We all are aware that our bodies are made out of approximately 70% water that is why we are encouraged to drink so much of it. The added benefits of being able to submerge yourself underwater is HUGE and it has been practiced for centuries. I grew up knowing the benefits of a dip in a natural hot springs almost as quick as I knew that jumping into a creek or even the ocean on a hot summer’s day was a refreshing way to cool off.

As soon as you dip your toes into a warm bath your heart begins to relax and beat methodically giving your heart a healthy workout. If your soak allows you to sit with your head and neck just above water there will be additionally benefits to your lungs. The temperature of the water and the pressure placed on your heart and lungs increases your lungs capacity and oxygen intake. Warmer water allows your heart to beat faster, improving your oxygen capacity and even clearing your airways and sinuses. Being submerged in water helps reduce pain and inflammation which also will have a direct impact on your mood and anxiety levels as your stress levels decrease. A hot bath will increase immunity and kill bacteria and will also allow you to breathe deeper and slower allowing increased oxygen to your blood.

Having a bath just plain feels good and that claim is further backed up with the release of serotonin levels. What is often overlooked in bathing as we forgo this alternative for it’s cousin the shower. Sure the shower helps us wash our skin, hair, eyes, ears etc but is it really a nice deep cleanse? Our pores are constantly being clogged with oil, residue, pollution and debris so it would make the most natural sense that a good long soak would be in order to help wash all that gunk away.

Adding in minerals to your soak will have amazing benefits that we will look at and talk about now:

Epson salt releases magnesium or sulfates ions once it is dissolved in water. In addition to providing magnesium to our bodies (the fourth most common mineral found in our bodies) it also to reduce stress and promote sleep. Epson salts have been found medicinally throughout history and has been used to treat conditions such as minor sprains, poison ivy and pain and inflammation.

Pink Himalayan Salt is the most intriguing of our salt additions. Over 250 million years ago while the Himalayan mountains were being formed salt deposits were being made. Over time lava, ice and snow protected these salt fields from modern day elements and pollutants with it’s colour dependent on it’s mineral content. Himalayan salt is high in sodium chloride with trace elements of potassium, iron, calcium and magnesium. Advocates say that Himalayan salt is able to generate negative ions in the air, creating the type of calming effect many people experience on a saltwater beach. The salt helps delivers magnesium and is necessary to help our muscles contract and relax and also helps convert food into energy. So cool!! Himalayan salt also helps treat psoriasis, eczema and acne. Who wouldn’t love some relief from itchy, red, scaling, irritated skin?

Baking soda to detoxify and re energize your body and skin is the next addition to our bath water. The addition of baking soda to your bath increases the waters alkaline levels which helps with softening your skin while increasing your body’s ability to excrete toxins. This means that if you are feeling a little more sluggish than usual you can count on baking soda to shake things up and work on releasing the potential build up of toxins that you have been harbouring. Baking soda also helps relieve most skin irritations such as hives and psoriasis.

Now with all these mineral inducing salts it is time to add something in to help with the pH of our skin. Enter Apple Cider Vinegar. The high acid level of vinegar also works as a natural exfoliant and helps us to naturally fight against bad body odour because of it’s antiseptic and anti-fungal properties. Throw in some essential oils like lavender or peppermint and take 30 minutes for a little bliss.

Take two cups of boiling water and add it to a mason jar. Dissolve 1/4 each epsom, himalayan and soda into water and pour into warm bath. Add in 1/3 apple cider vinegar and 10 drops essential oils. Prepare your surroundings such as fresh towel, CBD lavendar lemonade, candles and cucumber slices. Turn off lights and turn off devices in order to truly get the most benefits out of your soak. There is no point trying to recharge negative ions if you are just replenishing them back into your bath water while being on your phone the whole time. Do everything in your power to be in the moment to truly absorb all the benefits that a 30 minute tub soak can truly bring. We are working on recharging our internal batteries so outside irritants really have no place. Trust me when I say this all those things that have been grating on your nerves will still be there after you are done. This time is just for you.

It is important to note that detoxifying in this way can be very disorienting and leave you very sluggish. I wouldn’t recommend this bath recipe if you were home alone. Just in case. You never know how relaxed and sleepy you may get after removing all the negative ions from your life. I have mixed emotions about whether or not a nice shower with a deep scrub would be beneficial. In one sense our pores have been purged cleaned and could just be sitting on top of your skin. In the other sense all the mineral are working over time at softening and recondition skin. I think this could all be based on personal preference. With the most important being just loving the skin you are in.