Something for Yourself: Detox Baths

If you've been reading this blog for a long time, you might remember a series that I wrote in 2015 called "Something For Yourself".  The main point of the series was to give my readers some ideas on how they could bring self-care into their lives.  I'm a big believer in doing nice things for yourself and even though the series only lasted a few months, I still had a lot of ideas that I never got around to writing about.  

So, I've decided to bring back the Something for Yourself series and keep talking about self-care and self-love.  Honestly, none of the ideas I'll be sharing are all that revolutionary, but even in their simplicity they are all valuable ways to show yourself some love.

If you'd like to look back at some of the original posts, here are a few of my favorites:

• Something for Yourself: Gratitude Journal
• Something for Yourself: Meditation
• Something for Yourself: Morning Routine

For today's post, I wanted to share a new treat that I've been loving lately, detox baths.  You've probably already heard about how terrible flu season has been this year and I'm hoping that you've avoided getting sick so far.  

A few weeks ago I came into contact with someone who ended up having the stomach flu, also known as Noro virus.  Within that first 24 hours I didn't necessarily feel sick to my stomach, but I felt really drained and could tell my body was fighting off something.  In addition to sleeping on and off all day, I also decided to try taking a detox bath, which I had heard about on Pinterest.

I headed to my trusty Health board on Pinterest and looked at a few of the articles I had pinned.  Different sites had a variety of options for detox baths, but the main component always seemed to be epsom salt.  

Here are a few major health benefits of taking epsom salt baths:

• Eliminates toxins from your body
• Improves absorption of nutrients
• Eases stress & muscle pain to help relax your body
• Boosts magnesium levels, which can ward off a number of health issues
• Improves oxygen use

As you can see, there are plenty of benefits from taking an epsom salt bath.  After I took my detox bath, I felt slightly tired and kind of drained, like my body was extra relaxed.  By the next morning I felt SO much better and felt completely back in good health, despite my contact with the stomach flu.  Part of my recovery could have been all the extra sleep I got, but I also believe the detox bath helped flush the virus out of my system and prevented me from getting full-on sick.

Here are some instructions for taking your own detox bath.  You can do this up to 2-3 times a week.  I would recommend trying your first couple of baths in the late afternoon or early evening, because you could either feel extra tired, overly alert, or a little of both.  I remember laying in bed after my second detox bath and feeling extremely tired and relaxed, but having my mind racing around thinking about how amazing I felt.

---

Detox Bath

Ingredients:

• Epsom salt (2 cups)
• Baking soda (1 cup)
• Ground ginger (1 tbsp - 1/2 cup)

Instructions:

1. Begin filling your bathtub with warm to hot water, depending on your preference.
2. Once the water starts to fill up, add your epsom salt to the tub.
3. When adding the baking soda, pour it in right above the water.  If you drop it in from further above the water, it tends to puff up into the air and then you'll be breathing it in for a few seconds.
4. Lastly, add the ground ginger.  The ginger is optional, but will cause you to sweat and/or tingle as it detoxifies your body.  If you're unsure how much to use, add it one tablespoon at a time until you feel sweaty or tingly.  That's when you know it's working.
5. Soak in the tub for at least 20 minutes, up to 40 minutes if you can.  I usually have an audio book handy or will set up my iPad to watch YouTube videos to pass the time.
6. Once you're done soaking, be sure to rinse off in the shower.  Your body has released a lot of toxins and they're now sitting on top of your skin.  Also, your pores are wide open right now, so don't wash off with anything containing perfume or dyes to avoid it being absorbed back into your body.  Plain old water will do the trick.

Notes;

• The ginger is optional, but it is extra effective if you feel sick or feel like you might be fighting off something.  Be warned, however, that the ginger leaves a film on your skin and the inside of your bathtub, so be prepared to rinse off your body and the inside of the tub.
• Some people recommend using filtered water for your detox baths, mostly because they worry about any chemicals found in your tap water.  Obviously, using filtered water is only possible if you have a filter for the whole house.  Otherwise, be assured that the baking soda will help prevent you from absorbing anything harmful in your water.

If you're like me and have an extremely shallow bathtub, I've found an amazing solution that is super handy and super cheap on Amazon!

This drain cover is called the Bottomless Bath and is currently listed on Amazon for just $9.  I ordered one for myself and I can tell you it worked like a charm!  It might have worked a little too well, honestly.  I was so excited to have my bath fill up much more than usual that I ran a little too close to the top of the tub.  I had to be careful when moving not to splash water over the side. Next time, I'll be sure not to get carried away and will leave a little extra room.

---

Let me know in the comments if you try taking a detox bath!  I can't wait to hear if you love them as much as I do!!