It’s
the time of year where it seems everyone is either sick or on the verge of
getting sick. Blame it on the stale air floating around those airplane rides
home from holiday vacations or co-workers bringing it in to the office, but
either way, it’s out there!
I caught a cold over the weekend and if you’re in the same boat, I have
just the thing for you to help get you back on your feet and feeling better in
no time.
A Detox Bath.
As a yogi I hate to admit this, but I’m such a skeptic about many of the
“home remedies” out there. But take it from me - this one is a keeper.
After I did this, my cold symptoms actually subsided and I felt better the
next day. The ingredients below facilitate the elimination of toxins which
cleanse the liver, kidneys, and thyroid. In other words: it gets that cold over
with quicker.
What you’ll need:
- 1 cup epsom salt
- 1/2 c baking soda (yes, the kind you keep in your fridge!)
- 4 T ground ginger (more or less depending on your tolerance)
- Essential oils of choice (I did this twice and used lavender the first time and tea tree the second)
Directions
Fill your bathtub with hot water - as hot as you can tolerate it. Once it
fills about half way, sprinkle in your ingredients and give it a few big stirs
with your hand to help it all dissolve. Once it’s full, get in and submerge
yourself to your neck. Soak for at least 20 minutes but you can stay in as long
as 40 minutes. The first 20 minutes is to extract toxins while the second 20
minutes is when the body begins to absorb the minerals.
Once you’re out, simply towel off and rest for about 30 minutes before
showering. Do NOT do this detox every day, but instead once or twice a week and
build to three times a week from there if you want to do so.
How does it work?
Sulfate is in epsom salt and baking soda which, when absorbed in the skin,
rids the body of toxins we pick up from pollution and processed foods.
I added ginger to enhance the detox
process because it has anti-mucus properties, is a natural decongestant, and
opens the pores. Just a little word to the wise: The ginger in there will make
you sweat your ass off! Luckily for us, that’s a good thing in this case.
Sweating is one of the best (and cheapest) ways to detoxify, and if you
don’t have access to a sauna this is a fantastic alternative. Another bonus:
it’s a powerful antioxidant with
potent anti-inflammatory properties, so it’s amazing for your skin as well.
A few words of advice before getting started:
If you’ve never done this before (which was the case for me), I’d say that
20 minutes is plenty. Especially with the added ginger, the bath will cause you
to sweat more than usual and it will feel quite hot. Any longer might be too
intense for a newbie. Also, don’t feel badly if you can’t stay totally submerged
the entire time. I moved around a lot and read my Kindle most of the time and
still got all the benefits it promised.
That said, I’ll just tell you again that you will sweat. A lot. Even after
you get out of the bath, you’ll probably continue to sweat a lot for the next
hour or two, so wear light clothing or a towel so you can easily change.
Just like with any massage or sauna treatment, drink plenty of water
afterwards!
If you weigh less than 120 pounds, add less epsom and ginger (cut it in
half). Conversely, if you weigh more than 175 pounds, add a bit more to your
comfort level.
Finally, as with any home remedy,
check with your doctor before pursuing a regimen like this. And if you’re
pregnant or have any heart or liver illness, don’t try this at home.
What's your favorite go-to home remedy for getting rid of a cold?
Published January 2, 2013 at 10:21 AM
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