Green Health and Beauty- Epsom Salts

In my family we used Epsom Salt for 2 things- soaking sprained ankles and cleaning. Epsom Salts are a natural and economical way to a healthful home. You can buy it everywhere-  Amazon offers a 5lb bag $5.95 from Green Sense 

Because I have a ton of Epsom Salts under my sink- I was wondering what can you do with Epsom Salts and try to get rid of it. Am I ever surprised! I didn’t know one iota of what you can do with Epsom Salts- 

And remember, the information below is intended for general reference purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice or a medical exam. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional before starting any new treatment.

From- Epsom Salt Industry Council “Epsom Salt is a pure mineral compound (magnesium sulfate) in crystal form that gently exfoliates skin and smoothes rough patches. Mixed with your favorite deep conditioner, Epsom Salt helps to add body to hair. Dissolved in a bath, Epsom Salt is absorbed through the skin to replenish the body’s levels of magnesium. Studies indicate this may help to relieve stress in a number of ways, including:

• Raising the body’s level of serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of well being and relaxation.
• Offsetting excess levels of adrenaline generated by pressure and stress; magnesium ions relax and reduce irritability by lowering the affects of adrenaline.
• Helping to regulate the electrical functions that spark through miles of nerves.
• Lowering blood pressure.

Researchers have found that magnesium also increases energy and stamina by encouraging the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy packets made in the cells. Experts recommend soaking with Epsom Salt at least three times a week to look better, feel better and have more energy.

Studies show these benefits from the major components of Epsom Salt may:Magnesium:

• Ease stress and improves sleep and concentration
• Help muscles and nerves function properly
• Regulate activity of 325+ enzymes
• Help prevent artery hardening and blood clots
• Make insulin more effective
• Reduce inflammation to relieve pain and muscle cramps
• Improve oxygen use

Sulfates:

• Flush toxins
• Improve absorption of nutrients
• Help form joint proteins, brain tissue and mucin proteins
• Help prevent or ease migraine headaches

From Disabled World 

Other medicinal and home uses for Epsom salts include:

Magnesium sulfate paste has been used as an agent for drawing boils and carbuncles. For instance Magnoplasm is a dehydrated mixture of magnesium sulphate and glycerol used for treatment of abscesses, boils and carbuncles. Magnoplasm can be used cold or warmed for easier spreading.

• Epsom of salts is the first-line antidysrhythmic agent for Torsades de pointes in cardiac arrest under the 2005 ECC guidelines.
• Recent studies have shown that magnesium sulfate can be nebulized to reduce the symptoms of acute asthma attacks.
• Intravenous magnesium sulfate may be able to prevent cerebral palsy in preterm babies.
• Magnesium sulfate can also delay labor in the case of premature labor, to delay Preterm birth.
• Users of Epsom Salts in the gel form can be used for reduction of pain associated with fybromyalgia and osteoporosis.
• It has been shown that both magnesium and sulphate are absorbed through the skin when bathing in 1% solution of Epsom salts.
• Epsom salts can be used to treat pre-eclampsia in pregnant women.
• Epsom of salts solution has also been used to remove blemishes and acne when applied in poultice form.
• Soaking in a bath with added Epsom salts can soothe muscle aches and pains and help improve rough patches in the skin.

From Salt Works: 

Researchers and physicians report that raising your magnesium levels may: Improve heart and circulatory health, reducing irregular heartbeats, preventing hardening of the arteries, reducing blood clots and lowering blood pressure.  • Epsom Salt improves the body’s ability to use insulin, reducing the incidence or severity of diabetes.  • Epsom Salt flushes toxins and heavy metals from the cells, easing muscle pain and helping the body to eliminate harmful substances.  • Epsom Salt improves nerve function by regulating electrolytes. Also, calcium is the main conductor for electrical current in the body, and magnesium is necessary to maintain proper calcium levels in the blood.  • Epsom Salt relieves stress. Excess adrenaline and stress are believed to drain magnesium, a natural stress reliever, from the body. Magnesium is necessary for the body to bind adequate amounts of serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of well being and relaxation.  While increasing your magnesium levels, TheraSoak – Epsom salt also delivers sulfates, which are extremely difficult to get through food but which readily absorb through the skin. Medical research indicates sulfates are needed for the formation of brain tissue, joint proteins and the mucin proteins that line the walls of the digestive tract. Sulfates also stimulate the pancreas to generate digestive enzymes and help to detoxify the body’s residue of medicines and environmental contaminants.

Recipes

1.) Relaxing and sedative bath: 

• Soak in warm water and 2 cups of epsom salt.  note of caution: Do not take an epsom salt bath if you have high blood pressure or a heart or kidney condition.

Basic Salt Soak Bath Formula 

Minerals and salts make the bath water feel silky and leave your skin cleansed and soft.

1 cup sea salts 
2 cups baking soda 
1 cup Epsom salts 
1 to 2 tablespoons glycerin per bath

Combine the sea salts, baking soda, and Epsom salts in a bowl. Stir to blend. Pour 1/4 cup or so into the bath while the tub is filling. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons glycerin to keep your skin from drying out (more for dry skin, less for oily skin) and essential oils of choice.

Preparation time: 2 to 3 minutes 
Shelf life: Indefinite 
Storage: Glass jar with a screw top

2.) Face cleaner: To clean your face at night, mix a half-teaspoon of epsom salt with your regular cleansing cream. Just massage into skin and rinse with cold water.

3.) Homemade skin mask: Apply the mask to damp skin. For normal to oily skin, mix 1 tablespoon of cognac, 1 egg, 1/4 cup of non-fat dry milk, the juice of 1 lemon, and a half-teaspoon of epsom salt. For normal to dry skin, mix 1/4 cup of grated carrot, 1 1/2 teaspoons of mayonnaise and a half-teaspoon of epsom salt.

4.) Foot soak: Soothe aches, remove odors and soften rough skin with a foot soak. Add 1/2 cup of epsom salt to a large pan of warm water. Soak feet for as long as it feels right. Rinse and dry.

5.)Skin exfoliator: Massage handfuls of epsom salt over your wet skin, starting with your feet and continuing up towards the face. Have a bath to rinse.

6.) Remove excess oil from hair: Epsom salt soaks up excess oil from hair. Add 9 tablespoons of epsom salt to 1/2 cup of oily hair shampoo. Apply one tablespoon of the liquid to your hair when it is dry; rinse with cold water. Pour lemon juice or organic apple cider vinegar through the hair, leave on for 5-10 minutes, and then rinse.

7.) To add fullness to thin hair, combine equal parts of Epsom salts and hair conditioner. Warm the mixture in a pan then work it into hair. Leave on for 20 minutes and rinse with warm water.

8.) Remove hairspray: Combine 1 gallon of water, 1 cup of lemon juice, and 1 cup epsom salt. Combine, cover and let set for 24 hours. The next day, pour the mixture into your dry hair and let it sit for 20 minutes. Then shampoo as normal.

9.) Hair volumizer: Combine equal parts of deep conditioner and epsom salt. Warm in a pan. Work the warm mixture through your hair and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse.

10.) Soak sprains and bruises: Epsom salt will reduce the swelling of sprains and bruises. Add 2 cups epsom salt to a warm bath, and soak.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup borax
2 cups Epsom salts
½ cup coarse sea salt
¼ cup baking soda
¼ cup white clay
½ cup dried lavender
10 drops lavender essential oil

• 1. In a large bowl, mix together the borax, salts, baking soda, and clay, then mix in the dried lavender, stirring with a wire whisk.
• 2. Scent the mixture with the oil, mixing well with the whisk. Cover the bowl with a towel and leave overnight to fix the scent.
• 3. In the morning, thoroughly mix again and package in jars, zip-seal or muslin bags, or envelopes.

To Use: Add ¼ to ½ cup healing salt crystals to a tubful of warm water

11.) Splinter remover: Soak in epsom salt, it will draw out the splinter.

12.) For occasional constipation or irregularity, adults can mix 2 to 4 teaspoons into water until dissolved and drink. Kids 6 to 12 take half of that. This can be used twice a day by taking the first treatment, waiting 4 hours and taking the second dosage if necessary. (Check with Doctor First) 

13.) In The Garden

• Houseplants: 2 tablespoons per gallon of water; feed plants monthly.
• Tomatoes: 1 tablespoon per foot of plant height per plant; apply every two weeks.
• Roses: 1 tablespoon per foot of plant height per plant; apply every two weeks. Also scratch 1/2 cup into soil at base to encourage flowering canes and healthy new basal cane growth. Soak unplanted bushes in 1/2 cup of Epsom Salt per gallon of water to help roots recover. Add a tablespoon of Epsom Salt to each hole at planting time. Spray with Epsom Salt solution weekly to discourage pests.
• Shrubs (evergreens, azaleas, rhododendron): 1 tablespoon per 9 square feet. Apply over root zone every 2-4 weeks.
• Lawns: Apply 3 pounds for every 1,250 square feet with a spreader, or dilute in water and apply with a sprayer.
• Trees: Apply 2 tablespoons per 9 square feet. Apply over the root zone 3 times annually.
• Garden Startup: Sprinkle 1 cup per 100 square feet. Mix into soil before planting.
• Sage: Do not apply! This herb is one of the few plants that doesn’t like Epsom Salt.

How to Make Your Own 

Is Epsom Salts Really Good-