Detox doesn’t have to be painful or rigorous (think gallbladder and liver flush) to give great results. In fact, you can lounge around in the bath sipping iced lemon water and still get rid of toxins and impurities from your body just as well as mainstream weight loss fads and cleanses. Sure, it will take longer, but your adrenals and sanity will thank you later.
Why You Shouldn’t Jump on The Cleanse Bandwagon
Thanks to popular health trends, many of us believe that you need to stop eating solids, drink large amounts of water, and exercise till you drop to get our bodies clean. This simply isn’t true. Of course, drinking green smoothies and green juices will always nourish your body and promote health, but you don’t need to restrict yourself to a liquid diet to reap some serious detoxing benefits.
In fact, going on a juice cleanse can be very damaging indeed. All too often cleanses of all kinds promise unrealistic overnight results that just aren’t that attainable. For some, especially those who are robust with a strong yang disposition (run hot and have ruddier complexions) may actually do just fine on a juice cleanse. As for me, any type of detox that restricts fat intake leaves me feeling weak, stressed, and very moody. My body type (thin, pale, and cold) just won’t allow this type of cleanse. The sporadic and sudden change in my blood sugar levels also causes me to break out because I burn through a green juice in like 20 minutes. Not fun.
Reversion into an unhealthy lifestyle is yet another common factor of mainstream cleansing. The reason for this is that these programs expect you to start suddenly and drastically changing your diet. Sure you can lose 10 pounds, heck, maybe even 20 pounds but the chances of you keeping it off without healthy lifestyle changes, diet, and exercise is slim. The 10 pounds just might come back to haunt you. This is called yo yo dieting.
So, is there better way? YES!
Epsom Salt Detox Baths – Relax While You Detox!
I know what you’re thinking: Really Tash? Epsom salts?? That sure doesn’t sound all that detoxing…
Let me assure you that it is QUITE detoxing. Especially when done 2-3 times per week. Seriously guys, how can you NOT enjoy a relaxing bath? Go on and treat yourself dagnabit! WHy not enjoy yourself while getting rid of impurities?
Here’s a little bit about Epsom salts to help convince you:
1. Epsom Salts Detox The Body
Epsom salt contains magnesium sulfate, an important mineral compound that helps balance the body’s many biological processes and helps to flush toxins from the skin, our largest and most porous detoxifying organ. Simply soaking in a hot bath with 2-3 cups of dissolved Epsom salts can assist in removing harmful impurities from your body in about 10-15 minutes.
In a nutshell, magnesium sulfate basically tells unwanted toxins to leave the party. But that’s not all! The benefits of Epsom salt don’t stop at the skin’s surface. Magnesium sulfate also strengthens detox pathways throughout the body allowing it to purify itself from heavy metals and other unwanted waste. Did you hear that? Epsom salt makes detoxing more effective! Yes please!
2. Epsom Salts Reduce Stress
Have you ever have a stressful bubble bath? No? Well, that’s because bubble baths are relaxing! Epsom salts add to the relaxation factor by soothing muscles, softening the skin, and restoring lost minerals and magnesium.
Try adding a relaxing essential oil like lavender to help boost the stress relieving qualities of epsom salts.
3. Epsom Salts Increase Our Magnesium Levels
Magnesium regulates over 300 enzymes in the body that play key roles in organizing hundreds of bodily functions like energy levels, muscle control, electrical impulses, and the ability to detox.
It’s really common nowadays to be deficient in magnesium which can contribute to an increased risk of heart disease, stoke, arthritis, and a number of other illnesses. Boosting your magnesium levels is an excellent way to support health and wellness. The good news is, soaking in epsom salts is a super easy and effective way to top up your levels naturally.
4. Epsom Salts Reduce Pain and Inflammation
Athletes aren’t the only one who can benefit from a languorous soak. if you find yourself sore after a good workout, then epsom salts are they key to faster recovery. The magnesium it contains helps soothe away soreness and assist in the removal and excretion of lactic acid from muscle tissue.
How to Take an Epsom Salt Detox Bath – Not Only Physically, but Emotionally Too!
First and foremost, it’s important to drink a tall glass of water with a dash of high quality sea salt
in it to balance the reverse osmosis effect Epsom salt has on the body. If you don’t, you might find yourself feeling a bit dehydrated since Epsom salt literally pulls salt (and toxins along with it) from your body. Losing too much salt too suddenly is what makes dehydration worse. To avoid this, I recommend drinking an electrolyte drink if you don’t have any good sea salt around to use in your water. I often use this electrolyte
. You can also learn how to make your own tasty electrolyte drink here. Coconut water and charcoal lemonade are good alternatives as well.
1. Before I begin, I like to drink a small glass of salted water (just a dash) to jump-start my hydration. I better yet, drink some sole. I do this because I know my body and I know that I get thirsty when doing an Epsom salt detox. The amount I drink is usually about 8oz of room temperature water but you may need more or less depending on your body type.
2. Next you’re going to need 2-3 cups of high quality Epsom salt
. The kind you find at the drugstore may contain fillers, so be sure to check the label. You want the good stuff otherwise you might be adding more toxins to your body than you’re taking out.
3. Start filling the tub with hot water and toss in the Epsom salt. The hot water should help to quickly dissolve the salt.
4. After it’s dissolved, adjust the water temperature to your liking.
5. Light some candles
and put on some relaxing music
.
6. Grab an iced glass of salted lemon water.
7. Once the tub is filled, get in and soak for 20 minutes or longer. I like to hang out and relax for up to an hour sometimes, especially after a hard workout or a stressful day. Aside from detoxing the body as a whole, the salts penetrate deep into sore muscles and help disperse trapped lactic acid from the body. The magnesium also increases serotonin levels which creates a sense of calm and relaxation. As a result, you feel less irritated, stressed, or run down and are able to have deeper more meaningful sleep. It’s a win win!
8. Repeat 2-3 times a week for best results.
Have you ever tried an Epsom salt detox bath?
For more great detox bath recipes, check out the articles below:
Detox bath: Why and How
Ginger Detox Soak
The Ultimate Detox Bath
Super Detoxifying Bath Salt Recipe
