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Today I’m going to write about my relaxing bath.
Recently Scott and I have been doing a bit of renovating around the home. This usually means sore backs and aching muscles.
So, I decided that a nice hot bath with Epsom Salt would be just the ticket. I also added some fresh Lavender and some dried Calendula flowers. After a soak, my back and aching muscle felt so much better.
This prompted the question – Why do these flowers and the salt help to soothe our muscles?
After some Internet searching, this is what I found out.
Epsom Salt
It’s called a salt because of its chemical structure. The “Epsom” part is a place in England where it’s found in natural springs.
This salt is made from naturally occurring minerals Magnesium and Sulphate. These ingredients can help improve health in numerous ways. Magnesium helps muscles to release. If you aren’t getting enough magnesium, your muscles may cramp and spasm more easily. Also, by-products of metabolism such as lactic acid become harder to flush out without enough magnesium, which may lead to sore muscles.
Sulphate is also essential for many biological processes. It helps to flush out toxins and helps form proteins in joints and brain tissue.
So together, these minerals assist with the elimination of lactic acid, which contributes to sore muscles.
How Does It Work?
In water, it breaks down into magnesium and sulphate. The theory is that when you soak in an Epsom salt bath, these get into your body through your skin.
In a study conducted in 2006, levels of magnesium and sulphate in the blood and urine were measured, both before and after people bathed in Epsom salts. The study found the levels were higher after the baths! So, bathing in Epsom salt enables the body to absorb the Magnesium and Sulphate.
Then add Lavender….
Lavender essential oil is known as an excellent remedy for various types of pains including those caused by sore and tense muscles, muscular aches, rheumatism, sprains, backache, and lumbago. A regular massage with lavender oil can provide relief from pain in the joints. A study done on postoperative pain relief showed that combining lavender essential oil vapor into the oxygen significantly reduced the amount of pain experienced, versus those patients only revived with oxygen after a major surgery.
And Calendula….
You may not recognize the name Calendula. Perhaps you have heard of Marigolds, which is the name most commonly used describe this family of plant. Calendula officianalis is the most common species, but all possess certain compounds and substances that make them a valuable part of herbal health in certain parts of the world.
You may not have known that the petals are edible and have traditionally been used in soups and stews and salads, while a powerful chemical extract can be removed from the stems and leaves of calendula plants.
Calendula oil has anti-inflammatory compounds and unique antioxidant compounds.
Regardless of where the inflammation is occurring, calendula can significantly reduce the discomfort.
So together these 3 things can make a difference to our wellbeing, and a bath is always relaxing.
Till the next post,
Live Clean n Prosper
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