You probably have a box of Epsom Salts in your house, but never use them… they are probably there because your Grandma bought them for you once when you were sick. Well, Grandma was right! A tried-and-true natural remedy for bone and joint pain.

Epsom Salts are magnesium sulfate.  They get their name from Epsom, England where it is found in natural springs. Epsom Salt Baths ease all sorts of aches and pains: sore muscles from working out or shovelling snow, arthritic pains, bruises, sprains, fibromyalgia, and tired, swollen feet.  Epsom Salt Baths also reduce stress and insomnia.

The warm water opens your pores and allows your skin to absorb the magnesium.  Magnesium is a mineral well known to help the body relax by helping your body eliminate lactic acid.  It is also important for energy production, so after a bath you will feel revitalized and calm, not jumpy. Epsom Salts do not dry the skin. In fact, magnesium helps the skin absorb and hang on to moisture, so this bath will leave your skin feeling silky and soft.

Children benefit from Epsom Salt Baths as well! Since it helps to induce relaxation and calmness, 1 cup of salts and a 15 minute bath ensures a restful sleep.

Here’s what to do:

1. Fill your tub with hot water.
2. Add 2 cups of salts and let them dissolve.
3. Slide in, relax, and soak for 20-30 minutes.
4. To replace the fluid you lose as perspiration,
5. keep a glass of cool water beside you and sip it during the bath.

After your bath, it is a good idea to lie down with a pillow under your knees and keep warm (this is why I recommend to have your bath at night, before bed); this will allow the salts to continue to soak into the core of the body.  Regular Epsom Salt Baths help to improve sleep quality and reduce the intensity of restless, crampy legs.

Caution – If you have a diagnosed heart or kidney condition, or high blood pressure , you should moderate the water temperature and avoid submerging your body above heart level. You should use a cold towel around your neck, keeping a bucket of cold water available beside the tub for wringing.  If you have any concerns about whether a hot bath will affect you adversely, please consult with your practitioner before taking an Epsom Salt Bath. 

Written by: Dr Enid Kennedy, DC