What are the benefits of bath salts, and why would I want to soak in them?
Great questions! Let’s start with a little history . . .
Bath salts have been used for hundreds of years for easing all different kinds of pain and ailments. Epsom salt, as it is now called, is the main ingredient in most salt bath soaks (including ours!) and was originally discovered in the 17th century in the town of Epsom, England where it was discovered in a natural spring.
The Royal Society of Chemistry relays this historical account of the initial discovery:
“The summer of 1618 saw England gripped by drought, but as Henry Wicker, a local cowherd, walked across Epsom Common he came across a pool of water from which his thirsty cattle refused to drink. The water tasted bitter and on evaporation yielded a salt which had a remarkable effect: it was a laxative. This became the famous Epsom’s salts (magnesium sulfate, MgSO4) and a treatment for constipation for the next 350 years.”
Almost eight decades later, in 1695, a man named Nehemiah Grew coined the name “Epsom salt” for the substance that evaporated from the waters in Epsom. He tried to sell the salts, but the water had dried up by the early 1700s (and they are now produced in a factory).
One more interesting fact: Apparently, Henry Wicker also noticed that when his cattle would wade through the water that contained the salts, their wounds would heal more quickly. As the news traveled far and wide, many visitors flocked to Epsom for this healing water, and it became known as a “spa town.” (Historically, the word spa referred to treatment of disease by bathing.)
Wow! Isn’t history fascinating?! Now that we know a little bit more about how Epsom salts came to be, let’s dive into the benefits – and ya’ll, there are SO many of them!
Soothes sore muscles.
Improves dry, itchy skin and other skin conditions, like eczema.
Relieves internal swelling.
Helps with insomnia.
Decreases stress and anxiety.
Detoxifies the body.
Soothes other pain, including arthritis and stiff or aching joints.
Amazing! I know you’re wondering (because we definitely were before we did our research) how soaking in bath salts can have ALL of those benefits.
Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate, as was mentioned above, and magnesium is a powerful mineral. Magnesium, along with other trace minerals in the salt, can be absorbed through our skin into our bloodstream during a warm bath. The absorption of these minerals helps balance out the body’s systems. Magnesium, by itself, has a ton of benefits, including relieving muscle soreness and spasms, as well as menstrual cramps and headaches, improving heart health, and balancing blood sugar levels.
Adding bath salts, as you soak in a warm bath, could improve your overall immunity, help you sleep better, decrease your stress levels, and reset imbalances in your internal systems.
That sounds pretty magical, right?! Yeah, we thought so too. And as you already know, Farmer’s Body products never have any of that yucky stuff in them. So you don’t have to worry about anything soaking into your skin but the highest quality ingredients.
Don’t wait – the holiday season is upon us and relaxation tools like this will only improve your holiday cheer. 😉
Resources for additional reading: