At first glance, you won’t easily be able to differentiate Epsom salt from ordinary table salt. However, Epsom salt, also known as magnesium sulfate, has gained popularity because of its many positive effects on health and beauty.
Below are some of the known health benefits derived from natural Epsom salt.
Helps Ease Aches And Pain
After a strenuous workout, a long run, or an extremely tiring workday, you can treat yourself to a warm and relaxing Australian natural Epsom salt bath to soothe your aching and sore muscles. Many believe that the magnesium in this salt makes it effective in reducing swelling and inflammation in the body.
Aside from relieving tired muscles, a warm salt bath can also reduce joint stiffness and tenderness. Based on anecdotal accounts, soaking in an Epsom salt bath can ease headaches and even migraines, even for a few minutes. So if you don’t want to rely on pain pills for minor muscle aches, neck spasm, leg cramps, or knee pain, you can take an Epsom salt bath for comfort.
Promotes Smoother Skin
You should seriously think about immersing in a nice, soothing Epsom salt bath at least once a week as part of your beauty regimen, especially if you have dry and patchy skin. Epsom salt is one of the beauty products that may help with skin conditions. Many experts recommend it to ease skin itching and thickening in patients suffering from psoriasis and eczema. It’s also effective in sloughing off thick dead skin cells.
Besides salt baths, some people even use Epsom salt as a face soak, topical solution, face mask, and spot treatment for acne, blackheads, and whiteheads. However, it would be best if you didn’t use it on open wounds. If irritation occurs, stop using it immediately and consult your dermatologist.
Aids In Constipation
If you suffer from bowel woes such as constipation, you can take an Epsom salt solution to ease your discomfort. It works by boosting water in your bowels to help soften your stool and make it easier to pass.
Since many people find Epsom salt solution quite challenging to consume as is, you may want to add lemon juice to the salt drink to make it more tolerable. However, this solution isn’t ideal for everyone, particularly for people suffering from kidney disease and stomach pains and those who need to regulate the magnesium levels in their body. If you suffer from any illness or condition, it would be best to consult your doctor before taking any solution for constipation.
Relieves Stress And Improves Mood
Magnesium is an essential mineral that regulates people’s moods, so if you have a magnesium deficiency, you could experience stress and depression. Since Epsom salt is rich in magnesium, just adding it to your bath will make you feel relaxed and improve your mood.
Restores Damaged Hair
If you have dry, damaged hair and an itchy scalp, you should consider making Epsom salt a part of your hair care regimen. You can add this salt to your conditioner or directly apply it to your scalp or damaged hair. Just leave it on for a couple of minutes before rinsing thoroughly. Some people may be allergic to Epsom salt, so it would be a good idea to do a patch test first to check if irritation will occur.
Helps Ease Jet Lag
One effective way to prepare for a long flight is by soaking in a relaxing Epsom salt bath the night before your journey. Magnesium is a great mood enhancer that’ll help you feel calm and at ease during your flight. You may also want to bring some Epsom salt with you on your vacations so you can have a soak once you get to your hotel or any time you feel stressed and tired during your trip.
Promotes Better Sleep
Undoubtedly, soaking in a warm salt bath will ease your tension and reduce your stress, thereby promoting better sleep. However, using Epsom salt for your soak will boost the benefits of your bath. You see, the magnesium in Epsom salt also helps with the production of melatonin, a sleep hormone. Anytime you want to get a good slumber, add a dash of Epsom salt to your nighttime bath.
Alleviates Athlete’s Foot
Many think that Epsom salt has antifungal qualities because it’s effective in treating an athlete’s foot. The truth is, it doesn’t have any antifungal properties or ingredients. But an Epsom salt foot soak may help address that skin condition by drawing out the infection and moisture, which is the big culprit in the proliferation of fungi on the skin. Regularly soaking your feet in Epsom salt is also suitable for preventing smelly feet.
Key Takeaway
Epsom salt has a lot of health benefits, thanks to its rich magnesium content. To reap the benefits of this type of salt, you can incorporate it in your bath or foot soak. Some people even add Epsom salt to their drink to help with constipation.
