Epsom Salts…not just for sore Muscles!!!

Used for centuries as a natural remedy for a number of ailments, including muscle soreness, Epsom Salts has many other health benefits.

Let’s take a look into why this is such a powerful health agent.

Epsom salt is a mineral compound comprised of magnesium and sulfate. Magnesium is the second most abundant element in human cells and the fourth most important positively charged ion in the body. It helps the body regulate over 325 enzymes and plays an important role in organizing many bodily functions, like muscle control, electrical impulses, energy production and the elimination of harmful toxins.

Sulfates 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.

 While both magnesium and sulfate can be poorly absorbed through the stomach, both are easily absorbed through the skin, thus making soaking in a bath enriched with Epsom salt a great alternative to supplementation.

Here are just a few of the many wonderful benefits of Epsom salts from my good friends at The Alternative Daily, a leading online alternative health publisher. Enjoy!

 Ease Stress

 If you are stressed, you may be deficient in magnesium and you may have elevated adrenaline. When Epsom salt is dissolved in warm water it is absorbed through the skin and can naturally replenish lost magnesium. This magnesium helps the body produce serotonin, which is a mood elevating chemical in the brain.

Magnesium also increases energy and stamina by encouraging the production of ATP – the energy powerhouse of the cell. Bathing in Epsom salt three times a week can help increase your energy, improve your mood and reduce the negative impacts of elevated adrenaline. Use 2 cups of Epsom salt in each full bath.

Eliminate Toxins

The sulphates in Epsom salt draw heavy metals and other toxins from cells which can ease muscle pain and improve cellular function. Adding Epsom salt to your bathwater pulls salt out of your body along with harmful toxins. Add 2 cups of Epsom salt to a warm bath and soak for at least 10 minutes for detoxification.

 Relieve Pain and Cramps in Muscles

 If you have sore muscles, migraine headaches or bronchial asthma, you may want to try an Epsom salt bath. It can relieve both pain and inflammation. If you are on your feet all day you may want to soak them in warm Epsom salt. It can also help neutralize foot odor.

WHAT MORE REASONS TO USE EPSON SALTS???????

Here are some fun beauty treatments & home and garden uses:

For Beauty

Exfoliating Facial Cleanser – Mix a small handful of Epsom salt with a tablespoon of coconut oil and rub on your face. Rinse and pat dry.

 Blackhead Remover – Add a teaspoon of salt and 3 drops of iodine into half a cup of boiling water. Apply mixture to blackheads using a cotton ball.

Skin Mask – For normal to oily skin, mix 1 tablespoon of cognac, 1 organic egg, 1/4 cup of nonfat dry milk, the juice of one lemon and half a teaspoon of Epsom salt together. Dampen your skin and place the mixture on your face – avoiding the eye area. Allow the mask to harden and set for about ten minutes – rinse and pat dry.

 Home and Garden

 Clean Bathroom Tiles – Get those dim and dirty tiles in your bathroom clean by mixing equal parts of Epsom salt with liquid dish detergent. Scrub tiles with the mixture and rinse well.

 Fertilize Plants – Plants need nutrients including magnesium and sulfur in order to grow their best. Sprinkling Epsom salt once a week on houseplants, flowers and vegetables will provide them with nutrients they need to thrive.

Greener Grass – Magnesium is necessary for seed germination and is vital for the production of chlorophyll which plants use to change sunlight into food and helps the soil absorb phosphorus and nitrogen.

 Sulfur also contributes to chlorophyll production and, as mentioned above, makes nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium found in fertilizers more effective. To help your grass be as healthy as it can, apply 3 pounds of Epsom Salts for every 1,250 square feet of lawn using a spreader. You can also dilute it in water and apply with a sprayer.

 Enjoy all of these benefits of inexpensive old-school Epsom Salt!