Baths versus showers

There are many ways to “clean up” which can include showers or baths. Many of us tend to take showers rather than baths. For some it's a matter of necessity with no tub available, for others showering is seen as faster and more convenient.  

Yet, taking some time and enjoying a bath can be a powerful way to help balance our bodies.  First there is the slow down, taking the time to soak.  A form of hydrotherapy, that relaxing time goes a long way toward counteracting the hectic pace at which most of us lead our lives.  Baths can also, however, be a great way to help us re-mineralize our system.  This is done through the use of something called a detox bath.

Health benefits of a bath

Our skin is our largest body organ, sometimes referred to as the “third kidney.”  What we put on it goes into our system.  This works for both positive and negative ingredients.  Often, we are exposed to many environmental stressors and/or we eat foods that may cause a more acidic body state.  While a bath cannot counteract all of that it can help to balance us.  Many people find that when they take a detox bath, they feel much better and more relaxed.  

It's often recommended to take the bath immediately before bed. In fact one small scale study showed a positive correlation between bathing and improved sleep.  Some participants reported falling asleep faster and researchers noticed that after bathing sleep movement was reduced for the first three hours.

A bath can not only be relaxing but also may have positive benefits for your overall health. These benefits can include improved mental and emotional health, soothe muscle and joint pain, and increase blood flow, thus supplying more oxygen to the periphery areas of the body. One study published in the British Cardiac Society, Heart, found that among middle aged people taking baths was linked to a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease.  All of which adds up to a good reason to include regular baths as part of your self care routine.

What’s in that tub?

Many people, when they think about a bath, think about bubble baths.  Those aren’t recommended due to the ingredients.  A much better option is an epsom salt soak.  And while you can purchase scented bath salt products you need to be careful about what the fragrance is made from, what the ingredients are, plus you may be spending too much. As it turns out you can make a simple detox bath at home for pennies.  

While daily bathing is fine and has a variety of health benefits as mentioned above, it is often suggested to not take a detox bath more than 2-3 times a week so as to not overwhelm your system. 

This detox bath recipe includes Epsom salt which helps to soothe inflammation, reduce stress, promote elimination of environmental toxins, and help with re-mineralizing the body with its magnesium content. The baking soda is alkalizing for the skin and many people report the combination to be very soothing.

Detox Bath

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Ingredients

  

• 1 cup Epsom salts
• 1 cup baking soda
• 5-7 drops relaxing essential oil (the most relaxing ones are lavendar*, ylang ylang, sandalwod, geranium, and vanilla)

Instructions

 

• Run a hot bath and add the ingredients
• Combine the ingredients and add them into the bath
• Soak for 20 minutes immediately before bed
• Take the time to invest in you and your health with a relaxing detox bath.

Notes

Note: Hot baths and sauna bathing are not recommended if you are pregnant, nursing, or have a health condition which might be negatively affected by immersion in high heat.

Sources