It is commonly used by athletes to treat muscles that are sore, while gardeners sprinkle it on their plants to boost the growth of their plants. This is Epsom salt obviously. Epsom salt has a long tradition of diverse uses and has many benefits in beauty, health, gardening, and household cleaning.
Epsom salt can be used as a natural exfoliant as well as an anti-inflammatory treatment that can be utilized to treat muscle pain and dry skin, as well as combat various health problems. Add Epsom salt into your next foot bath or bath to provide a luxurious and relaxing spa-like experience at home. In contrast to other salts, exposure to Epsom salt doesn’t cause dry skin. Actually, it makes the skin feel smooth and soft.
Another major advantage of this amazing salt is the magnesium content. According to a recent study, you could suffer from a magnesium deficiency when your magnesium levels in your blood are in the normal range. Additionally, it’s been discovered that the majority of people require an additional 300 milligrams of magnesium a day to reduce the risk of developing a variety of chronic illnesses.
This is only one of the many reasons to include this salt in your daily routine.
What is Epsom Salt?
Epsom salt gets its name from a bitter saline source situated at Epsom located in Surrey, England, where the salt was first extracted from water. It’s distinct from other salts due to the fact that it’s an organic compound made of magnesium and sulfur. It was initially made from mineral water, however today it is mostly sourced through mining operations.
Its chemical formula can be described as MgSO4. This means that it can be broken into sulfate and magnesium that is a mixture of oxygen and sulfur. The salt is composed of tiny crystals that are colorless and look like table salt. But table salt is distinct from Epsom salt because it is made up in sodium chloride.
What is the process behind Epsom salt function? It is a source of magnesium, a mineral that is essential for the body’s function. The main functions of magnesium are keeping blood pressure in check, heart rhythm stable and strong bones. The second ingredient sulfate is a vital mineral that is essential to a variety of biological processes. It assists in flushing toxins, detoxify the liver and aid in the creation of proteins in the brain and joints.
Health Benefits
1. Increases Magnesium Levels
The proper levels of magnesium are essential to healthy living, however it is quite common to be deficient in magnesium. Alcoholism, diarrhea that is severe and malnutrition, as well as high level of calcium (hypercalcemia) are all causes of hypomagnesemia, or low levels of magnesium. Simply bathing your feet or the whole body in a bath with Epsom salts, you will be able to boost magnesium levels naturally , without the need for magnesium supplements.
Magnesium regulates more than 300 enzymes within the body and plays a crucial function in coordinating many bodily activities. This is a crucial function that includes the control of muscle and energy production, as well as electrical impulses, and elimination of toxic toxins.
Magnesium deficiencies can be linked to various chronic illnesses that include type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and high blood pressure stroke, heart disease as well as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). By increasing your magnesium levels by taking external application or Epsom salt, you will aid in preventing or treating numerous health issues that are preventable.
2. Reduces Stress
Is soaking in Epsom salt good for you? Everybody has heard the benefits of taking an enjoyable soak in a warm bath following an exhausting day. If you’re struggling physically, mentally or physically, taking a warm (again but just not overly hot) bath is such an effective way to ease stress. If you’re looking to increase the benefits of stress reduction from an enjoyable, long soak and relax, add a cup or so of Epsom salt to your bath water. The magnesium will not only aid in relaxing your muscles, but it also helps to relax your mind.
According to research conducted by researchers at the University of North Carolina, hypomagnesemia can trigger stress-related reactions. Studies have shown that magnesium has a significant impact on stress and excitability. Magnesium salts, like Epsom salt, may reduce stress and improve the neuropsychiatric conditions.
Magnesium is essential to the creation of energy in cells. When you increase magnesium levels it can help you feel rejuvenated and not feel agitated. It’s much more peaceful energy , as opposed to the way people feel refreshed after the consumption of caffeine.
3. Eliminates Toxins
The sulfates found in Epsom salt aid the body in eliminating the toxins. This helps to remove heavy metals elimination from cells in the body. This helps reduce the body’s level of toxic substances. The human skin is a porous membrane. When you add minerals such as magnesium and sulfate into your bathwater, it triggers the process known as reverse osmosis. This process literally removes salt from your body, bringing dangerous contaminants along with it.
In a weight loss and detox program detox baths that contain baking soda and magnesium sulfate are often suggested. It doesn’t mean Epsom salt loss in weight is actually “a issue,” but since the salt is able to reduce water retention and aid in elimination (more on that later) It’s an unwise idea to add it to a comprehensive weight loss strategy.
