Epsom salt is tried and tested home remedy for many ailments.
People use it to ease health problems, such as muscle soreness and stress and also for cosmetic treatments. It’s also affordable, easy to use, and harmless when used appropriately.
What is Epsom Salt ?
Epsom salt is also known as magnesium sulfate. It’s a chemical compound made up of magnesium, sulfur, and oxygen.
It gets its name from the town of Epsom in Surrey, England, where it was originally discovered.
Despite its name, Epsom salt is a completely different compound than table salt. It was most likely termed “salt” because of its chemical structure.
When should you use Epsom Salt ?
These salts can be used to:
- ease strain and relax tired, stiff or aching muscles
- relieve pain and muscle cramps
- promote sleep and stress reduction
- soothes your nervous and digestive system
- helps eliminate toxins from your body
It can be used locally for hand or foot calcification and as a general aid to relaxation and as a preventative measure. It works by reducing the acid build up in the body and working towards a normal acid/alkaline balance which is also very useful in cases of fever, colds or ‘flu’. Epsom salts can also be used by people with skin conditions such as dermatitis or eczema.
Other interesting properties
Relaxing and sedative bath:
Soak in warm water and 2 cups of Epsom salt.
Foot soak:
Soothe aches, remove odours and soften rough skin with a foot soak. Add 1/2 cup of Epsom salt to a large pan of warm water. Soak feet for as long as it feels right. Rinse and dry. Or try an Epsom Salt Peppermint Foot Scrub.
Soak sprains and bruises:
Epsom salt will reduce the swelling of sprains and bruises. Add 2 cups Epsom salt to a warm bath, and soak.
Splinter remover:
Soak in Epsom salt; it will draw out the splinter.
Face cleaner:
To clean your face at night, mix a half-teaspoon of Epsom salt with your regular cleansing cream. Just massage into skin and rinse with cold water.
Homemade skin mask:
Apply the mask to damp skin. For normal to oily skin, mix 1 tablespoon of cognac, 1 egg, 1/4 cup of non-fat dry milk, the juice of 1 lemon, and a half-teaspoon of Epsom salt. For normal to dry skin, mix 1/4 cup of grated carrot, 1 1/2 teaspoons of mayonnaise and a half-teaspoon of Epsom salt.
Skin exfoliate:
Massage handfuls of Epsom salt over your wet skin, starting with your feet and continuing up towards the face. Have a bath to rinse.
Remove excess oil from hair:
Epsom salt soaks up excess oil from hair. Add 9 tablespoons of Epsom salt to 1/2 cup of oily hair shampoo. Apply one tablespoon of the liquid to your hair when it is dry; rinse with cold water. Pour lemon juice or organic apple cider vinegar through the hair, leave on for 5-10 minutes, and then rinse.
Remove hairspray:
Combine 1 gallon of water, 1 cup of lemon juice, and 1 cup Epsom salt. Combine, cover and let set for 24 hours. The next day, pour the mixture into your dry hair and let it sit for 20 minutes. Then shampoo as normal.
Hair volumizer:
Combine equal parts of deep conditioner and Epsom salt. Warm in a pan. Work the warm mixture through your hair and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse.
How to use Epsom Salt
swissphysio.co.uk/services/other/products/(opens in a new tab)
You can purchase the salt from Swissphysio in handy 500gr, 750 gr or 1.5 kg bags.
If you are going to use it for a hand or foot soak, use approximately two tablespoons of Epsom Salt in approximately two litres of warm water and soak for 15 – 20 minutes. For use in the bath use approximately a large mug full in a normal bath. The water should be warm not hot as the salts will raise the temperature of your body to uncomfortable levels.
Frequency
Epsom salts can be used whenever a bath is taken, but for specific problems, such as Bunions, regular soaking is required about five times a week in order to reduce the levels of calcification. The use of Idosalve to reduce Bunions is also indicated.
Cautions and remarks
The water in the bath with the Epsom salts should not be hot but warm, just above blood temperature. If the water is too hot then the addition of Epsom salts will cause the body temperature to rise and the client to experience extreme sweating. For this reason, clients with high blood pressure or heart disease should take care when using Epsom salts in the bath. The use of Epsom salts is not recommended for the use of children under the age of five, unless under medical advice.
When magnesium sulfate is absorbed through the skin, such as in a bath, it draws toxins from the body, sedates the nervous system, reduces swelling, relaxes muscles, is a natural emollient, exfoliator
and much more.
For more details on the health benefits of Epsom salts take a look at the Epsom Salt Council website.
IMPORTANT! Always check with a doctor before using if you have any health concerns.