Detoxification of your body through bathing is an ancient remedy that anyone can perform in the comfort of their own home. Your skin is known as the third kidney, and toxins are excreted through sweating.
1. Prepare your bath on a day that you have at least 40 minutes available. The first 20 minutes are said to help your body remove the toxins, while the second 20 minutes are for absorbing the minerals in the water.
2. Fill your tub with comfortably hot water. Use a chlorine filter if possible.
3. Add Epsom salts (a.k.a. magnesium sulfate). Soaking in Epsom salt actually helps replenish the body’s magnesium levels, combating hypertension.[1] The sulfate flushes toxins and helps form proteins in brain tissue and joints.[2] Epsom salt is very inexpensive. It can be purchased in decently sized bags or cartons at discount stores in the garden center or pharmaceutical area. Very large bags can be ordered from garden centers.
For children under 60 lbs, add 1/2 cup to a standard bath.
For children 60 lbs to 100 lbs, add 1 cup to a standard bath.
For people 100 lbs and up, add 2 cups or more to a standard bath.
4. Add 1 to 2 cups or more of baking soda (a.k.a. sodium bicarbonate). Baking soda is known for its cleansing ability and even has antifungal properties.[3] It also leaves skin very soft. Large bags can usually be found in the swimming pool chemical area, but the boxes from the bakery aisle will work fine.
5. Add ground ginger or fresh ginger tea (optional). Ginger is heating to the body and may cause your skin to turn slightly red for a few minutes, so be careful with the amount you add. Depending on the capacity of your tub, and your sensitivity, anywhere from 1 tablespoon to 1/3 cup can be added.
Most people sweat profusely with the addition of the ginger, and if you wrap your body in a blanket immediately after getting out of the tub, you can continue to detoxify through perspiration for another couple of hours. This is especially beneficial if you are trying to rid the body of a bug of some sort, like the flu, or a cold.
6. Add aromatherapy oils (optional). There are many oils that will help the bath to be a pleasant and relaxing experience (such as lavender and ylang ylang) as well as those that will assist in the detoxification process (tea tree oil or eucalyptus). Around 20 drops is sufficient for a standard bath.
7. Swish all of the ingredients around in the tub, then soak. Again, 40 minutes is recommended (the longer the better), but aim for at least 20. You should start sweating within the first few minutes.
8. Get out of the tub slowly and carefully. Your body has been working hard and you may get lightheaded or feel weak and drained. On top of that, the salts make your tub slippery, so stand with care.
9. Drink plenty of water. Any time your body detoxes (after this type of bath, a massage, or chiropractic work, for example), you need to flush out toxins. If you don’t, you will likely feel sick afterwards.
