By Amy Mihaly / February 11, 2019
There are many methods we use to gently detox our bodies from toxins—a holistic way to aid healing. This series explores each of them. We’ve covered oil pulling already; next we’ll cover detox baths.
WHYDOWEDETOX?
Detoxing helps take the load off our liver. Our liver does many things, one of which is to process toxins out of our bodies. In the simplest terms, toxins are anything that are not helpful to the body at that time. Gentle detoxing methods, including detox baths, can have a positive effect on symptoms triggered by inflammation: like allergic reactions, headaches, aches and pains, negative emotions, brain fog and fatigue.
WHATISADETOXBATH?
Baths are a great way to relax! The warm water soothes us and helps put us into a meditative state. A detox bath is just like any other bath except that you add something to the bath water to help get rid of toxins through the skin.
We all have toxins that are floating through our blood stream. The material (agent) in a gentle detox bath allows your body the space to get rid of the toxins circulating in your bloodstream. As your pores open, the detox agent will draw toxins out through the skin and into the bath water.
WHATTOUSEINYOURDETOXBATH
There are a variety of agents you can add to your bath to trigger a detox response. These natural materials will help your body detox gently.
You can use baking soda or raw apple cider vinegar (with the live mother). Another common agent is Epsom salt. This is what my body has been liking most lately. Add between 1/2-1 cup of your desired detox agent to your bath. It’s good to rotate these agents (only add one type per bath), and you can practice your “expert detective” skills by seeing if you can figure out which one your body is wanting each time.
WHATISTHEIDEALTEMPERATUREFORADETOXBATH?
Keep your water temperature warm but not scorching hot for your detox bath. If your bath is too hot, you might initiate a detox in your body that’s not gentle. The cells will say “Oo, a relaxing bath! Let’s get rid of these toxins!” and dump additional toxins into your blood stream.
If the water temperature is too hot for your detox bath, you may experience an increase in your heart rate, become nauseous, get flushed, irritable or have a headache while you’re in the bath. These symptoms can also happen if you put too much of your detox material into the bath or if you stay for too long in the bath.
If you experience any of these symptoms while you’re in the detox bath, get out right away. Drink a lot of water and the symptoms usually pass fairly quickly.
DETOXBATHSWHENYOU’REFIGHTINGACOLD
Detox baths are a great option when you are sick. They help aid your body in getting rid of the collateral damage that happens when you’re sick. Plus, they’re a great way to warm up and relax an aching body.
I recommend adding 1/2 cup to 1 full cup of Epsom salts or raw apple cider vinegar, with the mother, to your bath. It’s important to take a detox bath at least once a day while you’re sick. And don’t be afraid to take more than one!
Make sure the temperature of your detox bath water isn’t too hot; you don’t want to add to your illness symptoms with a new headache or nausea.
How do you like to detox bath? Let us know in the comments below.
