Calgon ~ No ... EPSOM SALT ...

... Take Me Away!  Does you remember that Calgon slogan?

I believe we don't need to buy another "product" from a big corporation; simply go back to the tried and true Epsom salt and take the time to take a bath.

Of course it's rather ironic that I'm gaining this realization after REMOVING our soaking tub in our master bathroom to replace it with a huge walk-in shower.  But I'm grateful that we KEPT the bathtub in our front bathroom so I can follow this advice.

What is Epsom salt anyway?   After Googling (I love researching on the Internet!), I learned that it is Magnesium Sulfate, an inorganic salt made of magnesium, sulfur and oxygen.  The name was derived because one of the earliest discoveries of magnesium sulfate was made in Epsom, England. 

Potentially, more than half of all Americans are deficient in magnesium, which, like any deficiency, can lead to various health problems.   Sulfate helps forms brain tissue and joint proteins, and can strength the wall of the digestive tract.  I am all-for anything that I can do naturally to keep myself healthy, and taking an Epsom salt bath, 3 times per week, seems to have many benefits, just to name a few:

• Improved heart and circulatory health
• Improves the ability of the body to use insulin
• Flushes toxins and heavy metals from the cells
• Eases muscle pain
• Regulates electrolytes which leads to improved nerve function
• Relieves stress ~ and we ALL know what a killer stress is
• Reduces inflammation to relieve pain and muscle cramps
• Improves absorption of nutrients
• Restores pH balance (remember the pH strips I mentioned on the last blog?)
• There are even claims that it can reduce belly fat and help one lose weight!

So ~ how does one take an Epsom salt bath?  First of all, you buy the salt in any drug store.  I bought mine at Walgreens.  Dissolve 2 cups of Epsom salts in a bathtub full of warm water.  I've read that super hot water strips away protective oil from your skin (that explains why I always feel so dry after being in our hot tub, not to mention the chemicals).  I also love to add a few drops of Lavender Essential Oil to the stream of water filling the tub for a beautiful aromatic experience.  And of course, PAMPER YOURSELF.  Get some candles (battery operated are my favorite), turn on some soft music, and turn down the lights.  Use this time to visualize your strong and healthy body.  Stay in the water for at least 12 minutes.  Rinse off any left-over salt, and be sure to moisturize your skin immediately after the bath.  If you don't want to use a chemical-laden moisturizer, then try sesame, sunflower, or coconut oil.  Sesame is very warming, while coconut is cooling.  You can always try a mixture of different oils, as well.  Experiment and have fun with it!  Just be sure to have a special set of clothes to wear while the oil soaks into your skin. 

My mother ALWAYS took a night shower.  She told me that it helped her to sleep.  Besides, who wants to crawl into bed with all of the day's germs still on the body?  I've personally discovered that MOM WAS RIGHT (again).  It DOES make me sleep much better.  So I'm going to add these baths to my health regime. 

I'm very grateful to Kim, my roommate in Sedona, as she is the one who brought this information to me after giving me a FABULOUS MASSAGE one evening in her in-home massage room. Because she worked on some muscles that were tender, she suggested I take an Epsom salt bath, drink a lot of water, and go to bed.  And man, did I sleep that night!  Thank you, Kim.

A note on Kim ~ if you find yourself in Sedona, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you book a massage with her.  Her massage room is peaceful, her table includes an amethyst crystal biomat which is WARM, and her technique is crazy good.  Check out her blog, too ~

Sedona Expressions


There are so many wonderful ways to keep ourselves healthy without buying into the drug culture.  I encourage everyone to do their own research and try out different natural remedies before popping a pill.  I believe God already gave us everything we need to naturally live a long and healthy life. 

Believe in your own discernment and the wisdom of your body.