Take a hot Epsom salts bath!
Are you deficient in magnesium? Chances are good that you are – roughly 80% of the population is deficient in this important mineral. If your gut has been damaged by long-term medication use, your gut bugs will struggle to can’t absorb minerals properly, including magnesium, and you will end up deficient. Magnesium deficiencies trigger loads of disorders, including mental illness and digestive disorders.
Signs of magnesium deficiency include leg cramps, anxiety, muscle pain, weakness, fatigue, loss of appetite, apathy, confusion, insomnia, migraines, irritability, poor memory, and reduced ability to learn. If you have gastrointestinal issues, you are at high risk for magnesium deficiency.
Taking a soothing bath in Epsom salts can be a great solution! The beauty of Epsom salts is that it contains magnesium, in a form that can be absorbed through the skin. The chemical formula for magnesium sulfate is MgSO4, which shows that Epsom salt can actually be broken down into magnesium, sulfur and oxygen. Epsom salt is composed of small, colorless crystals and does look similar to table salt — however, table salt is completely different from Epsom salt since it consists of sodium chloride.
By simply soaking your feet or entire body in a bath containing Epsom salt, internal levels of magnesium can be increased naturally without taking magnesium supplements. This will also reduce stress, pain levels and inflammation throughout the body.
According to research from the University of North Carolina, magnesium deficiency enhances stress reactions. Further studies show that magnesium has a profound effect on stress and neural excitability — and magnesium salts such as Epsom salt can reduce stress and improve neuropsychiatric disorders. Magnesium is critical to the production of energy in cells so, by increasing magnesium levels, you can feel revived without feeling restless (as opposed to how people feel revived from caffeine consumption).
An Epsom salt bath will also draw the toxins out of your body, helping to get rid of the bad bugs that the kefir is purging from your system – it’s a great “pull” technology to help with your detox while kefirising.
For a detoxing bath, add at least two cups of Epsom salt to bathwater and soak for 40 minutes total. The first 20 minutes will give your body time to remove toxins from your system while the last 20 minutes will allow you to absorb the minerals in the water and help you emerge from the bath feeling rejuvenated. A half-cup of Epsom salt can also be added to a large pan of warm water for a 20-minute foot bath.Make sure to drink water before, during and after the bath to protect yourself from dehydration and increase detoxification.
Unlike other salts, external contact with Epsom salt does not leave the skin feeling dry, but actually leaves the skin feeling soft and silky. Aaaah….relax! ; )
