Boost the body with a little added salt
If you usually opt for a short, sharp invigorating shower over a lingering soak in the bath to start and finish your day, then it may be time to think again. A soak in a warm tub with some therapeutic salts, can not only help ease your body but can also boost your health and wellbeing too.
Salt bathing - an ancient practice
The practice of salt water bathing is nothing new - it dates back centuries, with ancient civilisations using the healing properties of natural salts to help ease a wide range of ailments from arthritis and insomnia, to muscular fatigue and poor circulation.
Bath salts, when used in their natural form, contain many essential minerals and nutrients - including magnesium, potassium, calcium and sodium - that can be easily absorbed into the pores of the skin, bringing benefits to the body, both inside and out.
If you've always been a bath-sceptic, why not try a little hydrotherapy at home and take the plunge with a pinch of salt of course! Here are my top salt saviours...
Himalayan
Pink Salt
Believed to be the purest form of salt available, Himalayan Pink Salt is derived from ancient sea salt deposits found in the foothills of the Himalayan mountain range. The salt gets its pink colour due to the high mineral and iron content.
Epsom Salt
Originating from a saline spring in the town of Epsom, Surrey in the UK, Epsom Salt is a naturally occurring pure mineral compound of magnesium and sulphate. Both of these minerals are known for their beneficial health properties.
Dead Sea Salt
Dead Sea Salt is obtained from the mineral-rich, healing waters of the Dead Salt, a salt lake bordering Jordan to the east and Israel and the West Bank to the west. It contains up to eight times more minerals than most sea water.
Simply dissolve the salts into the warm, running water of your bath, then lie back and relax for around 20 minutes and let the therapeutic salts work their magic.
Natural bath salts can easily be absorbed by the skin, bringing benefits to the body, both inside and out
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Himalayan
Pink Salt
Himalayan Pink Salt contains over 84 different minerals and trace elements including magnesium, calcium, iron and potassium. These important minerals help to boost circulation, eliminate toxins and deep cleanse the skin.
Adding Himalayan Pink Salts to your bath is the perfect way to detoxify and deep cleanse the skin
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Use in the bath to:
- detoxify - the minerals found in the salt are absorbed by the body, while the unwanted toxins are eliminated.
- boost circulation by protecting the elasticity of arteries and reduce muscle cramps.
- balance the pH of the skin, leaving it soft and smooth.
Epsom Salt
The minerals magnesium and sulphate, both found in Epsom Salt, are readily absorbed by the skin. Studies have shown they have many health benefits, including easing muscle strain, drawing toxins from the body and relieving joint inflammation.
Use in the bath to:
- help ease stress and relax and unwind the body at the end of the day. Magnesium helps to produce serotonin, a feel-good chemical in the brain that creates a feeling of calm.
- relieve muscle aches and pains and help speed recovery time after exercise by regulating electrolytes in the body.
- reduce the effect of bloating by stimulating digestive enzymes to detoxify from within.
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Dead Sea Salt
With its extremely high salt content and wide range of other important minerals, including magnesium, calcium, iodine, zinc, bromide, potassium and sulphur, Dead Sea Salt is renowned for its therapeutic properties.
The Dead Sea is a centre for health research due to its high mineral content and people travel from all over the world to bathe in its healing waters. It is especially effective at soothing and hydrating the skin, helping to ease conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
The anti-inflammatory properties of the minerals can also help with conditions such as arthritis.
Use in the bath to:
- soften and hydrate dry, irritated skin.
- relieve aches and pains and joint swelling and soreness.
- promote deep relaxation by calming the nervous system, for a good night's sleep.
DISCLAIMER: The material presented on this website is not intended to replace the advice and recommendations from a qualified doctor or other health practitioner. Always consult your doctor or health practitioner if you have any health concerns and before embarking on any health, fitness or wellbeing programme. See my full Disclaimer here
