For the past year now I have been using Epsom salts to bath in after training to ease aching muscles and help with my recovery.

I am a firm believer in it’s benefits, and have worked my way through many kilos over the time that I have been using it 🙂

So what are Epsom Salts? They are not actually salt but a naturally occurring pure mineral compound of magnesium and sulfate, found (no surprises here)  at a saline spring at Epsom in Surrey, England. Not to far from where I live.

Epsom salt has numerous health benefits, let’s have a look at them……

For me the main benefit is that they ease pain and relieve inflammation, making it beneficial in the treatment of sore muscle. Great after a long run/training session. It has a drawing effect in the body taking toxins out of the muscles and so lessening the after training soreness that we can all suffer from. I am always on the lookout for anything that has anti-inflammatory properties.

When dissolved in warm water, Epsom salt is absorbed through the skin and replenishes the level of magnesium in the body. The magnesium helps to produce serotonin, the happy hormone, within the brain that creates a feeling of calm and relaxation. Magnesium also increases energy and stamina, very useful in my life!!!

Epsom salt is also believed to be very good for your circulation, having a thinning effect on the blood and through this preventing blood clots, protecting arteries and reducing the risk of sudden heart attacks and strokes. And all this from lying in the bath!! Love that 🙂

And there’s more……

Helps muscles and nerve function, can relieve constipation, makes insulin more effective through proper levels of magnesium and sulphate. It can also help with healing cuts and with skin conditions.

Recently I was chatting to a friend who was also using salt in her bath but for her it was Pink Himalayan salt. It seems that this has similar benefits, reducing inflammation, detoxing skin and helping with skin conditions, increasing blood flow around the body, improving circulation and metabolism. Himalayan Salt has also contains 80+ minerals so is more detoxing than epsom salt I am thinking.

I am giving it a try, so will compare it to my Epsom bath. It is a much bigger grain so does not seem to dissolve as well as the Epsom making the bath slightly grainy on the bottom. But I’m not ruling it out yet!!!

This is the one that I bought….

From Boots, it was £4.95 for the kilo bag. There are lots of purchasing options online google can help you out 😉