If you are feeling stressed but a holiday by the seaside is out of your reach at the moment than the next best thing is to have a relaxing bath with salt added to it. What are the benefits of salt bathes?
Photo by Karen Platt on Unsplash
Epson salt - relaxes, relieves pain and muscle cramps, reduces inflammation, eliminates toxins from the body
Named for a bitter saline spring at Epsom in Surrey, England (yes, home ground :-) ), it is not actually salt but a naturally occurring pure mineral compound of magnesium and sulfate.
One of the main benefits is relaxation. Stress drains the body of magnesium and increases levels of adrenaline. When dissolved in warm water, Epsom salt is absorbed through the skin and replenishes the level of magnesium in the body. The magnesium helps to produce serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of calm and relaxation. Research shows that magnesium also increases energy and stamina by encouraging the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy packets made in the cells.
Other health benefits include relaxing the nervous system, curing skin problems, soothing back pain and aching limbs, easing muscle strain and pain, relieving inflammation, healing cuts, bronchial asthma, migraine headache, treating colds and congestion, and drawing toxins from the body. It is believed to improve heart health and help prevent heart disease and strokes by improving blood circulation, protecting the elasticity of arteries, preventing blood clots, and reducing the risk of sudden heart attack deaths.
Take a relaxing bath when you feel like it or for maximum benefit three times weekly by adding 2 cups (500-600 g) of Epsom Salt to a warm bath and soaking for at least 10-15 minutes. For added benefit of moisturizing your skin, add 1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil to the bath.
A bit of extra:
When you have a cold or flu add a 3-5 drops of Tea tree, Lavender and Eucalyptus essential oils to your salt bath, soak for 15-20 minutes and go straight to bed. You will be surprised how much of the sickness you will have managed to shake off by the morning!