Mineral Magic Salt Soak with Atlantic Seaweed and Nettle
I love, love, love taking a bath after a long day or on a Sunday afternoon. It’s a relaxing activity that is easy to do, inexpensive and relatively accessible. Taking baths is a great way to calm nerves, relieve sore muscles and improve sleep. It can be attributed to the mineral rich epsom salt that we use for the bath.
Epsom salt is also known as magnesium sulfate. It's a chemical compound made up of magnesium, sulfur, and oxygen. Once dissolved in a bath, the magnesium can be absorbed transdermally (through the skin) for full body relaxation. I recommend magnesium supplementation to many of my clients who have signs of chronic stress like difficulty sleeping, fatigue, poor digestion and muscle twitching. Some experts claim that magnesium deficiency is the single largest health problem in our world today. Luckily there are several ways to get magnesium into your diet and lifestyle like eating plenty of dark leafy greens, pumpkin seeds and oats, using a magnesium massage oil like this one or taking weekly Epsom salt baths!
Benefits of Epsom Salt Baths
Epsom salt helps stabilize mood and relieve stress, anxiety and low mood. Some researchers claim that taking magnesium increases serotonin production in the brain.
Epsom salt helps relax muscles and relieve pain in the shoulders, neck, back and skull. Try an epsom salt bath to treat headaches or muscle twitches.
I’ve included other salts like Celtic and Himalayan Pink salt that when added to a bath help to improve itchy, irritated skin and calm skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. With this blend of salts I wanted to make something extra relaxing and decided to include some of my favorite herbs to help. I added some wild nettle and Atlantic seaweed to add extra boost of beneficial minerals.
Nettles are naturally rich in Iron, b vitamins and vitamin K. It is used in various forms in herbalism to calm reactive skin, relieve fatigue and support hormone balance. It is also great for improving hair health and growth.
Seaweed is an amazing edible superfood but not everyone loves the taste. By adding seaweeds to a bath everyone gets the gentle boost of nutrients like Iodine and silicon that help nourish and renew dry and itchy skin without having to taste it. Seaweeds rich mineral profile also supports the nervous system and boosts libido, making it great for hormone balance.
You can find most of these ingredients at your local health or bulk food store. This recipe can be easily made in large batches, packed up nicely and given to friends and family as a nourishing holiday gift. I have listed my favorite essential oil blend but feel free to experiment with a scent that you prefer.
Mineral Magic Salt Soak
Makes just over 3 cups
Ingredients
2 C Epsom Salts
½ C Celtic, Dead Sea or Coarse Sea Salt
½ C Coarse Pink Himalayan Salt
2 Tbsp Baking Soda
1 Tbsp dried nettle leaf ( use two of these tea bags in a pinch)
1 Tbsp Seaweed, Kelp or Dulse powder
10 drops of Eucalyptus Essential oil
10 drops of Lavender Essential oil
5 Drops of Cedar Essential oil
Directions
Combine the salts and baking soda together in a large bowl. Mix well to make sure all are fully incorporated, make sure there are no clumps.
Add the nettle and seaweed, then the essential oils and mix well. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Add ½- 1 cup to a warm bath and soak for at least 20 minutes for best results.
*For less mess try adding salt blend to a muslin bag before adding to the bath, to prevent specks of herbs going down the drain.