Last Updated on September 4, 2019 by Femniqe
Since the 1900s, Epsom salt has been used for losing weight and aiding other health issues.
Even some of your favorite celebrities and athletes have been using Epsom salt baths to slim down.
What is Epsom salt?
It is named after a bitter saline spring in Epsom, Surrey England. But it’s not really salt, it’s a natural occurring pure mineral component  that contains magnesium and sulfate.
It has been hailed as a natural remedy for some health issues and has been used for household, gardening and beauty purposes.
Research has shown that sulfate and magnesium are normally absorbed through the skin which make it easier to enjoy the health benefits that it bring.
In case you didn’t know, magnesium plays a very critical role in how the body functions. Some of the benefits include regulating the activity of over 300 enzymes, helping muscle and nerve function, prevent artery blockage and reduce inflammation.
For sulfate, it helps to improve the body’s absorption of nutrients, helps to ease headaches and flush toxins out of your body.
Why you should use it
It relaxes you
We’re living in a very stressful world and your body needs to relax sometimes. Stress actually drains your body of its magnesium levels and causes an increase in adrenaline.
Epsom salt is absorbed through the skin and replenishes the body with magnesium, which then helps to produce mood elevating chemicals within the brain to create a relaxed and calm feeling.
Studies have shown that magnesium increases energy and stamina by encouraging the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which are the energy packets made in the cells.
Health experts also believe that if you bath in Epsom salt at least 3 times a week it will help you to feel better, look better and more energized.
The magnesium ions will help you relax, reduce irritability and lower the level of adrenaline.
It helps your nerve and muscle function better
Research has found that Epsom salt can help to regulate the levels of electrolytes in your body and ensure proper function of your muscles, enzymes and nerves.
Having the right amount of magnesium is also critical in the proper use of calcium, as it serves as the main conductor of the electric impulses in your body.
It fights blood clots and artery blockage
It also helps with preventing heart disease and improving your overall respiratory health. In addition to that, it does a good job of protecting the elasticity of arteries, stopping blood clots and reducing the risk of sudden heart attacks.
It’s very good for constipation
You might’ve already know this but Epsom salts is used to treat constipation when taken internally, because it acts as a detoxifying agent for colon cleansing.
How it works is that it act like a laxative by increasing water in the intestine which helps with passing stool and getting relief from blockage.
Remove toxins from the body
The sulfate in Epsom salt will flush toxins and heavy metals from your body and help the body to remove those harmful substances.
Now remember that your skin is a highly porous membrane, so when you add Epsom salt to your bath water it helps to trigger that process that pull out harmful toxins through your skin.
How Epsom Salt Weight loss Works
It’s time to get a bit nerdy. A British researcher by the name of Rosemarie Waring at the University of Birmingham, did some research and found out that sulfate and magnesium get absorbed through the skin when we bath in Epsom salt.
She also found out that Epsom salt helps to get rid of the environmental toxins, heal various skin issues and de-stresses the body.
If your body is low on magnesium, it can lead to heart problems, high blood pressure and even headaches. On the other hand, if your body is low on sulfate it can cause body exhaustion.
That’s why it’s very critical for you to supply your body with the right amount of magnesium and sulfate to help with the proper functioning of your body.
Keep in mind that weight gain is associated with emotional eating and poor nutrient absorption.
When you remove toxins from your body and feel more relaxed, you’re less likely to over eat and your body will metabolize food better which will lead to weight loss.
Some people reported a small decrease in inches when they stepped out of the bath. This actually started when Dr. Oz demonstrated this on television.
On his TV show a woman actually lost 1.5 inches from her thighs and waist after she took a 10 minute Epsom salts bath right on stage.
The reason why this happened is because she actually lost water weight through sweating in the steamy bath and but not actual fat.
Another theory is that the Epsom salt water dehydrates your body and this leads to loss in water weight.
Important note: Bear in mind that using Epsom salt bath for weight loss isn’t the ultimate strategy you should using for reaching your ideal weight.
Using Epsom salt to lose a few inches quickly for that special event will work temporarily but the weight will not stay off for long. Considered it as an addition or short term strategy for losing weight.
You should also keep in mind that spending too much time in hot baths can lead to you feel faint and lightheaded.
And if you do the process too much, it can lead to adverse effects on your health which include weakness in your bones and disruption of your menstrual cycle.
How to USE epsom salt for weight loss
- Make sure that you slowly add one tablespoon of Epsom salts to your bath daily.
- Â Gradually increase the amount of salt to about two cups. The reason for this is if you start with the big quantities without a gentle introduction, you might suffer from symptoms like quick skin irritation, mood swings and hyperactivity. The point is not to overdo it.
- Now you are going to soak in the bath for 20 minutes and just relax. Don’t stay in the water for longer than 25 minutes or you will end up exhausting yourself.
- Ensure that you use enough water and re-hydrate properly during and after the bath. If you find that doing a daily bath is a bit too much for you the reduce it to 2 to 3 times a week.
This varies from person to person, but the frequency at which you do it depends on you personally, so the best way is to just listen to your body and adjust accordingly.
The types of Epsom salt WEIGHT LOSS baths
Epsom salt and baking soda
Baking soda is one of the best body cleanser and detoxifier. In some parts of the world people use it to get rid of heavy metal or nuclear poisoning as it binds with uranium and other toxic chemicals then alkalizes the body to a normal level.
How to use it
- To use it for weight loss bath, follow the same direction as listed above. Then you’re going to mix 1 cup of baking soda and Epsom salts into your bathwater.
- Make sure that it dissolves properly and then relax and enjoy the sensation.
Ginger and Epsom salt
What many people don’t know is that ginger is very good for opening up the skin’s pores and it allows you to sweat more and release more toxins.
Ginger is also used for medicine as it’s great for your health overall.
How to use it
Note well that it’s best to use ginger with hot water as it amplifies the detoxing process.
- What you are going to do is add 2 tablespoons of crushed ginger in the hot water and then add 1 cup of Epsom salt.
- Mix it in the water and make sure that it’s dissolved and distributed. Now immerse yourself in the healing water and enjoyed for up to 20 minutes.
Epsom salt and apple cider vinegar
It’s hard to read any health website and not hear about apple cider vinegar and that’s because it’s so powerful!
Apple cider vinegar is popular for its health benefits on weight loss and beauty purposes.
How to use it
- The first thing you should do is mix 1 cup of apple cider vinegar with half cup of Epsom salt into your hot bath water.
- Then you’re going to soak body in the mixture for no longer than 30 minutes.
Epsom salt bath with essential oils
If you really want to spice things up a bit ,you can add your preferred essential oil to the bath. This can help to increase the smoothing and relaxing effect.
Some of the best essential oils you can use are peppermint, eucalyptus, tea tree, lemon and orange.
How to use it
- You should add 10-20 drops of your preferred a essential oil in the water and then mix it so that it distributes evenly in the water.
- Immerse yourself for 20 minutes and enjoy the relaxation.
Using Epsom salt for foot bath
You can also use Epsom salts to massage your weary feet by adding half cup of Epsom salts to a basin of warm water. Then you can relax and soak your feet in there for about 15 to 20 minutes.
If you have any calluses you can gently massage it then let it soak under the water.
After soaking your feet you can use 2 drops of peppermint essential oil or your favorite moisturizer like cocoa butter and massage your feet.
Some precautions you should be aware of
Before you start using Epsom salts make sure to consult with your health professional, especially if you have any special type of health conditions.
Another thing you should bear in mind is that you shouldn’t be doing Epsom salt baths for weight loss if you’re pregnant, have high blood pressure, kidney stones, heart problem or diabetes.
Using Epsom salts internally
Epsom salts can be used as a laxative is it binds with the water from your body to make stool softener and easier to pass through the colon. This is normally used to treat constipation.
One thing you should also remember is that Epsom salts isn’t really a fat burner, it just helps you to lose excessive water weight.
If you use Epsom salts internally it can lead to vomiting, diarrhea and even nausea.
And you can even interfere with other medications that you might be taking so again, this should be avoided for persons who have health issues like diabetes and kidney diseases.
It’s strongly recommend NOT to use Epsom salt internally for weight loss as it will slow down your metabolism, cause nutrition deficiencies, cause electrolyte imbalance and severe dehydration.
Magnesium toxicity
Even though magnesium does wonders for your body, you should not consume more than 350 mg of magnesium per day.
Each teaspoon of Epsom salt has about 495 mg of magnesium and the normal dosage that is prescribed for constipation is 2 to 4 teaspoons mixed with water and taken 1 to 2 times per day.
Make sure not to use soap as it will interfere with the Epsom salt effect.
A better weight-loss strategy
- What are you can do is eat 500 – 1000 calories fewer each day as it will help you lose weight at a safe rate. Another thing is to limit fatty foods, sugary, salty foods, sweet beverages and processed foods.
- Instead, replace junk foods with eating proper foods like vegetables, whole-grains, lean protein foods and fruits.
- If you want to get faster results, add an exercise routine to your weekly plan to maximize the calorie burn.