals from the cells, easing muscle pain and helping the body to eliminate harmful substances. Your skin is a highly porous membrane and adding the right minerals to your bathwater triggers a process called reverse osmosis, which actually pulls salt out of your body and harmful toxins along with it. 

Other benefits of an Epsom salt bath are:

• Improved heart and circulatory health, reducing irregular heartbeats, preventing hardening of the arteries, reducing blood clots and lowering blood pressure

• Improved ability for the body to use insulin, reducing the incidence or severity of diabetes

• Flushed toxins and heavy metals from the cells, easing muscle pain and helping the body to eliminate harmful substances

• Improved nerve function by electrolyte regulation. Also, calcium is the main conductor for electrical current in the body, and magnesium is necessary to maintain proper calcium levels in the blood

• Relieved stress; excess adrenaline and stress are believed to drain magnesium, a natural stress reliever, from the body. Magnesium is necessary for the body to bind adequate amounts of serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of well being and relaxation

• Reduced inflammation to relieve pain, sprains and muscle cramps

• Improved oxygen use

• Improved absorption of nutrients

• Improved formation of joint proteins and brain tissue

• Prevention or easing of migraine headaches

All this from relaxing in a bath! Just add two cups of Epsom salts under warm running water and soak in it for at least 12 minutes up to three times a week and it will work wonders for you mentally and physically. And if you suffer from athlete’s foot or have fungal infections, soaking your feet regularly in warm water and Epsom salts can help kill off the fungus naturally. 

If you are pregnant or have any health concerns, please check with your doctor before using Epsom salts.