Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world.

Special Treat – Hart Dowd

July 6, 2006

Learn more about the Beneficial Uses of Epsom Salt.

“In Grandma’s day, Epsom Salt was largely used as a laxative. That’s no longer the case Epsom Salt, a pure, time-tested mineral compound, is actually Magnesium Sulfate, which absorbs easily through the skin and boasts a whole host of modern-day uses, from beauty to health.”

Epsom Salt occurs naturally, although most of what we buy in the stores has been manufactured. Even still, the Epsom Salt retains its pure, natural and healing characteristics for health and beauty to household cleaning and organic gardening.

The benefits of Epsom Salt aren't just folk lore. Numerous studies have demonstrated the profound and wide-ranging benefits of magnesium and sulfate, the two major components of Epsom Salt. Even celebrities, from model Stephanie Seymour to domestic guru Martha Stewart, have extolled its virtues.

Magnesium is the second-most abundant element in human cells and the fourth-most important positively charged ion in the body, so its little wonder this low-profile mineral is so vital to good health and well being. Magnesium, a major component of Epsom Salt, also helps to regulate the activity of more than 325 enzymes and performs a vital role in orchestrating many bodily functions, from muscle control and electrical impulses to energy production and the elimination of harmful toxins.

The National Academy of Sciences, however, reports that most Americans are magnesium deficient, helping to account for our society's high rate of heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, arthritis and joint pain, digestive maladies and stress-related illnesses, chronic fatigue and a host of other ailments. The Academy estimates the average American male gets just 80% of the magnesium required for good health, while females get only 70% of their recommended levels. Nutritionists say Americans' magnesium levels have dropped more than 50% in the past century.

Magnesium - the key component of Epsom Salt -- performs more functions in more systems of the human body than virtually any other mineral, including regulating the activity of more than 325 enzymes.

Studies show that magnesium is:

* An electrolyte, helping to ensure proper muscle, nerve and enzyme function.

* Critical to the proper use of calcium in cells.

* An aid in helping to prevent heart disease and strokes by lowering blood pressure, protecting the elasticity of arteries, preventing blood clots and reducing the risk of sudden heart attack deaths.

Medical research also indicates that magnesium may:

* Increase the effectiveness of insulin, helping to lower the risk or severity of diabetes.

* Reduce inflammation and relieves pain, making it a beneficial in the treatment of sore muscles, bronchial asthma, migraine headaches and fibromyalgia.

Although magnesium can be absorbed through the digestive tract, many foods, drugs and medical conditions can interfere with the effectiveness of this deliver method. Therefore, soaking in an Epsom Salt bath is one of the most effective means of making the magnesium your body needs readily available.

Epsom Salt also delivers sulfates, which medical research indicates are needed for the formation of brain tissue, joint proteins and the mucin proteins that line the walls of the digestive tract. Studies show that sulfates also stimulate the pancreas to generate digestive enzymes and help to detoxify the body's residue of medicines and environmental contaminants. Studies indicate that sulfates are difficult to absorb from food, but are readily absorbed through the skin.

 For a tranquil soak:

Better health through soaking .  Magnesium can be ingested as a nutritional supplement, but studies show that a wide variety of factors - the presence of specific foods or drugs, certain medical conditions, even the individual chemistry of a person's stomach acid - can interfere with their effectiveness. But all of the subjects in a recent study experienced increased magnesium levels from soaking in a bath enriched with magnesium sulfate crystals, commonly known as Epsom Salt.

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.

* Improve the body's ability to use insulin, reducing the incidence or severity of diabetes.

* Flush toxins and heavy metals from the cells, easing muscle pain and helping the body to eliminate harmful substances.

* Improve 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.

* Relieve 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, Epsom Salt also delivers sulfates, which are extremely difficult to get through food but which readily absorb through the skin.

• Sulfates serve a wide variety of functions in the body, playing a vital role in 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 are believed to help detoxify the body's residue of medicines and environmental contaminants.

Fill your bathtub with water at a comfortable temperature that you enjoy. As you’re filling the tub, add two cups of Epsom Salt to the water (if it is a standard-sized bathtub – make adjustments for larger tubs). Soak for at least 12 minutes, three times a week for best results. As an extra treat, try adding a few drops of eucalyptus oil for an invigorating aroma.

To exfoliate:

Mix together two cups of Epsom Salt and ? cup of petroleum jelly. Add a few drops of lavender essential oil for a pleasant fragrance. Apply the mixture to gently scrub away old cells and encourage a healthier-looking complexion.

For a facial:

Mix ? teaspoon of Epsom Salt into a deep cleansing cream so you can reap the benefits of this mineral deep inside your skin. Massage the mixture onto your skin and then rinse with cool water. Pat your body dry.

To accompany a pedicure:

Before you go to the trouble of painting your nails, soften your feet by soaking them in a bathtub or plastic basin with warm water and Epsom Salt for at least 10 to 15 minutes. The salt will help to smoothen your feet, giving them a relaxed and refreshed feel.

Relaxing bath crystals:

Mix two cups of Epsom Salt with a few drops of a delightful fragrance to create a custom bath crystal. To dress up your bath crystals, add a few drops of food coloring or ? teaspoon of glycerin. Store the crystals in an airtight container.

Soothing spa treatment:

After showering, massage handfuls of Epsom Salt over wet skin to exfoliate the body. “It's the same treatment many upscale spas use, without the upscale price!”

Question:
Does Epsom Salt dry your skin and leave a residue the way sea salt does?
Answer:
No. In fact, Epsom Salt is widely reported to soften skin, and it rinses away completely. While we don't yet understand precisely why Epsom Salt has a softening effect, the results have been widely reported for hundreds of years.

Question:
Where can I buy Epsom Salt in bulk?
Answer:
Epsom Salt can be purchased at your local drugstore or home improvement center in 1-lb to 6-lb bags. Please contact either your drugstore or home improvement center to inquire about ordering larger quantities.

Question:
I have a medical condition. Is Epsom Salt safe to use?
Answer:
Please consult with your doctor first, just to be safe.

Question:
Is it safe to put Epsom Salt in my hot tub?
Answer:
Please consult with your local spa dealer to determine whether it is safe to add Epsom Salt to your hot tub or whirlpool.

Hartson Sager Dowd

hsdowd@telus.net