4. Helps with constipation
Can you drink Epsom salts? Epsom salt is a FDA-approved laxative that is commonly used to treat constipation naturally. If taken internally, it functions as an natural laxative, increasing the amount of water in the intestines and removing your colon from waste. A summary of research studies that were published in Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology reveals that there is evidence the Epsom salt “has powerful laxative effects in vitro by releasing the digestive hormones as well as neurotransmitters.”
The use of magnesium sulfate internally may provide temporary relief from constipation however, like all laxatives, Epsom salt for constipation is not intended to be a permanent solution or substitute for a healthy diet high in fiber.
If laxative solutions are required, it’s best to stay clear of many of the aggressive laxatives available currently. Why? They’re typically filled with artificial colors and flavors as well as untested chemicals. To consume magnesium sulfate in a drink the usual recommendation is to dissolve one dose into eight 8 ounces of water. Mix the mixture well and drink it all immediately. You can add a tiny quantity of juice from a lemon to enhance the flavor.
Drink plenty of fluids when taking the Epsom salt laxative to avoid dehydration. Magnesium Sulfate taken orally will cause bowel movements within 30 minutes to 6 hours.
5. Reduces Inflammation and Pain
A relaxing bath with Epsom salt can reduce pain and ease inflammation. It is a great natural remedy for sore muscles, migraines (including migraines) and arthritis pain.
Warm water bathing is among the oldest methods of alternative treatment for arthritis. If you add Epsom salt the bath will become much more relaxing. As per the Arthritis Foundation:
The data gathered from researchers at the National Academy of Sciences show that the majority of Americans do not get sufficient magnesium. It’s a mineral that’s vital for heart and bone health. One method to remedy this is to bathe in … Epsom salts. They’re fairly inexpensive and are available at supermarkets and drug stores , and may increase magnesium levels by as much up to 35 percent according to research from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.
Are you suffering from a painful and irritating stick stuck in your hand? Place the affected area with warm water, and Epsom salt. The splinter will be pulled out of the skin within a matter of minutes! Do you experience achy, irritated skin after having children? Epsom salt may help with this, too. In general, the healthy levels of magnesium derived from Epsom salt consumption can reduce general body inflammation as magnesium deficiency has been associated to a higher level of C-reactive protein, an indicator of inflammation in the body.
6. Improves Blood Sugar Levels
The development of type 2 diabetes is often caused by extracellular as well as intracellular magnesium deficiency. In addition, high levels of magnesium are associated with a lower chance for developing the disease. As you’ve learned, Epsom salt is a great supply of magnesium.
Regular consumption of Epsom salts, whether transdermally or orally, can aid in regulating blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of developing diabetes and boosting energy levels. Always consult with your doctor before taking any new diabetes treatment.
7. Volumizes Hair
The addition of Epsom salts to products for hair will help reduce excess oil. The excess oil can cause hair to end up appearing flat and heavy. A simple method to make your personal volume-enhancing conditioner is at home to mix equal amounts of conditioner and salt (example 2 tablespoons conditioner and 2 tablespoons Epsom salts).
After shampooing your hair as normal Apply the volumizing conditioner mix on hair, slapping hair from scalp up to the ends. Allow the mixture to sit for between 1 and 20 minutes prior to washing. This is a fantastic routine hair treatment.
8. May Boost Plant Health
Epsom salt is used in gardens widespread and with good reason because it functions as an organic fertilizer. Epsom salt has been proven to increase the vibrancy of plants. It also helps the plants grow faster and even larger, although some experts are skeptical. Many gardeners enjoy making use of Epsom salt to treat peppers, roses and tomatoes Some people even have found it to increase yields for plants.
A few suggested methods to use the epsom salt to help plants are:
When you plant roses or vegetables Sprinkle a tablespoon of Epsom salts in the planting hole.
Mix one teaspoon of salt for each gallon of water to use as a spray for the foliar, and spray when the flowers begin to bloom and then again after a young fruit begins to appear.
9. Aids in Breathing Troubles
Magnesium sulfate also has shown its effectiveness as a natural treatment for asthma bronchial. A review of scientific research that was published in 2012 reveals that magnesium sulfur “has been viewed as an adjunct therapy to life-threatening asthma exacerbations that are severe.”
The first use of magnesium to treat asthma was reported in 1936. Research has shown that magnesium relaxes the muscles of the bronchial tract in a dose-dependent way. Nowadays, the use of magnesium sulfate intravenously is a popular alternative therapy to standard treatment for severe and acute asthma flare-ups.
10. Helps Prevent Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia can be a risky pregnancy complication that is characterized with elevated blood pressure. Magnesium sulfate is among the methods that physicians and women who are pregnant utilize to treat or stop preeclampsia. Studies have shown that it has in the vivo and in vitro vasodilator characteristics.
What exactly is vasodilators? It’s a substance that can help widen blood vessels and increase the flow of blood. Magnesium Sulfate is a particular favorite for its role in the treatment of severe cases of preeclampsia, to stop the progression to eclampsia. This is when seizures begin to occur for women suffering from preeclampsia.
Uses
1. Epsom Salt Bath Recipe
Undoubtedly, among the many popular Epsom salt applications is its inclusion in baths. Mixing Epsom salt, baking soda, and lavender oils creates an easy, simple bath recipe that will help to relax, ease muscle tension, and heal all over, physically and mentally. Take a look at the Homemade Healing Bath Salts recipe.
The recommended amount of Epsom salt to add to bath water will vary. To make the perfect Epsom salts cleanse bath, include at least 2 cups Epsom salt to the bath water and then soak for about 40 minutes in total. The first 20 minutes allow your body the chance to eliminate the toxins that are in your body, and the final 20 minutes let you soak up the minerals in the water. This will help you leave the bath feeling refreshed. Be sure to drink plenty of water prior to, during and after your bath to shield your body from dehydration and to boost the process of detoxification.
Epsom salt is an essential ingredient in many recipes for detoxifying baths. It can be used as a standalone salt to soak in or mix it with dried plants and essential oils to create an indulgence in bathing.
2. Epsom Salt Foot Soak
If you’ve never tried an DIY foot bath or detox foot bath, it’s due to try the benefits Epsom salts can accomplish to your feet. Incorporating Epsom salts into a foot bath could aid in boosting magnesium levels and provide relief from tired, sore feet.
In addition, Epsom salt can help infections. Infusing an infected foot or any other part of the body in magnesium sulfate-based water can help draw out the toxins and encourage healing of the affected tissue.
3. Bone and Joint Pain Relief
If used in compresses or baths, Epsom salt may offer some relief from the discomfort you are feeling. Take a soak in a soothing bath that contains Epsom salt that is a popular natural treatment for joint and bone discomfort.
4. Heel Spur Aid
Because magnesium is essential to the health of bones, Epsom salt is an effective holistic treatment for the heel spur. The displacement of calcium in the bone can cause the formation of a heel spur on the lower part of your heel. Heel spurs can range from mild to severely painful. A natural remedy for healing the heel spur is to soak your foot in a warm (but but not overly hot) tub with Epsom salt. This helps reduce pain and inflammation.
Risques and side effects
Do not take a dose higher of Epsom salt than what the product’s label suggests or according to the prescriptions of your doctor. Magnesium sulfate that is taken orally may cause problems to your body’s ability to absorb other medicines that you consume by mouth particularly antibiotics. Do not take other medications within 2 hours prior to or after taking magnesium sulfate to relieve laxative.
If you experience rectal bleeding or do not experience bowel movements after taking magnesium sulfate for laxative, discontinue using the medicine and contact your doctor immediately. This could be a sign of a more serious problem.
Magnesium in all forms such as Epsom salt, should be handled with care for patients suffering from renal failure because the process of processing it occurs in the kidneys and may reach dangerous levels in these patients. Magnesium sulfate can be employed to treat eclampsia and preeclampsia in pregnant women. However, nursing mothers and pregnant women must be cautious and consult with their doctor prior to taking it.
Common adverse effects of excessive consumption are mild stomach upsets that can cause nausea, abdominal cramping , and/or diarrhea. The most serious side effects associated with magnesium sulfate excessive consumption include allergic reactions (rash itching, hives breathing problems tightness in the chest, swelling of the face, mouth or tongue) dizziness, flushing and an irregular heartbeat, faintness muscles paralysis or weakness, extreme drowsiness and sweating. It is important to inform your physician immediately if you notice any of these symptoms following taking Epsom salt. The risk of serious side effects from Epsom salt are uncommon when it is used in the recommended dosages.
Always consult your doctor if you have any concerns, are nursing, pregnant, treated for a medical issue or are currently taking medication consult your physician prior to using any medication, whether external or internal.
Final Thoughts
Epsom salt also referred to as magnesium sulfurate, has a long tradition of being used as a holistic treatment for a range of health issues.
The benefits of this product are believed to include an increase in magnesium and stress reduction, as well as toxin elimination as well as pain relief and blood sugar reduction.
It is also a natural treatment by arthritis experts to ease joint pain and inflammation.
It can also be used to treat breathing issues such as asthma, and to help women treat or prevent preeclampsia or eclampsia.
It is typically used internally to treat constipation. Although it is a better option than other laxatives however, it isn’t intended to be a permanent solution.
Epsom salts are utilized in the garden or home plants as an organic fertilizer that can boost the health of plants and increase their growth.
Take a bath in salt (bath or feet) after a tiring day. Don’t be shocked if you feel much more relaxed after you’re done.
