The Phenomenal Healing Power of Mineral Salt Baths
It’s hard to beat the satisfying feeling of getting into a nice warm salt bath after a hard day’s work, or a workout or run. It’s not just about the relaxation benefits of salt baths that I love, it’s their high mineral content which is a tonic for the body. They are also very affordable, easy to use and harmless if used appropriately.
I first discovered the healing power of salts when I became an energy healer in 2001 and I would regularly have a salt bath to cleanse my energetic body of any discordant energies absorbed during my work or from daily life.
When my children were young, I witnessed first hand, the healing effects that salt baths had on them. They were both coeliacs and intolerant to a lot of foods. I would spend hours every day preparing organic meals from scratch, baking my own breads, growing our own fruit and vegetables. Despite this, they weren’t growing as they should, slept poorly, had very low energy and digestion was clearly an issue. After exhausting other avenues, I was guided to take them to a holistic dentist, as I was concerned about the strength of their teeth. He had been trained in holistic dentistry in Germany and he immediately advised me to use salt baths to help them absorb some essential minerals through the skin, as it was clear that they weren’t getting sufficient nutrition through their digestive tracks. I used a mix of 2/3 Epsom Salts to 1/3 Himalayan Salts, obviously adjusting the quantity to a child’s size.
Within a couple of weeks, I saw a great improvement in their skin and their overall strength and wellbeing. Over a period of 3 months, they were sleeping and eating so much better and their teeth became noticeably whiter. The dentist had told me that it was the magnesium in the Epson salts that naturally whitens teeth. They continued to become stronger and stronger as the months and years passed and we were gradually able to reintroduce a number of foods again that once they had been intolerant to.
As a family, we have all continued to take these baths once a week and I recommend them to all of my clients to use immediately after our sessions, to assist them in their healing, rejuvenating and detoxing their bodies. It’s a good idea to do a patch test with the salt water if you have sensitive skin and as with anything, extremes of anything is not good for you.
If you don’t’ have a bath you can still use the salts in the shower as a scrub, ensuring that you always rinse the salts off well or you will have very itchy skin from the salt residue.
Himalayan Salt
So, what makes Himalayan crystal salt so amazing?
About 200 million years ago, there were crystallized sea salt beds in Punjab, Pakistan that were covered with lava. Being kept in this untouched, pristine environment that has been surrounded with snow and ice for so many years, means that the salt has been protected from modern day pollution. Many people believe that this pink salt from the Himalayas is the purest salt that can be found on the planet.
The many hues of pink, red and white are an indication of this salt’s rich and varying mineral and energy iron content. It’s 84 minerals and trace elements are proven to be beneficial to the body and vital for continued good health. It promotes a healthy metabolism as well as supporting thyroid and adrenal functions whilst simultaneously aiding overall hormone balance in both men and women.
DETOX BATHS: Add 450-900g of Himalayan Salt to a warm bath to create a rejuvenating, detoxing, and relaxing at-home spa. The salt water carries the electrical charge of the salt, along with the dissolved minerals.
This salt bath helps draw out toxins, deep cleanses the skin, and helps cleanse the body energetically.
I always buy food grade, organic, fine salt granules in bulk 25kg bags as it’s the most economical way to buy it and the larger crystals have a tendency to scratch your bath. It also means I can use it for cooking as well as for bathing. You can use this salt to cleanse your crystals by placing them in the salt bath with you if they are not water soluble or in a container covered in dry salt overnight if they are water soluble.
Epsom Salts
Epsom Salts are a naturally occurring pure mineral compound of magnesium and sulphate from a bitter saline spring at Epsom in Surrey, England. Numerous studies have shown that Epsom Salts, i.e. magnesium sulphate, have many profound benefits. These range from the garden to your own personal health. A lack of magnesium can lead to high blood pressure, hyperactivity, heart problems and other health issues. Magnesium plays a number of roles in the body including regulating the activity of over 325 enzymes, reducing inflammation, helping muscle and nerve function by regulating electrolytes and helping to prevent artery hardening, reduce blood clots and lower blood pressure.
Sulphates are essential for many biological processes within the body. They are extremely difficult to get through food, but absorb through the skin when bathing in salt. Medical research indicates sulphates are needed for the formation of brain tissue, joint proteins and the mucin proteins that line the walls of the digestive tract. Sulphates stimulate the pancreas to generate digestive enzymes and help to detoxify the body’s residue of medicines and environmental contaminants.They help improve the absorption of nutrients and improve the body’s ability to use insulin, therefore potentially reducing the incidence or severity of diabetes.
BATHING
Add 2 cups of Epsom salts to warm water in a standard-sized bath. It is brilliant for easing muscle pain and fading bruises. Add some essential oils, rose petals or herbs for a touch of luxury, soaking for at least 15 minutes.
STRESS RELIEF
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. Stressful day? Run a bath and bathe in Epsom salts to absorb magnesium. As a result, you should feel relaxed with an improved sense of well-being.
FOOT BATH
Add a cup of Epsom salt to a foot spa filled with warm water and soak your feet for 10 minutes. This is a popular remedy for aching feet. It’ll also help you feel relaxed at the same time.
BEAUTY
Use as an exfoliator to remove dry skin – brilliant for dry feet. After showering massage handfuls of Epsom Salt into your wet skin to exfoliate the body.
You can also use these salts to make a cleanser for your face. This leaves skin feeling smooth and soft. Mix with conditioner to create a volumizer for your hair.
GARDENING
Use Epsom salts in the garden as a great, cost-effective way of getting essential magnesium to your crops. As a result, it helps plants grow greener with higher yields and more blooms. Magnesium helps seeds to germinate, increases chlorophyll production and improves phosphorus and nitrogen uptake your plants.
Epsom Salt can be also be used to treat mosquito bites, bee stings, mild sunburn and poison ivy. Soak a cotton washcloth in cold water mixed with Epsom salt (2 tablespoons per cup) to create a compress. Apply to the skin.
Obviously, please check with your physician before using these baths to ensure there are no contraindications with any medical condition you have or with any medications you may be taking, but they are generally very safe.
I hope you discover the magic of including these healing salt baths into your self care routines.
As always, I am just sharing some thoughts and ideas based on my own life experiences and those observed through my clients. Take what resonates and leave the rest and share if you feel called to.
Much love & Blessings
Siobhán Maguire